IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATES OR MOULDS FOR USE IN OBTAINING IMPRESSIONS PROAL
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Lanham of Vulcan Wharf, Upper Thames Street
in the City of London for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PLATES OR MOULDS FOR USE IN OBTAINING IMPRESSIONS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Lanham at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1883.
ROBERT LANHAM, of Vulcan Wharf, Upper Thames Street in the City of
London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATES OR MOULDS FOR USE
IN OBTAINING IMPRESSIONS OR FAC-SIMILES REPRESENTING LACE, MEDALLIONS OR
SIMILAR WORK
My invention relates to an improved method or process of manufacturing plates
or moulds for use in obtaining upon paper, leather, or other material, impressions
or imitations of lace, medallions, or other work having raised and sunk portions in
such a manner that all the characteristics of the original pattern will be faithfully
reproduced in every particular; and the said invention consists essentially in
making use of the article itself, such as a piece of lace, a medallion, or other work
having raised and sunk portions in such a manner as to obtain therefrom a mould
in metal, wax, or any suitable material so made that it can be used for printing the
pattern or design or for the production of a plate for this purpose. By utilizing
the article itself to form the plate or block from which to obtain the reproduction
or impression I effectually secure, by mechanical means, an exact copy of the
original and at a much smaller cost than is possible when a wood block or plate has
to be engraved by hand as has heretofore been practised.
I will now proceed to describe the manner in which I carry my said invention
into practice for the production of impressions of lace patterns or designs upon
paper or other material, and it will be readily understood without further description
how the same method may be adapted for articles other than lace.
For lace of a slid or heavy pattern I proceed as follows, that is to say, I immerse
the lace in a solution of alum and water and then thoroughly dry it; then I size

page_text: the back of the lace and lay it, back downwards, on a piece of conducting paper.
I allow this to thoroughly dry, and then use the said laco as a matrix for obtaining
a stereotype in the usual manner, pouring the molten metal very steadily as the
lace is very liable to retain air. When the plate has set I trim it in the usual
manner, and pick out the lace which will be found adhering to the face of the plate.
The plate is now ready for use, but for long numbers I prefer to electro, keeping
the stereo, as an original.
For lace which is very much raised and having a pattern which "overhangs" I
proceed as follows, that is to say, I oil the lace and lay it, back downward, on a
very smooth polished iron slab. I place a bevelled frame around so as to form a
box, then I pour very finely mixed plaster of Paris into the frame and work it over
the face of the lace with a camel hair brush in order that the plaster may fill up
all the interstices of the lnce and exclude air, then I fill up with the plaster to the
top of the frame and draw a straight edge across in order to get a perfectly even
back. When sufficiently set to raise the frame I turn over the plaster when the
lace will be found imbedded in the face thereof, then I very carefully raise the lace
from the plaster beginning at one corner; it will be found that the over hanging
parts of the mould will rise with it. After this I allow the mould to thoroughly
set and bake it in the usual manner, and cast a plate from it as above explained.
Then electro from this stereo plate using the same as a matrix according to the
usual known method, and the plate will be ready for working.
For very fine and expensive lace I employ the following process, that is to say, I
saturate the lace in a fine solution of plumbago and allow it to dry, and then I
shake out any superfluity of plumbago which may adhere and lay the back of the
lace on a heated polished iron slab which has been previously coated with plumbago,
then I place an iron frame (not bevelled) around this, and pour melted wax into
the frame using great caution in order to prevent air bubbles; when set I remove
the lace from the face of the wax, and electro according to the usual known method.
After the electro has been obtained another electro must be taken froin the first in
order to obtain the sunken plate for embossing I prefer the--above-method of
making the wax mould, but a mould can be obtained by forcing the lace into the
wax by hydraulic pressure.
In using the plates obtained as above described I print and emboss at one
operation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Lanham in the Patent Office on the 28th January 1884.
ROBERT LANHAM, of Vulcan Wharf Upper Thames Street in the City of
London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PLATES OR MOULDS FOR USE
IN OBTAINING IMPRESSIONS OR FAC-SIMILES REPRESENTING LACE, MEDALLIONS, OR
SIMILAR WORK
"
My invention relates to the manufacture of plates or moulds for use in obtaining
upon paper, leather, or other material, impressions, imitations, or fac-similes of lace,
embroidery or other work having raised or sunk portions.
The chief object of my said invention is to make the said plates or moulds in
such a manner that the original pattern of the lace or other work can be faithfully
reproduced upon the paper or other material without the necessity for cutting or
engraving a wood block.
For this purpose I take the articlo desired to be imitated or copied (for example
a piece of lace, embroidery or other work having raised or sunk portions) and mako
use of this article itself in the manner hereinafter described so as to obtain a plato
for printing or embossing, or a mould or matrix in metal, wax, gutta-percha, or
other suitable material, which mould or matrix can be used for the production of a
plate or block for printing or embossing. By utilizing the article itself in this
manner I ensure the production, by mechanical means, of an exact copy of the
original at a much smaller cost than is possible when a wood block has to be cut or
engraved by hand as heretofore practised.
I will now describe how my said invention may be conveniently and
advantageously carried into practice in order to obtain imitations or fac-similes
of lace or embroidery.
To obtain plates for printing and embossing patterns or designs of very fine and
costly lace upon paper or other material, I prefer to employ the following process,
that is to say-I first saturate the lace with a fine solution of plumbago and allow
it to dry, and I then shake the lace to free the same from any superfluous plumbago
which may adhere thereto. After the lace is thus prepared I put a coating of size,
paste or gum on a piece of non-absorbent paper and lay the lace with its back
downward upon the said paper while the saine is moist; I then apply pressure
evenly or uniformly over the whole face of the lace, so that the back thereof will
be coated with the size, paste or gum. The lace is then quickly raised and placed
with its back downward upon a polished metal slab or plate which has been
previously coated with plumbago. I then place a frame around the pattern to be
reproduced and pour melted wax into the said frame, using great caution in order
to prevent the formation of air-bubbles. When the melted wax has set, I remove
the lace from the said wax and produce an electrotype in cameo or relief, from tho
wax mould thus formed, in order to obtain a matrix. After the said matrix has
been thus obtained, it is "backed up" with metal and another electrotype is taken
therefrom in order to obtain a sunken or intaglio plate for embossing or printing.
I prefer the above method of making the wax moulds, but a mould can, if desired,
be obtained by forcing the lace into the wax by pressure.
Great care must be taken in separating the said sunken or intaglio plate or
electrotype from the matrix. I find that the best result is obtained by melting the
backing from the matrix and then "backing up" the said sunken plate to prevent
twisting or warping of the same, and to strengthen the said plate and perinit the
matrix to be easily peeled off or removed from the face thereof.
For lace or embroidery of a solid or heavy pattern I sometimes proceed as
follows, that is to say -I immerse the lace or einbroidery in a solution of alum

page_text: and water and thoroughly dry it; I then moisten the back of the lace with size,
paste or gum, as above described, and lay it with its back downward on a piece
of ordinary stereotype conducting paper. When the lace is thoroughly dry, I use
the same as a mould or matrix and cast a plate therefrom in a manner similar to
that usually adopted in stereotyping, pouring the molten metal very steadily as the
lace is liable to retain air. When the plate has set, I trim it and pick out the
lace which will be found adhering to the face thereof. The plate is now ready
for use, but, for printing a large number of impressions, I prefer to obtain a
number of electrotypes in the ordinary manner from the said plate, keeping the
latter as a standard or original.
For lace which is very much raised and has a pattern which "over hangs," that
is to say, one part of which overlaps another, I proceed as follows, viz:-
I lubricate the lace and lay it with its back downward on a very smooth polished
metal slab or plate. I then place a bevelled frame around the said lace to form
a box, and pour very finely mixed plaster of Paris into the said box, working it
over the face of the lace with a camel-hair brush or otherwise so that the plaster
will fill up all the interstices of tho-laco and exclude air. I then fill up with
the plaster to the top of the frame and draw a straight-edge across the same in
order to give the back of the plaster mould an even surface. When the plaster
is sufficiently set, but before it is thoroughly dry or hard, I turn over the frame
with the plaster therein; the lace will then be found embedded in the face of
said plaster. I then very carefully raise the lace from the plaster beginning at
one corner; it will be found that the overhanging parts of the mould will rise
with it. After this I allow the mould to thoroughly set and bake it in the usual
manner, and cast a plate from it as above explained, which plate I use as a matrix.
I then produce au electrotype plate directly from this matrix, which plate can be
used for printing or embossing.
In using the plates obtained as above described I prefer to print and emboss at
one operation.
Having thus fully described my said invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I may apply my said invention to materials or
work other than lace or embroidery, for example to fabrics upon which a pattern
in relief is formed by weaving or otherwise, and I claim;-
First. The manufacture of a plate or mould for use in obtaining impressions,
imitations or fac-similes of lace, embroidery or similar work, by a process or method
wherein the article to be imitated or copied is itself employed in the manner, and
for the purposes, specified.
Second. The manufacture of a plate for printing or embossing by first taking an
electrotype from an impression in wax or similar material and then using this
electrotype as a matrix for the formation of the said plate, substantially as set
fortli.
In witness whereof I the said Robert Lanham have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty-eighth day of January in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty four