IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACING TILES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF CHINA OR EARTHENWARE AND IN ORNAMENTING THE SAME
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Colin Minton Campbell, Thomas William Minton, and
Herbert Minton, of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford, Manufac-
turers of China and Earthenware, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SURFACING TILES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF CHINA OR EARTHENWARE AND
IN ORNAMENTING THE SAME.”
Sealed the 8th June 1877, and dated the 31st March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Colin Minton Campbell,
Thomas William Minton, and Herbert Minton at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 31st March 1877.
COLIN MINTON CAMPBELL, THOMAS WILLIAM MINTON, and HERBERT MINTON,
of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturers of China and
Earthenware. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACING TILES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF
CHINA OR EARTHENWARE AND IN ORNAMENTING THE SAME.'
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in surfacing tiles and other
articles of china or earthenware and in ornamenting the same.
The improvements consist in the first place of a process for covering articles
made of china or earthenware, but especially flat tiles for walls and other purposes,
with a granular or roughened semi-vitreous surface of white or colored enamel that
will, while retaining its hard and impervious quality, prevent the dazzling reflection
of light which is given from smooth glazed surfaces; and in the second place, with
decorating such granulated surface either by hand painting or by transferring to it
prints, as hereafter described. We have for a long time occasionally covered the
surface of tiles by means of a roller with color afterwards to be fired; but according
to our present Invention, we so mix the ingredients of the surface enamel, and
afterwards so mix and grind it with oil, that when distributed by means of a roller
on flat surfaces, or by means of a block printer's ball on rounded surfaces, it shall
have a granular and either a semi-vitreous or a nearly dry or mat surface, similar
in appearance to morocco leather, after which we name the peculiar effect produced,
'Morocco;" this surface may then be fired, which completes the first part of our
process, and the tiles or other articles are then fit for use; or, in the second place, it
may afterwards be decorated by hand painting, or it may receive a print transferred
to it in the manner herein-after mentioned, such print being first produced cither
"
Drina A71

page_text: from copper plates or from blocks, as described in a previous Patent, No. 12,097,
obtained in the year 1848, for "Improvements in the Art of Ornamenting China,
Glass, and Earthenware," but with colors mixed similar to that for the "Morocco "
ground.
The peculiarity of this Invention consists in the first place in so adjusting the
ingredients of the enamel, and so mixing the same with oil that when distributed
on the surface of the tile or other article and afterwards fired that it shall produce
either a nearly dry or mat surface or a semi-vitreous surface, and so granulated as
very imperfectly to reflect light; and in the second place, in the so adjusting the
colors or enamels for painting or for printing that they retain either the dry or the
semi-vitreous surface, as the case may be, and also in the method of transferring
the prints; the prints, instead of being rubbed down as is usual on smooth surfaces,
being beaten into the hollows of the roughened surface by means of a brush or
other similar suitable thing.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Colin Minton Campbell, Thomas William Minton, and Herbert Minton
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th September 1877.
COLIN MINTON CAMPBELL, THOMAS WILLIAM MINTON, and HERBERT MINTON,
of Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturers of China and
Earthenware. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACING TILES AND OTHER ARTICLES OF
CHINA OR EARTHENWARE AND IN ORNAMENTING THE SAME."
This Invention has for its object improvements in surfacing tiles and other
articles of china or earthenware and in ornamenting the same.
The improvements consist, in the first place, of a process for covering articles
made of china or earthenware, but especially flat tiles for walls and other purposes,
with a granular or roughened semi-vitreous surface of white or coloured enamel
that will, while retaining its hard and impervious quality, render it a perfect sub-
stitute for ordinary glaze, prevent the dazzling reflection of light which is given
from smooth glazed surfaces; and in the second place, with decorating such granu-
lated surface either by hand painting or by transferring to it prints, as hereafter
described. We have for a long time occasionally covered the surface of tiles by
means of a roller, sometimes on glazed surfaces with a vitreous enamel, and some-
times on unglazed surfaces with unfluxed colours, then to be covered with glaze and
afterwards fired. But according to our present Invention, we combine these two
processes in one, and for this object wo mix with an extra hard enamel, containing
a strong proportion of oxide of tin, tin ashes, chryolite, phosphate of lime, or any
other substance giving opacity to the mixture, metallic oxides or ordinary colours
used in printing on earthenware in such proptions as to secure the desired effect
of semi-glossiness, and afterwards grind it with a strong rape and linseed oil boiled
to proper consistency, and apply it on the surface of the tiles by means of a roller,
or on rounded surfaces by means of a block printer's ball, and when fixed the sur-
faces will have a granular and either a semi-vitreous or a nearly dry or mat surface
similar in texture to morocco leather, after which we name the peculiar effect pro-
duced "Morocco;" this surface may then be fired, which completes the first part of
our process, and the tiles or other articles are then fit for use; or in the second
place, it may afterwards be decorated by hand painting, or it may receive, before
firing, a print transferred to it, in the manner herein-after mentioned, such print
being first produced either from copper plates or from blocks, as described in a pre-
vious Patent, obtained in the year 1848, No. 12,097, for "Improvements in the Art
of Ornamenting China, Glass, and Earthenware," but with colours mixed similar to
that for the "Morocco " ground.
The peculiarity of the Invention consists in the first place in so adjusting the
ingredients of the enamel, and so mixing the same with oil, as described above, that

page_text: when distributed on the surface of the tile or other article and afterwards fired, that
it shall produce either a nearly dry or mat surface or a semi-vitreous surface, and so
granulated as very imperfectly to reflect light; and in the second place, in the so
adjusting the colours or enamels for. painting or for printing, as described above,
that they retain either the dry or the semi-vitreous surface, as the case may be, and
also in the method of transferring the prints; the prints, instead of being rubbed
down as is usual on smooth surfaces, being beaten into the hollows of the roughened
surface by means of a brush or other similar suitable thing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas William Minton, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sevent-seven.
Witness to the signature of
T. W. Minton,
ALFRED REYNOLDS,
A Manager at Minton's,
Stoke-upon-Trent.
T. W. MINTON. (L.S.)