US372094A - Adolph thommen - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH THOMMEN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS OF REPRO DUCING NATURAL LEAVES.

ESPECIIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,094, dated October 25, 1887.

- Application filed June 29, 1887. Serial No. 242,833. (No snecim us.)

of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide a process and means for reproducing leaves, flowers, wings of insects, shells, or other articlesin metal, and to accomplish the result more block of the desired size.

perfectly than by the ordinary methods and means and at a greatly-reduced cost. Heretofore it has been the custom to engrave the forms or patterns from which the dies are cast or made at great expense, requiring skilled labor of a high degree, by which means it is frequently impossible to get aperfectimit-ation of nature in metal, no matter how much labor or skill may be employed. By my improved process a perfect reproduction of a natural leaf or other object, no matter how delicate its texture, can be readily secured,and at a mere nominal expense.

The invention consists in the process substantially as follows: I take, forexample, the natural leaf or flower and place it in proper position in a receptacle containing sand or other analogous granulated material, laying the leaf on the top of the sand, and, where the delicacy of the leaf or whatever object I desire demands it, covering the same with athin solution of shellac. This, however, is not necessary in coarser objects. I now prepare a thin solution of plaster-of-paris and apply the same with a light brush to the upper surface of the object, applying a film of greater or less thickness, according to the nature of the case, and after the same has dried I'prepare a box-like form of sufficient size to receive a larger quantity of plaster, so as to make a The leaf before referred to, having become set and stiff, I carefully lift the same from the sand with an appropriate instrument, and with a delicate brush carefully brush away the sand or other objectionable material therefrom. I then apply a light coatingof oil to the surface of the leaf which has come in contact with the sand, to prevent it fron'radhering. The box being filled with plaster of the desired consistency, I now carefully embed the leaf therein, the oiled side upward, using great care in the operation, so as not to injure the leaf in any way. When this operation has been completed to my satisfaction, I leave it until the plaster has become sufficiently dry and hard. I now remove the box which contains the plaster, and with a suitable instrument or tool trim oifthe corners of the block and carefully remove all the surplus plaster from around the edges of the leaf, using great care not to mar or break the edges or surface of the leaf in any way. This being done, I set the cast one side and allow it to become thoroughly dry, after which,

with suitable'instruments, I carefully remove the leaf, leaving an absolutely perfect impression thereof in the plaster cast. I then coat the whole block with shellac and have metal dies cast therefrom, (male and female,) from which I can take any number of impressions in metal, such as gold, silver, or any other metal, which will be absolutely perfect,

from which dies I can strike up from metal any number of duplicates of the leaf or other object which has been impressed, leaving no work for the jeweler or engraver other than sometimes to trim off the edges where it is necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. The process herein described of producing on metal designs of flowers, leaves, wings of insects, shells, and other articles by carefully embedding anatural leaf, flower, or other object in sand or other analogous granulated material held in a suitable receptacle, then applying to the upper surface of the leaf a bedding the leaf in the plaster cast of the desired consistency, with the oiled side upward, leaving it therein until the plaster has become sand with the aid of an appropriate instrument, then after carefully brushing away the sand or other objectionable matter therefrom sufiieiently dry and hard, then trimming off applying a light coating of oil to the surf-nee the corners of said cast or block and carefully removing the surplus plaster from around the edges of the leaf, then carefully removing the leaf from said cast, leaving" an absolutely perfeetimpression thereofin the plaster east, and then covering the whole block or east with shellac and having metal dies cast therefrom, from which any number of absolutely perfect impressions in metal, such as gold, silver, can be taken, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The process herein described of produe ing on metal designs of leaves, flowers, wings ofinseets, shells, and other articles by carefully embedding a natural leaf, flower, 01 other object in sand or other analogous granulated material held in a suitable receptacle, and, where the delicacy of the leaf or other object demands it, covering the upper surface of the same with a thin solution of shellac, then ap plying thereon a film composed of a solution of plaster-of-paris, and after said film is dry and the leaves have become set and stiff care fully lifting or removing the same from the of the leaf which has come in contact with sand, then carefully embedding the leaf in a plaster east of the desired consistency, with the oiled side upward, leaving it therein until the plaster has become sufficiently hard and dry, then trimming off the corners of said block or east and carefully removing the surplus plaster from around the edges of the leaf, then earefull y removing the leaf from said cast,leaving an absolutely perfect impression thereof in the plaster east, and then covering the whole block or cast with shellac and having metal dies east therefrom, from which any number of ahsolutel y perfect impressions in metal, such as gold, silver, 850., can be taken, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of June, 1887.

ADOLPH THOMMEN.

Witnesses:

OLIVER DRAKE, CHARLES H. PELL.