IM- PROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING AND HARDENING STONE, BRICK, CEMENT, AND OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Ransome, of Queen Street Place,
Southwark Bridge, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING AND HARDENING STONE, BRICK, CEMENT, AND
OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS."
Sealed the 23rd April 1869, and dated the 26th October 1868..
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Ransome at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th October 1868.
I, FREDERICK RANSOME, of Queen Street Place, Southwark Bridge, in
the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING AND HARDENING STONE, BRICK, CEMENT, AND
OTHER BUILDING MATERIALS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in preserving and
hardening stone, brick, cement, and other building materials.
My improvements consist, first, in applying in succession to the stone
or other material to be treated a solution or fluid mixture of lime or
baryta or other similar substance and a solution of silica, by preference
an alkaline silicate. In some cases, and in order to obtain a more

page_text: concentrated solution of lime or baryta, I add to the water molasses or
sugar.
Secondly. In applying in succession a solution of phosphate of lime
and a solution of baryta, strontia, or lime, by preference baryta, and
afterwards a solution of silica, by preference an alkaline silicate. The
solution of phosphate of lime may be wholly or partially replaced by
solutions of alumina, zinc, lead, or other metallic salts. Coloring
matters may, if desired, be used together with these applications.
If it be desired that the solutions should penetrate to a great depth
it is preferred to employ weak solutions, say, of specific gravity 1050,
and they should be applied again and again until the desired effect has
been produced. If it be not desired to effect the waterproofing and
hardeuing deeply into the stone or material, or if a very porous material
is to be operated upon, stronger solutious, say, of a strength of 1300,
might be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Ransome in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
RANSOME, of Queen Street Place, Southwark Bridge, in the City of
London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Frederick Ransome, Her special
licence that I, the said Frederick Ransome, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Frederick Ransome,
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 PRESERVING AND HARDENING STONE, BRICK, CEMENT, AND OTHER BUILDING

page_text: MATERIALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick
Ransome, 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 Invention, 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 Frederick Ransome, 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 :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in preserving and
hardening stone, brick, cement, and other building materials.
My improvements consist, first, in applying in succession to the stone
or other material to be treated a solution or fluid mixture of lime or
baryta or other similar substance, and a solution of silica, by preference
an alkaline silicate. In some cases, and in order to obtain a more con-
centrated solution of lime or baryta, I add to the water molasses or
sugar.
In carrying out this part of my Invention I prefer to employ a
solution of baryta containing half a pound of baryta hydrate to a gallon
of water. This solution I apply to the surface of the stone or other
material by means of a brush, or where more convenient the stone or
other substance may be immersed in the solution so as to charge the
stone or substance as much as possible with the said solution. This
operation may be repeated until the stone or material has become
saturated to the depth required; afterwards I coat the surface of the stone
or material with a solution of a soluble silicate, or a mixture of soluble
silicates, such, for instance, as a combination of silicate of soda and
silicate of potash, which I prefer to be as neutral as possible, and which
may be made by adding gelatinous silica freshly precipitated from a
weak solution, or by means of the process known as dialysis in order to
remove the excess of alkali. The sp. gr. of the solution of soluble
silicate I find most convenient for general application is about 1.200,
but this may be increased or lowered to meet the circumstances of the
case. In place of employing a solution of baryta I employ a solution
of lime, I add molasses or sugar to hold a greater quantity of lime in
solution. In place of first applying the solution of baryta, and sub-

page_text: sequently applying a solution of a soluble silicate, the soluble silicate
might be first applied, and subsequently the solution of baryta, lime, or
similar substance. I, however, prefer to apply the solutions in the order
first described.
My Invention consists, secondly, in applying in succession a solution
of superphosphate of lime and a solution of baryta, strontia, or lime,
by preference baryta, and afterwards a solution of silica, by preference
and alkaline silicate. The solution of phosphate of lime may be wholly
or partially replaced by solutions of alumina, zinc, lead, or other suitable
metallic salts. The solution of superphosphate of lime I prefer to
employ of a specific gravity of about 1.060, which I apply to the surface
of the stone or other material by means of a brush, or by immersing
the stone in the material, and then apply in a similar manner a solution
of baryta of the strength previously mentioned, or the baryta might be
first applied, and subsequently the superphosphate of lime. Afterwards
I apply the solution of soluble silicate or soluble silicates, and by
preference of the strength above mentioned. Coloring matters may, if
desired, be used together with these applications.
If it be not desired to effect the waterproofing and hardening deeply
into the stone or material, or if a very porous material is to be operated
upon, stronger solutions than those above given might be employed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Ransome, have herc-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twenty-fourth day of April,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.