Improvements in or pertaining to Photo-mechanical Printing.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or pertaining to Photo-mechanical Printing.
I, ALFRED HENLEY, of Shanklin, Overton Road, Sutton, in the County of
Surrey, Lithographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to produce and provide for use a photographic
plate or block for purposes of collotype printing and the like that shall have
amongst others the great advantage and excellence that a transfer can be taken'
therefrom and can directly be placed on the stone or other surface.
To carry out this object I take a thin perhaps preferably a very thin sheet
of lead or other suchlike substance most conveniently of as pure a quality as
may be possible which sheet is of any desired size and the surface whereof is
made in any appropriate manner as smooth and plane as may be practically
possible. This sheet is then preferably placed in a bath of water wherein a due
proportion of soda or the like has been dissolved which bath is then duly heated.
The sheet is afterwards washed with liquid ammonia and is then dried and warmed.
The sensitive film which can be made as is usual in this class of photographic
work is then poured in the ordinary manner on this sheet and the photographic
plate is dried it may be in an oven as is customary. The consequence of such
drying is that a grain" or a texture or the like is produced in or on the film
which no longer has its ordinary surface and when the plate is so dried at a
comparatively low temperature this "grain or the like is larger coarser or more
open while as the temperature is raised so the "grain" or the like becomes smaller
finer or closer.
"
"
"
This photographic plate can then be used in the ordinary manner with the
usual appliances and devices and can be treated in the ordinary manner with the
customary materials except that the "etching solution" is preferably made
stronger than is usual.
The grain
or the like in the film allows a transfer to be taken from this
plate and then to be placed directly on the stone or other surface.
Improvements in or pertaining to Photo-mechanical Printing.
I, ALFRED HENLEY, of Shanklin, Overton Road, Sutton, in the County of
Surrey, Lithographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.]

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The object of this my invention is to produce and provide for use a photographic
plate or block for purposes of collotype printing and other similar processes that
shall have amongst others the very great advantage and excellence that transfers
can be taken therefrom and can directly be placed and used on the stone or other
ordinary surface.
To carry out this object and to perform this my invention I take a sheet of
lead most conveniently perhaps of as pure a quality as may be reasonably possible
or can be readily be gotten and therefrom I make a plate of the desired size and
shape preferably very thin say about from 16 to 1% of an inch in thickness and
the surface thereof can preferably be made in any ordinary and appropriate
manner as smooth and plane as may be practically possible or can easily be
effected. This plate is placed in a suitable bath wherein soda has been dissolved
in water in about the proportion of 1 oz. soda to 1 gall. water which bath is by
any convenient means and appliances heated up to the boiling point and is kept
at such temperature or thereabouts while the plate is immersed therein for the.
space of about half an hour. The plate by any customary means is then caused
or allowed to dry when it is thoroughly washed with liquid ammonia of a strength
of about 880° and is again caused or allowed to dry and then can conveniently be
warmed as is customary.
The plate then in any ordinary manner is coated with the sensitive film which
can when desired be made as is usual in this class of photographic work but the
film that I especially and preferably use is composed of the following ingredients
namely: gelatine bichromate of potash and water in about the following pro-
portions that is to say:-1 oz. gelatine and 120 grs. bichromate of potash to
8 ozs. water which are duly mixed and treated as is customary and then applied
on and to the plate in such quantity and to such thickness as may in each par-
ticular case be desired. Then the plate so coated is dried in any ordinary drying
oven or other appropriate apparatus at a temperature of about 80° Fahr.
This sensitive plate can be exposed to light under any ordinary photographic
negative as is customary and during and after such exposure can be treated in
manner as is an ordinary collotype or other similar plate and with similar appli-
ances and substances as may be desired or necessary and may be customary until
it is ready for the next stage of its treatment.
66
67
"
This stage consists as is customarily the practice in treating the surface with
an etching solution but the "etching solution" that I use is composed of
the following ingredients namely:-liquid ammonia of a strength of about 880°
glycerine and water in about the following proportions that is to say:-½ oz.
ammonia and 6 ozs. glycerine to 4 ozs. water. This "etching solution"
may be
applied to and used with and on the surface of the plate in any ordinary manner
where and how and when and to what extent may be necessary or expedient in
each particular plate as is customary in this art.
The face of this plate so prepared can then be treated with transfer ink in any
ordinary manner whether by rolling such ink thereon or otherwise when transfers
can be taken therefrom in manner as is customary and as may be convenient and
suitable in and for each, particular plate and such transfers can be used in the
ordinary manner in and for their required and customary purpose.
The consequence of making and treating the plate in manner aforesaid and of
and with the particular materials herein before mentioned is that a "grain" or a
66 texture or the like is produced on and in the film which therefore has a sur-
face very different from the ordinary surface on the ordinary plate and it is this
grain or the like which contrary to the usual procedure allows a transfer to
be taken from this plate and then to be placed and used with acceptance directly
on the stone or other surface for printing purposes as is desired.
<
-
The particular "grain" or "texture" or the like on and in any particular film

page_text: "
can be varied by varying the temperature at which the plate carrying the same
is dried. If such temperature is lowered below the 80° Fahr. aforesaid by say
about 5° or even 10° then the "grain or the like will be proportionately larger
coarser or more open while if such temperature is raised above the 80° Fahr.
aforesaid by say about 5° or perhaps even 10° then the "grain" or the like will
be proportionately smaller finer or closer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
In photo-mechanical printing:-making a plate of lead in combination with
the treatment of such plate namely:-immersing in a boiling bath of soda and
water; then drying; afterwards washing with ammonia; again drying; coating
with a sensitive film of gelatine bichromate of potash and water; drying such
film at a temperature of about 80 Fahr. ready for use; and after exposure and
" of
consequent treatment finally treating the surface with an "etching solution
ammonia glycerine and water; all substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and declared.
HART & Co.,
Agents, 168, Fleet Street, London, E.C.
pated this fuay
HART & Co.,
Agents, 168, Fleet Street, London, E.C.