IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF PRINTING AND EMBOSSING SURFACES OR MEDIA."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Julius Sachs, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF
PRINTING AND EMBOSSING SURFACES OR MEDIA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Julius Sachs at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th April 1880.
"IMPROVE-
JOSEPH JULIUS SACHS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF PRINTING AND EMBOSSING SURFACES OR
MEDIA."
In carrying out my Invention I proceed as follows:-Taking for example a
photograph as the design to be printed from, I prepare such photograph on chrome-
gelatine or other suitable material of the same nature, such as albumen or gums;
this is placed on any suitable surface, this surface is then washed, the part of the
material on which the light has acted will be insoluble, and will be left, the other
part being washed away in part or altogether, or the soluble portion being only
slightly washed is merely swollen by the action of the water, and will leave the
soluble portion in relief. I then take the new metal lately discovered, called
Spencers metal, or other metal or composition having similar properties, and melt
it at a low temperaturo, and cast this inetal on the surface above described; if the
soluble part is, however, all washed away the insoluble part will be in relief, and a
cast copy or impression may be taken froin it as above. The metal thus prepared
may either be printed from direct, or a cast copy or impression may be taken from
it by electrotype or other suitable process, and such casts, copies, or impressions
may be printed from. In place of using a photograph, as above described, I in
some cases take any pattern or design produced by hand, or by stencilling or
printing, or other means made with a thick paint or other composition which will
leave a raised surface. If this surface is not in the first instance sufficiently raised
for any purpose, it may be increased by having passed over it whilst in the plastic
state any powder or fibrous material which will adhere to the composition, by
which means the design may be raised up to any desired extent. Spencers metal,
or other suitable similar metal or composition, is then cast, as before described, upon
the surface so obtained, and may be used as before, or further casts, copies, or
impressions may be taken as above described.
The process lastly described may also be employed for embossing, or type printing,
or similar purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Julius Sachs in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
October 1880.
"IMPROVE-
JOSEPH JULIUS SACHS, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF PRINTING AND EMBOSSING SURFACES OR MEDIA."
My said Invention relates chiefly to an improved method of preparing surfaces
or media for design-printing, but it is also partly applicable to embossing, type
printing, and other similar purposes.
In carrying out my said Invention I take a pattern or design, or transparencies
thereof produced, say, for example, by the action of light, or any other suitable
means, from a fabric, material, or design, and having placed the same upon a layer
of chrome gelatine or other suitable material of the same nature, such as albumen
or gums covering a suitable roller or surface, I expose it to the action of light, and
afterwards remove the pattern or design and wash the surface of chrome gelatine
or its equivalent. The part of the material on which the light has acted will be
insoluble, and will be unaffected by the process of washing, the other part being
washed away in part or altogether. If the soluble part is entirely washed away
or removed, the insoluble part will be in relief; but if the soluble part is only
slightly washed it is merely swollen by the action of the water, and will be left in
relief. I then take the new compound lately discovered, called Spence's inetal, (the
said metal consisting of metallic perthionates or persulphides, either used alone or
combined with sulphur while the latter is at a melting point), or I take any other
suitable metal or composition having similar properties to Spences metal, and I
melt such Spences metal, or other suitable metal or composition, at a low temperature
and cast it on the surface above described, whereby I obtain a cast copy or impression
from the said surface. The metal thus prepared mnay either be used for printing
from direct, or I produce facsimilies of those casts or copies by the electrotype or
any other suitable process, and use such casts, copies, or impressions as printing
surfaces. In place of using a photograph, as above described, I in some cases take
any pattern or design produced by hand, or by stencilling, weaving, knitting,
printing, or other means, and with a thick paint or other composition, so as to have
a raised surface. If this surface is not in the first instance sufficiently raised for
my purpose it may be made more elevated by having passed over it whilst in the
plastic state any powder or fibrous material which will adhere to the composition,
by which incans the design may be raised up to any desired extent. Spences
metal, or any other suitable similar metal or composition is then cast, as before
described, upon the surface so obtained, and may be used as before, or further casts,
copies, or impressions may be taken as above described.
The process lastly herein before described may also be employed for embossing or
type printing, or similar purposes.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Juvention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, 1 would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
The preparation of printing and embossing surfaces or media, substantially in
the manner herein before described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Joseph Julius Sachs, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this First day of October, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty..
JOSEPH JULIUS SACHS. (LS.)