Improvements in the Manufacture of Parquets, Floorplates, Hollow Ware, Imitation Sculpture, and the like, and in the Preparation of Materials or Compositions Employed in such Manufacture.
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Parquets, Floorplates,
Hollow Ware, Imitation Sculpture, and the like, and in
the Preparation of Materials or Compositions Employed in
such Manufacture.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF PARQUETS, FLOORPLATES, HOLLOW WARE, IMITATION
SCULPTURE AND THE LIKE, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF MATERIALS OR
COMPOSITIONS, EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained. in and by
the following statement :—
"
The improvements hereinafter set forth relate chiefly to methods for the
manufacture of parquets or plates for flooring and of cups, vasos and the like and
of other articles hereinafter specified their objects are The production and
preparation of a powder proof against the influences of temperature and of water
and capable of being moulded by pressure the rendering waterproof or
hydraulisation" and preparation of the natural wood employed therein the
production of waterproof binding material for uniting the two aforesaid
constituents.
The plastic powder which has the property when pressed in suitable hot metal
moulds of uniting into a solid body of the predetermined form presents the
following advantages over artificial materials such as mixtures of plaster of Paris
and flour cellulose, the material made from bullocks blood (bois durci) papier
maché and the like that have been heretofore used viz' that the solid body
produced therefrom is not altered in shape either by heat or by cold and effectually
resists all atmospheric influences notably those of moisture.
For preparing the plastic powder a convenient quantity of fine sawdust of any
kind of wood is moistened and thoroughly mingled with concentrated or almost
concentrated aqueous solution of a fatty soap of any suitable composition until the.
soap water has thoroughly impregnated or penetrated the saw-dust in all parts.
D

page_text: The saw dust so prepared is now completely dried and constitutes a powder
which is treated with a more or less strong aqueous solution of lime, so called milk
of lime, and again thoroughly dried.
It is necessary that the dry sawdust impregnated with the soap water, or the
soap, should be equally impregnated in all its parts with the milk of lime and
after having then been again dried, it is thoroughly proof against the influence of.
moisture that is to say it is "hydraulised."
To this plastic powder to which hydraulic properties have been imparted by the
operations above described, a quantity of air-slaked lime is added and it is agnin
thoroughly mixed with this addition it is then placed into a bath consisting of
ordinary commercial water glass to which water has been added; it is thoroughly
dampened therewith and afterwards air-dried.
The waterglass imparts the requisite binding power to the plastic powder to
enable it to form a solid body; whilst the above mentioned addition of air-slaked
lime renders the waterglass likewise water-resistant.
The series of successive treatments above set forth imparts to the dry plastic
powder thus produced not only the qualities of a so called "inert mass" whose
shape is not affected either by heat cold or by moisture rendering it also perfectly
water proof, but also enable it when pressed in hot moulds, to combine into a solid
body and when so combined to be equally able to resist all the influences .above
referred to.
Good results are obtained if the materials above named and treated in the
manner set forth are employed in the following proportions.
Take 50 kilog of fine saw-dust and thoroughly moisten the same with a
soapwater consisting of 1.50 kilog" of common fatty soap adding such quantity of
water that it will thoroughly penetrate the 50 kilo of sawdust.
When thoroughly dry the quantity of saw dust thus prepared is impregnated
with a milk of lime consisting of 2 kilog of slaked lime also mixed with a
suitable quantity of water varying with the porosity of the saw dust.
The resulting hydraulised plastic powder being again dried, add thereto for the
purpose of hydraulising, the water glass subsequently to be added;
2 kilog of air slaked burnt lime; then put the whole into a bath consisting of
5 liters water glass of 33° Beaumé with a sufficient quantity of water to thoroughly
moisten the saw dust. When again thoroughly moistened and penetrated by this
solution it is once more dried, and is fit for use, videlicit plastic, and has perfectly 3
acquired the qualities herein before referred to.
The plastic powder thus prepared if put into proper heated moulds will under
pressure assume any desired shape, and form a solid stone-like body, it is therefore
adapted for the manufacture of parquets or floor plates which resist temperaturo
and water whilst to parquets as ordinarily made of wood, it has heretofore vainly
been sought to impart these properties and they are never completely attainable
therewith; the plastic powder is equally applicable to various kinds of articles for
use and ornament such as plates, cups, sculptures, vases &°. To obtain a good
result a suitable mould is heated a sufficient quantity of the plastic powder is
strewn in and compressed in the well known manner. The powder then penetrates 4
into all the recesses or deep parts of the mould; solidifies and on cooling retains
the shape imparted to it.
If the articles for use are to be covered with some customary coating the same
must first be covered with a likewise perfectly waterproof binding material or
adhesive.
Such material may be obtained as follows-
5
2 parts by weight of glue are swelled in water and then dissolved in one part by
weight of linseed-oil varnish in a water-bath. To this one part by weight of rosin
is added which has been dissolved in alcohol to which 0-5 parts of turpentine were
added.
5
The whole is thoroughly mixed in the waterbath and spread, whilst hot, on the
solid article,

page_text: For the present purpose this adhesive or binding material presents not only the
advantage of being absolutely waterproof, but it renders the production of blisters
or air bubbles in the covering absolutely impossible.
This adhesivo is spread on the solid article made as set forth, from the plastic
powder, the adhesive layer is allowed to cool into a solid crust and it is now ready
to receive the covering or coating.
"
For parquets or floor plates this covering consists of more or less richly figured
mosaic of joiners work made of more or less stout boards of wood. For other
articles it may consist according to requirement of a plate of metal, say copper,
brass or composite metals or of simple wood veneer, marquetry work, wood with
metal veins (known as "filet") or "intarsia" cut from wood and metal together,
or metal inlaid with tortoise shell (known as 'geure boulle") or other composite
material.
With all the coverings or coatings above referred to where wood is employed; it
is requisite that it should before use not only be rendered waterproof like the
plastic powder and the adhesive, but if intended for plastic articles must moreover
be rendered flexible, before being hydraulised; it must be rendered so flexible that
when being affixed to the already moulded article it will neither crack nor tear or
break but readily assume the required form and without resistance assimilate to
the predetermined shape.
This flexibility of thin plates of wood, or of veneers, whether "knife-cut" or
"saw-cut" is obtained in the following manner.
A bath is prepared with 2 parts of concentrated sulphuric acid and one of water
and into this the wood or veneer is placed. As soon as it is penetrated by the snid
mixture it is washed in clean water, rinsed and dried.
The wood or veneer thus prepared now has the flexibility of moderately stout
paper, readily takes any shape and breaks neither lengthwise nor transversely.
The hydraulisation of wood or veneer, whether rendered flexible in the manner
set forth, or whether not requiring flexibility, for plano surfaces as for instance
floor plates is effected in the same manner, as was fully specified with reference to
the plastic powder viz. :—
Tho wood is first placed into a bath of soap consisting of a common fatty soap
dissolved in an appropriate quantity of water is thoroughly impregnated therewith
and then dried. It is then placed into a milk of lime consisting of slaked lime
dissolved in more or less water according to the porosity of the wood and when
tho wood is penetrated thereby throughout, it is again dried.
Thereafter the wood is also perfectly waterproof as are the plastic powder and
the adhesive and can be employed to be worked into parquets or floor plates, or
for making "intarsia" and marquetry or for directly coating the article, according
to circumstances.
To unite the solid articles, produced by the hereinbefore described process and
covered with the aforesaid waterproof adhesive with any of the covering materials
above referred to, so as to finish the same (that is to say for parquets or floor plates
with a composite plate of hydmulised wood, for other articles with thin sheet
metal, veneer, marquetry or with "intarsia" of wood and metal, or the like the
wood to be employed having first been made flexible and then hydraulised) the
plate which is to serve as a covering or coating is placed upon the solid body in
question and both are pressed in the known manner in the previously heated mould
in which the solid body was first produced. By the heat the adhesive is agnin
melted and retains the covering pressed thereon by pressure continued for some
time. When taken out and thoroughly cooled the covering will not again soparate
from the body underneath.
The article thus prepared is ready for use whether it be a parquet, plate, cup, a
sculpture, or vase and as all the parts employed in its production viz. the plastic
powder, the adhesive and the covering are hydraulised and prepared and will as
has already been stated neither swell or shrunk, nor soften, it will offer great
resistance even where it is exposed to rain wind and weather.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to bo performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The manufacture of a plastic powder substantially as and for the purposes
herein above set forth.
Second. The method of rendering wood water resisting and flexible substantially
as set forth and for the purposes described.
Third. The adhesive material or cement prepared substantially as and used in
the manner and for the purposes herein above indicated.
"
Fourth. The manufacture of parquets; plates, vases cups and the like and of
articles in imitation of sculpture by compressing the plastic powder herein above
described in hot metal moulds, combining therewith if required an ornamental
covering or coating, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 26th day of May 1884.