IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RECONSTITUTION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF WOOD BY MOULDS AND COMPRESSION UNDER HEAT, AND WITH OR WITHOUT THE ADDITION OF OTHER SUBSTANCES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Varrot, of Paris, in the Department of the
"
Seine and Republic of France, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
RECONSTITUTION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF WOOD BY MOULDS AND COMPRESSION
UNDER HEAT, AND WITH OR WITHOUT THE ADDITION OF OTHER SUBSTANCES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Varrot at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th February 1880.
"
.
CHARLES VARROT, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine and Republic of
France. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RECONSTITUTION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF WOOD
BY MOULDS AND COMPRESSION UNDER HEAT, AND WITH OR WITHOUT THE
ADDITION OF OTHER SUBSTANCES."
My Invention relates to the reconstitution or making up of wood from pieces,
particles, or fragments by moulding and compression under heat, and with or
without the addition of other substances than wood.
I will first describe the composition of the mixtures.
The mixtures which I use have for basis wood of every kind in the state of
sawdust, shavings from joiners' work, carpenters' shavings and splinters, leaves, and
small branches or twigs, with or without resin or resinous matters.
The accessory substances which enter into the additional composition are
ligneous, filamentous, vegetable or animal substances of all kinds, such as hay,
straw, the detritus of animal or vegetable matters, flock, old leather or animal hair
or shag, waste horn, hemp, old cordage, the detritus of blood from slaughter houses,
and, in short, every vegetable or animal matter.
I will now describe the processes of manufacture, reference being had to the
accompanying 2 Sheets of Drawing forming part of this Provisional Specification,
Sheet I. representing the press which I prefer to use in carrying out my processes,
and Sheet II., details of same.
The processes which I use consist in placing in a mould (A) the composition (B)
which I find most advantageous as regards the possibility of obtaining it, this
composition having for basis or being wholly made of vegetables and wood in the

page_text: various forms aforesaid, and as complement animal matters according to their
abundance in the locality where the manufacture takes place.
The mixture thus made being of sufficient bulk for the piece which I desire to
obtain, I cover and close the mould by the lid or plunger C (Sheet I.), and I submit
this mould to the action of a hydraulic press or of any other pressure, taking care
to heat the mould and the mixture while under pressure to such a temperature as
will bring out all the binding matters of the mixture.
When the pressure has attained the degree necessary to bring the pieces to a
sufficiently solid and indissoluble state, I secure the moulded piece by the wedging
or keying D of the lid, and I cool the mould by immersion in water or in any
other way.
The heating of the moulds may be effected either by the aid of red hot irons
placed in the parts E, E, of the plates of the press, or by grates burning coke or coal
or any other fuel, or by gas.
The reconstituted wood which I obtain by this process is solid, compact, of great
density and strength, much superior to ordinary wood, and, further, it is almost
incorruptible; its application will be very general, it may be used for carpenter's,
joiner's, or cabinet maker's work, paving, stands, brackets, consoles, parquet floorings,
railway sleepers, and a variety of purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Varrot in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th July
1880.
CHARLES VARROT, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine and Republic of
France. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE RECONSTITUTION OR RECONSTRUCTION OF WOOD
BY MOULDS AND COMPRESSION UNDER HEAT, AND WITH OR WITHOUT THE
ADDITION OF OTHER SUBSTANCES."
My Invention relates to the reconstitution or making up of wood from pieces,
particles, or fragments, by moulding and compression under heat, and with or
without the addition of other substances than wood.
I will first describe the composition of the mixtures.
The mixtures which I use have for basis wood of every kind in the state of saw
dust, shavings from joiners' work, carpenters' shavings and splinters, leaves and
small branches or twigs, with or without resin or resinous matters.
The accessory substances which enter into the additional composition are ligneous,
filamentous, vegetable or animal substances of all kinds, such as hay, straw, the
detritus of animal or vegetable matters, flock, old leather, or animal hair or shag,
waste horn, hemp, old cordage, the detritus of blood from slaughter houses, and, in
short, every vegetable or animal matter.
I will now describe the processes of manufacture, reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part. of this Specification, Figure 1
representing the press which I prefer to use in carrying out my processes, and
Figures 2 details of same.
The processes which I use consist in placing in a mould (A) the composition (B)
which I find most advantageous as regards the possibility of obtaining it, this
composition having for basis or being wholly made of vegetables and wood in the
various forms aforesaid, and as complement animal matters according to their
abundance in the locality where the manufacture takes place.
The mixture thus made being of sufficient bulk for the piece which I desire to
obtain, I cover and close the mould by the lid or plunger C (Fig. 1), and I submit
this mould to the action of a hydraulic press or of any other pressure, taking care
to heat the mould and the mixture while under pressure to such a temperature as
will bring out all the binding matters of the mixture.
When the pressure has attained the degree necessary to bring the pieces to a
sufficiently solid and indissoluble state I secure the moulded piece by the wedging
or keying D of the lid, and I cool the mould by immersion in water or in any
other way.
The heating of the moulds may be effected either by the aid of red hot irons
placed in the parts E, E, of the plates of the press, or by grates burning coke or
coal or any other fuel, or by gas.
The reconstituted wood which I obtain by this process is solid, compact, of great
density and strength, much superior to ordinary wood, and, further, it is almost
incorruptible; its application will be very general, it may be used for carpenter's,
joiner's, or cabinet maker's work, paving, stands, brackets, consoles, parquet floorings,
railway sleepers, and a variety of purposes.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is or may be performed,
I claim as of the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent,―
The optional mixture of vegetable and animal products, such mixture having
mainly for basis the waste of wood in any form and of any nature or kind without

page_text: other preparation, and as complement ligneous, filamentous, vegetable or animal
substances for obtaining a reconstituted or reconstructed wood, solid, unalterable, or
incorruptible, and moulded of any desired form by the above described processes,
substantially as hereinbefore specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Varrot, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CHARLES VARROT. (L.S.)