IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RECOVERY AND UTILIZATION OF REFUSE CAOUTCHOUC AND GUTTA PERCHA
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christian Heinzerling and Henry Licpmann; both
of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RECOVERY AND UTILIZATION OF REFUSE
CAOUTCHOUC AND GUTTA PERCHA."
Sealed the 31st August 1875, and dated the 12th July 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christian Heinzerling
and Henry Liepmann at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 12th July 1875.
We, CHRISTIAN HEINZERLING and HENRY LIEPMANN, both of Glasgow,
in the County of Lanark, North Britain, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RECOVERY AND UTILIZATION
OF REFUSE CAOUTCHOUC AND GUTTA PERCHA," to be as follows, that is to
say:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the recovery of refuse
caoutchouc or india-rubber and gutta percha, and to the utilization of
the product obtained by such recovery in the preparation of caoutchouc
cements, and compositions of caoutchouc, in the manufacture of inflexible

page_text: caoutchouc or vulcanite, and in the production of flexible india-rubber
and waterproof articles, or for other analogous purposes.
According to this Invention the flexible refuse caoutchouc or gutta
percha is first washed with acids and alkalies free from sulphur or
sulphur compounds and other injurious matters, after which it is dried
and further treated with one of the following spirits or liquids, viz.,
turpentine, naptha, bi-sulphide of carbon or petroleum; a solution of
caoutchouc or gutta percha is thereby obtained, which solution may
afterwards be distilled or concentrated, and employed in the preparation
of cements, or in the manufacture of waterproof articles, or the solution
may be so employed without distillation or concentration.
When the solution procured as herein-before described is employed in
the preparation of inflexible caoutchouc or vulcanite, the residuum of
the solution remaining after evaporation or concentration to the desired
degree has been effected, may either be mixed with new caoutchouc and
then vulcanized, or the said residuum may be directly used by admixing
it with the different resins employed in the preparation of inflexible
caoutchouc and compositions thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Christian Heinzerling and Henry Liepmann in the a
Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th January 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHRISTAIN
HEINZERLING and HENRY LIEPMANN, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the 39th year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Christian Heinzerling and Henry Liepmann,
Her special license, that we, the said Christian Heinzerling and Henry
Liepmann, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said Christian Heinzerling and Henry Liepmann, our executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no

page_text: others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the térm
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 RECOVERY AND UTILIZATION OF REFUSE CAOUTCHOUC AND GUTTA PERCHA,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Christian Hein-
zerling and Henry Licpmann, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 we, the said Christian Heinzerling and Henry
Licpmann, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention; and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, that is to say:
Our said Invention relates to improvements in the recovery of refuso
caoutchouc or india-rubber and gutta percha, and to the utilization of
the product obtained by sucli recovery in the preparation of caoutchouc
cements and compositions of caoutchouc, in the manufacture of inflexiblo
caoutchouc or vulcanite, and in the production of flexible india-rubber,
and waterproof articles, or for other analogous purposes.
In practically carrying out our said Invention we first disintegrate
the refuse caoutchouc or india-rubber or gutta percha by any convenient
means, either by cutting it up or otherwise, and, then subject it to a
treatment first with acids and then with alkalies.
For the first part of the treatment we use preferably hydrochloric
acid, and heat the disintegrated refuse caoutchouc or india-rubber there-
with for about 20 minutes, if necessary longer, and by preference at a
temperature below that of boiling water, after which we pour off the
hydrochloric acid and wash the mass with water to remove the same.
3
For the second part of the treatment we take preferably hydrate of
soda in solution, moderately concentrated, and heat the india-rubber or
caoutchouc therewith for about half an hour, and by preference at a
temperature not higher than that of boiling water; we then pour off the
liquor from the mass and wash it with water.
372
..

page_text: Heinzerung у перватить 8 Impt8. 26 Ireating медное сосков, ди.
By the foregoing treatment we free or partially free the india-rubber
or caoutchouc from sulphur or sulphur compounds and other injurious
matters and admixture as far as practicable; the washed india-rubber
is then dried with hot air until all moisture is removed as far as
practicable.
After the refuse india-rubber or caoutchouc has been treated with
acids and alkalies in the manner herein-before set forth it is subjected
to a treatment with one of the following spirits or liquids, viz.,—
turpentine (otherwise known as the spirits of turpentine), napthaline,
sulphide of carbon, petroleum, or petroleum spirit.
We have found it to be preferable to use turpentine, or the spirits of
turpentine.
The mass of caoutchouc or india-rubber and the dissolving spirit or
liquor by preference is heated to from 50° to 70° Celsius in a closed
vessel (from about 7 to 10 days, though in some instances it may take
longer) until a solution of gutta percha or caoutchouc is thereby
obtained.
The insoluble residue which remains after the treatment with the
dissolving spirit or liquor, and which consists generally of china clay
and other materials used in the manufacture of caoutchouc and gutta
percha articles may practically be recovered by heating it to about
100° Celsius until it gets dry and can be used again (for the same
purpose), that is to say, the china clay and the other insoluble materials
form a solid residue during the treatment with the dissolving spirit,
and the india-rubber when dissolved can be poured off or filtered off from
it, and the residue thus obtained can be then reutilized.
"
This solution may be distilled or concentrated and employed in the
preparation of cements or in the manufacture of waterproof articles, or
the solution may be so employed if it is concentrated without distillation.
The turpentine can be distilled from the solution at a temperature of
about 110° Celsius, and this operation usually takes about 6 hours. The
remaining mass is next kneaded between 2 heated rollers or other
equivalent mechanism and then heated again, say, to from 160° to 170°
Celsius, after which the mass is dry. This product is now servicable
for the purposes herein-before mentioned.

page_text: When the solution procured as herein-before described is employed in
the preparation of inflexible caoutchouc or vulcanite the residuum of
the solution remaining after evaporation or concentration to the desired
degree has been effected may either be mixed with new caoutchouc and
then vulcanized, or the said residuum may be directly used by admixing
it with the different resins employed in the preparation of inflexible
caoutchouc or compositions thereof.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our
said Invention, and the manner of performing the same, we have to
state in conclusion that what we believe to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is, the combined treatment or process to
which refuse caoutchouc or india-rubber and gutta percha being sub-
jected is restored to a condition by which it may be reutilized, as herein.
before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Christian Heinzerling and Henry
Licpmann, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this Twenty-
fifth day of December, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.