A New or Improved Process and Means for Drying or Senilising Wood.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 6th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Process and Means for Drying or Senilising
Wood.
We, ALBERT LOUIS CAMILLE NODON, Engineer, and LOUIS ALBERT BRETONNEAU,
Mechanic, both of 13, Rue d'Orsel, Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The object of our present invention is (in a short space of time) by means of
processes as hereafter described to render wood that has been recently felled, possessed
of qualities similar to wood that has been drying for several years.
Our invention is based on the fact that we destroy the sap, aud consequently every
vital principal, the result being to prevent the wood from being influenced by
differences in temperature.
Two operations are necessary to obtain this result.
1st Steeping the wood to be aged or dried for a certain time, (long or short), in a
concentrated solution of soluble soap, whatever its nature may be, and principally in
a soap solution having soda for its base.
2nd Steeping the wood thus treated in a solution of a soluble salt, having an
alkaline-earthy base, as for example the acetate of alumina, or similar salt.
In the first operation the soluble solution takes the place of the sap, which in the.
second steeping is dissolved and replaced by a salt having an earthy alkaline base.
Wood thus treated is not changed in appearance, the durability is increased, and
moreover it is rendered unattackable by insects, and it does not change under varying
atmospheric influences.
After the two steepings above described, the wood is dried in the air, the time for
which may vary.
Thated thin both day of Amount 1800
A New or Improved Process and Means for Drying or Senilising
Wood.
We, ALBERT LOUIS CAMILLE NODON, Engineer, and LOUIS ALBERT BRETONNEAU,
Mechanic, both of 13, Rue D'Orsel, Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of
[Price 8d.1

page_text: this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The rapid senilising of wood as hereafter described, is intended to impart to green
wood, of all kinds, the qualities which are usually acquired by time.
These qualities are, tenacity, unchangable form, and enabling wood to be suitable
for use for divers purposes, and for many tuanufactures. The different processes
heretofore employed do not leave the wood treated the qualities which it first
possessed, whereas our mode of senilising differs from them completely as to
principle.
The principle on which we base the present invention is as follows:-
1. The destruction of the sap, and consequently of every vital principle.
2. Replacing the sap. by...an insoluble body, antiseptic, and unattackable by
insects.
To obtain these results, we operate in the following manner :-
The wood being felled, either for warehousing or for use, we place it in baths, or
reservoirs, ad hoc, in which there is a concentrated solution of soap, and particularly
that having a soda base.
This operation of steeping takes place cold, with or without pressure, a phenominal
action takes place, and a change or permutation is effected.
The sap is replaced by the said solution of soap, which becomes a substitute for it
(the sap), and combines with the fibre and the other solid elements of the wood.
It is then
Every vital principle is thus destroyed, the wood no longer lives.
necessary to fix the combined elements to render the wood unattackable by water,
insects and susceptible of being submitted without change of form, to the different
changes of temperature, moisture, etc.
The wood thus treated, for a period varying according to its nature, is then placed
cold in vessels, baths, etc., containing an extended solution of soluble salt having an
alcaline earthy base.
The fatty acids previously combined with the soluble parts of the wood, are then
fixed under the form of insoluble soap with alkaline earthy base, which has taken the
place of the sap.
The wood is then dried in the air; when the drying is complete it can be employed
the same as wood that has been dried for several years.
Besides the qualities that time usually gives to wood, the following modifications
are produced by the employment of our process.
The density of the wood has increased, the colour has not changed, it has a silky
appearance, it does not crack, nor does it split, wet does not affect it, nor sun, and it
is unattackable by insects.
The duration of the immersion, and the drying, as well as the composition of the
baths, vary in accordance with the essences, and the nature of the wood treated.
nature of our
Having now particularly described and ascertained the
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The steeping of the wood, in a concentrated solution of soap, which takes the
place of the sap of the wood, and combines with its fibres, substantially as and for the
purposes described,
2. The steeping of wood, treated as previously claimed, in an alcaline earthy solu-
tion, which combining with the fatty materials, gives an in-soluble soap, which takes
the place of the sap, and renders the wood more resistant, unchangable under varying
atmospheres, not liable to decay and unattackable by insects.
Dated this 10th day of December 1896.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicants.