IMPROVEMENTS IN THE. MANUFACTURE OF PARKESINE OR COMPOUNDS OF PYROXYLIN, AND IN. THE PRODUCTION OF IMITATIONS OF IVORY AND PEARL
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Parkes, of Birmingham, in the County
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE. MANUFACTURE
OF PARKESINE OR COMPOUNDS OF PYROXYLIN, AND IN. THE PRODUCTION OF
IMITATIONS OF IVORY AND PEARL,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander. Parkes a
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th October 1866.
I ALEXANDER, PARKES of Birmingham in the County of Warwick do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF PARKESINE OR COMPOUNDS OF PYROXYLIN AND IN THE PRODUCTION
OF IMITATIONS OF IVORY AND PEARL" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of,
parkesine or compounds of pyroxylin and in the production of imitations of
ivory and pearl.
In manufacturing parkesine it is usual to evaporate the solvent in which
the pyroxylin is dissolved.
Now according to my present Invention in place of evaporating the solvent
I remove it by precipitating the pyroxylin by means of water, mineral naptha
or other liquid. If this way I obtain a semi-solid mass still containing a small
quantity of solvent which I pass through grinding rolls or other breaking
machine mixed with other materials as heretofore and work it up into sheets

page_text: or other forms. The solvent taken up by the water or other liquid is recovered
by distillation or decantation.
In order to render parkesine uninflammable I compound the pyroxylin
with precipitated gelatine such as is obtained by mixing a solution of gelatine
with tannic or gallic acid or such like preparation.
In order to make an imitation pearl I combine fish scales (preferring such
as are now used in making artificial pearls) with dissolved pyroxylin and
thus obtain a pearly lustrous material, coloring matters may also be added.
In order to produce an imitation ivory I combine films or sheets produced
from dissolved pyroxylin rendered white and opaque by the addition of a
suitable pigment with other films or sheets produced from dissolved pyroxylin
without pigment. I form the films one on the other working in geometric
forms so as to give a pleasing figure or grain where the built-up mass is cut.
In this way a close imitation of ivory may be obtained. In working white
parkesine or parkesine of light colors rollers coated with platinum should be
employed so that the manufacture may not be soiled in consequence of the
action of the material on the metal rollers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Parkes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I ALEXANDER
PARKES of Birmingham in the County of Warwick send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her Letters
Patent bearing date the Nineteenth day of October in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six in the thirtieth year of
Her reign did for Herself Her heirs and successors give and grant unto
the said Alexander Parkes Her special licence that I the said
Alexander Parkes my executors administrators and assigns or such others
as I the said Alexander Parkes my 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 MANUFACTURE OF PARKESINE OR COMPOUNDS OF PYROXYLIN
AND IN THE PRODUCTION OF IMITATIONS OF IVORY AND PEARL
upon the condition
(amongst others) that I the said Alexander Parkes my executors or adminis-

page_text: trators by an instrument in writing under my or their or one of their
bands 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.
NOW KNOW YE that I the said Alexander Parkes do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described andascertained in and by the following
statement thereof that is to say;
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
parkesine or compounds of pyroxylin and in the production of imitations of
ivory and pearl.
In manufacturing parkesine it is usual to evaporate the solvent in which
the pyroxylin is dissolved.
Now according to my present Invention in place of evaporating the solvent
I remove it by precipitating the pyroxylin by means of water, mineral naptha
or other liquid. In this way I obtain a semi-solid mass still containing a small
quantity of solvent which I pass through grinding rolls or other breaking
machine mix with other materials as heretofore and work it up into sheets or
other forms.
I prefer to proceed in the following manner. The parkesine having been
prepared in the manner now well understood and as is described in the Speci
fication of former Patents granted to me by grinding together the pyroxylin
solvent and oil so as to make a plastic dough-like mass, I place it in a vessel
containing a revolving agitator or beater together with water or with mineral
naptha in the proportion say of one pound of the parkesine to a quart.
of liquid and I set the agitator in motion so as completely to break up the
parkesine in the liquid. After a short time I take out the parkesine which is
now in a curd-like form and completely to separate the liquid I submit it to
hydraulic pressure the pressure however should not be excessive.. It is
convenient to place it in a vessel of cylindrical form say about 12 inches
diameter with a moveable and perforated bottom which is covered with
several layers of wire gauze. The vessel is filled with the curd-like parkesine
and a plunger is forced down upon it and in this way a block like a cheese is
produced afterwards the block is rolled down between rollers heated internally.
by steam and any pigment color or mineral matter which it is desired to
incorporate with the parkesine is worked in by means of, these rolls the
material being passed through and through until a perfect mixture is obtained.
.

page_text: In some case I add pigments and mineral matter before breaking the
parkesine up in liquid to separate the solvent and sometimes after the liquid
treatment I at once press it into moulds of the form required. In this case
the liquid employed is preferably mineral naptha as if water were used it
might not be completely separated and might act prejudicially. The mineral
naptha employed should be as free as possible from smell. The solvent taken
up by the water or other liquid is recovered by distillation or if mineral
naptha be employed the greater part of it will separate on standing and may
be decanted off.
In order to make an imitation pearl I according to another part of my
Invention combine fish scales (preferring such as are now used in making
artificial pearls) with dissolved pyroxylin and thus obtain a pearly lustrous
material coloring matters may also be added. If it be desired to obtain a
thin sheet or veneer of pearl-like material I use the pearl lustre in the pro-
portion of say one part to one hundred parts of pyroxylin. I first grind the
pyroxylin with solvent and oil to obtain a doughy mass in the usual way and
with this I mix the pearl lustre then as already described separate the
solvent and afterwards roll out the material into thin sheets by means of the
heated rolls or the material in this state may be moulded in moulds or other-
wise shaped as may be required In many cases I do not separate the solvent
from the pearly parkesine but I add a further quantity of solvent so as to
obtain the material in a semi-liquid form and I apply it with a brush
or otherwise as a coating to surfaces it may be of parkesine or of other
material. When the compound is to be used in this way the proportion
of pearl lustre should be considerably increased more or less being used
according to the effect it is desired to produce. I would remark that any
commercial pearl lustre may be employed but I believe that the best suited
for the purpose is that made in France from the scales of a fish called the
"ablette." When colors are required dyes or stains not pigments should
be employed. the aniline dyes are very suitable the dyes or stains may be
added to the pyroxylin together with the solvent.
In order to produce an imitation ivory I according to another part of my
Invention combine films or sheets produced from dissolved pyroxylin rendered
white and opaque by the addition of a suitable pigment with other films or
sheets produced from dissolved pyroxylin without pigment. I form the films
one on the other working in geometric forms so as to give a pleasing figure
or grain where the built-up mass is cut in this way a close imitation of ivory
may be obtained. .
The following is the manner in which I prefer to proceed I prepare

page_text: parkesine without any pigment or coloring matter and taking every care to
keep it as clear and as white as possible-when it is in a dough-like state I
roll it out into sheets say a sixteenth of an inch thick more or less. I also
prepare another similar parkesine but containing carbonate of strontia say
in the proportion of one part to two hundred parts of pyroxlin and this also
I roll out into thin sheets. From these sheets placed alternately the one over
the other I build up a block in any convenient manner and according to the
style of grain the artist desires to produce.
The following method is very suitable I lay a transparent or an opaque
sheet the one on the other and I roll them up either on a mandril or without
until a roll of some size is accumulated. Then I take the roll (the mandril if
any, having been drawn out) twist it and pass it through the hot rollers and
roll it down into a slab suitable for cutting say knife handles or any articles
it may be desired to produce or the sheets may be accumulated on a large
roller and cut off from it in strips and the strips slightly twisted and rolled
down into slabs or many other similar methods may be resorted to.
In working white parkesine or parkesine of light colors I according to
another part of my Invention employ rollers coated with platinum so that the
manufacture may not be soiled in consequence of the action of the material
on the metal rollers. The interior of the roller may conveniently be made of a
hard bronze or of iron or steel and have a minute thread or small grooves cut
all over the circumference,-then a tubeofplatinum isplacedoverit and together
they are by heavy pressure forced through a steel dye of somewhat smaller
diameter than the tube of platinum and in this way the coating tube is nipped
firmly on to the bronze interior. A coating of platinum one-sixteenth of an
inch thick will be very durable. Such rollers are especially required in working
the pearl and ivory parkesine herein-before referred to and also parkesine of
light colors which should as far as possible be kept out of contact with other
metals porcelain and glass vessels and instruments being used in working it
as far as the nature of the operation admits.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Parkes have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Eighteenth day of April in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
ALEXANDER PARKES. (L.S.)