Improvements in Paints.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1893-Accepted, 2nd June, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Paints.
We, WILLIAM B. ABERT, of 1903 G Street, Washington, D.C., United States
of America, Real Estate Agent, and WILLIAM SCHERER, Chemist, of 1623
82nd Street, Washington aforesaid, 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 has relation to paints, and has for its object the provision of a
mixture or compound adapted to be used in place of that compound or mixture
known to the trade as "white lead ground in oil."
The white lead of commerce, which is the chief basis of all pigments, is a mixture
of plumbic carbonate and hydrate, and is expensive, owing to the high price of
lead and the complex and costly process necessary to the proper manufacture and
refinement of the commercial material.
It is the purpose of our invention to produce a mixture containing as a base,
materials less costly than lead, and which may be manufactured at less expense,
and our invention consists in a paint mixture or compound composed of mica,
reduced to an impalpable powder, linseed oil, gypsum and tragacanth.
We wish it to be particularly understood that the mica which we employ is
reduced previously to its admixture with the other materials, to an absolutely
impalpable powder, as we are aware that mica has been used in connection with
adhesive materials to form a decorative coating, but the mica has been in theso
mixtures merely in an imperfectly divided or flocculent condition, the purpose
being to produce an effect of iridescence or sheen by the reflection of light from
the small particles of mica, whereas it is our purpose to produce a mixture
which will be substantially the same in appearance, when applied, as white lead
paint.
In preparing our mixture or compound, we grind the pulverized mica and
gypsum separately with linseed or other suitable oil until each is thoroughly
mixed with the oil. We then grind these two mixtures together, adding
tragacanth.
We have found the following a suitable and satisfactory formula for our
mixture or compound.
100
The proportion of mica used may be varied to a considerable extent, it being
practicable to use as high as 85% on as low as 30%, and yet produce a
satisfactory result-the proportions of gypsum and oil varying, of course, with the
variations in the proportion of the mica.
It is to be noted that no material is employed in our mixture or compound
which will chemically set on or affect the mica, and we are aware that it has been
proposed to produce a species of water-glass by mixing mica with materials which
will dissolve the same; but in these chemical compounds produced by dissolving
mica in other materials, the mica changes its character and loses the opacity
which, when it is ground to an impalpable powder, and mixed with other materials,
89 described, renders it a suitable substitute for white lead in paint mixtures.
The various pigments or chrome colors commonly used in connection with white

page_text: lead for the production of colored paints may be employed for the same purpose
with our improved mixture or compound and the mixture is in fact used in
precisely the same manner, and for the same purposes, as white lead ground
in oil.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First: A base for the manufacture of mixed paints consisting of mica reduced
to an impalpable powder and ground with oil.
Secondly-A paint compound, consisting of a base of mica reduced to an
impalpable powder and ground with oil, a pigment and a binder.
Dated this 30th day of January 1808
WILLIAM B. ABERT,
WILLIAM SCHERER,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.