IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE IMPREGNATION OF WOOD AND TEXTILE FABRICS WITH PROTECTIVE OR PRESERVATIVE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel of N° 28 Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE IMPREGNATION OF WOOD AND TEXTILE FABRICS WITH PROTECTIVE
OR PRESERVATIVE SUBSTANCES" communicated to him from abroad by Jacob.
A. Koch of Galveston, Texas, in the United States of America, and Wilhelm
Herre of the firm of W. Herre and Company of Berlin in the German
Empire
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1883.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN IMPREGNATING WOOD AND TEXTILE
FABRICS WITH PROTECTIVE OR PRESERVATIVE SUBSTANCES "
[communicated to him
from abroad by Jacob. A. Koch of Galveston, Texas, in the United States of
America, and Wilhelm Herre of the firm of W. Herre and Company of Berlin in
the German Empire]
This invention relates to the treatment of wood and textile fabrics with
substances that will protect then against atmospheric influences and against the
action of fire.
For this purpose the material to be treated is first placed in a closed or open
vessel containing water at atmospheric temperature, which is then heated
gradually to from 176 to 248 degrees Fahr, either by direct fire heat; or by
steam, whereupon the preservative substances hereinafter mentioned are introduced
which, by their combined action, will protect the material from atmospheric
influences and from fire.
To a quantity of from 26-4 to 33.0 gallons of the said boiling water are added
from 50 to 90 parts of sulphate of iron, from 20 to 2 parts of common salt or
rock salt, and from 30 to 8 parts of common alum either solid or in solution.
In place of common salt limewater may be used in equal proportion.
The materials are treated with this boiling liquor for a further period of from
6 to 10 hours for wood, and from 1 to 2 hours for textile fabrics, after which
the bath together with the material are allowed to cool down gradually,

page_text: It is of importance that the materials to be treated are introduced in a cold
condition into the cold bath and that this should be gradually raised to from 176°
to 248° Fahr, and the treatment continued as above described.
Instead of first introducing the material into water only and then adding the
chemicals, these may be first added to the water, the material being introduced
into the cold solution.
By either of the above modes of proceeding, the resinous or glutinous, or
albuminous constituents of the material treated are dissolved and held in
suspension in the impregnating liquor, so that the pores of the wood or other
fibre become opened for the reception of the protective substances carried by
the liquor.
By the gradual cooling down of the bath and its contents the material becomes
very perfectly and rapidly saturated with the chemicals, owing to the fact that,
by the slow boiling, the air is also in great part expelled from the pores of the
material, so that, on cooling, the preservative fluid becomes forced into them by
the atmospheric pressure.
The above process is of particular practical value on account of the absence
of all apparatus in carrying it out, beyond the above mentioned boiling vessel,
thus rendering it of a very inexpensive nature; and also on account of the absence
of all poisonous ingredients.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Patent Office on the 21st June
1884.
"
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE IMPREGNATION OF WOOD AND TEXTILE
FABRICS WITH PROTECTIVE OR PRESERVATIVE SUBSTANCES A communication to
me from abroad by Jacob A. Koch of Galveston, Texas in the United States of
America, and Wilhelm Herre of the firm of W. Herre and Company of Berlin
in the German Empire
This invention relates to the treatment of wood and textile fabrics with
substances that will protect them against atmospheric influences and against the
action of fire, and will also preserve them from decay when exposed to the action
of the sea or other water, For this purpose, the material to be treated is first
placed in a closed or open vessel containing water at atmospheric temperature,
which is then heated gradually to from 176 to 248 degrees Fahr, either by direct
fire-heat, or by steam, whereupon the preservative substances hereinafter mentioned
are introduced, which, by their combined action will protect the material from
atmospheric influences and from fire.
To a quantity of about 50 gallons of the said boiling water are added about
200 lbs. of the preservative substance, consisting of from 50 to 90 parts of sulphate
of iron, from 20 to 2 parts of common salt or rock salt and from 30 to 8 parts of
common alum, either solid or in solution. In place of common salt clarified lime
water may be used in equal proportion.
The materials are treated with this boiling liquor for a further period of from
6 to 10 hours for wood, and from 1 to 2 hours for textile fabrics, after which the
bath, together with the material are allowed to cool down gradually. It is of
importance that the materials to be treated are introduced in a cold condition into
the cold bath and that this should be gradually raised to from 176° to 248° Fahr.
and the treatment continued as above described.
Instead of first introducing the material into water only, and then adding the
chemicals, these may be first added to the water, the material being introduced
into the cold solution, which is then gradually heated as described
By either of the above modes of proceeding, the resinous, or glutinous, or
albuminous constituents of the material treated are dissolved and held in suspension
in the impregnating liquor, so that the pores of the wood or other fibre become
opened for the reception of the protective substances carried by the liquor.
By the gradual cooling down of the bath and its contents, the material becomes
very perfectly and rapidly saturated with the chemicals, owing to the fact that by
the slow boiling, the air is also in great part expelled from the pores of the
material, so that, on cooling, the preservative fluid becomes forced into them by the
atmospheric pressure. The above process is of particular practical value on
account of the absence of all apparatus in carrying it out, beyond the above
mentioned boiling vessel, thus rendering it of a very inexpensive nature; and also
on account of the absence of all poisonous ingredients
Having thus described the nature of the said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, I
claim :-
First: The process of impregnating wood and textile fabrics with protective or
preservative substances, wherein the materials are first introduced into cold water
which is gradually heated to a temperature of from 170° to 248° Fahr., and to
which are then added sulphate of iron, common salt or rock salt and alum, in

page_text: about the proportions herein stated, the materials being subjected to the action of
such boiling solution for some time, after which the bath is allowed to cool
slowly to atmospheric temperature, while the materials remain immersed therein,
substantially as herein described.
Second: In the process of impregnating wood and textile fabrics with protective
or preservative substances referred to in the preceding claim, the use of lime water
in place of common salt, substantially as herein described.
.
Third: In the process of impregnating wood and textile fabrics with protective
or preservative substances referred to in the first claim, the method of using either
a bath already prepared with the chemical ingredients or a spent bath in place of
water for the immersion of the materials in the first instance, substantially as
herein described.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto' set my
hand and seal this twenty first day of June, in the year of our Lord, one thousand,
eight hundred and eighty-four