Improvements relating to Non-inflammable Pulp and Sawdust.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements relating to Non-inflammable Pulp and Sawdust.
I, EDWIN MARSHALL Fox, of the Belgravia Hotel, Victoria Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to pulp and saw dust treated with chemical substances
in such a manner as to render them non-inflammable.
Various processes or methods have been suggested for the treatment of wood
and other substances to render them fire proof or at least non-inflammable. One
of the most successful of these processes is that described in the Specification
of Clark No. 7032%. According to this specification the wood is impregnated
or saturated with a chemical solution preferably a solution containing sulphate
and phosphate of ammonia and wood so treated can be relied upon in respect
of its complete non-inflammability.
I have discovered that pulp and sawdust may also by chemical treatment
be rendered non-inflammable. For this purpose the pulp may be made from
wood or other material by any suitable or convenient process.
The pulp thus obtained is, according to my invention, treated as follows that
is to say I make a solution of phosphate and sulphate of ammonia in water and
heat the same in a boiler or cylinder provided with suitable means for stirring
or agitating its contents and for admitting and discharging the liquid and for
regulating the temperature of the same. I subject the pulp to the action of this
hot solution until sufficient of the chemical substances have been absorbed by
the pulp to impart to the entire mass thereof the desired non-inflammable
character.
I find that for most kinds of pulp the solution should consist of the above
substances mixed or combined in the following proportions riz. one (1) pound
of phosphate of ammonia and two (2) pounds of sulphate of ammonia in three (3)
gallons of water but these proportions may in some instances have to be con-
siderably varied. The treatment of the pulp in this solution should be continued
for about five (5) hours the mass of pulp being stirred or agitated to ensure the
proper mixture of all parts of the same in the solution. The pulp is then
removed from the cylinder and squeezed or pressed to free it from moisture.
It can then be dried and put on the market in that condition or it can be
manufactured into paper, papier-mache, cardboard or the like in the same manner
as ordinary pulp or can be used for any other desired purpose to which pulp
is applicable.
Saw-dust treated in the chemical solution in substantially the same manner
will be found to possess the property of non-inflammability and will therefore be
highly useful for many purposes, such for instance as storing and packing fragile
merchandize, for moulding or compression into blocks or pieces of any shape or

page_text: dimensions for structural or ornamental purposes, for sound-proof filling o
packing in walls or partitions and for many other purposes.
Dated this 8th day of September 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to Non-inflammable Pulp and Sawdust.
I, EDWIN MARSHALL Fox, of the Belgravia Hotel, Victoria Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement; —
My invention relates to pulp and saw dust treated with chemical substances
in such a manner as to render them non-inflammable.
Various processes or methods have been suggested for the treatment of wood
and other substances to render them fire proof or at least non-inflammable. One
of the most successful of these processes is that described in the Specification
of Letters Patent No. 7032 A.D. 1896. According to this specification the wood
is impregnated or saturated with a chemical solution, preferably a solution con-
taining sulphate and phosphate of ammonia, and it has been found that wood
so treated can be relied upon in respect of its complete non-inflammability.
I have discovered that pulp and sawdust may also by chemical treatment
be rendered non-inflammable. For this purpose I take ordinary pulp, that is
to say pulp made from wood or other material by any suitable or convenient
process and treat the same as follows: viz. I make a solution of phosphate and
sulphate of ammonia in water and heat the same in a boiler or cylinder provided
with suitable means for admitting the pulp, for stirring or agitating the contents
of the cylinder, for admitting and discharging the liquid, for regulating its
temperature and for discharging the treated material. I subject the pulp to the
action of this hot solution and continue this treatment until it has absorbed a
sufficient quantity of the chemical salts to impart to the entire mass the desired
non-inflammable character. The temperature within the boiler or cylinder during
this process should be about 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
I find that for many kinds of pulp the solution should consist of the above
substances mixed or combined in the following proportions viz. one (1) pound
of phosphate of ammonia and two (2) pounds of sulphate of ammonia in three (3)
gallons of water but these proportions may in some instances have to be con-
siderably varied. The treatment of the pulp in this solution should be continued
for about five (5) hours the mass of pulp being stirred or agitated to ensure the
proper mixture of all parts of the same in solution. The pulp is then
removed from the cylinder and squeezed or pressed to free it from moisture.
It can then be dried and put on the market in that condition or it can be
manufactured into paper, papier-mache, cardboard or the like in the same manner
as ordinary pulp; or it can be used for any other desired purpose to which pulp
is applicable.
I also treat in a similar manner, ordinary saw-dust, that is to say-saw-dust
produced in saw mills or carpenters' or other work shops or the like. Such
saw-dust treated in the above specified chemical solution in substantially the
same manner as that above described will acquire the property of non-inflam-
mability and will therefore be highly useful for many purposes, amongst which

page_text: are the following viz. the storing and packing of fragile merchandize; the pro-
duction of blocks or pieces of any shape or dimensions in structural or ornamental
work of various kinds; the filling or packing of walls or partitions to make
them sound-proof; the covering or jacketing of boilers pipes and the like, to
prevent loss of heat therefrom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: -
Non-inflammable pulp or saw-dust manufactured by treating ordinary pulp
or saw-dust with a solution of sulphate and phosphate of ammonia as above set
forth.
Dated this 8th day of June 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.