AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS AS SUBSTITUTES FOR IVORY, HORN, CORAL, MALACHITE, VULCANITE, CAOUTCHOUC, GUTTA PERCHA AND THE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Greening of Southall in the County of
Middlesex for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS
AS SUBSTITUTES FOR IVORY, HORN, CORAL, MALACHITE, VULCANITE,
CAOUTCHOUC, GUTTA PERCHA AND THE LIKE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederck Greening at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1883.
FREDERICK GREENING of Southall in the County of Middlesex "AN IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS AS SUBSTITUTES FOR IVORY, HORN, CORAL,
MALACHITE, VULCANITE, CAOUTCHOUC, GUTTA-PERCHA AND THE LIKE"
My invention relates to an improved manufacture of compounds having a gun
cotton base, serving as substitutes for ivory, horn, coral and the like, whereby such
compounds are rendered practically uninflammable, a result which has not been
attained with such compounds heretofore. For this purpose, in preparing the gun
cotton base, I subject the ligneous fibre or cellulose whether in the form of separate
fibre, paper or otherwise, to the action of a compound of sulphuric and nitric acids
mixed by preference in the proportions of about 75% of sulphuric acid and
25% of nitric acid, at a temperature of about 68° Fabr. After being submitted to
the action of the acids for a short time, the fibre is plunged into water so as to
free it as far as possible from free acids. After expressing the moisture, the fibre
is submitted to the action of ammonia gas so as to be completely saturated thereby,
whereupon it is immediately plunged into a strong solution of alumina sulphate,
where it is allowed to remain for from 2 to 3 hours, and it is then finally passed
through a hot water bath and dried. In some cases, in place of subjecting the
gun cotton base to the action of ammonia gas, as above described, I subject it to
the action of alcohol, either in the liquid or the gaseous form. The product thus
obtained is soluble but non explosive; in order to convert it into a plastic condition
or a solution, I take sublimed naphthaline and combine therewith fused chloride
of zinc in any proportions, which can be effected under pressure at a temperature
Di 71
.

page_text: of from 220° to 300° Fahr. I then dissolve from 50 to 75 parts of this solvent in
100 parts of methylated alcohol of about 900° gravity, and when thoroughly
dissolved, I combine the mixture with the above described product, in about equal
parts of each, whereby the mixture will become plastic so as to be capable of being
rolled into thin sheets. If it is desired to reduce the mass to a solution, more of
the solvent is added. The plastic mass is passed through rollers heated to
about 100° Fab, whereby the alcohol will be driven off and a solid compound
obtained.
Should a denser material be required, fused alumina sulphate in a finely pul-
verised condition is added in any desired proportion, varying from 5 per cent to
300 per cent, according to the nature of the articles to be produced, the compound
being colored by means of any suitable pigments or dyes; or if a white material
is desired, zinc oxide is added, and if a black material, ivory black may be used.
If the product is required to be of a more or less flexible nature, oils, gums or
resins may be incorporated therewith.
The fused alumina sulphate, being perfectly neutral, forms with the other
product a perfectly uninflammable compound, which has not yet been obtained in
compounds of a similar nature heretofore prepared

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Greening in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th November 1883.
FREDERICK GREENING of Southall in the County of Middlesex AN IMPROVED
MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS AS SUBSTITUTES FOR IVORY, HORN,
MALACHITE, VULCANITE, CAOUTCHOUC, GUTTA-PERCHA, AND THE LIKE
CORAL,
My invention relates to an improved manufacture of compounds having a gun
cotton or cellulose base, serving as substitutes for ivory, horn, coral and the like,
whereby such compounds are rendered practically uninflammable, a result which
has not been attained with such compounds heretofore. For this purpose, in
preparing the ligneous fibre or cellulose I subject it whether in the form of separate
fibre, paper or otherwise, to the action of a compound of sulphuric and nitric acids
mixed by preference in the proportions of about 75% of sulphuric acid (specific
gravity 1840) and 25% of nitric acid (specific gravity 1420) at a temperature of
about 68° Fahr. It is to be noted that care must be taken not to allow the acids
to act so long upon the fibre as to produce the insoluble form of gun cotton. After
being submitted to the action of the acids for a short time (say from ten to twelve
minutes) the fibre is plunged into water so as to almost free it from free acids.
After expressing the moisture, the fibre is submitted to the action of ammonia gas,
or, as I prefér, to the action of carbonate of ammonia in the state of vapour, so as
to be completely impregnated thereby, whereupon it is immediately plunged into
a strong solution of alumina sulphate, where it is allowed to remain for from 2 to 3
hours, and it is then finally washed in hot water and dried. In some cases, in
place of subjecting the gun cotton base to the action of ammonia gas, or carbonate
of ammonia vapor, but after treatment with alumina sulphate as above described,
I subject it to the action of alcohol, either in the liquid or the vaporous form. The
above products thus obtained are non explosive, in order to convert either of them
(that is to say, either fibre that has been treated by the ammonia process, or fibre
that has been treated by the alcoholic process) into a plastic condition or a solution,
I take sublimed naphthaline and combine therewith fused chloride of zinc in any
convenient proportions (the proportions may be varied within wide limits, but
about equal parts of sublimed naphthaline and fused chloride of zinc may
conveniently be used) which can be effected advantageously under pressure at a
temperature of from 220° to 300° Faht I then dissolve from 50 to 75 parts of
this compound in 100 parts of methylated alcohol of about 900° gravity, and, when
thoroughly dissolved, I add this mixture to one or other of the above described
products, in about equal parts of each, and likewise I add zinc oxide in chemical
proportion to the quantity of zinc chloride employed, whereby the product will
become plastic so as to be capable of being rolled into thin sheets, and will also be
rendered uninflammable. If it is desired to reduce the mass to a solution, more
of the solvent is added. The plastic mass is passed through rollers heated to
about 100° Fah whereby the alcohol will be driven off and a solid compound
obtained.
Should a denser material be required, fused alumina sulphate (that is to say,
anhydrous alumina sulphate) in a finely pulverised condition is added in any
desired proportion, varying from 5 per cent to 300 per cent, according to the
nature of the articles to be produced, the compound being colored by means of any
suitable pigments or dyes. If a black material is desired, ivory black or tannic
black may be added. If either of the products be required to be of a more or less
flexible nature, oils, gums, or resins may be incorporated therewith. The addition

page_text: of fused alumina sulphate as above described tends to increase the uninflammability
of the compound.
Having described the nature of the said invention and the manner of carrying
the same into practical effect I would have it understood that what I consider to
be novel and original and therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the
herein before first in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. Treating, with ammonia gas or carbonate of ammonia in the state of vapour,
fibre that has been converted into nitro cellulose by subjection to the action of
sulphuric and nitric acids substantially as described.
2. Treating nitro cellulose (after it has been deprived of free acid) by steeping
in a strong solution of alumina sulphate, washing and drying substantially as
described.
3. Treating nitro cellulose that has been deprived of free acid and dried by
adding to it a solvent (such as naphthaline) together with zinc chloride and zinc
oxide, substantially as described.
4. The combined process of producing uninflammable nitro celiulose by treating
nitro cellulose with ammonia gas or carbonate of ammonia in the state of vapor,-
then steeping the fibre in a strong solution of alumina sulphate, washing and
drying and afterwards adding to the dried product a mixture of naphthaline, zinc
chloride, and zinc oxide as above described
In Witness whereof I the said Frederick Greening bave hereunto set my hand
and seal this Sixteenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
(87)
KNINGATE
FRED GRE