IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF GUTTA PERCHA
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Augustin Godefroy, of No. 3, King's Mead
Cottages, New North Road, Islington, in the County of Middlesex,
Operative Chemist in Solvents, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE TREATMENT OF GUTTA PERCHA,"
Sealed the 12th October 1855, and dated the 4th June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Augustin Godefroy
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th June 1855.
I, PETER AUGUSTIN GODEFROY, of No. 3, King's Mead Cottages, New North
Road, Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Operative Chemist in Solvents,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
TREATMENT OF GUTTA PERCHA" to be as follows:-.
The principal feature of novelty in these improvements consists in combining:
the shells of the fruit of the coco nut tree (cocos nucifera) in a finely ground
or comminuted state with gutta percha in the manufacture thereof, by which.
the quality of such material is considerably improved, and by thus treating
gutta percha the following advantages are obtained over gutta percha as
heretofore treated, that is to say, by the above improved mode of treatment
I effect, firstly considerable economy in the manufacture thereof, by reason
of the admixture being of little value, and easily and abundantly obtained...

page_text: Secondly, gutta percha treated as above when employed for general purposes
is considerably more durable than ordinary gutta percha, especially when used
for the soles of boots, and in the manufacture of clogs, goloshes, and other
articles of similar character exposed to great friction or wear. Thirdly, by
the above improved mode of treating gutta percha it will stand a greater
degree of heat, and is considerably more elastic than gutta percha of the
ordinary kind.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Peter Augustin Godefroy in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
AUGUSTIN GODEFROY, of No. 3, King's Mead Cottages, New North Road,
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Operative Chemist in Solvents, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of June in the year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Peter
Augustin Godefroy, Her special licence that I, the said Peter Augustin
Godefroy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Peter Augustin Godefroy, 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 THE TREATMENT OF GUTTA PERCHA," upon the condition.
(amongst others). that 1, the said Peter Augustin Godefroy, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Peter Augustin Godefroy, 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) :-

page_text: The principal feature of novelty in these improvements consists incombining
the shells of the fruit of the cccoa nut tree (cocoa nucifera) in a finely ground
or comminuted state with gutta percha in the manufacture thereof, by which
the quality of such material is considerably improved, and by thus treating
gutta percha the following advantages are obtained over gutta percha as
heretofore treated, that is to say, by my improved mode of treatment I effect;
firstly, considerable economyin the manufacture thereof, inconsequenceofthe
cocoa nut powder being of little value, and easily and abundantly obtained.
Secondly, gutta percha treated as above when employed for general purposes
is considerably more durable than ordinary gutta percha, especially whenused
for the soles of boots, and in the manufacture of clogs, goloshes, and other
articles of similar character exposed to great friction or wear. Thirdly, by
the above improved mode of treating gutta percha, it will stand a greater
degree of heat, and is considerably more elastic than gutta.percha of the
ordinary kind.
And in order to explain these improvements as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the means by which they may be carried into practical
effect, as follows:-The cocoa unt shell (which should be free fron fibre and
not damaged by sea water) is first broken into small pieces by any suitable
means, and then well dried; after which it is passed between powerful
crushing rollers, from whence it comes in thin flakes, said flakes being ground
in a mill as in grinding flour. The cocoa nut powder thus produced I propose
to divide into three degrees of fineness. The first quality should be of the
fineness of the wheaten flour of commerce, such as is used in making bread;
the second quality of fineness should be rather coarser than the first, and the
third quality still coarser than the preceding ones. The first or finest quality
of powder I propose to employ for covering or insulating the wire of electric
telegraphs, and for the manufacture of tubing and such like manufactures.
The second and coarser quality I employ in and for themanufactureofdriving
bands,or straps for machinery,soles for shoes and boots, ornamentalmouldings.
for decorative purposes, and other articles ofsimilar character. The third and
coarsest quality is adapted for lining ships, hut linings, covering floors and
walls, and such like purposes. In order to produce the proper degree of
fineness above mentioned, I employ sieves, through which the pulverized cocoa
nut shell is sifted. In employing the said cocoa nut powder in the manu-
facture of gutta percha, it should be added to the gutta percha when it is in
the last state of finishing in the masticator or otherwise, and be well and
thoroughly amalgamated therewith. -I would remark, that as the apparatus
ordinarily employed in the manufacture of gutta percha is well-known, it is

page_text: unnecessary to enter into any explanation thereof; but would simply observe,
that in addition to the use of such said apparatus for the purposes of these
improvements, it is only necessary to have sieves with meshes of different
degrees of fineness.
Having now described the nature and object of my said improvements, and
in what manner the same are to be performed, I would remark, in conclusion,
that I claim, as my Invention of improvements in the treatment of gutta
percha, the combiningand compounding therewith of cocoa nut shell, as above
stated.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Peter Augustin Godefroy, have hereunto
set my
hand and seal, this First day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square.
TETER A. GODETROY. (L.S.)