Improved Process and Apparatus for Treating or Saturating Wood and other Cellular or Fibrous Substances with Liquids.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1897-Accepted, 7th Aug., 1897
Improved Process and Apparatus for Treating or Saturating Wood
and other Cellular or Fibrous Substances with Liquids.
We, LOUIS ALBERT BRETONNEAU and ALBERT LOUIS CAMILLE NODON, both of
13 Rue d'Orsel, Paris, in the Republic of ¡France, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:―
This invention relates to a process which enables us to obtain rapid capillary
penetration by all kinds of liquids through all fibrous substances. This penetra-
tion is effected by the aid of electricity; it may be for the purpose of ageing,
changing the nature of the resistance of the said materials, or for the purpose of
colouring them, of rendering them imputrescible or uninflammable, or of giving
them any quality or appearance which they do not naturally possess and which
could otherwise only be imparted to them after a long period of time or after
repeated long and costly operations.
The accompanying drawings represent the arrangements which the industrial
application of our process has hitherto shown us to be the best. These drawings
show a transverse section of our vat in which the capillary penetration is effected.
I indicates a vat of brick work cemented internally in which is placed a bath
or solution B required to penetrate into the perous and fibrous substance A. This
latter if it be for instance wood (as represented in the drawing) is preferably
supplied in pieces of equal thickness and placed in the vat so as to be immersed in
the bath B at their lower part only, that is, to the depth of several centimetres at
the most.
The pieces rest upon a support d of felt or any other suitable porous
material not attacked by the liquid forming the bath. The felt is placed upon a
lead plate preferably pierced with holes serving as the anode c to the current which
it receives at P through the conductor C. This anode c is supported by a wooden
floor Fresting upon the pieces S. The anode c and the porous partition d are
immersed in the bath B. The pieces to be treated are covered by a porous parti-
tion N the purpose of which is to ensure a complete contact between the upper
part of these pieces A. and the bottom of vessel of porous material which rests
upon it and which contains pure water. On the bottom of the said vessel is placed
a metallic plate preferably of iron which serves as the cathode and is connected
to the negative pole N of the current, it is provided with handles R for convenience
of manipulation. A steam coil M is arranged to receive a supply of steam in order
to maintain the bath B at a suitable temperature. A hole 9 serves to empty the
vessel 1 the bottom of which is somewhat sloped. The vessel D is supplied by
means of the pipe a with water which is constantly renewed by means of the
syphon b.
The penetration instead of being effected transversely as shown in the accom-
panying drawing might be effected longitudinally in the direction of the fibres.
The dimensions of the vessel and those of its organs would require to be altered
but not the essential arrangement above described. The capillary penetration of

page_text: the fibres takes place in the direction, of the current from P to N. This current
traverses the material and reaches the negative pole through the water. The sub-
stances which may be evolved at the positive pole fall to the bottom of the vessel I
and rest there and can be removed through the hole g. The source of electricity
may consist of a dynamo,, a primary or secondary battery or the like.
difference of potential at the ends of the substances treated may vary and as to the
intensity of the current, this should be weak and should not exceed one third of
an ampere for every square decimetre of material treated.
The
The arrangements hereinbefore described are applicable to every kind of
electro-capillary penetration. The precise nature of the anodes, supports, porous
divisions and so forth may vary according to that of the bath as this latter should
not have any injurious action upon the substances of which the former are
composed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
In a system for electro capillary penetration ;
1. The use of a bath in which is immersed the substance to be penetrated, the
said substance being only dipped in the said bath at its lower part.
2. The use of porous partitions between which are placed the substances to be
penetrated, the lower of the said partitions being designed to ensure perfect con-
tact with the anode of the current upon which it rests, and the upper one aiding
the passage of the said current through the wall of a porous vessel containing pure
water.
3. The anode of the current plunged in the penetration bath and upon which
rests the material to be treated.
4. The cathode placed at the other end of the circuit and plunged in a vessel
containing pure water constantly renewed and in which are deposited any matters
which may be carried therein.
5. The apparatus hereinbefore described for the application of the principle set
forth to various operations to which fibrous materials may be submitted in order
to age them, to dye them, to preserve them or to render them uninflammable and
the like purposes.
The whole for the purpose hereinbefore described and with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
Dated the 001 1.
AL 1007
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham
Patent Agents for the Applicants.