An Improved Manufacture of Artificial India Rubber, Gutta Percha, and Leather, suitable for Conversion into Varnish.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st June, 1895-Accepted, 27th July, 1895
[Communicated from abroad by ALFRED NOBEL of 59 Avenue Malakoff, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer.]
An Improved Manufacture of Artificial India Rubber, Gutta Percha,
and Leather, suitable for Conversion into Varnish.
I ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the Provisional Specification of the application for Letters Patent made by
P. A. Newton on behalf of my present correspondent on the 26th October 1893,
No. 20,234, there is described the manufacture of artificial indiarubber, by
dissolving nitrocellulose or its equivalents, hydronitrocellulose or oxynitrocellulose,
in certain non-volatile and non-explosive solvents, chiefly the nitro derivatives of
the hydrocarbons belonging to the benzol and naphthalene series.
My correspondent's subsequent researches have widened the field of such solvents,
by adding a great number of solvents hitherto unknown, or which have not
previously been used for the purpose herein set forth. Such solvents are:-
(1) The chloro and bromo derivatives of the aforesaid nitrated hydrocarbons,
especially those of nitrobenzol, nitrotoluol, nitroxylol, nitrocumol, nitrocymol ;
(2) The nitro, chloro, bromo, chloronitro, and bromonitro derivatives of camphor ;
(3) Nitrated resin oils and nitrated resin ;
(4) The methylic, ethylic, propylic, butylic, and amylic ethers of the following
acids, viz., oxalic, lactic, tartaric, citric, succinic, benzoic, hippuric, toluic, mesity-
lenic, salicylic, phthalic, and such others as are obtained by oxidation of
hydrocarbons of the benzol and naphthalene series, as well as the nitro, chloro,
bromo, chloronitro, and bromonitro derivatives of the aforesaid ethers; also the
glycerine ethers of the acetic, benzoic, and hippuric acids;
(5) The nitrophenols and their ethers;
(6) Aldehydes and ketones of high boiling point.
The aforesaid substances are not all equally good solvents, but mixed with those
which are most suitable, and of which examples are hereinafter given, or with
those mentioned in the Specification of 26th October 1893, No. 20234, they can
all be used for the purposes set forth in this Specification, and practice will decide
which, for various requirements, have to be preferred from an economical or other
point of view. Thus, for articles which are to be used indoors, the solvents made
use of should be as far as possible free from any unpleasant smell, whilst for use in
the open air, that condition is of relatively slight importance.
For artificial india-rubber or gutta percha which is to be used for electro-
insulating purposes, the solvents employed should of course be of the least
conductive kind, such as thoroughly purified nitro derivatives of hydrocarbons or
brom-camphor &c.
As examples of solvents which will give very good products, may be cited :-

page_text: E..
1 part of ethylic ether of phthalic acid
chloronitroxylol
nitronaphthalene.
1
1
99.
"
1
"
وو
nitrated résin' oil.
1
"
"
"
nitronaphthalene
nitrated resin oil.
The proportion of nitrocellulose which corresponds to a certain consistency-in
the final product, varies somewhat with the type of solvents chosen. With a
percentage of from 15 to 30 per cent. of nitrocellulose in the final product, the
material has the consistency of soft indiarubber; if the amount of nitrocellulose is
increased from 30% to 40%, the consistency will resemble that of more highly
vulcanized indiarubber, or of guttapercha; with a still higher percentage (40
to 55 %) of nitrocellulose, a product is obtained which partakes of the properties
both of india rubber and of leather; has nearly the strength of the latter'; and
may be used for many purposes to which leather is adapted:
With the addition of easily volatile, solvents such as acctone, acetic ether, amyle
acetate, methyle alcohol, ether alcohol, the material herein described will give
very, suitable varnishes. Good proportions for such purpose are:
2 parts of nitrocellulosė
1.6
"
"
non-volatile solvent
herein described,-with addition of the proportion of aforementioned volatile
solvent necessary to give a suitable fluidity. The great variation of proportion of
non-volatile solvents herein indicated is necessary, because some varnishes are
intended to be soft and pliable, and hence require a large proportion of solvent,
whilst other varnishes should be as hard as can be obtained by aid of a high
percentage of nitrocellulose.
The incorporation of nitrocellulose with the aforesaid solvents is effected as

page_text: described in the application for Patent above mentioned, with the exception only
that the solvents differ as herein described.
Those of the aforesaid solvents, which are solid at the ordinary temperature are
of course. unfit, in that state, to dissolve nitrocellulose, since two solid substances
cannot be proper solvents for one another. They must therefore either be melted,
or liquefied, by being dissolved in or combined with some other suitable substance.
Seeing that nitrocellulose is never an absolutely homogeneous substance, and that
its solubility in various solvents varies, care should be taken to find out, in practice,
which solvent is the most convenient for the nitrocellulose intended to be used.
Under equal conditions of solubility, that nitrocellulose is best for use which is
least nitrated, and bence least combustible.
Various substances finely powdered, such as, for instance, calcium carbonate or
oxalate, barium sulphate or carbonate, can be kneaded into the aforesaid elastic
material in such proportion as will not reduce its consistency or elasticity beyond
what is requisite for the purpose in view. Such substances will reduce the
combustibility of the material, and also its cost price.
Dated this 20th day of August 1894.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Manufacture of Artificial India Rubber, Gutta Percha,
and Leather, suitable for Conversion into Varnish.
I ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON of The Office for Patents, 6 Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
In the Specification of Letters Patent of P. A. Newton, obtained on behalf of
my present correspondent on the 26th October. 1893, No. 20234, there is described
the manufacture of artificial india rubber by dissolving nitrocellulose, or its
equivalents, hydronitrocellulose or oxynitrocellulose, in certain non-volatile and
non-explosive solvents, chiefly the nitro derivatives of the hydrocarbons belonging
to the benzol and naphthalene series.
My correspondent's subsequent researches have widened the field of such solvents,
by adding a great number of solvents hitherto unknown, or which have not
previously been used for the purpose herein set forth. Such solvents are:-
(1) The chloro and bromo derivatives of the aforesaid nitrated hydrocarbons,
especially those of nitro-benzol, nitrotoluol, nitroxylol, nitrocumol, nitrocymol.
(2) The nitro, chloro, bromo, chloro-nitro, and bromonitro derivatives of
camphor.
(3) Nitrated resin oils and nitrated resin.
(4) The methylic, ethylic, propylic, butylic, and amylic ethers of the following
acids, viz., oxalic, lactic, tartaric, citric, succinic, benzoic, hippuric, toluic,
mesitylenic, phthalic, as well as the nitro, chloro, bromo, chloronitro, and bromo-
nitro derivatives of the aforesaid ethers; also the glycerine ethers of the acetic,
benzoic, and hippuric acids.
(5) The ethers of nitro-phenols.
The aforesaid substances are not all equally good solvents, but mixed with those
which are most suitable, and of which examples are hereinafter given, or with
those mentioned in the Specification of 26th October 1893, No. 20234, they can all
be used for the purposes set forth in this Specification, and practice will decide
which, for various requirements, are to be preferred, from an economical or other
point of view. Thus, for articles which are to be used indoors, the solvents made.

page_text: use of should be as far as possible free from any unpleasant smell, whilst for use in
the open air, that condition is of relatively slight importance.
For artificial india rubber or gutta percha, which is to be used for electro
insulating purposes, the solvents employed should of course be of the least
conductive kind, such as brom camphor, etc.
As examples of solvents which will give very good rubber products, may be
cited
G.
1 part of ethylic ether of mesitylenic acid
chloronitroxylol
1
"
39
1
"
""
1
"
"
nitronaphthalene
nitrated resin oil.
- The proportion of nitrocellulose which corresponds to a certain consistency in
the final product, varies considerably with the type of solvents chosen ; but with a
percentage of from 15 to 30 per cent. of nitro-cellulose in the final product, the
material has generally the consistency of soft india rubber; if the amount of
nitrocellulose is increased from 30% to 40%, the consistency will resemble that
of more highly vulcanized india rubber or of gutta percha; with a still higher
percentage (40 to 55%) of nitro-cellulose, a product is obtained which partakes
of the properties both of india rubber and of leather; has nearly the strength of
the latter; and may be used for many purposes to which leather is adapted.

page_text: With the addition of easily volatile solvents, such as acetone, acetic ether, amyle
acetate, methyle alcohol, ether alcohol, the material herein described will give very
suitable varnishes. Good proportions for such purposes are :—
2 parts of nitrocellulose
1 to 6 parts of non-volatile solvent herein described, with addition of the
proportion of aforementioned volatile solvent necessary to give a suitable fluidity..
The great variation of proportion of nonvolatile solvents herein indicated is
necessary, because some varnishes are intended to be soft and pliable, and hence
require a large proportion of solvent, whilst other varnishes should be as hard as
can be obtained by aid of a high percentage of nitrocellulose.
The incorporation of nitrocellulose with the aforesaid solvents is effected as
described in the Specification of Patent No. 20234 above mentioned, with the
exception only, that the solvents differ as herein described.
Those of the aforesaid solvents which are solid at the ordinary temperature, are
of course unfit, in that state, to dissolve nitrocellulose, since two solid substances
cannot be proper solvents for one another. They must therefore either be
melted or liquified by being dissolved in, or combined with, some other suitable.
substance.
Seeing that nitro-cellulose is never an absolutely homogeneous substance, and
that its solubility in various solvents varies, care should be taken to find out, in
practice, which solvent is the most convenient for the nitrocellulose intended to be-
used. Under equal conditions of solubility that nitrocellulose is best for use which
is least nitrated, and hence least combustible.
Various substances finely powdered, such as, for instance, calcium carbonate or
oxalate, barium sulphate or carbonate can be kneaded into the aforesaid elastic-
material, in such proportion as will not reduce its consistency or elasticity beyond
what is requisite for the purpose in view. Such substances will reduce the
combustibility of the material, and also its cost price.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
The manufacture of artificial india rubber, gutta percha, and leather, and of.
varnish, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of June 1895