Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 25th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 11th May, 1889
I, JOSEPH LEWIS MILLS of Baldwin's Gardens, Grays Inn Road in the County of
Middlesex Art-color-printer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
In carrying into practice that portion of my invention which relates to intaglio
engraving, I place upon the surface upon which I propose to engrave a tracing of the
picture required, and then stop out in an artistic manner with a suitable varnish, or
gum, or other resisting medium the highest lights of the picture. When the varnish,
gum, or other resisting medium has dried, I subject the surface treated as aforesaid to
the action of a blast of sand, emery, glass or other suitable substance composed of
more or less fine grains, or particles, and applied in a suitable manner hereinafter
described, the blast of the finest grains or particles of the material employed being
applied first-generally speaking-to produce the finest tints. Afterwards I again
stop out in an artistic manner with a suitable resisting medium all the parts which I
require to be of a strength of tint next to the high lights and apply the blast com-
posed of stronger or coarser grains or particles of the material employed than the
blast theretofore applied, and thereby preserve the first light tint wherever it is stopped
out. I repeat this process of stopping out and then subjecting to the blast composed
of grains or particles of the material employed of varying size, and with air or steam
power of such varying degree of pressure as may be necessary to drive with more or
less force the coarser or finer grains or particles of the said material, so working
from the high lights to the dark colour. Or, if the work necessitates it I place the
tracing of the picture upon the surface or plate to be engraved, and I reverse the
order of operations by first applying the blast so as to produce the darkest parts of
the picture and afterwards by the necessary stoppings out and applications of suitable

page_text: blasts I complete the system or process hereinbefore described so working from the
black colour to the high lights. I also after placing on the plate a tracing of the
required picture (say in this instance a tracing of a photograph of an individual) use,
as a free hand tool, an instrument or apparatus, called, an air or steam pencil which
is manipulated by the artist, and by which he controls the action of the blast, and
with which instrument or apparatus alone without any stopping out the plate is
finished up to the highest tints of the picture. The process first hereinbefore described
has reference to high class artistic intaglio work produced by the fac simile stopping out
by hand or brush and subsequent engraving by the blast as aforesaid of the work or
feeling contained in any given picture, and thereby producing the artistic handling of
the same.
I do not confine myself solely to the separate use of either of the processes
I have described, as the picture or portrait can be completely finished by combining
the several means hereinbefore mentioned in the production of any given picture.
In carrying into practice that portion of my invention which relates to relief
surfaces or typographic blocks I place upon the surface a tracing of the picture to
be reproduced and then I stop out or draw artistically with a suitable resisting medium
the parts which are required to be the blackest in the picture. Afterwards I subject
the unprotected parts to the action of the blast thus preserving intact on such surface
those parts of the picture which have been stopped out, namely the darkest parts, and
tinting those parts which have been left unprotected. I then stop out the next
darkest tone to the black and again subject the block to the action of the blast thus
preserving tone No. 2. This successive treatment I pursue, using more or less fine
grains or particles of the material of the blast and more or less force of impact until
I come down to the lightest tints of the picture and so finishing the block. I also
proceed as follows. I place a tracing of the required picture upon the metal plate,
and then varnish the whole surface to be engraved with a suitable resisting medium,
or I varnish such surface first and afterwards place the tracing on the resisting
medium. Next I draw or etch out with a suitable point or etching needle the parts
which represent the darkest lines, in the picture and afterwards I subject the plate to
the action of the blast which I apply in the manner hereinbefore mentioned. I then
draw or etch out in an artistic manner with a suitable point or etching needle all the
other parts of the picture next. in strength of tone to the parts first operated upon,
and again apply the blast thereby strengthening the engraved and engraving the
uncovered or etched parts of the plate representing drawing No. 2.
I repeat the
successive operations of drawing or etching out and applying the blast as hereinbefore
mentioned as often as the exigencies of the work in hand require, with the results
that the several parts of the engraving are kept in the same relation of depth to each
other (although being constantly deepened) according to the sequence of the blasts,
that is to say the parts first engraved will be the deepest, the parts next engraved
less deep and so on seriatim according to the variety and strength of tone which may
be required, and from this stage I clear off the whole resisting medium and proceed
to obtain the mezzotinting effects of light and shade and simultaneously fac simileing
the artistic touches in the picture according to my stopping out systems herein before
described. I also use photography in the manufacture of typographic printing blocks
in the following manner. I cover the surface to be engraved with any sensitive film
such as a solution of chromic saltz and gelatine. or collodion and then photograph the
object or picture through a series of intervening lines or canvass pattern or grain
such as is in constant use in the manfacture of what are called "process plates," and
by this means I produce a kind of photographic stencil plate of the picture upon the
block. 1 then apply a more or less powerful blast of sand, emery, glass, or other
suitable substance and I may use for the purpose the free hand tool herein before
called an air or steam pencil and thus engraving the exposed parts of the block.
I also apply the blast in the form hereinbefore mentioned for the purpose of
mezzotinting any engraved or etched plates that have been manufactured by the
usual mode of engraving with tools or acid. It is well understood that that which is
termed the drag or tint which is left by the printer on the surface of an engraved or

page_text: etched plate has been hitherto only accomplished by the hand of the printer in labbing
and leaving colour on the surface of the plate before printing. By my process any
tint or variety of tints can be engraved on the surface of the plate thereby making it
easy to print mechanically and with equal softness as heretofore.
The several processes hereinbefore mentioned for producing intaglio and relief
surfaces on typographic blocks of metal are also applicable to the production of such
surfaces on stone whether lithographic stone or ordinary stone, or glass as I have
found that the last named surfaces are well adapted for the purpose of being used as
printing blocks.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Engraving and Mezzotinting for Printing
Purposes.
I, JOSEPH LEWIS MILLS of Baldwin's Gardens Gray's Inn Road in the County of
Middlesex Art-colour-printer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
In carrying into practice that portion of my invention which relates to Intaglio
Engraving place upon the surface which I propose to engrave a tracing of the
picture required, and then stop out in an artistic manner with a suitable varnish or
gum or other resisting medium the highest lights of the picture. When the varnish,
gum, or other resisting medium has dried I subject the surface treated as aforesaid
to the action of a blast of sand, emery, glass, or other suitable substance composed
of more or less fine grains or particles and applied in the manner hereinafter described,
the blast of the finest grains or particles being applied first generally speaking to
produce the finest tints." Afterwards I again stop out in an artistic manner with a
suitable resisting medium all the parts which I require to be of a strength of tint
next to the high lights and apply the blast composed of stronger or coarser grains of
the material employed than the blast theretofore applied, and thereby preserve the
first light tint wherever it is stopped out, I repeat this process of stopping out, and
then applying the blast composed of grains or particles of varying size and impelled
by a jet of air or steam or water of such varying degree of pressure as may be
necessary to drive with more or less force the coarser or finer grains of the material
employed so working from the high lights to the dark colour, or, if the work
necessitates it I place the tracing of the picture upon the surface to be engraved, and
I reverse the order of operations by first applying the blast so as to produce the
darkest parts of the picture and afterwards by the necessary stoppings out and appli-
cations of suitable blasts I complete the system or process herein before described so
working from the black colour to the high lights. I also after placing on the plate a
tracing of the required picture (say in this instance a tracing of a photograph of an
individual) use as a free hand tool an instrument or apparatus called an air or steam pencil
which is manipulated by the artist and by which he controls the action of the blast,
and with which instrument or apparatus alone without any stopping out the plate is
finished up to the highest tints of the picture. The process first hereinbefore described
has reference to high class artistic Intaglio work produced by the fac simile stopping
out by hand or brush, and subsequent engraving by the blast, as aforesaid of the
work or feeling contained in any given picture and thereby producing the artistic
handling of the same. I do not confine myself solely to the separate use of either of
the processes I have mentioned as the picture or portrait can be completely finished
by combining the several means hereinbefore mentioned in the production of any
given picture.
In carrying into practice that portion of my invention which relates to Relier®

page_text: Surfaces or Typographic printing blocks, I place upon the surface a tracing of the
picture required, and then stop out or draw artistically with a suitable resisting
medium the parts which are required to be the blackest in the picture. Afterwards I
subject the unprotected parts to the action of the blast thus preserving those parts
which have been stopped out namely the darkest parts, and tinting those parts which
have been left unprotected. I then stop out the next darkest tone to the black and
again subject the block to the action of the blast thus preserving tone No. 2. This
successive treatment I pursue using more or less fine grains or particles of the
material of the blast and more or less force of impact until I come down to the highest
tints of the picture and so finishing the block.
I also proceed as follows, I place a tracing of the required picture upon the metal
plate and then varnish the whole surface to be engraved with a suitable resisting
medium, or I varnish such surface first and afterwards place the tracing upon the
resisting medium. Next I draw or etch out with a suitable point or etching needle
all the parts which represent the darkest lines in the picture and afterwards I subject
the plate to the action of the blast which I apply in the manner hereinbefore mentioned.
I then draw or etch out in an artistic manner with a suitable point or etching needle
all the other parts of the picture next in strength of tone to the parts first operated
upon and again apply the blast, thereby strengthening the engraved parts, and engraving
the uncovered or etched parts of the plate representing drawing No. 2.
I repeat the
successive operations of drawing or etching out and applying the blast, as hereinbefore
mentioned as often as the exigencies of the work in hand require with the results that
the several parts of the engraving are kept in the same relation of depth to each other
(although being constantly deepened according to the sequence of the blasts) that is
to say the parts first engraved will be the deepest, the parts next engraved will be
less deep, and so on seriatim according to the variety and strength of tone which may
be required, and from this stage I clear off the whole resisting medium and proceed
to obtain the mezzotinting effects of light and shade and simultaneously fac simileing
the artistic touches in the picture according to my stopping out system hereinbefore
described. I also use photography in the manufacture of Typographic printing blocks
thus, I place a photograph upon the surface to be operated upon, and then stop out in
an artistic manner with a suitable varnish or gum or other resisting medium on the
top of the photograph (thereby using such photograph as a tracing and obtaining an
extra amount of resistance) the highest lights of the picture, and when the varnish
gum or other resisting medium has dried I subject the surface so treated to the
action of a blast of sand emery glass or other suitable substance composed of more
or less fine grains or particles and applied in the manner hereinbefore described the
blast of the finest grains or particles being applied first generally speaking to produce
the finest tints. Afterwards I again stop out in an artistic manner with a suitable
resisting medium all the parts of the picture which 1 require to be of a strength of
tint next to the high lights and apply the blast composed of stronger or coarser
grains of the material employed, than the blast theretofore applied and thereby
preserve the first light tint wherever it is stopped out. I repeat this process of stopping
out and applying the blast composed of grains or particles of the material employed
of varying sizes and impelled by a jet of air or steam or gas or water of such varying
degree of pressure as may be necessary to drive with more or less force the coarser
or finer grains or particles of the said material so working from the high lights to the
dark colour, or if the work necessitates it I reverse the order of operations by first
applying the blast so as to produce the darkest parts of the picture and afterwards by
the necessary stoppings out and applications of suitable blasts I complete the system
or process herein before described so working from the black colour to the high
lights. I also use in the manner herein before described as a free hand tool the
instrument or apparatus herein before described, called an air or steam pencil with
which alone without any stopping out the plate is finished up to the highest tints of
the picture. I can also use photography in the manufacture of Linear Relief Typo-
graphic Printing Blocks in the following manner. I cover the surface to be engraved
with any sensitive film such as a solution of Chromic Saltz and Gelatine or Collodion,

page_text: 66
and then photograph the object or picture through a series of intervening lines, or
canvas pattern, or grain such as is in constant use in the manufacture of so called
process plates" and by this means I produce a kind of photographic stencil-plate of
the picture upon the block. I then apply a more or less powerful blast of sand,
emery glass, or other suitable substance using for the purpose the free hand tool
herein before called an air or steam pencil, and thus engraving the exposed parts of
the block. I am aware that the idea of using a bichromatized photograph for
engraving by sand blast has been suggested although never carried into practice
because it would be impracticable to get a good result. What I claim under this
head as a distinct novelty is the use of all these forins of photographs through parallel
lines, or grains, or stipples which constitute a kind of stencil plate and admit the sand
or such like substance between said lines and so enable typographic printing
blocks to be manufactured by the aid of sand blast instead of acid as hitherto
employed.
With the view to obtaining the various tints in any given picture I can also use a
series of stencil plates and subject in regular succession the unprotected parts of the
surface to be engraved to the action of the blast composed of grains or particles of
the material employed of varying size and directed by the artist with the free hand
tool or instrument hereinbefore mentioned such stencil plates to represent in shape
and form each of any required series of stoppings out effected in the manner
hereinbefore described and to be in regular sequence as hereinbefore mentioned.
For the purpose of Engraving Typographic Printing Blocks I also proceed by
wearing away with the blast a suitable semi-resisting varnish applied in the manner
hereinafter described that is to say I paint on the printing block with said varnish a
portion of the picture to be engraved and when the varnish is dry, I paint with said
varnish another portion of said drawing on said block and also the first mentioned
portion (No. 1) up to the edge of the second mentioned portion (No. 2) which covers
and overlaps No. 1. When the varnish is dry I paint on the block the remaining
portion of the drawing and also portions 1 & 2 up to the respective edges thereof.
The obvious effect of this treatment is that the varnish is of varying thickness on the
aforesaid parts of the block and part No. 1 is twice as well covered as part No. 2, and
thrice as well covered as part No. 3. I then apply the sand blast using for the
purpose the free hand tool or instrument called an air or steam pencil with the result
that No. 3 which is the least protected part of the block is first engraved the outline
being left sharply defined. No. 2 is not affected by the blast to the same extent but
the outline thereof is nevertheless sharply defined and No. 1 is the least affected by
the blast because of its being covered with three coats of the varnish.
The several processes herein before mentioned for producing Intaglio and Relief
Surfaces on Typographic Printing blocks of metal are also applicable to the produc-
tion of such surfaces on blocks of stone whether lithographic stone or ordinary stone,
as I have found that the last mentioned surfaces lend themselves for being used as
printing blocks.
I wish it to be understood that by sand blast I mean every and all processes by
which surfaces of metal or stone are engraved or depolished by the percussive force
of grains or particles of sand or such like substance driven by a jet of air, or steam,
or gas, or water, or falling by their own gravitation against such surfaces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1-For the production of Engraved Printing Plates, in Intaglio the process here-
inbefore described and the employment therein of sand or such like substance used
as a projectile to which the requisite velocity has been given by a jet of air, or steam
or gas or water or by its own gravitation.
2-For the production of Relief Surfaces or Typographic Printing Blocks the
process hereinbefore described and the employment of sand or such like substance
used as a projectile and driven by the means hereinbefore mentioned.

page_text: 3 For the preparation of printing surfaces on stone to be used either litho-
graphically or typhographically the process hereinbefore described and the employment
therein of sand or such like substance used as a projectile and driven by the means
hereinbefore mentioned.
4-For the production of Typographic printing blocks the wearing away of the
photographic film of pellicle herein before mentioned by the employment of sand or
such like substance used, as a projectile and driven by the means hereinbefore
mentioned.
For the production of Typographic printing blocks the employment of photo-
graphs through parallel lines grains or stipples as and for the purposes hereinbefore
mentioned.
6-As a new manufacture Typographic printing blocks treated as hereinbefore
mentioned and engraved by sand or such like substance used as a projectile to
which the requisite velocity has been given artificially by the means hereinbefore
mentioned.