IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING SURFACES IN IMITATION OF WOOD FOR PRINTING FROM
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Stather, of Hull, in the County of York,
Printer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING SURFACES IN
IMITATION OF WOOD FOR PRINTING FROM."
Sealed the 11th June 1858, and dated the 11th December 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Stather at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 11th
December 1857.
JOHN STATHER, of Hull, in the County of York, Printer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRODUCING SURFACES IN
IMITATION OF WOOD FOR PRINTING FROM," to be as follows:-
I first take an impression upon a plastic material (preferring gutta percha) from
the wood to be imitated, placing the plastic material upon which the impression
is made around a cylinder, or upon a block either before or after making the
impression. The surface of the material thus impressed (when it has become
sufficiently hard or firm) may be used for printing upon paper or other
material, so as to produce an impression of the required description. From
the surface of a piece of plastic material which has received such an impression
I also take another impression by pressing another piece of plastic material
upon it, and thus I obtain another pattern or impression upon the surface of
the second piece of plastic material, which is the reverse of the first impression.
This second surface when sufficiently rigid may be used as a printing surface,
in like manner as the first, but for producing a pattern the reverse of the first,
I also take an impression from the surface of a piece of wood upon paper in
ordinary printing ink or other suitable glutinous and adhesive matter, and

page_text: apply the impression thus obtained to the surface of a block or roller, in such
manner as to produce a lithographic or zincographic printing surface; or I
engrave the surface of the block or roller, so that it may be employed in
printing in like manner as ordinary printing blocks or engraved surfaces.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
'
by the said John Stather, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th June 185S.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. Jous
STATHER, of Hull, in the County of York, Printer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Stather, Her special licence that I, the said John Stather,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said
John Stather, my 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 night make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ire-
land, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PRODUCING SURFACES IN IMITATION OF WOOD FOR PRINTING FROM," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that J, the said John Stather, 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 bo 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 thesaid Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Stather, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
I first take an impression upon a plastic material (preferring gutta percha)
from the wood to be imitated, placing the plastic material upon which the
impression is made around a cylinder or upon a block, either before or after
making the impression. The surface of the material thus impressed (when it
has become sufficiently hard or firm) may be used for printing upon paper or

page_text: other material so as to produce an impression of the required description.
From the surface of a piece of plastic material which has received such an
impression, I also take another impression by pressing another piece of
plastic material upon it, and thus I obtain another pattern or impression
upon the surface of the second piece of plastic material, which is the reverse
of the first impression. This second surfaco when sufficiently rigid may be
used as a printing surface in like manner as the first, but for producing a
pattern the reverse of the first.
I also take an impression from the surface of a piece of wood upon paper in
ordinary printing ink or other suitable glutinous and adhesive matter, and
apply the impression thus obtained to the surface of a block or roller in such
manner as to produce a lithographic or zincographic printing surface; or 1
engrave the surface of the block or roller, so that it may be employed in
printing in like manner as ordinary printing blocks or engraved surfaces.
The piece of wood from which the impression is taken is first planed down,
until its surface is as smooth and flat as may be necessary, and the loose
portions of its grain are then removed with a brush or otherwise before the
impression is taken. In some cases I prefer after the surface of the piece of
wood has been made smooth and flat, and before the impression is taken, to
remove portions of the surface by means of suitable tools, leaving the grain
of the wood untouched. And I sometimes take an impression from the
surface of the wood prepared as before described upon paper or any other
suitable material, and by means of pressure I transfer the said impression
to a metal plate or roller. I then remove those parts of the said metal plate
or roller which have received no impression either by means of an acid or
of a graver or other suitable tool, and thus produce a metal printing surface
corresponding with the natural design of the wood.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the improvements
in producing surfaces in imitation of wood for printing from as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stather, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred
JOHN STATHER. (L.S.)