IMPROVEMENTS IN WALL COVERING COMPOSITION
Year: 1888

page_text: I, CARL STRAUB, of the City of Syracuse, County of Onondaga and State of New
York, United States of America, Sculptor, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN WALL COVERING COMPOSITION" 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 a composition of matter that is more especially applicable
for use as a substitute for the ordinary form of mortar, which ordinary form of mortar
is, as is well known, open to many serious objections among which are the
following:
Lack of
Lack of cohesion to overcome which hair is mixed into the mortar.
adhesion to the walls to be covered by the mortar. Inequality of density and
insufficient hardness. And then, too, great attention must be given in working the
ordinary form of mortar to the state of the surrounding atmosphere, the temperature
and the humidity of such atmosphere forming important factors in the successful
manipulation of the mortar.
To avoid these difficulties and at the same time to materially cheapen the covering
substance, I have devised the composition forming the subject matter of this
application, the ingredients of my composition being of such a character that the
composition itself is only about half as heavy as mortar, but it is more elastic and is
of a uniform density or hardness.
In compounding my composition I take vegetable fibre preferably saw-dust, which
may be colored or uncolored and immerse this fibre in a bath of a mixture of muriatic
acid and water to thoroughly saturate said fibre the acid and water being combined in
the proportions of one part of acid to from thirty to sixty parts of water and the
amount of acid and water required for the aforesaid purpose is about one pound of
said mixture to about one or two pounds of fibre. Instead of muriatic acid I could
use sulphuric acid, or the two acids might be combined. Or instead of the acid, silica
of potash or nairon could be used, the parts being mixed as above stated, with water.
If acid is used and it is desired to have the material harden quickly the proportion of
acid would be increased and vice versa.

page_text: To the aforesaid mixture I prefer to add dissolved glue or gelatinous substance,
and its quality may be further improved by adding oil or fat, either mineral, vegetable
or animal, linseed oil being the best adapted for the purpose.
The relative proportions of this mixture, is about one hundred pounds of glue, to
fifteen to twenty pounds of muriatic acid, and ten to fifteen pounds of oil or fat.
This prepared fibre is to be dried. It is then to be mixed in any suitable proportion
with dry mineral cement, either Portland, cement, water-line, or other suitable cement.
The proportion may be one in weight of the fibre to about fifteen to twenty in weight
of the dry mineral cement. The compound thus obtained may be packed for
transportation and is in condition for immediate use, the material being applied by
thoroughly mixing it with water until a thick paste is obtained suitable for being
spread by a trowel upon the backing of stone, brick wood or any other proper backing
in the same way as common plaster or mortar is applied. It produces a good finish
and possesses sufficient elasticity or tenacity to prevent its cracking under ordinary
strains.
When the back ground to which the composition is applied is made of brick, stone
or lath it would not be necessary to impregnate the vegetable fibre with acids.
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. A covering composition consisting essentially of wood fibre and cement.
2. The within described composition of matter consisting of vegetable fibre, glue or
gelatinous substance and cement.
3. The within described composition of matter, consisting of vegetable fibre, glue or
gelatinous substance, oil or fat, and cement, substantially as set forth.
4. The covering.composition consisting of wood-fibre cement and a hardening acid,
substantially as set forthi.
5. The covering composition consisting of wood-fibre, saw-dust, mineral cement and
muriatic, and sulphuric acid, substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of M 1000
CARL STRAUB.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.G.,
Agents for the Applicant.