Improvements relating to the Preparation of Solvents for Pyroxyline, Shellac, and similar materials.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 24th June, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Preparation of Solvents for Pyroxyline,
Shellac, and similar materials.
I, LEONARD PAGET of 765 Broad Street, Newark, New Jersey, United States
of America, Chemist, 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:-
My invention is of an improved process of making a methyl-amyl-acetate-benzine
solvent of pyroxyline and of the product of the process, which has properties
superior to those of a mere mixture of methyl alcohol, amyl acetate, and benzine,
or of a mixture of methyl and amyl acetates and benzine.
In following my process I mix crude amyl alcohol, or fusel-oil, with methyl
alcohol, or wood-alcohol (such as is used in the pyroxyline art) in the proportions
of, say, 2 to 5 volumes of wood alcohol and 8 to 5 volumes of fusel-oil with
1 to 2 volumes of benzine. I treat this mixture with chloride of calcium or an
equivalent dehydrating substance to remove any water that the ingredients may
have contained. I then distil this dehydrated mixture of the alcohols and benzine
with acetic acid (or an equivalent acetate) in the proportion of about one volume
of acetic acid to three to four volumes of the mixture. The distillate is a stronger
and more active solvent of pyroxyline than is a mixture of methyl acetate and
amyl acetate and benzine made by mere mixture. And I find that I may substitute
ethyl-alcohol for the amyl-alcohol and obtain a powerful solvent of pyroxyline by
following the same process. And I find that I may employ a mixture of amyl-
alcohol, methyl-alcohol, and ethyl-alcohol in about equal parts with benzine in the
proportion of about one-eighth to one-twelfth of the volume of this mixture with
similar results, when following the same process. Also I find that I may substitute
oil of turpentine or benzole for benzine; and that the distillate is, and that these
distillates are all solvents of the ordinary gums used in varnishes, and that such
gums (as for instance shellac) may be substituted for, or used with, pyroxyline.
Neither do I find the proportions I have given a necessary limitation of the
process.
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 herein-described process of preparing a solvent of pyroxyline by first
mixing methyl-alcohol, amyl-alcohol, and benzine; secondly, dehydrating the
mixture; and thirdly, distilling the mixture with acetic acid, substantially as
described.
2. The herein-described process of preparing a solvent of pyroxyline by first
mixing two or more primary alcohols with a suitable hydrocarbon; secondly,
dehydrating the mixture; thirdly, distilling the mixture with acetic acid or its
equivalent, substantially as described.
3. The improved solvent which consists of a distillate of two or more primary
alcohols, a suitable hydrocarbon, and acetic acid, substantially as described.
4. The improved solvent which consists of a distillate of methyl and amyl
alcohols, benzine, and acetic acid, substantially as described.
Dated
ed this 3rd day of April 1893.
ed this 3rd day of April 1893.
LEONARD PAGET.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.