An Improved Material adapted for Use as a Substitute for Wood, Metal, Stone, and other Substances.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Material adapted for Use as a Substitute for Wood,
Metal, Stone, and other Substances.
A communication from LEOPOLD PHILIPP HEMMER, of Aix-la-Chapelle, in the
Empire of Germany.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to a material which may easily be worked and is
adapted to replace wood, metal, stone and similar materials, on account of its
readiness to assume various degrees of hardness and toughness.
The main ingredients of the material are cement, indiarubber, guttapercha,
balata, and the like in solution, which are mixed with water or other suitable
liquid. According to the use to be made of the final product certain other materials
may be added such as white lead, oxide of zinc, red oxide of lead, chalk, barytes,
pulverized glass, quartz, fluor-spar, sulphur and the like, in proportions of from
5 to 20 per cent. the object being to facilitate the mixture and render it a more
intimate one which would be somewhat difficult to effect if cement and indiarubber
were used alone; moreover in many cases these substances serve to give the final
product a definite colour. The chief feature of the invention however is the cement
and the solution of indiarubber which mixed with the addition of water, will in most
cases be found sufficient.
At first the cement is mixed with water and as soon as this operation is completed
the before-mentioned solution of indiarubber is added and the whole intimately mixed,
through which process a pasty stuff is obtained which in this state can be easily
worked, and which if more water be added can be cast in a mould.
The proportions generally adopted are: about 100 parts of cement, 40 parts of
water, and 10 parts of india-rubber solution.
The proportion of the cement to the indiarubber or other solution and the addition
of the various materials mentioned is regulated according to the purpose for which
it is intended to use the finished material and its relative hardness, toughness,
facility for shaping combined with durability renders its especially useful in
connection with machine, building construction and for sculptors, masons and
others.
This can be used for casting, or stamping and pressing and after being dried
remains more or less in a plastic condition till it is immersed in water, or in a
solution of water and water glass, or in some cases it need only be exposed to the
humidity of the air in order to give it the required hardness.
This material beyond innumerable other applications is especially serviceable in
the cases already mentioned for the preparation of rollers, for use in machines, for
treating textile fabrics with water or other liquids.
The wooden or iron rollers hitherto in use have both a great disadvantage
inasmuch as the first named rollers soon close their cylindrical form through the
influence of the water, while the latter become more or less oxidised and produce
spots on the fabrics. Rollers manufactured from the above material neitlier lose
their cylindrical form nor cause spots on the fabrics, as they are not affected by the
souring process, soda, lyes, etc. as used in the textile industries.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
A materal consisting of a mixture of cement india-rubber gutta-percha balata
and the like in solution with water or other liquid to which are added certain other
ingredients varying according to the final product to be obtained which product
becomes solidified by immersion in or damping with water or other suitable liquid
or by exposure to the dampness of the air substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of September 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.