Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Marble, Granite, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Marble, Granite, and
the like.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM JAMES, of 19, Helena Street, Smethwick, in the County of
Stafford, Architect and Builder, do hereby declare the nature of my said inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of artificial
marble granite and the like which I accomplish by the use of various materials
substances moistures and the like so as to imitate the grain and substance of
real marble and granite by various mixtures and proportions and treatment of
the materials according to the particular kind of marble being imitated at the
time. The following will serve as examples:-
Take first the imitation of statutory or white marble:For this kind I take
say, approximately, 65lbs. or thereabouts of calcined chalk, Glbs. of mica dust,
4lbs. of ground borax, and 5lbs, of soluble silica mixed with hot water and then
run into a suitable mould the size and thickness required. When the mixture
is in suitable condition-say about half dry-I apply a stamping or pressing
machine whether mechanical hydraulic or otherwise to it so as to perforate the
mixture or substance with imitations of the veins or grain or figuring of the
marble. I then run into the recesses a solution of manganese and finely ground
or soluble slag after which the surface or surfaces is worked off and smoothed by
a tool or slip of plate glass having a bevelled or rounded edge or both after which
the block when dry is found to have durable glaze and is intensely hard. In
imitating black veined or Bardilla marble I take say approximately 40lbs. of
slag ground and brought into a thin paste with lb. of sulphuric acid and boiling
water to which I add 4lbs. of soluble silica, 6lbs. of calcined chalk, 4lbs. of oxide
of manganese and 1lb. of elemi. The whole of these are mixed with sufficient
hot water to bring the mixture to a creamy consistency when it is run into
moulds and treated as in the former case to produce the veins or figuring. But
in this case the veins are formed by calcined chalk and slag to the desired thick-
ness with water to run into and fill up the veins. Then in the case of imitating
Kilkeny or green marble I take approximately 15lbs. of soluble silica with 20lbs.
of slate dust, 10lbs. of slag, 4lbs. of elemi and 14lbs. of chalk this is mixed with
boiling water to a creamy consistency. This is thrown into the mould and when
sufficiently set is perforated with the veins which are filled with the following mix-
ture: Dissolve 3oz. of salt in sufficient blue vitrol to bring the salt into a very
liquid state, then add about the same quantity of sulphuric acid, one ounce of
finely powdered chalk; one ounce of ground elemi and one ounce of borax.
mixture forms a bright vivid green of creamy consistency which is poured into
the veins and worked off with the glass tool as previously explained. In the
case of Devonshire red marble or spa I use approximately 20lbs. of powdered slag,
30lbs. of calcined chalk 10lbs. of powdered hydraulic lime and 4lbs. of soluble
silica which are mixed with hot water to a creamy consistency and run into
This

page_text: moulds. The slabs or blocks when about two thirds dry are perforated to imitate
the grain which is filled up with a mixture of 1lbs. of finely powdered red oxide
of iron, 4oz. of native oxide of copper, lb. of soluble silica and 20%. of powdered
elemi. These are mixed with a solution of yellow oxide of iron and made into a
creamy consistency to fill up the veins and then worked off with the before
mentioned glass tool. By these mixtures and the use of the glass tool a natural
glaze is produced that will not wear off by exposure. In casting flat slabs polished
plate glass is used to form the surface but in casting blocks the moulds may be
lined with tin or similar lining as when cast in the wood a greater length of
time is necessary for glazing. Carved and ornamental portions are run out in
moulds made by mixing dissolved resin with gelatine.
In the case of imitation granite-say Aberdeen granite I take red oxide of
iron very finely powdered say about 20lbs., 90lbs. of slag also finely powdered,
10lbs. of calcined slate dust, 40lbs. finely powdered hydraulic lime and 10lbs. of
powdered chalk. These are mixed with boiling water to a thick creamy con-
sistency. This mixture is poured into a mould of any desired shape and when
partly set or dried the block or slab is perforated in the manner herein before
described and the apertures or perforations are then filled up with the following
mixture:Black oxide of manganese h., common ink--say Stephens blue
black loz., ozs. of liquid elemi the whole mixed with water very liberally.
When this dark colour is run in I take a solution of 1lb. of white silica 1lb. of
finely powdered chalk and 2ozs. of sulphuric acid stirred well together and run
into the mould when by the aid of the acid white particles will be conveyed
through the dark mixture and an imitation of the granite will be the result.
The mould should be sufficiently large to allow it to be lined on all the faces
with sheets of smooth plate glass. The mixture should be left for about 48 hours.
In the case of grey or Portland granite I use approximately the following mix-
ture: Powdered hydraulic lime 50lbs., powdered slag 40lbs., powdered chalk
40lbs., yellow oxide of iron 20lbs., soluble silica 4lbs., mica dust 10lbs. These
are mixed with cold water to a thick creamy consistency and poured into the
moulds and perforated as before set forth when the following liquid mixture is
poured into the recess to form the figuring:-Black oxide of manganese b.;
silica 4oz., blue black ink 4oz., with sufficient cold water to mix them. When
this is done I mix together 1lb. of white silica, 1lb. of calcined chalk, Goz. white
vitrol, 2oz. of salt and 3oz. of sulphuric acid mixed with sufficient boiling water
to make the mixture very thin the whole being poured into the mould when the
desired result will be obtained in imitation of the natural grey granite.
The weights of my artificial marble and granite per cubic foot will generally
be found lighter than the marble or granite of which it is an imitation but the
strength and endurance is very great.
THOMAS WILLIAM JAMES.
By George Barker,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Marble, Granite, and
the like.
I, THOMAS WILLIAM JAMES, of 19, Helena Street, Smethwick, in the County of
Stafford, Architect and Builder, do hereby declare the nature of my said inven-

page_text: tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of artificial
marble, granite and the like which I accomplish by the use of various materials
substances moistures and the like so as to imitate the grain and substance of
real marble and granite by various mixtures and proportions and treatment of
the materials according to the particular kind of marble being imitated at the
time. The following will serve as examples:-
Take first the imitation of statuary or white marble:-For this kind I
say approximately 65lbs. or thereabouts of calcined chalk 6lbs. of mica dust,
4lbs. of ground borax, and 5lbs. of soluble silicate mixed with hot water and then
run into a suitable mould the size and thickness required. When the mixture
is in suitable condition-say about half dry-I apply a stamping or pressing
machine whether mechanical hydraulic or otherwise to it so as to perforate the
mixture or substance with imitations of the veins or grain or figuring of the
marble. I then run into the recesses oxide of manganese and finely ground
or soluble slag after which the surface or surfaces are worked off and smoothed by
a tool or slip of plate glass having a bevelled or rounded edge or both after which
the block when dry is found to have durable glaze and is intensely hard.
In imitating black veined or Bardilla marble I take away approximately
40 lbs. of slag ground and brought into a thin paste with half a pound of sulphuric
acid and boiling water to which I add 4 lbs, of soluble silicate 6 lbs. of calcined
chalk, 4 lbs. of oxide of manganese and 1 lb. of elemi. The whole of these are
mixed with sufficient hot water to bring the mixture to a creamy consistency
when it is run into moulds and treated as in the former case to produce the veins
or figuring but in this case the veins are formed by calcined chalk and slag to
the desired thickness with water to run into and fill up the veins.
Then in the case of imitating Kilkeny or green marble I take approximately
15 lbs. of soluble silicate with 20 lbs. of slate dust 10 lbs. of slag, 4 lbs. of elemi,
and 14 lbs. of chalk this is mixed with boiling water to a creamy consistency.
This is thrown into the mould and when sufficiently set about half dry is per-
forated with the veins which are filled with the following mixture:-Dissolve
in hot water 3 ozs. of salt with sufficient blue vitrol which is first ground to
bring the salt into a very thin liquid state then add about the same quantity of
sulphuric acid one ounce of finely powdered chalk, one ounce of ground elemi
and one ounce of borax. This mixture forms a bright vivid green of creamy
consistency which is poured into the veins and worked off with the glass tool as
previously explained.
In the case of Devonshire red marble or spa I use approximately 20 lbs of
powdered slag, 30 lbs. of calcined chalk, 10 lbs. of powdered hydraulic lime and
4 lbs. of soluble silicate, which are mixed with hot water to a creamy consistency
and run into moulds. The slabs or blocks when about two thirds dry are per-
forated to imitate the grain which is filled up with a mixture of 1½ lbs. of finely
powdered red oxide of iron 4 ozs. of native oxide of copper, lb. of soluble silicate,
and 2 ozs. of powdered elemi. These are mixed with a solution of yellow oxide
of iron and made into a creamy consistency to fill up the veins and then worked
off with the before mentioned glass tool.
By these mixtures and the use of the glass tool a natural glaze is produced that
will not wear off by exposure. In casting flat slabs polished plate glass is used
to form the surface but in casting blocks the moulds may be lined with tin or
similar lining as when cast in the wood a greater length of time is necessary
for glazing. Carved and ornamental portions can be run out in moulds made by
mixing powdered resin with gelatine dissolved in hot water. The before men-
tioned quantities are those necessary to produce about one cubic foot of each
particular marble.
In the case of imitation granite-say Aberdeen granite I take red oxide of

page_text: iron very finely powdered say about 20 lbs., 90 lbs. of powdered slag, yellow oxide
of iron also finely powdered 10 lbs., calcined slate dust 40 lbs. finely powdered
with sufficient hydraulic lime to tone the colour and 10 lbs. of powdered chalk,
These are mixed with boiling water to a thick creamy consistency. This mix-
ture is poured into a mould of any desired shape and when partly set or dried the
block or slab is perforated in the manner herein before described and the apertures
or perforations are then filled up with the following mixture:-Black oxide of
manganese lb., common ink say Stephens blue black 1 oz., 3 oz. of liquid elemi
the whole mixed with water very liberally. When this dark colour is run in I
take a solution 1 lb. of soluble silicate, 1 lb. of finely powdered chalk and into
these pour in 2 ozs. of sulphuric acid stirred quickly together and run into the
mould when by the aid of the acid white particles will be conveyed through the
dark mixture and an imitation of the granite will be the result. The mould
should be sufficiently large to allow it to be lined on all the faces with sheets of
smooth plate glass. The mixture should be left for about 48 hours.
lb.,
In the case of grey or Portland granite I use approximately the following
mixture: Powdered hydraulic lime 50 lbs., powdered slag 40 lbs., powdered
chalk 40 lbs., yellow oxide of iron 20 lbs., soluble silicate 4 lbs., mica dust 10 lbs.
These are mixed with cold water to a thick creamy consistency and poured into
the moulds and perforated as before set forth when the following liquid mixture is
poured into the recesses to form the figuring: Black oxide of manganese
dry silicate 4 ozs., blue black ink 4 ozs., with sufficient cold water to mix them.
Pour this into the mould and allow it to run into the apertures. When this is
done I mix together 1 lb. of white soluble silicate, 1 lb. of calcined chalk 6 oz.
of white vitrol, 2 ozs. of salt, and 3 ozs. of sulphuric acid, mixed with sufficient
boiling water to make the mixture very thin the whole being poured into the
mould when the desired result will be obtained in imitation of the natural grey
granite.
The weights of my artificial marble and granite per cubic foot will generally
be found lighter than the marble or granite of which it is an imitation but the
strength and endurance is very great.
The foregoing mixtures and proportions are given for the various articles or
substances as samples or examples and they may be somewhat varied as well as
the colouring matter and veining as will be obvious to those acquainted with the
manufacture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
:
CLAIMS.
First The improvements in the manufacture of artificial statuary or white
marble from calcined chalk, mica dust, ground borax and soluble silicate and
treated and veined substantially as and in the proportions herein set forth.
Second-The improved artificial or black veined or Bardilla marble from a
mixture of slag. suluhuric acid soluble silicate calcined chalk oxide of man-
-
ULATAIN.
First The improvements in the manufacture of artificial statuary or white
marble from calcined chalk, mica dust, ground borax and soluble silicate and
treated and veined substantially as and in the proportions herein set forth.
Second: The improved artificial or black veined or Bardilla marble from a
mixture of slag, suluhuric acid soluble silicate calcined chalk oxide of man-
ganese, and elemi, and treated and veined substantially as and in the proportions
herein set forth.
Third The improved artificial Kilkeny or green marble from a mixture of
soluble silicate, slate dust, slag, elemi and chalk and treated and veined substan-
tially as and in the proportions herein set forth.
Fourth-The improved artificial Devonshire red marble or spa from a mixture
of powdered slag, calcined chalk, powdered hydraulic lime and soluble silicate
and treated and veined substantially as and in the proportions herein set forth.
Fifth The improved artificial red or Aberdeen granite from a mixture of red
oxide of iron, finely powdered slag, yellow oxide of iron, calcined slate dust,

page_text: finely powdered hydraulic lime and powdered chalk and treated and veined sub-
stantially as and in the proportions herein set forth.
Sixth The improved artificial grey or Portland granite from a mixture of
powdered hydraulic lime powdered slag, yellow oxide of iron powdered chalk,
soluble silicate and mica dust and treated and veined substantially as and in the
proportions herein set forth.
THOMAS WILLIAM JAMES,
By George Barker,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.