Improvements in Compositions for Protecting Ships' Bottoms against Fouling, Preserving Wood, and Shielding Submarine Electric Cables from Penetration by Toredo Worms.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1995
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug.,
1896
privation Top
Complete Specification Left, 13th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Compositions for Protecting Ships' Bottoms against
Fouling, Preserving Wood, and Shielding Submarine Electric
Cables from Penetration by Toredo Worms.
I, WILLIAM LIVINGSTON GUNN, of 7, Brynland Avenue, Bishopston, Bristol,
Analytical Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in compositions for preventing fouling of ships' bottoms and
for preserving wood and for shielding submarine electric cables from penetration by
toredo worms.
The primary feature of the invention is the employment, as an ingredient in such
compositions, of the cresylates of mercury, lead, copper, iron or zinc, or a mixture of
any two or more of these.
As adapted for application to the bottoms of ships to prevent fouling, the
composition is made up of either of the above ingredients and any suitable medium,
as, for example, linseed oil, rosin and benzol.
The method of mixing and the medium employed are such as are ordinarily adopted
in mixing paints.
As adapted for use as an antiseptic preservative for wood, either of the cresylates
above mentioned, or a combination of any two or more of them, is dissolved in a
usual preserving solution as, for instance, cresote oil, and the solution is made to
permeate the wood by the process usually adopted in creosoting timber. Approximate
proportions yielding good results are one part by weight of the cresylate, or of the
combination, to three parts by weight of creosoto oil.
As adapted for use as a protective shield against injury to submarine cables by
toredo worms, either of the cresylates above mentioned, or a combination of any two
or more of them, is mixed, by the action of heat, with pitch, tar, rosin, paraffin wax,
gutta percha, india-rubber, or other suitable substance. A mixture yielding good
results consists of two parts by weight of the cresylate, or of the combination, to two
parts by weight of tar, and one part by weight of cresylic acid..
The composition when mixed and allowed to cool is of a consistency resembling
that of dough. It is laid about the cable as a substitute for the copper sheathing
usually employed and lying next to the external covering of rope.
Toredo worms are prevented from penetrating to the interior of the cable by the
poisonous character of the protective composition.
Dated this 23rd day of September 1895.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Compositions for Protecting Ships' Bottoms against
Fouling, Preserving Wood, and Shielding Submarine Electrio
Cables from Penetration by Toredo Worms.
I, WILLIAM LIVINGSTON GUNN, of 7, Brynland Avenue, Bishopston, Bristol,
Analytical 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, which relates to protective compositions for preventing fouling of
ships' bottoms, preserving wood, and for shielding submarine electric cables from
penetration by toredo worms, consists in the incorporation, as an ingredient in such
compositions, of the cresylate of either mercury, lead, copper, iron or zinc, or a
combination of any two or more of such cresylates.
The cresylic acid employed for the production of the cresylate or cresylates may be
either pure or impure.
According to this invention, as applied in the composition of a paint for preventing
fouling of ships' bottoms, either of the cresylates above mentioned, or a combination
of any two or more thereof, is mixed with a suitable medium such as it is customary
to employ in mixing paints, as, for example, linseed oil, rosin spirit, benzol, turpentine
or light naphtha.
In a paint employing cresylate of lead as an ingredient in accordance with this
invention, the procedure for production is as follows. To, approximately, 100 parts
by weight of either pure or impure cresylic acid heated to, approximately, 160°
Fahrenheit is added, while the cresylic acid is at the said temperature, 120 parts by
weight of finely powdered litharge (oxide of lead). The mixture is kept constantly
stirred and the temperature gradually raised, but not allowed to exceed 250°
Fahrenheit. The heating is continued, with constant stirring, until the mixture
reaches the stage at which a drop thereof, when cooled, solidifies to a hard mass.
warm mixture consisting of 30 parts by weight of boiled linseed oil, 90 parts by
weight of rosin and 20 parts by weight of turpentine is then added and stirred in and
when the whole has sufficiently cooled, 60 parts by weight of light mineral naphtha,
or benzol, or rosin spirit or other suitable easily vapourisable liquid is added and the
whole is thoroughly mixed to constitute the paint.
A
Instead of adding the whole of the naphtha or other suitable solvent as above set.
forth, a part only may be added, and the balance supplied when using the paint.
The method of mixing and the medium employed are practically the same with
respect to the other cresylates above mentioned. When a combination of cresylates
is employed the approximate proportion of the combination is the same as for one
only, that is to say, 120 parts.
For the production of an antiseptic composition for preserving wood in accordance
with this invention, either of the cresylates above mentioned, or a combination of any
two or more thereof, is dissolved in a suitable solvent at the temperature required.
Among suitable solvents, are creosote oil, tar oils, and cresylic acid. A suitable
temperature is, approximately, 220° Fahrenheit. Approximate proportions, yielding
good results, are two parts by weight of the particular cresylate employed, or of
the combination of cresylates, to three parts by weight of the solvent medium. These
are the proportions I prefer to use, but the proportions mentioned in the Provisional
Specification left with my application for Letters Patent to this invention, namely one
part by weight of the cresylate or of the combination, to three parts of the solvent,
also give satisfactory results.
The solution is made to permeate the wood by the process usually adopted in
creosoting timber, or by any other suitable means.

page_text: In the production of a composition in accordance with this invention, as a
protective shield for guarding submarine electric cables against penetration by
toredo worms, either of the cresylates above mentioned or a combination of any
two or more of them, is mixed, in a vessel subjected to the action of heat,
(approximately, 220° Fahrenheit) with pitch, tar, rosin, paraffin wax, gutta-percha,
india-rubber or other suitable solvent. Approximate proportions giving good results
in practice are two parts by weight of the particular cresylate employed, or of the
combination of cresylates, to two parts by weight of the solvent medium.
The composition when mixed and allowed to cool, is of a consistency resembling
that of freshly made dough. It is laid about a submarine electric cable as a
substitute for the copper sheathing usually employed and lies next inside the external
covering of hemp. The poisonous character of the composition prevents toredo
worms boring, and so penetrating to the interior of the cable.
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 :-
1. The employment, as an ingredient in compositions for protecting ships' bottoms
against fouling; preserving wood; and for shielding submarine electric cables from
penetration by toredo worms, of the cresylate either of mercury or lead or copper or
iron or zinc, either separately, or a combination in suitable proportions of any two or
more of them.
2. A composition for protecting ships' bottoms against fouling; consisting
of, approximately, 100 parts by weight of pure or impure cresylic acid, and,
approximately, 120 parts by weight of either oxide of lead, mercury, copper iron or
zinc, or of, approximately, 120 parts by weight of a combination of any two or moro
of such oxides, mixed in suitable proportions with a suitable solvent medium,
substantially as hereinabove described.
3. An antiseptic composition for preserving wood, consisting of, approximately,
two parts by weight of cresylate of mercury, lead, copper, iron or zinc and,
approximately, three parts by weight of creosote oil, tar oils, or cresylic acid or other
suitable solvent mixed together, substantially as hereinabove described.
4. A composition for protecting submarine electric cables from penetration by
toredo worms, consisting of, approximately, two parts by weight of the creylate
either of mercury, or lead, or copper, or iron or zinc, or of a combination in suitable
proportions of any two or more of them, to two parts by weight of tar, or other
suitable solvent medium, mixed together, substantially as hereinabove described.
Dated this 6th day of June 1896.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.