Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Stone.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
Improvements in the Manufacture of Artificial Stone.
A communication by LA SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME LA NÉO-LITHO, of Moll, near
Antwerp, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object to manufacture by means of a process consisting
in producing sandstone by submitting a mixture of sand and hydraulic lime to the
action of steam under pressure, an improved artificial stone of a very dense and
close molecular construction as opposed to that of sandstone which is of a friable
nature, with a view to obtaining a final product of extraordinary cohesion absolutely
similar to the best natural hard stone like the various kinds of marbles, blue stone
and the like, and capable of being polished like all these natural agglomerates and
of thus being employed for internal and external works, as they are capable of
resisting all weathers. This. manufacture constitutes in a word a new process of
manufacture of artificial marble, such as has not hitherto been obtained by the
processes employed up to the present, which have all produced products which
rapidly deteriorate by an internal sweating of their constituent parts, whilst
the constituent elements of this improved stone acquire a stability and unchange-
able fixity under the action of steam employed as the sole agent for their
agglomeration.
In fact this novel effect in this manufacture is obtained by the use of certain
oxides which are the vehicular agents of the transformation, determining the
fineness of the texture by their mixture with silica and lime under the action of
high pressure steam.
The oxides which in this manufacture play a preponderating part are the oxides
of alumina, oxides of potassium and sodium, to which small proportions of oxide of
iron and oxide of calcium may be advantageously added as a mixture with the
remainder of the composition.
According to these indications in order to produce a greyish marble for ordinary
building purposes, the following formula may be preferably employed:-
Silica-
Hydraulic lime
Oxide of alumina
40%
20%
20°
10°
Oxide of potassium or sodium -
Oxide of calcium
Oxide of iron -
5
5%
All these substances are finely pulverized and bolted and mixed as thoroughly as
possible in order to be afterwards submitted to the action of high pressure steam in
decomposable moulds inserted in suitable boilers in the ordinary manner.
The stone obtained as a finished product has a resisting power and cohesion even
superior to those of similar natural stones. It no longer changes its nature under
any influence even if exposed to acids and it polishes like the best qualities of
marble

page_text: If it be desired that it shall have a redder colour, the proportions herein before
indicated are slightly varied by increasing the proportion of oxide of iron, and if
it is desired to have a whiter stone, the proportion of silica and oxide of alumina is
increased and the oxide of iron dispensed with, and it is evident in this process that
by varying in other manner the composition, artificial stones of various colours
and natures may be produced but all of them always very resistant and of fine
texture by reason of the oxides of alumina, potassium and sodium.
Dated this 18th day of February 1906
A communication by LA SOCIÉTÉ ANONYME LA NEO-LITHO, of Moll, near
Antwerp, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 31 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, 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 :-
This invention has for its object to manufacture, by means of a process consisting
in producing sand-stone by submitting a mixture of sand and hydraulic lime to
the action of steam under pressure, an improved artificial stone of a very dense
and close molecular construction as opposed to that of sandstone which is of a
friable nature, with a. view to obtaining a final product of extraordinary cohesion
absolutely similar to the best natural hard stone like the various kinds of marbles,
blue stone and the like, and capable of being polished like all these natural
agglomerates and of thus being employed for internal and external works, as they
are capable of resisting all weathers. This manufacture constitutes in a word a new
process of manufacture of artificial marble, such as has not hitherto been obtained
by the processes employed up to the present, which have all produced products
which rapidly deteriorate by an internal sweating of their constituent parts, whilst
the constituent elements of this improved stone acquire a stability and unchangeable
flexity under the action of steam employed as the sole agent for their agglomeration.
In fact this novel effect in this manufacture is obtained by the use of certain
.oxides which are the vehicular agents of the transformation, determining the
fineness of the texture by their mixture with silica and lime under the action of
high pressure steam.
The oxides which in this manufacture play a preponderating part are the oxides
of alumina, oxides of potassium and sodium, to which small proportions of oxide
of iron and oxide of calcium may be advantageously added as a mixture with the
remainder of the composition.
According to these indications in order to produce a greyish marble for ordinary
building purposes, the following formula may be preferably employed-
Silica -
Hydraulic lime
-
40%
20%
20%
Oxide of potassium or sodium
-
10%
Oxide of alumina

page_text: All these substances are finely pulverized and bolted and mixed as thoroughly
as possible in order to be afterwards submitted to the action of high pressure steam
in moulds (which may be taken to pieces) inserted in suitable boilers in the ordinary
manner.
The stone obtained as a finished product has a resisting power and cohesion even
superior to those of similar natural stones. It no longer changes its nature under
any influence, even if exposed to acids, and it polishes like the best qualities of
marble.
If it be desired that it shall have a redder colour, the proportions hereinbefore
indicated are slightly varied by increasing the proportion of oxide of iron, and if
it is desired to have a whiter stone, the 'proportion of silica and oxide of alumina
is increased and the oxide of iron dispensed with, and it is evident in this process
that by varying in other manner the composition, artificial stones of various
colours and natures may be produced, but all of them always very resistant and
of fine texture by reason of the oxides of alumina, potassium and sodium.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is-
The manufacture of artificial stone of a very fine texture and great resistance
by treating with steam at a high pressure mixtures of silica and lime and the
oxides of alumina, potassium and sodium, with or without the addition of oxides of
iron or calcium, substantially as described.
Dated this 23rd day of March 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.