AN IMPROVED PLASTIC COMPOUND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MOULDED ARTICLES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD CARVINGS, AND FOR MANY OF THE PUR.
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cowdery Martin, of Fern Cottage, Charlewood
Road, Putney, in the County of Surrey, Naval Architect, for the Inven-
tion ofAN IMPROVED PLASTIC COMPOUND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MOULDED
ARTICLES AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD CARVINGS, AND FOR MANY OF THE PUR.
Sealed the 10th September 1858, and dated the 15th March 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION-left by the said John Cowdery Martin at
the Office of the Commissiouers of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th March 1858.
1, JOHN COWDERY MARTIN, of Fern Cottage, Charlewood Road, Putney, in
the County of Surrey, Naval Architect, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for AN IMPROVED PLASTIC COMPOUND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF
MOULDED ARTICLES TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD CARVINGS, AND FOR
MANY OF THE PURPOSES TO WHICH PAPER MACHE IS APPLICABLE," to be as
follows:-
The compound is composed of twenty-eight parts (dry) by weight of any
fibrous substance of which paper may be made, reduced to pulp by means of
an ordinary beating engine,twenty parts of resin or pitch, ten parts of soda or
potash, to render the resin soluble, twenty-four parts of glue, twelve parts of
drying oil, and one part of acetate or sugar of lead, or other substance capable

page_text: of hardening or drying oils. The pulp after leaving the beating engine is to
be drained and slightly pressed under a screw or other press to free it partly
from water. The resin and soda are then to be boiled together and well mixed.
The glue is to be broken up,in pieces and melted in a separate vessel with as
much water as will cover it, and then to be added to the resin and soda,
which mixture is then to be added to the pulp, and thoroughly incorporated
with it; the acetate of lead well mixed in the oil is then to be added, and the
whole mass or compound is then to be thoroughly mixed.
The quantity of resin and alkali in proportion to the glue used might vary.
or the glue might even be dispensed with, when the acetate of lead would be
proportionately increased. After mixing the compound, it is to remain some
days before using, to free it from some of its moisture, when it may be well
kneaded and pressed into suitable moulds for use, the moulds being pre-
viously brushed with oil, when the compound is worked sufficiently stiff, or
with oil in which is mixed some acetate of lead, when worked with more
moisture. After leaving the mould the article taken from itis to be thoroughly
dried, or what is preferable baked in an oven at a moderate heat, when it
acquires many of the peculiarities of wood, as it may be cut or carved and
polished, if required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cowdery Martin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th September 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
COWDERY MARTIN, of Fern Cottage, Charlewood Road, Putney, in the County
of Surrey, Naval Architect, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by 'Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-first year of Her
reign, did, for Herselt; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Cowdery Martin, Her special licence that I, the said John
Cowdery Martin, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said John Cowdery Martin, 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, the Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PLASTIC COMPOUND FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MOULDED ARTICLES AS A

page_text: SUBSTITUTE FOR WOOD CARVINGS. AND FOR MANY OF THE PURPOSES TO WHICH PAPER
MACHE IS APPLICABLE," upon the condition (amongst others) that 1, the said
Johu Cowdery Martin, my executors or adininistrators, by an instrument in
writing, under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particu-
larly 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 John Cowdery Martin, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, that is to say:
The object I have had in view is the production of a plastic compound
applicable to the manufacture of moulded articles, which, when hardened,
resembles wood in the closcuess of its texture and fibrous character thronghout,
and is particularly applicable to the manufacture of articles intended to įmi-
tate wood carvings. The new manufacture may also be called ceramic.paper
maché, from the wax-like character of the compound when in a soft state, or
before hardening. The compound consists of twenty-eight parts (dry) by
weight of paper pulp, or of any fibrous substances of which paper may be
made, reduced to pulp by means of an ordinary beating engine,or other means
used for the manufacture of pulp; twenty parts. of resin or rosin or pitch or
other resinous substance. I prefer resin or rosin ; ten parts of soda or potash,
to render the resin soluble; twenty-four parts of glue, twelve parts of drying
oil and one part of acetate or sugar of lead, or other substance capable of
hardening or drying oil. The pulp after leaving the beating engine is to
be drained and slightly pressed under a screw or other press, to free it partly
from. water. The resin and alkali are then to be boiled or heated together
and well mixed.. The glue is to be, broken up in pieces and melted in a
separate vessel with as much water as will cover it, and then to be adiled to
the resin and alkali, which mixture is then to be added to the pulp and
thoroughly incorporated with it. The acetate of lead well mixed in the oil is
then to be added, and the whole mass or compound is then to be thoroughly
mixed. The quantity of resin and alkali, iu proportion to the glue used,
might vary, or glue might even be dispensed with when the acetate of lead
would be proportionately increased. After mixing the compound, it is to
remain exposed to the air for three or four days before using; and to be.com-
tinually turned to free it from some of its moisture, for the purpose of partially
drying, when it is to be well kneaded, and again exposed to the air for a few
T

page_text: hours, and this operation of kneading and partial drying may be repeated
until the compound is considered to be sufficiently stiff and plastic, as, during
the process of kneading or working together, it becomes extremely plastic,
resembling from this quality, when sufficiently kneaded, wax or clay, and it
may then be worked, pressed, or moulded into any required form. The com-
pound may be kept in a plastic state for some weeks, or even months before
using, if required, by keeping it from exposure to the air and occasionally
kneading or working it together. The moulds should, previous to pressing
therein the compound, be brushed with oil, or with oil in which is mixed a
little acetate of lead. The article taken from the mould is to be thoroughly
dried, and afterwards it may be baked in an oven at a moderate heat, the
temperature to be low at first, and gradually increased, care being taken not
to scorch or injure the fibres of the compound. The plastic compound so
made and treated, acquires many of the peculiarities of wood, as regards
hardness and strength, and it may be cut, or carved and polished, if required.
Any color may be added to the compound when in a soft state, or two or more
'portions of the compound, stained with different colors, may be worked
together to form a grain to more nearly imitate the appearance of wood. The
use of the alkali being to render the resinous substance sufficiently soluble to
combine with the wet pulp, a more or less quantity than that given in propor-
'tion to the resin may be used, according to the degree of solubility thought to
be necessary. When potash is used, it may be dissolved in water before being
heated with the resin. The quantity of glue may vary,and may be increased to
twice the quantity of resin, or even more, or sufficiently so as to dispense with
the acetate of lead, as it gives hardness, and with oil prevents the compound
from sticking; but mixed in this manner it cannot be so well kneaded, and
'does not retain so fine an impression. I prefer using with the ingredients as
above 'mentioned the acetate of lead, but half a part by weight of a solution
of sulphuric or other acid, diluted with twenty times its volume of water, may
be substituted for the one part of acetate of lead. The oil mixed with the
other ingredients is used to prevent the compound from adhering to the
surface of the moulds, but the less oil consistently with this object that is
used, the better. Only half 'the proportion of oil 'sted to be used as above
may be added at the time of mixing the ingredients of the compound, and the
remainder may be added during the process of kneading or working up the
mass. I wish it to be understood, although I prefer to use resin or rosin or
pitch to form the compound, that other resinous bodies soluble with alkalies
may be used, as the gums copal, mastic, elemi, lac, Canadian balsam, Venice
turpentine, or other resinous bodies of a like kind, either separately, or mixed

page_text: according to the facility with which they will combine with wet pulp, and the
convenience with which the compound may be worked, as will be well under-
stood by persons conversant with these substances.
Having now stated the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that what I
wish to claim by the said Letters Patent, is the combining resin or pitch, or
other similar resinous substances with wet pulp, with or without the other
ingredients above mentioned, or some of them, and the kneading thereof into
a plastic compound, and the manufacture of moulded articles therefrom, as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cowdery Martin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
15 Witness,
WILL JOHN MARTIN.
JOHN COWDERY MARTIN. (L.S)