IMPROVEMENTS IN OR A NEW OR IMPROVED COMPOSITION FOR PRESERVING AND ORNAMENTING STONE, WOOD, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES
Year: 1864

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Richard Archibald Brooman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
December 1864. A communication from abroad' by Ferdinand Miller,
of Nancy, France.
I, RICHARD ARCHIBALD BROOMAN, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR A NEW OR IMPROVED COMPOSITION FOR PRESERVING AND
ORNAMENTING STONE, WOOD, AND OTHER SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the manufacture of a new or improved mineral
plastic composition or paste applicable to the preservation and ornamenting
of stone, wood, iron, and generally all materials used for constructive purposes,
the composition or paste may also be moulded, and may be used as cement.
The manufacture of the composition is based on two principal operations,―
1st, mixing in a syrupy solution of silicate of soda with a certain quantity of
silica of salts, or mineral oxides capable of producing silicates; 2nd, the
precipitatation of these silicates by a fixative composed of a salt capable of
acting by double decomposition.
The silicate of soda, obtained artificially, is dissolved in water and brought
to syrupy consistence. I mix in this solution the powder of the minerals
employed, which have been pounded and mixed with silex. The whole are
mixed together and well agitated until brought to a sufficiently homogeneous

page_text: paste. This paste is applied with a brush or otherwise, on any desired article,
which it not only ornaments but also preserves by keeping it from contact with
the atmosphere. When the coating is dry, I spread thereon with a brush or
otherwise, the fixative or reactive liquid, which is a more or less, limpid
solution of a salt capable of precipitating the silicates. This precipitation takes
place after a certain time, and after complete solidification the coated body, the
external structure of which has been as it were almost entirely re-made, offers
great resistance due to the complete aggregation of its exterior parts. It also
receives a new appearance, which can be changed as desired by modifying the
proportions employed.
I proceed to give several formulas of preparations for coating stone. The
proportions of the diluted or dissolved (delayé) materials ouly are given.
1st. Silica
Carbonate of lime
This composition is for common purposes.
2nd. Silica
Carbonate of lime
Oxide of zinc
-
by weight.
by weight.
by weight.
by weight.
by weight.
The oxide of zinc imparts a white color to the paste, which may be varied
in intensity with the proportion of the oxide. The carbonate of lime may
even be dispensed with, whereby a composition of beautiful white, and of
vitrifiable appearance is obtained. By adding chloride of calcium, theso
compositions may be applied to wood. The reactive may be hydrochlorate of
ammonia, alum, chloride of lime, or generally any salt capable of precipitating
the silicates by double decomposition.
Without giving in detail all the formulas of the preparations employed, I
may make the following remarks, the proportions of all the constituents of the
paste or composition may be varied :-
1st, the proportion of silica should be increased when a paste is required
possessing a greater degree of compactness, for instance, to obtain a paste for
modelling or making joints, I employ to sand.
2nd, the quantity of the silicate of soda or potass should be the more
considerable, as it is desired to form a more vitrifiable product.
3rd, among the pounded materials capable of being diluted, I employ all
the salts or oxides which will produce silicates, particularly salts with a base
of lead, sulphate of baryta, if it be desired to produce a white and porous
article.
4th, to obtain pastes of different colors, I add metallic coloring oxides,
oxiles of lead, of chromium, of cobalt, and others.

page_text: 5th, water is employed in greater or less quantity according to the limpidity
the paste is to possess.
6th, the re-active, which is a salt capable of precipitating the silicates and
acting by double decomposition, is varied according to the nature of the
compositions. This new or improved composition when applied as a varnish
or coating to wood and other combustible substances, will preserve them
from fire.