IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS SUITABLE FOR USE AS VARNISH OR PAINT
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Browning, of No. 77, Salmon Lane,
Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS SUITABLE FOR USE AS VARNISH OR
PAINT."
Scaled the 10th August 1869, and dated the 1st June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Browning at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st June 1869.
I, HENRY BROWNING, of No. 77, Salmon Lane, Limehouse, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS SUITABLE FOR USE AS VARNISH OR PAINT,"
to be as follows:-
According to my Invention I prepare a solution which may be used
either mixed with "ground colour" as a "paint" or by itself as a
"varnish" or "preservative solution," and in either form is equally
applicable to stonework, woodwork, or iron.
The ingredients are a gum resin; by preference "gum dammar,"

page_text: spirit, and sugar of lead, to which may be added, especially for stone-
work, a little wax and corrosive sublimate, and if the two latter are
added the sugar of lead may be left out, although this is not recom-
mended. The spirit preferred is any one of the various rectified spirits
of coal tar or petroleum now so largely manufactured. In the mixing
of the ingredients considerable latitude may be allowed, and the
proportions must be varied at the discretion of the manufacturer
according to the nature and position of the surface to be protected, and
of the appearance and effect desired. The gum requires to be melted
by heat, the equable heat of steam being preferred, and while warm a
sufficient quantity of spirit should be mixed with it to prevent it
returning to a solid state. The quantity of spirit required for this
purpose will vary slightly according to the quality of the gum and the
temperature of the atmosphere.
For the preservation of stonework from the action of damp, steam,

page_text: The paint, as its name indicates, has a high gloss, but it may be still
farther improved by a slight "rubbing down" with pumice stone and
a polishing with fine flannel and soap and, water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Browning in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st December 1869..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BROWNING, of No. 77, Salmon Lane, Limehouse, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, and in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Henry Browning, Her special licence that
I, the said Henry Browning, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Henry Browning, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMPOSITIONS SUITABLE
FOR USE AS VARNISH OR PAINT," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Henry Browning, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Browning, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
According to my Invention I prepare a solution which may be used
cither mixed with "ground color" as a 'paint" or by itself as a
6

page_text: "varnish" or preservative solution, and in either form is equally
applicable to stonework, woodwork, or iron. The ingredients are a gum
resin, by preference "gum dammar," spirit, and sugar of lead, to which
may be added, especially for stonework a little wax and corrosive
sublimate. The spirit preferred is any one of the various rectified
spirits of coal tar or petroleum, such a benzine and benzoline, now so
largely manufactured. In the mixing of the ingredients considerable
latitude may be allowed, and the proportions must be varied at the
discretion of the manufacturer, according to the nature and position of
the surface to be protected, and of the appearance and effect desired.
The gum requires to be melted by heat, the equable heat of steam being
preferred, and while warm a sufficient quantity of spirit should be mixed
with it to prevent it returning to a solid state. The quantity of spirit
required for this purpose will vary slightly according to the quality of
the gum and the temperature of the atmosphere. The sugar of lead is
ground with linseed oil to bring it to the consistency of cream, or if the
composition is to be used for stonework to a paste, and is then stirred in
with the solution of gum resin. For the preservation of stonework from
the action of damp, steam, smoke, soot, gas, &c. the following would be a
"varnish"
or preservative solution, and in either form is equally
applicable to stonework, woodwork, or iron. The ingredients are a gum
resin, by preference "gum dammar," spirit, and sugar of lead, to which
may be added, especially for stonework a little wax and corrosive
sublimato. The spirit preferred is any one of the various rectified
spirits of coal tar or petroleum, such a benzine and benzoline, now so
largely manufactured. In the mixing of the ingredients considerable
latitude may be allowed, and the proportions must be varied at the
discretion of the manufacturer, according to the nature and position of
the surface to be protected, and of the appearance and effect desired.
The gum requires to be melted by heat, the equable heat of steam being
preferred, and while warm a sufficient quantity of spirit should be mixed
with it to prevent it returning to a solid state. The quantity of spirit
required for this purpose will vary slightly according to the quality of
the gum and the temperature of the atmosphere. The sugar of lead is
ground with linseed oil to bring it to the consistency of cream, or if the
composition is to be used for stonework to a paste, and is then stirred in
with the solution of gum resin. For the preservation of stonework from
the action of damp, steam, smoke, soot, gas, &c. the following would be a
Lsuitable mixture
Gum
Wax
Sugar of lead
Corrosive sublimate
Spirit
10 lbs. by weight.
2 do. do.
2
do. do.
oz. do.
do.
86 lbs. do. do.
As a varnish for wood or metal tlie above solution would also bo
found suitable with any modification that special circumstances might
call for. To be mixed with "ground color" and used as a paint the above
solution may be considerably varied. If a very fine decorative effect is
desired it will be well to use three different qualities for the first, second,
and third coats. For the first coat, the
may be left out and the quantity of gum
10 parts of gum may be restored.
larger proportion of gum may be used, 3 or
oz. of corrosive sublimate. For external work oz. of wax will be
found a useful addition, In every case the "ground color" alluded to is
intended to be the "ordinary "ground color" of commerce, being
pigments of any desired shade ground in raw linseed oil. The enamel
For the
wax and corrosive sublimate
halved. For the second, the
third, 18 to 40 lbs. or even a
4 lbs. of sugar of lead, and

page_text: solution thus replaces the "boiled oil" and "turpentine" in ordinary
paint.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is,―
1st. The forming compositions to be used as a varnish or as a solution
for mixing with ground color, by combining gum dammer or other gum
resin with spirit and sugar of lead, or with these materials together
with wax and corrosive sublimate.
2nd. The forming compositions to be used as paints by combining a
ground color with a solution of gum dammar, or other gum resin and
spirit and with sugar of lead, or these materials together with corrosive
sublimate.
3rd. I also claim the forming a composition to be used as a varnish
or paint for stonework, by combining together a solution of gum
dammer or other gum resin and spirit, with wax and corrosive
sublimate.
In. witness whereof, I, the said Henry Browning have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
HY. BROWNING. (L.S.)