GB1571982A

GB1571982A - Transfers

Info

Publication number: GB1571982A
Application number: GB4762175A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Johnson Matthey PLC
Current assignee: Johnson Matthey PLC
Priority date: 1975-11-19
Filing date: 1975-11-19
Publication date: 1980-07-23
Also published as: FR2347203A1; FR2347203B3; ES453475A1; DE2652682A1; NL7612738A; JPS5274418A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TRANSFERS (71) We, JOHNSON, MATTHEY & BR< COMPANY LIMITED, a British Company, of 43 Hatton Garden, London, ECIN 8EE do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be gritted to us and the method bv which it is to he performed. to be particularly described in and by the following statement: l'his invention relates to a method of ind means for applying a decorative or other pattern to ceramic, glass, metal, and enamelled metal ware.

A technique presently used in the glassware and other industries, for the production on an article, for decorative or other purposes, of an etched, frosted or ''crinkly'' surface or of a surface provided with ridges or projections arranged in a pattern or in a random manner, is to dust small ground glass fragments or fragments of crushed porcelain or a mixture of such fragments of glass and porcelain onto a layer of a tacky adhesive formed in a requisite pattern on the article and then to fire the article.When crushed porcelain alone is used the tacky adhesive pattern is formed on a layer of glass powder or flux which is in turn secured to the article so that on firing. the glass flux bonds the crushed porcelain to the article.

The method just described for the production of a "crinkly" surface is applicable, inter alia to ceramic glass, metal or enamelled metal ware and especially when used to apply coloured glass "crinkle" to glassware.

is capable of producing a most attractive etched. frosted or crinklv appearance on the ware. In large scale production. however.

the method just described is expensive since the dusting operation has to be carried out bv hand on each individual item and one object of the present invention is to overcome this disavantage.

Throughout the remainder of this specification and claims the term "crinkle" is defined as small fragments or particles of glass and/or crushed porcelain having a mesh size of 3() to 200 BS mesh, and the "crinkle" may be intermingled with colour and/or other additives. The glass fragments or particles may be whoily or partly of coloured glass. The article to which "crinkle" has been applied is described as having a "crinkly" appearance or a "crinkly" surface.

According to one aspect of this invention a transfer for the application of a composition for producing a "crinkly appearance" comprises a backing sheet having a release layer on one surface thereof, an adhesive layer applied directly to at least selected areas of the release layer, "crinkle" (as herein defined) applied to the areas of adhesive and a cover coat covering at least the said areas. Conveniently, the adhesive is an adhesive varnish, The release layer is preferably a water soluble layer but other release layers may be used. In a modification. when the "crinkle" consists of particles of crushed porcelain, a layer of glass powder or flux is interposed between the release layer and the adhesive layer. Preferably, the layer of glass powder or flux lies within and conforms to the shape of the adhesive layer.

The adhesive varnish layer and hence the areas of "crinkle" may be continuous or discontinuous and may define a design for decorative purposes, for example, leaves or geometric or non-geometric shapes. Alternatively. the "crinkle" may define an area affording non-slip properties.

When glass "crinkle" is employed it may be of plain glass and is preferably of borosilicate glass. It may also contain one or more ceramic colours and/or other dispersed oxides so as to give a coloured effect, the type and quantity of these colours and/or oxides present depending upon the effect required.

Alternatively, the "crinkle" may comprise ground-up coloured glass. For details of suitable glasses. see "Coloured Glasses" by W.A.Weyl, Dawson's of Pall Mall. London, l95t).

A transfer according to the invention may also embody. in association with one or more areas of "crinkle". one or more areas printed with one or more of the following: (i) oparl"e gloss enamels; (ii) transparent glass ellallldlS: (iii) decorative metals. such as copper. silver or gold, in flake, dust or resinate I'onn. or as previously indicated, (iv) glass powder or flux. When such a transfer embodies printed areas of gold. it is preferred that best glass gold, or flake, or dust gol(l is used.

We have now found that the use of these transfers provides an acceptable and lowpriced method of applying a "crinkly appearance" to glass, ceramic ware and enamelled medal ware.

A further feature of this invention com prises glass. ceramic and enamelled metal ware decorlted by the use of transfers according to this invention.

In the manufacture of such transfers a number of difficulties arise. Glass "crinkle" usually contains very fine and very coarse glass particles. 'l'he coarse particles are too large to be applied to the transfer by the normal screen-printing techniques and the fine particles form a dust. The presence of such a dust precludes controlled application to the adhesive varnish layer. Furthermore.

particles which may adhere to the gummed backing sheet that is in a position outside the selected areas of adhesive varnish.

cannot be physically removed without also damaging the design formed of "crinkle".

An even distribution of heavy particles of "crinkle" is required as this gives the best appearance. The final and fired "crinkly appearance" depends upon controlled selection of particle size and. preferably. the "crinkle" has a mesh size falling within one or other of the ranges 30 - 60 and 60 - 120 BS Mesh. Such a "crinkle" appearance can be obtained as previously indicated by hand dusting directly onto the ware but great care is required and the resulting decoration is correspondingly more expensive than transfer decoration proposed by the present invention.

According to a further feature of this invention. a method of making transfers for applying a "crinkly appearance" to an article. for example glass. ceramic and enamelled metal ware. comprises applying a layer of adhesive to selected areas of a release layer carried bv a backing sheet. applying a laver of "crinkie" (as herein defined) to the adhesive laver. removing extraneous particles of the "crinkle" which are not applied to the adhesive. and applying a covercoat coating at least the said areas. Preferably, the extraneous particles of "crinkle" are removed by an air (or gas) blast or by suction.

The "crinkle" particles and/or fragments may include a ceramic colour. The particles and/or fragments are preferably pre-treated by washing with an aqueous solution of a surface active agent such as sodium stearate and rinsing with water, the washing step being carried out with agitation. The 'crinkle le" particles and/or fragments are allowed to dry completely before use.

A number of adhesive varnish compositions may be used. Typical compositions of suitable varnishes are: (a) Highly plasticised acrvlic resin such as a pol.ybutylmethacrylate with dioctyl phthalate; (b) NEon-drying alkyd resin such as Beckasol (Rssistered Trade Mark) 416: (c) Plasticised ester gum such as Stavbelite (Registered Trade Mark) Ester 3 (Hercules Powder Co.): (d) Plasticised esterified resin such as Pentalyn (Registered Trade Mark) 860.

The "crinkle" is applied to the adhesive varnish layer while the latter is still tacky.

The use of "crinkle" in the design layer does not preclude the use of other forms of decoration either in the transfer or applied directly to the ware. In cases where other decoration is present on the transfer paper.

the "crinkle" layer must be applied last as this is most susceptible to physical damage and further decoration cannot be successfully applied to it.

The particles and/or fragments of "crinkle" may be applied using a shaking device or dispenser comprising a machine having means for feeding by agitation and/or gravity a metered quantity of particles of "crinkle" to a spreader distributing equal quantities onto the transfer sheet in equal times.

Another method is to pass the sheet bearing the adhesive varnish through a trough of "crinkle" by hand. A uniform layer is thus spread over the sheet. Excess particles and/or fragments of "crinkle" are removed so that only those particles and/or fragments adhering to the adhesive varnish layer remain. Small particles and/or fragments adhering to the gummed backing sheet are removed bv air suction. Forced extraction is to be preferred so as to minimise the possible air-borne lead hazard which might otherwise exist.

In cases where a ceramic colour is used in the "crinkle", the colour should either be pre-treated by washing with a surface active agent as described above for the "crinkle" or it should be already free of fine particles.

After cleaning by air suction. a covercoat comprising any one of the conventional covercoat formulations known in the art is applied over the whole sheet or to those parts of the sheet on which the pattern areas of adhesive are applied. This operation is usually caried out be screen-printing.

Application to the ware will normally be by the known water-slide techniques. After application of the transfer the ware is fired in the normal wav.

A transfer embodying crushed porcelain "crinkle" mav with advantage be used for the application of one or more areas of suh "crinkle" to. for example. the working surface of a mould, and especiallv to the working surface of a mould for the fabrication of rubber articles.

In particular. a transfer according to the invention seems to be especially well adapted to the application of one or more areas of such crushed porcelain "crinkle" to the porcelain surfaces of moulds for the fabrication of rubber gloves. After the application of the "crinkle" in this way, the moulds are fired to bond the " crinkle" to the surfaces of the moulds.

When moulds so treated are subsequently used for the fabrication of rubber gloves, the areas of "crinkle" give rise to corresponding areas in the gloves which are roughened, or ridged or provided with some other pattern. and. accordingly, have good non-slip properties. It is thus advantageous to apply "crinkle" to those parts of the mould which correspond to the palms and the inner surfaces of the thumb and fingers of the gloves. Generally the mount is made in the form of a human hand and the glove is formed bv dip-coating the hand with a latex composition and then peeling the coating off the mould when set. It is accordingly preferable. although by no means essential. to apply the areas of "crinkle" to recesses in the mould designed to accept them.In this way the non-slip areas may be formed level with or slightly proud of the neighbouring surfaces of the gloves. If desired. however, the areas may be applied to the surface of the mould therebv avoiding the need to form recesses in the mould surface.

It is especially advantageous to use "short-fired" porcelain for the crushed porcelain as the "crinkle" because when such "crinkle" is subsequentlv fired on a surface. the porcelain fragments lose their sharp edges and corners. By "short-fired" porcelain is meant porcelain fired at a lower temperature than usual. and, typically, within the range 900"C to llü0 C.

In a transfer according to the invention the glass flux is advantageously formed from borosilicate glass and the crushed porcelain is formed from porcelain fired at temperatures within the range 950"C to l()500C.

Preferably the crushed procelain has mesh sizes within the size ranges 3()-60. 60-120 and 12()-200 BS Mesh.

Although the use of transfers according to the invention for the application of crushed porcelain containing "crinkle" to rubber glove moulds has been described, many other uses are possible. The transfers could, for example, be used to apply "crinkle" in specified patterns, such as monograms for example, to moulds or rollers so that these patterns will be formed in the articles moulded or rolled. The transfer according to the invention may also be used for applying surface patterns to moulds for producing textured surfaces on sheets of plastics and other materials as well as. for example, non-slip patterns to the decks of yachts.

One form of transfer in accordance with the present invention is shown, by way of example in the accompanying cross section- al drawing. In the drawing, 1 is a backing sheet made from materials well known in the art such as Kraft paper; 2 is a layer of water soluble gum applied to one surface of the backing sheet; 3 is a layer of flux (ground glass) applied to the whole or selected areas of the gum layer; 4 is a tacky or adhesive layer; 5 is a layer of "crinkle" in the form of crushed porcelain, and 6 is a conventional covercoat layer.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A transfer for the application of a composition for producing a crinkly appear ance comprising a backing sheet having a release layer on one surface thereof. an adhesive layer applied directly to at least selected areas of the release layer, "crinkle" (as herein defined) applied to the areas of adhesive and a covercoat covering at least the said areas.

2. A modification of the transfer according to claim 1 wherein the crinkle includes particles of crushed porcelain and a layer of glass powder or flux is interposed between the release layer and the adhesive layer.

3. A transfer according to claim 2 wherein the layer of glass powder or flux lies within and conforms to the shape of the adhesive layer.

4. A transfer according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the glass in the "crinkle" is borosilicate glass.

5. A transfer acording to any one of claims 1 to 4. including in association with one or more areas of crinkle, one or more areas printed with at least one of the following: i) opaque glass enamels; ii) transparent glass enamels; iii) decorative metals selected from the group consisting of copper, silver and gold in flake, dust or resinate form, and iv) glass powder or flux.

6. A transfer according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the "crinkle" has a mesh size falling within the range 30 to 60, 60 to 120 or 120 to 200 BS mesh.

7. A transfer according to any one of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of adhesive are applied. This operation is usually caried out be screen-printing. Application to the ware will normally be by the known water-slide techniques. After application of the transfer the ware is fired in the normal wav. A transfer embodying crushed porcelain "crinkle" mav with advantage be used for the application of one or more areas of suh "crinkle" to. for example. the working surface of a mould, and especiallv to the working surface of a mould for the fabrication of rubber articles. In particular. a transfer according to the invention seems to be especially well adapted to the application of one or more areas of such crushed porcelain "crinkle" to the porcelain surfaces of moulds for the fabrication of rubber gloves. After the application of the "crinkle" in this way, the moulds are fired to bond the " crinkle" to the surfaces of the moulds. When moulds so treated are subsequently used for the fabrication of rubber gloves, the areas of "crinkle" give rise to corresponding areas in the gloves which are roughened, or ridged or provided with some other pattern. and. accordingly, have good non-slip properties. It is thus advantageous to apply "crinkle" to those parts of the mould which correspond to the palms and the inner surfaces of the thumb and fingers of the gloves. Generally the mount is made in the form of a human hand and the glove is formed bv dip-coating the hand with a latex composition and then peeling the coating off the mould when set. It is accordingly preferable. although by no means essential. to apply the areas of "crinkle" to recesses in the mould designed to accept them.In this way the non-slip areas may be formed level with or slightly proud of the neighbouring surfaces of the gloves. If desired. however, the areas may be applied to the surface of the mould therebv avoiding the need to form recesses in the mould surface. It is especially advantageous to use "short-fired" porcelain for the crushed porcelain as the "crinkle" because when such "crinkle" is subsequentlv fired on a surface. the porcelain fragments lose their sharp edges and corners. By "short-fired" porcelain is meant porcelain fired at a lower temperature than usual. and, typically, within the range 900"C to llü0 C. In a transfer according to the invention the glass flux is advantageously formed from borosilicate glass and the crushed porcelain is formed from porcelain fired at temperatures within the range 950"C to l()500C. Preferably the crushed procelain has mesh sizes within the size ranges 3()-60. 60-120 and 12()-200 BS Mesh. Although the use of transfers according to the invention for the application of crushed porcelain containing "crinkle" to rubber glove moulds has been described, many other uses are possible. The transfers could, for example, be used to apply "crinkle" in specified patterns, such as monograms for example, to moulds or rollers so that these patterns will be formed in the articles moulded or rolled. The transfer according to the invention may also be used for applying surface patterns to moulds for producing textured surfaces on sheets of plastics and other materials as well as. for example, non-slip patterns to the decks of yachts. One form of transfer in accordance with the present invention is shown, by way of example in the accompanying cross section- al drawing. In the drawing, 1 is a backing sheet made from materials well known in the art such as Kraft paper; 2 is a layer of water soluble gum applied to one surface of the backing sheet; 3 is a layer of flux (ground glass) applied to the whole or selected areas of the gum layer; 4 is a tacky or adhesive layer; 5 is a layer of "crinkle" in the form of crushed porcelain, and 6 is a conventional covercoat layer. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A transfer for the application of a composition for producing a crinkly appear ance comprising a backing sheet having a release layer on one surface thereof. an adhesive layer applied directly to at least selected areas of the release layer, "crinkle" (as herein defined) applied to the areas of adhesive and a covercoat covering at least the said areas.

7. A transfer according to any one of

claims I to 6 wherein the adhesive is an adhesive vanish.

8. A transfer according to claim 7 wherein the adhesive varnish is selected from the group consisting of a plasticised acrvlic resin. a non-drying alkyd resin, a plasticised estergum and a plasticised esterified resin.

9. A method of making a transfer for applying a "crinkly" appearance to an article, comprising applying a layer of adhesive to selected areas of a release layer carried by a backing sheet. applying a layer of "crinkle" (ns herein defined) to the adhesive layer removing extraneous particles of the "crink- le" which are not applied to the adhesive.

and applying a covercoat coating at least the said areas.

1(). A method according to claim 9 wherein extraneous particles of crinkle are removed by blowing or by suction.

11. A method according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the crinkle is crushed porcelain fired at a temperature within the range 95() C to ltb()CC.

13. A method of making an article having decorative or non-slip areas obtained using a transfer as claimed in any one of claims I to 8.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein the transfer is applied to a mould for making a glove and wherein the transfers are applied to those parts of the mould corresponding to the palms and the inner surfaces of the thumb and fingers of the gloves.

14. A transfer constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown on the accompanting drawing.

15. A method of making a transfer substantially as hereinbefore described.