Improvements in and relating to Adhesive Compounds.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Adhesive Compounds.
I, JOHN ADAM LINK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at
505 D Street North West, in the City of Washington and District of Columbia,
United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to that class of adhesives that is most widely recognized by
the terms mucilage or cements, being intended for the uses to which these articles
are adapted and applied, but, unlike most of these preparations, my adhesive is a
solid substance, though it is designed to supplant the mucilage bottle and brush, and,
for many purposes the more expensive liquid cements and glues.
A further object of my invention is the preparation of a stronger and more
effective adhesive than merely dissolved gums and the like, and more convenient in
all respects of transportation or shipment, exposure for sale, and safety and ease of
application to practical use.
To these ends, and in preparation of my compound, I take of gelatine or glue
one pound; glucose one-half pound; and of glyceriue three-fourths of a pound.
I dilute and heat these together over a water bath, and theu pour the product into
moulds to cool.
:
Or I may take of gelatine and glycerine each one pound, and glucose and sugar
each one-half pound, and melt together as described.
When cooled these compounds form a soft, flexible elastic mass, not unlike very
soft rubber, or the material of printers' rollers, and when formed into sticks or
pencils of convenient size, usually by pouring while hot, into suitable cylindrical
envelopes, it produces a very serviceable article for use, as the end of the pencil is
admirably adapted to spreading a clean coat of the adhesive upon any surfaces it is
designed to unite.
These compounds, however, are difficultly soluble, or are, in other words, too
slowly soluble to adapt them to the many little uses that arise at the desk, such as
gumming an imperfect envelope or stamp, or a wrapper or label, or mending a torn
document or note, because too much time is required to moisten and dissolve the
material sufficiently to coat the surfaces to be united. For.practical use a touch
to the tongue, or to a damp sponge must suffice, and a single application of the
pencil by rubbing it across the surfaces should spread the proper quantity of the
dissolved material to insure best results. Any material too refractory to use as
above described is unsuitable for the purpose.
The compounds described, become, moreover, of a proper and still more insoluble
consistency as they slowly harden with lapse of time, and though retaining a certain
degree of flexibility they re-dissolve with much difficulty, requiring both time and
the application of heat for the process.
I therefore add a strongly hygroscopic element or substance to the compound in
such quantity as to retain a permanently greater percentage of water in combina-
tion, as well as to insure more instant solubility when moisture is applied; that is
to say, the material is maintained in a soft viscid and tenacious consistency. that at
ouce combines at the surface with additional moisture when this is applied, so that
a portion of the adhesive instantly adheres to anything it touches.
I find that four to six ounces of nitrate of ammonium when added to either of
the compounds I have made, secures the results desired; the compound remains

page_text: permanently.moist and adhesive in consistency, only requiring additional moisture
to dilute it sufficiently for spreading evenly.
But these compounds, especially in the moistened condition described, are very
subject to fermentative and putrifactive changes, and quickly become offensive
unless preserved against these, and I therefore add, say, of acetic acid one
ounce, carbolic acid one ounce oil of myrbane one ounce, or, in place of this
last, an equal quantity of the oil of cinnamon or cloves, or any highly aromatic
essential oil cr substance. I have found these sufficient to wholly prevent and
resist deleterious or n xious changes in these compounds."
As another example, I take of gelatine or isinglass one pound, of glucose,
dextrine or sugar, one pound, and of glycerine one pound, and to these I add of
acetic acid or carbolic acid and of an essential oil, each one ounce. Lastly I add
six ounces of the nitrate of ammonium.
But I do not limit my invention to these compounds, or to these proportions, as
any suitable group of adhesives when diluted and softened with water and
glycerine, and combined with a more highly hygroscopic substance and preserved
by means of any effective agency are well within the scope of my invention.
I am aware that glycerine is hygroscopic, and that its use combined with
adhesives is not new, but glycerine does not attract or retain water to the extent
requisite for my purposes, and such use does not meet the terms of my invention;
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1: As a new article of manufacture, an adhesive compound preferably in stick
form, being of a permanently plastic nature, and composed of a suitable adhesive,
saccharine matter, a suitable hygroscopic agent and an antiseptic or preservative
material in substantially. the proportions specified.
2. An adhesive compound composed of a suitable adhesive, saccharine matter,
glycerine, and a hygroscopic agent. in substantially the proportions specified.
3. An adhesive compound composed of a suitable adhesive, saccharine matter,
glycerine, a hygroscopic agent, and an antiseptic element in substantially the
proportions specified.
4. An adhesive compound composed of a suitable adhesive, saccharine matter,
glycerine, ammonium nitrate, and an antiseptic agent in substantially the propor-
tions specified.
5. An adhesive compound composed of a suitable adhesive, saccharine matter,
glycerine, and ammonium nitrate in substantially the proportions specified.
6. An adhesive compound composed of glue, and saccharine matter, glycerine,
ammonium nitrate and a suitable antiseptic, substantially as described.
7. An adhesive compound composed of glue, saccharine matter, ammonium
nitrate and a suitable antiseptic, in substantially the proportions specified.
Dated this Fourth day of August 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents: