IMPROVE- MENTS IN PROCESSES FOR TREATING AND PREPARING BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE FOR BEING APPLIED TO HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING WORKS, FOR BUILDING, PAVING, AND OTHER LIKE USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Garrett Tongue, of the Firm of Tongue and
Birkbeck, Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PROCESSES FOR TREATING AND PREPARING BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES
TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE FOR BEING APPLIED TO HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING
WORKS, FOR BUILDING, PAVING, AND OTHER LIKE USEFUL PURPOSES."
A communication from abroad by Hermann Randhahn, Mining Engineer, of
Waldau, near Osterfeld, Prussia,"
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Garrett Tongue at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April 1881.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents
and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES FOR TREATING AND PREPARING
BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE FOR BEING APPLIED TO
HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING WORKS, FOR BUILDING, PAVING, AND OTHER LIKE
USEFUL PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Hermann Randhahn,
Mining Engineer, of Waldau, near Osterfeld, Prussia.
This Invention relates to improved processes by which bituminous substances
can be made hard, so that they may be rendered useful for hydraulic engineering
works, for paving or covering roads and streets, and be applicable to building and
other like useful purposes.
"
According to these improvements any suitable substances of a bituminous nature
whose consistency at a moderate temperature lies between "semi-fluid" and "that
of wax
are heated, and finely crushed carbon or ground coke is then thrown into
the hot fluid mass. The same can also be used at a red heat. At the same time
the whole mass is kept stirred, and at last is worked about with a shovel or
otherwise, when on its becoming cold and stiff it can be used for works of a
subordinate character.
The mass thus produced is at an ordinary temperature tough and hard, and
very much resembles the asphalt used for paving and other purposes.

page_text: In order to extend the application of this material it must be further treated and
hardened in the following manner :-
This is accomplished by causing the materials to be exposed to a gradually
increasing heat upon plates or in suitable vessels, and at the same time by means
of shovels or other means to be repeatedly turned until it no longer adheres to the
metal plates when beaten upon them with hammers.
By the method just explained all light particles are separated from the bituminous
substances. These can be drawn off and condensed or burnt.
The coke used mixes the more thoroughly with the worked up materials the
longer the process at a high temperature is kept up. In any case the time
required for the operation and the quantity of carbon to be used are regulated
according to the original state of the material to be worked up.
The mass thus prepared becomes stiffened in cooling to a perfectly regular
tough body. It will only soften by being heated to 212 degrees Fahrenheit or
thereabouts.
The prepared bituminous substances above described can be used or applied as
follows:-
First. By simply spreading the heated mass directly on a ground surface
prepared for the purpose, and then stamping and levelling it by means of hot irons,
rammers, or other like means.
Second. For the production of pressed tiles or bricks. For this purpose the
mass is pressed hot into open frames by iron or metal tools and worked up until
cold. These frames or moulds may be easily made of wood lined with sheet metal,
steel, brass, or zinc. This lining may also be used to give the heated mass any
desirable form, and thereby to produce ornaments, freizes, capitals, and other
architectural details.
The flat tiles or bricks as well as such special mouldings remain in the moulds
till they are perfectly cold, but may sometimes be again heated and subjected to a
rather powerful pressure.
The tiles or bricks thus described can be used either simply for paving and
linings or coverings of walls, or can be combined with other materials in the
following manner :-
Third. For floor coverings, footpaths, and such like, small strips of very hard
burnt clay, cement, or other suitable materials are laid within a mould or frame on
a smooth plate in as hot a state as possible. A tile prepared according to the
second head is dipped into some heated asphalt or similar material laid in the
mould or frame upon the said strips and firmly pressed. These tiles with the
closely incorporated strips can be removed from the moulds when cold and laid
down on a bedding of sand, being joined to each other by means of bituminous
cement.
Fourth. "Paving-setts," whether natural or artificial, are provided with hori-
zontal grooves all round each "sett;" others are also made with one chamfered
edge, and are otherwise as usual laid in a bedding of gravel or sand and stamped
down or rolled, so that the grooves form a continuous network of channels, which
in many places are put in direct communication with the upper surface of the
paving. Into these communicating channels or pipes, so to speak, a prepared
bituminous mass is poured (by means of an appropriate funnel) and pressed, so
that the channels are filled up and the "setts" become joined together.
Fifth. Tiles are formed of finely ground clay or loam very sharply burned,
which have on the one side light ridges and on the other or opposite side deeper
notches. Every tile of this kind is then placed in an open mould or frame, the
prepared mass is poured over it, and the whole then subjected to a heavy pressure
so as to effect a complete combination. On these are placed bricks which are
provided with grooves, as previously explained.
Ordinary tiles as well as ordinary bricks may be used in as hot a state as
possible. After cooling, the thus formed paving blocks are laid as usual and the
grooves filled out as explained.

page_text: Finally, these improvements consist, first, in the combining of liquid or molten
bituminous substances with carbon in solid form, so that the same shall become at an
ordinary temperature a firm, tough, and hard, not easily melted or softened mass.
Second. The improved process of hardening of this mass by heating and working
up in the heated state in order to increase the before mentioned properties.
Third. The improved preparation and manufacture of thoroughly non porous
smooth tiles or bricks, as also of architectural mouldings and forms from the
prepared bituminous mass.
Fourth. The application of these improved tiles in conjunction with strips of
hard burned clay, as herein explained.
Fifth. The improved process and the arrangements to fill out the grooves made
in the vertical surfaces of the paving "setts" with the prepared bituminous mass.
Sixth. The clay tiles hereinbefore described joined to or combined with a base
of ordinary brick by means of a cement made from the prepared bituminous mass.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Garrett Tongue in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1881.
JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents
and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PROCESSES FOR TREATING AND PREPARING
BITUMINOUS SUBSTANCES TO RENDER THEM SUITABLE FOR BEING APPLIED TO
HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING WORKS, FOR BUILDING, PAVING, AND OTHER LIKE
USEFUL PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Hermann Randhahn,
Mining Engineer, of Waldau, near Osterfeld, Prussia.
This Invention relates to improvements in processes for treating and preparing
bituminous substances, to render them tough and hard, and suitable for being
applied to building, paving, and other like useful purposes.
The raw materials employed for treatment by these improved processes is
obtained from the several bituminous substances, whose consistency is found in the
mean temperature between semi-fluid and that of wax, that is to say, sea coal tar,
mineral tar, natural asphalte, the resin resulting from and discarded in the manu-
facture of mineral oil and other like materials.
At a higher temperature these bodies possess the property of first softening, then
melting and becoming fluid at a lower temperature; on the contrary, they first
stiffen, then become fragile and brittle.
Both these qualities render them useless for various building purposes, whilst they
become an extremely useful building material, on account of their being impervious
to water, and in resisting the action of chemicals.
By the process now about to be described, these said bodies assume a toughness
and hardness which causes them to resist the injurious effects of heat up to
212 degrees Fahrenheit, and likewise prevents their becoming brittle or fragile in
extreme cold.
The above named materials are heated in a vessel up to boiling point, and then
very finely divided carbon in any suitable form, for example, ground coke is put in
hot and with continual stirring.
The best shaped vessel for this purpose is one of a semi-globular form, open at
the top with firing or furnace underneath.
In order to avoid the inflaming or ignition of the ascending smoke, the car-
bonaceous matter should be put in through a funnel, the lower end of which dips
into the boiling fluid.
The quantity of carbon to be put in is regulated by the quality of the raw
material, and by the purpose for which it is intended to be employed.
The more carbon gradually put in, and the longer the mass (which must be kept
stirred) is heated, the higher the point at which it softens will rise.
The end of the operation is determined by the appearance of a soft brittle
condition in the mass.
For a mass of a moderate consistency, a like weight of carbon is suitable.
If after the introduction of the carbon the mass (being kept stirred) is still
further heated, its power of resistance increases still more, and by continuing the
operation for 10 or 12 hours the result can be obtained, so that the material will
not soften though submitted to any heat under 212 degrees Fahrenheit, consequently
objects made from this preparation are not injuriously affected by the direct heat
of the sun.
The mass prepared as previously described is employed in the following
manner
First, by casting in moulds for building, ornamentation, or plastic figures of all
kinds. The moulds are made of metal or of wood with a metallic shell, the same

page_text: or similar to these that are used in the moulding of plaster, and the material heated
into a liquid condition is poured into them.
The moulds may also be rubbed over with grease.
For the making of pipes, moulds are constructed in the manner shown by the
Drawings hereto annexed in Figures 1 to 6.
A, A, Figures 1 and 5, is a shell in two parts made of metal (such as cast iron or
iron plate).
The lower ring either rivetted or joined on by casting is turned out to a
width corresponding to that of the pipe to be made, and so formed that the core B,
Figure 2, is supported upon it. B likewise consists of two halves; however, the cut
surfaces do not fit exactly on each other, but leave on either side a space a, b,
narrowing towards the bottom in which a wedge is inserted.
At the lower end B is held fast by the ring r, as shown in Figure 5, above
another lighter ring C is placed; this ring is clearly shown in Figure 3.
Several (say from 6 to 10) of these moulds A are so firmly wedged in a strong
but portable stand, Figure 6, that both halves of the mould shut close together, the
core B placed in both being kept firm by means of a wedge and ring.
Now the moulds are filled to the brim with the liquid mass, and on each of them
a cover D, Figure 4, is immediately pressed down tightly and fastened. By this
means the mould or form of the pipe is completed, the superfluous material
abstracted, and to the remaining part a certain pressure is given which renders it
compact.
The moulds filled in this manner are taken into the open air to cool, and the
work continued with fresh moulds.
Second, for making floors, waterproof covers to vessels, roofs, and other
structures.
. (A.) The material can be laid on quite hot in the same manner, and be levelled
by metal implements, or by rolling it until it is cold.
(B.) For making pressed tiles and bricks the material is put while quite hot into
open frames and worked with iron tools until cold.
These tiles or bricks can be heated again until they soften and made dense by
powerful pressure, then can either be employed direct for plastering or covering, or
can be combined with other materials.
(C.) In a mould 6, Figures 7 and 8, on the bottom plate a of which a suitable
division (made by means of planed lines or in any other suitable manner), is placed
small strips of hard burnt clay heated as much as possible are laid, and the
bituminous tiles after being dipped into the molten mass are laid on this clay and
firmly pressed down.
(D.) Paving stones, whether natural or artificial, are furnished as shown in
Figure 9, with horizontal grooves a running round the stone, some also with a
perpendicular chamfer b, or with perpendicular notchings c, Figure 11, then as usual
laid on a bed of sand or gravel and firmly stamped down or, rolled, so that the
grooves form a connected network of channels a, Figures 10 and 11, which are
connected with the surface by means of the openings b, c.
$
Through these openings prepared bituminous material in a hot condition is
poured by means of the funnel represented in Figure 12, by means of the piston k
powerfully pressed down.
(E.) From finely ground clay or loam, plates or tiles are formed and burnt very
sharply to a complete frit.
They are shown in profile in Figure 13, and in ground plan in Figure 14.
Every such plate a is then laid as hot as possible into mould e, Figure 15, of
suitable form and size, and a casting or coating of prepared bituminous material c
poured over it, whereupon the whole is submitted to a powerful pressure.
Then well burnt ordinary bricks d, likewise hot and already provided with
notchings, are placed on the resinous mass. After being cooled, each body so
made is removed, and the grooves again filled up with material.
The side view of pavement consisting of these stones is shown in Figure 16.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the Invention communicated to me from
abroad, and the manner of performing or carrying the same into practice, it should
be clearly understood that no claim is made to any part of the process or apparatus
separately hereinbefore described, which is well known and in common use, but
what I claim on behalf of the said Hermann Randhahn is,―
First. The improved method of treating and combining of liquid or molten
bituminous substances with carbon in solid form, so that the same will become at
an ordinary temperature a firm, tough, hard, and not easily melted mass, substan-
tially as herein described.
Second. The improved process of hardening of the mass by heating and working
up in the heated state, in order to increase the before mentioned properties or
qualities, substantially as herein before described.
Third. The improved manufacture of objects of various forms out of the prepared
mass, particularly tubes, by pouring it into forms or moulds, substantially in the
manner hereinbefore described and represented in the Drawings annexed.
Fourth. The manufacture of waterproof covers and surfaces by means of the
prepared bituminous mass, substantially as herein shown and described.
Fifth. The production of tiles from the prepared bituminous mass, and the
application thereof, alone or in conjunction with strips of bard burnt clay, flags, or
tiles, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
Sixth. The improved process and means employed for binding the separate parts
of a street or road pavement, by channels filled with the prepared bituminous
matter into one compact inseparable whole, substantially as herein shown and
described.
Seventh. The application of the clay tiles hereinbefore described combined with
à foundation of ordinary brick, by means of a cement made from the prepared
bituminous mass, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore fully described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Garrett Tongue, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
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