AN IMPROVEMENT IN PREPARING PAPER AND THE SURFACES OF OTHER MATERIALS FOR USE IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johannes De Witt Brinckerhoff, of the City and
State of New York, United States of America, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN PREPARING PAPER AND THE SURFACES OF OTHER
MATERIALS FOR USE IN PHOTOGRAPHY."
Sealed the 8th December 1865, and dated the 13th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Johannes De Witt
Brinckerhoff at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 13th October 1865.
I, JOHANNES DE WITT BRINCKERHOFF, of the City and State of New
York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN PREPARING PAPER AND THE SURFACES OF
OTHER MATERIALS FOR USE IN PHOTOGRAPHY," to be as follows:-
The paper usually employed in photography is of a porous and fibrous
nature, and in being passed through the solutions that are employed in pro-
ducing the photographic image the picture loses its force and brilliancy.
Albumenized paper has also been employed, and although the image does
not sink into the tissue, there is an objectionable gloss and harshness to the
picture. With the first-named paper the image is liable to fade and become
discolored in consequence of the difficulty of entirely removing by washing
from the porous paper the substances that subsequently cause the picture

page_text: to fade.
With the albumenized or non-absorbent paper difficulty is
experienced in applying colors, because they remain upon the surface of
the paper, giving an objectionable harsh appearance.
The object of my Invention is to produce a paper, or a surface upon
other material, that is of a fine cellular character, adapted to the reception
of photographic pictures, the surface being sufficiently-absorbent to receive
the image but not to lessen its brilliancy, bearing out and producing all the
strength of detail in the picture without the unpleasant gloss and harsh-
ness of pictures on albumenized paper, at the same time the surface is of a
nature to receive either oil or water colors, and when employed in photo-
graphy the paper or surface is not dissolved by the solutions made use of,
and hence can be freed with facility by washing from the substances
which if they remained would injure the picture or cause it to fade.
I make use of a thin solution of gelatinous materials and kaolin or terra
alba, which I prefer to employ hot, which solution penetrates the pores of
the paper or other material being prepared; I then submit the said
material to the action of an astringent, such as alum, which combining with
the gelatinous material forms a finé cellular surface that is insoluble in the
solutions employed in photography, and which penetrating the pores of the
paper fills them, and also produces an even smooth surface by enveloping
and holding down any fibres that otherwise might stand up on the surface
of the paper. I take French gelatine or other material of a gelatinous
nature and soften the same by soaking it in water, and then heat the same
by a water or steam bath to completely dissolve it, using about three
ounces of gelatinous material to a gallon of water. To this I add about six
ounces of kaolin or terra alba, or other material according to the color
required, mix the same thoroughly and strain it. Into this solution while
hot the paper or other material to be prepared is dipped, and then allowed
to dry or partially dry, I take a saturated solution of alum and dilute the
same with two parts of water to one of the saturated solution, and submerge
the paper or other material in the same for about five minutes, and then
remove and dry the same in any convenient or desired manner, and the
material will be found to possess the fine cellular character before men-
tioned. The proportions of the materials may be varied if required for
any particular character of paper or surface to be produced, and tannin or
any other astringent substance that will act on the gelatinous material
might under some circumstances be employed in place of alum.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Johannes De Witt Brinckerhoff in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 14th March 1866..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHANNES
DE WITT BRINCKERHOFF, of the City and State of New York, United
States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Johannes De Witt Brinckerhoff, Her special
license that I, the said Johannes De Witt Brinckerhoff, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Johannes De Witt
Brinckerhoff, 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN PREPARING PAPER AND THE SURFACES OF OTHER MATERIALS FOR
USE IN PHOTOGRAPHY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Johannes De Witt Brinckerhoff, 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 Johannes De Witt Brinckerhoff, 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 (that is to say):-
The paper usually employed in photography is of a porous and fibrous
nature, and in being passed through the solutions that are employed in the
production of the photographic image the picture loses its force and
brilliancy in consequence of its sinking into the tissue of the paper.
Albumenized paper has also been employed, and although the image does
not sink into the tissue, there is an objectionable gloss and harshness to the
picture. With the first-named paper the image is liable to fade and become
discolored in consequence of the difficulty of entirely removing by washing

page_text: from the porous paper the substances that subsequently cause the picture
to fade. With the albumenized or non-absorbent paper difficulty is
experienced in applying colors; because they remain upon the surface of
the paper, giving an objectionable harsh appearance.
The object of my Invention is to produce a surface upon paper or other
material that is of a fine cellular character, adapted to the reception of
photographic or other pictures or for other uses in the arts, said surface
being sufficiently absorbent to receive the image but not to lessen its
brilliancy, bearing out and producing all the strength of detail in the
picture without the unpleasant gloss and harshness of pictures on albu-
menized I paper, at the same time said surface is of a nature to receive either
oil or water colors, and when employed in photography said paper or
surface is not dissolved by the solutions made use of, and hence can be
freed with facility by washing from the substances which if they remained
would injure the picture or cause it to fade. I make use of a thin solution
of gelatinous materials and kaolin or terra alba, which I prefer to employ
hot, which solution penetrates the pores of the paper or other material
being prepared; I then submit the said material to the action of an
astringent, such as alum or tannin, which combining with the gelatinous
material forms a fine cellulose surface that is insoluble in the solutions em-
ployed in photography, and which penetrating the pores of the paper fills
them and also produces an even smooth surface by enveloping and holding
down any fibers that otherwise might stand up on the surface of the paper.
I take French gelatine or other material of a gelatinous nature and soften
the same by soaking it in water, and then heat the same by a water or
steam bath to completely dissolve it, using about three ounces of gelatinous
material to a gallon of water. To this I add about six ounces of kaolin
or terra alba, or other material according to the color required; mix the
same thoroughly and strain it. Into this solution while hot the paper or
other material to be prepared is dipped and then allowed to dry or partially
dry. I take a saturated solution of alum and dilute the same with two parts
of water to one of said saturated solution, and submerge the paper or
other material in the same for about five minutes, and then remove and dry
the same in any convenient or desired manner, and the material will be
found to possess the fine cellular character before mentioned. The
proportions of the materials may be varied if required for any particular
character of paper or surface to be produced, and tannin or any other
astringent substance that will act on the gelatinous material might under
some circunstances be employed in place of alum.

page_text: The paper prepared in the aforesaid manner is much stronger than
before being prepared, and not being dissolved by the solutions employed
in photography, is much more easily manipulated in the subsequent process
of toning and fixing the picture, and the washing can be performed much
more easily and perfectly than heretofore, because the solutions employed
do not become so much incorporated in the paper. The surface prepared
in this manner has an appearance somewhat resembling finely ground
porcelain, and is equally effective in rendering the picture clear and hand-
somely developed without the risk of being broken that exists with
pictures on porcelain. A solution of borax may be employed in place of
alum to combine with the gelatine and form an insoluble compound as
aforesaid. In place of employing kaolin I may make use of sulphate of
barytes mixed in with the gelatine to give the white color, or said sulphate
of barytes may be produced by mixing nitrate of barytes with the gelatine,
and then the alum solution effects a double decomposition, forming sulphate
of barytes.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, the method
herein specified of preparing paper and the surface of other materials for
use in photography, for the purposes and substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Johannes De Witt Brinckerhoff, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of January, in.
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
5
Witnesses,
LEMUEL W. SERRELL,
121, Nassau St.,
New York.
CHAS. H. SMITH,
121, Nassau St.,
New York.
J. DE WITT BRINCKERHOFF. (I..s.)