IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING CORK FOR USE AS A PROTECTING MEDIUM, AND FOR FILLING IN SPACES IN SHIPS, VESSELS, RAFTS, PONTOONS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William John Hay, of No. 3, Powis Gardens,
Talbot Road, Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING CORK FOR USE AS A PROTECTING
MEDIUM, AND FOR FILLING IN SPACES IN SHIPS, VESSELS, RAFTS, PONTOONS,
AND OTHER STRUCTURES."
Sealed the 12th April 1872, and dated the 25th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William John Hay at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th October 1871.
I, WILLIAM JOHN HAY, of No. 3, Powis Gardens, Talbot Road,
Bayswater, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREPARING CORK FOR USE AS A
PROTECTING MEDIUM, AND FOR FILLING IN SPACES IN SHIPS, VESSELS, RAPTs,
PONTOONS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object to prepare cork when used as a pro-
tecting medium, and for filling in spaces in ships and other structures

page_text: in such manner as to render it comparatively uninflamable without
interfering with its elasticity and to produce it in forms convenient for
use for filling up spaces. For these purposes I take by preference cork
shavings or waste pieces of cork and treat the same with silicate of soda
or of potash either alone or in combination with different oxides or
hydrated oxides of metals such as oxide of zinc, calcium, aluminium,
iron, lead, barium, or the carbonates and sulphates of some of these
bodies. In carrying out this process I prefer to soak the cork in a
mixture of one of the said silicates in combination with water and with
one or more of the aforesaid oxides, carbonates, or sulphates, and I then
either consolidate the cork thus prepared into the form of bricks or
blocks, or I use the divided cork when dried in its loose form.
The method of forming the cork into bricks or blocks consists in
placing the material in a suitable frame and applying hydraulic or other
pressure so as to remove the superfluous silicated compound, the cork
being by preference enveloped in the first instance in a covering of
coarse canvas or scrim" or a netting of wire or twine, which coverings
may be retained on the bricks or blocks in order to render them less
liable to fracture.
"
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William John Hay in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM 2
JOHN HAY, of No. 3, Powis Gardens, Talbot Road, Bayswater, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty- 3
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William John Hay, Her special licence
that I, the said William John Hay, my executors, administrators, and.
assigns, or such others as I, the said William John Hay, my executors,

page_text: 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 PREPARING
CORK FOR USE AS A PROTECTING MEDIUM, AND FOR FILLING IN SPACES IN SHIPS,
VESSELS, RAFTS, PONTOONS, AND OTHER STRUCTURES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William John Hay, 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 William John Hay, 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 :-
My Invention has for its object to prepare cork when used as a
protecting medium and for filling in spaces in ships and other structures
in such manner as to render it comparatively uninflammable without
interfering with its elasticity, and to produce it in forms convenient for
use for filling up spaces. For these purposes I take by preference cork
shavings or waste pieces of cork and treat the same with silicate of soda
or of potash, either alone or in combination with different oxides or
hydrated oxides of metals such as oxide of zinc, calcium, aluminium,
iron, lead, barium, or the carbonates and sulphates of some of these
bodies. In carrying out this process I prefer to soak the cork in a
mixture of one of the said silicates in combination with water and with
or without one or more of the aforesaid oxides, carbonates, or sulphates.
For more effectually soaking the cork in the liquid mixture, the cork
may be placed in a vessel and the air exhausted therefrom, after which
the liquid may be admitted to the vessel so as more completely to
penetrate the pores of the cork in a manner well understood and often
employed for the soaking of fibrous or porous substances. The cork so
prepared when dried may be used in its divided form for filling in spaces
in ships, vessels, rafts, pontoons, and other structures such as life buoys
or mattrasses to be used as life floats in case of wreck. The prepared

page_text: cork may be formed into bricks or blocks by placing the material in a
suitable frame and applying hydraulic or other pressure so as to remove
the superfluous silicated, compound, the cork being by preference
enveloped in the first instance in a covering of coarse canvas or " scrim"
or a netting of wire or twine, which coverings may be retained on the
bricks or blocks in order to render them less liable to fracture.
Although I prefer to use cork in small picces as described yet the
above described process is applicable to cork of any quality, shape or
size.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, what I claim is,--
First. The mode substantially as herein described of preparing cork
so as to render it comparatively uninflammable by treating it with
alkaline silicates or with these in combination with metallic oxides,
carbonates, or sulphates.
Second. The use of cork so prepared for filling in spaces in ships,
vessels, rafts, pontoons, and other structures.
Third. The consolidation of cork so prepared into bricks or blocks
substantially as herein-described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Hay, have hereunto 1
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.