An Improved Mineral Amalgam or Cement, capable of being Fashioned by Moulding or Pressing while in a Plastic Condition.
Year: 1885

page_text: An Improved Mineral Amalgam or Cement, capable of being
Fashioned by Moulding or Pressing while in a Plastic
Condition.
I, JOHN CAWLEY, of No 1, Southwick Crescent, Hyde Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Commander, R.N. do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED MINERAL AMALGAM OR CEMENT," to-be as follows:-
My invention relates to the compounding of an improved mineral amalgam or
cement, which is capable of application as a building cement, or may be used as an
artificial stone, for the production of slabs, tablets, tombstones, architectural
ornaments, statuary, and the like.
It has bitherto been the practice to make compounds applicable to the purposes
for which my invention is suitable, homogeneous; but, according to my invention,
I vary the composition of my amalgam according to whether the faces or interior
of the mass are being produced; for, it is clear that many applications of my
invention are practicable where a variation in the composition of the amalgam
would be desirable, in the direction of producing a finer grain or surface, without
departing from the essence and scope of my invention.
The raw material which I employ as a basis is an argillo-calcareous clay, found
in the inferior cretaceous formation in the neighbourhood of Boulogne, in the
Republic of France. The paste of this is nearly homogeneous with a varying
percentage of clay.
For the purpose of my invention, I reject those portions which contain more
than, say one-twentieth part of sand. I may, when desirable, mix the above lime-
stone with either marls or clays, to secure a perfectly homogeneous mixture of
calcic carbonate and clay, as well as with other well known cements for the
purpose of varying the grain, or other characteristic, of the amalgam or cement.
The limestone as above described is first crushed and afterwards washed. When
these two processes have been completed, the stone is burnt and again crushed and
finally sifted, when the fine powder is ready for amalgamation and use.
In the practical use of my cement or amalgam, I may either apply it in a plastic
condition, in situ, moulding it afterwards; or the various operations of moulding or
fashioning may be performed in any convenient way.

page_text: An improved mineral Amalgam or Cement, capable of being
Fashioned by Moulding or Pressing while in a Plastic
Condition.
I, JOHN CAWLEY, of No 1 Southwick Crescent, Hyde Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Commander, R.N., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to the compounding of an improved mineral amalgam or
cement, which is capable of application as a building cement, or may be used as an
artificial stone, for the production of slabs, tablets, tombstones, architectural
ornaments, statuary and the like.
It has hitherto been the practice to make compounds applicable to the purposes
for which my invention is suitable, homogeneous; but, according to my invention,
I vary the composition of my amalgam according to whether it is to constitute the
interior, or the face, of the finished product. For it is clear that many applications
of my invention are practicable, in which it would be advantageous to vary the
composition of the amalgam, in the direction of producing a finer grain on the
surface of the finished product This is accomplished by varying, accordingly,
the composition of those parts of the amalgam which are to form the surface of the
finished product.
In carrying my invention into practical effect, I employ as a basis, an argillo-
calcareous clay found in the inferior cretaceous formation in the neighbourhood of
Boulogne, in the Republic of France.
The paste of this is nearly homogeneous, and contains from twenty to twentyfive
per cent of clay. The relative proportions of silica and alumina contained in the
latter may vary without any inconvenience arising therefrom, but it is important
to avoid sand as far as possible, and for the purposes of my invention, I reject
those portions which contain more than five per cent of sand.
The limestone obtained as above described is first crushed in suitable machinery
and afterwards washed.
When these two processes have been completed, the stone is burnt and again
crushed and finally sifted, when the resultant fine powder is ready for amalga-
mation and use.
I do not confine myself to the use of my cement, prepared as above described,
alone, inasmuch as other cements may be used for the interior of the finished
product, the surface being furnished by my improved cement; and, when advisable,
I may use my improved cement for the internal parts, using a different cement, if
desirable, for the surface.
་་
My cement is mixed with water till it is of a suitable consistency for use.
"In using it, it may be either applied in a plastic condition in situ, moulding it
afterwards by hand in the well-known way, or by the application of dies pressed

page_text: with sufficient force upon the plastic mass to cause it to assume the desired
conformation.
When it is not desired, or necessary, to mould the plastic amalgam, in situ,
I prefer to mould it by pouring it into suitable dies in which it is pressed by any
convenient and well-known mechanical means.
When I use different cements in the production of the manufactured product,
the cement which is to produce the surface, or face thereof, is preferably put in the
die first, and spread evenly and for a sufficient thickness.
.:
The production of architectural ornaments, or statuary, of any size,. from my
improved amalgam is therefore greatly facilitated, and the cost decreased in a
corresponding degree.
The particular application or mode of utilisation to which I consider my inven-
tion particularly applicable is the production of tombstones, and memorial tablets
generally, which are at once inexpensive and durable.
It is well-known that a great change has taken place in this country during the
last twenty years in the mode of conducting funerals, such change being in the
direction of the abolition of display, and the curtailment of expense. But, however
objectionable may be the idea of honouring the memory of the dead by an unseemly
or culpable expenditure on the funeral obsequies, common affection revolts at the
idea of leaving the last resting place of the loved and lost unmarked by a durable
memorial. And, in addition to the universal custom of raising monuments to the
memory of the dead, there is generally found a desire to endow such memorials
with some degree of ornamentation, as if the mourner would thereby seek to
mitigate the gloom of the tomb, or silently testify to the attractiveness of the
character of the deceased.
Tombstones can be produced at so reasonable a rate by my invention, that the
humblest mourner need not be debarred from the said satisfaction of erecting a
becoming memorial tablet over the grave of his lost relation, a tablet concerning
which he may well exclaim with the Latin Poet " exegi monumentum aere
perennus!"
In applying my invention in this direction, I prepare a matrix having the desired
amount of ornament to appear upon the face of the stone duly provided for, but
incising the same on the bottom and edge of the matrix, which may be made in
parts if the amount of ornamentation upon the edge of the stone renders such a
method of construction necessary to enable the stone to be taken out of the matrix.
The formation of the inscription and any face ornamentation is effected by panels
incised accordingly, and inserted in the bottom of the matrix.
My amalgam is then poured into the matrix and compressed in any convenient
and well-known way, and allowed to set quite hard, when the matrix is opened,
and the finished stone, which has been produced at a merely nominal cost, is ready
for fixing.
Inasmuch as I consider my invention is peculiarly adapted to the production of
graceful and appropriate tombstones, and similar memorial tablets, I have given a
detailed description of the best method of applying my invention in this direction.
It has been already pointed out that I propose to effect the ornamentation of
the edges of the tombstone by cutting the sides of the matrix accordingly. How
this can be carried out is familiar to ordinary makers of moulds.
In addition to the ordinary inscription, the method of producing which I have
already explained, it is quite clear that any addition thereto, such as monugrams,
devices, emblems, coats of arms, heraldic bearings, can be produced by simply
inserting a suitable plaque in the bottom of the matrix.
The application of my invention to the production of architectural ornaments,
and other objects, will be readily understood after the foregoing description of the
methods I propose to employ for the production of tombstones, and may be extended
to the encasement of corpses, thereby dispensing with the ordinary coffin.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The production of a mineral amalgam as before described for the purpose of
producing various ornamental and useful objects for which a mineral amalgam is
suitable, substantially as above described.
2. The production of tombstones, memorial tablets, architectural ornaments, and
other objects, capable of being produced out of a mineral amalgam, by pressing
the above described amalgam or cement in suitable matrices or dies, substantially
as above described.
3. The encasement of corpses in the herein before described amalgam, thereby
forming an imperishable sarcophagus.