IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OR MANUFACTURE OF GUTTA PERCHA, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS THEREOF
Year: 1853

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st October 1853. A communication.
the 21st October 1853. A communication.
(Void by reason of notice to proceed not having been given within the
time prescribed by the Act.)
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OR MANUFACTURE OF GUTTA PERCHA, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS
THEREOF," being a communication from Jacques Lefevre, of Paris, in
the Empire of France, Chemist, to be as follows:
This Invention consists of an improved method of treating gutta
percha for rendering the same more pure by separating any foreign
matter from it, and forming two distinct parts, the one dry and tough
and the other greasy and resinous, and for rendering the same liquid or
solid, thereby fitting it for various uses to which it has not hitherto been
found applicable. The raw material is cleaned and purified by being
passed through a mill having indentations or teeth formed within a
fixed chamber, and similar indentations on the surface of a revolving
cone working inside this chamber: the gutta percha is passed between
these toothed surfaces and falls on to toothed rollers beneath and
between which it is. drawn by their revolutions. By this means it is

page_text: squeezed and drawn, being freed from foreign matter. The stringy or
tough parts are fumigated and rendered white, so that it may receive
any colour required.
For liquifying gutta percha, carburet of hydrogen is employed. From
the distillation of pit coal an oil is obtained, which is well washed and
allowed to rest 48 hours on a ("base salifiable") salt base; it is then dis-
tilled, producing a carburet of hydrogen by means of which gutta percha
may be liquified. One application of this liquified gutta percha is the
construction of printing-rollers, which are composed of equal parts of
glue, treacle, and dissolved gutta percha; but these proportions may be
varied according to the nature of the ink employed. Liquid gutta
percha thus prepared, mixed with gluten, gum lac, and copale, makes a
varnish which adheres with great affinity to glass or metals, preserving
the latter from oxidation or from the action of acids: For applying
the same to wood a certain amount of pitch is added. The gutta percha
may be solidified by being heated whilst in a soft state, having added to
it a solution of the gutta percha obtained by the carburet of hydrogen
as above described, when the mass is passed through rollers to render it
perfectly homogenous. Gutta percha thus prepared may be applied to
all kinds of objects of art or manufacture, such as tubes, moulded or
drawn articles, vases, statuettes, &c. Presses may also be constructed
of it for the impressing of paper hangings, &c., the whole of the colors
being impressed at once. The pattern is engraved on gutta percha
cylinders in the following mauner A. thin coat of wax is laid upon a
cast iron plate, and in this wax is traced the desired pattern, which is
transferred to the gutta percha cylinder in relief; around this cylinder
are arranged as many inking rollers as there are colours. The carburet
above mentioned, with five to seven per cent. of alcohol and sulphuric
acid added, will dissolve all the fatty, gummy, and resinous bodies, and
will serve to clean various articles, such as stuffs; kid gloves, and silks
of the most delicate tints. It may also be employed for dissolving the
gummy portions of silk cocoons, and for similar purposes.
many