AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR PURIFYING AND AMALGAMATING GUM RESINS, INCLUDING KAURI Gum
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Morgan, of No. 258, South Lambeth
Road, in the County of Surrey, Merchant, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR PURIFYING AND AMALGAMATING GUM RESINS,
INCLUDING KAURI Gum."
Sealed the 16th May 1873, and dated the 20th November 1872.
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Morgan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th November 1872.
I, ALFRED MORGAN, of No. 258, South Lambeth Road, in the County
of Surrey, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for “AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR PURIFYING AND Amalgamating Gum RESINS,
INCLUDING KAURI GUx," to be as follows:-
The gum to be cleansed is first reduced to a granulated or powdered
state by either grinding or pulverizing; it is then immersed in tanks or
vessels containing water with soda or alkali in solution, either hot or cold,
according to the quality of the gum resins under treatment, until the
colouring matter and foreign substances combine with the solution.

page_text: which is then run off, leaving the gum behind. The gum is then
washed with water to extract any of the alkali that may be retained by
it, and afterwards immersed in a solution of chloride of lime or water
charged with chlorine gas to further cleanse it, and to throw down and
separate from it any woody or other foreign substances that may still be
in it. It is then again washed in water and immersed in a tank or
vessel containing water heated by fire or steam to a sufficient heat to
render the gum under treatment (so immersed) pliable, but not sufficient
to render the surface sticky, or steam may be passed through the vessel
containing the gum to effect this end. The gum is then to be taken out
of the water, and while warm placed in bags or moulds, or other
receptacles, as may be most convenient, and compressed by mechanical
pressure of sufficient force and strength to expel the water from the
mass. On removal from the press or compressor the gum will be found
to be massed together, it must then be allowed to thoroughly cool &
harden, when it will be ready for use in the same manner as gum in its
rough or natural state.
In the case of gum already in powder or small pieces the pulverizing
process may be omitted, and in the case of small gum requiring only to
be cleansed or separated from woody particles or foreign substances the
chloride of lime process may be used by itself.
I claim as my Invention the pulverizing the gum in order to extract
from it the foreign substances held in combination with it as above
stated, the use of the solution of chloride of lime for separating the
woody and other foreign substances from the gum, and the entire process
of amalgamating the gum by moist heat & pressure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Morgan in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 19th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED 3
MORGAN, of No. 258, South Lambeth Road, in the County of Surrey,
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the 3

page_text: '
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Morgan, Her special
licence that I, the said Alfred Morgan, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Morgan, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
METHOD FOR PURIFYING AND AMALGAMating Gum RESINS, INCLUDING Kauri Gum,”
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Morgan,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Morgan, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say :—
My Invention consists of an improved method of cleansing and
amalgamating into blocks the gums used in the various preparations for
varnish making, and at the same time utilizing the chippings and
siftings of the gum which have been until recently of small value and
lessening the expense, and preventing the waste occasioned by the
processes hitherto in use.. In order to render the gum available for
cleansing as proposed by my Invention it must in the first place be
crushed or granulated by being passed through a mill or by any other
well known means. By preference I reduce it to about the size of split
peas or somewhat smaller. The gum so crushed or granulated is then
cleansed by being immersed in a tank or vessel containing a water
solution of sodh or alkali, the immersion to be continued until the
coloring matter and dirt combine with the solution. I generally find a
period of twenty hours sufficient. The gum is then to be taken from
the solution and transferred to another tank containing water only, in
which it is to be washed in order to remove any loose dirt or solution that
may be retained by it. To further cleanse the gum and separate it from

page_text: the woody and foreign particles mixed with it, the gum is then immersed
in a water solution of chloride of lime, shewing 16 to 18 degrees by
Twaddels No. 1 hydrometer, which will remove any coloring matter or
dirt that the previous solution failed to extract, and also separate the
gum from the woody particles contained in it by causing the said
particles to sink and the gum to float on the surface. In practice I
find an immersion of twenty hours sufficient. After cleansing the gum
as herein-before described it has then to be pressed or amalgamated into
blocks, for which purpose damp heat and great pressure are needed.
The pressure used may be applied either by a hydraulic or by a screw
press, the press having an iron box fitted to it with an aperture at the
bottom. The box should be fluted at the bottom and ends, and fitted with
a moveable false bottom and ends of perforated iron to allow the water
used in the process to escape when the pressure is applied. In practice
I prefer to use a box about 22 inches long by 17 wide and 18 deep.
Inside the box and fitting it exactly there should be a removeable canvas
case or box opening at the top, and lapping over so as when closed to
safely secure the gum and not to allow any to escape.
-
.
The process of blocking the gum is conducted as follows:-Close to
the press a tank should be placed containing water which is kept by
means of a steam pipe (as being preferable and more easily managed
than a fire) at a sufficient temperature to render the gum after
immersion for two or three minutes pliable. only, as it is not desirable to
render the surface sticky. For soft copals such as Sierra Leone gum, a
heat of 130 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit with two to three minutes
immersion is sufficient, but for hard copals or kauri gum a heat ranging
up to 200 degrees with the same immersion will be required. The gum
should be put into a bag or basket and immersed in the hot water tank
as described, it should then be taken out and immediately turned into
the canvas case or box in the press, which should be lapped over and
secured, and the pressure should then be applied at once as quickly and
heavily as possible.
When the full pressure obtainable has been placed on the gum it
should be allowed to remain for two or three minutes to set in the press,
when it may be taken out to cool and is ready for use.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim as my Invention is,―

page_text: First. The process of cleansing and amalgamating the gum into
blocks, substantially in the manner herein-before described.
Secondly. The process of amalgamating gum into blocks by moist
heat and pressure, in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Morgan, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-three.
Signed and sealed in the presence of
JAMES EDELL,
83, King Street,
Cheapside,
London,
Solicitor.
ALFRED MORGAN. (L.S.)