IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIREPROOF AND WATERPROOF PLATES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 28 Southampton Buildings
Chancery Lane in the county of Middlesex for an invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIREPROOF AND WATERPROOF PLATES."-
-
A communication from abroad by Junius Nagel of Galgocz, in the Kingdom
of Hung
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th March 1882.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in
the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE PROOF
AND WATER PROOF PLATES." [A communication from abroad by Junius Nagel
of Galgocz, in the Kingdom of Hungary.]
This invention relates to the manufacture of composite plates which, whilst they
are light and strong are proof against fire and water. For this purpose 200 parts
of freshly heated oxide of zinc are thoroughly mixed with 100 parts of amianthus
or asbestos which have been passed through a cylinder or rag-engine, and kneaded
together with water so as to form a thick paste. This paste is then pressed by
means of rollers or a press on a net of metallic wire, till it is completely united with
it, and forms a body resembling pasteboard in appearance.
After the plate thus made has been dried for a few minutes, it is impregnated
with a concentrated solution of chloride of zinc, and again rolled or pressed. The
plate can be manufactured in any thickness, length, and breadth, as wished. If it
be desired to give the plate a greater degree of consistence, or to colour it, it can,
before it is dried, be powdered or set with coloured sand, ground pebbles, coloured
earths as desired, or fire proof materials, and then passed through the rollers or
press. After the plate has been dried, it is coated again with concentrated chloride
of zinc, and once more dried. After it has now been dried, the plate is left to
clean from 24 to 48 hours in a water bath, to purify it from superfluous acid. It
can now be also polished without the application of polishing substances, and by
rolling once more a greater degree of flexibility can be attained.

page_text: The fire proof plates absorb water only to a small degree; but without giving
it off again, or allowing it to percolate through; for plates, however, which are
exposed to the weather a greater impermeability can be obtained partly by water
proof paints, partly by means of the following process. The plates are impregnated
with a solution of silicate of potash, with the result that fluids are greedily
absorbed by them. After the silicate of potash has been dried, the plate is
impregnated with skimmed milk and the resulting composition of casein and
silicate of potash renders the plates specially waterproof, and is adapted to replace
the fatty paints which are so inflammable.
Chloride of iron or of manganese can also be employed instead of chloride of
zinc, and one or more wire nets can be used ad libitum for one plate.
The incombustible oxide of zinc, mixed with amianthus or asbestos, which also,
as is known, are incombustible, has the quality of uniting with the preparation of
chloride of zinc so as to form a hard mass. This mass is insoluble in water, in
which it gains increased power of resistance and hardness. The metallic wire
net is sufficiently protected against deterioration as well as against fire and
water, and produces along with the fibres of amianthus or asbestos the firm
cohesion of the plate.
The result of the process as described above is to produce an absolutely
incombustible waterproof and specifically light body which occupies small volume,
is a bad conductor of heat, flexible and capable of resistance. Such fire proof
plates can be employed everywhere with great advantage where security from fire
is desired, for example in theatres and other public places, in industrial or trade
establishments, railway carriages, ships, etc. For this purpose it is only requisite
to cover the wooden or other easily combustible parts with the fire proof plates.
They can also be separately applied to decorations, curtains, coverings, manufacturing
appliances, etc., and further as coverings to protect against fire during the fire
itself, as well as a means of insulation against a strong radiation of heat and for
similar technical purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th September 1882.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL of No. 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane
in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-
PROOF AND WATERPROOF PLATES." A communication from abroad by Junius
Nagel of Galgocz in the Kingdom of Hungary.
From 200 to 300 parts of oxide of zinc are thoroughly mixed with from 100
to 200 parts of amianthus or asbestos, the proportion of these two ingredients
depending on the desired quality of the product and the amianthus or asbestos
having been reduced into small pieces by carding it or passing it through a rag
engine. This mixture is then pressed by means of rollers or otherwise in moist or
dry state on a net. of metallic wire or between two or more such sets. The plate,
thus made of any thickness, length and breadth is then impregnated with a
solution of chloride of zinc and again rolled or pressed. If it be desired to give
the plate a greater degree of consistency or to color it, it can, before it is dried,
be powdered or set with colored sand, ground pebbles, colored earths or fireproof
materials, and then passed through the rollers or press.
After the plate has been dried, it is left from 24 to 48 hours in a water bath, to
purify it from superfluous acid. It can now be also polished without the application
of lubricants and by rolling it once more a greater degree of flexibility may be
attained.
These fire proof plates absorb water only to a small degree, but without giving
it off again or allowing it to percolate through them; for plates, however, which
are exposed to the weather a greater impermeability can be obtained partly by
waterproof paints, partly by means of the following process: The plates are
impregnated with a solution of silicate of potash with the result that fluids are
greedily absorbed by them. After the silicate of potash has been dried, the plate
is impregnated with skimmed milk and the resulting combination of casein with
silicate of potash renders the plates specially waterproof and is adapted to replace
the fatty paints which are easily inflammable. Instead of chloride of zinc, chloride
of iron or manganese may also be employed.
The incombustible oxide of zinc, mixed with the equally incombustible amianthus
or asbestos, has the property of uniting with the chloride of zinc so as to form a
hard mass.
This mass is insoluble in water, in which, on the contrary, it gains
increased power of resistance and hardness. The metallic wire net is sufficiently
protected against deterioration as well as against fire and water, and produces
together with the fibres of amianthus or asbestos the firm cohesion of the plate.
The result of the process as described above is to produce an absolutely
incombustible, waterproof and specifically light body which occupies small volume,
is a bad conductor of heat, and is flexible and resistant, to which has been given.
the name of "fireproof plates."
These fire proof plates can be employed everywhere with great advantage where
security from fire is desired, as, for instance, in theatres and other public places,
in industrial or trade establishments, railway-carriages, ships, etc. For this
purpose it is only requisite to cover the wooden or other easily inflammable parts
with the said fire proof plates. They can also be employed separately for
decorations, curtains, coverings, manufacturing appliances etc, also for covering
roofs, as a protection against fire during a conflagration, or as means of isolation
against heat-radiation, and for similar technical purposes.

page_text: Having thus described 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
claim:
First. The herein described process of manufacturing fire-and water-proof
plates from a combination of amianthus or asbestos with annealed oxide of zinc.
Second. The herein described process of producing fire-and water-proof plates
formed of a mixture of oxide of zinc and amianthus or asbestos by pressing this
mass in dry or humid state on one or more sheets of wire netting by means of
presses or rollers.
Third. The impregnation of the plates referred to in the preceding claims with
a concentrated solution of chloride of zinc, iron or manganese and their repeated
pressing or rolling.
Fourth. The use of fire-and water-proof plates composed of a mixture of oxide
of zinc and amianthus or asbestos pressed on inetallic wire netting and impregnated
or moistened with a concentrated solution of chloride of zinc, iron or manganese.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Denton Abel have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty sixth day of September in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
CHA, D. ABEL. (L.S.)