US2021418A - Printing and decorating by transfer on colored base materials - Google Patents

Description

1935. o. R. HUGGINS ETAL 2,021,413

PRINTING AND DECORATING BY TRANSFER ON COLORED BASE MATERIALS Filed Sept. 3, 1932 DISCHARGE AGENT WATER PROOF RESILIENT INVENTORS. OWW A. Haas/N5 Patented Nov. 1 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRINTING AND DECORATING BY TRANSFER COLORED BASE MATERIALS Owen R. Huggins and Foster Dee Snell, Brooklyn,

N. Y., assignors Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y.,

to Decorative Development, a corporation of Delaware Application September 3, 1932, Serial No. 631,730

13 Claims.

5 ored base materials and to methods of printing designs in whole and half tones on base materials.

The application of dyestuffs by printing or otherwise onto already colored surfaces of fibrous or other absorbent material hasfbeen found' objectionable because of the dulling effect of the base coloring on the appearance of the applied dyes. Up to the presenttime, it has been impossible to obtain sharp colored superimposed dyed designs and where differently colored materials have been treated, the newly dyed portions have appeared in different shades over the different base colors.

This is overcome in the present method of whole tone printing by the use of a base or background color which is susceptible to the bleaching action of a chosen discharge or bleaching agent. This discharge agent is mixed with the dye stuffs of the printed on colors, which are of course not susceptible to the action of the discharge agent. This accomplishes in one operation, the bleaching of the background color and dyeing with the printed on colors. While this procedure has been found satisfactory in whole tone printing, obviously it is not applicable to the printing of half tones, as the half tones, consisting of minute dots of color, depend on a white background for their true optical effect. Such a procedure as outlined above would result in a half tone or dot pattern interspersed with, or with a background of the original background color instead of white.

Furthermore where the printing surface is what is known as gravure etching or in other words where the variation in tone depends upon the depth of the etching and consequently the volume of color carried on the etching and therefore applied to the textile it is not possible to carry sufl'icient discharge material directly in the dye ink mixture to obtain the complete clean discharge on medium and heavy weight materials. Here again the procedure outlined above will give clean and complete discharge so as to allow for clean and brilliant tints or half tones.

The particular object of this invention is to provide a process which eliminates the above enumerated difficulties and provides a process whereby half tone mono-color or multi-color designs may be applied to colored base materials.

Another object of this invention is to provide a transfer agent composed of finely divided discharge agent, a binder and a suitable vehicle to be used for the printing of a particular portion of a colored material in a design for the purpose of changing the color therein, or of reducing the color, if the same is not susceptible to complete 1 discharge.

A further object of this invention is to provide a process whereby color may be discharged from a base material by contacting the same with a transfer sheet having applied thereon a solid area of discharge material and by liberating the discharge material through the use of a suitable liquid or other agent which may be carried by the base material or later applied thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide for th simultaneous printing of a discharge material and a dyestuff on a base material from a transfer sheet. 7

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description of a preferred form and embodiment thereof, the process set forth being illustrative and not limitative as to the scope of the present invention.

Broadly the process of one feature of the present invention comprises printing solid areas of a discharge agent in design'upon a transfer sheet and applying said transfer sheet to a colored base material in the presence of a liquid adapted to react with or dissolve the discharge agent and the binder therefore to set free an active bleaching agent which discharges the color in a design on the base material.

In accordance with the present invention and constituting another feature thereof, the dyestufl and the discharge agent are applied to the base material simultaneously. This is effected by applying to the transfer sheet in the first instance both the dye and the discharge agent, either in admixture or successively in either order. The added dyestufi in these cases obviously should 40 be one which is stable toward the discharge agent.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, half tone designs are produced on base materials. The, half tone design 45 itself is obtained upon a printing surface, either a plate or a cylinder by photo-mechanical reproduction, as by Rotogravure, lithogravure, photo-engraving or the like. The thus created printing surface is then used to accomplished the printing of the. design on the transfer sheet.

The inks used in such printing are of course dye inks having as principal contents dye stuffs not susceptible to a subsequentlyused discharge agent, a binder and a vehicle.

applied on the transfer sheet.

The discharge agent is then printed over the half tone design areas, in a solid area coinciding as to its boundaries with the half tone areas. The thus prepared transfer sheet is then contacted with the base material in the manner as hereinafter described.

The printing and transfer of such design may be carried out by any desired method although we prefer to use the particular method and apparatus as set forth more completely in an application for United States Letters Patent of Alfred 'B. Poschel, Serial No. 560,245, filed August 29, 1931.

In that application, a process is described in which a transfer sheet is coated with a film of a carrier suitable for dyestuff which is insoluble in water, alcohol, oil and similar dye solvents, and which is resilient due to a preferred rubber content, tacky to touch. While other transfer sheets can be used, this particular one has many important advantages not possessed by others.

The drawing diagrammatically illustrates a preferred form of embodiment of my apparatus in which,

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view with applied design, and

Fig. 2 is a section taken the lines 2-2 of Fig. l.

In the practice of the present invention, we propose the use of a discharge agent suitable for application to any of the usual forms of transfer sheets lllrwhether of the continuous web type, the sheet type or of any other type. 1

The discharge agent I2 is applied to the transfer sheet-in the form of a suspension in a liquid vehicle having also dissolved or dispersed therein a binder adapted to form a film with the discharge agent after application of the same to the transfer sheet and upon evaporation of the liquid vehicle. The liquid vehicle is preferably quite volatile to insure quick drying of the film. Solvents such as alcohol, benzol and other hydrocarbons are quite satisfactory. The particular solvent must be one which is inert with respect to the discharge agent used.

The binder is a material which is soluble or readily dispersable in the particular vehicle employed as well as in the liquid or other agent used to render the discharge agent in active condition. The discharge agent, binder, and vehicle mixture is hereinafter referred to as a transfer agent.

The transfer agent is rectly over the printing dyestuffs l4 previously When so applied, the printing of the new dyestuffs'on the base material may take place at substantially the same time that the color of the base material is being discharged by the liberation of the discharge material. It is essential in such application to use solvents for the discharge. agent and the binder thereof that will not affect the printing dyestuffs in such manner as to cause them to run or smudge, but which is a solvent for the dyestuffs and the binder thereof.

It is to be understood that during the application of the transfer sheet bearing the discharge agent and the dyestuffs to the base material, that a solvent which will liberate the bleaching action of the discharge agent, as well as solvents for the transfer dyestufis, must be present. This may be accomplished by the use of'a solvent which will accomplish both purposes, or by a mixture of suitable solvents, or by the alternate introduction in any order of two or of a transfer sheet substantially along preferably applied diused in conjunction with or in substitution for, 5

such solventsto insure a complete liberation of the discharge agent.

I have found that with water soluble dyes, a

discharge agent composed of commercial sodium hydrosulphite is particularly suitable. Such a 10 discharge agent is both soluble in water which may be used .during the transfer to the base material to liberate the discharge agent, and insoluble in alcohol which may be 'used as the vehicle in printing the discharge agent on the 15 transfer sheet.

One formula found to be successful as the transfer agent, consists in approximately 50% sodium hydrosulphite, 5% soap and 45% alcohol. These proportions may vary within wide ranges 20 depending on mechanical or other conditions. This transfer agent is printed on the transfer sheet in such manner as to cover the area of the dye design. The base material may be treated with the solvent or agent directly or by, indirect 25 application as by use of a moistened absorbent sheet therebeneath, so that when pressure is brought to bear on the base material, put face to face with the transfer sheet, the coloring of the base material is discharged at the point of 3(- design. This procedure will leave a white background, it being understood that the dyestuffs used to color the base material are susceptible to the bleaching action of the discharge agent.

If the transfer agent has been applied over, an under or together with the previously applied dyestuffs on the transfer sheet, the printing of the new dyestuff on the base material takes place almost immediately. The discharge agent has no effect on the new dyestuffs and the colors 40 are sharp and clear.

With different types of dye, it may be necessary to use other forms of discharge agents. Additional discharge agents suitable in the instant process include other sulphites in the al- 45 kaline class, and chromates, chlorates, nitrates, nitrites, stannous chloride and stannous oxide in the acid or neutral class. The binder as before mentioned, is soluble in at least two different solvents, one of which will not liberate the discharge agent during the printing of the discharge agent on the transfer sheet.

The binder of the discharge agent, and the discharge agent must remain permanently soluble, so that the transfer step may be accomplished even long after the printing of the transfer sheet.

In transferring the discharge agent alone or the dye and the discharge agent from the transfer sheet, it is usually sufficient to use only 60 pressure, it being understood however, that the solvent or other d'scharge liberating agent has been applied in any suitable manner. Heat may or may not be used, as desired.

The vehicle for the discharge agent and that 65 for dyestuffs applied to the transfer sheet may or may not be the same. In the present example, the vehicle for the dyestuff is water while the vehicle for the discharge agent is alcohol. The particular vehicle used obviously 70 depends upon the nature of dyestuff and of the discharge agent.

Where a resilient support or carrier is applied on the transfer sheet for supporting the dyes and/or the discharge agent, the resulting clarity of discharge and printing is greatly enhanced because of the more faithful following of the design on the base material. The discharge agent may react fully to the solvent or other agent during the transfer operation. If, however, a more complete discharge is desired, the base material may be passed through a suitable hot bath or other treatment to bring about the desired results.

An alternate method of practising this invention, comprises printing the design on the transfer sheet, the discharge agent being mixed thoroughly with the printing dyestuffs and a binder in an inert volatile liquid vehicle, and subsequently transferring the design to a base material colored with dyestuffs susceptible to the discharge agent in the presence of a solvent for the printing dyestufi and a liberating agent for the discharge agent.

A further method of practising my invention, comprises the. above described procedure when the desgn is printed as by photo-mechanical means in a dot or line formation and a further printing on the transfer sheet of a solid area of discharge agent adapted to coincide at its boundaries with the dot or line areas. It is also possible, where registry of designs can be obtained, to separately discharge the base color in the de- 5 gn area and to subsequently print the design from any suitable source such as the transfer described in the application of A. B. Poschel heretofore mentioned. This would require a removal of the discharge agent applying material and under some operating conditions superior results may be obtained.

While we have described a preferred embodiment of our invention, we are aware that other substances having the necessary properties hereinbefore described may be used and we therefore desire a broad interpretation of our invention limited only by the scope and spirit of the description herein and of the claims appended hereto.

We claim:'

. 1. The process of printing designs on colored base materials comprising applying to a transfer sheet a half tone design in dye, said design being produced through the use of a photo-mechanical reproduction, applying to said sheet over the areas covered by said dye a' solid area of discharge agent, contacting said sheet under pressure against the base material, in the presence of an agent adapted to cause said discharge agent to become active to bleach out the color in portions of said base material and an agent adapted to carry the dye from said transfer sheet to said base material.

2. The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said discharge agent is sodium hydrosulphite.

Y 3. The process in accordance with claim 1' wherein said discharge agent is held in a film on said transfer sheet by a binder composed of a soap which'is soluble in water and in a nonaqueous solvent with which the discharge agent does not react.

4. The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the face of said transfer sheet is composed of a resilient material insoluble in and impermeable to the agent employed to liberate the discharge agent and to carry the dye into the base material.

5. The process of printing half tone designs on colored material comprising, applying a solid discharge agent to the areas of a. transfer sheet which are coincident with the half tone design, contacting said sheet with the colored base material under pressure in the presence of an agent adapted to liberate the discharge agent, and discharge the color of the base material throughout 5 the coincident areas, removing said sheet and printing into the areas of said base material from which the color has been removed a half tone design produced through the use of photomechanical reproduction. l0

6. The process of printing designs on colored base materials as claimed in claim 1 in which a further step of treatment includes the application of an agent to complete the liberation of the discharge agent. to

7. A transfer sheet for substituting half tone designs in whole tone discharge areas on a base material which comprises a resilient insoluble, im permeable and stable support having a half tone design of dyestuff thereon, and a solid full tone 20 layer of discharge agent conforming to the,out line of the half tone design, said discharge agent being on top and a permanently soluble binder for said discharge agent.

8. A transfer sheet, comprising a waterproof 25 resilient support having printed thereon a multicolor half tone design, a solid layer discharge agent of finely divided sodium hydrosulphite conforming to the outline of the design and a water soluble binder for said discharge agent, said half 30 tone design being releasable in the presence of water.

9. The process of half tone color printing on an already colored base material by transfer which comprises applying a photomechanically repro- $5 duced half tone design color to a transfer sheet, subsequently applying a full tone discharge agent conforming to the design on the transfer sheet, applying an activating agent to said base material to activate the discharge agent to remove color 40 from the base material and applying a transfer agent to said base material to transfer the dyestuif of said color design from said transfer sheet to said base material and simultaneously pressing said sheet against the base material. 45

10. The process of half tone color printing on an already colored base material by transfer which comprises applying a photomechanically reproduced half tone design color to a transfer sheet, subsequently applying a full tone discharge 50 agent conforming to the design on the transfer sheet, applying an activating agent to said base material to activate the discharge agent to remove color from the base material, applying a transfer agent to said base material to transfer 55 the dyestufi of said color design from said transfer sheet to said base material, simultaneously pressing said sheet against the base material and applying an agent to complete the liberation m of the discharge agent.

11. The method of printing half tone designs on colored base materials which comprises the steps of discharging the color from a predetermined area of the base material and simulta- M neously applying a half tone color design to the discharged area, said color discharge and half tone design being carried on a transfer sheet, contacting said base material under pressure in the presence of a solvent for the dyestuif of said 7 color design which solvent is also one adapted to liberate the discharge agent and make the same active.

a 12. A transfer sheet for printing half tone designs on a colored base material by discharging 15 whole tone discharge areas on the base material which comprises an initial supporting portion which is insoluble, impermeable and stable, an intermediate half tone design of a water soluble dye and a solid full tone layer of commercial sodium hydrosulphite, soap and alcohol, said soap constituting approximately 5% of the design coating and the alcohol constituting approximately 45% of the design coating, said transfer sheet under pressure adapted to apply halfiaone colors shaded from a colorless backgroimd-to the material to be printed.

13. The process of printing halt tone designs on a colored base material which comprises the steps of discharging solid color areas from said base material, such areas being coincident with a halt tone design to be applied thereto, and printing said discharged area with a half tone design produced through the use of photo-mechancial reproduction, said discharging step and printing step being accomplished under pressure.

OWEN R. HUGGINS. FOSTER DEE SNELL.

Images