Improvements in or relating to Ceramic Decorative Fiates, Intes; and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept., 1897
Improvements in or relating to Ceramic Decorative Fiates, Intes;
and the like.
A communication from abroad by CANON STANISLAS ROSENBERG, of 14 Rue
Jinger, Paris.
I, ARTHUR CHARLES DOWNING of 8 Quality Court London W.C. Patent Agent, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The improved plates, tiles, and other floor or wall coverings are designed to
replace the tiles hitherto used in decorating and which owing to their plane and
enamelled surfaces produce cold and shining or lustrous effects.
My invention relating to the production of relief designs composed of projecting
semi-spheres which break. the luminous rays by irregular reflection and produce a
greatly improved effect.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts and by the aid of which the process of
manufacture will be readily understood.
Fig. 1 is a section of a matrix, Fig. 2 illustrates a suitable tool, Fig. 3 a section
illustrating the method of forming a tile and Fig. 4 an example of a design
produced on a tile.
A layer or plate of plaster of Paris A serves as a matrix, and is shown in section
in Fig. 1. The outlines of the designs required to be produced are transferred by
known means on to this plate and by means of bodkins or tools B with rounded
points Fig. 2, small cavities are formed having the shape of a spherical segment
equal to about one third of a sphere. By providing tools of various sizes, cavities
of different sizes a a can obviously be formed. When the number of cavities
required by the design have been formed, the surface of the matrix A is besmeared
with suitable fat or grease, such as Vaseline and the like, and in each cavity is
placed a small colored bead or marble c c Fig. 3 corresponding to the colors of the
design required to be reproduced. The beads or marbles are covered with cement C
of corresponding color, that is to say; if for instance a green leaf is required to be
reproduced, green beads are used and the intervals between them are filled with
cement which thus encloses approximately two thirds of the spherical surface of
the beads as shown in section in Fig. 3. This operation having been concluded,
cement or plaster of Paris is cast thereon in the form of an upper layer D in order
to impart to the whole covering sufficient strength and consistence, when it is
allowed to dry. The plate is afterwards detached, the work being completed and
assuming the appearance shown by way of example in Fig. 4.
The beads may be transparent or opaque, and may consist of glass, porcelain,

page_text: stone, ware or of any other suitable material and they may cover the whole or only
a part of the plate, tile or covering.
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. Ceramic decorative plates, tiles or coverings the outlines or designs of which
consist of small colored projecting beads countersunk into a layer of cement,
preferably of the same color; substantially as described..
2. The method of manufacturing ceramic plates, tiles and analogous coverings,
substantially as described.
A. C. DOWNING.
8 Quality Court, London, W.C.