AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION TO BE USED IN CARPENTRY, FOR FIRE-PROOFING, AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of AN IMPROVED
COMPOSITION TO BE USED IN CARPENTRY, FOR FIRE-PROOFING, AND OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Charles Carroll Gilman, of
Eldora, Hardin County, State of Iowa, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION TO BE USED IN CARPENTRY, FOR
FIRE-PROOFING AND OTHER PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by
Charles Carroll Gilman, of Eldora, Hardin County, State of Iowa, United States
of America.]
This Invention relates to a composition to be used in cammentry, fire proofing,
and for all other purposes where a porous material indestructable by fire, acids, and
gases, a poor conductor of heat, sound, and electricity, possessing molecular and
capillary attraction, and workable with edged tools, may be used to advantage.
The composition consists of the following ingredients combined in the proportions
stated, viz.:-Kaolin clay free from grit, one part; resinous sawdust, from one to
three parts, as porosity may be required; water, sufficient to thoroughly incorporate
the above by the aid of machinery into a plastic mass.
Removed from the grinding tubs where it has been ground, the spongy product
is forced by plungers driven by steam through iron or steel cylinders to express the
superabundant moisture therefrom, and issues forth in the shape of long blocks or
logs of length, form, and size best fitted for handling, usually eight to twelve inches
in thickness, and four to six feet in length. When sufficiently dry to render
handling safe, these logs are moved into kilns or clamps, calculated for the purpose,

page_text: by the aid of small derricks or otherwise. After the steam and vapours are driven
out by a slow steadily increasing fire, the temperature is rapidly raised to nearly a
white heat, which not only consumes the sawdust, but brings the clay itself into
the first stages of vitrifaction. On cooling the logs are removed to the mill and
sawn into planks, boards, and dimension stuff, as lumber from wood is manufactured,
and subsequently fashioned in the workshop into such forms and articles as demanded
by purchasers.
The material being free from grit and tough in texture can be cut, sawed, bored,
grooved, planed, and carved with edge tools, and before and after such treatment
can, after slipping and glazing, be submitted to a second firing, with fine results in
ornamentation obtained.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th April 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION TO BE USED IN CARPENTRY, FOR
FIRE-PROOFING, AND OTHER PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by
Charles Carroll Gilman, of Eldora, Hardin County, State of Iowa, United States
of America.
This Invention relates to a composition of matter to be used in carpentry, fire
proofing, and for all other purposes where a porous material indestructible by
fire, acids, and gases, a poor conductor of heat, sound, and electricity, possessing
molecular and capillary attraction, and workable with edged tools, may be used to
advantage.
The composition consists of the following ingredients combined in the proportions
stated, viz.-Kaolin clay free from grit, 1 part; resinous sawdust, from 1 to 3 parts,
as porosity may be required; water, sufficient to thoroughly incorporate the above
by the aid of machinery into a plastic mass. Removed from the grinding tubs
where it has been ground, the spongy product is forced by plungers driven by steam
through iron or steel cylinders to express the superabundant moisture therefrom,
and issues forth in the shape of long blocks or logs of length, form, and size best
fitted for handling, usually 8 to 12 inches in thickness, and 4 to 6 feet in length.
When sufficiently dry to render handling safe, these logs are moved into kilns or
clamps, calculated for the purpose, by the aid of small derricks or otherwise. After
the steam and vapors are driven out by a slow steadily increasing fire, the tempe-
rature is rapidly raised to nearly a white heat, which not only consumes the
sawdust, but brings the clay itself into the first stages of vitrifaction. On cooling
the logs are removed to the mill and sawn into plank, boards, and dimension stuff,
as lumber from wood is manufactured, and subsequently fashioned in the work shop
into such forms and articles as may be required. The material being free from grit
and tough in texture can be cut, sawed, bored, grooved, planed, and carved with
edged tools, and before and after such treatment can, after slipping and glazing,
be submitted to a second firing, whereby fine results in ornamentation may be
obtained.
I am aware that like compositions have been made from a very early day (see
Exodus, 5th chapter, 7th verse), and that English and American Patents have been
granted therefor (see English Patent, No. 12,619, issued to Goodfellow in 1849, and
American Patent, No. 219,196, issued to Lilley in 1879), but I maintain that no
composition of this character has been made of the same materials, in the same
proportions, and in the same manner, without which the above mentioned qualities
cannot be obtained in the same degree.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
A composition of matter to be used for fire-proofing and other purposes, consisting
of kaolin clay, free from sand or sandy clay, and resinous sawdust, in the proportions
specified, prepared with water, machine pressed, dried, burned, and, subsequent to
firing, sawed or wrought with edged tools, in the manner herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of April, A.D. 1882.