An Improved Manufacture of Stencil-sheets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 16th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 25th May, 1894
An Improved Manufacture of Stencil-sheets.
I, EUGENIO DE ZUCCATO, of 15 Charterhouse Strect, in the City and County
of London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an Improved Manufacture of Stencil-sheets, that is to
say, of the material or fabric from which stencils may subsequently be made.
My improved material is particularly adapted for use in making stencils by
means of a type-writer. It has heretofore been the custom to use for such purposes
a kind of Japanese paper well known in the trade, treated with stearine, paraffin
wax or similar substances, such paper so treated possessing the property of allowing
the types of the type-writer when the paper is placed upon a suitable surface, such
as for instance a piece of silk gauze resting on the platen of the machine, to form
their characters in it without thoroughly punching it out or breaking it through;
such paper remains impermeable to the ink which is brought into contact with it
when employed for stencilling except at those places where the ink is required to
pass through. It is found however that the aforesaid paper made in this manner
when used with a typewriter for the purpose of making stencils has several
disadvantages, as the wax becomes detached from the paper and clogs the silk
gauze or other surface upon which it rests and also the types of the machine unless
a sheet of the same unprepared paper is placed between it and the said types while
the stencil is being made. Such waxed paper is moreover exceedingly brittle and
requires great care in handling to avoid injury to the same.
'
According to my invention I produce improved stencil-sheets consisting of thin
paper or other fabric coated with gelatine or a similar substance and rendered limp
and pliable by being impregnated with glycerine.
In carrying my invention into practice, I prefer to proceed as follows, that is to
say, I use a very thin and light paper of good quality free, as far as possible
from pin holes and preferably possessing a long fibre. A good thin tissue paper
for example will be found serviceable for this purpose. I coat the same on both
sides with a solution of gelatine and alum to which a little glycerine is added.
This may be done by means of a sponge or brush, or the paper may be dipped in
or drawn through the solution. The said solution is of such strength that when
the paper is dry each side of the same will be covered with a very thin but
substantial film of gelatine. I next impregnate the dried gelatinized paper with a
solution of glycerine and water to permanently moisten the paper and swell the
gelatine, thus rendering the sheet limp and plastic. The water is allowed to
evaporate leaving the glycerine in the gelatine and paper; and, in order
thoroughly dry the surface of the paper and to get rid of any viscosity of the
gelatine, I then brush over both sides of the paper finely powdered talc or other
suitable powder.
to
When finished, the paper is as if it were encased between two elastic films of
permanently swollen and plastic gelatine the whole being homogeneously permeated
by glycerine.
It is well known that glycerine at ordinary temperatures does not readily change
its state, hence paper treated as above described will remain in its moist and
plastic state for a considerable length of time, and will also possess sufficient
tenacity on account of the elasticity of the gelatinous films to withstand the
ordinary usage to which it is subjected in printing.
The alum in the gelatine renders it insoluble and lessens the stickiness.

page_text: The glycerine with which the gelatinized paper is impregnated renders it very
pliable, flexible and plastic and fit to be perforated by the action of the types
without the characters formed by the said types in the paper being cut or broken
out or punched out altogether which would be the case with the paper I employ
and other similar papers if the same were hard and stiff.
The relative proportions in which I use the gelatine, alum and glycerine cannot
be stated with any great accuracy but I have found that the following proportions
give good results.
For the coating solution I dissolve about one ounce of good gelatine such as, for
instance, Nelson's photographic gelatine No. 1, in one and a half pints of water
with the addition of half an ounce of alum. About one ounce of glycerine is mixed
with the above to ensure the paper drying smooth and free from creases or puckers,
but it should be noted that an excess of glycerine at this stage of the process will
be very injurious as it will prevent the gelatine from setting and drying.
The glycerine solution for impregnating the sheets in the second part of the
process may be made up as follows, one ounce of glycerine to two ounces of water
more or less.
The above quantities are given merely by way of example as the proportions
depend to a large extent on the quality of the paper employed, on the quality of
gelatine used, on the temperature, and other circumstances.
When impregnating the gelatinized paper with glycerine I preferably proceed
as follows, that is to say, I soak sheets of calico or the like in the glycerine and
water solution and then make a pile of the dry gelatinized sheets and soaked calico
sheets placed alternately. The pile of sheets is now subjected to considerable
pressure until the paper sheets are thoroughly moistened with the glycerine and
water; the said sheets are then taken out, the water allowed to evaporate and the
sheets are French chalked or talced on both sides as herein before described.
Although ny improved stencil-sheets are particularly adapted for use with a
typewriter arranged to perforate or partially perforate the same, it is clear that
they may be perforated for use as stencils by other means.
Dated this 17th day of July 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Manufacture of Stencil-sheets.
I, EUGENIO DE ZUCCATO, of 15 Charterhouse Street, in the City and County of
London, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to an Improved Manufacture of Stencil-sheets, that is to
say,
of the material or fabric from which stencils may subsequently be made.
My improved material is particularly adapted for use in making stencils by
means of a type-writer. It has heretofore been the custom to use for such
purposes a kind of Japanese paper well known in the trade, treated with stearine,
paraffin wax or similar substances, such paper so treated possessing the property
of allowing the types of the type-writer when the paper is placed upon a suitable
surface, such as, for instance, a piece of silk gauze resting on the platen of the
machine, to form their characters in it-without thoroughly punching it out or
breaking it through; such paper remains impermeable to the ink which is brought
into contact with it when employed for stencilling except at those places where the
ink is required to pass through. It is found however that the aforesaid paper
made in this manner when used with a type-writer for the purpose of making
stencils has several disadvantages; the wax for instance becomes detached from

page_text: the paper and clogs the silk gauze or other surface upon which it rests and clogs
also the types of the machine unless a sheet of the same paper, unprepared, is
placed between it and the said types while the stencil is being made. Such waxed
paper is moreover exceedingly brittle and requires great care in handling to avoid
injury to the same.
According to my invention I produce improved stencil sheets consisting of thin
paper or other fabric coated with gelatine or a similar substance and rendered limp
and pliable by being impregnated with glycerine.
In carrying my invention into practice, I prefer to proceed as follows, that is to
say, I use a very thin and light paper of good quality, free, as far as possible,
from pin holes and preferably possessing a long fibre. A good thin tissue paper,
for example of weight between 4 and 6 lbs. per medium ream will be found
serviceable for this purpose. I coat the same on one or both sides with a solution,
preferably hot, of gelatine or gelatinous substance and alum to which a little
glycerine is added. This may be done by means of a sponge or brush, or the
paper may be dipped in or drawn through the solution. The said solution is of
such strength that when the paper is dry it will be covered with a very thin but
substantial film of gelatine or impregnated with it. I next soak the dried
gelatinized paper with a solution of glycerine and water to permanently moisten
the paper, thus rendering the sheet very limp and plastic, in fact, almost rotting it.
As much water as will evaporate is allowed to do so and, if desired, in order to
get rid of any viscosity of the damp gelatine, I may then brush over the paper
finely powdered tale or other suitable powder, although this last operation is not
necessary.
When finished, the paper if coated on both sides, is as if it were encased
between two elastic films of permanently swollen and plastic gelatine, or
thoroughly impregnated with it, the whole sheet being homogeneously permeated
by glycerine. In practice it is found that with the best quality of tissue paper
coating the sheets with the above solution of gelatine, alum and glycerine on one
side only will amply suffice.
It is well known that glycerine at ordinary temperatures does not readily change
its state, hence paper treated with it as above described will remain in its moist and
plastic state for a considerable length of time, and will also possess sufficient tenacity,
on account of the elasticity of the gelatine, to withstand the ordinary usage to which
it is subjected in printing. The alum in the gelatine renders it insoluble and
lessens the stickiness.
The glycerine with which the gelatinized paper is impregnated renders it very
pliable, flexible and plastic and fit to be perforated by the action of the types
without the characters formed by the said types in the paper being cut or broken
out or punched out altogether which would be the case with the paper I employ
and other similar papers if the same were hard and stiff.
The relative proportions in which I use the gelatine, alum and glycerine cannot
be stated with any great accuracy, but I have found that the following proportions
give good results.
For the coating solution I dissolve about one ounce of good gelatine such
as, for instance, Nelson's photographic gelatine No. 1 in one and a half pints
of water with the addition of half an ounce of alum. About one ounce of
glycerine is mixed with the above to ensure the paper drying smooth and free from
creases or puckers, but it should be noted that an excess of glycerine at this stage
of the process will be very injurious as it will prevent the gelatine from setting
and drying.
The glycerine solution for impregnating the sheets of the second part of the
process may be made up as follows, one ounce of glycerine to two ounces of water,
more or less.
The above quantities are given merely by way of example as the proportions
depend to a large extent on the quality of the paper employed, on the quality of
gelatine used, on the temperature, and other circumstances.

page_text: When impregnating the gelatinized paper with glycerine, I preferably proceed
as follows, that is to say, I soak sheets of calico or the like in the glycerine and
water solution, and then make a pile of the dry gelatinized sheets and soaked
calico sheets placed alternately. The pile of sheets after a few hours is subjected
to pressure to get rid of the surplus moisture; the paper is then taken out, the
water allowed to evaporate and if found necessary, the sheets may be French
chalked or talced on both sides as herein before mentioned.
Although my improved stencil sheets are particularly adapted for use with a
type-writer arranged to perforate or partially perforate the same, it is clear that
they may be perforated for use as stencils by other means.
When a large number of copies are required to be printed from one stencil
during the printing, I place in contact with the said stencil a protecting sheet of
very thin Japanese copying-paper which allows the printing ink from a scraper or
squeegee or roller to pass through it and then through the perforations of the
stencil. The protecting sheet thus takes from the surface of the stencil the wear
caused by the squeegee or roller. By protecting the stencil in the aforesaid
manner it is practically unwearable.
The silk gauze which I preferably use in making the perforations in the stencil
sheet can be rendered damp-proof by impregnating it with stearine which will
protect it from any moisture which may get to it when placed in contact with my
stencil sheets in the production of the stencil.
I am aware that glycerine has been used heretofore in the manufacture of paper
for the purpose of rendering the paper soft, also that it has been used for
permanently dampening the leaves of letter copying books so that the leaves
should not require to be dampened with water each time they are to be used, and
I make no claim to such uses of glycerine, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A stencil sheet consisting of a thin fabric coated with gelatine or a similar
substance and rendered limp and pliable by being impregnated with glycerine,
substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
2. A process for the manufacture of stencil sheets, which comprises first coating
a thin fabric on one side or on both sides with a solution of gelatine, or a similar
substance, alum and glycerine, and after the fabric thus coated is dry, impregnating
it with a solution of glycerine and water, substantially as, and for the purposes,
.specified.
3. A process for the manufacture of stencil sheets which comprises the treatment
of a thin fabric with a solution of gelatine, or other similar substance, water, alum
and glycerine, and a solution of glycerine and water, all approximately in the
proportions herein set forth by way of example, for the purposes specified.
Dated this 16th day of April 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.