IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF RENDERING WOOD, CELLULOSES, TEXTILES AND OTHER PRODUCTS UNINFLAMMABLE AND INCOMBUSTIBLE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Ferdinand Karol de Stasicki of the firm of F. Karol,
Hopkins & Co of 23 Martins Lane Cannon Strect in the City of London
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PROCESS OF RENDERING
WOOD, CELLULOSES, TEXTILES AND OTHER PRODUCTS UNINFLAMMABLE AND
INCOMBUSTIBLE" communicated to him from abroad by Bogdan Hoff of
Jaroslau, Galizia in the Kingdom of Austria
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Ferdinand Karol de
Stasicki at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th April
1883.
FERDINAND KAROL DE STASICKI of the Firm of F. Karol, Hopkins & C° of
23 Martins Lane, Cannon Street in the City of London " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROCESS OF RENDERING WOOD, CELLULOSES, TEXTILES AND OTHER PRODUCTS
UNINFLAMMABLE AND INCOMBUSTIBLE" [Communicated to him from abroad by
Bogdan Hoff of Jaroslau, Galizia in the Kingdom of Austria]
In order to render wood and cellulose products uninflammable according to this
invention they are impregnated with a solution of sulphites of alkali or of
alkaline earth with the addition of sulphate of ammonia N H S O³. The
impregnating of the materials by the solutions is effected by the system of Burnet;
a pressure of from 2 to 4 atmospheres being necessary for soft woods and a
pressure of from 4 to 8 atmospheres for hard woods.
An essential part of this invention is a varnish which protects the wood treated
as above described from the action of the air and prevents it from losing its
incombustibility. The varnish consists of 4 parts of Protoxide of lead mixed with
5 parts of Rape seed oil, 20 parts of this soap are dissolved in 80 parts of Petroleum
oil (the residium of the distillation of Petroleum) of from 0.87 to 0.00 specific
gravity. With this mixture may be added Red Lead Terre Anglica, Ochre in
order to give it the color desired.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Ferdinand Karol de Stasicki in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th October 1883.
FERDINAND KAROL DE STASICKI of the firm of F, Karol, Hopkins & C° of
23 Martins Lane, Cannon Street in the City of London "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROCESS OF RENDERING WOOD, CELLULOSES, TEXTILES, AND OTHER PRODUCTS
UNINFLAMMABLE AND INCOMBUSTIBLE A Communication to me from abroad by
Bogdan Hoff of Jaroslau, Galizia in the Kingdom of Austria
"
The object of my invention is to render wood and other cellular and fibrous
material uninflammable.
In order to effect this, I make use in combination of substances, which increase
the mineral components of the bodies treated and substances which by chemical
decomposition when exposed to heat prevent the combustion of the wood or other
treated material.
Especially I employ in combination soluble salts of the alkaline earths and sulphides
of the alkalies and alkaline earths.
The solution containing these materials is forced into the pores of the wood
or other organic material to be treated. For soft woods a pressure of 2 to
4 atmospheres is suitable but for hard woods a higher pressure from 4 to
8 atmospheres should be employed.
Suitable solutions are obtained-
1st By dissolving in 100 parts of water 20 parts of sulphate of magnesia
(Mg. SŎ) and 5 parts of sulphite of ammonia (N H.), SO,
Or 2nd By dissolving in 100 parts of water 15 parts of sulphate of magnesia
(Mg. SO) 5 parts of sulphite of magnesia (Mg. SO₁) and 5 parts of sulphate of
ammonia (N H.), SO, or muriate of ammonia N HCl.
Should the lay become acid this must be neutralised by milk of lime and the
whole be clarified either by filtration or by deposit.
I then employ the clarified solution as a bath for impregnating by pressure
wood of every dimension or other material which it may be desired to render
uninflammable and incombustible.
Such impregnated materials preserve their incombustible character so long
as they are protected from the weather and provided they are not immersed in
water.
To guard against the deteriorating effects of these latter, I use especially upon
wood a coating composition made as follows:-
I heat and combine together 4 parts of native red oxide of lead (protoxide of
lead) with 5 parts of a fatty oil and dissolve 20 parts of the soap or compound thus
obtained by moderate heat with 100 parts of green heavy petroleum of 0.90 specific
gravity (this is a residuum of petroleum distilling manufactories) and I add
20 parts of linseed oil varnish any mineral colors can be used to tint the
composition.
This coating dries as quickly as linseed oil varnish and, after the evaporation of
the petroleum, it leaves behind it a stratum extremely difficult to burn, shining,
impermeable and penetrating far into the wood.
When wood thus treated is long exposed to flame or fire the surface slowly
becomes charred but will not burn even in a high wind.
The impregnating substances which I use do not effloresce on the wood.
The substances used by me for impregnating cellular bodies do not alter, in any
degree the texture, tensile property elasticity or solidity of wood as they become
incorporated in the wood in a neutral condition and remain neutral,

page_text: Wood or other matter impregnated as described differs substantially and
advantageously from materials protected from fire by a superficial coating of fire
proof paint or by the impregnation of the mere surface with incombustible
precipitates or by an artificial petrefaction of the surface only or by maceration of
the wood or other material in salt solutions. These latter means of treatment do
not prevent the materials from catching fire if subjected for any time to a
flame.
Wood treated as herein described will resist a heat of even 400° to 600° Celsius
and under such conditions produces little smoke or gas prejudicial to free
breathing.
Being a very bad conductor of heat only that part of the wood which is in
contact with the flame is warmed and by reason of its incombustibility and of
its not giving off gas the heat is neither increased nor communicated a quality
which is of great importance in cases of fire. A mass of wood rendered
incombustible by my means; when surrounded by flame admits of a man standing
in it without danger.
I claim. The impregnation by pressure of wood and other materials with a
soluble sulphite and with the salt of an alkaline earth whereby the same are
rendered uninflammable substantially as described.
I also claim coating wood impregnated with a solution by which it is rendered
uninflammable with the preservative coating substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof I the said Ferdinand Karul de Stasicki have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of September in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
FERDINAND KAROL DE STASICKI (LS.)