Composition of Matter as a Substitute for Wood, Stone and Iron, Consisting of Clay, and Vegetable Pulp and Coal Ashes, or either of them, Combined and Mingled with Feldspar, and Caustic-soda or Potash.
Year: 1884

page_text: A. Composition of Matter as a Substitute for Wood, Stone and
Iron, Consisting of Clay, and Vegetable Pulp and Coal Ashes,
or either of them, Combined and Mingled with Feldspar,
and Caustic-soda or Potash. in certain Proportions. and
COMPLETE OPTI
I, EDWARD BRADY, of number 123, South Seventh Street, in the City of
Philadelphia, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States of North America,
Counsellor-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention of A COM-
POSITION OF MATTER AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD, STONE AND IRON, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained, in and by the following Statement:-
My Composition consists of Clay, and vegetable Pulp and Coal-ashes, or either of
them, combined and mingled, with Feldspar, and caustic Soda or Potash, in the
proportions hereinafter specified, and compressed, and burnt in a kiln, and being
treated in the manner set forth.
I take Clay, fat and tenacious, such as Kaolin or Fire and other Clays, refractory,
and without coarse grit preferred, in its crude state as it is dug from the pits, or
baked and crushed by mechanical appliances, One hundred and fifty pounds, dry
weight, with a sufficient quantity of Water to reduce it to a thin Mash.
I proceed to intermix and incorporate, with this Clay Mash, Thirty five pounds,
dry weight, or thereabouts according to the natural Constituents of the Clay, of
any vegetable Pulp, such as Jute, Manilla, Hemlock, Spruce, Cotton, Straw, grasses,
or other Pulps, in a partially liquid condition, but excluding the use of resinous
Sawdust, and a similar quantity of finely-sifted Coal ashes, or either of them.
I next add to the mixture, about Five pounds of pulverized Feldspar, and about
Five pounds of caustic-Soda or Potash in solution of Water sufficient to bring the
mixed mass into a proper consistency.
The foregoing proportions may be changed, more or less, with reference to the
different purposes for which the Composition is intended.
This Conglomerate Mass, into which some common coloring material may be
introduced, if desired, is to be intimately mingled and thoroughly amalgamated by
mechanical agitation, and well compressed through powerfull machines into suitable
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page_text: shapes; sizes and lengths, and dried by exposure to the air or by artificial means,
and then gradually burnt in a kiln, to a requisite ardent heat, and allowed to cool
by degrees.
By subjecting the plastic Mass to an intense heat, a part of the Vegetable Pulp,
and the Coal Ashes, and the Feldspar, and the caustic Soda or Potash, will unite
and combine with the Silica and Alumina of the Clay, and also any gum-y Matter
in the Pulp will be dissolved by the Soda or Potash, and the remaining part of the
Pulp will be consumed by the heat, and the Compound Mass will result in an hard,
tough and durable Substance, as well as become of a vitreous character, and of
great textile strength, and be fire-proof, and impervious to the ravages of insects.
The Compound may be fashioned, worked, and fastened, in any ordinary way.
For certain purposes, as for Culverts, Tubes and Bricks, the Compound can also
be glazed or vitrified, by the usual methods.
The Compound Substance is adapted for Floorings between the joists of buildings,
Flues, Walls, Pavements, Railroad sleepers and tics, Tiles, Conduits, and generally
⚫as a Substitute for different Articles of Wood, Stone and Iron.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained, the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I Declare that what
.I claim is:
A Composition of matter as a Substitute for Wood, Stone and Iron, Consisting of:
Clay, and vegetable Pulp and Coal ashes, or either of them, Combined and mingled
by agitation, with Feldspar, and caustic-Soda or Potash in solution of water, in the
proportions specified, and compressed, and burnt in a kiln, and being treated
substantially in the mode herein set-forth.
Dated this twenty sixth day of November anno Domini Eighteen hundred a