IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF CERTAIN DEPOSITS AND IN THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Charles William Stanley, of Barnsdale Road in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION
OF CERTAIN DEPOSITS AND IN THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Charles William
Stanley at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th June
1882.
JOHN CHARLES WILLIAM STANLEY, of Barnsdale Road in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF CERTAIN DEPOSITS AND IN
THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF.”
"
I. take the mud deposited by rivers and other waters which contains a sufficient
amount of vegetable matter-of rivers that of the Thames is particularly suitable-
which upon being calcined in a closed vessel to exclude the air, turns to a dark
shade of colour.
For the manufacture of umber to be used in paper making and for other
purposes, I take this deposit and calcine it in a special or ordinary retort or
furnace from which the air is excluded and it then turns to a dark colour which is
suitable for some purposes. As however a red or brown tinge is usually preferred
I add a colouring agent such as the red oxide of iron say in the proportion of
1 part by weight of the oxide to 4 parts of the calcined deposit and thoroughly
mix in any convenient manner. This admixture of the oxide produces a rich red-
brown shade resembling that of the ordinary umber used in the manufacture of
paper and paints. A lighter shade can be made by the addition of yellow ochre in
the proportion of 1 part in weight of ochre to 10 of the darker shade of prepared
umber.
For producing what is commercially known as Mineral Black I take say 1 part of
the deposit to 2 parts of Spent Tan or other vegetable matter using by preference
Spent Tan; calcine in closed furnace as before and thoroughly amalgamate by
Grinding

page_text: Other colours or qualities may be produced by the admixture of suitable agents
to this base and these are of a particularly high class on account of the wonderfully
finely divided condition of this deposit which has been so thoroughly levigated by
the natural action of the water before being treated. Another great advantage
particularly in the case of the umber is that by the very fact of the treatment it
undergoes by my process it can be delivered bone-dry, whereas the ordinary com-
mercial umber is mostly delivered in bulk so wet that it frequently contains as
much as 30° of moisture to the detriment of the purchaser. The exact proportions
of the mixtures may of course be varied. When finely comminuted, this material
can be used as "rotten stone" or "polishing powder."
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Charles William Stanley in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 30th December 1882.
JOHN CHARLES WILLIAM STANLEY of Barnsdale Road' in the County of
Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE UTILIZATION OF CERTAIN DEPOSITS AND IN
THE PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF."
I take the mud deposited by rivers and also that which collects in still waters
such as in docks and other similar places and which contains a considerable
quantity of vegetable and other matter other than mineral, (that of the river Thames
being particularly suitable) which upon being calcined in a furnace from which
the free access of air is excluded turns to a dark color.
For the manufacture of umber to be used in Paper making and for other purposes.
I take this river deposit either direct from the Dredger in the wet state or from
the waste lands on the river.side where it is now deposited as discharged from the
Dredgers; if, in the former case I cause this mud to pass along shoots with a free
supply of water so as to cause all stones pieces of iron &c that may be in it to be
deposited in the bottom of the shoots. But I prefer to treat the mud which has
been discharged by the Dredgers and is in the consistency of clay containing about
30% of moisture. This mud I dry in some convenient manner as for instance on
ordinary drying floors and reduce by grinding in any of the known machines for
this purpose and sifting when required which will reduce it to a fine powder; it is
then calcined in a furnace or retort of ordinary or special construction so as to
exclude air.
The admission of a small amount of air during the calcining process will not of
necessity spoil the color, but a large proportion of air will injuriously affect it and
prevent its assuming the desired dark color therefore it is important that the
retorts or furnaces be so constructed that at most only a small proportion of air can
obtain admission to the clay during the process of calcining. The mud by calcining
will be found to turn to a dark almost black color and in this state it can be used
in the manufacture of Paper and for other purposes. As however a red or brown
shade would be preferred and also to increase its staining properties, I add to the
burnt mud a coloring agent by preference oxide of iron such as yellow ochre,
washed free from sand and grit or finely ground, and calcine it to an orange shade
of color. Or I take the yellow ochre and calcine to a red shade and by an
admixture of yellow ochre and the prepared red ochre I produce an orange shade,
of color the proportions of each must be regulated by the required shade which
will be arrived at by practice. To produce a rich brown umber I find the following
proportions produce a fine color; to.4 parts burnt mud add 1 part Orange Oxide of
Iron prepared as above which is thoroughly incorporated by mixing in any
ordinary mill. Or take the dry mud after it has been ground and to 4 parts of
this I add 1 part of prepared yellow ochre and thoroughly mix and then calcine
which will produce the requisite Brown shade, but I prefer treating the material
separately and then mixing as by so doing and by varying the proportions almost
any shade of umber can be produced. Umber so prepared is suited for the require-
ments of paper makers but for Paint making and when the umber is to be used in
oil manganese preferably in the form of Black Oxide may however with advantage
be added to give the drying properties of the natural umber and I find the
following proportions to answer. To 20 parts of the prepared Umber as above
described I add 1 part of the manganese but a larger proportion of manganese
may be used to increase the drying properties and also to produce a darker shade
of color.

page_text: To prepare what is known as mineral Black I take the calcined mud to which I
add charcoal using by preference that obtained by the calcining of spent Tan.
The proportions of mud and charcoal may be varied to suit circumstances but I
find 3 parts charcoal to 1 of burnt mud to produce a good mineral black suitable
for many purposes but when it is desired to be used as a paint the addition of
Manganese preferably in the form of Black Oxide is desirable to increase its
drying properties the quantity of the oxide being in proportion to the rapidity of
drying and color required.
When properly prepared I find this deposit admirably suited to the purposes for
which rotten stone is used and it may be so prepared that in color and other
qualities it is almost identical with the ordinary rotten stone of commerce. By
taking of the dry mud (not calcined) 2 parts and of calcined mud 2 parts and
reducing to a fine powder by grinding and sifting when required I produce a good
quality of Rotten stone; but the river deposit merely dried and then reduced to
a finely divided condition can also be used for the purpose of polishing brass
and tin ware &c.
Other colors and qualities may be produced by the admixture of suitable agents
such as Red Oxide of Iron, to prepare what is known as Venetian Red which will be
of a high class on account of the finely divided state of this deposit which has been
thoroughly. levigated by the natural action of the water. Another great advantage
particularly in the case of the umber is that by the very fact of the treatment
it undergoes by my process it can be delivered bone dry and in a very fine powder
whereas the ordinary umber of commerce is mostly delivered in bulk and frequently
contains 30% of moisture or even more.
°
Having now described the nature of my said invention and the manner of
performing the same I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to
protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is;
First. The treatment substantially as set forth of the deposits which form on
the beds of rivers and in other waters by calcination in a vessel from which
air is partially or wholly excluded whereby the said deposits are rendered dark in
color and suitable for use as a base in the manufacture of colors and for other
purposes
Second-The manufacture of Umber, Mineral Black, Venetian Red, and other
colors by the admixture with the said base of suitable coloring agents substantially
as described
Third-The manufacture of Rotten Stone or equivalent material from the said
deposits substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said John, Charles, William Stanley have hereunto
set my hand and seal this twenty ninth day of December in the year of Our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two
JOHN, CHARLES. WILLIAM. STANLEY
(L.S.)