IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL ARTICLES IN WOOD IN IMITATION OF CARVING
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Ley, of St. John's Road,
Croydon, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL ARTICLES IN WOOD IN IMITATION
OF CARVING."
Sealed the 27th July 1869, and dated the 4th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William Ley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th June 1869.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM LEY, of St. John's Road, Croydon, in the County
of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL ARTICLES IN WOOD IN IMITATION OF
CARVING," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object "Improvements in the Manufacture of
Ornamental Articles in Wood in Imitation of Carving. For this purpose

page_text: lime, pear, or other soft wood suitable for the purpose is cut into slabs
or pieces of various thicknesses and sizes the cross way of the grain, and
such slabs or pieces are saturated with glue or glue and india-rubber in
various proportions, as may be desired, or with other substance capable
of producing a similar result, and these slabs or pieces of wood so satu-
rated are then dried by baking or exposure to heat, care being taken to
avoid warping or twisting.
Each slab or piece is then cut to a suitable length and breadth and
planed, toothed, or scraped (if required) and pressed into a metal mould
or die slightly oiled having in intaglio the form.or device intended to
be produced; the pressure is continued and increased until the thickness
of those parts of the impression produced by the shallowest parts of the
mould or die shall be reduced by the pressure to the desired thickness.
If after the impression has been taken in the above manner any portion
of the slab or piece shall have received no impression from its not having
penetrated into the deepest parts of the mould or die then other slabs or
pieces of the same prepared or saturated wood as that at first used are
either cut, sawn, or pressed in a mould into the general shape required
and are glued on to those portions of the slab or piece which has not
received the impression of the die or mould, and when the glued surfaces
adhere and are dry the whole is again pressed into the mould or die as
before, and (if necessary) other pieces of the prepared wood are glued on
to any portions remaining without any impression until the whole of the
ornamental form or device shall be as perfect as desired; or when moulds
or dies having in intaglio devices of less depth are used similar pieces to
those mentioned in the last process and of sufficient thickness may be
glued and dried in such positions on the slabs or pieces of prepared
material as to be capable of receiving a perfect impression in every part.
The moulded impression may then be trimmed at the edges and prepared
for veneering by being brushed over with glue or other suitable material
and dried. When the ornamental form or device is to be produced
without a ground or for the purpose of being placed on or partly sunk
into a separate ground the pressure is increased until the impression can
be readily freed from any superfluous parts or edges by planing, toothing,
rasping, filing, or other convenient method before being removed from
the mould or it is placed in another mould, the object being to retain
the moulded ornament firmly and without injury during the process of

page_text: rendering the under surface either flat or curved and of removing any
portion not necessary to the impression.
Veneering. First Process.-A piece of veneer of the wood desired
(such veneer being previously prepared as in the ordinary manner for
cabinet work, and also polished or varnished, if it be intended to produce
the ornamental device either polished or varnished) is (if necessary)
covered with parchment or similar material, being cemented or glued to
the upper polished or varnished surface of the veneer and slightly pressed
between smooth surfaces of wood, cardboard, or other such material (the
cement or glue being such as shall be readily dissolved without heat)
and these covered veneers are then allowed to dry..
When the vencer is about to be used the under or unprepared, un-
polished, or unvarnished side of it is covered with a coating of glue, and
the veneer is then placed on the impression produced by the process
already described (such impression having been previously covered with
glue). These glued surfaces are then slightly pressed together and the
whole again pressed into the mould or die, which has been previously
heated and oiled slightly, and when cold the moulded impression can be
removed from the mould, and the parchment or other material being
removed the surface of the veneer is washed or cleaned from the glue or
cement and is again pressed into the mould, which may be again heated
and oiled. These impressions are trimmed round the edges and repolished,
and when dry may be again pressed into the cold or heated mould and
oiled if required, the object being to impart sharpness and finish to the
impression.
Veneering. Second Process.-When the impressions desired are of
greater depth than can be covered with one piece of veneer the most
elevated parts of the impression in the prepared wood can be veneered
as described in the "first process," and having been dried and any unne-
cessary portions removed a veneer (cut roughly to the shape of those
parts of the impression which remain uncovered by the pieces already
affixed to the impression) is placed on the uncovered surface and pressed
into the mould or die (the parchment or other material being removed
and the surface of the veneer cleaned in each operation) and the whole
(if required) polished or varnished and pressed, as described in the
previous process of vencering.

page_text: Moulds or Dies.-The moulds used can be yaried in construction to
suit the character of the ornamental device required. Those used for
impressions separate from the ground on which they are to be fixed are
finished with an edge capable of cutting the impression out of the slab
or piece on which such impression is made. Those intended to be used
on curved surfaces are so curved on the face that the impression shall
when taken be hollow on the under side.
When it is desired to sink the moulded ornament beneath the ground
a piece of sheet metal is cut to the exact form of the design to be so
sunk, and this piece of metal is pressed into such ground previously to
the impression being affixed to the impressed surface, a second mould
or die having a ground being used for the purpose of pressing, such
impressions till dry.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George William Ley in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WILLIAM LEY, of St. John's Road, Croydon, in the County of Surrey,
Artist, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George William Ley, Her special licence
that I, the said George William Ley, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George William Ley, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ORNAMENTAL ARTICLES IN WOOD IN IMITATION OF
CARVING," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
William Ley, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in

page_text: writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George William Ley, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
ornamental articles in wood in imitation of carving. For this purpose
the wood to be shaped to an ornamental form is cut into slabs the cross-
way of the grain, and such slabs are saturated with glue by boiling them
therein. The time necessary for completing the saturation of the slabs
will vary according to their thickness; for slabs of inch in thickness I
prefer to boil them in the glue for about 10 or 15 minutes; the slabs
of wood so saturated are then dried by exposure to a moderate heat, say
about 250 degrees Fahrenheit, care being taken to avoid warping or
twisting by alternately exposing the sides to a heated metal surface;
or the slabs might be dried by exposure to the sun in summer, care being
taken to turn the slabs from time to time to alternately expose their
sides to the sun to prevent warping.
I prefer to cut the slabs in thicknesses of about of an inch, and to
form the blocks which are to be moulded by glueing together two, three,
or more of such slabs which have been saturated with glue and dried;
but with some woods, such as walnut or birch, very good results may
be obtained from single blocks of or inch in thickness, such blocks
are, however, more liable to warp than blocks made up of two, three,
or more slabs glued together.
The blocks to be moulded are cut to a suitable length and breadth,
and planed, toothed, or scraped, and if the blocks are not to be subse-
quently veneered, they are polished in the usual manner employed for
cabinet work, and pressed into a metal mould or die slightly oiled,
having in intaglio the form or device intended to be produced; the
pressure is continued and increased until the thickness of those parts
of the impression produced by the shallowest parts of the mould or die
shall be reduced by the pressure to the desired thickness.

page_text: For pressing the blocks into the mould, I prefer to employ an
hydraulic press, the pressure to which it is necessary to subject the
wood will vary with the nature and hardness of the wood and the depth
of pattern to be impressed into the block; but for comparatively hard
wood, such as walnut, mahogany, and such like, I prefer that the
pressure should be from about 40 to 60 lbs. to the inch, or to a greater
pressure if required. The harder woods, such as box, will sustain a
It is only necessary to
great amount of pressure without injury.
If after the
maintain the pressure upon the block for a few minutes.
impression has been taken in the above manner any portion of the slab
or piece shall have received no impression from its not having penetrated
into the deepest parts of the mould or die, then other slabs or pieces
of the same prepared or saturated wood as that at first used are pressed
in a mould into the general shape required, and are glued on to those
portions of the slab or piece which have not received the impression of
the die or mould, and when the glued surfaces adhere and are dry the
whole is again pressed into the mould or die as before, and (if neces-
sary) other pieces of the prepared wood are glued on to any portions
remaining without any impression until the whole of the ornamental
form or device shall be as perfect as desired, or when moulds or dies
having in intaglio devices of less depth are used, similar pieces to those
mentioned in the last process, and of sufficient thickness, may be glued
and dried in such positions on the slabs or pieces of prepared material
as to be capable of receiving a perfect impression in every part, the
moulded impression may then be trimmed at the edges and prepared for
veneering by being brushed over with glue or other suitable material
and dried. These moulded devices may also be stained or colored,
polished or varnished, and again pressed into the die or mould in
order to produce the desired finish and sharpness if not designed for
veneering.
To apply the veneer, a piece of veneer of the wood desired (such
veneer being previously prepared, as in the ordinary manner for cabinet
work, and also polished or varnished, if it be intended to produce the
ornamental device either polished or varnished) is (if necessary) covered
with parchment or similar material, being cemented or glued to the
upper polished or varnished surface of the veneer, and slightly pressed
between smooth surfaces of wood, cardboard, or other such material

page_text: (the cement or glue being such as shall be readily dissolved without
heat) and these covered vencers are then allowed to dry.
When the veneer is about to to be used the under or unprepared
unpolished or unvarnished side of it is covered with a coating of glue,
and the veneer is then placed on the impression produced by the process
already described, such impression having been previously covered with
glue; these glued surfaces are then slightly pressed together and the
whole again pressed into the mould or die which has been previously
heated and oiled slightly, and when cold the moulded impression can
be removed from the mould, and the parchment or other material being
removed the surface of the veneer is washed or cleaned from the glue or
cement, and is again pressed into the mould, which may be again
heated and oiled. These impressions are trimmed round the edges and
repolished, and when dry may be again pressed into the cold or heated
mould, and oiled if required, the object being to impart sharpness and
finish to the impression. If also the surface of the veneer has been
polished before subjecting it to pressure, the veneer when moulded will
retain its original polish. If the veneer were not polished before being
moulded to form, its surface could not be subsequently polished without
a great expenditure of labour upon it. The object of employing the
parchment is to prevent the veneer from breaking or splitting as
completely as possible.
When the impressions desired are of greater depth than can be
covered with one piece of veneer, the most elevated parts of the
impression in the prepared wood can be veneered as above described,
and having been dried and any unnecessary portions removed, a vencer
cut roughly to the shape of those parts of the impression which remain
uncovered by the pieces already affixed to the impression, is placed on
the uncovered surface and pressed into the mould or dic, the parchment
or other material being removed and the surface of the veneer cleaned
in each operation, and the whole (if required) polished or varnished and
pressed, as described in the previous process of veneering. The moulds
used can be varied in construction to suit the character of the orna-
mental device required. Moulds produced by the electrotype process,
and backed with brass or type metal, or highly finished castings in hard
metal and chased, are suitable. Those used for impressions separate
from the ground on which they are to be fixed, are furnished with an

page_text: edge capable of cutting the impression out of the slab or piece on which
such impression is made.
When it is desired to sink the moulded ornament beneath the ground
a piece of sheet metal is cut to the exact form of the design to be so
sunk, and this piece of metal is pressed into such ground previously to
the impression being affixed to the impressed surface, a second mould or
die having a ground being used for the purpose of pressing such
impressions till dry.
By the process above described a veneered block of wood is obtained
with the veneered face moulded to the form of carving desired. In place
of the block of wood being moulded to form by pressure before being
veneered the veneer may be applied to the surface of the block, and such
veneered block may be afterwards subjected to pressure to mould its
veneered face to the form desired.
In preparing such veneered blocks, the wood of which the block is
to be composed, say, of mahogany, birch, walnut, lime, pear, or other
such like wood in a thoroughly dry state is cut crossway of the grain,
by preference into slabs of about inch in thickness, and is steeped in
boiling glue, as above described, and afterwards dried gradually at a
moderate heat, care being taken to avoid warping or twisting as far as
possible.
To form a slab of large dimensions, the slabs or pieces of saturated
wood may be joined together at the edges by glueing, and may be glued
together in two or more thicknesses, each slab or picce being placed
across the other in order to prevent warping, and also to avoid joints in
the pieces or slabs being in the same direction or upon each other.
These slabs or pieces of one or more thicknesses are then veneered on
the under and upper sides, and the upper surface of the veneer which is
to be impressed is prepared and polished in the ordinary way usual in
cabinet work, and such made up veneered blocks are afterwards cut into
the length and breadth or rather larger than the mould or die into
which it is intended to press them; these pieces of prepared and veneered
wood are afterwards placed if necessary into metal chases to prevent
them from spreading or extending either in length or breadth, and the
mould or die being placed upon the wood so confined in a chase, the 3
whole is subjected to pressure until the impression of the mould or die
is perfectly produced; the impression is then removed from the mould

page_text: and is trimmed at the edges or shaped by planing, filing, or otherwise,
as may be desired.
The groundwork of a design may be veneered with a wood differing
from the ornamental moulded design, in which case the exact outline
of the groundwork intended to be covered with the different wood is cut
out of a piece of veneer (which veneer may be polished or otherwise) by
means of a cutting stamp or other convenient method, and the piece so
cut out is glued and pressed upon the surface of the prepared and
veneered wood, or the prepared or unveneered wood already described,
and when dry the whole is pressed into a mould and treated in the same
manner as the slabs or pieces veneered in the ordinary way.
Some kinds of wood, such as box, walnut, mahogany, cut crossway of
the grain and prepared as above described, may be moulded as before
described without being veneered, and they require less glue or size
according to their relativo degrees of hardness, the harder requiring less
of the glue than the soft or porous wood.
Wood cut crossway of the grain and prepared as above described, and
carved roughly by machinery or hand, may be also pressed into moulds
as before described in order to produce the finish desired.
Ornamental articles in wood, made as above described, may be
employed as mouldings for cabinet work, and for the general orna-
mentation of cabinet work; also for mouldings for frames; also for
devices for book covers, and for other purposes.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,―
Firstly. The formation of ornamental articles in wood by pressing into
a mould a block of wood cut endwise of the grain, and that has been
saturated with glue and dried before being subjected to the pressing
operation.
Secondly. The formation of ornamental articles in wood by pressing
into a mould a block of wood cut endwise of the grain, and which has
been saturated with glue or like cementing material and dried, and also
veneered on the surface to be moulded or impressed.
Thirdly. The formation of ornamental articles in wood by pressing
into a mould a block of wood cut endwise of the grain, and afterwards
treating and veneering the same, substantially as herein described.

page_text: Fourthly. The formation of ornamental articles in wood by pressing
into a mould a block of wood which has been cut endwise of the grain,
and (afterwards, whether veneered or unveneered) rendered smooth and
polished on the surface which is to be moulded or impressed.
In witness whereof, I, the said George William Ley, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Second day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
GEORGE WILLIAM LEY. (L.S.)
GEORGE WILLIAM LEY. (L.S.)