IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF COMPRESSED OR EMBOSSED WOOD
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF COMPRESSED OR EMBOSSED WOOD."
-A communication from abroad by Samuel Betton Henry, of
Bridgeport, County of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, United States
of America.
Sealed the 30th June 1868, and dated the 4th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th February 1868.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF COMPRESSED OR EMBOSSED
Wood," a communication to me from abroad by Samuel Betton Henry,
of Bridgeport, County of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, United States of
America, to be as follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a peculiar treatment of blocks or strips of
wood that has been previously subjected to the action of dies under

page_text: pressure, so as to represent carved or turned objects of utility or
ornament, and consists in the subsequent treatment of such objects
in the manner described hereafter, so that they will retain their shape
and be rendered impervious to moisture.
In carrying out this Invention blocks or strips of the desired shape t
and size are selected and subjected to the action of dics, which should be
applied with more or less pressure (and heated if necessary) to the end
grain of the wood, so that the desired ornamental surface may be
produced. The compressed pieces after being trimmed are then,
according to this Invention, coated or saturated with a solution of
caoutchouc or equivalent gum, one or more coats of the solution
being applied as circumstances may suggest; sufficient however should
in all cases be used to penetrate the fibres of the wood to a limited
extent. When the solution is dry it effectually binds together the
fibres of the compressed wood, and renders the same impervious to ]
moisture, which has a tendancy to restore the compressed fibres to their
original condition, and thereby destroy the sharpness and beauty of
outline.
In some cases it may be advisable to force the solution into the wood
by pressure, and if desired the solution may be applied to the wood a
before it is subjected to the action of the dies, or the solution may be
applied both before and after the operation of the dies. The portion
of the gum on the outer surface of the wood serves to impart a gloss to
the same, but this may, if desired, be removed, as without the surface
coating the pores will be so effectually closed that moisture cannot gain
access to the fibres.
After the solution is dry the pieces of embossed wood are immersed
for a short time in chloride of sulphur, or are subjected to other
vulcanizing agents by which the gum is thoroughly hardened and the
fibres of the wood retained more effectually in the condition into which
they have been compressed, and the surface of the wood rendered still
more impervious to moisture.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 27th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Gentleman, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Johnson,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time, and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might, make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE TREATMENT OF COMPRESSED OR EMBOSSED WOOD," a communication
from abroad by Samuel Betton Henry, of Bridgeport, County of Fair-
field, State of Connecticut, United States of America, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
scal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar treatment of blocks or strips
of wood that have already been or are intended to be subjected to the-
action of dies under pressure, so as to represent carved or turned objects
of utility or ornament, and consists in the treatment of such objects,

page_text: in the manner described hereafter, so that they will retain their shape
and be rendered impervious to moisture.
In carrying out this Invention blocks or strips of the desired shape
and size are selected and subjected to the action of dies, which should
be applied with more or less pressure (and heated if necessary) to the 5
end grain of the wood, so that the desired ornamental surface may be
produced. The compressed pieces after being trimmed are then,
according to this Invention, coated or saturated with a solution of
caoutchouc or equivalent gum, one or more coats of the solution
being applied as circumstances may suggest; sufficient however should 1
in all cases be used to penetrate the fibres of the wood to a limited
extent. When the solution is dry it effectually binds together the
fibres of the compressed wood, and renders the same impervious to
moisture, which has a tendency to restore the compressed fibres to their
original condition, and thereby destroy the sharpness and beauty of 1
outline.
In some cases it may be advisable to force the solution into the wood
by pressure, and if desired the solution may be applied to the wood
before it is subjected to the action of the dies, or the solution may be
applied both before and after the operation of the dies. The portion
of the gum on the outer surface of the wood serves to impart a gloss
to the same, but this may, if desired, be removed, as without the surface
coating the pores will be so effectually closed that moisture cannot gain
access to the fibres.
After the solution is dry the pieces of embossed wood are immersed
for a short time in chloride of sulphur, or are subjected to other
vulcanizing agents by which the gum is thorougly hardened and the
fibres of the wood retained more effectually in the condition into which
they have been compressed, and the surface of the wood rendered still
more impervious to moisture.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured
to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The coating or saturating of embossed or compressed wood,
either before or after embossing or compressing, with a solution of

page_text: caoutchouc or other equivalent gum, which when dry serves to retain
the fibres of the wood in the condition to which they have been com-
pressed or embossed, and renders the wood impervious to moisture, as
herein-before described.
Second. Subjecting the embossed or compressed wood, after being
treated with the solution of caoutchouc or other equivalent gum, to a
vulcanizing process, as and for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh
day of July, One thousand eight and sixty-eight.