Improved Process and Apparatus for the Treatment of Artioles of Cement, Plaster, Chalk, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for the Treatment of Artioles of
Cement, Plaster, Chalk, and the like.
A communication from CARMELO TORTORICI, Engineer, and ROSARIO GRABSO,
Gas Works Manager, of 128 Via Gazometro, Catania, in the Kingdom of Italy.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111 Hatton Gardon, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
It has been found that all objects made of cement or hydraulic lime and sand, and of
clay, such as vases, statues, briquettes, tubes, etc., whether fired or baked or not, if covered
by a layer of asphalte acquire strength, consistency and impermeability capable of
bearing comparison with the hardest stones and have the further advantage of not
being liable to become discoloured or dirty.
The same remarks apply to objects, made of carbonate of calcium, sandy marble and
other materials.
The objects are covered by asphalte by immersing them, say, in coal-tar as produced
at the gas-works in boilers of rectangular shape preferably wide, long and shallow as
will be hereinafter described. It is necessary to bring the temperature of the tar to
about 400° C. so that it will he gradually freed of its volatile bydro-carbons which are
collected in special condensers and refrigerating chambers. The hydro-carbons with
a smaller degree of volatility will become thereby so active that they will filter or
penetrate into the objects immersed in tar and bind and securely conneot their
molecules.
The objects thus treated become of a dark grey colour, are absolutely impermeable
and do not absorb any foreign matters. This quality makes tubes thus prepared
preferable to those made of any other material.
Briquettes of hydraulic lime and annd, made into a homogeneous mass and
compressed by a pressure of 30 to 40 atmospheres, after having been treated with tar
in the above described manner afford excellent material for paving pathways, court-
yards, stables, carriage-sheds, fish basins, slaughter-houses and for all purposes in
which strength and freedom from liability to become soiled by substances liable to
forment and to become foul is necessary or desirable. For this purpose briquettes of
50 millimetres thickness may be used while those of 20 millimetres thickness may be
used for terraces, kitchens, magazines, floors, etc.
The briquettes are secured with mortar if they are used for paving pathways or
courtyards, whereas if they are used for terraces, magazines, stable floors, slaughter-
house floors, etc. after they have been secured by mortar it is necessary to covor
the joints with asphalte, using a hot iron. The same applies to tubes whether used as
conduits for clean or dirty water.
Tiles having a thickness of from 8 to 10 millimetres can be joined after having
been placed in position.
Vases treated with asphalte, as well as statues, made of clay, acquire by this method
a bardness and strength very nearly equal to that of warble, and are very suitable
for gardens, the more so as they can be coloured as desired with oil colours or
silicates.
All objects treated with asphalte in this method in consequence of the qualities
referred to, which they acquire, do not undergo any modification from either frost or
extreme heat.
.t.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE APPAHATUS.
Fig. 1 is an elevation, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 an elevation partly in section, of
the apparatus employed in carrying out this invention.
When treating objects or materials with asphalte, several substances contained iu
the tar are utilised.
A basin A of rectangular shape is filled with tar. This basin may be preferably
two metres long and one metre deep and is provided with a cover raised on one side,
where a tube a is attached which leads to the condenser B.
The temperature is rogulated by dampers b and c.
This basin is provided with a thermometer which is immersed in the tar. The
boiler A' of rectangular form, of three metres in length and two metres in width and
one and a half metres in depth, is provided with a hearth over its whole longth
and having
a chimney or flue at the end, and all round in the vertical walls for
sixty centimetres, in order to heat it in a uniform and simultaneous manner. The
products of combustion of this hearth pass round the basin A before entering the
smokebox.
This boiler has at the rear-end of the hearth and near the upper edge an opening
of 35 centimetres in diameter provided with an inclined tube C of the same diameter
and say 3 metres long which connects the said boiler A¹ with the condenser D.
Another tube E of the same diameter starts from the condensor in an upward
direction and connects the latter with a chamber F.
The boiler A is also provided with a drain cook G and with a tube II in which a
pyrometer is placed having a cover of sheet iron.
The briquettes ure placed in the boiler A'. It should be mentioned that they must
be placed vertically and separated from each other say by small pieces of iron of
say 8 millimotres in thickness and, further, iron bands should be placed round ench
layer of briquettes in order to separate the upper from the lower layer. In such
manner all the briquettes are separated from each other. All the other objects
which are to be treated with asphalte must be separated from each other with the
same care.
This operation being finished, the tar is poured in by means of a small pump x,
taking it from the basin A at a temperature of from 60° to 70° C. and where it has
given off its ammonia. When the materials have been covered with a layer of
tar of from 12 to 15 centimetres deep the fire is lighted and the tar is brought
to boil. It boils in a more or less agitated manner according to the materials
treated with asphalte being less or more dry. When the boiling has finished, the
boiler is covered with its cover, and damp sand is placed all round it so as to close
the boilor tightly and to prevent the escape of oils.
Then begins fractional distillation which condenses in the apparatus D, the
different substances which are produced by the difference in temperature, when it
rises. Care must be however taken to keep different products separate, and to place
them in different reservoirs.
'
At the same time naphthalene condenses in the chamber F in the shape of small
white straws. When the pyrometer marks about 400°, and the naphthalene begins to
become yellow, the fire is interrupted, the side chimneys are opened and after an
interval of say tour hours, the cook G is opened to allow the pitch to escape.
After the boiler has bocone cool the briquettes or other materials, which have
been treated with asphalte, may be removed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what
manner 'the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
..
1. The improved process for the treatment of articles of cement, plaster chalk and

page_text: the like consisting in covering them with warm tar, or asphalte then heating tho
tar until it boils and finally hermetically closing the receptacle, the volatile
bydrocarbons being set free, and the articles treated becoming permeated with.
the less volatile hydrocarbons substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. Apparatus for carrying out the process described comprising a basin A,.
boiler A, tubes C and E, and condensers D and F, substantially as described.
Dated thin 27th day of August 1800
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.