the like by the Action of Light, and Means therefor
Year: 1885

page_text: the like by the Action of Light, and Means therefor...
J
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for ""THE PRODUCTION
OF COPIES OF DRAWINGS, DESIGNS WRITINGS AND, THE LIKE BY THE ACTION OF
LIGHT AND MEANS THEREFOR which invention has been communicated to me
from abroad by Clarisse Zoé Joltrain of 80 rue du Chemin Vert Paris in the
Republic of France Merchant to be as follows:-
"
This Invention relates to improvements in obtaining direct reproductions or
copies of plans, drawings, designs studies and the like made upon any transparent
substance such as tracing cloth and paper glass or gelatine for example as well as
reproductions of lace metal or wood fretwork patterns and the like with ease and
expedition by exposure to the action of light as hereinafter described.
By means of this invention the dark or opaque parts of the original are
reproduced as dark parts upon a white or coloured ground. The period of
exposure varies according to the intensity of the light and the nature of the
material or ground: .
The products thus obtained hereinafter referred to as cyanofers preserve their
properties for a considerable length of time and constitute a novel article of
manufacture.
:
The improved process is based on the fact that salts of iron at a maximum
when mixed in presence of one or more corresponding acids or salts with various
substances such as gum gelatine dextrine and the like render these substances in
the presence of light impermeable to certain liquids after desiccation.
In preparing the materials used in carrying out this invention the proportions
employed vary according to the nature of the surface or material upon which the
impression is to be produced the temperature and degree of moisture of the air and
the speed with which it is desired to operate but the following substances are
invariably present namely:-A salt or salts of iron at a maximum such as
perchloride sulphate of peroxide and the like; a viscous solution (such as a
solution of gum gelatine, dextrine and the like) and an organic or other acid or
acids (such as citric tartaric, oxalic, sulphuric or hydrochloric acids and the like)
Price G71

page_text: or an acid salt. In certain cases ammonia may be added to the above mentioned
bodies. This modifies the colour of the lines in the copy.
The liquid which it is preferred to employ and which is hereinafter termed
cyanofèr liquid is compounded as follows:-Gum dissolved in water say in the
proportion of from about ten to twenty five per cent of gum perchloride of iron
at 45° from about eight to twelve cubic centimeters citric, tartaric or hydrochloric
acid from about one to four grammes.
The developing bath used is an aqueous solution of yellow or red prussiate of
potash; it is preferable to employ the yellow prussiate which is less expensive.
When other surfaces than paper are to be coated with the sensitive cyanofer liquid
it is necessary to subject the surface to a preparatory treatment. In the case of
woven fabrics for example if the texture is not close the fabric must be rendered
impermeable before the liquid is applied but sized paper or tracing cloth for
example do not require such preparation. In the case of wood, metal, or glass and
the like it is also necessary to insulate the surface from the sensitive film by any
suitable impervious coating capable of adhering firmly to the surface.
I will now describe the operations to be performed in treating paper other
surfaces being treated in a similar manner. The paper having been coated with a
liquid prepared as hereinbefore described is exposed to the light in a frame under-
neath the object to be reproduced (such as a tracing for example) and when the
exposure is sufficient which may be ascertained by means of strips of the same
paper used as samples the paper is removed from the frame and placed in a bath
of prussiate of potash. In this bath the lines appear upon the paper almost
instantaneously.
When the image is sufficiently distinct water is applied and an acid bath such
as water with the addition of about three per cent of sulphuric acid or eight per
cent of hydrochloric acid or ten per cent of bisulphate of potash or the like. The
gummy matter is then readily removed from the paper and after a sufficient period
of immersion all the blue portions that still adhere are washed off with a jet of
water. The lines then appear in a beautiful blue black-A firm blue black line
may also be obtained by letting the paper dry after the prussiate bath and
subsequently applying the water and the acid bath.
The ordinary blue lines may be changed to a blue black by using various weak
alkaline solutions and washing to exactly the extent necessary. In like manner
the blue black lines being obtained they can be subjected to the modifications
frequently made in prussian blue by treating it for example with dilute soda,
washing well and blacking the line with tannic solutions or the like. By using
alkalies alone and regulating the contact or exposure according to the proportion
of alkali a variety of shades may be obtained.
In case of defective cyanofer products resulting either from the employment of
insufficient liquid or a too large quantity of matter it suffices to apply to the paper,
a weak solution of the liquid or even water alone in order to restore it to its
original condition. By these means scarcely any paper is wasted.
The paper may also be rendered sensitive and exposed on both sides if required.
The blue or the blue black may be modified by adding a few drops of chlorine,
nitric acid or the like in the acid bath or in the washing water. Paper which has
been imperfectly prepared may be restored to the original condition by washing
with water acidulated with hydrochloric, sulphuric or other acid.

page_text: The Production of Copies of Drawings, Designs, Writings, and
the like by the Action of Light, and Means therefor.
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention for "THE PRODUCTION
OF COPIES OF DRAWINGS DESIGNS WRITINGS AND THE LIKE BY THE ACTION OF
LIGHT AND MEANS THEREFOR" which Invention has been communicated to me
from abroad by Clarisse Zoé Joltrain of 80 Rue du Chemin Vert Paris in the
Republic of France Merchant and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement : —
This Invention relates to Improvements in means for obtaining direct repro-
ductions or copies of plans drawings designs studies and the like made upon a
transparent substance such as tracing cloth and paper glass or gelatine for example
as well as reproductions of lace metal or wood fret work patterns and the liko
with exactitude and expedition by exposure to the action of light as hereinafter
described.
In operating according to this Invention the dark or opaque parts of the original
are reproduced as dark parts upon a white or coloured ground in the copy. The
period of exposure varies from a few seconds to a few minutes according to the
intensity of the light and the nature of the material The compounds employed
and hereinafter referred to as cyanopers preserve their properties for a considerable
length of time and constitute a novel article of manufacture of great utility.
The improved process is based on the fact that when exposed to the light salts
of iron at a maximum that is to say in the highest degree of oxidation (oxygena-
tion) or chloridation for example mixed in presence of one or more corresponding
acids or acid salts with various substances such as gum gelatine dextrine and the
like render these substances impermeable to certain liquids (such as solutions of
red or yellow prussiate of potash) after desiccation-In preparing the liquids or
materials used in carrying out this Invention the proportions employed vary
according to the nature of the surface or material upon which the design is to be
reproduced the temperature and degree of moisture of the air and the speed with
which it is desired to operate but the following substances are invariably present
namely―
1. A salt or salts of iron at a maximum of oxidation or chloridation for example
(such as perchloride, sulphate of peroxide and the like).
2. A viscous solution (such as a solution of gum gelatine dextrine and the like).
3. An organic or other acid or acids (such as citric tartaric, oxalic, sulphuric or
hydro chloric acids and the like) or an acid salt A small quantity of ammonia
may be added to the above mentioned materials and modifies the colour of the lines
in the copy.
The liquid which it is preferred to employ and which is hereinafter termed
evanoner liquid is compounded as follows-Gum dissolved in water say in the

page_text: proportion of from about ten to twenty five parts by bulk of gum to one hundred
parts of liquid Perchloride of iron at forty five degrees from about eight to twelve
parts by bulk.
Citric tartaric or hydrochloric acid from about one to four gramines per hundred
cubic centimeters of liquid.
The developing bath used is an aqueous solution of yellow or red prussiate of
potash it is preferable to employ the yellow prussiate which is less expensive.
This bath may be saturated or not and may be either hot or cold but it is preferred
to use a saturated solution and to avoid excessive cold.
The surface fabric or paper on which the impression is to be produced is covered
with one or more coats of the cyanoper liquid either by hand or preferably by
means of a mechanical arrangement such as are employed for paper hangings and
enabling rolls of cyanoper fabric or paper to be obtained in lengths of from 5 to
500 metres and of any desired width-When other surfaces than paper are to be
rendered sensitive by coating with the sensitive cyanoper liquid it is necessary to
subject the surface to a preparatory treatment as hereinafter described.
1. In the case of woven fabrics for example if the texture is not sufficiently close
the fabric must be rendered impermeable before the liquid is applied but sized
paper or tracing cloth for example do not require such preparation.
2. In the case of wood metal or glass and the like it is also necessary to insulate
the surface from the sensitive film by any suitable impervious coating capable of
adhering firmly to the surface-An important advantage of this process is that all
well sized papers even of common quality may be employed with good effect.
I will now describe the operations to be performed, the paper or other surfaces
having been rendered sensitive by a coating of the cyanoper liquid as herein before
described is exposed to the light in a frame underneath the design or the like to be
reproduced (such as a drawing on ordinary tracing paper for example) as is usual
in obtaining copies by the action of light and when the exposure is sufficient which
may be ascertained by means of strips of the same paper used as samples the copy
is removed from the frame and placed in a bath of prussiate of potash. In this
bath the lines appear almost instantaneously When the image is sufficiently
distinct the surface is washed with water and placed in an acid bath such as water
with the addition of about three per cent of sulphuric acid or eight per cent of
hydrochloric acid or ten per cent of bisulphate of potash or the like-The gummy
matter is then readily removed from the paper and after a sufficient period of
immersion in the said bath the paper or article on which the printing has been
effected is removed from the bath and all the blue portions that still adhere
between the lines are washed off with a jet of water-The lines then appear in a
beautiful deep blue. A firm blue black line may also be obtained by letting the
paper dry after the prussiate bath and subsequently applying the water and the
acid bath.
The deep blue lines thus obtained may have a richer tone imparted to them by
applying various weak alkaline solutions and washing to exactly the extent
necessary In like manner the blue black lines being obtained they can be sub-
jected to the modifications frequently made in prussian blue by treating it for
example with dilute soda washing well and blacking the line with tannic solutions
or the like-By using alkalies alone and regulating the contact or exposure according
to the proportion of alkali a variety of shades may be obtained.
In case the images or reproductions obtained by the process hereinbefore
described are imperfect owing to the application of either an insufficient or an
excessive quantity of liquid on parts of the surface the paper or other material may
be readily restored to its original condition by simply applying (either mechanically
or by hand) a weak solution of the liquid or even water alone and waste of material
is thus obviated. The paper may also be rendered sensitive and exposed on both
sides if required Thus for obtaining copies of writing or drawings the paper may
be impregnated on both sides (either in one or in two operations) in order to obtain

page_text: impressions on both surfaces and enable the products to be bound up in the book
form-The blue or the blue black may be modified by adding a few drops of
chlorine, nitric acid or the like in the acid bath or in the washing water. Papers
which has been imperfectly prepared may be renovated or restored to their original
condition by washing with acidulated water (using hydrochloric sulphuric or other
acid) they may then after cleaning be employed as new papers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of tho said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The production of Copies of Drawings Designs writings and the like in tho
manner and by the means and process substantially as herein before described.
Dated the 1st day of January 1886