IMPROVEMENTS IN SOLUTIONS OR VARNISHES FOR COATING AND EMBELLISHING THE SURFACES OF METAL, PAPER, GLASS, TEXTILE FABRICS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Parkes, of Tamworth Road, Gravelly Hill, near
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SOLUTIONS OR VARNISHES FOR COATING AND EMBELLISHING THE SURFACES
OF METAL, PAPER, GLASS, TEXTILE FABRICS, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Parkes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1879.
HENRY PARKES, of Tamworth Road, Gravelly Hill, near Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SOLUTIONS OR VARNISHES FOR COATING
AND EMBELLISHING THE SURFACES OF METAL, PAPER, GLASS, TEXTILE FABRICS,
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in solutions or varnishes for
coating and embellishing the surfaces of metal, paper, glass, textile fabrics, and other
substances.
When coating metal, paper, glass, wood, textile, or felted substances with my
preparations, the articles may be coated direct, or they may be previously prepared
in the usual way by sizes, or varnishes, or india rubber, or gutta percha, as any of
these substances will receive my preparation perfectly, and be greatly beautified and
rendered waterproof, if not already so. With metallic bronzes combined in my
solutions, alone or together with colouring matters, a great variety of pleasing effects
can be produced.
I employ a solution composed of nitro-cellulose dissolved in the well known
solvents and shell lac, with and without castor oil or glycerine in small quantities
dissolved with it; this is a new combination, and is perfectly waterproof and free
from disagreeable odour, and will dry in a very short time; it is very bright and
smooth to the touch. The solution or preparation may be applied by dipping, or
with a brush, or by other mechanical means, depending upon the nature of the work
to be done. The addition of a little turpentine will facilitate the coating when
done by brushing it on or otherwise. Also for similar purposes of waterproofing or
protecting surfaces of all kinds, I employ nitro-cellulose dissolved in a solvent made
by passing sulphurous acid gas through granulated camphor until the camphor is
Price A1

page_text: combined, and dissolved, and formed into a clear solution, or I dissolve camphor in
liquid sulphurous acid to form a solvent of nitro-cellulose. I have found it a good
solvent of nitro-cellulose, and it may be used alone or with other substances and
solvents, such as gums, or resins, pigments, colours, or bronzes, so as to produce a
variety of preparations valuable for coating, protecting, capsuling bottles, or water-
proofing, and many other purposes.
I also dissolve nitro-cellulose with turpentine and camphor, and combine therewith
substances such as colours, gums, resins, and bronze powders.
I also employ solutions of shell lac, combined with metallic bronzes, in coating
various substances and articles, or I use shell lac with glycerine or castor oil, and I
make a solution of nitro-cellulose by dissolving it in a solvent made in the following
way I take benzoline or other mineral oils or napthas (that will not leave a
disagreeable odour after the work is finished), and add to it camphor. I prefer to
employ heat to assist in bringing about the solution. The solution may be employed
with other substances, bronzes, colours, resins, gums, or oils, or with other solvents
of nitro-cellulose, and these solutions can be employed in waterproofing or embel-
lishing various substances, capsuling bottles, and other articles.
I make another solvent of nitro-cellulose by dissolving camphor in bisulphide of
carbon or the tetrachloride of carbon, and these solvents will dissolve nitro-
cellulose, especially when assisted by heat and under pressure, and tetrachloride of
carbon, with alcohol, or ether; or wood naptha forms a good solvent of nitro-cellulose.
The solution of bisulphide of carbon with camphor, or tetrachloride of carbon with
camphor, are solvents of shell lac, with or without alcohol, or spirits of wine, or
wood naptha.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Parkes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
November 1879.
HENRY PARKES, of Tamworth Road, Gravelly Hill, near Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SOLUTIONS OR VARNISHES FOR COATING
AND EMBELLISHING THE SURFACES OF METAL, PAPER, GLASS, TEXTILE FABRICS,
AND OTHER SUBSTANCES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in solutions or varnishes for
coating and embellishing the surfaces of inetal, paper, glass, textile fabrics, and other
substances.
When coating metal, paper, glass, wood, textile, or felted substances with my
preparations, the articles may be coated directly, or they may be previonsly prepared
in the usual way by sizes, or varnishes, or india rubber, or gutta percha, as any of
these substances will receive my preparation perfectly, and be greatly beautified and
rendered waterproof (if not already so). With metallic bronzes combined in my
solutions, alone or together with coloring matters, a great variety of pleasing effects
can be produced from white to black.
In carrying out this Invention I prepare a solution of nitro-cellulose dissolved in.
the well known solvents, to which I add shell lac and castor oil, or glycerine in
small quantities, 5 to 10 parts of shell lac and 1 to 5 parts of castor oil to 100 parts
of nitro cellulose is a suitable proportion; or in lieu of castor oil glycerine may be
substituted in the same proportion. These last named substances give toughness and
flexibility to the varnish when dry, thus making it a more valuable coating to the
surfaces of metal, paper, leather, textile fabrics, felted materials, wood, glass, or other
materials.
And to produce a variety of effects and colours I add to the varnish bronzes, fish
scale lustre (prepared by preference from the fish called the abliti, well known
in France), colours (by preference those soluble in the varnish), or pigments of various
colours may be used therewith.
The varnish may be made thin or thick, according to the proportion of solvent
used, and this new varnish is waterproof, dries quickly, and is free from odour when
dry. It has a very bright and smooth surface, remarkable for its brilliant appear-
ance, and capable of application to a great variety of decorative purposes, capsuling
bottles, bookbinding materials, wall papers, metallic surfaces, &c.
The varnish or solution may be applied by dipping, or with a brush or by other
mechanical means, depending upon the nature of the work to be done. The addition
of a little turpentine will facilitate the coating when done by brushing it on or
otherwise.
Also for similar purposes of waterproofing or protecting surfaces of all kinds I
employ nitro cellulose dissolved in a solvent made by passing sulphurous acid gas
through granulated camphor until the camphor is combined, and dissolved, and
formed into a clear solution saturated with camphor. Or I dissolve camphor in.
liquid sulphurous acid, and dissolve nitro cellulose therein. I have found it a good
solvent of nitro-cellulose, and it may be used alone or with other substances and
solvents, such as oils, gums, or resins, pigments, colours, or bronzes, so as to produce
a variety of preparations valuable for coating, protecting, capsuling bottles, water-
proofing, and many other uses.
I also dissolve nitro cellulose with turpentine saturated with camphor (by pre
ference with the aid of heat and assisted by pressure), and I can combine therewith
various other substances, such as colours, gums, resins, and bronze powders, or other
solvents of nitro cellulose.
And I also employ the well known solutions of shell lac, combined with a small
quantity of castor oil or glycerine, and such solution may also be combined with

page_text: bronze powders or colouring matters. The addition of the castor oil renders the
varnish remarkably elastic and flexible.
I prepare a solution of nitro cellulose by dissolving it in a solvent made in the
following way I take benzoline, gazoline, or other like light spirit, mineral oil, or
naphtha (that will not leave a disagreeable odour when the work is finished), and I
add thereto so much camphor as will saturate it, and by preference I assist the
solution of the nitro cellulose by the application of heat and pressure. It can be
used alone or with colouring matters, or pigments, or with other solvents of nitro
⚫cellulose.
And I employ another solvent of nitro cellulose obtained by saturating bisulphide
of carbon, or the tetra chloride of carbon with camphor. I dissolve the nitro-
cellulose therein by preference with the aid of heat and under pressure; colouring
matters or pigments may be used in these as in the other solutions described
herein.
The solutions of camphor in bisulphide of carbon or in tetra chloride of carbon
are solvents of shell lac, and this may be added in proportion, as already indicated,
and with or without alcohol, spirits of wine, or wood naphtha. The whole forms a
clear and bright, solution, to which colouring matters or other substances may be
added if desired.
Another nitro cellulose varnish I prepare by combining tetra chloride of carbon
with alcohol, ether, or wood naphtha, in the proportion by preference of 10 to 50
parts of tetra chloride of carbon to 50 parts of alcohol, or 10 to 50 parts of ether,
or 10 to 50 parts of wood spirit to a like quantity of tetra chloride of carbon. I
thus form a new solvent of nitro cellulose bronzes; colouring matters and pigments
may be added to this solution if desired.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The manufacture of varnish by combining a solution of nitro cellulose with
shell lac and castor oil or glycerine.
•
Second. The manufacture of nitro cellulose varnish by dissolving the nitro cellulose
with sulphurous acid and camphor.
Third. The manufacture of nitro cellulose varnish by dissolving nitro-cellulose
with turpentine and camphor.
Fourth. The manufacture of nitro cellulose varnish by dissolving nitro cellulose
with benzoline, gazoline, or other like light spirit, mineral oil, or naphtha, and
camphor.
Fifth. The manufacture of nitro cellulose varnish by dissolving nitro cellulose
with bisulphide of carbon, or tetra chloride of carbon and camphor.
Sixth. The manufacture of nitro cellulose varnish by dissolving nitro cellulose
with tetra chloride of carbon, and alcohol, ether, or wood spirit.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Parkes, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
HENRY PARKES. (LS.)