IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- PACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL GUMS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Childs, of Windsor House, Putney, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL GUMS."
Sealed the 23rd March 1860, and dated the 8th October 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Childs at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th October 1859.
I, JAMES CHILDS, of Windsor House, Putney, in the County of Surrey, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL GUMS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
artificial gums, and is applicable when what is now known as "dental rubber,"
(a compound of india-rubber, sulphur, and vermillion), is used in this manu-
facture. In order to obtain a better and more natural color to those parts of
the artificial gums which are visible when the gums are in use, a substance or
compound is employed for making these parts different from that which is
employed in making the other or main parts or body of the artificial gums;
thus, a compound may be employed for the outer surfaces of the gums, which,

page_text: although of a good and natural color, is too weak or brittle to be used alone,
whilst the main body of the gums is composed of a stronger compound.
The introduction of coloring and other foreign matters into dental rubber in
all cases weakens such compounds. To form the body of the gums I prefer
to use light compounds of india-rubber, sulphur, and vermillion to those usually
employed, but variations may be made therein, and for the surfaces of the
gums a different compound is employed; it may be a compound of india-
rubber or of gutta percha, or of the two together, combined with sulphur and
coloring or other foreign matters. I prefer to use compounds such as are
described in the Provisional Specification of Frederic Louis Lawrence, dated
the 9th day of August 1859, (No. 1842,) and to treat the artificial gums
when hardened by subjecting them to the action of spirit and light, as therein
described, by which the surface material will be brought to the desired
color.
My Invention, however, does not consist in the use of any peculiar com
pound of india-rubber gums when employing compound india-rubber and
sulphur, hardened by heat, in the manufacture of artificial gums, but in using
a different material or compound of india-rubber for the outer surfaces or parts
of the gums to that which is used in producing the other parts or main body of
the same.
In moulding a set of artificial gums a thin layer of the surface material is
first introduced into the mould, and then the mould is filled with the ordinary
or different compound of india-rubber and sulphur, taking care that whatever
be the outer material used it will adhere to the india-rubber compound of
which the body is formed. The artificial gums thus moulded are then hardened
by the application of heat, as is well understood.
In using compounds of india-rubber (caoutchouc) in the making of artificial
gums, I, in some cases, use frames of wire or metal, having wires or projections
fixed to them, for the purpose of attaching the teeth; the frames of wire or
metal are introduced into the moulds, and incorporated within the compound of
india-rubber and sulphur, of which the bodies of the artificial gums are com-
posed. By these means greater strength may be obtained when constructing
artificial gums of india-rubber compounds.
I would here remark that it is not new to use frames of metal in moulded
artificial gums when made of gutta percha, but the peculiarity of this part
of
the Invention consists in combining such metal frames with hardened com-
pounds of india-rubber in the manufacture of artificial gums.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Childs in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th April 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
CHILDS, of Windsor House, Putney, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said James Childs, Her special licence that I, the said James Childs,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Childs, 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 Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL GUMS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said James Childs, my executors or administrators, by an 'instru-
ment in writing under my or 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 James Childs, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of arti-'
ficial gums, and is applicable when what is now known as "dental rubber" (a
compound of india-rubber, sulphur, and vermillion) is used in this manufacture.
In order to obtain a better and more natural color to those parts of the
artificial gums which are visible when the gums are in use, a substance or
compound is employed for making these parts different from that which is em-
ployed in making the other or main parts or body of the artificial gums; thus
a compound may be employed for the outer surfaces of the gums, which,
although of a good and natural color, is too weak or brittle to be used alone,
whilst the main body of the gum is composed of a stronger compound. The
introduction of coloring and other foreign matters into dental rubber in all

page_text: cases weakens such compounds.
10 form the body of the gums, I prefer to
use like compounds of india-rubber, sulphur, and vermillion, to those usually
employed; but variations may be made therein, and for the surfaces of the
gums a different compound is employed; it may be a compound of -india-
rubber, or of gutta percha, or of the two together combined with sulphur and
coloring or other foreign matters.
:
I prefer to use a compound consisting of,-
6 or 8 parts by weight of caoutchouc,
2 parts
"
of sulphur,
6 parts
of vermillion,
"
of silicate, of magnesia.
12.parts39
Or 6 or 8 parts by weight of caoutchouc,
of vermillion,
2 parts
of sulphur,
"
5 parts
12 parts
"
sulphate of lime.
Other proportions of these matters may be used, and magnesia may be em-
ployed in place of silicate of magnesia, and, in place of or in combination with
india-rubber, gutta percha may be used, and other light or white substances as
well as other coloring matters may be used in place of or in combination with.
those mentioned above, such as oxides of zinc.
..My Invention, however, does not consist in the use of any peculiar compound
of india-rubber, when employing compound india-rubber and sulphur hardened
by heat in the manufacture of artificial gums, but in using a different material
or compound of india-rubber or of gutta percha for the outer surfaces or parts of
the gums which come in sight when in use to that which is used in producing
the other parts or main body of the same.
}
In moulding a set of artificial gums, a thin layer of the surface material
is first introduced into the mould, and then the mould is filled with the ordinary
or different compound of india-rubber and sulphur, taking care that whatever
be the outer material used, it will adhere to the india-rubber compound of
which the body is formed. The artificial gums thus moulded are then hardened
by the application of heat, as is well understood; or in place of proceeding in
the manner above described, I first mould and harden the gums in the manner
heretofore practised, and afterwards I roughen such parts as it is desirable to
coat with a material of different color. To the parts thus roughened I apply
a composition such as that already described; the composition being warmed
so as to make it as plastic as possible, and being applied with care so that its
adhesion to the original gum may be complete; the whole is then enclosed in
plaster, and submitted to the hardening process.

page_text: In using compound of india-rubber (caoutchouc) in the making of artificial
gums, I in some cases use frames of wire or metal, having wires or projections
fixed to them for the purpose of attaching the teeth. The frames of wire or
metal to which the teeth are fixed are introduced into the moulds and sur-
rounded with the compound of india-rubber and sulphur, of which the bodies
of the artificial gums are composed, the teeth at the same time will be sur-
rounded by the dental india-rubber compounds, which will form sockets for the
teeth. By these means greater strength may be obtained when constructing
artificial gums of india-rubber compounds than heretofore, where the teeth
have been simply fixed by metal pins to the india-rubber compound.
I would here remark, that it is not new to use frames of metal in moulded
artificial gums, frames similar to those which I employ having before been
used in combination with gutta percha; but the peculiarity of this part of the
Invention consists in combining such metal frames with hardened compounds
of india-rubber in the manufacture of artificial gums.
Artificial gums made as above explained may be used in the state in which
they are produced, but they may, when desired, be varnished with a spirit
varnish, in which case I prefer to use a solution of collodion as the varnish,
which may be colored to any desired tint.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Childs, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
TAN
חבו CIIT