Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Marble and Stone.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1900 -Accepted, 8th Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Marble and Stone.
I, HENRY ALLEN PRYOR, Chartered Patent Agent, of 70, Chancery Lane, in
the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been comunicated to me from abroad by James Edwin Summers, of Lynch-
burg, in the County of Campbell, State of Virginia, United States of America)
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of artificial marble and stone and
consists in providing certain combinations of matter and so manipulating same
as to produce an artificial substance closely resembling real marble or stone
both in quality, colour, finish and so forth. By this invention the expensive
modes now practised for polishing and graining are entirely dispensed with.
The invention comprises liquid compositions of ingredients which when mixed
with certain materials hereinafter specified, in a pulverised state, serve to cement
together and harden the said solid materials to such a degree that the resulting pro-
duct is capable of use as an efficient constructive material. The invention
comprises also a manufactured product or compound including, as an ingredient,
one or other of the said liquid compositions mixed with said solid materials.
The invention also comprises the method or process of treating and mani-
pulating the said compositions of matter to produce the finished product of arti-
ficial marble or stone.
In the preparation of the liquid composition referred to the following in-
gredients are incorporated substantially in the proportions and manner nerein-
after specified.
Firstly I take a quantity of lime water and to each pint thereof I add about
fifteen drops of silicate of soda, the whole being thoroughly mixed by stirring or
otherwise agitating the lime water.
This liquid composition may be employed alone in connection with the solid
materials hereinafter referred to, or I may substitute a liquid composition sub-
stantially of the following proportions. To, say, ten gallons of lime water or
milk of lime is added one half pound of glycerine, six ounces of silicate of soda,
one half pound of common soap, two pounds of common salt, and half a pound
of ground marsh-mallow root. These ingredients are boiled and stirred together
until they combine, after which the preparation is run through a sieve and is
then ready for use.
In the manufacture of artificial marble or stone, by the use of the liquid com-
position first above referred to; after the liquid has been stirred and mixed in a
suitable vessel, the solid material (which in this case consists of Parian or
similar cement) is slowly and gradually added to the mixture so that the cement
readily absorbs all the lime water and silicate of soda contained therein. The
mixture is now left to stand for a short time, then the mass is stirred thoroughly,
and then various pigments, preferably mineral colours, are added, each pigment
being however previously mixed in required proportion with dry cement of the

page_text: same kind and quality originally used to absorb the lime water. These pig-
ments are dropped into the box containing the liquid mixture, and then said
mixture is agitated by a few strokes with a suitable tool, to give it a variegated
appearance by distributing the pigments in the mass. The mass is now poured
into a mould made of glass or other suitable material, having an exceedingly
hard, smooth and impervious inner surface. The whole is now left to dry and
set hard in the mould, this process usually taking about from three to four
hours after the article has been removed from the mould, its surface is rubbed
with linseed oil and a soft cloth, the oil serving to preserve the polish and to
keep the colours from fading. In the finished article the colours are properly
blended to give the appearance of coloured natural marble, and at the same time
the contact of the plastic mass with the smooth highly polished, inner surfaces
of the mould will give the artificial marble a polished face of such a nature that
further grinding or polishing may be dispensed with..
In combining the solid materials with the liquid composition second above
referred to I take hydraulic cement or gypsum or any of the solids usually used
in this art and reduce them to a pulverulent or granulated condition.
I then mix with the granulated materials a sufficient quantity of
the said liquid composition, or I proceed as with the first composi-
tion, to form a plastic mass of such consistency as to enable it to be
easily moulded by hand, or to be placed in moulds to form or cast such article
as may be required. The necessary colours or tints may be added to the mass
preferably while it is being kneaded should it be desired to have a resulting
body coloured or tinted throughout; or the colour or the tint may be applied
to the surface only, or in the manner described in connection with the first
liquid composition.
I do not limit myself to the particular solid matters above mentioned as any
other such solid substances commonly used in the manufacture of artificial stone
or other material calculated to produce the desired result when mixed with the
liquid compositions specified, may be employed. The said liquid composition
. will give strength and hardness to any concrete substance formed of particles
that have been mixed therewith and pressed together whilst in a plastic state.
Dated this Tenth day of October 1899.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Marble and Stone.
I, HENRY ALLEN PRYOR, Chartered Patent Agent, of 70, Chancery Lane, in
the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been comunicated to me from abroad by James Edwin Summers, of Lynch-
burg, in the County of Campbell, State of Virginia, United States of America)
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
.This invention relates to the manufacture of artificial marble and stone and
consists in providing certain combinations of matter and so manipulating same
as to produce an artificial substance closely resembling real marble or stone
both in quality, colour, finish and so forth. By this invention the expensive
modes now practised for polishing and graining are entirely dispensed with.
The invention comprises liquid compositions of ingredients which when mixed

page_text: with certain materials hereinafter specified, in a pulverised state, serve to cement
together and harden the said solid materials to such a degree that the resulting pro-
duct is capable of use as an efficient constructive material. The invention
comprises also a manufactured product or compound including, as an ingredient,
one or other of the said liquid compositions mixed with said solid materials.
The invention also comprises the method or process of treating and mani-
pulating the said compositions of matter to produce the finished product of arti-
ficial marble or stone.
In the preparation of the liquid composition referred to the following in-
gredients are incorporated substantially in the proportions and manner herein-
after specified.
Firstly I take a quantity of lime water and to each pint thereof I add about
fifteen drops of silicate of soda, the whole being thoroughly mixed by stirring or
otherwise agitating the lime water.
This liquid composition may be employed alone in connection with the solidi
material hereinafter referred to, or I may substitute a liquid composition sub-
stantially of the following proportions. To, say, ten gallons of lime water or
milk of lime is added one half pound of glycerine, six ounces of silicate of soda,
ane half pound of common soap, two pounds of common salt, and half a pound
of ground marsh-mallow root. These ingredients are boiled and stirred together
until they combine, after which the preparation is run through a sieve and is
then ready for use.
In the manufacture of artificial marble or stone, by the use of the liquid com-
position first above referred to; after the liquid has been stirred and mixed in a
suitable vessel, the solid material (which in this case consists of Parian or
similar cement) is slowly and gradually added to the mixture so that the cement
readily absorbs. all the lime water and silicate of soda contained therein. The
mixture is now left to stand for a short time, then the mass is stirred thoroughly,
anu then various pigments, preferably mineral colours, are added, each pigment
being however previously mixed in required proportion with dry cement of the
same kind and quality originally used to absorb the lime water. These pig-
ments are dropped into the box containing the liquid mixture, and then said
mixture agitated by a few strokes with a suitable tool, to give it a variegated
appearance by distributing the pigments in the mass. The mass is now poured
into a mould made of glass or other suitable material, having an exceedingly
hard, smooth and impervious inner surface. The whole is now left to dry and
set hard in the mould, this process usually taking about from three to four
hours after the article has been removed from the mould, its surface is rubbed
with linseed oil and a soft cloth, the oil serving to preserve the polish and to
keep the colours from fading. In the finished article the colours are properly
blended to give the appearance of coloured natural marble, and at the same time
the contact of the plastic mass with the smooth highly polished inner surfaces
of the mould will give the artificial marble a polished face of such a nature that
further grinding or polishing may be dispensed with.
In combining the solid materials with the liquid composition second above
referred to I take hydraulic cement or gypsum or any of the solids usually used
in this art and reduce them to a pulverulent or granulated condition.
I then mix with the granulated materials a sufficient quantity of
the said liquid composition, or I proceed as with the first composi-
tion, to form a plastic mass of such consistency as to enable it to be
easily moulded by hand or to be placed in moulds to form or cast such article
as may be required. The necessary colours or tints may be added to the mass
preferably while it is being kneaded should it be desired to have a resulting
body coloured or tinted throughout; or the colour or the tint may be applied
to the surface only, or in the manner described in connection with the first
liquid composition.

page_text: I do not limit myself to the particular solid matters above mentioned as any
other such solid substances commonly used in the manufacture of artificial stone
or other material calculated to produce the desired result when mixed with the
liquid compositions specified, may be employed. The said liquid composition
will give strength and hardness to any concrete substance formed of particles
that have been mixed therewith and pressed together whilst in a plastic state.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention (as communicated to me from abroad) and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:
1. The herein described method of manufacturing artificial marble or stone
which consists in mixing together lime water and silicate of soda substantially
in the proportions above stated, then adding cement to said mixture until it has
become fully incorporated therewith, and finally allowing the mass to harden
on a highly polished surface, all substantially as set forth.
2. The herein described method of manufacturing artificial marble or stone
which consists in mixing together lime water and silicate of soda in the propor-
tion of about 15.drops of the latter to every pint of the former, then adding cement
to said mixture until it has become fully incorporated therewith, next adding
to the mass a pigment previously mixed with dry cement and finally allowing
the mass to harden on a highly smooth and polished surface substantially as set
forth.
3. The use in combination with solid substances such as above referred to as
employed in the manufacture of artificial marble or stone of a liquid binding
composition of matter, consisting of milk of lime, glycerine, silicate of soda,
soap, salt and ground marsh mallow root combined, substantially in the manner
herein set forth.
4. The use in combination with the solid substances referred to as used in the
manufacture of artificial marble of a liquid binding composition of matter, con-
sisting of the herein-mentioned ingredients substantially in the proportions
stated, namely, ten gallons of milk of lime, one-half pound of glycerine, six
ounces of silicate of soda, one-half pound of soap, two pounds of salt, and one
half pound of ground marsh mallow root boiled and stirred together and after-
wards strained substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In the herein before described manufacture of artificial marble or stone,
the method of process of treatment by which the liquid composition of milk of
lime, glycerine, silicate of soda, soap, salt, and marsh mallow root combined in
substantially the proportions named and treated as specified is combined with a
granular material such as cement, gypsum or the like, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
6. An artificial marble or stone formed or cast in suitable moulds, consisting
of a liquid composition of milk of lime, glycerine, silicate of soda, soap, salt and
marshmallow root in or about in proportions such as specified, and combined
with hydraulic cement, gypsum or equivalent material, as set forth.
7. The improved manufacture of artificial marble or stone, consisting in the
employment of the hereindescribed liquid and solid compositions of matter,
substantially in the proportions stated and treated by the processes or methods
described.