CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING SPONGE AND IN COMPOUNDS OF SPONGE FOR PACKING OF JOURNAL BOXES AND OTHER PUR- POSES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue de la Chaussée d' Antin, Paris,
France, and 6, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN TREATING SPONGE AND
IN COMPOUNDS OF SPONGE FOR PACKING OF JOURNAL BOXES AND OTHER PUR-
POSES." A communication from Patrick Sarsfield Devlan, residing
at Jersey City, County and State of New Jersey, United States of
America, Merchant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville,
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 3rd March 1874, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRI
ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Ruo
de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 6, Piccadilly, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TREATING SPONGE AND IN COMPOUNDS OF SPONGE FOR PACKING OF JOURNAL
BOXES AND OTHER PURPOSES," communicated to me by Patrick Sarsfield
Devlan, a person resident at Jersey City, County and State of New
Jersey, United States of America, Merchant, and have petitioned Her
Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and made solemn Declaration
that it is a communication.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification under my hand and
seal fully describes and ascertains the nature of the Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, that is to say :-
The first part of the Invention relates to preparing sponge by first
cutting it up in small pieces and extracting the calcareous matter mixed
with it, then exposing it to the action of sulphurous acid or any other of
the known agents for bleaching sponge, and finally putting it into a
solution of borax, water, and glycerine, in such a manner that the
sponge is rendered elastic and fit for various purposes, such as packing
for journal boxes.
The second part of the Invention consists in a compound of sponge
with a mineral substance such as asbestus, steatite, or graphite, for the
'purpose of producing a packing for journal boxes, which is capable of
absorbing the lubricating material and transferring it to the journal, and
which prevents the journal from heating. With the sponge and mineral
substance such as above described, may also be mixed hair or other
fibrous material, and the sponge may be saturated with a thin solution
of cautchouc whereby the effect of the compound may be still further
improved.
In carrying out the first part of the Invention the sponge is first cut
in small pieces by suitable machinery, and then it is freed from the
calcareous or other foreign matter that may be mechanically mixed with
it. Then the sponge is put in a strong alkaline solution or in a solution
of sulphurous acid in water, or it is treated with any other of the well
known bleaching agents, so as to free the same from mucilage. After
having been removed from the solution, the sponge is washed in clear
water and passed through pressing rollers for the purpose of expelling
the water.

page_text: The sponge after having been prepared as above described is put in a
solution composed of ten pounds of borax dissolved in ten gallons of
water, and fifteen to twenty pounds of glycerine. On removing the
sponge from the solution it is again passed through pressing rollers so
as to expel the liquid therefrom, and the sponge is ready for use.
borax or equivalent salt has a tendency to soften the sponge and imparts
to the same a certain amount of clasticity, and by mixing it in water
with the glycerine the cost of the solution is much lessened.
The
The sponge after having been prepared as above described is put in a
solution composed of ten pounds of borax dissolved in ten gallons of
water, and fifteen to twenty pounds of glycerine. On removing the
sponge from the solution it is again passed through pressing rollers so
as to expel the liquid therefrom, and the sponge is ready for use. The
borax or equivalent salt has a tendency to soften the sponge and imparts
to the same a certain amount of clasticity, and by mixing it in water
with the glycerine the cost of the solution is much lessened.
A further effect produced by the glycerine with the borax upon the
sponge is that it will not commingle with the oil, and it prevents the oil
from hardening the sponge.
By the above described process the sponge is rendered elastic and
especially fit for packing journal boxes.
In carrying out the second part of the Invention one pound of purified
sponge is cut into small pieces and mixed with one and a half pound of
asbestus, steatite, or graphite, and after these ingredients have been
thoroughly mixed, the compound is introduced into the journal boxes of
railroad car axles, or into other journal boxes of a similar construction.
With the compound as above stated may also be mixed hair in about
the following proportions; sponge one pound; asbestus or other mineral
substance one and a half pound; hair one and a half pound.
Furthermore the sponge may be saturated with a thin solution of
cautchouc or other gum of a similar nature, whereby the durabilty of
the same is increased, and a certain lubricating quality is imparted
to it.
When the packing prepared as above stated is introduced into a
journal box, the sponge takes up the lubricating material and transmits
it to the journal, while the mineral substance mixed with the sponge
prevents the journal from heating. The hair assists in transmitting the
lubricating material to the journal, and the solution of cautchouc and
other similar gum imparts to the sponge a certain lubricating quality,
and furthermore it increases the durability of said sponge.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and the
manner of performing it, I claim,-
1. The within described process of treating sponge by first cutting it
into small pieces, then treating it with a suitable bleaching agent, and

page_text: finally with a solution of borax and glycerine or its equivalent, sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. A packing for railroad journal boxes, axles, or other machinery
made from an elastic sponge treatet substantially as described, with or
without a fibrous material, essentially as set forth.
3. A packing for journal boxes composed of sponge, and a mineral.
substance such as asbestus, steatite, or graphite, mixed together about in
the proportion, and substantially in the manner set forth.
4. A packing for journal boxes composed of sponge, hair, or other
fibrous material, and a mineral substance such as asbestus, steatite, or
graphite, mixed together about in the proportion, and substantially in
the manner described.
5. A packing for journal boxes composed of sponge saturated with a
solution of cautchouc or equivalent gum, and mixed with a mineral
substance such as asbestus, steatite, or graphite, substantially as
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-four.
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