US359531A - Feedeeick beck - Google Patents

Description

' UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrca.

FREDERICK BECK, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

FELT PAPER AND PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 359,531, dated March 15, 1887. Application filed July 29,1886. Serial No. 209,462. (Specimens) To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, FREDERICK BECK, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Felt Paper and in the Process for the Manufacture thereof, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to what is known distinctively as cloth-surface or felt paperthat is to say, a paper made from a comparatively coarse-fibered stock or pulp,,having a surface texture and appearance similar to a rough or felted cloth, in contradistinction to the hard, smooth, and comparatively even surface of ordinary papersthe object I have in view being more particularly to produce a paper of this kind which shall be particularly adapted for decorating walls and ceilings.

In carrying out my invention I make the paper from uncolored pulp-that is to say, pulp that is left in its natural color, according to thestock employedintending by the word uncolored to distinguish the pulp from that which maybe either artificially colored or bleached, so as to be brought to substantial uniformity of color. The formed felt paper thus made has a felted cloth surface which is not of uniform color, but is of flecked appearance, owing to the arrangement and varying shades of the fibers of which it is composed. One or both faces of this paper I then color, using, preferably, a thin water-color, which is a surface color only.

In order to more particularly define and ascertain myinvention I remark here that I am aware that colored paper has been produced by dyeing the pulp before forming it into paper. In this case the fibers are uniformly colored before made into paper, and the paper itself is of uniforni color and without that softness and tone which characterize my improved paper. Paper, after it has been formed-that is, compressed and dried-has also been colored by the dyeing process-that isto say, by immersion in a vat containing the coloringliquid, which was allowed to soak into and permeate the paper-this operation being generally preliminary to that of glazing the paper. This process, however, results in the production of a paper of substantially the same uniform color as that first above referred to. Liquid colors have also been applied, in the manufacture of ordinary papers, to the pulp the paper. Paper-such as drawing paper, or board-having a hard finish and comparatively smooth surface of uniform color has also been colored with a wash of color applied to its surface, the surplus of the wash being removed by the application of blotting-paper or some other absorbent material, so as to leave the residue irregularly distributed over the surface of the paper.

None of the foregoing processes is effective to produce the result whichl have in view.

In my case the peculiar soft and pleasing variations in the tone and shades of the colored surface of the finished product are not dependent upon or due to irregular distribution of color, for that may be applied with absolute evenness and uniformity, but to the texture itself and fibers of the uncolored paperthat is to say, the felted paper made from 'uncolored pulp, ashereinbefore set forth. The application of a uniform wash of color to such cloth-surface paper imparts to it a general uniformity of color, which is relieved by minute and countless variations in shade, due to the vari-color'ed natural fibers of the pulp from which the paper is made, thus producing the eifectwhich is the object I have in view in my invention.

To enable those skilled inthe art to practice my invention, I will now proceed to set forth more particularly the manner in which it is or may be carried into effect.

The first step-is to prepare an uncolored pulp, such as above adverted to. This pulp, by well-known processes, is then formed into sheets or rolls of what is known in the art as cloth-surface or felt ,paper. Such felt paper is then grounded on one or both faces with a coating of water-color mixed with animalor vegetable size, and either with or without alum or its equivalent. The size I employ at the time of applying the color is in addition to the size used in the pulp-vat by paper-makers, it being used by me the better to fix the color upon the paper.

web at various stages before the completion of 5 ICO The method of mixing the colors is well known to those skilled in this art, and does not require description here, further than to state that the colors should be very much thinned or reduced by the addition, generally speaking, of about twice the amount of water from that ordinarily employed. The proportions, however, will depend somewhat upon the special coloruscd and the particular effect desired, all of which is now well understood.

As stated, the color may be applied to one side of the paper only, or to both sides, as de sired, and if to both sides, then one side may be of a different color from the other. This feature is useful in making papers for use other than that of wall-papers-as, forinstance, for book-binders and like usesand hereinafter where I refer to the surface of the paper I mean either one or both sides.

My papers, as stated, may be made either with or without the employment of alum. I prefer, however, to use the alum or its equiva lent, since thereby the color becomes more fixed. This coating of thin color may be a pplied to the paper in any suitable manner and by any suitable means; but I prefer to employ revolving brushes in conjunction with a suitable apparatus. I have found that somewhat stiff brushes produce the best results.

I wish it to be understood that Ido notlimit myself to a color, so called, mixed with a size, because a dyesuch as the anilines and other dyes suitably prepared-may be employed instead of the colors. I prefer the colors, however, because by their use the tints and shades of color can be more easily and accurately secured, and also on the score of cheapness.

The papers thus made by me have a peculiarly floeky appearance, or rather a certain depth of softness strongly resembling cloth, certain particles of the stock not being acted on by the thin coloring-matter to the same extent that other parts are, and these partiallycolored particles appearing on the surface give a peculiarly soft effect. Moreover, my papers do not polish when rubbed, as flock papers made in other ways do.

The sizing may be applied as a separate operation preceding or succeeding the application of the color; but I prefer to apply them both together, as stated.

In addition to the advantages of superior product, I make alarge saving in cost of manufacture, because when the pulp is colored in the vat it takes up a much larger amount of coloring material than is employed by my process, even when both sides of the paper are colored, and some of the coloring materials are expensive.

My papers may be embossed, printed, or otherwise ornamented in the same manner as other papers of a like class, and any color or shade of color used in this art may be employed.

Having described my invention, I claim-- 1. As a new manufacture, clotlrsurface or felt paper made from uncolorcd pulp, and tinted or colored on the surface only, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. The described process of making colored felt paper, consisting in first producing an uncolored pulp, then forming the same into sheets or rolls offelt paper, and then coloring or tinting the surface only of said paper, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 28th day of July, A. D. 1886.

FREDERICK BECK.