NEW CHEMICAL' COMPOSITIONS, PRODUCING EITHER HOUSE PAINTINGS, CEMENT, OR PLASTIC PASTE TO BE MOULDED
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel, of 10, Rue
de Lancry, Paris, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "NEW CHEMICAL'
COMPOSITIONS, PRODUCING EITHER HOUSE PAINTINGS, CEMENT, OR PLASTIC
PASTE TO BE MOULDED."
Sealed the 11th December 1857, and dated the 19th June 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stanislas Tranquille
Modeste Sorel at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 19th June 1857.
I, STANISLAS TRANQUILLE MODESTE SOREL, of 10, Rue de Lancry, Paris,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "NEW
CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS, PRODUCING EITHER HOUSE PAINTINGS, CEMENT, OR PLASTIC
PASTE, TO BE MOULDED," to be as follows:-
The following liquid is intended to replace the oils, essences, or other liquids
used in ordinary paints, as it makes a paint which is odourless, fire-resisting,
wholesome, and economical, the cost price being considerably below that of
oil paint; and the proportions which I consider best are about 50 parts of a
solution of chloride of zinc, of a strength of about 55° of Beaumé's areometer,
2 parts of bitartrate of potash (cream of tartar), 2 parts of hydrochloric acid,
2 parts of starch or other fecula, and 9+ parts of water. To prepare this
liquid these ingredients are put in a copper and moderately heated. The
[Price 8d1

page_text: above proportious may be varied, and some of the substances replaced by
others having analogous properties, as, for example, the chloride of zinc, by
chloride of iron or of manganese; and the bitartrate of potash by other alkaline
tartrates, or tartrates soluble in an acid solution of chloride of zinc.
The following is the composition of a plastic material capable of being
moulded, and having the colour and transparancy of ivory, and the tenacity
of wood. It is as follows-Take (say, for example,) 50 parts of potato flour,
fecula, or other amylaceous substance, and 5 parts of oxyde of zinc, and
let these powders be well mixed. Then make them into a paste with a liquid
composed of, say, 50 parts of a solution of chloride of zinc, marking 55° of
Beaumé's areometer, 2 parts of bitartrate of potash (cream of tartar), and
I part of hydrochloric acid.
The above proportions may be modified so as to produce various degrees
of plasticity, as may also be done with the above paint, namely, by replacing
the chloride of zinc by an analogous chloride, as, for example, chloride of iron
and the bitartrate of potash by other suitable tartrates or other substances
such as several chlorides, borates, ammoniacal salts, sulphates, acetates,
oxalates, or by acetic or oxalic acids.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th December 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STANISLAS
TRANQUILLE MODESTE SOREL, of Paris, 10, Rue de Lancry, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Let'ers
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord Oue
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel, Her special licence that I, the said
Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel, my executors
administrators, and 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
Mau, an Invention for NEW CHEMICAL COMPOSITIONS, PRODUCING EITHER HOUSE
"

page_text: PAINTINGS, CEMENTS, OR PLASTIC PASTE TO BE MOULDED," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, 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 Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly, described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The several chemical compositions of my Invention are obtained by com-
bining the following substances in suitable proportions; first, chloride of zinc,
or any other chloride is omorphus with the latter, namely, either chloride of
iron or of manganese; second, a tartrate; third, muriatic acid; fourth, a
feculent or amylaceous substance; fifth, water; sixth, oxyde of zinc. The
said substances are combined in various proportions, according to the nature
of the products required. Any of the aforesaid substances may be replaced
by others possessing similar properties; any of them could be omitted, and
new ones could be added.
Beginning with that part of my Invention which refers to painting, I should
say that to be of good quality this paint should be composed of all the fore-
going substances, not but that hydrated chloride of zinc or some other other
chloride and oxyde of zinc could be used, but the paint made in that way
would have the serious inconvenience of becoming thick and hard in the
vessel as soon as prepared, and it would be almost impossible to use it;
besides, when applied it would be too dry, and would not adhere well.
The
tartrates, namely, those of the alkalies, possess in the highest degree the pro
perty of retarding the hardening of the new paint before using it. The effect
of amylaccous substauceswhich may be replaced eitherby gummyor gelatinous
ones, is to give to the paint both closeness and tenacity. The object of muriatic
acid is to dissolve the deposit, which but for it would be formed in the liquid.
The oxyde of zinc by its combination with the chloride forms a basic oxy-
chloride, insoluble in water, and is the material of the new paint.
I will now give the composition of the liquid I preferably make use of
in lieu of the oil, essence, and other liquids of common paints:-Hydrated
chloride of zinc at 55° of Beaume's areometer, 30 parts (anhydrous or more
or less hydrated chloride of zinc might be employed, but the quantity of water

page_text: should be taken into account); bitartrate of potash (cream of tartar), one
part; muriatic acid, one part; starch or fecula of potatoes, four parts;
water, sixty-four parts, making a total of one hundred parts in weight.
The above proportions may, however, be modified, and a greater or less
quantity of the substances of which the liquid consists may be employed.
The starch and fecula could be replaced by the same quantity either of wheat
flour, or any other amylaceous substance, or by gelatine, but I prefer the
fecula of potatoes to any other substance.
The bitartrate of potash and other alkaline tartrates could also be replaced
by any other tartrates soluble in acidulated chloride of zinc, but I prefer the
bitartrate of potash. It is probable that the tartrates could also be replaced
by some other substances of an analogous composition, and accordingly it is
my intention to employ all the substances which could retard the chemical
action, which produces the thickening of my paint, before using it.
The
liquid is prepared in a boiling pan made entirely of or lined inside with a
material that cannot be attacked by muriatic acid. The pan is placed upon
a moderate fire. The chloride, muriatic acid, and pulverised bitartrate of
potash are then put into it, the whole is stirred up, and when the latter is
dissolved the starch or fecula is added without stopping the stirring. The
fire is then increased until the liquid mixture, which was first thickening by
the swelling up of the feculent material, has returned to a fluid state. This
liquid ought to mark about 20° on Beaume's areometer. In order to compose
the new paint, whatever its hue may be, the aforesaid liquid is used with a
powder, consisting for the main part of oxyde of zinc, to which a small
quantity of either sulphate of baryta, of carbonate of lime, of kaolin, or of
analagous substances, may be added.
For coloured paints the same powder as just mentioned is used, with the
addition of suitable coloured materials, as for common paints.
To prepare the chemical paint it is not necessary to mix it by grinding;
it is sufficient to stir the powder with the liquid. 1 consider it advisable to
add to the paint while stirring it up a small quantity of either drying or other
oil or oil varnish, the effect of this being that when rubbed either with a
brush or with a buffer of wool or cloth, the paint, when it contains a small
quantity of oily substances; becomes smooth and shining as polished and
varnished oil paints. The same chemical paintings can also be rendered
smooth by rubbing only, without using any oily substance. For that pur-
pose an encaustic or soap inay be applied to the paint before rubbing them.
Such encaustics may be prepared as follows:-
No. 1. Stearic acid, four parts; liquid ammonia, four parts; water, fifty

page_text: Parts, making a total of fifty-eight parts. A pan being put upon the fire,
the ammonia, diluted with three or four times as much water, is poured first
into the pan; the pulverized stearic acid is then added; the pan is heated
gradually; the remaining water is added by degrees, and the whole is stirred
up till the stearic acid is converted into soap.
No. 2. Stearic acid, 4 parts; solution of carbonate of potash, at 5° of
Beaume's areometer, 6 parts; water, 50 parts. Carbonate of soda produces
about the same effect as carbonate of potash; the alkaline solution, with the
powdered stearic acid, are put into the pan; a moderate heat is applied, and
when the transformation of the materials into soap begins the water is
gradually added.
No. 3. Stearic acid, 12 parts; bee's-wax, 1 part; turpentine, one part; oil
of turpentine, fifty parts. For white paintings white bee's-wax'is employed.
Yellow wax can be used for dark paintings.
The hard materials are molten upon the fire with little or no turpentine
oil, the remaining turpentine oil being gradually added. This encaustic is
very good both for indoors and outdoor paintings. The encaustics Nos 1 and
2 are good only for white or grey paintings.
Instead of using either soaps or encaustics, the chemical painting can be
varnished, as is done with common painting. In order to increase the solidity
of the painting, and to give it a lively appearance when the last coating is
dry, it may be brushed over with an aqueous solution of alumina salt, such
as either sulphate of alumina, alum, soap water (either pure or mixed with a
little oil), or with a layer of oil; but of all these substances the best in my
opinion is pure sulphate of alumina. The said substances are applied only
over paintings which have neither been encausticated nor varnished.. The
application of the above substances over the chemical paintings is not
indispensable. It is quite insoluble and very solid, and can be applied both
indoors and out of doors without the above substances, the chief object of
which is to give a more lively appearance to the colours, or to give more
sinoothiess or shining to the chemical painting, which otherwise has a dead
look. The new painting can be applied over all sorts of surfaces without any
preparation; yet for preserving the white or light colored paintings, and pre-
venting their being spoiled either by the coloring matter of some kinds of
wood or of metallic oxy.les, a preparation should previously be applied over
such bodies. The preparation which I use in preference is merely common
oil or varnish paint with oxyde of ziuc. The colouring substance of woods
can be neutralized with a solution either of sulphate of alumina or of alum;
in which case the coating of oil or varnish paint may be dispensed with. I

page_text: recommend the following preparation, which is very cheap, and very good
for laying over plaster or other porous bodies:-Solution of carbonate of
potash, at 5° of Beaume's areometer, 0-700 in weight. (It is possible that
carbonate of soda might be used in lieu of carbonate of potash.) Powder
composed of oxyde of zinc, with which one-third of sulphate of baryta, or any
other analogous materials in powder can be mixed, one part. The powder
should be well diluted with the alkaline solution. Then one part of common
soft soap is dissolved in another vessel in two parts in weight of water, making
a total of 4,700 parts. The whole is heated only to a temperature sufficient
for dissolving the soap. Then both compositions are mixed together. This
preparation is applied in a cold state. It must be stirred up just at the
moment of applying it. No preparation is needed previous to applying this
new paint over old paintings. It is only necessary to clean them well first.
When the objects to be painted have been coated with oil mastic this mastic
should be perfectly dry before applying the chemical painting, for otherwise
it would be spoiled by the oil. The oil mastic should be as drying as possible.
The mastic made with gelatine or glue in which some oxyde of zinc has been
mixed is very good for using with the new paint. I shall describe further
on a new mastic or cement, composed of the same substances as the chemical
paint, and which can be employed for coating the objects to be painted. The
new paint of my Invention having much affinity for colouring substances,
imitations of marbles, woods, and ornaments of a beautiful effect can be
obtained by means of dyeing substances and various colored liquids. Coloring
effects can also be obtained by chemical reactions.
I find that the new paint of my Invention presents thefollowingadvantages:―
First, it does not require grinding, the powder being merely diluted in the
liquid this paint is employed just as common oil paint, Second, it has no
perceptible smell, and dries quickly a layer may be spread every two hours
in winter time, and every hour in summer time. Third, it resists dampness
and water, even boiling water: it can be washed with soap and water, as
oil painting. Fourth, on account of the chloride it contains the chemical
paint is antiseptic, and is accordingly well fitted for preserving wood from
decay. Fifth, it possesses also the property of rendering such bodies as wood,
for example, paper, cloth, and similar substances, less inflamable, a property
which may be further increased by adding to the liquid some borax or boracic
acid. Such substances can be preserved from burning by coating them with.
the liquid alone, without adding the powder which forms the paint. Sixth,
the new paint is free from danger both to those who prepare it and to those
who use it. In addition to the advantages just stated, the chemical paint is

page_text: very cheap, since the liquid used instead of siccative and turpentine oils is
comparatively inexpensive. The powder and liquid forming the chemical
paint keeps good for a long time and in all climates.
As I mentioned at first the same substances can be used to form either
chemical paints or plastic materials (mastics or cements) applicable to moulding
purposes. For obtaining these various results the proportion of the substances
entering into their coin position should be modified according to the kind of
the compound required; for instance, for obtaining a plastic material, supple
tough, and translucid, a great quantity of feculent substances and a small
quantity of oxide of zinc should be employed. The following composition is
that of a plastic material capable of being moulded, and having the colour
and translucence of ivory and the flexibility of wood:-Potato fecula, starch,
or any other amylaceous substances, and oxyde of zinc are mixed together;
for instance, fifty parts in weight of fecula and five parts of oxyde of zinc.
These substances are diluted with a sufficient quantity of the following liquid:
Hydrated chloride of zinc, at about 55° of Beaume's areometer, fifty parts;
bit artrate of potash, one part; and muriatic acid, one part. The above pro-
portions can be modified. As for the paint, the chloride of zinc can be
replaced by another isomorphous chloride, and the bitartrate of potash by
cream of tartar, soluble in cold water (tartro-borate of potash), or by another
suitable tartrate, namely an alkaline one. Tartrates can also be either
replaced or mixed with other substances, chiefly with alkaline chlorides, such
as chlorides of potassium, sodium, calcium, and other similar chlorides. Such
chlorides gives suppleness and tenacity to the plastic material. One could also
make use of borates, ammonia, and alumina salts, sulphates, ascetates, oxalates,
or the acids of the two last salts. The acetates give whiteness and opacity
to the material. The muriatic acid is not indispensable, its effect is merely
to facilitate the solution of salts, and to prevent the formation of a deposit in
the liquid. The salts that are dissolved in the chloride can also be dispensed
with. Their only effect is to give to the material more or less suppleness,
dryness, or whiteness. Acids or aqueous solutions of caustic potash or soda
can be substituted for chloride of zinc, but the latter is much to be preferred.
The oxyde of zinc can also be replaced by other either white or coloured
substances in powder. The new plastic material can be coloured, and various
fibrous and filamentous substances, such as powder of wool cloth (tontisse)
may be mixed with it to give it tenacity. The same plastic material may
also be rolled, and stuffs may be covered with it; but when a very translucid
plastic material is required all powdered and other substances which cannot
be dissolved by chloride of zinc must be suppressed, because the light could

page_text: not pass through them. The objects made with the new plastic materials
can be varnished and made waterproof by the same means as for waterproofing
other materials. If a plastic material, very hard and perfectly insoluble in
water, be required, that should be neither supple nor transparent, the amy-
laceous substances should be suppressed or very sparingly employed, and a
large proportion of oxyde of zinc should be used. This cement or mastic
which can be moulded, can be employed either alone or mixed with water
for coating such surfaces as are to be painted with the new paint.
My new plastic compositions can be used for moulding any object of art
or ornament, and for manufacturing a great many objects requiring either
hardness, plyability, or translucence; in a word, the said new compositions
can replace in a great many cases plaster, alabaster, marble, ivory,caoutchouc
gutta percha, gelatine, pasteboard,papier mache, and several other substances
In witness whereof, I, the said Stanislas Tranquille Modeste Sorel, have.
hereunto set my hand and seal, this
day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
L. D'AUBREVILLE, C. E.,
36, Rue de l'Echiquier.
S. T. M. SOREL. (L.S.)