Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Artificial Marble.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 8th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by Balduin Gran, of Aalborg, in the Kingdom of
Denmark, Dentist.]
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Artificial Marble.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to the manufacture of artificial marble, by which great
advantages are achieved. The finished material is considerably stronger and has a
better appearance than other similar preparations, and withstands the action of the
weather.
The material is produced in the following manner: 100 parts of gypsum are
mixed with 180 parts of quartz and 70 parts of potash felspar. This material is
mixed while stirring with a suitable quantity of water, to which 25 parts of
calcined boric acid are added.
Having thus been prepared the said material is poured out and slowly dried,
whereupon it is exposed to a bright cherry-red heat for a longer or shorter time
according to the thickness of the article to be obtained, and then slowly cooled.
This material may be coloured by the aid of coloured silicates which are
prepared beforehand, about half per cent. of these silicates being added to the
material prepared as set forth.
For producing such a coloured silicate use is made of 120 parts of quartz,
30 parts of borax, 30 parts of potassium nitrate and a metallic oxide, the quantity
and kind of which vary according to the colour to be obtained. These materials
are well mixed and then melted in a crucible.
If the material is to be flesh-coloured an uncoloured silicate is first prepared as
described. This is beaten to coarse pieces and mixed with three times the weight
of felspar, 2/5 per cent. of gold oxide and 1/5 per cent. of titanic oxide. The
mixture is exposed to a cherry-red heat, whereby it is caused to sinter together
without melting. The material sintered together, being thrown in cold water, is
suddenly cooled and afterwards triturated to produce a very fine powder which is
used as set forth.
Dated this 19th JST
1004
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Artificial Marble.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 the manufacture of artificial marble.
According to my invention artificial marble is produced from the following
ingredients in or about the proportions herein specified, that is to say, 100 parts of
Paine 7

page_text: gypsum 180 parts of quartz, 70 parts of feldspar, and 25 parts of calcined boracio
acid. These ingredients are well mixed and incorporated with a suitable quantity
of water.
The mixture is then moulded or cast or otherwise formed to the desired shapes.
The blocks or casts so produced are then slowly dried, and are afterwards exposed
to a red heat, for a length of time depending on their thickness. They are then
slowly cooled.
Artificial marble produced in accordance with my invention may be coloured, if
desired, by the addition thereto of coloured silicates, about 1/8 per cent. of which
may be added to the composition at any suitable period in the process of
manufacture; or the colouring of the marble may be effected by the application of
metallic or other colours to the surface of the material.
A suitable coloured silicate such as above mentioned may be prepared as follows;
that is to say, 120 parts of quartz, 30 parts of borax, and 30 parts of potassium
nitrate are incorporated with a suitable metallic oxide, the quantity and nature of
which is determined by the colour that it is desired to obtain. These materials are
well mixed and are then melted together in a crucible. The product may be
subsequently prepared for use in
any suitable manner.
If the artificial marble is to be of a flesh colour an uncoloured silicate is first
prepared as above described, but without the addition of a metallic oxide. This
uncoloured silicate is crushed or broken into small pieces and mixed with three
times its weight of feldspar, 2/5 per cent. of an oxide of gold (Au,Os) and
1/5 per cent. of an oxide of titanium (TiO.). The mixture, is then exposed to a
cherry-red heat and thereby caused to sinter together without melting. The heated
mixture is then suddenly cooled by being thrown into cold water and is
subsequently triturated to produce a very fine powder which is employed for
colouring the artificial marble mixture produced as above described.
My improved artificial marble possesses considerable advantages over similar
preparations as hitherto manufactured, for example, it is much stronger and has also
& more beautiful appearance. Moreover it possesses the advantage that
atmospheric changes to which it may be exposed do not injuriously affect it. It is
also capable of resisting high temperaturo and great compressive stress without
suffering any detriment to its durability or appearance.
The material is moreover very suitable for use in the construction of objects
of art, such as statuary and casts, and the like, and also for architectural purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The manufacture of artificial marble by mixing together gypsum, quartz,
feldspar, boracic acid and water, then slowly drying the said mixture, then raising
the same to a red-heat and subsequently slowly cooling it, substantially as
described.
2. Artificial marble prepared as described in the preceding claim, and coloured
by means of silicates prepared from quartz, borax, potassium nitrate, and a metallic
oxide.
3. A flesh coloured substance composed of quartz, borax, potassium nitrate,
feldspar, oxide of gold, and oxide of titanium for colouring the artificial marble,
substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of November 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.