IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, WORKING, AND UNITING AMBER
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 169, Fleet Street, in the
City of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, WORKING, AND UNITING AMBER." A com-
munication from abroad by Frederick Julius Kaldenberg, of New York
in the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October 1880.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, WORKING, AND
UNITING AMBER." [A communication from abroad by Frederick Julius Kaldenberg,
of New York, in the United States of America.]
In the manufacture of amber, which is used for a great variety of purposes, both
useful and ornamental, and which is of a very refractory nature, a piece is first
With a chisel or
selected of suitable size and shape to produce the desired article.
other suitable tool the workman then cuts or chips it off until it is approximately
of the desired shape. The article thus formed in the rough is then still further
worked and finished by filing, turning, sand papering, grinding, and polishing.
This method of working is however slow, tedious, and expensive, and furthermore
about one half of the material is wasted, as the pieces of amber in the natural state
are of very irregular form, and consequently a piece of double the size of the
finished article is often required to produce it, the small pieces chipped or cut off,
and the filings being of little or no use or value in the manufactures.
The attempts heretofore made to melt or fuse amber and then mould it have
resulted in failure, for the reason that the heat required to sufficiently melt or fuse
it destroys its essential qualities and leaves it in a partly charred condition, and
wholly unfit for the purposes for which it is generally employed.
Now this Invention has for its object to overcome these difficulties, and render it
practicable to mould amber to any required shape, and to this end the Invention
consists in moulding it under the application of heat and pressure. In carrying the

page_text: Invention into effect, I employ a suitable mould of a size and shape to form the
desired article. This mould which may be of steel or other hard metal is preferably
composed of three or more parts, the main or outer portion forming a casing or
receptacle for the upper and lower portions containing the dies which fit closely
within the main portion and are adapted to move or slide therein. The con-
struction of the mould is varied to suit the requirements of the case.
As the
The proper amount of small pieces or particles of amber are placed in the mould
which is submitted to heat and pressure. The requisite degree of heat may be
attained by means of superheated steam, or in any other suitable manner.
amber softens, it will yield under a heavy pressure, which is gradually applied to
the movable portions of the mould while hot, and the pieces or particles while in
this soft condition will adhere tenaciously together, and fill the dies, thus forming a
homogeneous mass. The pressure required for this purpose will vary from one
thousand to three or four thousand pounds to the square inch, and such pressure
will cause the amber to yield and extend itself into every part of the dies, so as to
form a perfect article of the form required.
When an article is to be moulded from a single piece of amber instead of from a
number of small pieces, a less degree of heat will be required, as the amber will
yield, and under the gradual pressure, fill the mould with a degree of heat which
would be insufficient to render separate pieces adhesive enough to become united in
a homogeneous mass.
If desired, the amber may be heated separately from the mould and afterwards
placed therein, but the mould should be previously heated to an equal degree, and
great care should be taken to maintain a uniform degree of heat, so that the mould
does not cool until the amber has been subjected to the required pressure. I do
not confine myself to the employment of any particular degree of heat in the process,
as different degrees of heat will be required for softening different varieties of amber.
After the moulded article has been removed from the dies, any fins or portions
which has been formed by being pressed out at the joints of the mould can be filed
off and the article then polished and finished up in the usual manner.
By the employment of the above described process, all the small and waste pieces
of amber which have hitherto possessed no commercial value are utilized, and
ornaments and useful articles are produced, such as could only be made from large
pieces of amber heretofore, and consequently were exceedingly expensive, the value
of amber of a given quality being rated according to the size of the pieces. The
capability also of successfully inoulding amber either from a single piece or a number
of pieces, renders it possible to greatly economize time and labor, and thus produce a
great variety of useful and ornamental articles at a reduced cost. Furthermore, as
amber varies greatly in color and appearance, a quantity of small pieces of diverse
colors can be selected and moulded together, giving to the article a variegated or
mottled appearance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd April 1881.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MOULDING, WORKING, AND
UNITING AMBER." (Å communication from abroad by Frederick Julius Kaldenberg,
of New York, in the United States of America.)
The
In the manufacture of amber according to the ordinary method into the various
ornamental and useful articles for which it is especially applicable, a solid block or
piece of the suitable size and shape is first selected for the desired article.
piece is then cut by means of a chisel and chipped off carefully until it assumes in
the rough the shape required. It is then polished and finished up by sand papering,
filing, &c., in the usual manner.
This method of working amber has been found to be slow, tedious, and
expensive, and furthermore a large portion of the material is wasted, as the amber
in its natural condition is found in pieces of irregular form, and in the process of
cutting it into the desired shape, there must necessarily be a large amount of
chippings or small pieces which are of little or no use in the manufactures.
Attempts which have heretofore been made to melt or fuse amber and mould it
into form have generally resulted in failure, for the reason that the high degree of
heat required to reduce it to a soft condition has a destructive effect on the amber,
destroying its essential qualities, and leaving it in a partly charred condition and
wholly unfit for manufacturing purposes.
n
Now the object of the present Invention is to overcome these difficulties and
render it possible to weld or unite together fragments of amber in a homogeneous
mass without destroying any of its natural qualities, or changing any of its peculiar
characteristic beauty and delicacy of coloring, and to attain this object the Invention
consists in moulding amber under the application of heat and pressure combined,
and in some cases in treating amber with chemicals to reduce it to a semi-elastic
condition preparatory to submitting it either to heat and pressure combined or to
pressure alone.
In carrying the Invention into effect I employ a suitable mould of a size and
shape adapted for the article desired to be made. This mould, which may be of
steel or any other hard metal, is preferably composed of three or more parts, the main
or outer portion forming a casing or receptacle for holding the upper and lower
portions containing the dies, which are adapted to slide within such portions. The
construction of the mould may, however, vary to suit the requirements of the case
as it forms no part of the present Invention.
The
The amber may or may not be treated before submitting it to pressure, or heat
and pressure combined. When it is to be moulded without previous treatment I
proceed as follows:--I select from the waste amber a sufficient number of pieces to
make the desired article. These are placed within the mould, and the mould being
made as air tight as possible is submitted to the direct influence of heat.
requisite degree of heat may be attained by means of superheated steam or by any
other well known means. As the amber softens it will yield under a heavy
pressure, which is now applied to the mould while hot, and the particles will unite
and adhere tenaciously together and fill the mould, forming a perfectly homogeneous
masa. The pressure required for this purpose will vary from one thousand to three
or four thousand pounds to the square inch. After permitting the mould to cool
gradually the moulded article may be removed, and any fins or portions which have
been formed by the joints of the mould can be filed off and the article polished up
in the usual manner.
Where pieces of amber are taken while in their natural hard condition and

page_text: submitted to heat, extreme caution is necessary, as the slightest overheating will
charr the mass and render it subject to sudden fracture upon being exposed to the
atmosphere. Again a high degree of heat under the most favorable conditions
deepens the color of the amber, and where it is desirable that the articles moulded
by my process should retain the delicate characteristic coloring of the gum in its
natural condition, I employ the following means:-I first select from the waste
fragments of amber a quantity of pieces of about uniform size and place them in a
close mouthed jar containing ether or chloroform in sufficient quantity to entirely
cover the particles.
After the pieces have been thus immersed for about five hours they will be reduced
to a degree of plasticity such as will permit them to yield under a heavy pressure.
The time required to bring the amber to a semi soft condition varies considerably,
as different qualities of amber are more or less susceptible to the action of solvents.
After treatment the amber is taken from the bath and spread out on a shelf or
table exposed to the air until a portion of the solvent has passed off by evaporation.
It is then placed in the mould and subjected to pressure. A slow moderato heat
may be applied to the mould while it is under pressure to facilitate the union of
the particles, or the mould may be heated before the amber is placed in it. In all
cases it is preferred to use as little heat as possible, and the treatment of the
amber with solvents before putting it into the inould renders it unnecessary to
employ a high degree of heat to mould the particles into a compact mass; and in
some cases heat may be dispensed with, and the union effected by pressure alone.
The process just described is especially applicable to the manufacture of amber
mouth pieces for pipes, cigars, &c. In these articles it is essential that the frag-
ments of amber should be compactly welded together, and the mass not subject to
expansion and contraction upon exposure to atmospheric influences, and that it
should be strong enough to bear the operation of boring the thread in the mouth
piece without danger of producing a crack or fracture, results which are apt to
follow where the amber is moulded under a high degree of heat. For this purpose,
and to avoid these dangers and that of discoloration or deepening of the natural
color of the gum, I reduce it to a semi-plastic condition before putting it into the
mould.
In order to produce a mouthpiece or other article having a blotched or mottled
appearance I employ the following means:-I first grind or pulverise a proportion
of amber, taking it in its natural hard condition; then, having placed in the mould
a certain quantity of pieces or fragments of amber previously treated with solvents,
I mix or mingle therewith a quantity of the ground amber, and inould the same
into a homogeneous mass. A greater or less proportion of the fragments of amber
may be incorporated with the ground amber as it is desired to give a greater or
less mottled appearance to the article when finished. A very pleasing and beautiful
variety may thus be produced, and the waste bits of amber may be worked up
into articles of great commercial value.
I do not intend to confine myself to the solvents above mentioned for treating
the amber previous to moulding, as any other solvent possessing similar properties
may be used instead of these to reduce the amber to a soft condition without
departing from the spirit of my Invention.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention as communicated to me,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. Moulding and uniting amber under heat and pressure, substantially as set
forth.
Second. The process of uniting and moulding amber, which consists in heating
the same to the requisite degree to soften it, and applying pressure thereto while in
a heated state, substantially as set forth.
Third. The process of treating amber by chemical action preparatory to moulding,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Fourth. The herein described process of uniting amber, which consists in treating
it with solvents, followed by pressure.

page_text: Fifth. The process herein described of uniting and welding together fragments
of amber, which consists in first reducing the amber to a plastic condition by the
agency of suitable solvents, and then subjecting it to pressure under heat, .
substantially in the manner herein set forth.
Sixth. The process of producing mottled or blotched amber articles, which consists
in moulding together ground amber with large fragments, substantially in the
manner and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. The process of manufacturing amber mouth pieces for pipes, &c., which
consists in first reducing the fragments of amber to a plastic condition, and
moulding the same together with ground amber, under heat and pressure combined,
substantially as set forth.
Eighth. As a new manufacture an amber mouthpiece for pipes, &c., made from
fragments of amber moulded together, substantially in the manner set forth.
Ninth. As a new article of manufacture a mouthpiece for pipes, &c., made of
fragments of amber and pulverized amber moulded together by heat and pressure,
in the manner and for the purpose described.
Tenth. As a new manufacture articles made from fragments of amber of different
hues moulded together, in the manner and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty one.