Cards, and other Articles.
Year: 1888

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by JOSEPH RICHARD FRANCE, of New York, in the
County of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
FICH; Cards,
and other Articles.
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in the County
of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved process for the manufacture from pyroxyline
compounds of collars, cuffs, shirt fronts and. similar articles ornamented by printing
thereon any desired designs in various colors, so as to make in celluloid an imitation
of articles made in fancy linen or percale.
Though white collars cuffs and the like have been successfully made of celluloid and
like substances, such articles with printed or ornamental patterns have not been
successfully made, because the printed designs are not indelible but are liable to wear
or rub off.
"
<
According to my invention sheets of celluloid are indelibly printed as I will
describe.
Upon sheets of "
green ог unseasoned" celluloid or similar pyroxyline com-
pound, from which the solvents are not quite evaporated, I print in an ordinary
printing press any desired pattern or design, employing any ink in which chemicals
or alcohols having an affinity for celluloid are mixed with a dye such as will mix with
these chemicals and with the solvents contained in the celluloid.
After the pattern is printed, the sheets are allowed to season several days, the period
varying according to their thickness and the amount of solvent applied.
I place a number of the seasoned printed sheets between pieces of muslin and sheets
of zinc in a press having steam tables at top and bottom and I heat them to a
temperature of 150° to 200° F. and subject them to a pressure of 1,500 to 2,000 pounds
[Price 4d l

page_text: to the square inch. The heat and pressure serve to incorporate the solid matter of the
ink into the body of the sheet, render the surface plastic and even, and impress it with
indentations similar to the muslin between which it is held. I make no claim to this
method of imparting a muslin impression, as it has long been used in manufacturing
collars of pyroxyline materials.
The sheets thus treated can be cut into imitation collars, cuffs, shirts fronts, &c. or
can be made into playing or business cards and other articles.
دو
When used for cards, the printed sheets are not impressed with muslin.
For printing, an aniline ink or color, dissolved in any material which is also a
solvent of pyroxyline, may be employed. The celluloid, being in a
"green or
unseasoned condition, contains sufficient of the alcoholic solvents employed in its
manufacture to act as a mordant upon the aniline and absorb the color imprinted, so
that it sinks in from the surface and permeates the body of the sheet, taking the place
of the solvents as they evaporate: The sheet is thus permeated by the pattern, to such
a depth as to render the design practically indelible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare. that what I
claim is :-
In the manufacture of celluloid för collars, cuffs and other articles, the process herein
set forth for incorporating printed designs indelibly in the substance of the celluloid,
this process consisting in printing the design upon a sheet of celluloid while it is in
a green" or unseasoned condition with ink or pigment of a kind that is soluble in
the solvents contained in the celluloid, then seasoning the sheets and finally subjecting
them to heat and pressure, substantially as described. *.
"
Doted this 4th day of December 1888.