AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENTS, WALL AND CEILING DECORATIONS AND OTHER MOULDED ARTICLES FROM WOOD OR OTHER FIBROUS PULP
Year: 1882

page_text: "
ETTERS PATENT to Lorentz Albert Groth, Civil Engineer of 30 Finsbury
Pavement London E.C. for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR
PRODUCING ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENTS, WALL AND CEILING DECORATIONS
AND OTHER MOULDED ARTICLES FROM WOOD OR OTHER FIBROUS PULP
The result partly of a communication to him from abroad by C. G. Mineur
a person resident at Stockholm in the Kingdom of Sweden and partly of
invention and discovery made by himself.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lorentz Albert Groth at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th November 1882.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH, Civil Engineer of 30 Finsbury Pavement London
E.C. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENTS, WALL
AND CEILING DECORATIONS AND OTHER MOULDED ARTICLES FROM WOOD OR OTHER
FIBROUS PULP' The result partly of a communication to me from abroad by
C. G. Mineur, a person resident at Stockholm in the Kingdom of Sweden and
partly of invention and discovery made by me.
This invention relates to improvements upon a process described in the specifi-
cation of a former Patent granted to me Lorentz Albert Groth in the year 1881
No 158 and dated the 12th day of January.
My improved process is as follows.
I take wood pulp prepared as for the manufacture of paper and finely divided;
or in place of wood pulp other fibrous pulp such as is used for paper making may
be employed. I mix this fine pulp with hot water in sufficient quantity to render
it quite fluid so that it will flow almost as freely as water. I pour this mixture
into an open mould in which is the form upon which I desire to mould the pulp.
The said form constitutes the bottom or it may be the bottom and the sides of
the mould according to the nature of the object to be moulded
I pour some of the fluid pulp into the mould taking care to stir the pulp well up
to the instant of pouring.

page_text: I then lay over the mould a covering of muslin and with a sponge I absorb the
water from the pulp leaving the fibre in a thin but consolidated layer covering the
form, it may be only at the deeper parts of the mould.
I then strip off the muslin and again pour fluid pulp into the mould and repeat
the operation again covering the moulds with muslin and removing the water as
far as possible with a sponge.
The sponge is applied with some pressure not only to consolidate the fibre but
also to aid in distributing the deposit over the surface of the mould
In this way by repeated operations the layer of consolidated fibre left in the
mould is brought to the thickness desired such as to render the article sufficiently
strong to bear the wear to which it will be exposed.
For some small articles a thickness of 1/8 of an inch will be sufficient but larger
articles or ornaments exposed to much wear should be from 3/18 to a quarter of an
inch in thickness
The operation of moulding having been performed as described the mould with
the consolidated pulp within it is passed into a drying room where it remains until
the pulp is nearly dry.
The article whilst still in the mould then receives further pressure with the
hand to complete the consolidation. A backing of thin but strong paper or canvas
is then applied to the article and attached with glue and then the article is
returned to the drying room to remain there until dry completely.
The mould is then removed leaving the artile ready to be finished and painted
- or decorated._
In case the moulded article is to be exposed to dampness for instance to be used
as a covering to a damp wall, I prefer to give to it a coating of common oil which is
absorbed into the mass and prevents the absorption of moisture.
This oil coating has also the effect of rendering the ornament pliable and elastic.
Ledges, cornices, ceiling flowers and like articles which are to have a white-
colour, I prefer to coat with Kaolin mixed in water, which gives a clear white colour
and the surface is then capable of receiving a polish
For some purposes the articles are painted in oil colours and they are sometimes
gilded
The forms I use are made of wood, brimstone gutta percha plaster of Paris or
zinc whichever is most convenient.
The principal points of difference between the process above described and that
set forth in the specification of my former Patent are the removal of the water by
absorption with a sponge whilst the fibre is kept back by a strainer of muslin and
the building up of the requisite thickness of consolidated pulp at numerous
operations in successive thin layers; in place of operating as described in my former
specification by introducing the whole of the pulp required into the mould at one
time and removing the surplus water by pressure upon the pulp with several layers
of coarse canvas or sacking.
By the aid of my present improvements I am able to produce more perfect results
than can be obtained by operating by the former method

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Lorentz Albert Groth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th May 1883.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH, Civil Engineer, of 30 Finsbury Pavement London
E.C. AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENTS, WALL
AND CEILING DECORATIONS, AND OTHER MOULDED ARTICLES FROM WOOD OR OTHER
FIBROUS PULP" partly a communication to me from abroad by C. G. Mineur, a
person resident at Stockholm in the Kingdom of Sweden, and partly of invention
and discovery made by myself
This invention relates to improvements upon a process described in a specifi-
cation of a former patent granted to me Lorentz Albert Groth in the year 1881
N° 158 and dated the 12th day of January
My improved process is as follows.
I take wood pulp prepared as for the manufacture of paper and finely divided; or
in place of wood pulp other fibrous pulp such as is used for paper making may be
employed.
I mix this fine pulp with hot water in sufficient quantity to render it quite fluid
so that it will flow almost as freely as water. I pour this mixture into an open
mould in which is the form upon which I desire to mould the pulp. The said form
constitutes the bottom or it may be the bottom and sides of the mould according to
the nature of the object to be moulded. I pour some of the fluid pulp into the
mould taking care to stir the pulp well up to the instant of pouring. I then lay
over the mould a covering of muslin and with a sponge I absorb the water from
the pulp leaving the fibre in a thin but consolidated layer covering the form it may
be only at the deeper parts of the mould. I then strip off the muslin and again
pour fluid pulp into the mould and repeat the operation again covering the mould
with muslin and removing the water as far as possible with a sponge. The sponge
is applied with some pressure not only to consolidate the fibre but also to aid in
distributing the deposit over the surface of the mould
In this way by repeated operations the layer of consolidated fibre left in the
mould is brought to the thickness desired, such as to render the article sufficiently
strong to bear the wear to which it will be exposed.
For some small articles a thickness of 1 of an inch will be sufficient but
larger articles or ornaments exposed to much wear should be from 1/18th to a quarter
of an inch in thickness.
The operation of moulding having been performed as described, the mould with
the consolidated pulp within it is passed into a drying room where it remains until
the pulp is nearly dry.
The article whilst still in the mould then receives further pressure with the hand
to complete the consolidation. A backing of thin but strong paper or canvas is
then applied to the article and attached with glue and then the article is returned
to the drying room to remain there until dry completely
The mould is then removed leaving the article ready to be finished and painted
or decorated,
In case the mould article is to be exposed to dampness, for instance to be used as
a covering to a damp wall, I prefer to give to it a coating of common oil which is
absorbed into the mass and prevents the absorption of moisture.
This oil coating has also the effect of rendering the ornament pliable and elastic
Ledges, cornices, ceiling flowers and like articles which are to have a white
colour I prefer to coat with Kaolin mixed in water, which gives a clear white
colour and the surface is then capable of receiving a polish.

page_text: For some purposes the articles are painted in oil colours and they are sometimes
gilded.
The forms I use are made of wood, brimstone, gutta percha, plaster of Paris or
Zinc whichever is most convenient.
The principal points of difference between the process above described and that
set forth in the specification of my former patent are the removal of the water by
absorption with a sponge whilst the fibre is kept back by a strainer of muslin and
the building up of the requisite thickness of consolidated pulp at numerous
operations in successive thin layers; in place of operating as described in my former
specification by introducing the whole of the pulp required into the mould at one
time and removing the surplus water by pressure upon the pulp with several
layers of coarse canvas or sacking
By the aid of my present improvements I am able to produce more perfect results
than can be obtained by operating by the former method.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and the manner in which
the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that what
I claim is.
My improved process for producing architectural ornaments, wall and ceiling
decorations, and other moulded articles, from wood or other fibrous pulp substantially
as described.
In witness whereof I the said Lorentz Albert Groth have hereunto set my
band and seal this eighteenth day of May in the year of Our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
LORENTZ ALBERT GROTH (L.S.)