IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR DECORATING OR EMBELLISHING METAL IN PLATES OR SHEETS
Year: 1878

page_text: · LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of No. 11, Wellington Street,
of
85
Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR DECORATING OR EMBELLISHING METAL IN
PLATES OR SHEETS." A communication from abroad by Messieurs Emile
Trottier et Cie, of Hennebont (Morbihan), France.
Sealed the 23rd May 1879, and dated the 5th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December 1878.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR DECORATING OR
EMBELLISHING METAL IN PLATES OR SHEETS." A communication from abroad by
Messieurs Emile Trottier et Cie., of Hennebont (Morbihan) France.
"
The processes the subject of this Invention consist in the application of lithography
and of solvents suitable to the nature of the metals which it is proposed to decorate
or embellish, and to the chemical properties of the " reserves or coatings which
may be used in lithography to cover the parts to be preserved from the attack of
the acids.
Sheet iron, tin, and terne plates, as hitherto commercially used, have been the
object only of decorations which may be termed superficial; they are,-
1°. Those obtained by printing with colors.
2°. Those obtained by lithography; and
3°. Those obtained by stamping.
These kinds of decoration have each their particular defects, which are, as regards
lithography, little durability of the decoration by reason of the nature of the inks
and varnishes employed, which resist neither the friction of use, the tools used to
make the articles, or a temperature above 110° Celsi, or 225° Fahr. As to deco-
ration obtained by means of the litho-electro-chemical process, although it has in
certain cases a positive advantage over decoration by printing with colors and var-

page_text: nishes, the metallic deposits or coatings being necessarily very thin, cannot ensure a
sufficient duration.
Finally, the decoration of iron by stamping is impracticable whenever the plates
or sheets have subsequently to undergo another stamping and bending, for in this
case the metal, rendered brittle by the stamping, cannot bear further mani-
pulation.
Thus a blank remained to be filled up in order to supply the numerous manu-
factures employing sheet iron and tin with a product which, while presenting
essentially a decoration suitable for the article for which it is intended, offers great
resistance to the tools with which it is to be made and to the usage for which it is
to be employed.
Such is the object sought and which is believed to be fully attained with the
novel products forming the subject of this Invention.
These products, which it is proposed to term "litho-plastic" iron and tin," may
in fact be applied to all purposes of manufacture without the inconveniences above
set forth.
I will now describe the manner in which these new products are obtained.
The plates of iron or other metal having been polished and "grained," are sub-
mitted to lithographic printing with inks non-saponifiable by acids, amongst others
those having a base of wax, linseed oil, and asphaltum, or linseed oils vulcanised by
the action of azotic acid, or made so that they cannot be attacked by acids by
means of an addition of Jews' pitch and two solutions of concentrated india-
rubber.
The object or impression being obtained, the parts not covered by the fatty inks
are bitten in or deepened by chlohydric, sulphuric, nitric, or nitrous acids, pure or
diluted, or by any other body capable of forming with the iron a soluble combina-
tion, or by the aid of an electric current in baths suitable for this work. The
duration of the action necessarily varies with the relief which it is desired to
obtain and the nature of the dissolvents used. The fatty inks which have formed
the "reserves" are then removed either by heating the plates or by dissolvents of
the fatty matters.
In this state the iron is submitted either to ordinary tinning or to galvanising, or
to any kind of galvanic deposit, according to the use for which it is intended.
The electro-chemical deposits may be applied as "reserves," this application being
based upon the property possessed by certain metals of not being attackable by
acids, whereas the same acids act upon iron. The same lithographic composition
will then give an object or impression the reverse of that obtained by the previously
described process.
What I have above stated as regards iron is also applicable to copper, zinc, lead,
pewter, and generally to all metals rolled into plates.
These products may be used in the manufacture of cooking utensils, of tin' ware
generally, lamps, foot-warmers, trays, boxes for preserving provisions, and boxes of
all kinds, and a variety of other purposes, zinc and copper "litho-plastic " being
particularly suitable for hot water plates and dishes, lamps, fastenings for purses
and bags, for ornamenting sticks and umbrellas, and analogous uses.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th May 1879.
WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVED PROCESSES FOR DECORATING OR
EMBELLISHING METAL IN PLATES OR SHEETS." A communication from abroad by
Messieurs Emile Trottier et Cie., of Hennebont (Morbihan), France.
The processes the subject of this Invention consist in the application of lithography
and of solvents suitable to the nature of the metals which it is proposed to decorate
or embellish, and to the chemical properties of the "reserves or coatings which
may be used in lithography to cover the parts to be preserved from the attack of
the acids.
Sheet iron and tin and terne plates, as hitherto commercially used, have been
the object only of decorations which may be termed superficial; they are,-
1°. Those obtained by printing with colors.
2º. Those obtained by "lithogalvanography;" and
3°. Those obtained by stamping.
These kinds of decorations have each their particular defects, which are, as regards
lithography, the little durability of the decoration by reason of the nature of the
inks and varnishes employed, which resist neither the friction of use, the tools used
to inake the articles, or a temperature above 110° Celsi. or 225° Faht. As to deco-
ration obtained by means of the litho-electro-chemical process, although it has in
certain cases a positive advantage over decoration by printing with colors and var-
nishes, the metallic deposits or coatings being necessarily very thin, cannot ensure a
sufficient duration.
Finally, the decoration of iron by stamping is impracticable whenever the plates
or sheets have subsequently to undergo another stamping and bending, for in
this case the metal, rendered brittle by the stamping, cannot bear further mani-
pulation.
Thus a blank remained to be filled up in order to supply the numerous manu-
factures employing sheet iron and tin with a product which, while presenting
essentially a decoration suitable for the article for which it is intended, offers great
resistance to the tools with which it is to be made, and will bear the usage to which
it will be subjected.
Such is the object sought and which is believed to be fully attained with the
novel products forming the subject of this Invention.
These products, which it is proposed to term "litho-plastic iron and tin," may
in fact be applied to all purposes of manufacture without the inconveniences above
set forth.
I will now describe the manner in which these new products are obtained.
The plates of iron or other metal having been polished and "grained," are sub-
mitted to lithographic printing with inks non-saponifiable by acids, amongst others
those having a base of wax, linseed oil, and asphaltum, or linseed oils vulcanised
by the action of azotic acid, or made so that they cannot be attacked by acids
by means of an addition of Jews' pitch and two or more solutions of concentrated
india-rubber.
The object or impression being obtained, the parts not covered by the fatty inks
are bitten in or deepened by chlorhydric, sulphuric, nitric, or nitrous acids, pure or
diluted, or by any other body capable of forming with the iron a soluble combi-
nation, or by the aid of an electric current in baths suitable for this work. The
duration of the action necessarily varies with the relief which it is desired to
obtain and the nature of the dissolvents used. The fatty inks which have formed
the "reserves are then removed either by heating the plates or by dissolvents of
the fatty matters.
"

page_text: In this state the iron is submitted either to ordinary tinning or to galvanizing, or
to any kind of galvanic deposit, according to the use for which it is intended.
The electro chemical deposits may be applied as "reserves," this application being
based upon the property possessed by certain metals of not being attackable by
acids, whereas the same acids act upon iron. The same lithographic composition
will then give an object or impression the reverse of that obtained by the previously
described process.
What I have above stated as regards iron is also applicable to copper, zinc, lead,
tin, pewter, and generally to all metals rolled into plates.
These products may be used in the manufacture of cooking utensils, of tin-ware
generally, lamps, footwarmers, trays, boxes for preserving provisions, and boxes of
all kinds, and a variety of other purposes, zinc and copper "litho-plastic" being
particularly suitable for hot water plates and dishes, lamps, fastenings for purses
and bags, for ornamenting sticks and umbrellas, and analogous uses.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, commu-
nicated to me as aforesaid, and in what manner the same is or may be performed,
what
I claim as secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,
Firstly. The use of the various modes of lithographic, typographic, and other
printing to obtain " reserves by the aid of solvents or chemical combinations
intended to protect the metal from the contact of the acids.
"
Secondly. The use of any suitable acid for biting into or attacking the metal in
the parts not covered by the above mentioned solvents.
"
Thirdly. The electro-chemical deposit of any metal in the parts already attacked
by the acids, or the use of these same deposits to produce the "reserves" in the case
that the deposited metal should not be attackable by the acids which are to act on
the plate or sheet to be bitten into.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy ninc.