IMPROVE- MENTS IN SINKING OR FIXING COLORS, MARKS, OR DESIGNS INTO OR ON MARBLE, WOOD, IVORY, AND OTHER MATERIALS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hand-Smith of No 74 College Street Chelsea in
the County of Middlesex, Doctor of Medicine for an Invention of IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SINKING OR FIXING COLORS, MARKS, OR DESIGNS INTO OR ON
MARBLE, WOOD, IVORY, AND OTHER MATERIALS AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hand-Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th December 1883.
GEORGE HAND-SMITH of N° 74 College Street, Chelsea, in the County of
Middlesex, Doctor of Medicine. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SINKING OR FIXING COLORS,
MARKS OR DESIGNS INTO OR ON MARBLE, WOOD, IVORY AND OTHER MATERIALS
AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.”
This invention relates to means of causing or inducing the sinking or fixing of
colors or substances adapted to produce colors into or on marble, wood, ivory and
other materials into which colors or coloring material can be sunk, either when
applied first on the surface in lines, shades or washes or in other suitable manner.
The present improvements are in part based upon the invention described in the
specification of Letters Patent granted to me and bearing date September 29th 1877.
The results effected by my present invention though similar in character to those
obtained by me, are far more successful.
Colors or coloring material are applied to the object to be treated according to
my present invention either by printing, painting, dipping or in other suitable
manner. That object is subjected in the manner hereinafter described to the action
of heat and atmospheric air to which sufficient moisture has been imparted, or in
place of atmospheric air so charged other gases or vapors may be employed either
separately or combined in manner hereinafter explained.
By this treatment with heat and an atmosphere highly charged with moisture or
vapor the color, marks or other designs upon the object is caused to penetrate into
or under the surface of the object and into the solid to a greater or less extent

page_text: dependent in great measure upon the duration of the treatment and the conditions
under which such is applied.
Any surplus coloring matter which may be left on the surface of the object and
not enter into the substance of the object may if desired be removed by abrasion or
otherwise leaving the subjacent color or marking constituting the design indelibly
fixed and unaltered in itself, so also may portions of the substance of the object be
abraded without interfering with the design.
In operation I place the objects to be treated and having already applied to them
the colors or coloring matters, designs or markings, in a suitable chamber of copper
or galvanized iron or other material adapted to the purpose and of sufficiently
strong construction, which chamber is accessible for placing, removing and replacing
the objects through suitable tightly closing or fitting doors.
This chamber is surrounded on all its sides and upper part by a cell or cells formed
by surrounding enclosing walls and roofs of similar material to that of the chamber
they enclose with space between each for air and heated vapor or other gas to
maintain uniformity of heat in the operating receptacle and I have found it
conducive to good results to form each surrounding case or layer of air space of
uniform dimensions. The outer wall of all I construct strongly and I encase it
with wood or other suitable material and to further aid the retention of heat I lag
or stuff the intervening space between the coating and the outermost chamber wall
with suitable lagging; as hair, flock or other matters possessing such like properties.
The bottoms of the chambers surrounding the innermost or operating chamber or
receptacle for the objects are all formed by a tray or plate down to which the walls
of these cells or chambers reach and rest upon or it may be nearly reach to, but
where these walls rest on this bottom plate openings through their lower parts are
lett, so that liquid which is contained in that plate or tray whilst sealing off the
vapor of one cell from the next cell may communicate throughout those chamber
bottoms freely, but the bottom of the operating chamber is formed above the liquid
surface. This tray or plate and the liquid supported by it is heated by a water
bath beneath it and this water-bath is in turn heated by means of gas jets disposed
beneath it at suitable distances apart and in series or otherwise controlled by a
valve or valves or regulators which may be arranged to operate automatically upon
a determined amount of heat being developed or temperature reached in the water
bath or operating chamber. The wall which is outermost may be so continued
down and over water bath and tray as to enclose them.
By these means the heat is in turn imparted by the gas burners to the water
bath, thence to the tray of liquid thence to the air cells or surrounding chambers
and by them to the inner and operating chamber or receptacle, by which also
great uniformity of dispersion of heat is secured with great economy of that heat
owing to its being prevented from being lost by radiation, thus affording facility
for the maintenance of a constant given temperature for a comparatively indefinite
period adapted to the end in view.
In some cases I arrange the walls of the air cells with doors or openings capable
of swinging on hinges or otherwise leaving accessible the receptacle for the objects
to be treated and through these openings that receptacle can be withdrawn by
running it out on rails, upon wheels attached to the lower or other part of such
receptacle, the portions of the rails between the inner and outermost, cell walls
being removeable at will or this chamber may be a fixture and in either case it is
accessible for charging and discharging by suitable tightly closable doors... One
great advantage attendant on the use of a removeable receptacle is the facility for
opening it away from the air chambers and without the danger of the moisture of
the air therein condensing upon and injuring the designs or colors.
The receptacle being charged, closed, replaced within the heat or air cells and
those cell doors also closed tightly, communication to such receptacle is made by
means of a suitable metal or other pipe regulated by a stop cock or regulator of supply.
with another chamber or vessel which may be made of copper or other suitable

page_text: material and of size adapted to the circumstances, but conveniently and generally
formed long, narrow, and of moderate depth enclosed perfectly on all sides and
provided with another pipe entering at the other or reverse end to the pipe
connected to the operating receptacle or so arranged as to give the proper traverse
of the air or other fluid through the saturator for effecting the desired saturation
thereof with the contained liquid.
In this vessel or saturator at short intervals are disposed a series of porous
diaphragms or surfaces of cotton cloth or other porous absorbent material adapted
to facilitate saturation of the atmosphere or fluid passing therethrough with the
liquid supplied to such vessel and distributed by those surfaces. Proper distension
of those surfaces is maintained by their being secured around the sides of the
vessels and by dipping into the liquid to ensure not only their being moistened by
capillary attraction but also that the passing air or fluid shall be saturated to the
required extent with such liquid as it is driven into that vessel by one pipe or
pipes and passes out to the receptacle by the other or others, the amount of such
moisture imparted to that air or fluid will however be mainly governed by and
increase in ratio, mainly with the increase of temperature imparted to the
saturating box and its contents. To effect regulation of this temperature of this
box or vessel I find it convenient to locate it in the tray already mentioned and
beneath the surface of the contained water therein or such saturating vessel may
be placed within a separate series of heat retaining cells similarly arranged to
those around the operating receptacle and heated by separate gas burners and
water-bath with regulating means to such burners or the outer or other heat cells
may enclose the whole or a combination of both these arrangements of saturating
means may be employed or this heating or heat retaining may be otherwise.
attained so long as the proper temperature be maintained.
The air supplied for passage through the saturator to the operating receptacle
may be obtained from a suitable storage reservoir, gasometer or other containing
means or be forced in by pump, bellows or otherwise as may be most convenient,
with provision for adequate regulation by devices adapted to the purpose and well
understood and such air or other gaseous fluid is generally heated before being
passed into the saturator.
The receptacle being in situ and heated as already described the action which
takes place on the contained objects is as follows:-
Upon the heated air in such receptacle reaching the desired temperature say
140° Fah: the cock giving communication (by means of the pipe to the saturator)
is opened and the saturated air or fluid flows in under pressure from such saturator
and at a temperature somewhat in excess of the receptacle and its contents, in
consequence of the saturator vessel being heated accordingly.
The pressure of air or other gaseous fluid supplied and the temperature of the
receptacle should be maintained uniformly.
It will be found in practice that the amount of moisture absorbed by the air or
fluid forced through the saturator will be dependant on the temperature the
velocity of flow and other conditions more or less conducive to the desired
saturation.
The pipe or pipes for the supply of the saturated air to the receptacle are
provided with suitable orifices or other means of distribution either by sub-division
or otherwise and this saturated air on entering the receptacle being released from
pressure expands and consequent lowering of the temperature ensues causing the
atmosphere therein to assume conditions favorable to action as herein indicated
upon the colours of the designs or upon the coloring matter to form such design or
markings thereby causing their penetration or sinking into the solid of the objects
in a remarkable mannner.
Experience easily determines the particular conditions of pressure, degree of
temperature and length of time for exposure desirable for the different substances
treated.

page_text: The surplus expanded air or other fluid resulting in the chamber or receptacle
passes out by a pipe or channel provided with a valve or regulator adapted to
control its escape.
In place of employing gas as the heating agent for the heating of the apparatus
I sometimes employ other heating agency such as fire heat directly or through the
medium of hot air or water or otherwise.
Colors I have found to give good results in the production of designs in marble
are obtained by treating coal-tar with one of the known volatile solvents such as
benzole to separate the insoluble matter and then evaporating the solvent more or
less according to circumstances of shade required: or the basic salts of Iron
produced by partial precipitation with carbonates or oxides of the alkaline metals.
When producing designs in ivory I have found ordinary aniline colors give
good results.
When simply coloring marble I also find sulphate of iron to be a useful coloring
material

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Hand-Smith in the Patent Office on the 26th June 1884.
GEORGE HAND-SMITH of N° 74 College Street Chelsea in the County of
Middlesex Doctor of Medicine IMPROVEMENTS IN SINKING OR FIXING COLORS,
MARKS OR DESIGNS INTO OR ON MARBLE, WOOD, IVORY AND OTHER MATERIALS
AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
This invention relates to means of causing or inducing the sinking or fixing of
colors or substances adapted to produce colors into or on marble, wood, ivory, and
other materials into which colors or coloring material can be sunk either when
applied first on the surface in lines shades or washes or in other suitable manner.
The present improvements are in part based upon the invention described in the
Specifications of Letters Patent granted to me and respectively bearing date the
twenty ninth September One thousand eight hundred and seventy seven N° 3640
and third day of December One thousand eight hundred and eighty three
N° 5616.
The results I effect by my present invention though similar in character to those
before obtained by me are far more successful
Colors or coloring material are applied to the article to be treated according to
my present invention either by printing, painting, dipping, or in other suitable
manner.
That article is subjected in the manner hereinafter described to the action of
heat and atmospheric air to which sufficient moisture has been imparted or in place
of atmospheric air so charged other gases or vapors may be employed either
separately or combined in manner hereinafter explained
By the hereinafter described treatment with heat and an atmosphere highly
charged with moisture or vapor the color marks or other designs upon the object is
caused to penetrate into or under the surface of the object and into the solid to a
greater or less extent dependent in great measure upon the duration of the
treatment and the conditions under which such is applied
Any surplus coloring matter which may be left on the surface of the object and
not enter into the substance of the object may if desired be removed by abrasion
or otherwise leaving the subjacent color or marking constituting the design
indelibly fixed and unaltered in itself, so also may portions of the substance of the
object be abraded without interfering with the design.
In operation I place the objects to be treated and having already applied to
them the colors or coloring matters designs or markings in a suitable chamber or
holder of copper or galvanized iron or other material adapted to the purpose and
of sufficiently strong construction which chamber is accessible for placing removing
and replacing the objects through suitable tightly closing or fitting doors
This chamber which in its general construction is similar to that described in the
Specification of my Patent N° 5616.1883. is surrounded on all its sides and upper
part by a cell or cells formed by surrounding enclosing walls and roofs of similar
material to that of the chamber they enclose with space between each for air and
heated vapor or other gas to maintain uniformity of heat in the operating receptacle
and I have found it conducive to good results to form each surrounding case or
layer of air space of uniform dimensions. The outer wall of all I construct strongly
and I encase it with wood or other suitable material and to further aid the retention
of heat I lag or stuff the intervening space between the coating and the outermost
chamber wall with suitable lagging as hair, flock, or other matters possessing such
like properties. The bottoms of the chambers or hollow casing surrounding the

page_text: innermost or operating chamber or holder for the objects are all formed by a tray
or plate down to which the walls of these cells or chambers reach and rest upon or
so that those walls may nearly reach to, but where these walls rest on this bottom
plate openings through their lower parts are left so that liquid which is contained in
that plate or tray whilst sealing off the vapor of one cell from the next cell may
communicate throughout those chamber bottoms freely, but the bottom of the
operating chamber is formed above the liquid surface-This tray or plate and the
liquid supported by it is heated by a water bath beneath it and this water bath is
in turn heated by means of gas jets disposed beneath it at suitable distances apart
and in series or otherwise controlled by a valve or valves or regulators which may
be arranged to operate automatically upon a determined amount of heat being
developed or temperature reached in the water bath or operating chamber
The wall which is outermost may be so continued down and over water bath and
tray as to enclose them
By these means the heat is in turn imparted by the gas burners to the water
bath thence to the tray of liquid thence to the air cells or surrounding chambers or
casings and by them to the inner and operating chamber or holder by which also
great uniformity of dispersion of heat is secured with great economy of that heat
owing to its being prevented from being lost by radiation thus affording facility for
the maintenance of a constant given temperature for a comparatively indefinite
period to the end in view
In some cases I arrange the walls of the air cells or hollow casings with doors or
openings capable of swinging on hinges or otherwise leaving accessible the holder
or receptacle for the objects to be treated and through these openings that receptacle
can be withdrawn by running it out on rails upon wheels attached to the lower
or other part of such receptacle the portions of the rails between the inner and
outermost cell walls being removeable at will or this chamber may be a fixture and
in either case it is accessible for charging and discharging by suitable tightly
closable doors. One great advantage attendant on the use of a removeable
receptacle is the facility for opening it away from the air chambers and without
the danger of the moisture of the air therein condensing upon and injuring the
designs or colors
The receptacle or holder being charged closed and replaced within the heat or air
cells or hollow casing and the doors thereof being also closed tightly communication
to such receptacle is made by means of a suitable metal or other pipe regulated by
a stop cock or regulator of supply with another chamber or vessel which I use as
a saturating chamber and which may be made of copper or other suitable material
and of a size adapted to the circumstances-It may be conveniently formed long,
narrow and of moderate depth enclosed perfectly on all sides and provided with
another pipe entering at the other or reverse end to the pipe connected to the
operating receptacle or holder or so arranged as to give the proper traverse of the
air or other fluid through the saturator or saturating chamber for effecting
the desired saturation thereof with the contained liquid as is hereafter more
particularly described with reference to the drawings annexed. Instead of using
one long vessel a series of vessels suitably connected may be employed-The use of
this saturating vessel or series of vessels as described constitutes an important
improvement on my former inventions
In this vessel or saturator at short intervals are disposed a series of porous
diaphragms or surfaces of cotton cloth or other porous absorbent material adapted
to facilitate saturation of the atmosphere or other fluid passing therethrough with
the liquid supplied to such vessel and distributed by the surfaces. Proper
distension of those surfaces is maintained by their being secured around the sides
of the vessels and by dipping into the liquid to ensure not only their being
moistened by capillary attraction but also that the passing air or fluid shall be
saturated to the required extent with such liquid as it is drawn into that vessel by
one pipe or pipes and passes out of the receptacle or holder by the other or others,
the amount of such moisture imparted to that air or fluid will however be mainly

page_text: governed by and increase mainly with the increase of temperature imparted to
the saturating vessel and its contents
To effect regulation of this temperature of this saturating vessel or vessels I find
it convenient to locate it or them in the tray already mentioned and beneath the
surface of the contained water therein or such saturating vessel may be placed
within a separate series of heat retaining cells similarly arranged to those around
the operating receptacle and heated by separate gas burners and water bath with
regulating means to such burners or the outer or other heat cells may enclose the
whole or a combination of both these arrangements of saturating means may be
employed or this heating or heat retaining may be otherwise attained so long as
the proper temperature be maintained.
The air supplied for passage through the saturator to the operating receptacle
may be obtained from a suitable storage reservoir, gasometer, or other containing
means or be forced in by pumps, bellows or otherwise as may be most convenient
with provision for adequate regulation by devices adapted to the purpose and well
understood and such air or other gaseous fluid is with advantage heated before
being passed into the saturator.
The receptacle or holder being in situ and heated as already described the action
which takes place on the contained objects is as follows-Upon the heated air in
such receptacle reaching the desired temperature say 140° Fah, the cock giving
communication (by means of the pipe to the saturator) is opened and the saturated
air flows in under pressure from such saturator and at a temperature somewhat in
excess of the receptacle and its contents in consequence of the saturator vessel
being heated accordingly.
The pressure of air supplied and the temperature of the receptacle should be
maintained uniformly
It will be found in practice that the amount of moisture absorbed by the air
forced through the saturator will be dependent on the temperature the velocity of
flow and other conditions more or less conducive to the desired saturation.
The pipe or pipes for the supply of the saturated air to the receptacle are
provided with suitable orifices or other means of distribution either by sub
division or otherwise and. this saturated air on entering the receptacle being released
from pressure expands and consequent lowering of the temperature ensues and
causes the atmosphere therein to assume conditions favorable to action upon the
colors of the designs or upon the coloring matter used to form such designs or
markings and thereby causing their penetration or sinking into the solid of the
objects so as to become incorporated therewith.
Experience easily determines the particular conditions of pressure degree of
temperature and length of time for exposure desirable for the different substances
treated
For instance in treating a piece of ivory 1 inch in thickness have found it to
give satisfactory results when thus treated at a relative increase of 5° Fah* per
hour commencing with a temperature of 130° Fahr and continued for 10 hours or
until a temperature of or about 180° is reached the coloring matter employed being
Bay picric acid or the picrates or one of the ordinary red, blue, violet, or other
aniline colors; or organic matter, such as gum, mixed with nitrate of silver, for
black.
The surplus expanded air resulting in the chamber or receptacle passes out by a
pipe or channel provided with a valve or regulator adapted to control its escape
In place of employing gas as the heating agent for the heating of the apparatus
I sometimes employ other heating agency such as fire heat directly or through the
medium of hot air or water or otherwise
Colors which I have found to give good results in staining marble in variegated
effects are for a yellow (say) sulphate of iron in concentrated solution or for a
bluish shade (say) first treat as above described and then treat with ferrocyanide
of potassium or for a pink shade (say) a solution of sulphate of copper first applied
and then next apply ferrocyanide of potassium.

page_text: Colors which I have found to give good results in the production of designs in
marble are obtained by treating coal tar with one of the known volatile solvents
such as benzole to separate the insoluble matter and equal parts by measure of coal
tar and benzole will give a good result and then evaporating the solvent more or
less according to circumstances of shade required and these give a series of shades
of brown, to or verging upon a black or the basic salts of iron produced by partial
precipitation with carbonates or oxides of the alkaline metals and these will give a
series of shades of yellow, verging onto red or buff. Or gamboge in solution
evaporated to a suitable concentrated consistency. For coloring wood the range of
coloring matters available will include most of ordinary and well known stains
employed for the purpose of coloring wood
When producing designs in ivory I have found ordinary aniline colors give good
results
When simply coloring marble I also find sulphate of iron to be a useful coloring
material. For instance when employing the coloring matter and operating
therewith on a piece of marble of an inch in thickness say starting at a temperature
of about 160° at the rate of increase of temperature of 1° to 2° per hour that after
about 20 to 40 hours treatment respectively or until a temperature of about 200°
be reached good results will be attained
The herein described process may be effected in a chamber or holder surrounded
with non-conducting casing or walls other than air cells, such as described, such
for instance as wooden, or metal-casing lagged with non-conducting matters
adapted to maintain uniformity of the interior heated temperature.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to drawings the apparatus which I
find may be used with advantage for the purposes of my invention though the
same object may as is obvious be attained by apparatus of a like character but of
different construction. Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus only such
details as are of the most ordinary and well known construction and used in
manner common with such details or subsidiary appliances being omitted to avoid
complication of the drawings
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the apparatus shewn by Figure 1. Similar
letters refer to similar parts in each view. The goods or objects, of marble, ivory,
bone, wood, or other materials, hereinafter shortly referred to as the objects are
placed in the operating receptacle a by being conveyed thereto through doors b*
cd which respectively are formed in the walls of the chambers, or surrounding
heat retaining cells b and c which cells surround and retain heat to the receptacle a
on all sides except the bottom thereof
The chamber or receptacle a may be formed of copper, galvanized iron, or other
material adapted to the purpose. Within these cells b and c is retained air or gas
with moisture or vapor so that uniformity of heat to the receptacle a is maintained
during the operation. Beneath the chamber or receptacle a is a water bath e
which bath is heated by a series of gas jets & supplied by pipes d and these pipes
are provided with suitable valves and pressure regulators and indicators of the
ordinary and well known construction and therefore not necessary to be shewn
The water bath e is provided with a thermometer f to indicate its variations of
temperature. The temperature of the receptacle a in a similar way may be read off
from a thermometer g. i is a pipe having a small contracted outlet orifice at its
point of delivery into the receptacle a and this pipe i delivers air charged with
sufficient moisture and under pressure into the receptacle a so that expansion shall
ensure producing the proper condition of atmosphere in that receptacle a best
adapted to effect the desired operation on the objects therein. The surplus
expanded air can escape by the outlet pipe h. The arrows shew the direction of
the flow of the moisture laden air through the parts of the apparatus
.
In order to ensure the sufficient saturation of the air discharged into the
receptacle by the pipe i the air conveyed thereto is first treated in another portion
of the apparatus to which that pipe i is in connection and which portion I call the
saturator. The air to be charged with moisture enters the saturator chambers m³

page_text: mm in turn from a pipe n which receives its supply from any suitable constant
source of supply, it may be a pump or gasometer formed reservoir, the chambers m²
m' and m are also connected by other connecting pipes and i
The water bath k encases the saturator m and its supply pipes n and this water
bath is heated by the gas jets supplied by the pipe l. The curtains k¹ to these
burners and the like curtains to the burners & serve to detain the heated air,
62 is a pipe of supply for liquid to b¹ and e¹ is a pipe for supply of liquid to e. e² is
the draw off The pipe n is made to follow a serpentine course through the
water bath k before entering the saturator chambers m² m² m in order to warm the
air and increase its capacity for taking up moisture. The dotted lines in the
saturator chambers m indicate a series of porous diaphragms or surfaces of porous
absorbent material such as cotton cloth adapted to draw up moisture supplied to
such chambers m³ m' and m and deliver such moisture to the passing air and
sufficiently saturate it-o is a gauge or indicator of pressure within the chamber m
m' m². p is a thermometer to the water bath k. ; is a casing to the pipe i
In place of the heating of both the baths e and being effected by gas, other
suitable modes of heating commonly known may be employed
The operation with the apparatus is as follows. The receptacle a being filled
with objects or goods and heated by the water bath e aided by the cells b c and
casing c¹ to the desired heat read off from the thermometers fg and adjusted upon
comparison thereof to say 160° Fah. a cock giving communication by means of the
pipe to the saturator is opened and saturated air flows in under pressure from the
saturator m at a temperature adjusted at a slight excess over that of the receptacle
and its contents and expansion of that air on release from pressure results with
consequent fall of temperature producing the state of atmosphere most suitable to
the penetrative action on the colors of the objects and this condition is then steadily
maintained until the treatment is complete
Having thus described my invention and the method of carrying the same into
practical effect I would have it understood that I do not contine myself to the
precise arrangement of apparatus, or means described for effecting the saturation of
the air supplied to the operating chamber with the requisite amount of moisture
but other means of effecting this saturation of the air may be employed without
departing from the essential features of my invention But what I claim is
1st The use of my improved processes for treating surfaces or articles by
applying thereto color producing matters which are caused to penetrate and become
incorporated therewith substantially as described.
2nd The use of the vessel termed the saturator in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as described
3rd The manufacture of artificially colored or marked or ornamented articles by
my improved process substantially as herein described
4th The use of the respective forms of apparatus for the purpose indicated
constructed substantially as herein described and illustrated respectively in
Figures 1 and 2.
In witness whereof I the said George Hand-Smith have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty third day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four
Witness:
ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES
55 Chancery Lane London
Patent Agent.
GEORGE HAND SMITH (L.S.)