CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING EARTHENWARE, CHINA, OR OTHER CERAMIC MANUFACTURES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Illingworth, of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Gentleman, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
PRINTING EARTHENWARE, CHINA, OR OTHER CERAMIC MANUFACTURES."
Sealed the 18th March 1856, and dated the 1st October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Illingworth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st October 1855.
I, WILLIAM ILLINGWORTH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING EARTHENWARE, CHINA, OR OTHER CERAMIC MANU-
PACTURES," to be as follows:-
Hitherto the pigment or color employed in such process has always been
made or mixed with oil, for obvious reasons, well known to potters. Now, my
Invention consists in the substitution or use of a preparation of saccharine
matter, such as sugar, honey, &c. in lieu or in place of the oil, as hitherto
employed in printing such manufactures. The effect of this improvement will
be important, inasmuch as a greater brilliancy of color, a considerable economy
in the burning, and the ability to employ more colors than one in the production
of the required design, will be the result.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Illingworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ILLINGWORTH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Illingworth, Her especial license that I, the said William
Illingworth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Illingworth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully night
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING EARTHENWARE, CHINA, OR OTHER CERAMIC MANUFAC-
TURES," upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said William Ïlling-
worth, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Illingworth, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):
Hitherto the pigment or conveying medium of colour in the process of
printing earthenware, china, and other ceramic manufactures has been a com-
position of boiled linseed oil, resin, tar, and oil of amber, &c. After the colour
has been well mixed with this conveying medium, impressions from the engraved
copper plate are taken as follows:-A large stove, with an iron plate for a
covering, usually about one yard square, is heated almost to redness. Upon
this the engraved plate is put, and the colour rubbed in while the plate is hot.
The superfluous colour is then taken off by the pallet knife, and the face of the
plate cleaned with a "dossil." The workman then takes a sheet of paper sized
with soap and water, lays it moist on the copper plate, which is then passed

page_text: through the cylinder printing press. The impression is then handed to the
transferer, and put on the ware and rubbed well with a flannel rubber. During
the day, the paper is washed off by means of a brush or sponge, then taken
to the stove to be dried. Afterwards the ware is removed and put into
what is called a "hardening-on kiln," where it is fired, until all the oil, &c. is
burnt out and destroyed, otherwise the ware will not take the glaze. If it
remains too long in this kiln, the colour is injured; if too short a time, all the
oil will not have been destroyed, and in this case the glaze is imperfect; hence
the frequent loss and disappointment in this process.
My Invention is designed to supercede the use and expense of heated
stoves for taking impressions, so injurious to the health of the workmen; also
the washing off the paper from the ware, less physical strength being required
to convey the impression to the ware. But the most important improvement
is, that the printed ware requires no kilning or "hardening-on" process, thus
saving the time, labour, expense, and often failure in this process; besides
securing improved colours, by being less exposed to fire; superceding also the
use of turpentine, naptha, &c. in cleaning the plates, as nothing but water is
required by this process. A piece of ware, according to the present process,
would require for printing, washing, stoving, and burning in the hardening-on
kiln from three to four days before it was ready for the gloss kiln. By my
Invention it can be ready in thirty minutes, if required.
My Invention consists in the substitution of a preparation of saccharine
matter, such as sugar, honey, molasses, glycerine, &c., and all other saccharine
substances, in lieu or in place of oil, &c. now in use in the printing process.
But as oil, &c. requires to be tempered or prepared by boiling, &c., so as to
bring it to a proper consistency for working, so saccharine matter requires
to be tempered by heat, and by the addition of a little albumen or cacine to
give it strength or firmness, so that the conveying medium will not run
or give way when under the glazing process.
Section I. The paper must be sized with a weak solution of bone size
and treacle, or treacle alone, or treacle and a little salt. One good table-
spoonfull of treacle to one quart of hot water with a teaspoonfull of salt or a
little ammonia will make a good size; the paper to be used when dry.
Section II. Conveying Medium.-The preparation of saccharine matter I
employ is as follows:-In proportion, take 16 oz. of saccharine matter, as
treacle, or sugar and treacle mixed, to prevent it running; and to facilitate the
working on the plate, add about 2 oz. of albumen or cacine, and about of an
ounce of gum, as gum arabic, dissolved in a tablespoonfull of water, mix them
when cold, and boil them for about five minutes, stirring it well. The albumen,

page_text: if pure, must be dissolved in a little ammonia first, also the same with cacine, add
about 4 or 6 drops of turpentine. It is now ready for the colour, which must
be ground together in a mortar or on a stone. If too strong, a little caustic
potash must be added. The plate must be cleaned in the ordinary way with
a pallet knife only. In taking the impression in the cylinder press, a sheet of
vulcanized india-rubber must be next to the plate 'on the paper. When the
impression is put on the ware in the ordinary way, instead of washing off the
paper hold the ware for an instant or two to a jet of steam, which instantly
loosens the paper, then pull it off. The paper is clear, and the colour is left
on the ware. It is better for the ware to be put into the stoving room for
half an hour or longer, then glaze.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be carried into practical effect, I desire it to be
understood that I claim the substitution or use of a preparation of saccharine
matter in lieu or in place of oil, &c. (as hitherto employed) in the pigment
or conveying medium of colour in printing earthenware, china, or other
ceramic manufacturers, as herein particularly set forth and described.
Note. Further or additional improvements in the above-named printing
processes will be found in the Specification of my Patent, dated Twenty-fifth
March, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Illingworth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
WILLIAM ILLINGWORTH. (L.S.)