IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING THE MATERIALS USED IN MANUFACTURING EARTHENWARE AND CHINA, AND IN PRINTING THE DESIGNS FOR ORNAMENTING THE SAME
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HENRY FOURDRINIER, of Hanley, in the County of Stafford, Paper Maker,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twenty-third day of July, in the tenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Henry Fourdrinier, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said George Henry Fourdrinier, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the said George Henry
Fourdrinier, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING THE MATERIALS USED IN
MANUFACTURING EARTHENWARE AND CHINA, AND IN PRINTING THE DESIGNS FOR
ORNAMENTING THE SAME;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
obliging me, the said George Henry Fourdrinier, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and
to cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said

page_text: in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Henry Fourdrinier, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say)
-
My Invention of Improvements in Preparing the Materials used in Manu-
facturing Earthenware and China, and in Printing the Designs for Ornamenting
the same, relates,―
Firstly, to an improved mode or improved modes of sifting or separating
the fine portions or particles of the earthy matters of which the ware is to be
composéd from the coarser portions, as well as hard lumps, stones, and other
extraneous matters; and,
Secondly, to improvements in the process of printing, or in the apparatus
to be employed therein, whereby the operation is rendered less prejudicial to
health, and may be performed with greater facility than when conducted in the
manner now generally adopted.
The first part of my Invention consists in the employment of a sieve or
strainer, of a peculiar construction, and formed principally of metal, so as to be
much more durable, and less liable to derangement, than the straining appa-
ratus usually employed in this manufacture.
My improved apparatus for straining or separating the finer portions of the
earthy particles from the coarser is somewhat similar in construction and
operation to some kinds of pulp strainers employed in the manufacture of
paper. But, in order that my Invention may be fully understood, I have
shewn, in the accompanying Drawings, various views of my improved
apparatus.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the apparatus, Figure 2 a longi-
tudinal vertical section, and Figure 3 a plan or top view, as seen from above.
a, a, a, a, is the stationary framing of the machine or apparatus, and may be
made of cast iron, or any other suitable material. 6 is the main shaft for
actuating the moving parts of the apparatus, by means of a strap c, which
passes from a pulley d on the said shaft 6 to a smaller pulley e on the shaft f,
at the opposite end of the machine. The shaft 6 is mounted in suitable
bearings attached to the framework, and may be actuated by manual labour,
by means of a crank or winch handle, as shewn in the Drawing, or by any
other motive agent. The shaft f is also mounted in bearings affixed to the

page_text: framing, and carries at cach end a tappet wheel or ratchet wheel g, g, which,
by being keyed on to the said shaft, are made to revolve therewith. The
strainer is shewn at h, h; it consists of a rectangular metal or wooden frame
or box, mounted on pivots at one end in the bearings i, i, its opposite end
being furnished with a long horizontal bar j, from the extremities of which
vertical rods or arms k, k, descend, and rest by the lower ends on the
peripheries of the tappet wheels 9, 9; and therefore, as these latter are made
to revolve by means of the band or strap c, and pulliès d and e, this end of the
strainer will have a short but rapid up and down or vibrating movement
communicated to it: The bottom of the strainer is formed of a series of
straight bars 1, 2, of brass, copper, or other metal, either round, square, or
other suitable form, and from an eighth to half an inch and upwards in width
or thickness, or a series of strips of metal or other suitable material may
be used.
In the detached views, Figures 4 and 5, I have shewn a sectional "longi
tudinal representation, upon an enlarged scale, of the form of bars of which
I prefer to construct my improved strainer. It will be seen that the upper
surface, upon which the materials to be strained are placed, is made flat or
even, in order to prevent the interstices from becoming clogged up. These
pieces of metal, whether in the shape of bars or strips of metal, must be
placed side by side, leaving long but very narrow spaces between them, the
width of the interstices depending, of course, upon the degree of fineness to
which the material is required to be strained. When bars of the form shewn
in Figures 4 and 5 are used for the strainer they are cast roughly in the
required form, and then ground, filed, or faced, to make their upper surface and
edges even. Projecting pieces p, p, are cast at each end of the bar, and
circular projecting pieces q, q, are also cast at or near the middle or other parts,
and a hole is made through it, as seen in the side view. These bars are
supported in their places by inserting their ends in grooves made in or
attached to the rectangular box h, h, and they are further supported in the
middle or other parts, according to their length, by passing rods through the
holes 9, 9, and securing the same to the sides of the box. The width of the
interstices between the rods or bars is regulated by thin pieces of metal placed
between the projecting pieces p, p, and also by a series of washers, which are
placed between the bars and on the supporting rods which pass through the
holes 7, 9. Another convenient method of separating the strips or bars of
metal, so as to leave the interstices of the proper- width, is to bind round or
place between the bars thin pieces of sheet metal, string, silk, leather, parch-
ment, or other flexible material, so as to keep them slightly apart; but sany other

page_text: plan which will affect the desired object may be employed. The strainer thus
constructed (or on the other plans hereafter described) is placed in and
surrounded by a vat or open vessel m, m, m, having a spout for emptying it
at n. When the apparatus is to be put in operation this vat is to be partially
filled with water, so as to reach about half way up the heigth of the bars of
the strainer. The material or earthy matters to be strained is then placed
in the box of the strainer, having been first well mixed with water. The
machine is then set in motion by turning the winch handle, and a rapid
vibrating motion in a vertical direction will be given to the strainer, as already
mentioned; and every time the strainer is raised up by the teeth or tappets
of the wheels g, g, a vacuum will be formed under the strainer, and the
fine portions of the earthy matters will be forced through the instertices of the
strainer by the pressure of the atmosphere into the vat or vessel m, the bottom
of which is inclined towards the exit aperture or spout n. In order to prevent
the accumulation of the heavier particles of the earthy matters, a small piper
is adapted to the lower end of the vat or vessel m, and terminates in the
spout n, as shewn in the Drawing. By means of the spout n and pipe " the
earthy matters, as they pass through the strainer, are conveyed away to any
suitable receptacle, where they may be allowed to settle for use. As the
water and finer portions of the earthy matters pass through the strainer, the
box h must be kept supplied, and, after working some time, it will be found
necessary to remove from the strainer the coarser portions of the earthy matters
and other extraneous substances which are kept back by the strainer. This is
effected by simply raising or turning back the box h on its pivots i, i, so as to
bring it into the position shewn by dots in Figure 1, when all the extraneous
matters can be moved with facility into the trough o, from whence they may
be made to pass through an aperture or hole in the bottom to any convenient
receptacle. In place of constructing the strainer of a number or series of
bars or strips of metal, plates perforated with holes, or cut in long narrow
slits, may be employed. I sometimes also make use of lawn, silk, or
other suitable textile fabric, to form the straining surfaces; but when these
materials are employed, they must be supported beneath by a metal, wooden,
or other framing, otherwise the fabric will be liable to damage by the pressure
of the atmosphere when a vacuum is produced beneath. The vibrating
motion, which is communicated to the strainer for the purpose of forming
the vacuum beneath the strainer, and thereby causing the earthy particles to
pass through, may also be produced by other mechanical means, which will
readily suggest themselves to any intelligent mechanic, and may be varied
according to the discretion and judgment of the manufacturer, or the vacuum

page_text: may be produced by means of an air pump or fan wheel, or by any of the
known means of producing exhaustion. I do not, however, consider it neces-
sary to give any detailed explanation of other contrivances for effecting this
part of the Invention, as the plans above described have always been found to
act in a satisfactory manner; and as they are both simple and effective, they
are the plans which I prefer and recommend for general use.
The second part of my improvements relates to a novel or improved
arrangement of presses for printing designs for ornamenting earthenware and
china, and consists, first, in heating such parts of the press or its appendages
as require artificial warmth by means of steam, hot air, or hot water conveyed
thereto through pipes, in place of employing charcoal or other fires, as usual;
and, second, in an improved arrangement or construction of the working parts
of the press, whereby the operation of printing is facilitated and performed
with a less amount of labour than heretofore.
Figure 6 in the accompanying Drawings represents a side elevation of a
press constructed according to my improvements; and Figure 7 is a plan or
top view of the same, as seen from above. a, a, a, a, is the fixed framework of
the press, which is represented as consisting of cast iron, but may be con-
structed of wood or other material, if prefered. b, b, is a stationary bed or
box, on which the plate from which impressions are to be taken is placed, and
may be firmly secured by the clamps and screw c, c, c (as seen by dots in
Figure 6); and this bed b, b, being made hollow, it may be heated by the
introduction of steam, hot air, or hot water, through the pipe d, and the con-
densed steam or water or air is drawn or passes off through the pipe s, s. A
travelling frame e, e, e, carries the pressing roller f, on the axle of which is a
handle or lever g, for the purpose of actuating the roller and frame, and
when, by depressing the lever g, the frame carriage and roller are made to
advance, as shewn by dots in the Figure, the pressing roller is made to pass
over and press the copper plate h, which has been previously charged with
colour, and a sheet of paper placed thereon. The copper plate h, from which
the impressions are taken, being a fixture while under operation, the travelling
frame must, of course, be moved back when an impression has been taken, and
after the printed sheet of paper has been removed, the plate must be
re-charged with colour as it lies in its place. The backstone or colour box on
which the colour is placed is seen at j: it consists of a plate of iron or metal,
fixed on a metal box, which is supplied with steam, hot air, or hot water by a
branch of the pipe d, by which means the backstone or colour
warm and the colour is thereby made to work more easily.
box is kept
Between the
stationary bed or box b, on which the copper plate is fixed, and the backstone
or color box j, is placed the "boss board" k, on which the boss or cloth used

page_text: for removing the superfluous color from the plate h is placed when not in
actual use.
This boss board consists of a plate of copper or other metal,
placed on a bed of horsehair or other bad conductor of heat, whereby it is
always kept cool. During the operation of printing the workman stands
opposite the copper plate h, the pile of paper to be printed being rather
behind him, and on his left he charges the plate with colour from the back-
stone or colour box j in the usual manner, and removes the superfluous colour
from the plate with a pallet knife, boss, or cloth, which boss or cloth, when
not in use, is placed on the cool boss board k, as before mentioned, and when
the plate is properly cleaned off a sheet of paper is placed thereon. The
travelling frame e is then brought forward, and the pressing roller f is made
to pass over the plate and paper (as shewn by dots in the side elevation,
Figure 6) by depressing the hand lever 9; and the requisite pressure having
been given, the frame e and its roller fare moved back again, and the printed
impression removed from the plate. It should be observed, that the travelling
frame e, e, carries on each side two pairs of antifriction rollers i, i, which run
on or in 's attached to the framing, as seen in Figure 6, for the purpose of
steadying the frame in its motion, and assisting in giving the requisite pressure.
The pressing roller f is also furnished with blankets or padding, as usual, for
the purpose of imparting the required degree of elasticity to the pressing
surface. These blankets, or the padding, may be applied, adjusted, or
removed by moving back the frame e until the pressing roller passes the end
of the stationary bed b, where there is a vacant space left at n for this purpose,
as will be well understood by copperplate printers, but this forms no part of
my improvements..
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that although in the foregoing
description I have (in order to render my improvements more perfectly
intelligible) described various parts which have been known and used for
similar purposes before the date of my said Patent, I do not mean or intend
to claim such parts as constituting any portion of my present Invention; nor
do I intend to confine myself rigidly to the 'precise construction or arrangement,
nor the peculiar mode of actuating the various moving parts, nor to the
materials of which the same are composed, as it will be evident to any person
acquainted with this description of machinery that different modifications and
alterations may be made in the construction and mode of actuating the
various parts without departing from the nature and object of my improve-
ments. But that which I consider to be new, and therefore wish to claim
under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the employment of apparatus, such as are above shewn and described,

page_text: or any modification thereof, for straining the earthy matters of which china or
earthenware is composed, particularly constructing the straining surface of
bars or strips of metal, or other suitable material, of any convenient and
appropriate form, or of metal or other suitable material, perforated with
holes, or long slits or perforations. I claim also forming the straining surface
of the apparatus of lawn, silk, or other suitable textile fabric, supported
beneath by a frame or perforated plate. And I also claim the exclusive right
to form a vacuum under straining surfaces employed for the purposes above
mentioned, either by causing the said surfaces, when the machine is in opera-
tion, to vibrate or move up and down in a vertical direction, or by any other
means whereby a partial vacuum or exhaustion can be produced.
Second, I claim the arrangement above shewn and described, or any
modification thereof, for printing the ornamental patterns or designs for
earthenware, whereby the operation is much facilitated.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Henry Fourdrinier, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven