Improvements in the Treatment of Wood.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Wood.
We, HERBERT CHARLES WILLIAMS, of 29, Highbury Quadrant, in the County
of London, Analytical and Consulting Chemist, ELIZABETH BAGSHAWE, of 24,
East Cliff, Dover, in the County of Kent, and WILLIAM HENRY PENDLEBURY,
M.A. Oxon., of 6, Gladstone Terrace, Priory Hill, Dover, in the County of Kent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the treatment of wood used in the manufacture
of vats, casks, and other like receptacles employed for containing alimentary
and other products, or generally for preserving, colouring and fireproofing
timber, such as piles, railway sleepers, fencing and in all matters of outside work
exposed to the atmosphere or damp, for use in building, and for all kinds of fur-
niture or decorative purposes.
According to this invention we deal with the wood either in the rough bulk
state, or partially dressed or finished.
The wood is treated with hot water in which soda, caustic potash or any
other suitable chemical solvent is dissolved or added for the purpose of extracting
the starchy matter, wood gums, essential oils, tannic or other acids or other sub-
stances contained in the fibre or substance of the wood, which may support such
life or become deleterious by decomposition or impregnation. Our object is to
replace such substances with others which will withstand decomposition or decay
and will not permit the growth or development of animal or vegetable organisms.
We then treat the wood with hot water alone to remove any traces of the chemi-
cals previously employed and the products of this action. The wood is then
heated gradually to a temperature of about 300° F., which may be higher or
lower in the case of certain woods or under special conditions, for the purpose of
evaporating the moisture, driving off any volatile matter which may be present,
and expanding to a very high degree the aqueous and aerial contents of the cells
thus rendering them highly absorbent on cooling. Whilst the wood is hot it is
immersed in, or coated with a suitable composition consisting of waxes, oils or
other hydro-carbons, gums, silicates of soda or potash or any other suitable
chemical or composition or any combination of any of them, which are absorbed
or forced into the pores or cells of the wood as the temperature is lowered, and con-
traction takes place. After cooling there is left in the pores or cells of the wood
as will not act
the composition or material employed which is such
or be acted on by any alimentary products for which purpose
its object the
moreover has for
used.
wood is
The treatment
preservation of such wood from decay or decomposition and to prevent the recep-
tion or retention of any microbic organisms or animal or vegetable germ life.
We find it is not always necessary to first subject it to the treatment above
described, viz. using hot water and soda or the like to dissolve out colouring or
other matter already present in the wood, but it suffices merely to treat the wood
as already described. For purpose otherwise than for alimentary products any
colouring matter, odour or taste will not be harmful if left in the wood.
upon
the

page_text: For furniture or decorative purposes where fancy coloured wood is required,
we find that the desired effect is achieved by introducing colouring matter with
the materials employed to impregnate or preserve the wood.
>
When applying our process for the purpose of fire-proofing wood we heat it
as already described, and immerse it in a strong solution of silicates of soda or
potash or other suitable chemicals, or a combination of any of them.
Dated this 28th day of June 1899
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents.
Improvements in the Treatment of Wood.
We, HERBERT CHARLES WILLIAMS, of 29, Highbury Quadrant, in the County
of London, Analytical and Consulting Chemist, ELIZABETH BAGSHAWE, of 24,
East Cliff, Dover, in the County of Kent, and WILLIAM HENRY PENDLEBURY,
M.A. Oxon., of 6, Gladstone Terrace, Priory Hill, Dover, in the County of Kent,
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 follow-
ing statement:—
This invention has for its object the treatment of wood used in the manufacture
of vats, casks, and other like receptacles employed for containing alimentary
and other products, or generally for preserving, colouring, waterproofing and fire-
proofing timber such as piles, railway sleepers, fencing, for use in building, and
in all matters of outside work exposed to the atmosphere or damp, or for all kinds
of furniture or decorative purposes.
According to this invention we deal with the wood either in the rough bulk
state, or partially dressed or finished..
The wood may be treated with hot water in which soda caustic potash or any
other suitable chemical solvents are dissolved or added for the purpose of extracting
the starchy matter, wood gums, essential oils, tannic or other acids or other sub-
stances contained in the fibre or substance of the wood, which may support such
life or become deleterious by decomposition or impregnation. Our object is to
replace such substances with others which will withstand decomposition or decay
and will not permit the growth or development of animal or vegetable organisms.
We then treat the wood with hot water alone to remove any traces of the chemi-
cals previously employed and the products of this action. The wood is then
heated gradually in an oven (preferably ventilated) to a temperature of about
300° F., which may be higher or lower in the case of certain woods or under
special conditions, for the purpose of evaporating the moisture, driving off any
volatile matter which may be present, and expanding to a very high degree the
aqueous and aerial contents of the cells thus rendering them highly absorbent
on cooling. Where the wood is abnormally porous or sappy, or very wet, the
heating should be very gradual. Whilst the wood is at this high temperature
it is immersed in or coated with a suitable composition consisting of hot waxes,
oils, or other hydro-carbons, gums, silicates of soda or potash, or any other suit-
able chemical or composition, or any combination of any of them, which are
absorbed or sucked into the pores or cells of the wood as the temperature is
lowered, and contraction takes place. After cooling there is left in the pores or
cells of the wood the composition or material employed which is such as will not
act upon or be acted upon by any alimentary products, for which purpose the

page_text: wood is used. The treatment moreover has for its object the preservation of such
wood from decay or decomposition and to prevent the reception or retention of
any microbic organisms or animal or vegetable germ life.
in the case where wood is employed otherwise than for alimentary products,
hydro-carbons and the like of a crude nature may be used.
We find it is not always necessary to first subject it to the treatment above
described, viz. using hot water and soda or the like to dissolve out colouring or
other matter already present in the wood, but it suffices merely to treat the wood
by heating and immersion as already described.
For purposes other than those connected with alimentary products any colour-
ing matter, odour or taste will not be harmful if left in the wood.
For furniture or decorative purposes where fancy coloured wood is required,
we find that the desired effect is achieved by introducing colouring matter with
the materials employed to impregnate or preserve the wood.
When applying our process for the purpose of fire-proofing wood, we heat it
as already described and immerse it in a strong solution of silicates of soda, or
potash, or other suitable chemicals, or a combination of any of them.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
-
1. A process for preparing wood employed for containing alimentary products
consisting in first treating the wood with hot water and potash or soda or other
chemical solvent, then with hot water alone, then heating it in an oven (pre-
ferably ventilated) in which the temperature is gradually raised to about 300° F.
and then immersing it in or coating it with hot liquid hydrocarbons, all substan-
tially in the manner described.
2. A process for preparing wood employed for containing alimentary products
consisting in heating the wood in an oven (preferably ventilated) in which the
temperature is gradually raised to about 300° F. and then immersing it in or
coating it with hot liquid hydrocarbons, all substantially in the manner described.
3. A process for fireproofing wood consisting in heating the wood until it is in
a thoroughly receptive condition and then immersing it in a solution of fire-
proofing material such as a solution of silicate of potash, chloride of zinc, or a
soluble phosphate of lime etc. and afterwards draining and drying it in a chamber
maintained at a temperature of about 130° F., substantially as described.
4. A process for preserving timber such as piles, railway sleepers and the like
consisting in first gradually heating the wood to the required temperature and
then impregnating it with crude hydrocarbons, resinous gums, and oils, sub-
stantially as described.
5. A process for colouring wood consisting in introducing the required col-
ouring matter with the materials employed to impregnate or preserve the wood,
as set forth in the foregoing claims.
6. The improved process for the treatment of wood substantially as described.
Mated this 28th day of March 1900.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents.