IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO COPYING PLANS, DRAWINGS, DOCUMENTS, AND OTHER PICTURES OR LIKE OBJECTS COMPOSED OF BLACK AND WHITE (OR THEIR EQUIVALENT PHOTOGRAPHICALLY) BY PHOTOGRAPHIC MEANS, AND IN COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson
and Co., Patent Agents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
and 323, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO COPYING PLANS, DRAWINGS,
DOCUMENTS, AND OTHER PICTURES OR LIKE OBJECTS COMPOSED OF BLACK
AND WHITE (OR THEIR EQUIVALENT PHOTOGRAPHICALLY) BY PHOTOGRAPHIC
MEANS, AND IN COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR." A communication from abroad by
Monsieur Adolphe Joltrain, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1880.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Patent
Agents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer.
RELATING TO COPYING PLANS, DRAWINGS, DOCUMENTS, AND OTHER PICTURES OR
LIKE OBJECTS COMPOSED OF BLACK AND WHITE (OR THEIR EQUIVALENT PHOTO-
GRAPHICALLY) BY PHOTOGRAPHIC MEANS, AND IN COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR."
A communication from abroad by Monsieur Adolphe Joltrain, of Paris, in the
Republic of France.
This Invention consists of a new or improved process known in France as the
gommo-ferrique process, and can be applied not merely to copies on paper or cloth
but on earthenware, porcelain, and the like. My sensitive liquor can be applied
by machine or hand, and in one coat or several according to the material to be
coated and the intensity required.
The gum, which it contains in great quantity, plays a very important part
because of its insolubilizing quality, which preserves the parts which ought to
remain white under the action of the developer.
"
The composition of the " gommo-ferrique liquor (sensitive liquor) is as
follows:-Gum, 25 grammes; chloride of sodium, 3 grammes; perchloride of iron
at 45 degrees B., 10 cubic centimetres; sulphate of peroxide of iron, 5 grammes;
tartaric acid, 4 grammnes; water to fill up to 100 cubic centimetres (centimetres
cubes).

page_text: In the preceding prescription in place of the tartaric acid 7 cubic centimetres
of crystallized acetic acid can be employed (per 100 cubic centimetres).
The above quantities are modifiable according as the subjectile or plate to be
impregnated by the liquor, and according to state of the atmosphere and the
degree of sensitiveness required.
I have known that the employment of tartaric acid combined solely with
perchloride of iron and a thickener has not been susceptible of producing utilizable
results. The addition of sulphate of per-oxyde of iron totally changes the properties
of my sensitive liquor. The employment of chloride of sodium is optional; it
facilitates the rapidity of reaction of the developer.
The developing bath can be a solution more or less concentrated of cyanide of
potassium, red or yellow, neutral acid or alkaline.
The printing is done by the light in the ordinary condition; the sensitive paper
is placed at the back of the drawing, and after an exposure sufficient the proof is
developed in the developing bath (yellow or red prussiate of potash).
The parts
which have been hidden from the light by black lines take a faded green tint,
whilst the remainder of the surface is unchanged in appearance. It is now washed
with ordinary water to get red of the prussiate and to arrest the action.
next puts the proof into an acidulated bath (acetic, hydrochloric, sulphuric acid)
where it is despoiled of matters injurious to bleaching and the lines take a black
shade approaching to indigo It is again washed with pure water and dried.
One

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thonipson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th December 1880.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Firm of W. P. Thompson and Co., Patent
Agents, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and 323, High
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO COPYING PLANS, DRAWINGS, DOCUMENTS, AND OTHER PICTURES OR
LIKE OBJECTS COMPOSED OF BLACK AND WHITE (OR THEIR EQUIVALENT PHOTO-
GRAPHICALLY) BY PHOTOGRAPHIC MEANS, AND IN COMPOSITIONS THEREFOR.'
A communication from abroad by Monsieur Adolphe Joltrain, of Pari tho
Republic of France.
The following is an exact literal translation of the Specification forwar
by my Paris correspondent as agent for Monsieur Joltrain with orders
is all I know about the process.
to me
.e. It
"This Invention consists in a new or improved photographic process known in
France as the 'gommo ferrique' process for directly reproducing drawings, plans,
et cetera, having nearly black strokes on a white ground upon all kinds of surfaces,
paper, textile fabrics, earthenware, porcelain, et cetera.
"
My new sensitive liquid possesses the following advantages over processes
already discovered:-It has a sensitiveness requiring a few seconds in bright
sunshine and a few minutes in diffused daylight, and moreover in the densest fog
it gives results much blacker than negatives, counter-drawings, et cetera, permit of
obtaining under good conditions by the ordinary methods. The phographic paper
prepared with this liquid gives results of a degree of fineness never hitherto
obtained; it works with such delicacy that it allows of the reproduction of drawings
executed merely in ordinary crayon; finally, the correct time of exposure in
printing can be exceeded by as much again without damage to the result, and the
reaction in the developing baths takes place instantaneously.
"My sensitive liquid can be applied by machine or by hand over the substances
(subjectiles') to be acted upon, and in one coat or several according to the nature
of the material to be coated and the intensity required. The gum, which it
contains in great quantity, plays a very important part because of its insolubilizing
properties, which preserves those portions which are to remain white when under
the action of the developing bath.
"The composition of the 'gommo ferrique' sensitive liquid is as follows:-
Gum, 25 grammes; chloride of sodium, 3 grammes; perchloride of iron at 45
degrees Baumé, 10 cubic centimetres; sulphate of peroxide of iron, 5 grammes;
tartaric acid, 4 grammes; water to fill up to 100 cubic centimetres.
"In the preceding mixture 7 cubic centimetres of crystallizable acetic acid (per
100 cubic centimetres) can be employed instead of the tartaric acid. The above
quantities are modifiable to suit the surfaces to be impregnated with the liquid,
also according to the state of the atmosphere and the degree of sensitiveness
required.
"I discovered that the employment of tartaric acid combined only with the
perchloride of iron and a thickener was not susceptible enough to produce results
of any utility. The addition of the sulphate of peroxide of iron totally changes
the properties of my sensitive liquid. The use of chloride of sodium is optional; it
facilitates the rapidity of reaction in the developing bath.
"
The developing bath can be a solution more or less concentrated of ferrocyanide
(cyanure") of potassium, red or yellow, acid or alkaline.
"The printing is done by the light in the ordinary condition, the sensitive paper
being placed behind the negative, counter-drawing, et cetera; after a sufficient

page_text: exposure the proof is developed in the developing bath (red or yellow prussiate of
potash). The parts which have been kept from the light by the lines take a dark
green tint, whilst the remainder of the sheet does not undergo any change. The
proof is now washed with ordinary water to get rid of the prussiate and stop the
reaction, and is then put for several minutes into an acidulated bath (acetic,
hydrochloric, sulphuric acid), where matters injurious to bleaching are removed and
the lines take a black shade approaching to indigo. It is again washed with pure
water and dried."
Having now given the description exactly as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, except the alteration of cyanide to ferrocyanide in the last paragraph
but one, the former being evidently an error of the French copyist, I wish it to be
understood that what I believe to be new and desire to claim under the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The gum ferric solution, giving directly proofs in indigo black shade upon
a white ground, containing two salts of iron, tartaric or other similar acid, and an
insolubilizing material, such as gum or gelatine.
Second. The application of a developing solution, consisting of red or yellow
prussiate of potash, or metallic solutions, such as salts of silver, zinc, and the like,
to a surface impregnated with salts of iron and other chemicals for the purpose of
making a dark or blue black lined or marked positive direct from an original with
photographically dark or opaque lined or marked negative.
Third. The process of photographing a print or other picture composed only of
lack and white or monochrome and white, in which the dark lines or marks of the
original are reproduced directly on the copy as dark lines or marks without the
intermediation of a negative, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this 30th day of November, in the year of our Lord
1880
WP. THOMPSON. (L.S.)