October 28, 2009
Henry F. Belcher - Google Patents
There is a thread currently on the AGG bulletin board called Belcher Mosaics. As it happens, I gathered some links about Belcher Mosaic window patents a few months ago and haven't had the time to elaborate. So this seems as good a time as any to post them, even with limited comment...
This is an example of a Belcher Mosaic window -
Located at the Smith Museum of Stained Glass in Chicago -
via Flickrite ThroughWaters
There were at least 22 different patents issued to Henry F. Belcher for his unique processes, though only 4 of them are for the Belcher Mosaic Process. All the patents can be viewed on Google Patents. Every link goes to the Google Patents page for that patent, where you can download a pdf of the full patents, just in case you are a stained glass pack rat, like me.
This is the earliest and the most detailed of the Mosaic patents, plus the first image from that patent -
Mosaic of Glass and Lead Glazing
Henry F. Belcher, of Irvington, New Jersey
Patent number: 303359
Filing date: Oct 21, 1883
Issue date: Aug 1884
Sheet 1 - Mosaic of Glass and Lead Glazing
More from this patent, plus the 3 other Mosaic patents, plus a bonus or two after the fold...
The Belcher Mosaic technique features a unique (and devilishly hard to explain) process for making stained glass windows. In this process, glass is laid out on a surface with a gap between each piece of glass. Then another surface is placed on top of it very tightly. The whole thing is placed on its side and molten lead is poured in to fill the gap between the pieces of glass, therefore binding them together. When the two layers of 'surface' are removed there is a solid panel of glass and metal. This is compared to the traditional technique of stained glass where lead came and glass must me assembled piece by piece, then the individual metal pieces are soldered at the joints, and then the gaps cemented in to form a solid panel. The Belcher technique is very much more like a 'mosaic' technique, only using glass and metal rather than tile and grout.
Sheet 2 - Mosaic of Glass and Lead Glazing
Sheet 3 - Mosaic of Glass and Lead Glazing
You can see more Belcher Mosaic windows on the webpage from the Michigan Stained Glass Census Window of the Month page for July, 2005. Barbara Krueger, of the Michigan Census, has done extensive research on Belcher Mosaic windows.
Belcher's Post-1884 Mosaic Related Patents
MOSAIC OF GLASS AND LEAD GLAZING
Henry F. Belcher
Patent number: 317077
Issue date: May 1885
Process of Making Mosaics of Glass
Henry F. Belcher
Patent number: 396911
Filing date: May 11, 1887
Issue date: Jan 1889
MOLD FOR MAKING MOSAICS
Henry F. Belcher
Patent number: 396912
Filing date: May 11, 1887
Issue date: Jan 1889
Sheet 1 - Mold for Making Mosaics
Sheet 2 - Mold for Making Mosaics
Belcher's Luxfer Prism Patents
Belcher later worked for the Luxfer Prism company where he is credited with developing Prism-lights, with at least 18 Luxfer Prism related patents on Google Patents. The prism patents all boil down to 2 categories, ones that show the glass, and ones that showing framing and mounting systems.
Example of one showing the glass -
DESIGN FOR A PRISM-LIGHT
Henry F. Belcher
Patent number: D27327
Filing date: Jun 15, 1897
Issue date: 1897
another glass variation
DESIGN FOR A PRISM-LIGHT
Henry F. Belcher
Patent number: D27328
Filing date: Jun 15, 1897
Issue date: Jul 13, 1897
example of one showing a framing system
Method of Mounting Prism-Lights and Ornamental Glass
Henry F. Belcher
Patent number: 586227
Filing date: Apr 19, 1897
Issue date: Jul 1897
another frame/mounting variation -
FRAMING PRISM LIGHTS OR TILES
Henry F. Belcher
Patent number: 586229
Filing date: Apr 19, 1897
Issue date: Jul 13, 1897
Sheet 1 - FRAMING PRISM LIGHTS OR TILES
Sheet 2 - FRAMING PRISM LIGHTS OR TILES
Recent variations on Belcher Mosaic
The Belcher Mosaic window never quite caught on with the general public. Plus, they are notoriously difficult to repair/restore. Nevertheless, there have been a few patents put out since then for processes similar to the Belcher Mosiac, though I do not know if any have actually been made into windows.
This is a recent one, granted less than 10 years ago in 2000, and which cites a number of patents that are, in some ways, similar to the Belcher process.
Method for producing a metal matrix for mosaic structures
Andrew Eisan, Durham NC
Patent number: 6040065
Filing date: Dec 21, 1998
Issue date: Mar 21, 2000
The language on this one is especially obfuscating -
A method for producing a metal matrix (32) which binds inclusions (12,15) in a stable structure (31) so that the surface areas of two opposing sides of each inclusion (12,15) are visible, thus enabling translucency. This method comprises the steps of securing inclusions (12,15) to a temporary...