IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITION JEWELLERY AND ORNAMENTS, AND IN CASES FOR JEWELLERY PHOTOGRAPHS AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Smith, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITION JEWELLERY AND ORNAMENTS, AND IN CASES FOR
JEWELLERY PHOTOGRAPHS
AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents with his Petition and Declaration on
the 21st June 1860, pursuant to the 9th Section of the Patent Law
Amendment Act 1852.
I, JOHN SMITH, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPOSITION JEWELLERY AND ORNAMENTS, AND IN CASES
FOR JEWELLERY, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say)
This Invention consists of certain improvements upon a former Invention.
having the same object for which Her Majesty's Letters Patent bearing date
the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine, have been granted to me, and this present Invention
has arisen in the course of experiments made by me for the purpose of
ascertaining whether any, and, if any, what other ingredients could be advan-
tageously added to the composition, my object being the attainment of greater

page_text: density, tenacity, lightness, and delicacy of tint in colouring, than I am enabled
to produce with the materials named in the Specification of my former Invention.
I proceed in the following manner:-I take one pound of shell lac or lac in
any of its known forms suitable for my purpose, and dissolve it by heat on a
flat iron slab; I then mix with it an equal quantity by bulk of ebony dust
produced by sawing, turning, pulverization, or otherwise, and for purposes in
which coloured composition is desired, I introduce the colouring matter at
this stage, for instance, if I wish to produce a very intense black, I add three
ounces of black asphaltum ground to a fine powder, three ounces of ivory black,
or charcoal powder, or lampblack. The ivory being used for the purpose of
hardening the composition, or if hardness be not desirable then I employ the
charcoal or the lampblack.
In making the composition of a chocolate or brown tint I use with the lac
three ounces of brown asphaltum and about one ounce of rouge, more or less,
according to the tint required. The proportion of rouge employed will of
course materially govern the tint of brown produced.
For green tints or other darker tints I employ any suitable colouring matter
to produce the tint required.
To produce light colours I. take the dust of boxwood (produced by any of
the means aforesaid) as a colouring matter in itself, to which if a still lighter
tint be required I add an intense white in the shape of barytes or any other
suitable colouring. The whole of these ingredients must be well amalgamated
until the mass shall appear thoroughly homogeneous in its nature throughout when
homogeneity is desired, but if streaked or veined composition be required this
thorough amalgamation will be less needful, and veined or streaked composition
may also be produced by twisting or rolling together two or more masses of
different coloured compositions. In this way imitations of marble, onyx,
malachite, or other stones and gems may be obtained.
In making light-coloured compositions, wood dust, other than boxwood,
may be employed, though I prefer the dust of boxwood. These components
having been well mixed upon a slab, on a stove whilst the lac is in a plastic
state, and under heat, the composition is then to be placed in sufficient quantities
in dies of any description prepared and designed for the form of the articles
intended to be produced, and these dies being removed to a press the article to
be produced is completed by pressure. The composition being cooled by
contact with the dies, the article in a finished state is ready to be immediately
removed.
In cases where it may be desirable that the composition should possess
greater density of material than the above described, that quality may be

page_text: produced by the addition of mineral substances, such, for instance, as barytes or
oxide of manganese, the proportions of which must be governed by the require-
ments of the case, and when greater tenacity than the above is desired that quality
may also be obtained by the admixture of a due proportion of vegetable fibre
other than wood dust, as for instance the shearings of cottons, velveteens, or
hemp, flax, or other such like materials, and for the purpose of obtaining a
light and strong composition paper pulp mixed with the other ingredients will
be most advantageous. The proportions to be used of these fibrous materials
must be left to the judgment of the operator, who will be guided by the quality
of material he desires to produce.
The dies and presses I employ are of the same kind precisely as those now
in use by the manufacturers of horn buttons; they will therefore need no
further description.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I claim the improvements in the manufacture of
composition jewellery and ornaments, and in cases for jewellery, watches,
photographs, and for other similar purposes, the composition consisting sub-
stantially of the ingredients herein more particularly specified, but without
limiting myself to any exact proportions of such ingredients, as the same will
admit of much variation without materially affecting the nature of the
composition.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOHN SMITH.
(L.S.)