Improvements in the Engraving of Copper, Steel, and other Metal Rollers or Dies.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Engraving of Copper, Steel, and other Metal
Rollers or Dies.
I, HENRY LYON, of Peter Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinery Exporter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of direct engraving on
copper steel or other metal rollers both intaglio and in relief (surface) for printing
upon calico paper, velvet, leather, pulp or other fabrics and materials, and for
einbossing all such fabrics and materials; fúither in the method of producing
intaglio engravings on cylindrical steel dies from which relief engraved steel
milling rollers can be raised by "clamming" for transferring the engraving on
to larger size copper or other metal rollers, for printing or embossing calico, paper,
velvet, leather, pulp or other fabrics or material.
My invention consists in the method of producing engravings direct on to the
periphery of metal rollers for the purposes above specified by the means of
covering or coating the periphery of the rollers with a sensitized solution of
bitumen, albumen gelatine gum glue or other suitable preparation and when this
coating is dry I then proceed to attach a prepared transparency of the design to
be engraved direct on to the coated periphery of the roller, which I then subject
to the action of light by which means the design to be engraved is printed on the
periphery of the roller.
I then proceed to develop by the application of water or other liquid the
printed surface of the roller, and to discharge that portion of the sensitized
solution with which the roller has been coated, which has not been acted upon by
light and which in consequence has remained soluble, after which operation I
then proceed to vitrify by heat, or otherwise strengthen the printed design on
the roller accordingly as required by the sensitized preparation I have employed
to coat the roller with, after which operation the roller is ready to be etched in
a bath or baths of perchloride of iron nitric acid or other suitable mordant.
For producing intaglio engravings on cylindrical steel dies from which relief
milling rollers can be raised by clamming for engraving or embossing the design
on to rollers of a larger periphery and length I employ the same method as
described above for the production of engravings direct on to larger or full size
metal rollers for printing or embossing.
Doted this 4th dow of Narambon 1906
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Engraving of Copper, Steel, and other Metal
Rollers or Dies.
I, HENRY LYON, of Peter Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Machinery Exporter, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in the method of producing intaglio or
relief (surface) engravings on copper, steel or other metal rollers for printing and
embossing calico, paper pulp, leather, velvets or other fabrics or material, and
also for producing such engravings on engravers' cylindrical steel dies and mills.
The object of the invention is to produce all such engravings in an expeditious
manner, and without the use or employment of photo or other lithographic or other
inked transfers, or of any machine or machinery whatsoever.
Hitherto in order to etch or engrave a pattern upon a curved or cylindrical
surface, it has been necessary to produce a lithographic copy of such prepared with
sticky or greasy ink, known as a "lithographic transfer," and by pressure or other
mechanical means, transfer an impression in ink therefrom to the curved or
cylindrical surface of the roller or die, the ink in this case on the roller or die
acting as a resist to the acid whereas by my process I am enabled to photograph
the design direct on to the curved or cylindrical surface.
In carrying my invention into effect, I first draw or paint by hand or otherwise
produce a copy of the design to be engraved upon a sheet of transparent gelatine
or other suitable flexible transparent support such drawing or painting being made
to the exact circumference of the roller or cylindrical die it is to be engraved upon,
and the design so drawn and arranged that when placed and fixed in position
round the roller or die, such design or drawing will match and fit up to form
a continuous printing pattern, or instead of producing such drawings by hand, I
may make a photographic film, negative or positive, of the drawing to be engraved.
I spread over the entire curved surface of the roller or cylindrical die, a viscous
solution of gelatine or albumine, or glue or a combination of same, or of other
suitable colloid body, sensitized with bi-chromate of ammonia or other chromate
salt, or I may use a sensitized solution of bitumen or asphalt for this purpose;
which I then allow to dry.
When dry, I attach the above described flexible negative or transparency direct
on to the coated periphery of the roller or cylindrical die, which I then subject
to the action of light. By this means, I obtain a photographic print of the
drawing or design to be engraved direct on to the sensitized periphery of the said
roller or die.
After sufficient exposure, I remove the transparency or negative, and proceed
to develop the photographic print on the roller or die, by the application of water
or turpentine or other suitable means, according to the colloid I have used, in order
to remove those parts which have been protected from light, by the dark or opaque
parts of the transparency, and which have to be engraved on the metal roller or
die.
When this operation is completed, I proceed to strengthen or harden the resist
forming the pattern on the roller or die, in order to confer full resisting power on
it to the etching fluid used in the subsequent operation, and for this 'purpose I
apply strong heat to the roller or die, or I apply a coating of strong ink or varnish
to it, and then combine resin and asphalt or other suitable material with the ink
or varnish according to the colloid, I have used for coating the roller or die to form
the ultimate resist,

page_text: After this operation I etch the roller or die in a bath of dilute nitric acid
solution of perchloride of iron or other suitable etching mordant, after which
operation the resist is cleaned off the roller or die, and they are then ready for
the purposes they may be intended for.
The essential features of the invention consist in producing direct upon the
curved or cylindrical surface of a roller or die, a photographic image of the
design, without the aid of photo-lithographic or any other ink transfers, or the
use of any machine or machinery or mechanical process whatever for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
The new or improved process of engraving the curved surfaces or peripheries of
copper or other rollers or cylindrical dies or mills, which consists in photograph-
ically printing the design direct on to such cylindrical surface, by attaching
thereto a flexible transparent negative (or positive) upon which it has been drawn
or otherwise copied, the said surface having been previously covered with a
sensitized coating, developing such photograph, and subsequently etching the
design, substantially as described.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1897
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.
Manchester, Liverpool & London, Patent Agents.