GB2210828A

GB2210828A - Decorating using transfers

Info

Publication number: GB2210828A
Application number: GB8723906A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bruce Cox
Original assignee: JOSIAH WEDGWOOD AND SON LIMITE
Current assignee: JOSIAH WEDGWOOD AND SON LIMITE
Priority date: 1987-10-12
Filing date: 1987-10-12
Publication date: 1989-06-21
Anticipated expiration: 2007-10-12
Also published as: ES2030510T3; ATE74071T1; EP0312299A1; GB2210828B; GB8723906D0; EP0312299B1; DE3869541D1

Abstract

A transfer element adapted to be applied to an article in face-up orientation by mechanical means comprises a base or carrier (1) on which is supported a release layer (2) of thermoplastic material, an intermediate support layer (3), a pattern or design (4) superimposed on the support layer, a second support layer (5) applied over the pattern or design, and a cover coat (6) of an adhesive material. The transfer is applied by raising its temperature to a temperature causing the release layer to melt and the cover coat to become tacky whereby the cover coat, design, support layers and a portion of the release layer may be separated from the base or carrier and applied to the surface of an article, the temperatures of the release layer and cover coat being controlled so that they attain a state whereby the degree of adherence of the release layer to the surface of the article exceeds the degree of adherence of the cover coat to the transfer member, so that the latter may be withdrawn leaving the transfer adhered to the surface of the article.

Description

2216b28 Transfers and Methods of Decorating UsIng Same This invention

relates to transfers and to methods of decoration using trannfers.

Decoration of ceramic ware b) means of transfers has a number of advantagea, 1n particular because at the printing stage the design is printed on to a flat support sheet or substrate rather than directly on to the contoured surfaces of the article to be decorated, a wide range of conventional printing techniques may be employed and patterns incorporating fine detail can be more readily produceo. Hitherto however such transfers have been difficult to apply mechanically since they require to be removed from the substrate or carrier, transferred to the article and adhered thereto without destroying the integrity of the design or pattern or introducing folds or creases-. Most meehon"lcal decorution of ceramic ware by means of transfers has therefore been effected by applying thi transfer face down on to the uur!ace of the artiple to be decorated while still carried by its supporting substrnte which is then peeled away. Theresfter the transfer is subjected to a firing operation to fuse it.to the surface of the article to form a permanent decoration. Application of transfers face down in this way in diakdvantageous in that the pattern or decoration requires tc be printed in reverse or mirror image on the substrate. Additionally the presence of the supporting substrate during application interferes with the flexioility of the transfer and 2 renders this method inappropriate for the decoration of contoured surfaces.

in European patent No. 55395 there is disclosed a techilique for the mechanical application of transfers to articles of ware in e face-up manner utilizing transfers comprising a carrier, a release layer of' thermoplastic material Dnd a desigil ur pattern superimposed on the release lay-er. 1 he release 3 ayer is t.en)Deratu,-e. ensi tive and serves the dial Function of releasing the design elements from the carrier and adhering therr. to the,4iji,face of thr- article of ware to be rjecorated. An additional strengthening 'Layer of a non-adhe-tAve nature. may be app licc above or.,benekitli '.-ne individual clements of the des)gi-i if oesli,Cli.

rarisl'.trs coist:,ueted in ac.-orcEir!cc- with t, r o,-) c n P&tcnt No. '55-195.1-a\c little -2C any Lti131,y The elpments of 71he deisign laer will not pick UP using conventional silicone or s--Lr,-IIEr transfer pad.g and in the case of pattlerris consisting &' discrete separate design elements relative movenjent and distortion occur. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitiget.e Lhis disadvantage.

]he. invention provides a transfer element adapted to be applied to an article in face-up orientation by mechanical iTit-ori.5, Lhe element cortiprising a base or ufti-rier on which is t;uppor',:ed a release la,. cr of the--mo- plastic an intermediate support 1a5er, a 3 pattern or design superimposed on said support layer, a second support layer applied over said pattern or design, and a cover coat of an adhesive material.

The support layers preferably comprise thermo- plastic film-forming resins, the preferred materials being poly n-butyl methacrylate or a co-polymer of butyl methacrylate and methyl methacrylate.

The release layer preferably has a melt temperature in the region of 60 to 80 OC and an "open time" of a-round 0.5 to 5 seconds after removal of the heat source.

Preferably also the pattern or design is formed from vitrifiable materials, the remaining layers being formed from materials which volatilize at or below the vitrification temperature of the pattern or design.

The invention also provides a method of decorating an article by application of a transfer as aforesaid, the method comprising raising the temperature of the transfer to a temperature causing said release layer to melt and said cover coat to become tacky whereby said cover coat, design, support layers and at least a portion of said release layer may be separated from said base or carrier, applying the separated elements of the transfer to the surface of an article of ware to be decorated, and 4 controlling the temperatures of said release layer and said cover coat in such manner that they attain a state whereby the degree of adherence of the release layer to the surface of the article of ware exceeds the degree of adherence of the cover coat to the transfer member, whereby the latter may be withdrawn leaving the elements of the transfer adhered to the surface of the article.

The temperature of the transfer may be raised by application of heat thereto through the base or carrier member from a heated support, by raising the temperature of said transfer member, or both.

Preferably the article of ware to be decorated is unheated whereby on contact with its surface the temperature of said release layer is reduced relative to that of said cover coat whereby to produce said temperature control enabling the transfer member to be withdrawn from the article leaving the transfer elements affixed to the article.

Preferably the transfer is initially heated to a temperature in the region of 80 to 100 QC. Preferably also said transfer member is withdrawn from the surface of the article of ware when the temperature of said release layer is in the region of 30 to 40 OC and the temperature of said cover coat is in the region of 40 to 50 OC. Typically the transfer member is maintained in contact with the surface of the article of ware for between 0.5 and 2 seconds.

The invention also provides a method of decorating an article by application of a transfer as aforesaid, comprising raising the temperature of the transfer to a temperature above the melt temperature of said release layer to melt same and to render said cover coat tacky, bringing a transfer member into contact with said cover coat before or after raising the temperature thereof, whereby to cause dherence of the transfer to the transfer member, moving the transfer member away from the base or carrier while retaining the latter against movement, whereby to separate the base or carrier from the other elements of the transfer, maintaining the surface of the article to be decorated at a temperature below the melt temperature of said release layer, applying the released elements of the transfer to the surface of the article by pressing the transfer member and the released elements carried thereby into contact with the surface of the article whereby the release layer adheres to the surface of the article due to cooling below its melt temperature, and withdrawing the transfer member while the degree of adherence of the cover coat to the transfer member is less than the degree of adherence of the release layer to the article, whereby the transfer remains on the surface of the article.

6 An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic crosssection through one form of transfer according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, the transfer comprises a series of superimposed layers or elements mounted on a base or carrier sheet 1, generally of paper, the upper surface of which is provided with an overall coating of thermoplastic mateial serving as a release layer 2 by means of which the remaining elements of the transfer may be separated from the support paper 1 during application of the transfer to an article of ware to be decorated. Superimposed on the release layer 2 is a support layer 3 comprising a thermoplastic film-forming resin acting as a support for a design layer 4 applied to the upper surface of the support layer 3 by a suitable printing technique such as silk screen printing. The design layer will generally be multi-coloured and built up in a series of printing operations in each of which a different colour is applied. In most instances the elements of the design layer will not cover the whole surface of the support layer 3 so that portions of the surface of the latter will be visible between elements of the design layer. A further support layer 5, generally identical to the support layer 3, is applied over the design layer 4 and finally an upper surface layer or cover coat 6 of adhesive is applied over the printed design.

The carrier paper 1 and release layer 2 together form a heat release transfer paper generally supplied commercially by coated paper manufacturers and on which the remaining layers of the transfer are applied by a transfer printer. The thermoplastic release layer may consist of a mixture of hydrocarbon waxes, mineral oils and hydrocarbon resins. An alternative suitable material is ethylene glycol distearate. Other compositions which may be employed include polyethylene glycols, polyoxyethylated alcohols, styrene-butadiene or nitrilebutadiene latices, hydrocarbon resin emulsions, ethylenevinylacetate co-polymer emulsions, alkyd emulsions, vinyl chloride emulsions and polyamides. The essential properties of the material are that it shall melt at a predetermined temperature to permit separation of the superimposed transfer layers from the base paper and their application to the surface of an article to be decorated. The release layer must function when heated to permit such separation and also have the requisite degree of adherence to the surface of the article when applied thereto by a mechanical transfer member such that the transfer member may be withdrawn leaving the elements of the transfer attached to the surface of the article.

One of the problems enecuntered in producing satisfactory transfers is the need to maintain the integrity of the design layer during separation from the base paper, applicatIon to the ware and withdrawal of the? transfer member. F o r this purpose the illustrated transfer incorporates the upper and lower support layers 3 and 5 both of which comprise a thermoplastic film forming resin serving firstly tu give strength and flexibility to the transfer while resisting relative movement of the design elements superimposed upon it. and.econdl,y to prctec', the relesse la\er 2 from attack by solvent-9 employed in the r,,2tprialt; from which the degjQ!-i lgver is formed.]he s iipport. layers are generally in the i.pqicn of 15 t.c-. '20 microns in are Appl.Jed in liqjid forr ir, 6 b,. oc3tl:rig if c-(,i)til-.uous ur L\ it GptieraII5 ttip suppert layers consist of piesticizei pol.5 n-butyl wet late or a -ci-po]5ffiLr of 1)utl methaerrylate ind Fret hy 1[r.etliel-r yl a 1 c- in an aroma,,-!c hydrocarbon solvent. Suitable plasticizers are phalate esters. Other suitable materia.'s for the support!z4ver include cellulosic derivatives particularly esters and ethers: examp-'es -include. methyland e'k..hlcel"ulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate b.jtvrate and propionste and nitro cel-lulose. Other suitable materials include acrylic resin systems modiied using ce.llulosic rfiaterial--, melamine resins, phenolics, polyaerylemides, 9 polybutadiene resins, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyvinyl acetate and its co-polymers and polyvinyl butyral. All such materials form strong flexible films or sheets isolating the design layer from the release layer and the cover coat and providing strength and flexibility during application of the transfer while maintaining the integrity of the design layer.

The design layer is applied as a series of sequential printings of the individual colours making up the design or patte'rn. Each printing comprises a layer,,- CO 10 generally),,! to,2T microns in thickness of a ceramic colour consisting of an inorganic pigment oT flux dispersed in a printing medium. The printing medium must necessarily have film forming properties to permit application by conventional printing techniques such as silk screen printing and is incorporated with the ceramic colour in a suitable solvent. Suitable printing media comprise acrylic and methacrylic polymers and co-polymers such as a polyalkyl methacrylate co-polymer disolved in n-butyl lactate as solvent, the medium generally-including a plasticizer such as a mixture of phthalate esters. Cellulosic derivatives similar to those which may be employed in the support layer referred to above may be used as may printing media based on drying oils, a typical formulation incorporating linseed oil mixed with an alkyd resin and including a drier, generally a cobalt or manganese salt, which catalyses the polymerisation process. Other resinous materials which may be used include alkyds, phenolics, urea- formaldehyde, melamineformaldehyde, melamine alkyds, vinyl derivatives and polyesters.

The upper support layer may be constructed in the same manner as and serves a similar function as the lower support layer 2 in that it imparts additional strength and stability to the transfer during the stage between removal from the gupport paper and application to the article to be decorated. As in the case of the lower support layer the upper support layer may be continuous or discontinuous provided in the latter case that it at least covers the areas of the transfer to which the design layer has been applied.

Following application of the design layer 4 and the upper support layer 5, the adhesive cover coat 6 is applied. This layer serves to cause adherence of the transfer to the surface of the pad or other transfer member employed to separate the upper elements of the transfer from the support paper and apply them to the surface of the article to be decorated. The layer 6 isapplied as a melt adhesive and extends at least over the area of the transfer occupied by the design layer. As in the case of the upper and lower support layers 3 and 5, and as shown in the drawing, the layer 6 need not extend to the full area of the coated base paper.

The preferred material for the cover coat is an ethylcellulose/rosin ester mixture activated with a chlorinated diphenyl plasticizer. The coating is applied as a solution in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent and develops tack at around 80 GC. An alternative melt adhesive system which may be employed comprises an acrylic or methacrylic resin co-polymer tackified with polyeth Y lene glycol and/or polyoxyalkylene derivatives of propylene glycol and/or ethylenediamine. A second tackifier, for example an ester of an alkyl polyol and an aromatic acid, or a solid phthalate ester may also be incorporated. Cellulosic derivatives, alkyd resins and polystyrene plasticizers may be used to modify the properties of the adhesive. In a further alternative system the acrylic or methacrylic resin co-polymer is replaced with a cellulosic derivative, usually methylethyl- or hydroxypropyl cellulose ether.

The extent of the support layers 3 and 5 and the cover coat 6 may be varied dependent on the nature of the design layer and the stage of manufacture of the article. at which the transfer is applied. Transfer decoration of ceramic articles is generally applied either llunderglazell or "on-glaze". In the case of underglaze decoration the 12 transfer is upplied when the article is in the "biscuit'' stale, following which a glaze medium is applied over the surface of the article and the transfer and the article is then subliected to a final Firing step which fuses the glaze and the transfer to the surface. During the firing uperation volatile materials are burned off leaving the glaze and the ceramic colour only fused to the surface of the article. in on-glaze decoretiop the article iG provided with an orverall glaze coating which is fired orior to application of the transfer. The latter is then applied to the glazed article ono subjected to a further firing tu fuse the cesign to the surface and burn off volatile miterials. It will be appreciated that in t-he first case the glaze medium A applied over the transfer while in the second case it is applied under t'he transfer and this requires certain modifications in the construction of the transfer 03elf, particularly as-regards the nature of toe suppurt lalers 3 and 5 and the adhesive cover coat 6 as referred to hereafter.

In.order for the Lpansfer to function satisfactorily it is only necessary for the upper and lower support layers 3 Gnd 5 and the adhesive cover coat 6 to coincidp with the actual extent of the design layer 4. In some patterns, for example where lines are applied around the edge region of a pl?te, We design MyeP extends only Lxer a very small area uf the article as a 13 whole. For the purpose of saving in material costs therefore it is appropriate in such cases to confine the support layers 3 and 5 and the adhesive cover coat 6 to the area actually occupied by the design elements. In the most common instance the effect is that these layers are of essentially annular form and do not extend over the central region of the transfer and hence the thermoplastic release layer 2 on the surface of the base paper 1 is exposed in this central region. However by virtue of the fact that the support layers and the adhesive cover coat'extend over the design areas, which will all generally be linked to one another either in annular or other form, the coherence of the design layer is maintained during transfer despite the absence of such layers in the central or other regions of the transfer to which no design layer is applied.

This arrangement is satisfactory for on-glaze decoration where the glaze medium has been applied to the surface of the article and fired prior to application of the transfer. However in underglaze decoration the heat release materials forming the release layer 2 generally reject glaze mediums applied as aqueous suspensions and in the case of underglaze decoration therefore it is necessary that at least one of the support layers 3 and 5 or the adhesive cover coat 6 are applied as continuous unbroken films across the entire area of the transfer which is contacted by the transfer member. In this wR when the transfer has (.-,(-pn attacned to the surface of the ware none of the thermoplastic material of the release layer 2 is exposed to thF., glaze medium which is applied subsequently over the whole. surfDcp of the article including the transfer!t5elf. In such co,..ses the support layers 3 and 5 and optionally the cover coat layer 6 Rre modified b the addition of a flux designed to mffl.ch the glaze ono by the incorporstion of involatile liquid or solid plasticizers.

The transfer is upplied to the ai.ticlr- to be decorated by ijic,,tns of a-transfei member generally in the 1-ni.m of a p-ed jf,zijlicorie rubber or other Ruitable Generelly the opcratl-or, wj-11 be carried DUt witri tht. transfer Find the article to be deccrated in qet)erall horizontal positions, the trariGfe-, ped first being urought down Intc) -c,,ntac,,l witli the.

surface of the trsnsfei. and heat t)eing applied through the pad or through the support on which tne transfer is car.-ied, or both, sufficient to ralse the temperature of the release 155r-r 2 to around 80 'C. lhe heat also sere- to cause adherence of Itne adhesive cover coat 6 to the pad, the arrangement. being such that due to' melf-ing of the release!aver 2 the degree of tit-4fiei-erice of the pad to the layr-r 6 exceeds the degree of adherence uf' the support layer 3 to the base paper 1. The pad may therefore be lifted clear of the base paper, which is retained against upward movement, and carries with it the cover coat 6, upper support layer 5, design layer 4, lower support layer 3 and at least some of the release layer 2, the remainder of which remains attached to the base paper 1.

The pad is then brought to a position over the ware to be decorated and is moved downwards into contact with the ware which is preferably maintained at room temperature. Since the temperature of the ware is considerably lower than the temperature at which the material of the release layer 2 carried by the transferred elements solidifies, the release layer adheres to the surface of the article. By appropriate selection of the materials such that on cooling the degree of adherence of the release material to the surface of the ware ex-ceeds the degree of adherence of the adhesive cover coat 5 to the transfer pad, the pad may be withdrawn leaving the transfer adhered to the surface of the article.

By virtue of the flexible nature of the pad it flattens on picking up the transfer from the base sheet 1 and conforms to the contours of the article when applying the transferred elements thereto thereby preventing the 16 formation of folds or creases. The provision nf' the support layers 3 and 5,:jssists in meintaining the integrity of the design layer during the transfer operation. This is particularly the case where the design area occupies a relatively small of the total surface area of the. article and the design layer is therefore essentially of a fragile nature readily skinceptible t,- distort lon and dernage. The transfer construction and method of decuratien described are particularly.9:j.vantagent,.,.:, fo.r detailed geometric designs where e,._en SI ight di ol u,,-1 ion dui ing apPliention would-- render the decorated pi..udtic-1 commercially, unacceptable.

t will!.If%.9,1Pl,ec.lat (-I] t IlatSilluk, tht. t Parisfer is maintained in _ "face-up" dispo,-11j(;i-i 1hroughout, the process of application to the ware, the design lever n2v be printed face-up), thut 1; s as lit appears on the f inal article. This i> ti ad,,antage 1-r,,ripai,ed with previously propoqed transfers which are applied "face-down" to the article and which therefore require that the dct3igt is printed in mirror inege.

By virtue of the urr;Dr)(jemc-t)t described there is provided a transfer which nie\ be satisfactorily applied to an article of ware by ral means but does not require to be printed in mirror iiiibge. Ihie is so contrurted as to maintain its integrity dij?.ii-ig the transfer process even in the case of designs or patterns occupying only a small area of the surrace of the article to be decorated and which are therefore of an essentially fragile and readily deformable nature. It is 8180 unnecessary to heat the 3urface of the ware to be decorated, the necessary temperature changes being effected by heating and cooling of the transfer itself.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to drew attention to those features of the invention believed to be of' porticular importanceit should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features to Fifidi'(.)r shown in the' drewings wlic.t.tici. or iiot einfiliasis has neer.

placed thercon.

Claims

1. A transfer element adapted to be applied to an article in face-up orientation by mechanical means, the element comprising a base or carrier on which is supported a release layer of thermoplastic material, an intermediate support layer, a pattern or design superimposed on said support layer, a second support layer applied over said pattern or design, and a cover coat of an adhesive material.

2. A transfer element according to claim 1 wherein said support layers comprise thermoplastic film-forming resins.

3. A transfer element according to claim 2 wherein said thermoplastic film-forming resins are selected from poly n-butyl methacrylate and butyl methacrylate/methyl methacrylate copolymers.

4. A transfer element according to claim 2 wherein said film-forming resins are selected from methyl cellulose, ethyl-cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellulose acetate propionate, nitro cellulose, acrylic resin systems modified using - 19 cellulosic materials, melamine resins, phenolic resins, polyacrylamides, polybutadiene resins, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyvinyl acetate and its co-polymers and polyvinyl butyral.

5. A transfer element according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said release layer has a melt temperature of 60-800C and an open time of 0.5 5 seconds.

6. A transfer element according to any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said release layer is selected from hydrocarbon waxes, mineral oils, hydrocarbon resins, ethylene glycol distearate, polyethylene glycols, polyoxyethylated alcohols, styrene-butadiene or nitrile-butadiene latices, hydrocarbon resin emulsions, ethylenevinylacetate co-polymer emulsions, alkyd emulsions, vinyl chloride emulsions and polyamides.

7. A transfer element according to any preceding claims wherein said pattern or design is formed from vitrifiable materials, said release layer and support layers being formed from materials which volatize at or below the vitrification temperature of the pattern or design.

8. A transfer element according to claim 7 wherein said pattern or design comprises an inorganic pigment and a flux dispersed in a printing medium having - 20 film-forming properties, the printing medium being selected from acrylic and methacrylic polymers and co-polymers, alkyd resins, phenolic resins, urea-formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde, melamine alkyds, vinyl derivatives and polyesters, dissolved in a suitable solvent and optionally including a plasticizer.

9. A transfer element according to claim 8 wherein said printing medium comprises polyalkyl methecrylate co-polymer dissolved in n-butyl lactate as solvent.

10. A transfer element according to claim 8 wherein said printing medium comprises linseed oil mixed with an alkyd resin and a colbalt or manganese salt as drier/catalyst.

11. A transfer element according to any preceding claim wherein said cover cost comprises an ethylcellulose/rosin ester mixture activated with a chlorinated diphenyl plasticizer.

12. A transfer element according to any of claims 1 to 11 wherein said cover coat is selected from an acrylic or methacrylic resin co-polymer, methyl-, ethyl- or hydroxypropyl cellulose ether, and a tackifier.

13. A transfer element according to claim 12 wherein 21 - said tackifier is selected from one or more polyethylene glycol and/or polyoxyalkylene derivatives of propylene glycol and/or ethylene diamine, an ester of an alkyl polyol and an aromatic acid, and a solid phthalate e s t e r.

14. A transfer element according to any preceding claim wherein said cover coat becomes tacky in the region of 800C.

15. A transfer element according to any preceding claim wherein one or more of said support layers and said cover coat are confined to those areas of the transfer member occupied by said pattern or design.

16. A transfer element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

17. An, article decorated by means of a transfer element according to any of claims 1 to 16.

18. A method of decorating an article by application of a transfer element according to any of claims 1 to 17 the method comprising raising the temperature of the transfer to a temperature causing said release layer to melt and said cover coat to become tacky whereby said cover coat, design, support layers and at least a - 22 portion of said release layer may be separated from said base or carrier, applying the separated elements of the transfer to the surface of an article of ware to be decorated, and controlling the temperatures of said release layer and said cover coat in such manner that they attain a state whereby the degree of adherence of the release layer to the surface of the article of ware exceeds the degree of adherence of the cover coat to the transfer member, whereby the latter may be withdrawn leaving the elements of the transfer adhered to the surface of the article.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the temperature of the transfer element is raised by application of heat thereto through said base or carrier member.

20. A method according to claim 18 or 19 wherein the temperature of the transfer element is raised by application of heat thereto from a heated support.

21. A method according to any of claims 18 to 20 in which the article of ware to be decorated is unheated whereby on contact with its surface the temperature of said release layer is reduced relative to that of said cover coat whereby to produce said temperature control enabling the transfer member to be withdrawn from the article leaving the transfer elements affixed to the a r t i c 1 e.

22. A method according to any of claims 18 to 21 wherein the transfer element is initially heated to a temperature in the region of 80-1000C.

23. A method according to any of claims 18 to 22 wherein said transfer member is withdrawn from the surface of the article of ware when the temperature of said release layer is in the region of 30 to 400C and the temperature of said cover coat is in the region of 40 to 500C.

24. A method according to any of claims 18 to 23 wherein the transfer member is,maintained in contact with the surface of the article of ware for between 0.5 and 2 seconds.

25. A method of decorating an article by application of a transfer element according to any of claims 1 to 17, comprising raising the temperature of the transfer element to a temperature above the melt temperature of said release layer to melt same and to render said cover coat tacky, bringing a transfer member into contact with said cover coat before or after raising the temperature thereof, whereby to cause adherence of the transfer - 24 element to the transfer member, moving the transfer member away from the base or carrier while retaining the latter against movement, whereby to separate the base or carrier from the other elements of the transfer, maintaining the surface of the article to be decorated at a temperature below the melt temperature of said release layer, applying the released elements of the transfer to the surface of the article by pressing the transfer member and the released elements carried thereby into contact with the surface of the article whereby the release layer adheres. to the surface of the article due to cooling below its melt temperature, and withdrawing the transfer member while the degree of adherence of the cover coat to the transfer member is less than the degree of adherence of the release layer to the article, whereby the transfer remains on the surface of the article.

26. A method according to any of claims 18 to 25 wherein said transfer member comprises a pad of flexible material.

27. A method according to claim 26 wherein said pad is formed from silicone rubber.

28. A method of decorating an article substantially as hereinbefore described.

-

29. An article decorated by the method according to any of claims 18 to 28.

30. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed in the foregoing specification or claims and/or shown in the drawings, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims.

1 P'"b'lshe:! 1988 a 'n'le Pa-en' Off-Cc State Hcu-sc 66 71 H::::7n. WC:1F1 477- Pur-her c;:..e-t may be o-airei frc= 7he Paer, Otice.

Sales Branch. St MLry Cray. Orpingtcn Ken, BM 3RD Pr1nted by MulUplex WCIuuques ltd. St Mary Cray. Kent Con. 187.