Printing Without Ink.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8051, 19 February 1906, Page 4

Printing Without Ink.

What purports to be a revolution in the graphic arts is known as the Physiotype Process ol printing without ink, and was recently shown to the Royal Society by Mr. Francis Sheridan, the inventor. Tiie process is as follows:—The article of which it is desired to obtain a facsimile print is placed upon a piece of paper having a suitable surface, and is pressed'for a few seconds either by the hand or in a copying press, or. by other suitable means. The impression is, of course, almost invisible, The paper is then slipped into a case containing a powder the nature of which is necessarily a sec-rot. The case is slightly shaken, in order that the powder may be properly distributed over the surface of the paper. The latter is then withdrawn frointhecase, and any superfluous powder shaken off. A print has now been In order to render the print permanent and secured, but so far it is not permanent, indelible, it merely remains to place the paper between two sheets of blotting-paper, dampened with a very weak solution of glycerine and water—the etlect of the glycerine being to retard evaporation. As each stageoccupies but a few seconds, the whole operation from start to finish could, if necessary, be perfouned i»4 minute or two/ -The piint which can be made in almost any colour, is perfectly qlear, and portrays the minutest hair lines in absolute facsimile of theoriginal. It is, in fact, as clear as the best photograph The process can be directly applied to lithography. It also affords a means of obtaining designj onglass* enamel, metal, etc., by a direct process. It will be especially useful in Nature study and botany.