AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF CLEANING IMITATION CARVING PRO
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Augusto Guattari, of Paris, in the Republic of France,
and temporarily of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an
Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF CLEANING IMITATION CARVING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Augusto Guattari at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th December 1880.
"
AUGUSTO GUATTARI, of Paris, in the Republic of France, and temporarily of
AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
CLEANING IMITATION CARVING ON WOOD PRODUCED BY CHARRING OR BURNING
AWAY THE WOOD."
This Invention relates to a process or processes of cleaning imitation carvings on
wood produced by the action of heat or heat and pressure combined, and
particularly by the process for which Letters Patent were granted to Alexander
Melville Clark, dated March 1st, 1878, No. 843. According to the said process the
wood is subjected to a series of gradual pressures in red hot metallic moulds,
whereby portions of the wood are charred or burnt away, leaving the design
in relief.
c
The present Invention has for its object to remove the bituminous products and
the charred or carbonised particles which blacken the "carved" or moulded surface
of the wood and to thoroughly clean the said surface. To this end the wood, after
being "carved" or moulded by charring as above described, is immersed in a lye of
caustic soda or potash such as used by soap boilers.
In certain cases, when it is not desired to avoid darkening the color of the wood,
an ammoniacal lye may be employed. The time of immersion depends upon the nature
of the wood and the strength of the lye. On removal from the lye the "carved"
or moulded surface is carefully brushed, and is then immersed in a bath of oxalic
acid to neutralise the basic liquor absorbed by and inoistening the surface of the
wood. The strength of this acid bath and the time of immersion therein also
depend on the nature of the wood, but more especially upon the kind of lye in

page_text: which it has been previously immersed. After removal from the acid bath the
wood is dried, and the crystalline deposit with which it becomes encrusted in
drying is brushed off and the wood finally washed freely in water.
Although I have mentioned the use of potash, soda, or ammonia, followed by
neutralisation with oxalic acid, I would have it understood that I do not limit
myself thereto, as many other chemical agents will give the same result; for
instance, the lye moistening and absorbed by the wood may be saturated by any
other mineral or vegetable acid not liable to act injuriously on the wood, and the
operation may be commenced by an acid bath and followed by neutralisation by a
suitable base or basic salt.
In short, both the lyes and baths may be varied, the Invention comprising all
analogous methods of attacking the bituminous products resulting from the
carbonisation of the wood followed by a suitable neutralisation whereby the wood
is cleaned and rendered non-hygrometric.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Augusto Guattari in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th June
1881.
AUGUSTO GUATTARI, of Paris, in the Republic of France, and temporarily of
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF
CLEANING IMITATION CARVING ON WOOD PRODUCED BY CHARRING OR BURNING
AWAY THE WOOD."
This Invention relates to a process or processes of cleaning imitation carvings on
wood produced by the action of heat or heat and pressure combined, and particularly
by the process for which Letters Patent were granted to Alexander Melville Clark,
dated March 1st, 1878, No. 843. According to the said process the wood is
subjected to a series of gradual pressures in red hot metallic moulds, whereby
portions of the wood are charred or burnt away, leaving the design in relief.
The present Invention has for its object to remove the bituminous products and
the charred or carbonised particles which adhere to and blacken the "carved" or
moulded surface of the wood, and to thoroughly clean the said surface. To this
end the wood, after being "carved" or moulded by charring as above described, is
immersed in a lye of caustic soda or potash, such as used by soap boilers. The lye
may be used either hot or cold, but preferably hot, and should be well stirred
before immersing the wood therein. When it is not desired to avoid darkening
the color of the wood an ammoniacal lye may be employed.
The time of the immersion depends upon the nature of the wood and the strength
of the lye, and is ordinarily from 1 to 5 seconds. On removal from the lye the
"carved" or moulded surface is carefully brushed, preferably with a brush made of
couch grass, and is then immersed in a bath of oxalic acid to neutralise the basic
liquor absorbed by and moistening the surface of the wood. The strength of this
acid bath and the time of immersion (usually from 1 to 30 seconds) therein also
depend on the nature of the wood and of the design, but more especially upon the
kind of lye in which it has been previously dipped. After removal from the acid
bath the wood is dried and the crystalline deposit with which it becomes encrusted
in drying is brushed off, and the wood finally washed freely in water.
Although I have mentioned the use of either potash, soda, or ammonia, followed
by neutralisation with oxalic acid, I would have it understood that I do not limit
myself thereto, as many other chemical ingredients will give the same result. For
instance, the lyes moistening and absorbed by the wood may be saturated by any
other mineral or vegetable acid not liable to act injuriously on the wood, and the
operation may be commenced by an acid bath, and followed by neutralisation by a
suitable base or basic salt. In short both the lyes and baths may be varied, the
Invention comprising all analogous methods of attacking the bituminous products
resulting from the carbonisation of the wood, followed by a suitable neutralisation,
whereby the wood is cleaned and rendered non-hygrometric.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. In the process of cleaning wood which has been charred by heated moulds,
the treatment of the charred wood with a caustic lye, followed or preceded by
treatment with an acid, for the purpose of removing the bituminous products and
carbonised particles as described.
2nd. In the process of cleaning charred wood, the treatment of the wood by
successive immersion in a lye of caustic soda or potash, and in a bath of oxalic
acid to neutralise the basic liquor absorbed by the wood as described.

page_text: 3rd. In the process of cleaning charred wood, the washing and brushing of the
surfaces after treatment with lye and acid as described.
4th. The process of cleaning wood which has been charred by heated moulds by
the successive treatments herein described, for removing the bituminous products
resulting from the carbonization of the wood, substantially as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Augusto Guattari, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
A. GUATTARI. (L.S.)