IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE ART OF OBTAINING BY PHOTOGRAPHY DEFINITE PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF TYPO-GRAPHIC BLOCKS AND IN THE ART OF PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHY AND LIKE ARTS."
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Brown and Robert William Barnes and Joseph
Bell all of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE ART OF OBTAINING BY PHOTOGRAPHY
DEFINITE PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF TYPO-GRAPHIC
BLOCKS AND IN THE ART OF PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHY AND LIKE ARTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Brown, Robert
William Barnes, and Joseph Bell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 3rd October 1883.
RICHARD BROWN, and ROBERT WILLIAM BARNES, and JOSEPH BELL, all of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster
ART OF OBTAINING BY PHOTOGRAPHY DEFINITE PHOTOGRAPHS, TO BE USED IN
THE PRODUCTION OF TYPOGRAPHIC BLOCKS, AND IN THE ART OF PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHY
AND LIKE ARTS:
Our Invention has for its object to produce definite photographs, broken up into
dots, lines, or grains, so that they can be used in the production of typographic
blocks by the art of photo-etching and like arts and can also be used in the art of
photo-lithography and like arts.
In the practice of our Invention we proceed as follows: we take what is known
as a photographic transparency of the object, or picture; we prefer that this
transparency shall be as clear a transparency as possible when seen by transmitted
light and such a transparency can be obtained by processes well known in the art
of photography. Having obtained such transparency, we place the same upon a
lined, or hatched background, such as a sheet of white paper, having a lined, or
grained surface, or a stippled, cross hatched, or like surface printed or drawn thereon.
Any material having such a lined, or stippled surface, or effect or variety of effect
may be used as the background for the transparency. The lining, graining, or

page_text: stippling of the background may also be varied to suit the picture, or object and
its surroundings, so that portions of the background may be lined and portions
stippled. Having so backed the transparency when viewed by reflected light, the
picture of the object can be clearly seen broken up into dots, lines, or grains,
caused by the dots, lines, or grains of the backing showing through the half tones
and clear parts of the transparent picture when viewed by reflected light. In
attaching, or fixing on the face of such transparent photographs the lined grained,
or stippled surfaces, or backing before described, we do not always confine
ourselves to a single sheet of the said surface, or backing containing one design
only, but we sometimes make combinations by placing in various parts of the
transparent photograph suitably cut out portions of various and differing sheets of
lined, dotted, or stippled material, so as to produce a varied and harmonius variety
of background, suitable to the subject under manipulation. Again in preparing
a suitable backing to combine with the transparent photograph, we prepare the
backing by hand, or by mechanical manipulation in an artistic manner best suited
to the subject, or object. Having so prepared and backed the transparency, we
take from the transparency so prepared and backed a definite photograph on paper,
glass, gelatine, or other sensitized material. This definite photograph has the
photograph of the transparency broken up into lines, dots, or grains by the backing.
The definite photograph is thus in a condition to be used in the production of
typographic blocks by the art of photo-etching and the like arts and is also suitable
to be used in the art of photo-lithography and like arts.
Another method of producing a definite broken up, or divided photograph,
having dots, lines, or grains, according to our Invention, consists in covering the
sensitive plate in the Camera with a material such as net work, or with a
photograph on glass, or other transparent medium of lines, grains, or stipples, or
cross hatched lines, fine, or coarse according to the nature of the result required.
The photograph on the sensitive plate will then be broken up, with dots, lines, or
grains, which are photographed simultaneously with the object on the sensitive
plate. We thus produce direct a definite photograph broken up and divided into
dots, lines, or grains and in the condition to be used in the production of
typographic blocks by the art of photo-etching and the like arts, and also suitable
to be used in the art of photo lithography and like arts. When required we
complete such photograph by hand manipulation, removing, or adding dark, or
light portions, after the manner known in the art of photography as " retouching."
By another method according to our Invention to produce a typographic block,
we proceed as follows: we take a transparent photograph of the picture or object,
and we take a transparent photograph of lines, grains, or stipples, and we prepare
a plate, or block of zinc or other suitable inetal with bitumen or other substance
that will give a sensitive surface to the zinc, or other metal. We then place the
photograph of the picture, or object and the photograph of the lines, dots, or
stipples before spoken of, over the sensitized zinc, or other metal and print by
light in the usual way, and thus we produce the picture in dots grains, or lines upon
the surface of the zinc, or other metal We then develop and wash the picture and
subject the plate, or block to the process of photo etching in the usual way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Brown, Robert William Barnes, and Joseph Bell in the
Patent Office on the 1st April 1884.
RICHARD BROWN and ROBERT WILLIAM BARNES and JOSEPH BELL all of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO THE
ART OF OBTAINING BY PHOTOGRAPHY DEFINITE PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE USED IN THE
PRODUCTION OF TYPOGRAPHIC BLOCKS AND IN THE ART OF PHOTO LITHOGRAPHY
AND LIKE ARTS
Our Invention has for its object to produce definite photographs broken up into
dots, lines, or grains, so that they can be used in the production of typographic
blocks by the art of photo etching and like arts and can also be used in the art of
photo lithography and like arts.
In the practice of our Invention we proceed as follows we take what is known
as a photographic transparency of the object, or picture; we prefer that this
transparency shall be as clear a transparency as possible when seen by transmitted
light and such a transparency can be obtained by processes well known in the art
of photography. Having obtained such transparency we place the same upon a
lined, or hatched background such as a sheet of white paper, having a lined, or
grained surface, or a stippled cross hatched, or like surface printed, or drawn thereon.
Any material having such a lined, or stippled surface, or effect, or.
. variety of effect
may be used as the background for the transparency. The lining, graining, or
stippling of the background may also be varied to suit the picture, or object and
its surroundings, so that portions of the background may be lined and portions
stippled. Having so backed the transparency when viewed by reflected light, the
picture of the object can be fairly seen broken up into dots, lines or grains of the
backing showing through the half tones and clear parts of the transparent picture
when viewed by reflected light. In attaching, or fixing on the face of such
transparent photographs the lined, grained, or stippled surfaces, or backing before
described, we do not always confine ourselves to a single sheet of the said surface,
or backing containing one design only, but we sometimes make combinations by
placing in various parts of the transparent photograph suitably cut out portions of
various and differing sheets of lined dotted, or stippled material, so as to produce
a varied and harmonius variety of background suitable to the subject under
manipulation. Again in preparing a suitable backing to combine with the
transparent photograph we prepare the backing by hand, or by mechanical
manipulation in an artistic manner best suited to the subject, or object. Having
so prepared and backed the transparency, we take from the transparency so
prepared and backed a definite photograph on paper, glass, gelatine, or other
sensitized material. This definite photograph has the photograph of the
transparency broken up into lines, dots, or grains by the backing. The definite
photograph is thus in a condition to be used in the production of typographic
blocks by the art of photo etching and the like arts and is also suitable to be used
in the art of photo lithography and like arts.
Another method of producing a definite broken up, or divided photograph,
having, dcts, lines, or grains according to our Invention consists in covering the
sensitive plate in the camera with a material such as net work, or with a
photograph on glass, or other transparent medium, of lines, grains, or stipples, or
cross hatched lines, fiue, or coarse according to the nature of the result required.
The photograph on the sensitive plate will then be broken up into the dots, lines, or
grains which are photographed simultaneously with the object on the sensitive

page_text: plate. We thus produce direct a definite photograph broken up and divided into
dots, lines, or grains and in the condition to be used in the production of typo-
graphic blocks by the art of photo etching and the like arts and also suitable to
When required we complete.
be used in the art of photolithography and like arts.
such photograph by hand manipulation removing, or adding dark, or light portions
after the manner known in the art of photography as "retouching."
By another method according to our Invention to produce a typographic block,
we proceed as follows, we take a transparent photograph of the picture, or object
and we take a transparent photograph of grains, lines, or stipples, and we prepare
a plate, or block of zinc, or other suitable metal with bitumen, or other substance
that will give a sensitive surface to the zinc, or other metal. We then place the
photograph of the picture, or object and the photograph of the lines, dots, or
stipples before spoken of over the sensitized zinc, or other metal and print by light
in the usual way, and thus we produce the picture in dots, grains, or lines upon
the surface of the zinc, or other metal. We then develop the picture and subject
the plate, or block to the process of photo-etching in the usual way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what we claim is
First The method substantially as herein set forth of producing from half tone
pictures and photographs, photographs to be used in the production of printing
surfaces.
Second The method substantially as herein set forth of producing in the Camera
and direct from an object, photographs to be used in the production of printing
surfaces.
Third The method substantially as herein set forth of producing photographs
upon sensitized surfaces of metal such as zinc to be used in the production of
printing surfaces.
In Witness whereof, I, the said Richard Brown on behalf of myself and the
said Robert William Barnes and Joseph Bell, have to this our Specification hereunto
set my hand and seal this Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty four
DICHARD BROWN (LB)