A New or Improved Substance or Compound applicable for various purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Substance or Compound applicable for various
purposes.
We, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON, of Rokeby, Oldfield Road, Altrincham, in the
County of Chester, Manufacturer, and CHARLES FREDERICK SEYMOUR ROTHWELL,
of Worsley Mills, Hulme, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Technical
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a substance or compound of a transparent nature which
may be used as a substitute for celluloid glass ivory or other substances or may be
applied to various purposes to which such substances are at present applied or to
other purposes for which it may be found suitable.
It consists essentially of a substance of compound prepared by treating or
dissolving the zinc or aluminium salts of fatty or resin acids (or a mixture of
these salts) with a suitable volatile solvent such as benzole coal-tar naphtha
benzoline or other similar light hydro-carbon and drying or solidifying the same
in the presence of heated air.
mass.
In carrying out the invention we take the zinc or aluminium salts of the fatty
or resin acids in the form of a powder and treat or dissolve the same with a suit-
able volatile solvent until the same has assumed the consistency, of a thick plastic
This mass may be prepared by well kneading or mixing it in a mixing
or kneading machine-such as used for treating india-rubber-until it becomes
homogeneous. This mass may then be moulded into blocks slabs plates or rolled
into sheets or moulded into any desired form with or without pressure as may be
found best for the purpose to which it is to be applied, or it may be spread upon
a woven fabric paper or other material.
A solution of the compound or substance of less viscosity may be made by the
use of a larger proportion of solvent and this may be flowed or spread over a glass
or other suitable surface for the purpose of making thin films or used for water-
proofing and other applications.
To prepare the substance in a transparent form it is dried or solidified by means
of heat in a current of air or heated air blown over it.
To prepare an opaque substance it may be allowed to dry without the applica-
tion of heat.
The moulded blocks may be further moulded cut turned or otherwise manipu-
lated when solid.
In the preparation of this substance it is preferred to use the aluminium or
zinc salts of oleic lauric palmitic stearic or resin acids but any of the other fatty
or resin acids occurring in natural oils fats or resins may be combined with zinc
or alumina and employed.
The physical properties of the substance as to flexibility hardness and the like
may be modified by using various proportions or mixtures of the salts indicated.
This substance we find will be cheaper to produce than celluloid will not ignite

page_text: on heating does not expand contract or cockle when placed in water and dried
may be made flexible or brittle and is a non-conductor of electricity applicable
for insulating purposes.
The substance is applicable for use in the preparation of photographic films
(as a base for the sensitive coating) either as flexible or stiff films, for water-
proofing paper or fabrics, or as a coating or casing for such, for surfacing paper
for photographic and other purposes, as a substitute for celluloid and similar
materials or compounds as a substitute for glass and glass plates for many pur-
poses films or sheets of the compound may be used for waterproof packing
material, substitute for leather the preparation of cloth for book-binding
upholstering the manufacture of sanitary wall papers or other similar purposes.
Mixed with colouring matters or dyes or with pigments or lakes it may be used
as a substitute for ivory bone jet amber stained glass or the like.
For photographic films the substance is spread or poured in the liquid or semi-
liquid state upon smooth slabs or supports upon which it is dried or the plastic
mass may be rolled out to form sheets of any required thickness and dried. The
film when dried is washed with a solution of silicate of soda and then coated
with the sensitive gelatine emulsion.
In the waterproofing of fabrics the substance either in a plastic or liquid state
is spread over the fabric forming a coating or layer of the substance on one side
-of-the-fabric-as in the ordinary method of rubberproofing fabrics. The coated
fabric may be ornamented in any of the ways at present known for ornamenting
rubber-proofed fabrics. Two fabrics so coated may be stuck together to form a
double texture fabric. Or the fabric may-be-passed-through-a-solution_of_the
compound or coated on both sides and dried.
Paper may be waterproofed or treated by applying a-layer of the material to one
or both surfaces or the paper may be dipped into a solution of it and dried. The
appearance of the paper is not changed by the application of the coating. The
compound may also be applied by means of engraved rollers to the surface of the
paper. Paper so prepared may be used-for-wall-paper-such-as-are known as..
sanitary papers or for wrapping or packing sheets which are desired to be water-
proof damp proof or air proof or such paper may be used for any purpose for which
it may be found suitable.
Cloth for upholstering bookbinding or the like purposes may be prepared by
coating with one or more layers or coats of the material and then ornamented by
engraved or embossed rollers or plates applied with a certain degree of pressure.
Sheets of the material may replace leather in many of its applications.
Films or sheets of the material may be used for waterproof air proof and damp
proof packing or wrapping.
A substitute for celluloid or other substances for insulating or like purposes is
prepared by cutting turning, or blocks or slabs or articles may be prepared direct
by moulding the plastic mass into the desired shape before drying.
Dated this 24th day of February 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6. Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents,

page_text: of Worsley Mills, Hulme, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Technical
Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to a substance or compound of a transparent nature
which may be used as a substitute for celluloid glass ivory or other substances or
may be applied to various purposes to which such substances are at present applied
or to other purposes for which it may be found suitable.
It consists essentially of a transparent substance or compound prepared or
obtained by treating or dissolving the aluminium or zinc salts of fatty acids with
a suitable volatile solvent such as benzol coal-tar naphtha benzoline or other
similar light hydro-carbon and drying or solidifying the same in the presence of
heated air. In carrying out the invention we take the aluminium salt or the
zinc salt of one or more of the fatty acids in powdered form and treat or dissolve
the same with a volatile solvent until the material assumes the consistency of a
heavy plastic mass.
We find it advantageous to mix two or more fatty acid salts and also to add
thereto an aluminium salt or zinc salt of resin acids and for the purpose we prefer
to employ aluminium-oleate, aluminium stearate and aluminium resinate.
The following formula may be taken as an example of suitable proportions of
the materials.
Aluminium-oleate
Aluminium-stearate
Aluminium-resinate
Benzol
6 parts.
4 parts.
1 part.
-
100 parts.
The materials are well and thoroughly mixed in a kneading machine until a
homogeneous viscous solution or mass is obtained. The mixing may be done cold
or at the ordinary temperature but it is preferably and more rapidly effected at
a temperature of from 30° to 50° C. The material in the viscous state is then
spread out into thin sheets or films moulded into blocks or other form, or rolled
into sheets as may be found best for the purpose to which it is to be applied.
For the production of flexible transparent films such as employed for photo-
graphic purposes this viscous mass or solution is flowed or spread out onto flat
slabs or tables of glass or other hard even material sufficient of the volatile solvent
having been added to reduce it to the desired consistency to spread itself into a
very thin film or layer.
For the manufacture of moulded blocks or slabs or for the production of thin
sheets or films by rolling out the material the same quantity of the aluminium or
zinc salts may be used with a less quantity or proportion of the solvent using only
sufficient of the solvent to enable the powdered salts to be mixed or blended into a
homogeneous mass in the kneading machine. The proportion of the solvent may
be from 20 to 25 parts by weight the quantity being as small as practicable to
reduce so far as possible contraction during drying.
After the spreading or moulding of the substance or compound thus formed it
is dried at a temperature of from 40° to 55° C in a current of warm or heated air
which carries off the volatile solvent.
For the treating of fabric or paper to render such waterproof the viscous mass
may be applied by means of a spreading machine or the compound may be reduced
to a liquid state by the addition of a greater proportion of the solvent and applied
thereto by a roller of other suitable form of machine.
A harder and less flexible material may be made by increasing the proportion
of the resinate or stearate of aluminium or by the substitution of palmitate of
aluminium for the stearate.
The moulded blocks may be further pressed into any desired form or shape by
means of suitable dies or the material may be cut turned or otherwise manipulated
when solid.

page_text: In the preparation of this new compound or substance it is preferred to employ
the alumínium salts but the corresponding zinc salts may be used as substitutes
or mixed with the aluminium salts and it is preferred to use the salts of oleic
stearic or palmitic acid to which may be added a small quantity of the salts of
resin acid.
Instead of these however any other fatty acids occurring in natural oils or fats
may be combined with the aluminium or zinc and used as a substitute.
The physical properties of the substance as to flexibility hardness and the like
may be modified by using various proportions and mixtures of the salts indicated.
This substance we find will be cheaper to produce than celluloid will not ignite
on heating does not expand contract or cockle when placed in water and dried
may be made flexible or brittle as desired and is a non-conductor of electricity
applicable for insulating purposes.
This new compound or substance is applicable for the following among other
uses-
-as a base for
(a) The preparation of photographic films either flexible or stiff-
the sensitive coating.
(b) Surfacing paper (or other material) for photographic purposes.
(c) Surfacing or sizing of printing, writing packing and other papers.
(d) Waterproofing paper or fabrics or as a coating or casing for such materials.
(e) A transparent-sheet (like paper) on which to print in colours transparent
designs for decorative purposes, show cards or the like.
(f) A substitute for celluloid and similar materials or compounds.
(9) A substitute for glass and glass plates for-many-purposes..
(h) In films or sheets for waterproof packing material.
(7) Substitute for leather.
() Preparation of cloth for book-binding upholstery tracing and similar
purposes.
(k) Preparation of paper for book-binding tracing and similar purposes.
() Manufacture of sanitary wall-paper.-
(m) Mixed with colouring matters or dyes or with pigments or lakes it may be
used as a substitute for ivory bone jet amber stained glass or the like.
For photographic films the substance or compound is prepared as before
described and when dry washed with a solution of silicate of soda and then coated
with the sensitive gelatine emulsion.
Fabrics paper or other materials are coated with the compound or substance
either in a plastic or liquid state before drying. When in a plastic state it is
spread over the surface of the fabric or paper by an ordinary spreading machine
provided with gauges or "doctors" and when in a liquid state it may be applied
to the surface by means of an engraved roller or the fabric or paper may be passed
through the solution. Fabric cloth or paper so treated may be ornamented by
engraved or embossed rollers or plates applied to the surface with a certain degree
of pressure while the material is still plastic. When dry the surface may be
ornamented further by printing a design or pattern thereon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1:
1. The process of manufacturing a substance or compound applicable for various
purposes by treating one or more of the aluminium or zinc salts of the fatty
acids with a volatile solvent and drying or hardening the material substantially
as described.
2. A substance or compound applicable for various purposes consisting of an
aluminium or zinc salt of one of the fatty acids treated with a volatile solvent and
then dried and hardened substantially as described.
3, A transparent film for photographic and other purposes composed of or

page_text: manufactured from the aluminium or zinc salts of the fatty acids substantially
as described.
4. The process of rendering cloth fabrics paper or the like waterproof or applic-
able for various industrial purposes by coating or impregnating them with a
substance or compound prepared from the aluminium or zinc salts of the fatty
acids softened or dissolved by the admixture of a volatile solvent substantially as
described.
5. The new substance or compound manufactured or prepared substantially as
described.
Dated this 21st day of November 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents,