IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS OF SILICA, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN COMPOUNDS OF SILICA TO MINERALIZE WOVEN FABRICS, PAPER, AND PAPER PULP, TO HARDEN AND PRESERVE STONE AND CEMENT, IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICAL STONE AND PAINT AND IN THE PRODUCTION AND GLAZING OF PORCELAIN AND SUCH LIKE MANUFACTURES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Ellis, of Bangor, North Wales, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS OF
SILICA, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN COMPOUNDS OF SILICA TO
MINERALIZE WOVEN FABRICS, PAPER, AND PAPER PULP, TO HARDEN AND
PRESERVE STONE AND CEMENT, IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICAL STONE
AND PAINT AND IN THE PRODUCTION AND GLAZING OF PORCELAIN AND SUCH
LIKE MANUFACTURES."
Sealed the 20th March 1868, and dated the 29th September 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Ellis at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents with his Petition on the 29th Sep-
tember 1862.
I, HENRY ELLIS, of Bangor, North Wales, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS OF
SILICA, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN COMPOUNDS OF SILICA, TO MINE-
RALIZE WOVEN FABRICS, PAPER, AND PAPER PULP, TO HARDEN AND PRESERVE
STONE AND CEMENT, IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL STONE AND PAINT, AND
IN THE PRODUCTION AND GLAZING OF PORCELAIN AND SUCH LIKE MANUFACTURES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of com-
pounds of silica, and in the application of certain compounds of silica to
mineralize woven fabrics, paper, and paper pulp, to harden and preserve
stone and cement in the production of artificial stone and paint, and in the
production and glazing of porcelain and such like manufactures.

page_text: I manufacture compound soluble silicates, by acting upon newly formed
gelatinous silicates, by means of the commercial silicates of potash or of soda,
or other solutions, having an alkaline base, all of which have the property
of dissolving such newly formed gelatinous silicates. I thus obtain soda and
potash silicates of all the earths and metals, and also phospho-silicates, boro-
silicates and other compound silicates of all the earths and metals in a soluble
state.
I would remark that no soluble silicates are at present known, except those
of potash and of soda, whereas by my process, all silicates are made soluble
and available in that condition, not only for all the purposes herein-after
named by me, but also for nearly all the purposes to which the silicates of
potash and of soda have been proposed for application.
By means of the compound silicates prepared as above described, I manu-
facture an article which I propose to name "lignolite" tracing paper; this I
make by applying any of the above-named solutions thoroughly saturated with
any gelatinous silicate, by means of a brush or in other convenient manner to
ordinary tissue or other thin paper.
The same solutions used in the same way are also available for making
tracing linen or fabric.
I also make lignolite tablets and drawing paper, by means of the same
saturated solutions or of the same solutions super-saturated to such a degree
that they shall have assumed an opalescent appearance. I then apply the
solutions by means of a brush or other convenient mode to ordinary writing
paper or cardboard, and thereby convert such paper or cardboard into
lignolite," suitable for use as writing tablets or drawing paper.
66
I find it advantageous for some purposes to add carbonates, such as those of
zinc and magnesia, or kaolin or alumina, to the solutions when used for the
object last specified.
The same solutions that are adapted for writing tablets, will also suit for
preserving printed matters and records from the devastation of the white ants
in India. Records intended to be so preserved should be written with carbon
ink.
The series of compound soluble silicates are also suited to render textile or
other fabrics uninflammable. For delicate fabrics I give the preference to
the soda silicates and potash silicates of alumina and magnesia and iron, out of
which the minerals asbestos and amianthus may be imitated by precipitation
within the fibres of such fabrics.
Felt, canvas, coarse paper, and such fabrics may be more or less completely
petrified by any one, two, or more of the compound soluble silicates, to serve

page_text: many very useful purposes. Thus, a useful roofing material may be formed
by adding to the surfaces after the petrifaction of such fabrics a coating of the
solution in combination with the oxides of metals with earths with various
carbonates of metals and earths or with minerals properly ground. Bituminous
substances may in some instances be added between layers of such materials.
Mixed with the various substances enumerated they will also serve for a
coating for ships' bottoms to preserve the metallic sheathing or the wood.
Mixed with paper pulp, the silica solutions will form a paste that may be
cast in moulds to form picture frames and such like articles, and which paste
may also be made into tubes.
Again, by means of such solutions, and also of commercial silicates of soda
and of potash, I manufacture "lignolite paints." The body of the paints is to
be paper or paper pulp, preferably paper, largely combined with mineral matter,
or paper pulp mixed with mineral matter. The coloring matter of the "ligno-
lite paints," I introduce into the body of the paper all oxides, minerals and
earths may in a state of impalpable powder be used for this purpose. Such
mineralized paper may be applied to walls on the inside or outside of buildings
by means of any of the soluble silicates, on paint, on plaster, on cement, or on
wood or other surface, and then further petrified by a coating of any of the
soluble silicates above specified.
I also apply the solutions for making artificial writing slates. For this
purpose I add to any of the solutions any mineral of sufficient hardness in an
impalpable powder and a pigment, such as drop black in a quantity sufficient
to give the requisite tint, and apply the compound to paper, cardboard, wood,
or any other suitable material by means of a brush or any other convenient
mode. Drop black alone or drop black mixed with the impalpable dust of
writing slate will suit the purpose, but I add in preference tripolene or corun-
dum to the pigment on account of their extreme hardness.
I also use the soluble soda silicates, and soluble potash silicates of the earths
and metals, phospho-silicates, and boro-silicates, as substitutes for oils in the
manufacture of paints for coating metals, wood, and other surfaces, for
the hardening and preservation of stones, and for the making of artificial
stone.
For the hardening and preservation of stone, I use a soluble alkaline silicate
of alumina, or of lime, or of iron, or any other soluble silicate of an earth or
metal, and after making such solution penetrate the stone as far as practicable.
I produce a double decomposition by means of chlorides or other suitable
solution within the structure of the stone, as far as the solutions can be made
to penetrate.

page_text: For hardening materials, such as stone or cement, in addition to the preci-
pitation of insoluble silicates within the structure of such material, I in some
instances add a coating of artificially prepared alumina or corundum to use as
an external coating. Newly prepared hydrous oxide of iron in combination
with many of the solutions, and in particular the soda and potash silicates
of lime, alumina, and other alkaline earths, will form solutions that will be
useful for hardening stone, as well as in the manufacture of artificial stone.
Also soda and potash silicates of iron. For all such purposes I prefer to follow
naturo by imitating natural rocks and minerals, into which silicate of iron,
and especially oxides of iron and manganese so largely enter as a binding
medium.
Artificial stone I make by adding any of the concentrated solutions to earthy
and mineral substances in a convenient state of subdivision, and subjecting
such compounds to the action of fire, until the whole becomes incorporated
into a solid stone. I also take advantage of the solutions to imitate minerals
found in nature, by first precipitating such a per-centage of each ingredient as
may enter into the composition of the mineral proposed to be imitated out of
the soluble silicates, and adding to such precipitates after being dried, hented,
and mixed, a concentrated soluble silicate. I then expose the compound to
the requisite heat. In a similar manner I prepare artificial kaolin and other
precipitates suitable for pottery and porcelain manufacture.
The more pure soluble alkaline silicates of the various metals I propose to
use as pigments for porcelain, and for enamelling, or glazing, in particular I use
the phospho-silicates, boro-silicates, alumino-silicates, and other compound
silicates of the earths and metals, both in a state of solution, and in a preci-
pitated state and rendered insoluble by heat for the various purposes of
porcelain and such like manufactures, either for mixing with the ware for
enamelling, or for use as glazing or pigments.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Ellis in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th 3
March 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
ELLIS, of Bangor, North Wales, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year of our 3
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto

page_text: me, the said Henry Ellis, Her special licence that I, the said Henry
Ellis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Henry Ellis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
THE MANUFACTURE OF COMPOUNDS OF SILICA, AND IN THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN
COMPOUNDS OF SILICA TO MINERALIZE WOVEN FABRICS, PAPER, AND PAPER
PULP, TO HARDEN AND PRESERVE STONE AND CEMENT, IN THE PRODUCTION OF
ARTIFICIAL STONE AND PAINT, AND IN THE PRODUCTION AND GLAZING OF POR-
CELAIN AND SUCH LIKE MANUFACTURES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Henry Ellis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 Henry Ellis, 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 state-
ment thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
compounds of silica, and in the appliction of certain compounds of silica, to
mineralize woven fabrics, paper, and paper pulp, to harden and preserve stone,
and cement, in the production of artificial stone and paint, and in the
production and glazing of porcelain and such like manufactures.
To manufacture compound silicates I first precipitate the compound silicates
out of solutions of silicate of soda or of potash by means of solutions of any
of the salts of the metals or of the earths. I then strain and wash the silicates
so obtained and, while recently formed, or in the gelatinous state, I re-dissolve
them in as much as may be sufficient of a solution of silicate of soda, or of
potash, or of both. If the silicates have been allowed to get dry, I heat the
mixture up to the boiling point to facilitate their solution. All gelatinous
silicates, however obtained, may be made soluble in the above manner, and by
addition of carbonates of soda or of potash.
Solutions of the boro-silicates, phospho-silicates and chromo-silicates, I
obtain by mixing saturated solutions of borate of soda, phosphate of soda, or
chromate of potash with an equal quantity by measure of solutions of silicates

page_text: of soda, of potash, or of both, of about 1-2 specific gravity and then precipitating
by means of solutions of the metallic or cartby salts and washing and re-
dissolving the recent precipitates so obtained in the manner described. All
the above compound soluble silicates may be reduced by evaporation into a
gelatinous state and preserved for use in that state in air-tight vessels. For
some purposes herein-after mentioned, I supersaturate the solutions until
they assume an opalescent appearance, and for artificial stone I do this up to
any per-centage desirable.
I also prepare saturated solutions of silicates of soda, or potash, or of both,
by adding to them recently prepared gelatinous silicic acid up to the point
of saturation, such saturated solutions I prefer in all cases to the commer-
cial soluble silicates.
I would remark that no soluble silicates are at present known except those
of potash and soda, whereas by my process all silicates are made soluble and
available in that condition not only for all the purposes herein-after named by
me, but also for nearly all the purposes to which the silicates of potash and of
soda have been proposed for application.
By means of the compound silicates prepared as above described, I
manufacture an article which I propose to name "lignolite tracing paper,"
this I make by applying any of the above-named solutions throughly saturated
with any gelatinous silicate by means of a brush or in other convenient
manner to ordinary tissue or other thin paper. The same solutions used
in the same way are also available for making tracing linen or fabric.
I also make lignolite tablets and drawing paper by means of the same saturated
solutions or of the same solution supersaturated to such a degree that they
shall have assumed an opalescent appearance, I then apply the solutions by
means of a brush or other convenient mode to paper or cardboard and thereby
convert such paper or cardboard into "lignolite" suitable for use as writing
tablets or drawing paper.
Although ordinary paper or cardboard will answer the purpose still I prefer
paper or cardboard largely combined with mineral matter for lignolite tablets
into which also mineral pigments such as colored earths and oxides of metals
may be added for the sake of the tints. The proportion of mineral matter
may be 25 parts of the mineral to 75 of paper pulp, the mineral matter to include
from one to ten parts of an earthy or metallic carbonate, but the per-centage of
mineral matter may be greatly varied.
I find it advantageous, when treating ordinary or unmineralized paper, to
add carbonates such as those of zinc and magnesia or kaolin or alumina to the
solutions.

page_text: The same solutions that are adapted for writing tablets will also suit for
preserving printed matters and records from the devastation of the white
ants in India; records intended to be so preserved should be written with carbon
ink.
The series of compound soluble silicates are also suited to render textile or
other fabrics uninflammable. For delicate fabrics I give the preference to the
soda silicates and potash silicates of alumina and magnesia and iron, out of
which the minerals asbestos and amianthus may be imitated by precipitation
within the fibres of such fabrics.
This solution I also bring to a sp. g. 1-2.
Let either of the above solutions be diluted by addition of from 10 to 20 or
more parts of water, and then steep the material in the solution, and before it
is dried steep again in a solution of 10 parts of alum in 100 parts of water.
This may be done repeatedly until the fabric is sufficiently mineralized.
Felt, canvas, and coarse paper may be petriefied for roofing purposes by
saturating the materials in solutions of earthy and metallic salts and then
decomposing such solutions within their fibres by means of potash or soda
silicates of lime, magnesia, zinc, baryta or iron or silicate of soda or potash
or and two or more of them in a state of solution. For this object when coarse
paper is used the preference should be given to paper largely combined with
mineral matter. The solutions of the metallic or earthy salts may be used
alternately with those of the silicates until the fabrics are sufficiently mineral-
ized. The following preparations are applicable.
Solution of soda or potash silicate of lime.-Take of solution silicate of
soda or potash 1 gallon; add to it a solution of chloride of lime until a
precipitate no longer falls; wash the precipitate and redissolve in a
sufficient quantity of a solution of silicate of soda or of potash.

page_text: to give the requisite tint, and apply the compound to paper, cardboard, wood,
or any other suitable material, by means of a brush or any other convenient
mode. Drop black alone, or drop black mixed with the impalpable dust of
writing slate, will suit the purpose, but I add in preference tripoline or
corundum to the pigment on account of their extreme hardness.
When paper is used for this manufacture it may be mineralized in the
same manner as described for paper pulp and lignolite paints, but for this
purpose preference should be given to minerals, the hardness of which on
Mohs' scale is 5 or more.
The following will serve well to cover such or any other paper or suitable

page_text: suitable solution within the structure of the stone, as far as the solutions
can be made to penetrate.
For hardening materials, such as stone or cement, in addition to the
precipitation of insoluble silicates within the structure of such material, I in
some instances add a coating of artificially prepared alumina or curundum to
use as an external coating. Newly prepared bydrous oxide of iron, in com-
bination with many of the solutions, and in particular the soda and the potash
silicates of lime, alumina, and other earths, will form solutions that will be
useful for hardening stone, as well as in the manufacture of artificial stone;
also soda and potash silicates of iron. For all such purposes I prefer to follow
nature by imitating natural rocks and minerals, into which silicate of iron, and
especially oxides of iron and manganese so largely enter as a binding medium.
The superficial coatings may be used as paint only, or may be turned into a
glazing in the manner before described.
Artificial stone I make by adding any of the concentrated solutions to earthy
and mineral substances in a convenient state of subdivision, and subjecting
such compounds to the action of fire until the whole becomes incorporated into
a solid stone. I also take advantage of the solutions to imitate minerals found
in nature by first precipitating such a per-centage of each ingredient as may
enter into the composition of the mineral proposed to be imitated out of the
soluble silicates, and adding to such precipitates, after being dried, heated, and
mixed, a concentrated soluble silicate. I then expose the compound to the
requisite heat. Artificial stone of all degrees of hardness, fineness of structure,
and varieties of color, may be produced by means of these silicates in solution,
their gelatinous or dried precipitates, artificial or native carbonates, and oxides
and native or artificial siliceous earths and minerals, in various proportions.
Some may be produced approaching porcelain and parian ware in appearance
and texture, and others the native rocks and minerals, such as the silico-
aluminous and silico-magnesian minerals or slate rocks, or sandstone or
serpentine.
In the production of artificial stones, I consider the addition of a carbonate
essential when attempting to follow nature, for I think it highly probable that
a vast number of native rocks and minerals have been formed by penetration
of compound soluble silcates into carbonaceous earths and rocks, displacing
the carbonic acid, and changing the carbonate into a silicate. It is upon this
supposition that my improvement in the manufacture of artificial stone and
cement is chiefly based. The rendering of all silicates soluble, and the use
thereof for the above purposes, affords great facility to imitate nature in this
manufacture in its infinite varieties. The displacement takes place slowly at

page_text: Other minerals may be substituted for slate dust, and the silicates may be
used supersaturated to any desired degree, reducing the quantity of slate
dust, &c. in such cases in proportion. The plastic paste may then be pressed
into moulds, and the compound subjected to a graduated heat. This may be
done directly the articles are taken out of the moulds, or after intervals of days
or weeks. The heat of an ordinary sand bath used for distilling will in many
cases be found sufficient for small articles. Some of the artificial stones may
be so compounded as to bear the most intense heat, others will be injured by
high heat. After heating the articles may be coated with the silicious paints,
and the paints turned into a glazing, as before described. This will fill the
pores, and be identical in structure with the stone itself. It will also combine
with any efflorescence which is so apt to disfigure some kinds of artificial
stones or stones and cements which may have been hardened by the process
before described, or other similar processes, the efflorescence itself being
converted into a glazing. In a similar manner I prepare artificial kaolin and
other precipitates suitable for pottery and porcelain manufacture.
The more pure soluble alkaline silicates of the various metals I use as
pigments for porcelain and for enamelling or glazing; in particular I use the
phospho-silicates boro-silicates, alumino-silicates, and other compound silicates
of the earths and metals, both in a state of solution and in a precipitated state,
and rendered insoluble by heat, for the various purposes of porcelain and such
like manufactures, either for mixing with the ware for enamelling, or for use
as glazing or pigments.
The processes for the production of articles similar to porcelain and parian
ware will in all respects be similar to those described for the production and
glazing of artificial stone, the advantage being that the compounds requiring
but a comparatively low heat for hardening the respective colors of tho
carbonates and silicates may be produced through the body of the ware and
also in the glazing or enamel.
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 exact details described; but what I claim is,-
First, the production of the compound soluble silicates.
Second, the combination of these and other silicates with woven fabrics,
paper, and paper pulp, and similar materials, in the different manufactures
described, and in lignolite paint, the substitution of paper or lignin for other
substances as the body of the paint.
Third, the production of an artificial writing slate.

page_text: Fourth, the mode of preparing the other paints, and the conversion of the
same, where desired, into a glazing.
Fifth, the use of the compound soluble silicates for hardening stone, and the
subsequent treatment thereof.
Sixth, the use and mode of using the compound soluble silicates in com-
bination with carbonates and silicates, etcetera, artificial or native, in the pro-
duction of artificial stone, enamelling, and glazing, and in the production of
ware similar to porcelain and parian ware, etcetera, by a low degree of heat.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Ellis, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
HENRY ELLIS. (L.B.)