IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VARNISHES.
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Benjamin Freeman, of Tottenham, in the County
of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
VARNISHES.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Benjamin Freeman
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1880.
JOSEPH BENJAMIN FREEMAN, of Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VARNISHES."
My Invention relates to the manufacture, 1st, of colorless varnish possessing in
an eminent degree the qualities of toughness, elasticity, quickness of drying,
freedom from tackiness, and durability, and which is suitable for application to
maps, paper hangings, and other surfaces where a clear, transparent, colorless
varnish is required; and, 2ndly, of transparent colored varnishes suitable more
especially for coating capsules, foils, and foil papers, and tin-ware, but applicable
also for other purposes.
To make colorless varnish I dissolve, preferably by the aid of moderate heat,
Manilla gum or other suitable gum-resin in fusel-oil, or in any of the amylic
alcohols or their derivatives, or in ethylic alcohol containing amylic alcohol or its
derivatives, and I dissolve separately a suitable pale resin in oil of turpentine, and
then mix the two solutions together. This mixture is then quite opaque and
cloudy in consequence of the two solutions not being miscible, but by adding a
small quantity of spirits of wine, methylated spirit, finish, or naphtha, and agitating
they are rendered perfectly miscible, and the mixture becomes quite clear, and is
ready for use.
The Manilla or other gum or gum-resin should be of the finest pale quality if a
colorless varnish is required, but a commoner quality will answer where absence of
color is not essential. The resin may be dissolved in methylated spirit, benzoline,
or one of the other homologues of heptane, or other suitable solvent instead of
turpentine. When spirit is used the solutions are miscible, and the subsequent
addition of spirit is therefore not necessary.
To make transparent colored varnish I dissolve by the aid of moderate heat fine
Manilla gum or other suitable gum-resin in fusel oil, and then add a small quantity
of one of the colored salts of aniline or other color soluble in fusel oil or in spirit.
The further application of heat is sometimes necessary to thoroughly dissolve the
color; or the color may be separately dissolved in fusel oil or spirit and then added
to the varnish.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Benjamin Freeman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
December 1880.
JOSEPH BENJAMIN FREEMAN, of Tottenham, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VARNISHES."
My Invention relates, first, to the manufacture of varnish possessing in an
eminent degree the qualities of toughness, elasticity, quickness of drying, freedom
from tackiness, and durability, and which is especially suitable for application to
maps, paper hangings, and other surfaces where a clear, transparent, colorless
varnish is required; and, secondly, to the manufacture of transparent colored
varnishes suitable more especially for coating capsules, foils, and foil papers, and
tin ware, but applicable also for other purposes.
To make colorless varnish I dissolve (preferably by the aid of 'moderate heat)
Manilla gum (known in the trade as Manilla copal) or other suitable gum resin in
fusel oil, or in any of the amylic alcohols or their derivatives, or in ethylic alcohol
containing amylic alcohol or its derivatives, and I dissolve separately a suitable
pale resin in oil of turpentine, and then mix the two solutions together. This
mixture is then quite opaque and cloudy in consequence of the two solutions not
being miscible, but by adding a small quantity of spirits of wine, methylated
spirit, finish, or wood naphtha to the mixture and agitating it the solutions are
rendered perfectly miscible, and the varnish becomes quite clear, and is ready for
use. I prefer to use the Manilla copal above mentioned, but in lieu of this other
gum resin soluble in fusel oil or in the other solvents above mentioned may be
used. The Manilla or other gum or gum-resin should be of the finest pale quality
if a colorless varnish is required, but a commoner quality will answer where
absence of color is not essential.
The resin may be dissolved in methylated spirit, benzoline, or one of the other
homologues of heptane or other suitable solvent instead of turpentine. When
spirit is used for dissolving the resin the solutions of resin and of gum are at once
miscible, and the subsequent addition of spirit is therefore not necessary.
I find that the following proportions will make a good colorless varnish, but
I do not restrict myself to the proportions specified, as they may be varied
considerably without departing from my Invention:-
I dissolve 5 lbs. Manilla copal or other gum in 1 gallon of fusel oil or other
solvent above mentioned.
19 lbs. pale resin in 1 gallon turpentine.
I add 1 gallon of the last solution to 3 gallons of the first, and to this mixture I
add methylated spirit, finish, or wood naphtha, slowly (agitating meanwhile) until
the mixture becomes clear.
To make transparent colored varnish I dissolve by the aid of moderate heat fine
Manilla gum, known in the trade as fine Mauilla copal (or other suitable gum-
resin) in fusel oil, and then add a small quantity of one of 'the colored salts of
aniline or other color soluble in fusel oil. The further application of heat is
sometimes necessary to thoroughly dissolve the color; or the color may be
separately dissolved in fusel oil and then added to the varnish.
Manilla copal
answers best in this case also, but other gum-resin soluble in fusel oil may be
used.
I find that the following proportions answer well, but I do not restrict myself
thereto I dissolve from 2 lbs. to 3 lbs. of fine Manilla gum in 1 gallon of fusel oil,
and add about 2 oz. of coloring matter, the proportion varying however according
to the nature of the coloring matter and the depth of color desired.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing

page_text: the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The manufacture of varnish of a solution of Manilla copal or other gum-
resin in fusel oil, or in any of the alcohols specified, and a solution of resin, the
two solutions being rendered miscible, and the varnish clear and transparent by
the presence of spirits of wine, methylated spirit, finish, or wood naphtha, sub-
sequently added or used for dissolving the resin, substantially as described.
2nd. The manufacture of transparent colored varnish of a combination of
Manilla copal or other gum soluble in fusel oil, and of a colored salt of aniline or
other color soluble in fusel oil, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Benjamin Freeman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of December, A.D. 1880.
J. B. FREEMAN. (1,5.)