IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF LETTERING, FIGURING, AND ORNAMENTING THE SURFACE OF ENAMEL USED FOR DIALS AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Edwards, of 26, Park Place, Toxteth
Park, near Liverpool, in the County Palatine of Lancaster,
Enameller, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
LETTERING, FIGURING, AND ORNAMENTING THE SURFACE OF ENAMEL
USED FOR DIALS AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 28th June 1853, and dated the 5th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Edwards
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th January 1853.
I, FRANCIS EDWARDS, of 26, Park Place, Toxteth Park, near Liver-
pool, in the County Palatine of Lancaster, Enameller, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD
OF LETTERING, FIGURING, AND ORNAMENTING THE SURFACE OF ENAMEL USED
FOR DIALS AND OTHER PURPOSES" to be as follows:-
The enamelled dials used for clocks, watches, gas meters, and other
like purposes are at present lettered and figured by hand, using a brush

page_text: or pencil for that purpose.. By my improved method I transfer printed
impresssions to enamel, they being printed with any suitable oil on a
glutinous material formed into thin sheets, by which method the ground-
work of any design to be executed is at once obtained on the surface of
the enamel, and such oil impression is sufficiently viscid to retain finely
ground enamel or metallic oxides when dusted over it, which, adhering
only to the transferred oil impression, is then ready for undergoing the
process of firing in an enameller's furnace, as usual. Or, by a method
of charging the surface of the enamel with spirits of turpentine, printed
impressions on paper, made with a peculiar ink composed of a suitable
oil and powdered enamel or metallic oxides, complete impressions may
be transferred at once, and fired, as before named.
I shall now proceed to describe one method of proceeding by means
of which my improved mode of lettering, figuring, and ornamenting
enamel may be carried into effect. A clean engraved copper plate is to
be charged with prepared linseed oil, amber oil, or essential oils in the
same manner as if printer's iuk were being used. I recommend the
linseed oil to be mixed with rape oil, resin, & litharge. An impres-
sion is next to be taken from the copper plate on thin sheets of glue,
instead of paper, composed of glue dissolved in water with a duc pro-
portion of treacle or molasses. When so printed on, the sheet glue
must be laid face upwards, the enamel inverted over it, pressed, and
carefully removed, after being thus transferred. The letters, figures, or
designs, although nearly invisible, present lines sufficiently sharp and
glutinous to be rendered of the required distinctness by being sprinkled
or dusted over with finely powdered black or coloured enamel or metallic
oxides, observing carefully to remove all superfluous powder, after which
it is ready to be subjected to an enameller's furnace, as customary.
'
Another method consists in charging or coating the surface of the
enamel with oil or spirits of turpentine, when it will readily receive an
impression transferred to it from paper printed with ink formed of lin-
seed oil ground up with black or coloured enamel or metallic oxides.
Other nicthods and other vehicles may be devised, being immaterial
variations of these two processes, but without avoiding the peculiar
nature of my Invention for superceding hand labour in lettering, figuring,

page_text: sion from paper, or otherwise in printing with a suitable oil or varnish,
or compounds of these, employing glutinous sheets as the transferring
medium instead of paper.
"
I do not claim any peculiarity in the engraving, neither do I confine
myself to any particular kind of enamel, nor to any particular purpose
to which enamel may be applied, whether for dials, labels, ornaments, or
any other use whatever; but what I do claim as my Invention is,
namely
Transferring to enamel impressions printed in suitable. pils or inks,
obtained from engraved plates or by other means, to serve instead of.
painting such work on the enamel by hand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 30th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
FRANCIS EDWARDS, of 26, Park Place, Toxteth Park, near Liverpool, in
the County Palatine of Lancaster, Enameller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, hearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of
onr Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Eer heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Francis Edwards, Her special licence that I,
the said Francis Edwards, iny executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Francis Edwards, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
LETTERING, FIGURING, AND ORNAMENTING THE SURFACE OF ENAMEL USED
FOR DIALS AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)
painting such work on the enamel by hand.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the 'Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 30th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
FRANCIS EDWARDS, of 26, Park Place, Toxteth Park, near Liverpool, in
the County Palatine of Lancaster, Enameller, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, hearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the six-
teenth year of Fler reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Francis Edwards, Her special licence that I,
the said Francis Edwards, iny executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Francis Edwards, 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 might make, -use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
LETTERING, FIGURING, AND ORNAMENTING THE SURFACE OF ENAMEL USED
FOR DIALS AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said Francis Edwards, 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 per-
formed, 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 Francis Edwards, 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 enamelled dials used for clocks, watches, gas meters, and other
like purposes are at present lettered and figured by hand, using a brush
or pencil for that purpose. By my improved method I transfer printed
impressions to enamel, they being printed with any suitable oil on a
glutinous material formed into thin sheets, by which method the ground-
work of any design to be executed is at once obtained on the surface of
the enamel, and such oil impression is sufficiently viscid to retain finely
ground enamel or metallic oxides when dusted over it, which, adhering
only to the transferred oil improssion, is then ready for undergoing the
process of firing in a suitable furnace or kiln. Or, by a method of
charging the surface of the enamel with spirits of turpentine, printed
impressions on paper, made with a peculiar ink composed of a suitable
oil and powdered enamel or metallic oxides, complete impressions may
be transferred at once, and fired, as before named.
I shall now proceed to describe methods of proceeding by means
of which my improved mode of lettering, figuring, and ornamenting
enamel may be carried into effect. A clean engraved copper plate is to
be charged with prepared linseed oil, amber oil, or essential oils in the
same manner as if printer's ink were being used. An impression is
next to be taken from the copper plate on thin sheets of gluc, instead
of paper, composed of glue dissolved in water with a due proportion of
treacle or molasses. When so printed on, the sheet glue must be laid
face upwards, the enamel inverted over it, pressed, and carefully removed,
after being thus transferred. The letters, figures, or designs, although
nearly invisible, present lines sufficiently sharp and glutinous to be

page_text: rendered of the required distinctness, by being sprinkled or dusted over
with finely powdered black or coloured enamel or metallic oxides,
observing to remove all superfluous powder, after which it is ready to be
subjected to an enameller's furnace, as customary. I would here
observe, that I recommend the linseed oil to be mixed with rape oil,
rosin, and litharge.
Another method consists in charging or coating the surface of the
enamel with oil or spirits of turpentine, when it will readily receive an
impression transferred to it from paper printed with ink formed of boiled
and raw linseed oil, with rape oil and tar, mixed with ground enamel or
metallic oxides. When printed and transferred, the paper is to be
washed off in clear water.
Or impressions may be first taken on paper from engraved copper or
other suitable materials, with ink prepared from a mixture of boiled and
of raw linseed oil, oil of tar, Barbadocs or Stockholm tar and rosin, copal
and mastic varnish, and combining therewith finely ground black or
coloured enamel. Some of these oils, tars, and rosins may be omitted,
according to the state of the weather or other circumstances, without
inconvenience. The printed impression, while quite fresh, is to be
transferred to the clean plain dial or other enamel surface, without size
or preparation of any kind; it is then heated on the top of a stove, and,
while warm, the paper is carefully taken off, and the transferred impres-
sion is immediately to be dusted over with fine powdered enamel.
Large letters, figures, or designs for ornamental work may be printed
in outline, and filled up by hand with different coloured enamel paints,
or all one colour, as desired.
Having thus described several methods for carrying out my said
Invention, I would have it understood that I do not claim any peculiarity
in the engraving, neither do I confine myself to any particular kind of
enamel, nor to any particular purpose to which enamel may be applied,
whether for dials, indexes, labels, tallets, ornaments, or any other use
whatever; nor do I restrict myself to a particular mode of firing.
although I generally prefer an enameller's furnace or kiln; but what I
do claim as my Invention is, namely:-
Transferring to enamel impressions printed in suitable oils or inks,

page_text: obtained from engraved plates or by other means, to serve instead of
painting such work on the enamel by hand.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Edwards, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the
year of our Lord 1853.
FRANCIS EDWARDS. (L.s.)
FRANCIS EDWARDS. (L.S.)