IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTED REPRESENTATIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AND MEANS THEREFOR."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Dredge, of Clapham Common, in the County of
Surrey, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTED
REPRESENTATIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AND MEANS THEREFOR."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Dredge at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th November 1880.
JAMES DREDGE, of Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTED REPRESENTATIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AND MEANS
THEREFOR."
My Invention has for its object improvements in producing printed representations
of photographs and means therefor. In order to produce such printed representations
I employ relief plates or counterparts of the original photographs, formed in some
suitable material in relief, or in intaglio, as well understood. And my Invention
relates to methods and means of producing from such relief plates or counterparts
printed representations of photographs by surface printing, as, for instance, in a
lithographic press; also by the use of metallic blocks etched out by any suitable
process; also by printing direct from the relief plate or counterpart itself.
I effect the transfer to a plane surface of any design or picture produced in relief
or in intaglio as aforesaid by means of lines, dots, or granulations of ink or
pigment; the lights, shades, and outlines of such design or picture being reproduced
by the deposition of the said lines, dots, or granulations upon the surface in relief
or intaglio, in such manner that their width varies with the variations of the
undulated surface, or by the superposition of a series of lines, dots, or granulations
on different parts of the surfaces in relief or in intaglio, such lines, dots, or
granulations or series of lines, dots, or granulations being transferred afterwards
to paper, thus producing a print direct, or a proof on transfer paper for transference
to a lithographic stone or its equivalent, or to a metal plate to be etched, thus
producing an engraving suitable for surface printing.
According to one mode of carrying out my Invention a relief plate, such as above
referred to, is coated with paraffine, the surface of which is made truly flat, and the
depth such that the highest parts of the relief plate corresponding to the darkest
shades are level with the top of the paraffine film. I then operate upon the paraffine
by a cutting tool able to follow exactly the contour of the undulated plate, and of
such form as to produce in the parafine a V groove, the maximum depth of which
occurs where the paraffine is thickest (corresponding to the high light), the depth

page_text: receding to nothing at the darkest parts where the gradually reduced layer OL
paraffine ceases.
Thus I obtain a flat surface, covered with lines parallel' at their bases, and varying
in width according to the form of the relief plate. Such a surface reproduced by
galvano-plastic or otherwise will render the picture, and enable copies to be printed
in an ordinary press.
The use of paraffine may be dispensed with by using in conjunction with relief
plates or counterparts such as described (of metal or other rigid material) inked
elastic pads, rollers, plates, or devices, for imparting ink or pigment, having their
surfaces provided with raised or embossed lines, curves, granulations, or dots,
whereby I cover the surface of the relief plate with lines, dots, or marks, the
thickness, size, and intensity of which is regulated by the variations in the undulated
surface of the relief plate.. Pictures from the relief plate thus inked may be taken
in a press, or transfer copies may be taken for transfer to a lithographic press or
its equivalent, or to a zinc or other metal plates to be treated by the process known
as the Gillotype or other suitable process for the production of a block suitable for
surface printing; or the said lines, dots, or granulations, may be deposited upon
the gelatine relief plate, in which case no metal or other counterpart need
.be taken.
In lieu of making the relief plate or counterpart rigid, it may be of elastic
substance, the pad, roller, plate, or other device for imparting ink or pigment being
in this case rigid, and having its surface covered with raised or embossed lines,
curves, granulations, or the like, so that ink or pigment from the elastic pad, roller,
plate, or equivalent device, will be left upon the undulated surface of the relief
plate or counterpart cast of the picture in proportion to the variations of its
undulated surface. From a relief plate or counterpart so inked copies may be
taken, as and for the purposes already explained.
Or I may make a relief plate with a film of paraffine or equivalent material that
may with advantage be provided with a strengthening back of paper, linen, or the
like, and from such relief surface I may obtain pictures by inking the relief surface
with elastic pads, rollers, plates, or devices, such as hereinabove referred to, the
pictures being either prints or transfers that may be used for marking zinc
or other plates. Or the relief surface prepared as last referred to may have
impressed in it by a grooved, embossed, or granulated roller or plate or equivalent
device, a series of lines or markings, the strength of which varies with the varying
thickness of the film, and from the surface so prepared an electrotype or other
metallic reproduction may be taken suitable for surface or other printing.
Or over the surface of a metallic or other relief plate, such as hereinabove
described, I cut a series of fine parallel lines, of depths regulated according to the
degree of relief in the plate, and from the plate thus engraved I print copies in the
.ordinary manner of surface printing.
In lieu of lines, dots, or granulations, I in some cases use for each picture a
series of relief plates as follows:-I reduce the surface of each relief plate successively.
(except one plate, which is left untouched for the production of the darkest lines or
shades in the picture) by removing horizontally films from the surface, each
.successive plate having a thicker film removed than is taken from its predecessor,
and so on until I get as a last plate one that is absolutely flat, save where the high
lights occur. In printing from such a series of plates they are inked, and the
material to be printed upon is passed over them precisely to register, so as to
produce a picture the shades of which are as it were blotted in by the series of
superposed flat tints.
..
I would have it understood that although I have indicated by way of example
various modifications of my Invention for producing printed representations of
photographs, the same are susceptible of more or less variation to suit circumstances
without departure from the essential characteristics of my Invention.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Dredge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th May
1881.
James Dredge, of Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey. " IMPROVE
MENTS IN PRODUCING PRINTED REPRESENTATIONS OF PHOTOGRAPHS, AND MEANS
THEREFOR.
"
My Invention has for its object improvements in producing printed representations
of photographs and means therefor. In order to produce such printed representations
I employ relief plates or counterparts of the original photographs formed in some
suitable material in relief or in intaglio, as well understood. And my Invention
relates to methods and means of producing from such relief plates or counterparts
printed representations of photographs by surface printing, as, for instance, in a
lithographic press; also by the use of metallic blocks etched out by any suitable
process, also by printing direct from the relief plate or counterpart itself.
I effect the transfer to a plane surface of any design or picture produced in relief
or in intaglio as aforesaid by means of lines, dots, or granulations, the lights, shades,
and outlines of such design or picture being reproduced by the deposition of the
said lines, dots, or granulations upon the surface in relief or intaglio in such a
manner that their width varies with the variations of the undulated surface, or by
the superposition of a series of lines, dots, or granulations on different parts of the
surfaces in relief or in intaglio, such lines, dots, or granulations, or series of lines,
dots, or granulations being transferred afterwards to paper, thus producing a print
direct or a proof on transfer paper for transference to a lithographic stone or its
equivalent, or to a metal plate to be etched, thus producing an engraving suitable
for surface printing.
According to one mode of carrying out my Invention a relief plate, such as above
referred to, is coated with paraffine, the surface of which is made truly flat and the
depth such that the highest parts of the relief plate corresponding to the darkest
shades are level with the top of the paraffine film. I then operate upon the
paraffine by a cutting tool able to follow exactly the contour of the undulated plate,
and of such form as to produce in the paraffine a V groove, the maximum depth of
which occurs where the paraffine is thickest (corresponding to the high light), the
depth receding to nothing at the darkest parts where the gradually reduced layer
of paraffine ceases.
Thus I obtain a flat surface covered with lines parallel at their bases and varying
in width according to the form of the relief plate. Such a surface reproduced by
galvano-plastic or otherwise will render the picture, and enable copies to be printed
in an ordinary press.
According to one method the desired result may be obtained by using in
conjunction with relief plates or counterparts such as described (of metal or other
rigid material) inked elastic pads, rollers, plates, or devices for imparting ink or
pigment, having their surfaces provided with raised or embossed lines, curves,
granulations, or dots, whereby I cover the surface of the relief plate with lines,
dots, or marks, the thickness, size, and intensity of which are regulated by the
variations in the undulated surface of the relief plate. Pictures from the relief
plate thus inked may be taken in a press, or transfer copies may be taken for
transfer to a lithographic press or its equivalent, or to a zinc or other metal plates,
to be treated by the process known as the Gillotype process for the production of a
block suitable for surface printing.
In lieu of making the relief plate or counterpart rigid, it may be of elastic
substance, the pad, roller, plate, or other device for imparting ink or pigment being
in this case elastic, and having its surface covered with raised or embossed lines,

page_text: curves, granulations, or the like, so that ink or pigment from the elastic pad, roller,
plate, or equivalent device will be left upon the undulated surface of the relief plate
or counterpart cast of the picture in proportion to the variations of its undulated
surface. From a relief plate or counterpart so inked copies may be taken, as and
for the purposes already explained; or between the relief mould or matrix of the
picture and the piece of elastic or other suitable material upon which the picture
may be transferred by pouring the elastic material when melted; or by subjecting it
to pressure in contact with the mould or matrix I interpose a thickness of a lined,
ribbed, or granulated material, silk, for example, and reproduce on the surface of
the elastic or other suitable material the picture contained in the matrix, which
picture will thus be reproduced on the surface of the elastic or other material in
lines of varying thickness.
Or I may make a relief plate with a film of paraffine or equivalent material that
may with advantage be provided with a strengthening back of paper, linen, or the
like, and from such relief surface I may obtain pictures by inking the relief surface
with elastic pads, rollers, plates, or devices, such as hereinabove referred to, the
pictures being either prints or transfers that may be used for marking zinc or other
plates. Or the relief surface prepared as last referred to may have impressed in it by
a grooved, embossed, or granulated roller or plate or equivalent device, a series of lines
or markings, the strength of which varies with the varying thickness of the film,
and from the surface so prepared an electrotype or other metallic reproduction may
be taken suitable for surface or other printing.
In
In lieu of lines, dots, or granulations, I in some cases use for each picture a series
of relief plates as follows:-I reduce the surface of each relief plate successively
(except one plate which is left untouched for the production of the darkest lines in
the pictures by removing horizontally films from the surface, each successive plate
having a thicker film removed than is taken from its predecessor, and so on until I
get as a last plate one that is absolutely flat save where the high lights occur.
printing from such a series of plates they are inked and the material to be printed
upon is passed over them precisely to register, so as to produce a picture the shades
of which are as it were blotted in by the series of superposed flat lines. I would
have it understood that although I have indicated by way of example various
modifications of my Invention for producing printed representations of photographs,
the same are susceptible of more or less variation to suit circumstances without
departure from the essential characteristics of my Invention.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner it is to be
performed, I would have it understood that what I claim as secured to me under the
Letters Patent herein before in part recited is the producing printed representations
of photographs, substantially as and by the means hereinabove described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Dredge, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
JAMES DREDGE. (L.S.)