New or Improved Chemical Substance, and the Application thereof to Industrial Purposes, such as Rubber, Gutta-percha or Celluloid Substitutes, Insulations of Electrical Conductors, Coverings for Ships Bottoms, or Wall and Floor Coverings.
Year: 1895

page_text: 65
Complete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Chemical Substance, and the Application thereof to
Industrial Purposes, such as Rubber, Gutta-percha or Celluloid
Substitutes, Insulations of Electrical Conductors, Coverings for
Ships Bottoms, or Wall and Floor Coverings.
1, PETER CAMERON DOUGLAS CASTLE of 7 Temple Street, Liverpool in the
County of Lancaster, Secretary and Manager of The Gum Tragasol Supply Co.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists essentially in the preparation and application of the gum
produced from the kernels of the cerutonia siliqua as a substitute solvent, diluent or
joint ingredient of indiarubber, guita percha or celluloid. I find that rubber will
dissolve in all proportions in a strong solution of this gum. The temperature at
which this takes place is much less than that at which sulphur and most of its
compounds and other chemicals used to vulcani-e indiarubber act.
The stiff gum,
either by itself, or in combination with rubber, gutta percha or celluloid can he
rolled into thin sheets. Either aloue or in combination with rubber it can
be vulcanised by means of heat, strong neids or other vulcanising agents and by
heavy pressure, the result being a product of great value to the arts and sciences.
It can be made to withstand almost all acids and other corrosive chemicals, the
attacks of insects and other form of animal life and the action of water hot or cold.
My experiments indicate that applied as a solution to ships' bottoms it will be an
admirable anticorrosive and anti-incrustative, and that it makes also a good covering
for mariue cables and underground telegraph wires.
Dated this 10th day of October 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Chemical Substance, and the Application thereof to
Industrial Purposes, such as Rubber, Gutta-percha or Celluloid
Substitutes, Insulations of Electrical Conductors, Coverings for
Ships' Bottoms, or Wall and Floor Coverings.
I, PETER CAMERON DOUGLAS CASTLE Secretary of The Gum Tragasol
Supply Co. of 7 Temple Street, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, 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:-
This invention consists essentially in the preparation and application of the gum
produced from the kernels of the ceratonia siliqua as a substitute of solvents diluent

page_text: or joint ingre lients of in-lia rubber, gutta percha, or celluloid. I find that the
comm ner kinds of india rubber will dissolve in all proportions in a strong solution
of this gum and that the combination can be vulcanizel in the ual way, the
addition of heat up to about 190 Fah. and pressure assists the solution. In order
to combine this guin with the finer sorts of rubber, such as Para, this latter inst
first be dissolved by themselves in one of the usual solvents usel for this purpose,
and when this is done the disedved rubber and the strong solution of gum are
intimately mixed and exposed to a temperature of 180 to 190 Fuh, with heavy
pressure. The resulting material is deprived of its surplus water by evaporation
at about 180 Fah, and can then be vulcanised in the ordinary manner. The stiff
gum in a similar way can be made to combine with gutta percha or celluloid and
the combination rolled into thin sheets. The mixture of guin and india rubber will
withstand almost all the acids and corrosive chemicals at ordinary temperatures
and appears not to be attacked by insects or by the action of hot or cold water.
My experiments indicate that dissolved in any rubber solvent and applied as a
solution to ships' bottoms it is an admirable anti-corrosive and anti-crustative and
being a good insulator it can be used for covering marine cables and underground
telegraph wires. In speaking of india rubber 1 use the term in its broudest sense,
there being a large number of natural and artificial substances closely resembling
the produce of the figus elastica and used as india rubber or to adulterate or mix with
or as a substitute for india rubber used in its narrowest sense, more especially
various oxidised oils, especially linseed oil and though few of these are equal to
india rubber most of them will combine with the gum of the ceratonia siliqua,
commonly known as gum tragasol, and vulranise, and I therefore incla le under the
hend, indin rubber, oxidised oils and like products which will combine with india
rubber and gum tagasil as to form an elastic material insolable in water and
forming a rubber-like material capable of vulcanisation.
For wall and floor coverings, the invention may be applied in a variety of ways,
for instance gum and very poor rubber may be combined in proportion of 25 parts
dissolved rubber and 75 parts strong gum solution with the addition of one part
carbolic acid to 500 parts of the mixture. This mixture can be used for joining the
wood together whilst acting as a thoroughly effective preservative against insects
or vermin.
The mixture can be used in varying proportions according to the purpose for
which it is required, 10% of rubber and 90° of gum making a good cover for
ballrooms. The mixture can be applied in a thick mass heated up to 200° Fah.
and by pressure and heat made very hard, showing a surface like glass. The gum
and woody fibre of the kernels mixed with only two per cent, of cheap rubber and not
subjected to pressure or heat but simply dried in normal temperature can be used
na a base for the fixer mixture to which it will adhere in such a way as to be
inseparable.
Of course it will be readily understool that do not bind myself to the
proportions herein mentioned, as such proportions can be varied in letinitely
as the mixture in any proportion of rubber from 10% up to 100% can be
vulcanised in the same way as rubber to suit any purpose for which it is required,
the process being identical with those used for rubber with the sole difference
that for some purposes such as before referred to, I use carbolic acid in my
mixture. As vulcanite it will resist the action of nitric, tartaric and other
acids.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved chemical substance formed of a combination of the gum extract
of the cotyledons of the ceratonia siliqua in combination with rubber, gutta percha
or celluloid. substantially as described.

page_text: 2. The application of the gum of the ceratonia siliqua as a rubber or gutta percha
substitute, or au ingredient in rubber mixtures and used substantially as and for the
purposes described.
Dated this 10th day of A nonst 1806
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.