US780206A - Negative-plate for photographic printing and process of making same. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JAN. 17, 1905.

W. J. LITTLE. NEGATIVE PLATE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINTING AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1904.

\k/ENTEIR. fXLQza 1 UNITED STATES Patented January 17, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

NEGATIVE-PLATE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING AND PROCESS OF MAKING SAME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 780,206, dated January 1'7, 1905.

Application filed March 19, 1904. Serial No. 199,034.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JAY LITTLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newton, inthe county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Negative-Plates for Photographic Printing and Processes of Making the Same, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a negative-plate for photographic printing and the process of making the same, meaning a process by which a prepared plate may be obtained from which the image of cut or incised lines produced by etching may be printed or reproduced by the action of light upon some photographic or sensitized surface, and this, moreover, by the lines showing with varying degrees of light and shadow corresponding in relative degree of similitude or tone with the light or shadow of the subject from which the etching is taken.

The plate can best be seen and the process for making it better understood by reference to the drawings.

Referring, therefore, to the drawings, Figure 1 shows the plate in plan. Fig. 2 shows a cross-section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows in plan a variation thereof to which special reference will hereinafter be made.

The process consists, first, in the treatment of a plate A, coated with some etching surface or ground A. I prefer a plate like that described in my copending divisional application, entitled Prepared plates for making graphic negatives, filed October 17, 1904., Serial No. 228,720, which plate, as there described, is transparent or at least translucent and has an etching surface or ground likewise transparent or translucent. The etching-plate is placed directly over or in front of the subject from which the etching is taken. By looking through the plate and its etching surface or ground the subject B maybe outlined by cuts or incisions made in the etching surface or ground. Into these incisions, or some of them, are then rubbed various actinic or nonactinic substances or colors, after which the smooth outer surface of the etching-ground is wiped off, leaving the colors filled in the etched lines or incisions.

It is well known in the art that some colors are more actinic than others. The more actinic colors are more potent to let light through them to act upon photographic or sensitized surfaces. I therefore in filling the etched lines or incisions make use of colors varying in actinism in obtaining lighter or darker line effects in the following manner: If a negative is first to be obtained from the prepared plate, then a non-actinic color is rubbed into the etched lines corresponding with the darkest shades of the subject, and colors more actinic are rubbed into those lines corresponding with the lighter shades. The colors used depend, of course, upon the degree of shade desired to be obtaine l. WVith a plate thus prepared a negative is taken in the usual manner simply by inverting the plate and placing it in contact with a sensitized plate or film and then exposing both to the light. The effect is that the light strikes through the prepared plate and its color-filled lines and being affected by the colors depending upon their degree of actinism acts upon the sensitized plate or film with various light and shade effects reversely corresponding with those in the subject. WVhen a print, however, is taken from the negative, the lines will show correctly in proper light and shade effects with the subject. The print is taken in the usual manner simply by placing the plate in contact with photographic paper or some sensitized surface and exposing both to the light.

A positive may be taken directly from the prepared plate, under which circumstances, as shown in Fig. 3, the etching surface or ground is first made or coated with some very nonactinic substance or color A, which preferably is translucent in order that the etching may be made by looking through the plate at the subject, as before explained. The etching having been made, the incisions or lines thereof are then filled with various colors, those more actinic beingfilled in lines corresponding with the darker shades of the subject and the colors less actinic being filled into the lines corresponding with the shades that are lighter, with the effect that when a print is taken by placingthe prepared platein contact with some photographic or sensitized surface and subjecting the same to the light then a print will be obtained comparing in degree of light and shade with the light and shade effects of the subject from which the etching is taken, for the nonactinic coloring covering the main surface of the prepared plate will prevent the rays of light from acting upon the sensitized surface, whereby the same will be left uncolored comparing with the background of the subject copied, While the light will print through the lines filled with the actinic colors darkening the sensitized surface, the shade of the lines depending upon the actinism of the colors filling the lines.

In so far as the term color has been used in this specification it is used in the sense of powders, pigments, or paints of various colors possessing different properties of actinism, this being the essential property taken advantage of, for which purpose black is considered a color as possessing some degree of less or greater actinism. I would also be understood in using the terms actinic or non-actinic as meaning by actinic an instrumentality or substance more potent to let light through it to effect chemical changes and by non-actinic an instrumentality or substance less potent to let light through it to effect chemical changes.

By means of my plate I am enabled to make a photographic etching without the use of a camera, the lines showing with delicate shades of light and darkness producing a most beautiful and artistic effect.

I claim 1. The process of preparing a plate for photographic printing consisting in outlining upon a plate coated with some etching surface or ground a subject by cuts or incisions in the etching surface or ground and then filling these cuts or incisions or some of them with colors having different actinic properties de pendent upon the light and shade effects desired to be obtained.

2. The process of preparing a plate for photographic printing consisting in placing a transparent or translucent plate coated with some transparent or translucent etching surface or ground over the subject to be etched,

outlining the subject looked at through the plate by lines or incisions made in the etching surface or ground and then filling these lines or incisions or some of them with colors having different actinic properties.

3. The process of preparing a plate for photographic printing consisting in placing a plate coated with some transparent or translucent but non-actinic etching surface or ground over the subject to be etched and outlining the subject by cuts or incisions made in the etching surface or ground.

4. The process of preparing a plate for photographic printing consisting in outlining upon a plate coated with a non-actinic etching surface or ground a subject by incisions or cuts in the etching surface or ground and then filling these cuts or incisions or some of them with colors having different actinic properties dependent upon the light or shade eifects desired-to be obtained.

5. A prepared plate for photographic printing having an etching surface or ground on which a subjeetis outlined by lines or incisions cut into said etching surface or ground, and which lines or incisions or some of them are filled with colors having different actinic proporties.

6. A prepared plate for photographic printing which has a transparent or translucent etching surface or ground, with lines or incisions representing a subject cut in said etching surface or ground, which lines or incisions or some of them are filled with colors having different actinic properties.

7. A prepared plate for photogra 'ihic printing, which plate is transparent or translucent but has a non actinic etching surface or ground, with lines or incisions cut in said etching surface or ground corresponding with some subject, which lines or incisions or some of them are filled with colors having different actinic properties.

8. A prepared plate for photographic printing having a non-actinic etching surface or ground, with lines or incisions cut therein corresponding with a subject, which lines or incisions or a portion of them are filled with colors l'iaving different actinic properties.

ILLIAM JAY Ll'l TLE.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. R. HAYES, J. M. DOLAN.

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