An Enamel Paint and Combination of Materials for Composing same.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Enamel Paint and Combination of Materials for Composing
same.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM NATHANIEL HAMILTON of Greig Street, Albert Park,
in the Colony of Victoria, Chemist, 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 has been devised to provide the public with an improved paint
which has glossy or enamel-like properties and which consists of a combination of
materials easily obtainable in most countries.
My enamel paint is cheap and easy to manufacture, highly efficient in its use, is
less affected by acids or alkalies than other paints, and, being compounded of
innocuous materials and insoluble in ordinary liquids it may without risk be used
as a coating for the interior of food utensils, tanks, troughs, &c. I would also
point out that my enamel paint is most particularly valuable for use as an anti-
fouling composition for ships' bottoms, wharf piles and other sub-aqueous purposes,
and owing to its peculiar rapidity in drying, its employment affords additional
facility and convenience over slow-drying paints.
The materials used by me, and the way in which the same are mixed together,
to form my paint are as follows-
I dissolve about three pounds of good commercial shellac together with about
one pound of copaiba balsam or white pine resin in about seven pints of methylated
spirit, ether or alcohol. I then dissolve about a quarter of a pound of commercial
camphor (laurus camphora) in about one pint of similar methylated spirits, ether or
alcohol. I then take about a quarter of a pound of purified white gum, gum
arabic being suitable, or in lieu of gum I may use dextrin or analogous gummy
material. This gum (or analogous material) is dissolved in about one quarter of a
pint of pure water and added to the mixture of spirits, shellac and resin. The
whole of the above ingredients are then added together and the whole mixture
well stirred. At this stage the necessary coloring matter is added. I would have
it understood that any suitable color may be used, for instance, if a fine green
enamel is desired I would add to the above mixture about two pounds of chloride
of copper; the said chloride of copper being obtained by dissolving sheet copper
in nitric acid and precipitating the copper in a chloride form with cyanide of
potassium, which said precipitate is well washed and dried before being added to
the paint.
When all the above ingredients and the coloring matter are mixed I place the
said mixture in a tank or similar receptacle, preferably a covered-in round tank, in
which a rotary spindle is placed, said spindle being provided with arms and rotated
for a sufficient time to thoroughly associate, dissolve and mix the constituents with
one another. After this is done the paint should be strained and run iuto cans,
tins, barrels or other packages for sale.
By the employment of my enamel paint upon the bottoms of boats or ships, n
beautiful smooth surface can be quickly obtained. This smooth surface will enable
the boat or vessel to pass through the water with a minimum of friction, and
consequent economy in power or fuel for its propulsion. The rapidity with which
my enamel paint dries, from the time it is applied, enables the bottom of a vessel
to be coated with despatch.
I have found in practice in ordinary weather that my enamel paint dries
sufficiently for the next coat to be applied within about ten minutes from the

page_text: preceding one, so that workmen may be following one another with the extra
coatings and thus economise the time, for instance, of the vessel and its cost of
dockage, &c.
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. My hereinbefore described enamel paint consisting essentially of a mixture of
Methylated spirits, ether or alcohol
Commercial shellac
White pine resin or copaiba balsam
Commercial camphor
Purified white gum, such as gum arabic and
A suitable coloring matter
All incorporated together substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A paint consisting of the following-
One gallon of methylated spirits, ether or alcohol
Three pounds of commercial shellac
One pound of white pine resin or copaiba balsam
One quarter of a pound of camphor
One quarter of a pound of purified white gum arabic, dextrin or analogus
glutinous matter, and
Sufficient desired coloring matter
All incorporated together substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 1st day of September 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.