Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 13th May, 1887.
I FRANZ J. FRENGEL Junior of Stewart Building New York City United States
of America Engraver 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 :-
The object of this invention is to furnish an improved encaustic tile for floors walls
mantel-pieces and other purposes in which the design is produced in a more artistic
and plastic manner owing to the more perfeel distribution of the light and shade in
the same and the invention consists of an encaustic tile, the face of which is made
in helio-relief" or in a relief which is the negative of a diaphanous representation
of the design and covered with a layer of enamel that is ground off and polished.
The invention consists secondly of the method herein described of making encaustic
tiles in helio-relief by making first a diaphanous intaglio of the design, producing
a positive matrix therefrom pressing the same in the face of the tile so as to produce
a relief thereon coating the tile with a layer of enamel or glaze and lastly burning or
drying said tile.
After burning the face of the tile is exposed to a grinding and polishing operation
so as to bring out the design in a clearer and more distinct manner.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. I represents a front elevation of my improved encaustic tile.
Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on line
face downward.
a Fig. I shown with the
Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of an intaglio of the design from which the
matrix is made and
Figs. 4 and 5 represent a front elevation and vertical transverse section on line y y
Fig. 4, of a relief tile made according to the method heretofore in use.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding paris.
A in the drawings represents the body of my improved relief-tile and B the design
in relief on the face of the same. The artistic distribution of the light and shade in
the design is obtained in the following manner-A plate of glass is covered with a
layer of coloured wax about one eighth of an inch thick. The glass plate is held
towards the light in such a position that the light can pass through the same.
design is then worked into the wax so that a diaphanous representation of the design
"in intaglio" is obtained in which the lighted portions are thinnest and the shaded
portions thickest as in Fig. 8. A negative matrix is then made from the wax plate
The

page_text: The face
in the usual manner, which is employed in making a positive matrix by which the
relief on the faces of the tiles is formed. The relief-design on the face of the tiles is
a negative of the diaphanous representation of the design made in the wax.
of the tile is then covered with a layer C of glaze or enamel while holding the tile
level in a horizontal position so that the surplus glaze flows off and a coating of
enamel is obtained on the tile. The tile is then dried or burned whereby the enamel
settles in the depressed portions, forming a thick film in the same while a thin film is
formed on the raised portions, consequently a dark color and shade is obtained at the
depressed portions and light color at the raised portions of the design.
If it be desired to finish the tile in colours, the face of the same is painted in
metallic colours, but without any attempt at shading: the glaze or enamel being
placed over the coloured parts of the tile in the same manner as before. The result
obtained forms a kind of helio-relief on the tile, which has the same characteristics as
the diaphonous representation of the design first produced in wax and imparts the
appearance of an artistically painted tile.
The tile is adapted for use in floors walls and general ornamentation, also for
placques and wall pictures.
The characteristic of a tile in helio relief is that the face of the same is entirely
level, as the enamel fills up the depressed portions, the raised and lighted portions
projecting to the surface of the glaze, but not above the same, as shown in Fig. 2
while the depressed and shaded portions are considerably below the surface of the
glaze, while in the tiles heretofore in use, the relief projects bodily above the face of
the design as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The enamel coating of the tile is carefully
ground off and polished, whereby the design is rendered more distinct and thereby a
softer and more finished appearance is imparted to the same.
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
Firstly. An encaustic tile the face of which is made in a relief that is a negative
of a diaphanous intaglio of the design, said face being coated with a layer of glaze or
enamel having an entirely level surface substantially as described.
Secondly. An encaustic tile the face of which is made in a relief which is a negative
of a diaphanous intaglio of the design, said face being coated with a ground and
polished layer of glaze or enamel substantially as shown and described.
Thirdly. The method herein described of making encaustic tiles which consists in
making a diaphanous intaglio of the design, producing a positive matrix from said
intaglio, pressing the matrix in the face of the tile so as to produce a relief thereon,
coating the face of the tile with a layer of glaze or enamel and lastly burning or
drying said tile substantially as shown and described.
Fourthly. The method herein described of making encaustic tiles which consists in
making a diaphanous intaglio of the design producing a positive matrix from said
intaglio, pressing the matrix in the face of the tile so as to produce a relief hereon,
painting the face of the tile in metallic colours without shading, coating the painted
surface with a layer of glaze or enamel and burning or drying said tile substantially
as described.
Fifthly. The method herein described of making encaustic tiles, which consists in
making a diaphanous intaglio of the design-producing a positive matrix from said
intaglio, pressing the matrix in the face of the tile coating the face with a layer of
glaze or enamel, burning or drying the tile, and finally grinding and polishing the
surface of said glaze substantially as described.
1
1 1001
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.