IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WATERPROOFING OF HANGINGS OR. ORNAMENTING STUFFS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Christophe Muratori, of Paris, Doctor of Physics, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WATERPROOFING OF HANGINGS OR.
ORNAMENTING STUFFS."
Sealed the 29th July 1856, and dated the 11th February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Christophe Muratori at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th February 1856.
I, CHRISTOPHE MURATORI, of Paris, Doctor of Physics, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WATERPROOFING OP.
HANGINGS OR ORNAMENTING STUFFS, to be as follows:-
This waterproofing process is especially applicable to stuffs used for hangings
and decorating apartments, and it is applicable to all stuffs. A single layer of
the preparation mentioned below, spread over the stuff by means of a brush or
other suitable contrivance, is sufficient to render it waterproof. The preparation
is made by grinding with drying or other suitable oils 100 parts of Palermo
white and 5 parts of litharge. The stuff, after having been prepared, as just
said, may be sprinkled over with pulverized wool, with bronze, Dutch or mosaic
gold powder, and patterns may be printed thereon by means of wooden-blocks.

page_text: Various colours may also be imparted to the waterproofing material by adding
paints thereto. Stuffs similar to oil-cloths may be produced by spreading several
layers of the preparation on cloth of any kind until the required thickness is
obtained. Wood, stone, and metal, may likewise be rendered waterproof by
means of the same composition. The stuffs thus prepared may be easily cleaned
by washing them either with soap or with a weak solution of potash.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Christophe Muratori in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th August 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHRISTOPHE
MURATORI, of Paris, Doctor of Physics, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-six, in the, nineteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself,
Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, tho said Christophe
Muratori, Her special license that I, the said Christophe Muratori, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Christophe Muratori, 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 IжPROVE-
MENTS IN THE WATERPROOFING OF HANGING OR ORNAMENTING STUFFS, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Christophe Muratori, 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 Christophe Muratori, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof :-

page_text: The Invention consists in coating cloths, or any other surfaces, for the
purpose of making them waterproof, with a composition which completely
prevents dampness from penetrating them, and which being of a siccative or
drying nature is adapted to decorating or ornamenting the said cloths or surfaces
either by printing, painting, or any other processes, so as to render them
applicable to the decoration of apartments or of rooms. The waterproofing
preparation which I make use of for coating the cloths, or surfaces. before
printing or ornamenting them is composed as follows:-
One hundred parts in weight of Palermo white, ground or. triturated either
with white or drying oil purified, and five parts of litharge. The proportions
of the said materials may be modified according to the nature of the surfaces
to be waterproofed, the quality of the said materials, the season, and the kind
of decoration required.
The cloths or surfaces are at first coated with a layer of the composition
prepared as above described. The layer is applied in the usual way, either
with a painter's brush or by means of rollers; and this being done, and before
it has become dry, I sprinkle over it either pulverized colored wool and Dutch
metal, alone or mixed together, so that by means of a carved printing block I
am enabled to obtain a great variety of patterns; the raised parts of the block
causing by their pressure the pulverized wool or metal to stick to the cloth,
whilst the other parts which have not been submitted to pressure remain white,
like the prepared ground applied on the cloth. But if a colored ground of a
different hue be desired, then common paints of any required hue, and
pulverized, should be mixed with the first waterproofing preparation before
spreading it over. By this process common hemp or cotton cloths may bo
rendered waterproof for hanging or decorating purposes, and by printing such
cloths, as just said, they may appear as if they were wool, or silk, or velvet
fabrics, more or less ornamented.
Oil-cloths can also be imitated by my process by applying two or three layers
of the waterproofing preparation according to the required thickness of the
cloth.
The cloths prepared by my process with the natural or white layer may also
be ornamented, by printing thereon, when dry, various subjects by means of the
lithographic or of the common letter-press, and they may be also applied to oil
painting. The same preparation can be applied to paper as well as to cloths,
and also to stone walls, ceilings, wood, and other materials or objects of that
kind, all of which will henceforward be proof against damp; and if then the

page_text: process of colored wool dust, and printing is employed, as we described with
respect to cloths, such surfaces will appear as if decorated with costly hangings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Christophe Muratori, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
L. D'AUBRÉVILLE,
Civil Engineer,
36, Rue de l'Echiquier.
C. MURATORI. (L.S.)