IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING DESIGNS ON HARD SUBSTANCES BY THE SAND BLAST
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Esther Gilbee, of 5, South Hill Park, Hampstead,
in the County of Middlesex, Widow and Administratrix with the
Will annexed of William Armand Gilbee, late of the Firm of
L. de Fontainemoreau & Co., 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, deceased, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING DESIGNS ON HARD SUBSTANCES BY THE SAND
BLAST." A communication to the said William Armand Gilbee
from abroad by Richard Albert, Tilghman, of Philadelphia, in the
United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Armand
Gilbee at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 20th November 1875.
I, WILLIAM Armand Gilbee, of the Firm of L. de Fontainemoreau
& Co., 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-

page_text: PROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING DESIGNS ON HARD SUBSTANCES BY THE SAND BLAST," to
be as follows, that is to say:-
The Invention communicated to me relates to improvements on
former Letters Patent granted to Alfred Vincent Newton, and dated
respectively the First day of August, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy, Number 2147, and the Third day of November, One thousand
.eight hundred and seventy, No. 2900.
The first part of the Invention consists as follows:-I mark or print
the design with a tough resistant ink on a thin brittle or pulverizable
paper of a texture easily destroyed by the cutting action of the sand,
and then apply the said paper to the surface intended to be engraved
and make it adhere thereto and finally subject it to the sand blast. The
result is that the unprotected parts of the paper will be first destroyed
and removed by the cutting action of the sand, and then the parts of
the surface beneath which are thus laid bare will be engraved, while
those parts of the surface which are beneath the resistant ink will be
protected thereby from erosion by the sand.
I have obtained good results by using as the resisting ink a thick
solution of glue mixed with glycerine and molasses. When a design is
to be frequently reproduced it may be etched on a plate of zinc which is
placed on a lithographic press and the warm fluid ink poured in it,
thin paper is then laid on and it is run through the press; the excess of
ink is thereby squeezed out, and only that which is held in the hollows
of the etching remains attached to the paper and becomes solid by
cooling. The paper thus marked with the design in resistant ink is
then pasted on the surface intended to be engraved, and when dry is
subjected to the sand blast.
The second part of the Invention consists in a transfer process for
producing the designs to be engraved by the sand blast. The design is
first etched or engraved to a suitable depth on a plate of glass or metal,
but preferably glass. The paste or ink is pressed into the cavities of the
engraved plate and the excess is scraped clean off, thin tissue paper is
then laid on and rubbed smoothly down so as to make the paste adhere
to it, and is then peeled off, bringing the design with it. The printed
side of the paper is then laid on the surface intended to be cut by the
sand blast and is rubbed down so as to make the ink adhere to the said
surface, and the paper is wetted and stripped off, leaving the design

page_text: adhering; the sand blast is then applied, using preferably very fine sand
and a low pressure of blast.
The paste or ink should combine the properties of ordinary transfer
ink with the toughness or mechanical strength necessary to resist the
cutting action of the sand blast. I have used a paste made as follows,
but do not confine myself thereto, videlicet, four and a half ounces of
spermaceti, four ounces of beeswax, three ounces of best rosin, two and
half ounces of gutta percha (which has previously been melted and
cooled) and a little lampblack to color it. These ingredients arc
melted and well mixed and taken from the fire, and when nearly solid.
one ounce and a half of turpentine is mixed with it. When used the
paste and plate are slightly warmed and the whole operation is best
performed in a room heated to about ninety degrees Fahrenheit.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Esther Gilbec, Widow and Administratrix of
William Armand Gilbec, deccased, in the Great Seal Patent Offico
on the 19th May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ESTHER
GILBEĘ, of 5, South Hill Park, Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex,
Widow and Administratrix with the Will annexed of William Armand
Gilbee, late of the Firm of L. de Fontainemoreau & Co., 4, South Street,
Finsbury, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, deceased, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Esther Gilbee, Her special
licence that I, the said Esther Gilbee, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Esther Gilbee, 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 Ireland, the

page_text: Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRODUCING DESIGNS ON HARD SUBSTANCES BY THE SAND BLAST," communicated
to the said William Armand Gilbee from abroad by Richard Albert
Tilghman, of Philadelphia, in the United States of America, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Esther Gilbee, 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 Esther Gilbec, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say --
The Invention relates to improvements on former Letters Patent.
granted to Alfred Vincent Newton, and dated respectively First of
August, One thousand eight hundred and seventy, No. 2147, and Third
of November, One thousand eight hundred and seventy, No. 2900.
The first part of the Invention consists as follows:-I mark or print
the design with a tough resistant ink on a thin, brittle, or pulverizable
paper of a texture easily destroyed by the cutting action of the sand,
and then apply the said paper to the surface intended to be engraved
and make it adhere thereto and finally subject it to the said blast. The
result is that the unprotected parts of the paper will be first destroyed
and removed by the cutting action of the sand, and then the parts of the
surface beneath which are thus laid bare will be engraved, while those
parts of the surface which are beneath the resistant ink will be protected
thereby from erosion by the sand.
I do not confine myself to any special method of.putting the resistant
design upon the pulverizable paper, any suitable known process of
common or lithographic printing, or stencilling, or drawing, or painting
may be used, as found convenient, and the design may be either positive
or negative.
The following is a method which has been found to answer for å
carrying the first part of this Invention into effect, taking for example

page_text: the case of a design which has been indented or engraved to a suitable
depth on a metallic plate, and which it is desired to reproduce or
engrave by the sand blast upon a surface of glass or stone. The paper
which is preferred as possessing the requisite pulverizable and other
properties is known in trade as French lithographic transfer paper, but
other thin paper may be used which if unsized should be first thinly
varnished so as to make it non-absorbent and also more pulverizable
and easily cut by the sand blast, and a solution of damar resin in spirits
of turpentine has been found to be suitable for such varnish.
The ink or resistant substance which I have found to answer (but I
do not confine myself thereto) is made by dissolving six parts by weight
of good glue in fifteen parts of water, and adding six parts of glycerine,
specific gravity 1.25, three parts of molasses and two parts of carbonato
These ingredients aro
and used at the lowest
of magnesia and a little Indian ink to color it.
melted together at a gentle heat, well mixed,
temperature of fluidity. I use preferably the ordinary lithographic
press (a plate press will answer), the plate engraved with the design is
first thoroughly but lightly greased with coal oil or lard, and then the
ink which is kept just warm enough to flow easily is poured in excess so.
as to form a puddle entirely across that end of the plate from which the
pressure is to be given; the paper is at once laid in position so as to
cover the plate and rest on the puddle of ink, the pressure of the
scraper "is then given as in ordinary lithographic press work, by which
the fluid ink is driven forward between the plate and the paper, filling
all the indentations of the plate but being expelled by the pressure from
the other parts of it, and the large excess of the ink is squeezed out at
the far end of the plate. The pressure being still kept on the motion of
the carriage is reversed so as to squeeze down the paper on the plate a
second time in the opposite direction, by which a more sharp and clean
impression is produced. As soon as the ink has solidified by cooling the
paper is carefully stripped from the plate and is hung up to dry. A
good result is shown when the ink remains on the paper in full thickness
over all the engraved lines and cavities of the design, while the paper
between the lines is clear and clean from ink or with only an extremely
thin film of it capable of being quickly cut through by the sand blast.
To control the cooling and solidification of the warm fluid ink during
the pressing I have found it convenient to support the engraved plate_
upon a hollow metallic bed plate through which water of proper tem-

page_text: perature may be made to circulate. To use the paper thus marked with
the design it is pasted on the surface intended to be cut by the sand
blast, using a paste, which when dry is brittle and easily cut; a solution
of dextrine in water with a little ammonia added is suitable for this
purpose. The surface to be cut is evenly covered with a thin film of
the paste (the less the better provided good adhesion is produced), the
paper is laid smoothly upon it and pressed or rubbed closely down
avoiding wrinkles; an elastic roller with a thick cloth between it and
the paper is convenient for this purpose, and a moist atmosphere is
favorable to this operation as it prevents too rapid drying and gives
time for adjustment.
When the design is to be applied to curved or irregular surfaces the
paper may have suitable gores cut in it so as to lic smoothly on the
curves. When the paste is thoroughly dry the article is subjected to
the sand blast which first pulverizes and removes the unprotected parts
of the paper and then cuts into the surface thus laid bare, while the
resistant ink forming the design protects whatever is beneath it from the
cutting action of the sand for a time proportioned to its thickness.
When the cutting is finished the ink is removed by soaking and washing
in water.
Designs may be printed on the paper from ordinary types or electro-
types, or stereotypes, and letters and designs may thus be cut in intaglio
by the sand blast on a protected ground. For this purpose the warm
gelatinous ink is spread evenly on the brittle paper, and the oiled type
is pressed down by a steady motion so that the ink is squeezed out
between the face of the type and the paper, but remains covering and
protecting all the intermediate spaces.
As the herein-before described paper and ink are both of them capable
of being softened and obliterated by steam or water, it is evident that no
such agent should be used to propel the sand, and I prefer to use a
current of air for this purpose.
The second part of the Invention consists in a transfer process for
producing the designs to be engraved by the sand blast. The design is
first etched or engraved to a suitable depth on a plate of glass or metal,
but preferably glass. The paste or ink is pressed into the cavities of the
engraved plate, and the excess is scraped clean off. Thin tissue paper is
then laid.on. and rubbed smoothly down so as to make the paste adhere

page_text: .to.it, and is then peeled off, bringing the design with it. The printed
side of the paper is then laid on the surface intended to be cut by the
sand blast, and is rubbed down so as to make the ink adhere to the said
surface, and the paper is wetted and stripped off, leaving the design
adhering. The sand blast is then applied, using preferably very fine sand.
and a low pressure of blast. The paste or ink should combine the
transferable properties of ordinary transfer ink with the toughness or
mechanical strength necessary to resist the cutting action of the sand
blast. I have used a paste made as follows, but do not confine myself
thereto, videlicet, four and a half ounces of spermaceti, four ounces of
bees' wax, three ounces of best rosin, two and a half ounces of gutta
percha (which has been previously melted and cooled), and a little lamp-
black to color it. These ingredients are melted and well mixed and
taken from the fire, and when nearly solid one ounce and a half of
turpentine is mixed with it. When used the paste and plate are
slightly warmed, and the whole operation is best performed in a room
heated to about 90%
The following is a method of carrying this part of the Invention into
effect: The paste is warmed and worked to about the consistence of
soft butter, and is then forcibly pressed by a broad-ended flexible knife
upon the engraved glass plate, which is also slightly warm so as to
perfectly fill all the cavities of the engraved design, while the general
surface of the glass plate is scraped clean and free from paste. The
thin tissue paper is then laid on and rubbed down with a soft cloth so as
to make it adhere to the paste, and is then carefully stripped off so as to
bring with it the paste out of the cavities of the plate. The printed
side of the paper is then laid on the surface intended to be cut by the
sand blast and is rubbed down with a soft cloth so as to make the paste
adhere to the said surface. The paper is then wetted with water con-
taining a little alcohol, and is carefully peeled off, leaving the paste
forming the design adhering to the surface. The impression is then
examined and any defects are corrected by hand, using a fine brush and
the same paste thinned with turpentine. The article is then subjected
to the sand blast, using preferably very fine sand and a current of air
equal in pressure to about four or six inches of water. When sufficiently
cut by the sand the paste is washed off by warm water and soap.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the best
means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, I wish it

page_text: to to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein-
before described (as these may be varied or modified without departing
from the nature of the said Invention) but what I do claim and
desire to be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,-
-
Firstly. The process of producing designs upon bard surfaces by the
sand blast by marking or printing the design on pulverizable paper with
resistant ink, and pasting the said paper on the surface so that when
subjected to the sand blast the unprotected parts of the paper will first
be destroyed, and then the parts of the surface thus laid bare will be
cut by the action of the sand, while those parts of the said surface
beneath the resistant ink will be protected from erosion, substantially as
herein-before described.
Secondly. The process of producing designs upon hard surfaces by
the sand blast by first printing the design on paper from an engraved
plate with an ink or paste which is both resistant and transferable, then
transferring the said paste to the surface intended to be cut, stripping
off the paper and applying the sand blast, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Esther Gilbec, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street,
Finsbury.
ESTHER GILBEE. (L.S.)