IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBONS IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF A HARD MATERIAL THEREFROM
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Hand Smith, of the City and State of
New York, United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, London, Gentleman, and Hugh Christie Paterson, of
No. 18, George Square, in the City of Glasgow, Merchant, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYDROCARBONS
IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF A
HARD MATERIAL THEREFROM,
"
Sealed the 1st June 1875, and dated the 5th December 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Hand Smith
and Hugh Christie Paterson at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 5th December 1874.
We, GEORGE HAND SMITH, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings,
London, Gentleman, and HUGH CHRISTIE PATERSON, of No. 18, George
Square, in the City of Glasgow, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HYDRO-
CARBONS IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF A HARD MATERIAL THEREFROM," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture from plastic substances of
a new material suitable for building and for other purposes useful in the

page_text: arts and manufactures, which is termed "carbonite." This material is
in its character, having regard to the substances employed in producing
it, not only new, but it possesses qualities not possessed by other
materials, which have been made in other ways or by other processes,
from substances of an analogous character. It is hard, impenetrable to
moisture, and durable. It is much less affected by heat than any other
compound formed from similar substances hitherto known.
We will now describe as an example one of the useful products
manufactured according to the present Invention. A material, which is
suitable for blocks and bricks for building and other like purposes, is
made by taking, first, a mixture of coal tar and small broken stones or
shingle, a portion of which should be pulverised or mixed with sand or
its equivalent, so that the interstices between the stones of larger size
may be properly filled up; second, a mixture of clay and pitch. The
first mixture or compound is thus composed,-

page_text: wДue its particles arc adhesive to the touch, in the proportions of about
twelve per cent., namely,-
-
Of the first compound, about
Of the second compound, about
Total mixture
880 parts by weight.
120 parts by weight.
1000 parts by weight.
This mixture is confined in a close vessel provided with a suitable
safety valve and heated. The heat is raised at least to 250° Fahrenheit,
and should be further raised to higher temperatures in proportion to the
hardness which it is desired to impart to the manufactured material.
The mixed ingredients must be well agitated, so that the vapours
generated may diffuse themselves uniformly throughout the ingredients.
As soon as the ingredients are mixed and raised to the required
temperature they should be tested, and as soon as the material produced
is found on compression to become hard and to be tough when cooled,
it will be ready for the purposes of manufacture.
If for instance a block for building purposes is to be made of the
material compounded and prepared as described above, the mass is at
once removed while hot to moulds, where it is pressed and shaped as
required.
In the formation of the first compound, instead of coal tar analogous
fluid hydrocarbons may be substituted, as for instance pitch dissolved in
benzol, but in all cases care must be taken to use the smallest possible
quantity of the hydrocarbon that will produce the desired result, that is,
the coating of the hard substance with the thinnest coating of the
cementing hydrocarbon that will cause the required adhesion.
Again, the hard substances used to form the first compound may be
broken stones, shingle, broken slag, sandstone, sand, or gravel, or a
mixture of two or more of these substances.
In the formation of the second compound sand or chalk may in part
be substituted for clay, and instead of pitch analogous hydrocarbons may
be used.
A very valuable material of a novel character may also be manu-
factured by mixing two compounds in a manner analogous to that above
described, the first compound being formed by substituting sawdust or
vegetable fibres for the broken stones or shingle or similar hard sub-

page_text: stances when mixed with the hydrocarbon, the second compound or
mixture remaining as above described. Also in some cases woody or
other substances partly composed of matter that will yield hydrocarbon
may be advantageously mixed directly with the second compound.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Hand Smith and Hugh Christie Paterson
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, WC, GEORGE
HAND SMITH, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Gentleman,
and HUGH CHRISTIE PATERSON, of No. 18, George Square, in the City
of Glasgow, Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said George Hand Smith and
Hugh Christie Paterson, Her special licence that we, the said George
Hand Smith and Hugh Christie Paterson, our executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said George Hand
Smith and Hugh Christie Paterson, our 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 TREATMENT
OF HYDROCARBONS IN COMBINATION WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF A HARD MATERIAL THEREFROM," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said George Hand Smith and Hugh Christie
Paterson, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Hand Smith and
Hugh Christie Paterson, do hereby declare the nature of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture from plastic substances of
a new kind of material suitable for building and for other purposes
useful in the arts and manufactures which is termed "carbonite." This
material is in its character, having regard to the substances employed in
producing it, not only new, but it possesses qualities not possessed by
other materials which have been made in other ways or by other
processess of an analogous character. It is hard, inpenetratable to
moisture, and durable. It is much less affected by heat than any other
compounds formed from similar substances hitherto known. In fact at
the highest atmospheric temperatures to which the material can be
exposed in hot climates the new material remains practically unaltered,
a result not hitherto attained in the manufacture of any analagous
artificial materials.
"
We will describe as an example one of the useful products manu-
factured according to the present Invention. A material, which is
suitable for blocks or bricks for building and other like purposes, is
made by taking, first, a mixture of coal tar and small broken stones or
shingle, a portion of which should be pulverized or mixed with sand or
its equivalent, so that the interstices between the stones of larger size
may be properly filled up; second, a mixture of clay and pitch.
First mixture or compound is thus composed.
1000 1000
It will be seen that the quantity of coal tar is very small; it should
be heated, before it is used, so that it may flow readily, and it is an
important feature in our present Invention that the quantity of coal tar
or its equivalent hydrocarbon should be far less than it has hitherto been
thought possible to combine with advantage for such purposes as are
herein referred to.

page_text: heavy oils have been distilled should be used a larger proportion will be
required.
The above ingredients are mixed in a mixing apparatus at a heat
which is gradually increased until they become adhesive to the touch.
When the ingredients have been brought into this condition a second
mixture or compound is introduced into the mixing apparatus. This
mixture is thus prepared, clay and pitch are taken separately in about
the following proportions :-
The pitch in the solid state is ground with the clay, which is in a dry
or anhydrous state, so as to diffuse the said pitch over the particles of
the clay. This latter compound in a dry state of powder is added to the
first, while its particles are adhesive to the touch in the proportions of 1
about 12%, namely,-
This mixture is confined in a close vessel (which may be provided
with a suitable safety valve), and it is heated by a steam jacket or
otherwise. The heat to produce a good effect is raised to about
250 degrees Fahrenheit, and should be further raised to higher tempc-
rature in proportion to the hardness which it is desired to impart to the
manufactured material.
We have found that the temperature should not be lower than about
150° in any case, and it need not be carried higher than about 350°, as
at higher temperatures the plasticity of the mixture may be destroyed,
and when a tendency in this direction is observed the temperature must
be lowered.
The mixed ingredients must be well agitated, so that the vapours
generated may diffuse themselves uniformly throughout the ingredients.
When the ingredients are mixed and raised to the required tempe-
rature they should be tested, and as soon as the material produced is

page_text: found on compression to become hard and to be tough when cool, it will
be ready for the purposes of manufacture.
If for instance a block for building purposes is to be made of the
material compounded and prepared as described above the mass is at
once removed while hot to moulds, where it is pressed and shaped as
required..
If it be found that owing to the small quantity of hydrocarbon used
or to other causes the material when manufactured is not very plastic
the pressure required to consolidate it must be increased, and mechanical
or machine power should be used.
In the formation of the first compound instead of coal tar analogous
fluid hydrocarbons may be substituted, as for instance pitch dissolved in
benzol, but in all cases care must be taken to use the smallest possible
quantity of the hydrocarbon that will produce the desired result, that is,
the coating of the hard substance with the thinnest coating of the
cementing hydrocarbon that will cause the required adhesion.
Again, the hard substances used to form the first mixture or compound
may be broken stones, shingle, broken slag, sandstone, sand, or gravel,
or a mixture of two or more of these substances, care being taken that
the materials or mixtures are of a non-absorbent character, so that tho
minimum quantity of carbon may be employed.
-
In the formation of the second mixture or compound fine sand or
chalk may in part or wholly be substituted for clay, and instead of pitch
analogous hydrocarbon may be used in equivalent proportions.
A very valuable material of a novel character may also be manu-
factured by mixing in manner analogous to that above described two
compounds formed as follows:-The first compound is formed by sub-
stituting sawdust or vegetable fibres or other absorbent material for
broken stones or shingle, or similar hard substances when mixed with
bydrocarbon, the second compound or mixturo remaining as above
described.
The proportions that may be advantageously used are as follows:-
To form the first compound we use about " part of hydrocarbon, and
parts of sawdust, vegetable fibre, or other absorbent material.
rus
We form the second compound as before by mixing 250 to 335 parts
of pitch with 750 to 665 parts of clay.

page_text: the
The two compounds are mixed in proportions varying from about
equal parts of each to about 1/4 of the first compound to / of the
second, according to the hardness or toughness required.
Vegetable fibre or other substances containing about an equal pro-
portion of hydrocarbon to that contained in the first compound may 5
also, by bringing them to a heat sufficient to liberate the hydrocarbon,
be mixed directly with the second compound.
In some cases the process may be shortened by mixing the several
ingredients consecutively in one continued operation, in which case the
materials may be advantageously used in the order and proportions as 1
follow, according to the softness or hardness required :—