Improvements in or relating to the Production of a Weather and Fire Proof Mass capable of being Moulded into any desired Form, and especially suitable for Slabs, Tiles, Building Materials, and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 5th May, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Production of a Weather and
Fire Proof Mass capable of being Moulded into any desired Form,
and especially suitable for Slabs, Tiles, Building Materials, and
the like.
I, ANTON PIEPER, Engineer, of Schmallenberg in the Province of Westphalia,
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The present invention consists of a process for producing a weather and fire
proof mass. capable of being moulded and adapted to be employed as a substitute
for wood, zinc, cement, clay and similar substances, such mass being also capable of
being worked in the same manner as wood, i.e. planed cut bored etc.
The mass can be produced in the form of tiles or slabs for roofing, flooring,
windows and doors, ornaments mouldings and the like and is, on account of. its
being weather proof particularly adapted for water work building purposes. The
dull black ebony colour of the mass can be altered to any desired colour by a
coating of oil paint whilst the mass itself can be ground and polished and is
capable of receiving a very high polish.
And in order to make the following description more easily intelligible reference
is had to the accompanying drawing in which similar letters denote similar parts
throughout the several views :-
Fig. 1 being a top view of one layer of the constituent parts of the mass, when in
the mould preparatory to being prepared and Fig. 2 a similar view of the next
layer.
Raw asphalt (asphaltmastic) is broken and powdered and mixed cold with an
equal amount of fibreless cellulose such as wood meal, sawdust, turf or similar
substance and placed in a mould. The said moulds should be advantageously
made of iron or steel and arranged in suitable manner to allow of an easy and
convenient removal of the contents without damaging the same, thus the moulds
should be made in two or more parts. The said moulds are filled in the following
manner: The moulds should be filled to about a third with the above described
mixture dry and cold and evenly spread over the said mould, this layer is then
covered by a layer of thin small boards, such as shown at y in Fig. 1 a certain
space being left between the said boards. A second coating is then placed on
the first and then again covered in the manner described with thin small boards,
care being taken this time to place the said boards in the opposite direction (Fig. 2)
to those on the under layer. These layers should be repeated until the thickness
required for the object to be produced has been obtained. Finally the whole form
is filled with the asphalt mixture and covered with a coating of raw asphalt.
The filled mould is now subjected to a powerful pressure whilst cold and then to a
heat of 170 to 180 degrees C. to entirely melt the asphalt. Hereupon the form is
placed in a powerful press and then again subjected to a pressure of about
300 atmospheres. As soon as the mould has cooled the contents are removed and
completely cooled down in cold water when the process is completed. In order to
prevent the mass from sticking to the mould a sheet of thin paper should be first
faid in the latter and the mass should also be covered with a similar covering.
The paper will be burnt in the mould but still it prevents the contents from sticking
to the mould.
The layers of boards provided to increase the stability of the mass, will be

page_text: thoroughly impregnated with the melted asphalt and will thus be just as weather
proof as the rest of the mass.
Unmixed asphaltmastic may also be employed having the layers of boards
arranged therein as described and will be found equally strong and durable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner it is performed I declare that what I claim is:
1. The process for producing a weather and fire proof mass capable of being
moulded, consisting in first mixing fibreless cellulose, such as wood meal, sawdust,
turf and the like with an equal proportion of powdered raw asphalt (asphaltmastic)
then placing the same in a dry and cold condition in rigid moulds, in layers cach
layer alternating with a layer of thin small boards, arranged with intermediate
spaces between said boards, the direction of the fibres of each layer of boards
being at right angles to those of the next layer beneath it, then filling up the said
form with the mixture, and covering the same with a layer of unmixed raw asphalt,
exposing the whole to a pressure, then subjecting the same to a heat of 170 to
180 degrees C. again pressing it to the extent of about 300 atmospheres, removing
the contents from the mould and cooling the same in water substantially as
described.
2. A weather and fire proof mass capable of being moulded consisting of a
mixture of fibreless cellulose, such as wood meal, sawdust, turf and the like and
raw asphalt (asphaltmastic) having interspersed therein layers of thin boards and
treated in the manner substantially as described and shown and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 8th day of March 1894
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.