IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODES OF IMPREGNATING WOOD OR TIMBER WITH CHEMICAL MATERIALS
Year: 1839

page_text: UZIELLI'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
UZIELLI, of King William Street, in the City of London, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing
date at Westminster, the Seventeenth day of August, in the third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Matthew Uzielli, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said Matthew Uzielli, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthew Uzielli, my exors, adiñors,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODES
OF IMPREGNATING WOOD OR TIMBER WITH CHEMICAL MATERIALS," communi-
cated to me by a certain foreigner residing abroad; in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said Matthew Uzielli, shall cause
a particular description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the saine is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's
High Court of Chancery within six calendar mouths next and immediately
after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the
same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Matthew Uzielli, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):-
The improvements in impregnating wood or timber are performed by calling
into play a mutual power which will be found to exist in trees recently felled,
and which causes the introduction into all parts of their substance any liquid
in which their, lower extremities are immersed a few inches.
The most
favorable time to proceed to this preparation is, when the circulation of the
sap is most active, and when trees are most covered with leaves. Experience
has proved that the circulation has sufficient energy to produce the most
satisfactory results during the months of May, June, July, August, and
September; in certain species of trees, it continues in October and November:
pine and fir belong to the latter. Preservative liquids and others can be
applied, in whatever position the tree is placed, by steeping its foot in a vessel
containing the liquor it is desired to impregnate the timber with. But as a
great expense of manual labour can be avoided by preparing the trees when
laying down, their preparation ought to be proceeded with by adapting, as
soon as possible after they are hewed down, to their lower extremity an
apparatus in the shape of a bag, made of waterproof cloth, answering as a
reservoir, which is constantly kept full of the liquid to be absorbed. The
greater the number of limbs and of leaves left upon the tree, and the sooner
the operation takes place after it is cut down, the surer and more complete
the penetration will be, yet the possibility of introducing the liquid to a con-
siderable extent has been ascertained even after several days had elapsed since
the tree was felled and had been deprived of its limbs. It is important that
this circumstance should be known, for in many instances it may serve to
avoid operating on the spot, and permit the establishment of central depots
for the preparation. The time required for the operation seldom exceeds ten
days; its duration depends on the vigour of the tree, on its species, on its age,
and on the season of the year. Of all the matters which have been introduced
into timber by the mode pointed out above, those which deserve the preference
for its preservation are unrefined pyrolignites (acetates) of iron and copper;
all their elements, among which is creosote, are already known as good
preservatives, and their cost, particularly that of the first named, is very
trifling. Through a decided preference is given to these salts, great reliance
can be placed in others; amongst them, chloride of sodium (common salt)
and arsenious acid (white arsenic) are to be particularly noticed; pieces of
timber prepared with these substances have been submitted to powerful

page_text: causes of alteration, and it has already been possible to ascertain that their
protecting effect is very remarkable. To lessen the inflammability, and par-
ticularly the combustibility of timber, it is to be impregnated with chloride
sodium (common salt), or, with what is still better, concentrated dissolution
of chloride calcium (muriate lime) shewing twelve degrees of Baume's areo-
The peculiar quality of rendering timber impermeable to moisture is
obtained by the introduction of rosins dissolved either in spirits of turpentine
or in alcohol, or pyroxylic spirit (wood spirit), wood naptha; the same dis-
solvents permit the introduction of camphor and all essential oils; finally,
valuable colors can be given to white wood by penetrating it with sulphate
of indigo, a solution of Pernambuco die woods. The warping of wood has
always been prevented by the introduction of chloride of sodium (common
salt) or of chloride calcium (muriate lime). I would remark that I do not
confine myself to any particular solutions for impregnating timber or wood;
the Invention secured by the present Letters Patent not depending on the
materials it is desired to impregnate the timber or wood with, but to the
mode of applying wood or timber in such manner as to take advantage of
the natural circulation, thus rendering the employment of very large tanks
unnecessary, as only the lower ends of trees or timber is required to be
immersed in the liquor.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Uzielli, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty.
COIL DET.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourth day of February, in
the year of our Lord 1840, the aforesaid Matthew Uzielli came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Seventeenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty.