A Float of Impregnated Natural or Artificial Cork,suitable for the Floats of Ball Valves, Water Gauges, and such like.
Year: 1897

page_text: A Float of Impregnated Natural or Artificial Cork,suitable for the
Floats of Ball Valves, Water Gauges, and such like.
We, GUSTAV HAGEMANN and Dr. OTTO ZIMMERMANN, of the Suberit Factory,
Ludwigshafen on the Rhine, Germany, Manufacturers, 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 provide a substitute for the usual hollow
metal floats, which, in process of time, cease to be watertight and become useless
through oxidation or corrosion independent altogether of mechanical injury; and
also a substitute for the usual wood and cork floats which are bound to be destroyed
or cracked sooner or later by the action of frost or other meteorological conditions,
by decay, mildew, mouldiness, &c. The substitute consists of a material of a
permanent character so that from it ball valves, water gauges, and the like can be
constructed which will be reliable and regular in action in contradistinction to those
heretofore used.
The new float is made out of natural or artificial cork, suitable pieces of which are
selected and cut to the required shape. Large floats are made of several pieces of
cork secured together by any suitable adhesive, such as cassine glue, a solution of
cellulose, collodion, or the like. If artificial cork is used the float is cut out of blooks
or moulded directly into shape.
When the floats are completed they are impregnated with paraffin, stearine,
palmatin, rosin, or any other well known substance having similar properties.
Mixtures of these various substances may also be used according to requirements.
The impregnation can be effected in any well known manner, but preferably it is,
effected in closed vessels heated by steam and provided with a discharging
arrangement; when the impregnation is completed the float is removed from the
still warm impregnating liquid and is allowed to cool, whereupon the float is ready
for use.
Floats prepared according to, this process are impervious to water and are not
influenced by frost and they remain in water at ordinary temperatures absolutely
unaffected. No mildew forms on such floats and they neither crack nor rot.
Further, considerable mechanical injury has but a slight influence on their action.
The new floats can be used with absolute security in all cases; and ball valves,
water gauges, &c., provided therewith will operate regularly and reliably.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. Floats of natural or artificial cork for ball valves, water gauges and such like
impregnated with paraffin, palmatin, stearine, rosin, or other similar substances,
uhatantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. Floats of natural or artificial cork impregnated with mixtures of the substances
claimed in Claim 1, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 02nd day of T190
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.