Improvements in or relating to Adhesive Compounds.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
Improvements in or relating to Adhesive Compounds.
A communication from CHARLES MICHAEL HIGGINS, 168 and 170 Eighth Street,
Brooklyn, Kings County, in the State of New York, United States of America,
Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111 Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 relates to that class of compounds shown in my correspondent's
former English Patents Nos. 22682 and 22685 of December 29, 1891 in which borax
or boracic acid is combined with dextrine and water and the present invention consists
of an improved or novel process of combining the said ingredients whereby cortain
advantages are secured as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.
In describing the improved process, and its product, I will first sot fortl: the
preferred formula with the proferred proportion of ingredients. To one gallon of
water use seven pounds of yellow dextrine and one pound of borax. First heat the
water to boiling or nearly so, or from 180° to 200° F., then shut off the heat and add
the dextrine which will become thoroughly and rapidly dissolved in a few minutes
aided by frequent stirring, the temperature falling gradually at the same timo. If
desired the heat may be continued on the solution until all the dextrine is dissolved
but this is not necessary.
A lower temperature may be used than that stated, but it
is preferred a minimum of about 170° to 180°. After the dextrine is thoroughly
dissolved allow the solution to cool to 90° F., or preferably 70°. Then add the borax
and stir in thoroughly until all is dissolved. The borax may be added in a dry powder
or moistened with a little water or in any other suitable way, but it is proferred the
dry powder which will soon become dissolved in and combine with the destrino
solution in this way.
In my correspondent's former patents where the. borax is combined with the
dextrine solution at a hot temperature the solution is made darker in colour and more
fluid in consistency and the advantage of the present process is that it produces a
solution of lighter colour and more viscous in consistency, which can be used for
many purposes without requiring any discolouring or clarifying or without requiring
any agents to coagulate or thicken the solution as described in my correspondent's
former patents.
It thus seems that where the dextrine has first been combined with the water at a
hot temperature forming presumably a hydrate, the borax will then combine with this
hydrated dextrine at a cold temperature with the advantages as above stated.
If it is desired to completely discolour and clarify the solution, peroxide of
hydrogen may be added thereto say five to ten volume per cent. as shown in the said
English Patent No. 22685 of 1891 or any other suitable discolouring agent may be
used with or without filtering; and as by this process less colouration has been
developed by the manner of combining the borax, less of the discolouring and
clarifying agent will be required, which will be a great gain in economy us the
peroxido is the most expensive gredient.
If it is desired to further thicken the solution, a caustic alkali may be added thereto
as described in my correspondent's Patent No. 22682 of 1891 but in this case less will

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be required. It is preferred however to use alcohol as a thickening or coagulating
agent in this case as alcohol has a more moderate thickening effect than would be the
case with the alkali and is better adapted to the more viscous solution which is
produced by this process, and has the further advantage that it does not tend to
darken the solution as is the case with the alkali. It is preferred to use about two to
five per cent. of alcohol by volume, to the borated dextrine solution, but more or less
may be used, the proper range being just sufficient to produce some thickening or
coagulation but not enough to produce permanent precipitation of the dextrine. It is
preferred to use wood or grain alcohol.
The proportions of dextrine, water and borax may of course vary according to the
consistency desired whether pasty or liquid, but it is important that the weight of
borax used be a large fraction of the weight of the dextrine, say about one-sixteenth
or more, one-eighth being the preferred average. Where white dextrine is used it is
preferred to use about five to six pounds to the gallon of water, the proportion of
borax being relatively the sanie. The product made with the yellow dextrine as it is
first described will be a viscous mucilage, whereas the product made with the white
dextrine will be more or less pasty. In some cases a mixture of white and yellow
dextrine may be used.
Boracic acid may be used in place of the borax and if so used only about half the
weight will be necessary that is where one-sixteenth or one-eighth of borax would be
employed only one-thirty-second or one-sixteenth of boracic acid need be used. Any
other suitable borate or boron compound may be used as equivalent of the borax, but
ordinary commercial borax is considered generally the best for the purposes of this
invention.
The gallon herein referred to is the American gallon of 128 fluid ounces but where
the English gallon of 160 ounces is used the proportion of the dry ingredients will of
course be altered correspondingly to keep the relative proportions of all about the same
as will be readily understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The described process of making an adhesive compound, viz., dissolving dextrine
in hot water and then allowing the solution to cool and then adding borax or its
equivalent and causing it to dissolve in and combine with said solution, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. An improved adhesive compound consisting of dextrine dissolved in hot water
and having borax or its equivalent dissolved therein and combined therewith after the
dextrino solution has been cooled, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. An adhesive compound consisting of borax, dextrine and water combined
together with alcohol added thereto, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated thin and sw1007
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.