RENDERING IMPERMEABLE BY GAS CAOUTCHOUC, GOLD BEATERS SKIN, PAPER, GAUZE, AND SIMILAR MATERIALS USED FOR THINGS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN ASCENDING FORCE, SUCH AS BALLOONS, AEROSTATIC PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marius Pellen, of the firm Pellen and Co., of
No. 68, Rue d'Anjou St. Honoré, in the City of Paris, Merchants, for
the Invention of "RENDERING IMPERMEABLE BY GAS CAOUTCHOUC, GOLD
BEATERS SKIN, PAPER, GAUZE, AND SIMILAR MATERIALS USED FOR THINGS
ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN ASCENDING FORCE, SUCH AS BALLOONS, AEROSTATIC
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marius Pellen at tlie
Office. of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th September 1856.
I, MARIUS PELLEN, of the firm Pellen & Co., of No 68, Rue d'Anjou
St. Honoré, in the City of Paris, Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of
the Invention for "RENDERING IMPERMEABLE BY GAS CAOUTCHOUC, GOLD BEATERS"
SKIN, PAPER, GAUZE, AND SIMILAR MATERIALS USED FOR THINGS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE
AN ASCENDING FORCE, SUCH AS BALLOONS, AEROSTATIC MACHINES, Toys, &c. &c., BY
THE APPLICATION OF A PECULIAR VARNISH," to be as follows:-.
This Invention consists in rendering impermeable by gas caoutchouc, gold
beaters' skin, paper; gauze, and similar materials used for things adapted to
receive an ascending force, such as balloons, aerostatic machines, toys, &c. &c.,
by the application of a peculiar varnish, which articles being first filled with
pure hydrogen or some other gas are thus disposed to rise easily in the air.
The caoutchouc prepared in England is particularly proper for this kind of
balloons, but it must first be submitted to the Inventor's mode of preparation,
by which it is conveniently distended without rendering it too porous.

page_text: The different kinds of varnish employed are composed of amilacious sub-
stances, such as enulin, of lichen, of gum arabic, of adragant, of mucilage,
and vegetable substances mixed with some kinds of gum, of sugar, gelatine,
dextrine, of glucose, of albumen, of collodion, submitted to a certain pre-
paration without ether of gelatinous matter, that is, of pure gelatine of fish
skin and of glue. These different kinds of gums are prepared with pure
water diluted with alcohol; they must be very limpid, and ought to be
strained to avoid any lumps which might not be entirely dissolved, taking
care that this varnish form an impermeable coating on the balloons, and yet
be as light as possible. The varnish is generally spread on the balloons or
other objects after they have been properly distended with gas as to com-
pletely stop up the pores of the caoutchouc, and cover it. with an inalterable
pellicle, and thus hinder the escape of hydrogen gas. The above-mentioned
substances which enter into the composition of these kinds of varnish are
dissolved in water or dilute alcohol, but never in any oleaginous body, which
would dissolve the caoutchouc. Collodion is mixed with a very small quantity
of castor oil, otherwise the coating formed by it would be too brittle for the
purpose. This varnish is composed of 32 per cent. of gum, 8 per cent. of
sugar, and 60 per cent. of water, which dissolves them both. These pro-
portions may however be varied according as the object may be to make the
varnish more or less supple, more or less resisting. The first object is fulfilled
by diminishing the proportion of gum; the second by diminishing the pro-
portion of sugar. When the varnish is made with dextrine (a substance
obtained from the starch of potatoes) the following is about the proportions:-
28 per cent. of dextrine, 60 per cent. of water, and 12 per cent. of gelatine;
these proportions may equally be varied. If it be wished to make the varnish
hard, the proportion of dextrine must be augmented. If it be wished to have
a varnish very supple, but less durable, gelatine alone may be made use of
dissolved in from 60 to 70 per cent. of water. Varnish made with collodion
always requires with it 5 or 6 per cent. of castor oil, and the collodion must
not be prepared by means of ether.
The manner of employing these different kinds of varnish is by spreading
it thinly over the balloon with a small brush made of badger's hair. These
varnishes may be mixed in different proportions, for their quality may vary
considerably without there being much difference in their composition; the
principal object is to give to the varnish or varnishes a certain degree of
elasticity analogous to that of caoutchouc by carefully mixing the proportions.
For this purpose, gelatinous and other ropy fluids are mixed with dextrine,
which would otherwise be too brittle if mixed alcohol, &c. &c. The varnish

page_text: is employed not only for covering gold beaters' skin, gauze, paper gauze, and
other such substances, but for every kind of envelope which is wished to bo
made impermeable. The form of the balloons is round, or that of a pear,
like the large aerostats, or any other form. Small balloons are hermetically
closed, because they are filled with a certain degree of pressure, that is, a
pressure equal to about 39 or 40 inches of water, or 2½ of mercury. In
order that the balloons may be well filled, it is necessary that the apparatus
for producing the gas should exercise the degree of pressure above mentioned.
For this purpose an apparatus may be employed similar to the one which
Mr. Guy Lussac employed for producing gas with a certain degree of pressure.
The operation of filling this kind of balloons is one of some delicacy, and cau
only be acquired by practice; too much gas compressed would cause the
balloon to burst, whilst if it contained too little it would be deficient of the
necessary force to ascend. The degree of tension must not be great, a degree
which can be felt by the hand, not forgetting at the same time the degree of
transparency of the envelope. By these means toys may be made whose
weight is nearly that of atmospheric air, which for amusement may be com-
pared to shuttlecocks. These toys serve for amusement in drawing-rooms or
apartments, being almost as light as atmospheric air, and may be thrown
about from one person to another, and thus create useful pastime without'
danger of breaking any object.
The varnish is equally applicable to large balloons, being the more precious,
as it can be employed to give a coating to the inside of them, and thus making
them still more impermeable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marius Pellen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th March 1857..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARIUS
PELLEN, of the firm Pellen & Co., of No. 68, Rue d'Anjou St. Honoré, in
the City of Paris, Merchants, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Marius Pellen, Her special licence that I, the said Marius Pellen,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Marius Pellen, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time

page_text: 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 "RENDERING IMPER-
MEABLE BY GAS CAOUTCHOUC, GOLD BEATERS SKIN, PAPER, GAUZE, AND SIMILAR
MATERIALS USED FOR THINGS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN ASCENDING FORCE, SUCH
AS BALLOONS, AEROSTATIC MACHINES, TOYS, &c. & C., BY THE APPLICATION OF A
PECULIAR VARNISH," upon the condition (amongst others) that. I; the sail
Marius Pellen, 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 Marius Pellen, 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 consists in rendering impermeable by gas caoutchouc, gold
beaters' skin, paper, gauze, and similar materials used for things adapted to
receive an ascending force, such as balloons, aerostatic machines, toys, &c. &c.,
by the application of a peculiar varnish, which articles being first filled with
pure hydrogen or some other gas are thus disposed to rise easily in the air.
•
The caoutchouc prepared in England is particularly applicable for making
these kind of balloons, but it must first be submitted to the vulcanizing
process. I prefer the vulcanizing process known as the "cold" process, and
described in the Specification of Mr. Parkes Patent dated March 25th, 1846,
in preference to the process known as Goodyear and Hancocks process, where
sulphur is combined with caoutchouc by heat.
The different kinds of varnish employed are composed of amilacious sub-
stances, such as enulin, of lichnin, of gum arabic, of adragant, of musilage, and
vegetable substances, mixed with some kinds of gum, of sugar, gelatine, dextrin,
of glucose, of albumen, of collodium, submitted to a certain preparation without
ether of gelatinous matter, that is, of pure gelatine of fish skin and of glue.
These different kinds of gum are prepared with pure water diluted with
alcohol; they must be very limpid, and ought to be strained to avoid any
lumps which might not be entirely dissolved, taking care that this varnish
form an impermeable coating on the balloons and yet, be as light as possible.
The above-mentioned substances which enter into the composition of these

page_text: kinds of varnish are dissolved in water or dilute alcohol, but never in any
oleagenous body, which would dissolve the caoutchouc. Collodion is mixed
with a very small quantity of castor oil, otherwise the coating formed by it
would be too brittle for the purpose. This varnish is composed of 32 per
cent. of gum, 8 per cent. of sugar, and 60 per cent. of water, which dissolves
them both. These proportions may however. be varied according as the
object may be to make the varnish more or less supple, more or less resisting.
The first object is fulfilled by diminishing the proportion of gum; the second
by diminishing the proportion of sugar. When the varnish is made with
dextrin (a substance obtained from the starch of potatoes) the following is
about the proportions:-28 per cent. of dextrin; 60 per cent. of water, and
12 per cent. of gelatine; these proportions may equally be varied: If it be
wished to make the varnish bard; the proportion of dextrin must be augmented.
If it be wished to have a varnish very supple, but less durable, gelatine
alone may be made use of, dissolved in from 60 to 70 per cent. of water."
Varnish made with collodium always requires with; it 5 or 6 per cent. of
castor oil, and the collodion must not be prepared by means of ether. The
principal object is to give to the varnish or varnishes a certain degree of
elasticity, analogous to that of caoutchouc, by carefully mixing the proportions.
For this purpose gelatinous and other ropy fluids are mixed with dextrin,
which would otherwise be too brittle if mixed with alcohol, &c. &c.
These varnishes are employed not only for .covering caoutchouc but also
gold beaters' skin, gauze, paper gauze, and other such substances, and for
every kind of envelope which is wished to be made impermeable. The form
of the balloons may be round, or pear-shaped, like the large aerostats, or of
any other form, and they may be painted or stained on the interior with
different devices either before or after vulcanisation, and varnished on the
exterior, or they may be colored evenly all over by mixing a coloring material
with the varnish applied on the exterior, or they may be painted or stained in
devices on the exterior either before or after vulcanisation, both the colored
and uncolored parts being covered with varnish. I prefer to spread the
varnish on the balloons or other objects after they have been properly dis-
tended with gas, so as to completely stop up the pores of the caoutchouc,
and thus hinder the escape of hydrogen gas. A thin coating of the varnish
may easily be spread over the balloons by means of a small brush made of
badger's hair.
In order that the balloons be well filled, it is necessary that the apparatus
for producing the gas should exercise a degree of pressure equal to about
39 or 40 inches of water, or 2½ of mercury. For this purpose I prefer to

page_text: employ an apparatus similar to a gasometer, the pressure of the gas being
regulated by weights, and the pressure being indicated by a pressure guage.
The operation of filling this kind of balloons is one of some delicacy, and
can only be acquired by practice. Too great a pressure of gas would cause
the balloon to burst, whilst if it contained too little it would be deficient of
the necessary force to ascend. The degree of tension must not be great,
a degree which can bé felt by the hand, not forgetting at the same time the
degree of transparency of the envelope.
In order hermetically to close the balloons, I introduce into the mouth of
the balloons a piece of unvulcanized india-rubber before inflating them, and
when the inflation is completed I immediately tie round the mouth of the
balloon with waxed thread. Or, instead of closing the mouth of the balloons
by the means above described, I make the balloon with a much longer mouth,
and when the balloon is inflated I stretch this mouth and tie it into a knot.
By these means I prevent the gas from escaping, and in consequence the
balloons last for a much longer time. By these means toys may be made
whose weight is nearly that of atmospheric air, which for amusement may be.
compared to shuttlecocks. These toys serve for amusement in drawing rooms
or apartments, being almost as light as atmospheric air, and may be thrown
about from one person to another, and thus create useful pastime without
danger of breaking any object. The varnish is equally applicable to large
balloons, being the more precious as it can be employed to give a coating to
the inside of them, and thus making them still more impermeable.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details herein described; but what I claim is, the rendering
impermeable to gas caoutchouc, gold beaters' skin, paper, gauze, and other
similar materials, and the manufacture of balloons, as herein described.
. In witness whereof, I, the said Marius Pellen, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
J. MAN.
MARIUS PELLEN. (L.S.)