IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SILICIOUS SUBSTANCES TO A FLUID STATE
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of No. 50, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SILICIOUS SUBSTANCES TO A
FLUID STATE." A communication from abroad by George E. Vander-
-
T
1
Tited Staton of Amovies
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
June 1860.
I, WILLIAM SPENCE, of No. 50, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for" IMPROVE
MENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SILICIOUS SUBSTANCES TO A
FLUID STATE," (being a communication from abroad by George E. Vander-
burgh, of New York, in the United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the incorporation of a small per-centage of some
alkaline base with the silicious substance to be operated upon, and in the
subjection of such composition to the direct action of superheated steam
whilst enclosed within a suitable vessel, also in the application of the fluid
or liquid silicate thus produced to the various uses for which it is adapted.
The apparatus employed for the purpose may be of any suitable form and
character, provided it be of the requisite strength and the digesting portion of

page_text: the said apparatus be so arranged that the silicious and alkaline composition
to be placed therein can be retained, whilst in an undissolved state, in the
upper portion of the digesting chamber, to be continuously raised above the
surface of the liquid in the lower portion of the same, for the purpose of
allowing of the admission of the superheated steam into the said chamber,
so as to act directly upon the said composition. The superheated steam is
admitted to the apparatus by a central pipe, and discharged therein through
slotted pipes at the end of radial arms,so as to act directly on the composition
as it is raised by revolving elevators. The digester has a double casing
into which steam may be admitted, and is supplied with pipes for
drawing off the water produced by condensation.
The silicious substance usually employed is clean sand, and the alkaline
substance, commercial potash or soda; but in the place of sand silicious
stones may be employed, after they have been reduced to the requisite degree
of fineness by any of the well-known methods, The usual proportions of the
silicious and alkaline substances, which togeth er form the composition
referred to, are about eighty-five per cent. of the former to fifteen per cent.
of the latter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
SPENCE, of 50, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Spence, Her special license that I, the said William Spence, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Spence, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR REDUCING SILICIOUS SUBSTANCES TO A FLUID STATE."

page_text: a communication from abroad by George E. Vanderburg, of New York, in
the United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I
the said William Spence, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Spence, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention of "Improvements in the Mode of and Apparatus for
Reducing Silicious Substances to a Fluid State," consists in the incorporation
of a small percentage of some alkaline base with the silicious substance to be
operated npon, and in the subjection of such composition to the direct action
of superheated steam whilst enclosed within a suitable vessel; also in the
application of the fluid or liquid silicate thus produced to the various uses
for which it is adapted.
The apparatus employed for the purpose may be of any suitable form and
character, provided it be of the requisite strength, and the digesting portion
of the said apparatus be so arranged that the silicious and alkaline compo-
sition to be placed therein can be retained, whilst in an undissolved state, in
the upper portion of the digesting chamber, or be continuously raised above
the surface of the liquid in the lower portion of the same; for the purpose of
allowing of the admission of the superheated steam so as to act directly
upon the said composition. The superheated steam is admitted to the
apparatus by a central pipe, and discharged therein through slotted pipes
at the end of radial arms, so as to act directly on the composition as it is
raised by revolving elevators. The digester has a double casing into which
steam may be admitted, and is supplied with pipes for drawing off the
water produced by condensation.
The silicious substance usually employed is clean sand, and the alkaline
substance, commercial potash or soda; but in the place of sand silicious
stones may be employed, after they have been reduced to the requisite
degree of fineness by any of the well-known methods. The usual propor-
tions of the silicious and alkaline substances, which together form the
composition referred to, are about eighty five per cent. of the former to
fifteen per cent. of the latter.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by
the aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which is represented some of
the apparatus above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 an end elevation, of a digesting
chamber which may advantageously be employed as a portion of the apparatus
for carrying out the said Invention. This digesting chamber isofa cylindrical
form, and is composed of double sides a, a, and double ends d, d, combined
together in any suitable manner. The ends d, d, have an aperture in the
centre through which the short hollow shaftsh,h, are passed, and which work
in stuffing boxes therein; is the central pipe through which the superheated
steam is conducted into the digester; this pipe passes through the hollow
shafts h,h,and the joints between the said pipe and the shafts are rendered
steam-tight by means of suitable packing. The hollow shafts h,h,have radial
arms i, i, at their inner ends, which arms are connected to elevators k, k,
within the digester, extending the whole length of the same, their outer edges
being brought nearly in contact with the inner casing of the digester. Arms
m, m, extending from the main steam pipe 7 support the curved shield n, and
radial hollow arms o, o, extending from the same pipe support the slotted
longitudinal steam pipes p, p, through which the superheated steam is dis-
charged into the digester. The proportions of the above-mentioned parts are
such that the elevators h, k, can revolve freely around the shield n and the
slotted steam pipes p,p. Motion is imparted to the elevators k, k, by means
of the toothed wheels 9,7, on the shafts h,h, and the pinions fif, on the driving
shaft e. The digester is provided with a man-hole stopper q, and other suitable
valve-closed openings, and also with an instruments, for indicating the tem-
perature within the same; is the valve that closes the aperture through
which the silicate is withdrawn from the digester; t,t,are try cocks at one end
of the same. The steam is admitted in to the spaces between the double sides
or casings a, a, and the double ends d, d, of the digester, and the water
produced by condensation is withdrawn therefrom by means of suitable pipes.
In the production of liquid silicate by the process above described, the silicious
substance employed tberein is usually clean sand, and the alkaline substance
employed is usually commercial potash or soda. But instead of sand silicious
stones may be employed, after they have been reduced to the proper degree of
fineness by any of the well known methods. The proportions of the silicious
and alkaline substances composing the mixture which is placed within the

page_text: .digester to be operated upon by superheated steam in the manner described,
are about eighty-five per cent. of the former to fifteen per cent. of the
latter.
The uses and applications of the liquid silicate produced by the process
described are too numerous to mention, but a few of them may be specified
as under-
It may be applied to render the surfaces of blocks of stone impervious to
the action of water and cf acids, also the surface of articles moulded or
fashioned from clay, sand, plaster, or lime, or any mixture of the same or
other ingredients of a similar nature. It may also be applied to the surfaces
of planks, boards, timber, and articles made of wood, so as to render them
waterproof and fireproof; also to the staves of barrels intended to contain oil
or spirits of turpentine, so as to render them impervious to such articles,
and to ships' bottoms in order to render them worm-proof. Further by taking
any suitable grinding,gritty, or polishing material, such as sand, disintegrated
emery, quartz, spar, pumice, flint, &c., and incorporating the same or any of
them with a proper quantity of the aforesaid liquid silicate, a paste or com-
position may be formed that can be compactly moulded into the form of a mill-
stone or of a polishing wheel, or of a whetstone,hone, razor strop,scythe, rifle,
or other article to which the said paste or composition is or may be rendered
applicable.
The said liquid silicate may also be employed as the cementing ingredient
in the production of pudding stone, sandstone, marble, and other artificial
stones in all varieties of shape,and it may be used as an ingredient in the place
of oil in the production of fireproof paints, and also of a waterproof coating
composition for roofs, cellars, basements, vaults, sewers, pavements, &c., and
also of a waterproof cement to be used in the construction of brick and
stone walls.
1 he said liquid silicate is further applicable to the purpose of producing
fireproof theatrical scenery, by first saturating the canvas with the said
articles, and then painting the same with silicated paint. It is also applicable
to the waterproofing of cloths and clothing, and as a thin transparent coating
to statuary, paintings, walls, furniture, &c. It may also be substituted for.
starch and size, in the latter case specially in the production of waterproof and
fireproof roofing, paper, cardboards, &c. It may also be made to constitute
one of the ingredients in the manufacture of soap, and it is applicable to the
preservation of hams, eggs, fruits, vegetables, &c., by providing a silicious
coating for such articles, also to the soles of boots and shoes for rendering
them waterproof and increasing their durability, and by bringing the said

page_text: liquid silicate to a proper consistence it may be made to form a silicious
cement of great adhesive strength applicable to various adhesive purposes,
such as uniting pieces of wood, glass, or earthenware. It may also be
einployed in the preparation of sand paper, emery paper, glass paper,
polishing wheels, aud files or rubbers.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention communicated to
'me from abroad as aforesaid, I do hereby declare that what I claim as of
the Invention is,-
First, the reduction of silicious substances to a liquid state by first incor-
porating there with a comparatively small proportion of some alkaline sub-
stance, and then subjecting the same to the direct action of superheated
steam whilst enclosed within a suitable vessel, as herein-before described.
And, secondly, to the application of the same to the various purposes to
which it is applicable.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
WILLIAM SPENCE. (L.S.)
Witness
GEO. B. COULCHER,
Law Stationer, 50, Chancery Lané.