US1154643A

US1154643A - Process of making printing-plates.

Info

Publication number: US1154643A
Application number: US81453414A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emil Leitner
Original assignee: Konica Minolta Graphic Imaging USA Inc
Current assignee: Konica Minolta Graphic Imaging USA Inc
Priority date: 1914-01-26
Filing date: 1914-01-26
Publication date: 1915-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1932-09-28

Description

EMIL LEITNER, 0F HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR T0 POWERS PHOTO- ENGRAVING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. 'EMIL LErrrIER, having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, residing at I-Ioboken, in the county-of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and. useful Im rovements in Processes of Making Printinglates, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the art of making half tone printing plates, and in certain of its aspects it is especially applicable to the making of half tone copper printing plates.

Objects of the invention are to provide for artistic effects, and especially artistic effects attainable only with the use of the brush, in the introduction of high lights or whites in the half tone plate; to provide for rapid and inexpensive means for producing such artistic effects to produce such and similar efiects without the use of engraying or routing tools or machines; to produce such and similar effects in combined half tone and line plates.

Other objects of invention will in part appear hereinafter, and in part will be obvious herefrom to those skilled in the art;

said objects being attained in the manner or by the steps set forth imthe appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel steps, combinations, processes and improvements herein described.

In many classes of illustration Work, it is exceedingly desirable to get pure whites or high lights, which are not attainable by the half tone process alone. It has been customary in the art to use engraving tools, routing tools, and similar instruments to cut away or engrave parts of a half tone surface. Such tool work requires men of special skill,

and much time is consumed in thus working over the half tone plate to secure effects of the character described. This consumes "a great deal of the time, making the process exceedingly lengthy, and the time involved, the skilled operatives required, and the other attendant causes very greatly increase the expense of producing such a printing plate,

- In addition to the foregoing, it is'ampossible by the use of tools to produce the most artistic and desirable effects. The best ef fects are those produced by the use of the brush, or rather where the effect obtained resembles brush work to a degree which it is impossible to' attain with either hand tools YORK- PBQCESS OF MAKING PRINTING-PLATES,

1 1 541343 Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing. Application filed January 26, 1914. Serial No. 814,534.

ther by photo-mechanical means entirely in conjunction with such use of the brush.

- The half tone plates may be produced in substantially the usual manner, namely, by the making of the half tone negative from an or 1g1nal'copy, of suitable character. The printing plate of metal, and preferably of copper is then prepared to receive in a suitable manner a light sensitive solution. The sensitizing of the plate is preferably effected in accordance with what is known as the enamel face or enamel top method, which gives a-crisper and sharper plate.

The sensltlzlng solution is preferably French glue mixed with albumin and ammonlum bichromate, dissolved in water. This solution is usually flowed over the surface of the plate and spread in a uniform layer by centrifugal action by whirling the plate, and subjecting it to heat to dry the solution in a coating or layer upon the surface of the plate. The sensitized plate is subjected to the action of light through the half tone negative and the surface is then developed in water in substantially the usual'manner.

which is likewise pigmentous thereby to guide the eye in applying the medium to get the desired effects and gradations in the va rious parts of the plate. As such a medium, by way of example, I employ gamboge dissolved in water to a proper consistency to be applied by the brush. I apply the gamboge solution in the desired manner, and at the desired places in the printing plate, gradating same in a way which is only possible Patented Sept. 28, 1 915.

by the use of the brush. The gamboge solution is permitted to dry upon the surface of the plate. The plate is then rolled up in any suitable ink, such as an etching ink, over its entire surface, and this layer serves as a resist on the surface of the plate. The plate is then dampened, or immersed in water, and where the layer of ink rests upon the gamboge it is removed by reason of the dissolution of the gamboge therebeneath.

Where the ink is directly adherent upon the surface of the plate it is, of course, not affected by the water. The surface of the plate is completely protected by the ink coating or layer over all parts of the design except where the amboge solution was ap-v plied, but where t e gamboge solution was applied the surface 0 the plate is exposed. The plate is now subjected to a deep etch, which cuts away the surface of the plate as exposed and in the required or desired degree of gradation. The surface of the plate is then cleansed from the 'ink in any suitable manner, as by the application of turpentine or other suitable solvent, and by any other steps necessary or desirable to further cleanse the surface. The plate isthen' etched in the usual or other suitable manner to produce in the plate the half tone design, which in the case of a copper plate is usually done by an iron perchlorid solution.

The etching to produce the clear whites may occur subsequentto the half tone etchthe foregoing ing of the plate if desired, but it preferably is done first, as the application of the ink or 'gamboge and thus eliminating from those parts the half tone dots or screen figures.

It will be understood from the foregoing that a process has been provided which realizes the advantages and objects of invention stated together with other objects and advantages, and that the delicate and artistic effects of brush work are realized by purely mechanical means, and at a small fraction of the expenditure of time and money required by'hand or other tool work, while efi'ecting results that are entirely unattainable thereby. so

The invention, it will be understood, is not limited to the precise steps or materials described but variations may be made-therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of the invention.

What I do claim as my invention and desire'to'secure by Letters Patent, is:

1'. The process of making a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, applying to parts of said surface by means of a brush a medium soluble in a given solvent, applying to said developed surface an acid .resist insoluble in said solvent, applying said solvent to dissolve said soluble medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate, and further preparing said plate for printing.

2. The process of producing a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, a plying to parts of said surface by means 0 a brush a pigmentous medium soluble in a given solvent, applying to said developed surface an acid resist insoluble in said solvent, applying said solvent to dissolve said soluble medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said soluble medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate, and further preparing said plate for printing.

3 The process of making a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, a plying to parts of said surface by means 0 a brush a medium soluble in water, applying to said surface an acid resist, applying water to said surface to dissolve sald medium and to re- .move said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the. surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate,

andfurther preparing said plate for printmg.

4. The process of making a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, a plying to parts of said surface by means 0 a brush a pigmentous medium soluble in water, applying to said surface an'acid resist, a plying water to said surface to dissolve-sai medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etchlng said exposed portions of the plate, and further preparing said plate for printing. 5. The process of making a printin plate which comprises sensitizing the sur ace of the plate, exposing said surface to light, ac-

tionthrough a half tone negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, applying to parts of said surface by means of a brush a medium'soluble in a given solvent, applying to said developed surface an acid resist insoluble in said solvent, applying said solvent to dissolve said soluble medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate, and applying a half tone etch to the surface of said plate.

6. The process of making a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a halftone negative, developing said surfaceafter it is exposed, applying to parts of said surface by means of a brush a medium soluble in water, applying to said surface an acid resist, applying Water to said surface to dissolve said medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate, and applying a half tone etch to the surface of said plate.

7. The process of making a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, applying to parts of said surface by a medium soluble in a given solvent, applying to said developed surface an acid resist soluble in said solvent, applying said solvent to dissolve said soluble medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate, and furtherpreparing said plate for printing.

8. The process of making a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, applying to parts of said surface a medium soluble in water, applying to said surface an acid resist, applying water to said surface to dissolve said medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate, and further preparing said plate for printing.

9. The process of making a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of .the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a half tone negative, developing said surface after it is exposed, ap-

plying to parts of said surface a medium"- soluble in water, applying to said surface an acid resist, applying water to said surface to dissolve said medium and to remove said resist where it overlies said medium to expose the surface of the plate, deep etching said exposed portions of the plate, and applying a half tone etch to the surface of said plate.

10. The process of producing a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said sensitized I tions of the plate surface so exposed, and

preparing the surface of saidplate for printing.

11. The process of producing a printing plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said sensitized surface to the action of light through a design impression instrumentality, developing said exposed surface, applying manually to portionsof said surface after development a soluble pigmentous layer, applying to said surface a layer of acid resistant material, dissolving said soluble layer and thus removing therewith the overlying part of said acid. resistant material, deep etching the portions of the plate so exposed, removing the acid resistant material, and preparing the surface of said plate for printing.

12. The process of making a half tone copper plate which comprises sensitizing the surface of the plate, exposing said surface to light action through a half tone negative, developing said exposed surface, applying to parts of said surface bymeans of a brush,

a pigmentous aqueously soluble medium, applying to said developed surface of the plate an acid resistant insoluble in water, applying water to the surface of the plate to rembve said aqueously soluble medium and the portion of the resist overlying the same, deep etching the parts of the plate thus exposed, and removing the resist and applying a half tone etch to the surface of the plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMIL LEITNER.

Witnesses JOHN D. MoRoAN, Aucusrm J. Powers.