IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEETS OR PLATES MADE OF PLASTIC COMPOSITIONS AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF, EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, TO THE MANUFAC- TUKE OF KNIFE HANDLES, MOULDINGS, ARTIFICIAL VENEERS, FLOORCLOTHS, AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL AND USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Walton, of Haughton Dale Mills, near
the City of Manchester, Card Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEETS OR PLATES MADE OF PLASTIC
COMPOSITIONS AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF,
EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, TO THE MANUFAC-
TUKE OF KNIFE HANDLES, MOULDINGS, ARTIFICIAL VENEERS, FLOORCLOTHS,
AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL AND USEFUL PURPOSES."
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Walton at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th January 1858
1
I, FREDERICK WALTON, of Haughton Dale Mills, near the City of M an-
chester, Card Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEETS OR PLATES MADE OF
PLASTIC COMPOSITIONS AND OTHER MATERIALS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF,
EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, TO THE MANUFACTURE
OF KNIFE HANDLES, MOULDINGS, ARTIFICIAL VENEERS, FLOORCLOTHS, AND
ORNAMENTAL AND USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
In performing my Invention, I take the composition described in the Speci-
fication of Letters Patent granted to me on the 20th January 1857, or any
modification thereof,and form it into thin sheets or plates by suitable machinery;
when requisite these sheets or plates are converted or rendered less sensitive
to'the influence of heat in the manner described in the Specification of Letters
Patent-granted to me on the 30th April 1857. In some cases the compo-

page_text: sition is rolled or pressed on to sheets of cloth, metal, wood, or other material,
and in other cases the composition may be rendered fluid by suitable solvents,
and the sheets of cloth, metal, wood, or other material saturated or coated
therewith; it is then necessary to evaporate the solvent, and to convert the
composition; it is then heated and consolidated, if required.
The sheets of cloth or composition may be ornamented by printing or other-
wise, then saturated in a solution of colorless composition, and converted,
pressed, and polished, if requisite.
In applying these sheets, plates, or artificial vencers to wood, metal, or other
material, employ a press heated by steam or otherwise; this press is
furnished with loose polished plates of metal, glass, or other suitable material,
on which the aforesaid sheets of composition are placed; the pieces of wood,
metal, or other material are then placed on the composition, and the whole
are compressed together until they are united by the effect of the heat. It is
sometimes requisite to smear the plates with oil or other material, to prevent
the composition adhering to the plates, the surfaces of which may be either
plain or ornamented.
The sheets or plates thus manufactured may be joined together by heat and
pressure, and then cut to the required shapes,and moulded or otherwise formed
into various ornamental or useful articles; or, as in the manufacture of tea
trays and other articles, the sheets or plates are cut to the approximate form,
and then applied in layers until the requisite thickness is obtained. The surface
of these sheets, plates, or artificial veneers may be ornamented, or may be
made to imitate wood, marble, or other material, by the application of dry
paints or pigments combined with a solution of colorless composition, or by
inlaying the processes of converting and polishing can then be effected as
before described. The sheets or plates of composition may be moulded to
any required form, which forms are afterwards filled with plaster of Paris,
cement, or other cheap material, or the articles can first be made of a cheap
material, and then coated-or veneered with the composition.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederick Walton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th June 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME
FORDRUTOW

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Frederick Walton, Her special licence that I,the said Frederick Walton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Frederick Walton, 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 Ire-
land, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHEETS OR PLATES MADE OF PLASTIC COMPOSITIONS AND
OTHER ATERIALS, AND IN THE APPLICATION THEREOF, EITHER ALONE OR IN COMBINA-
TION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, TO THE MANUFACTURE OF KNIFE HANDLES, MOULDINGS,
ARTIFICIAL VENEERS, FLOORCLOTHS, AND OTHER ORNAMENTAL AND USEFUL PUR-
POSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Walton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals,should particularly 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 Frederick Walton, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):
I take the composition described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to me on the twentieth of January One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-seven, or any modification thereof, and form it into thin sheets or plates
by suitable machinery; when requisite, these sheets or plates are converted or
rendered less sensitive to the influence of heat in the manner described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to me on the thirtieth of April One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven. In some cases the composition is
rolled or pressed on to sheets of cloth, metal, wood, or other material, and in
other cases the composition may be rendered fluid by wood naptha, or spirits of
wine, or other suitable solvents, and the sheets of cloth, metal, wood, or other
material are saturated or coated therewith; it is then necessary to evaporate
the solvent, and.to convert the composition, which is then heated and con-

page_text: solidated, if required. When the composition is applied to cloth or other
fabric it is desirable to coyer the cloth or fabric with absorbing paper, for the
purpose of being able to obtain a smooth surface, the absorbing paper filling
up the interstices between the threads of the cloth or fabric; the cloth or fabric
thus prepared is particularly useful for embossing purposes.
⚫ The sheets of cloth or composition may be ornamented by printing or other-
wise, then saturated in a solution of courless composition, and converted,
pressed, and polished, if re quisite.
In applying these sheets, plates, or artificial veneers to wood, metal, or other
material, I employ a press, heated by steam or otherwise; this press is
furnished with loose polished plates of metal, glass, or other suitable material,
on which the aforesaid sheets of composition are placed; the pieces of wood,
metal, or other material are then placed on the composition, and the whole
are compressed together until they are united by the effect of the heat. It is
sometimes requisite to smear the plates with oil or other material, to prevent
the composition adhereing to the plates, the surfaces of which may be either
plain or ornamented.
The sheets or plates thus manufactured may be joined together by heat and
pressure, and then cut to the required shapes, and moulded or otherwise
formed into various ornamental or useful articles, such as knife handles,
mouldings, door plates, and other articles; or, as in the manufacture of tea
trays and other articles, the sheets or plates are cut to the approximate form,
and then applied in layers until the requisite thickness is obtained.
The surface of these sheets, plates, or artificial veneers may be ornamented
or made to imitate wood, marble, or other material, by the application of dry
paints or pigments combined with a solution of colourless composition, or by
inlaying the process of converting and polishing can then be effected as
before described. In order to obtain the offect of inlaying, I take a sheet of
composition and cover it either with a very thin sheet of composition of
another colour, or with dissolved. resins coloured by means of paints or pig-
ments; the coloured or compound sheet of composition when thoroughly
dried is laid on to a perforated metal plate; heat and pressure are then applied
to force the composition into the perforations of the plate; the perforated
metal plate is afterwards removed, and the projecting portions of composition
that had been in the perforations of the plate are planed off, and the surface
polished. The mode of producing this effect of inlaying may be obtained in
various ways, and it is applicable to various useful and ornamental articles.
The sheets or plates of compositon may be moulded to any required form,

page_text: which forms are afterwards filled with plaster of Paris, cement, or other
cheap material, or the articles can first be made of a cheap material, and
then coated or veneered with the composition.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same,I declare that I claim the improvements in the manufac
ture of sheets or plates made of plastic composition and other materials, and
the application thereof, either alone or in combination with other substances,
to the manufacture of knife handles, mouldings,artificial veneers, floorcloths,
and other ornamental and useful purposes, as described. I also claim the
mode of producing the effect of inlaying, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Walton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fitty-eight.
5 Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
FRED WALTON. (L.S.)