Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Wood.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1892-Accepted, 9th July, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Wood.
I, PERCIVAL AVENEL HERMAN WEHNER of 14 Wiener Strasse, Dresden,
Saxony, German Empire, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of artificial wood and comprises the
employment in such manufacture of a mixture composed chiefly of burnt magnesite.
As the other ingredients of the mixture any suitable vegetable waste matters,
such for example as wood in the form of shavings, chips, saw-dust or cellulose,
peat, turf, jute, flax, cotton etc. or animal waste matters such for example as hair,
wool etc. may be employed.
i
Such waste material is first converted into a pulp by means of a liquid, which
consists of muriatic acid saturated with ground or pulverized magnesite.
Instead of using such liquid composed of muriatic acid saturated with pulverized
magnesite, I may make use of a direct solution of chloride of magnesium, which I
form by dissolving about 90 parts by weight of chloride of magnesium, such
for example as that produced at Stassfurt in the Kingdom of Prussia, in about
100 parts of water.
The hardness of the product or artificial wood, which is subsequently produced
will mainly depend upon the graduation of the said solution.
In manufacturing the artificial wood I proceed as follows:-
I
The vegetable or animal waste material is first finely cut and is afterwards
mixed with the above named solution of chloride of magnesium and water, so as to
form a pulp and this pulp is converted into a plastic paste by mixing the pulp with
burnt magnesite, which has previously been properly reduced to a powdery state.
In this manner a thoroughly homogeneous mass is formed which may be moulded
or formed as in moulding sand.
This mass may now be placed in proper moulds with or without the employment
of pressure so as to form the articles to be produced such for example as slabs,
stones, flags etc. It will be found advantageous, to grease the inside walls of the
moulds with oil or soap, in order to prevent the sticking of the mass to such walls
and to obtain smooth surfaces on the articles to be produced.
As suitable proportions for producing the plastic mass, I have found the following
to answer well:-
60 kilogrammes of magnesite,
25 kilogrammes of saw-dust,
20 kilogrammes of a solution of chloride of magnesium,
but other proportions of these ingredients for producing some articles may be found
suitable; however at least 45 per cent. of the weight of the mass should consist of
burnt and powdered magnesite. For this manufacture or production an inferior
sort of magnesite may be employed, that is to say a magnesite containing only
45 per cent. of pure carbonate of magnesia the cost of producing artificial wood being
materially reduced by employing such magnesite.
If the artificial wood or the articles to be manufactured from artificial wood are
intended to be of a color, different from that, which the material or materials
employed will produce, suitable coloring substances may be mixed with the
ingredients, while forming the plastic paste, or such colored paste may be put in
thin layers on the moulded articles before the latter are completely dried.
As a material or essential requirement in producing the artificial wood or rough
articles made of artificial wood, it is necessary to treat the artificial wood or rough
articles by lixiviation.

page_text: If the artificial wood or the rough articles made from. the artificial wood, in
which muriatic acid is contained either by employing muriatic acid as above stated
or by the above named employment of chloride of magnesium, are employed
without having undergone the treatment of lixiviation, they will soon show hygro-
scopic qualities, by which the appearance, as well as the durability of such articles
will be materially reduced.
This is in consequence of the muriatic acid, contained in the plastic mass. It is
therefore necessary if the artificial wood or the rough articles formed from artificial
wood have been dried, to lixiviate them before further treatment.
This may be done by putting the artificial wood or the rough articles formed
from it in water for a convenient period and I prefer to put them in running water
until all or nearly all muriatic acid has been extracted by lixiviation.
This will render the artificial wood, or the articles manufactured from it,
capable of withstanding the influence of the atmosphere and make them hard and
lasting.
The artificial wood or articles manufactured from it may now be subjected to the
required treatment by sawing, boring, planing, grinding and polishing &c.; they
will be found capable of resisting heat and moisture and are not liable to be attacked
by weak acid.
The artificial wood is very suitable for purposes of construction for making
furniture and for other carpentry work, for roof covering and for insulating purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture of artificial wood by converting burnt and ground magnesite
into a plastic paste with a pulp formed of waste vegetable or animal substances and
a solution of chloride of magnesium, then moulding the paste into the desired forms,
and then after drying, lixiviating the moulded articles in water in order to remover
muriatic acid, substantially as herein before described.
2. As a new article of manufacture the artificial wood prepared and treated
substantially as above set forth.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.,