AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPLIANCES FOR COVERING SURFACES WITH AN OLEAGINOUS COATING CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR DECORATING WALLS AND CEILINGS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Southampton Buildings, London, Patent Agents,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPLIANCES FOR
COVERING SURFACES WITH AN OLEAGINOUS COATING CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR
DECORATING WALLS AND CEILINGS."--A communication from abroad
by Charles T. Kemmer, of Cleveland, Ohio, United States of
America.
Sealed the 6th June 1871, and dated the 28th January 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 28th January 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings, London, Patent Agents, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND
APPLIANCES FOR COVERING SURFACES WITH AN OLEAGINOUS COATING, CHIEPLY
DESIGNED FOR DECORATING WALLS AND CEILINGS," a communication, to be
as follows:
The said Invention relates to a process of preparing and covering
walls and other parts of buildings with an oleaginous coating, the said

page_text: coating being either plain or ornamented with colours, figures, and
gilding, and rendered waterproof as herein-after described.
The first step in this process is to dip ordinary strong sheeting in a
light solution of soap and water (common yellow soap one pound, water
nine gallons), after which it is stretched upon a frame, and when dry
is sized over one or more times with a glutinous moss or equivalent
substance dissolved in water to about the consistency of common flour
paste or a little thinner; or I may use gelatine one pound, and common
yellow soap one-eighth of a pound, to about three gallons water. When
this is dry a good coat of oil paint is laid on with a brush in the
ordinary way. This paint should be composed of boiled linseed oil.
Pigments of any desirable colour may be used, such as oxide of zinc,
carbonate of lead, or equivalent substances, to give body to it. There
may be used in the said paint a small portion of india-rubber dissolved
in benzine or naptha with a small portion of glue. When the coating
of this preparation of paint is dry upon the sheeting or fabric it is
ready to receive any design which may be painted or printed thereon.
This last or finishing coat of paint (if desired to be entirely flat like
water or tempera colours such as are used for wall paper) is made
of, rubbing varnish one pint, boiled oil one pint, yellow beeswax
one pound, turpentine one quart, with suitable pigments. When
the design on this last coat is finished and dry I take a light solution
of glutinous moss dissolved in water to about the consistency of
milk and size over the painted or printed surface with it. While the
size is wet I put on it open woven sheeting which will permit the
design or ornament to be plainly seen through the meshes of the
fabric. This fabric adheres to the printed surface and design by
the adhesion of the moss, size, or other glutinous equivalents. The
painting or design is now between two pieces of cloth or sheeting.
The opposite side of the sheeting or fabric first used is made wet
with water, which side is the reverse of that painted. This moistening
with water will in a few minutes dissolve the coating of size between
the cloth and coating of paint, so that the open woven sheeting may
be removed, leaving the entire coating of paint with the design upon
it intact in one sheet. It is now ready to be cut or divided and
put upon the walls or surfaces designed.
In case the surface be an interior wall it is best but not always

page_text: necessary to first size the plastering with a weak solution of glue
and water, to which some boiled linseed oil is added. The proportions
of the last-named size are, one pound of glue to one half pint of
boiled linseed oil to two gallons. The glue is first boiled in water
to a paste, then the oil is added and well mixed and then thinned
with the water. If the wall has been whitewashed or calsomined
more oil should be added to the size, or if the wall is damp a coat
of albumen dissolved in water should be applied before the glue
and oil size is put on. This sizing of the wall with glue and oil as
described is done in order that the paste which is to be put on,
the paint (being also largely composed of glue) will combine with
the glue and oil size which has penetrated the wall and make it a
solid body of paint as durable and perfect as if painted directly on
the wall.
The paste now to be put on the painted surface which is to be
applied to the wall is composed of glue, resin, and turpentine in the
following proportions:-Glue four parts, resin one part, turpentine
one and a half parts. The glue is first boiled in water, then the
resin and turpentine being melted are added, the whole thinned with
water to be easily applied, but for all common purposes a paste of
rye flour to which a little thick turpentine is added will answer.
When the coating of paint is required to be thick or heavy for
making a smooth surface on rough walls it is made while the first
coat of oil paint on the sheeting is wet. The fibres of cotton, wool,
hemp, or wood are put on these substances, ground fine, and while
the paint is wet, sifted on, and when nearly dry are pressed smooth
by rolling or otherwise. When it is entirely dry the desired painting
or printing is put on. Such substances as cotton, hemp, wool, or
wood, when ground fine, can also be mixed in the first coating of
paint, and painted on instead of sifted, to give body and strength to
the coat.
After the described materials are pasted and dried on the wall
the sheeting which still covers the painting is now easily taken off
he commencing of the tan and nulling it downward
By this process.

page_text: and without in the least losing their brilliancy of effect, and yet can be
washed with soap and water.
Another important object is, that where the walls or ceilings of
a large church, hall, or parlour are to be decorated, the whole design
and painting will be done on one piece of sheeting sewed together
as though it was done immediately on the wall, and when taken off the
sheeting on which it is painted will be cut in such pieces as will suit
the purpose of applying it to the wall. Having been all in one piece it
will again so closely match that no seam or joining where it is plastered
together can be seen.
By this process nothing is wasted; the cloth or sheeting can be
used a great many times for the same purpose of painting or printing
thereon. It is evident that certain modifications and manipulations
in this process may be made. The relative proportion of the ingredients
may be altered or their equivalents substituted without changing the
nature of the Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th July 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Southampton
Buildings, London, Patent Agents, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 IMPROVED

page_text: MODE OF AND APPLIANCES FOR COVERING SURFACES WITH AN OLEAGINOUS COATING,
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR DECORATING WALLS AND CEILINGS," a communication to
me from abroad by Charles T. Kemmer, of Cleveland, Ohio, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the 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 said Invention relates to a process of preparing and covering walls,
ceilings, and other parts of buildings with an oleaginous coating, the
said coating being either plain or ornamented with colours, figures, and
gilding, and rendered waterproof, as herein-after described.
The first step in this process is to dip ordinary strong sheeting in a
light solution of soap and water (common yellow soap, one pound;
water, nine gallons ;) after which it is stretched upon a frame, and when
dry is sized over once or several times with a glutinous moss or
equivalent substance dissolved in water to about the consistency of
common flour paste, or a little thinner; or I may use gelatine one
pound, common yellow soap one-eighth of a pound, to about three
gallons water. When this is dry a good coat of oil paint is laid on with
a brush in the ordinary way. This paint should be composed of boiled
linseed oil. Pigments of any desirable colour may be used, such as
oxide of zinc, carbonate of lead, or equivalent substances to give body to
it. There may be used in the said paint a small portion of india-rubber
dissolved in benzine or naptha with a small portion of glue. When the
coating of this preparation of paint is dry upon the sheeting or fabric it
is ready to receive any design, which may be painted or printed thereon.
This last or finishing coat of paint (if desired to be entirely flat like
water or tempera colours such as are used for wall paper) is made
of rubbing varnish one pint, boiled oil one pint, yellow beeswax one
pound, turpentine one quart, with suitable pigments. When the design

page_text: on this last coat is finished and dry I take a light solution of glutinous
moss dissolved in water to about the consistency of milk and size over
the painted or printed surface with it. While the size is wet I put on it
open woven sheeting, which will permit the design or ornament to be
plainly seen through the meshes of the fabric. This fabric adheres to
the printed surface and design by the adhesion of the moss, size, or other
glutinous equivalents. The painting or design is now between two
pieces of cloth or sheeting; the opposite side of the sheeting or fabric
first used is made wet with water, which side is the reverse of that
painted. This moistening with water will in a few minutes dissolve the
coating of size between the cloth and coating of paint, so that the open
woven sheeting may be removed, leaving the entire coating of paint with
the design upon it intact in one sheet. It is now ready to be cut or
divided and put upon the walls or surfaces designed.
In case the surface be an interior wall it is best, but not always
necessary, to first size the plastering with a weak solution of glue and
water to which some boiled linseed oil is added. The proportions of the
last-named size are one pound of glue to one half pint of boiled linseed
oil to two gallons of water. The glue is first boiled in water to a paste,
then the oil is added and well mixed and thinned with the water. If the
wall has been whitewashed or calsomined more oil should be added to the
size; or if the wall is damp a coat of album dissolved in water should be
applied before the glue and oil size is put on. This sizing of the wall
with glue and oil as described is done in order that the paste which is to
be put on the paint (being also largely composed of glue) will combine
with the glue and oil size which has penetrated the wall and make it a
solid body of paint as durable and perfect as if painted directly on the
wall.
The paste now to be put on the painted surface which is to be applied
to the wall is composed of glue, resin, and turpentine in the following
proportions:-Glue four parts, resin one part, turpentine one and a half
parts. The glue is first boiled in water, then the resin and turpentine
being melted are added, the whole is thinned with water to be easily
applied, but for all common purposes a paste of rye flour to which a
little thick turpentine is added will answer. When the coating of paint
is required to be thick or heavy for making a smooth surface on rough
walls it is made while the first coat of oil paint on the sheeting is wet.
The fibres of cotton, wool, hemp, or wood are put on these substances,

page_text: ground fine, and while the paint is wet sifted on, and when nearly dry
are pressed smooth by rolling or otherwise; when it is entirely dry the
desired painting or printing is put on such substances as cotton', hemp,
wool, or wood, when ground fine, can also be mixed in the first coating
of paint, and painted on instead of sifted to give body and strength to
the coat.
After the described materials are pasted and dried on the wall the
sheeting which still covers the painting is now easily taken off by com-
mencing at the top and pulling it downward. By this process fine colours
can be produced, such as are now used for interior decorative painting or
on fine wall paper. Also such important materials for decorative purposes
as gold, bronze, and others can in this way be used without in the least
losing their brilliancy of effect, and yet can be washed with soap and
water.
Another important advantage is; that where the walls or ceilings of a
large church, hall, or parlour are to be decorated the whole design and
painting will be done on one piece of sheeting sewed together as though
it was done immediately on the wall, and when taken off the sheeting on
which it is painted will be cut in such pieces as will suit the purpose of
applying it to the wall. Having been all in one piece it will again so
closely match that no seam or joining where it is plastered together can
be seen.
By this process nothing is wasted; the cloth or sheeting can be used a
great many times for the same purpose of painting or printing thereon.
It is evident that certain modifications and manipulations in this process
may be made; the relative proportion of the ingredients may be altered
or their equivalents substituted without changing the nature of the
Invention.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
First. The herein described process of preparing oily coatings for
walls, ceilings, and the like, substantially as set forth.
Second. The process of treating or preparing sheeting or other textile
fabric for the purpose of forming painted or printed sheets of paint with
plain or ornamental surfaces, and which may be transferred to walls,
ceilings, and the like, substantially as herein set forth.

page_text: Third. The combination of the sheeting prepared as described with
size and the oily coating with a plain or ornamental surface, substantially
as set forth.
Fourth. The composition as described for making a waterproof flat
painted surface.
Fifth. The oily waterproof sheets or coatings, either plain or
ornamental, prepared in the manner substantially as set forth, and for
the purpose described.
Sixth. The fibres of cotton, wool, wood, or equivalent substances in
combination with pigments for the purpose of giving body or strength to
the described coating, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. Sheets of paint composed of the within stated ingredients
ready for applying to walls, ceilings, or other surfaces, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.s.)