A Process or Method of Treating Meerschaum to Render it as Porous and as Absorbent in the Manufactured State as in the Natural,. and to Adapt it to Various Uses.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Process or Method of Treating Meerschaum to Render it as Porous
and as Absorbent in the Manufactured State as in the Natural,.
and to Adapt it to Various Uses.
I, JOHN SOLOMON WEINGOTT, of 83 Fleet Street, in the City of London, Cigar
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
$
My invention has for its object the treatment of meerschaum to render it as
porous and as absorbent in the manufactured state as in the natural, whereby it
may be adapted to various uses besides the manufacture of tobacco pipes, pipe.
bowls, and cigar and cigarette holders or tubes. Meerschaum treated as about to.
be described will be found to be exceedingly light and hard, and to be of a béautiful,
and brilliant black colour.
For the purpose of my invention I take meerschaum, be it a tobacco pipe, or a
pipe bowl, or a block, or any object, whether carved or not, and which, has, been.
previously waxed, or oiled, in the usual manner, and I burn or calcine it in a gas"
flame, or in a suitable furnace, until it becomes red hot; or I cause a gas or other
flame to impinge or play upon it, by using an oxyhydrogen or other form of blow
pipe. When red hot I then plunge the bowl, block, or the like, into molten wax,
and after removal therefrom I allow it to cool. When cool, I again calcine or burn
it, and if desired repeat both operations (calcining and dipping) until the desired.
effect be produced. The pipe, bowl, or block, of meerschaum thus treated assumes,
a deep black colour, a high and bright polish appearing or developing on its surface,
and thus imparting to it the appearance of black ebony. But if desired I may still
further polish the surface by any suitable means.
Meerschaum thus treated will be found to be so hard as to be capable of being
used as crucibles or cupels for the melting or reduction of metals....
Dated this on
ST... 1001
LA
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,-
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION...
A Process or Method of Treating Meerschaum to Render it as Porous'
and as Absorbent in the Manufactured State as in the Natural,
and to Adapt it to Various Uses.
I, JOHN SOLOMON WEINGOTT, of 83 Fleet Street, in the City of London,'
Cigar Merchant, 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, that is to say:
L
3
My invention has for its object the treatment of meerschaumm to render it as,
porous and as absorbent in the manufactured state as in the natural, whereby it.
may be adapted to various uses besides the manufacture of tobacco pipes, pipe i
bowls, and cigar and cigarette holders or tubes. Meerschaum treated as about to
be described will be found to be exceedingly light 'and 'hard; and to be of a beautiful
and brilliant black color.
For the purpose of my invention I may take the meerschaum, either in a rough
state, or turned, or cut, to any desired form, as, for instance, a pipe bowl which
may or may not have been previously polished, or previously waxed in the usual
manner, and submit it to the action of a flame, or fire, so as to thoroughly calcine

page_text: or carbonize the meerschaum by raising it to such a heat as to cause it to assume a
black color, care being taken that the temperature is raised gradually in order to
avoid cracking or damage to the meerschaum. One method of effecting this
gradual heating is to place the meerschaum articles in a suitable stove in super-
posed layers with a stratum of dry sawdust (preferably of oak) between each layer;
the sawdust is then ignited and the heat gradually extends from layer to layer and
thereby thoroughly calcines or carbonizes the whole of the meerschaum articles.
Or the meerschaum or meerschaum articles, may be placed in a closed vessel, and
heat be applied to the exterior of such vessel."
The meerschaum or meerschaum articles are then plunged into either molten wax
or oil, or a mixture of both.
I may, if requisite again calcine or carbonize the meerschaum or meerschaum
articles, and again plunge it or them into the wax or oil, these two operations being
repeated alternately as many times as may be necessary until the deep black color
is produced. After the completion of this part of the process, the meerschaum or
meerschaum articles are thoroughly cleansed from the sooty matters which are
deposited thereon and then polished either by friction alone, or by means of waxed
cloths, which latter method is preferable. The meerschaum or meerschaum articles
thus treated assume a deep black color with a high and bright polish on the surface
resembling that of black ebony.
When the meerschaum thus treated is to be used for tobacco pipes, or other
smoking appliances, I may place it in a solution of pyrogallic acid (which may if
desired be perfumed) and after removal therefrom, the meerschaum is allowed to
dry in the air, or artificial heat may be employed. This operation has the effect of
causing the meerschaum to absorb and retain in its pores a considerable amount of
the pyrogallic acid which will neutralize the nicotine and other deleterious juices
of the tobacco. Or instead of using pyrogallic acid, I may use any other solution
which will neutralize the nicotine.
By my invention, not only will meerschaum be rendered capable of use in the
manufacture of crucibles or cupels for the melting or reduction of metals, but
tobacco pipes or other smoking appliances can be produced which will be lighter in
weight, more porous and therefore capable of greater power of absorbing the
nicotine, and therefore more sanitary. Furthermore, by submitting the pipe to the
action of a gas flame, or fire, the choked up pores can be readily cleansed of any
nicotine etc. which has been absorbed, and the pipe can then be again dipped in the
neutralizing solution when it will be then restored to its pristine state.
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. The process or method of treating meerschaum, consisting in gradually
heating it until it assumes a black color, then dipping it into a bath of molten wax
or oil, or both, and then imparting a polish to it by any suitable meaus, substantially
as and for the purposes described.
2. The process or method of treating meerschaum pipes, pipe bowls, and other
smoking appliances made of meerschaum, consisting in gradually heating the meer-
schaum article until it assumes a black color, then dipping it into a bath of molten
wax or oil, or both, and after polishing it in any suitable manner, immersing it in
a solution of pyrogallic acid or other neutralizing solution, substantially as and for
the purposes described.
Dated this 30th day of March 1892.
Dated this 30th day of March 1892.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.