A CERTAIN COMPOSITION HAVING ANTI-CORROSIVE AND ANTI-FOULING PROPERTIES FOR THE PRESERVATION AND KEEPING CLEAN THE BOTTOMS OF IRON VESSELS, AND ALSO FOR THE PRESER- VATION OF IRON SUBMERGED AND IRON STRUCTURES EXPOSED TO THE ACTION OF THE ATMOSPHERE OR WATER
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Jardine Combe MacMillan, of Sunderland
in the County of Durham, Gutta Percha Shoe Maker, James Mason,
of the same Place, Examining Officer in Her Majesty's Customs, and
John Vickers Scarborough, also of the same Place, Gutta Percha Shoe
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "A CERTAIN COMPOSITION HAVING
ANTI-CORROSIVE AND ANTI-FOULING PROPERTIES FOR THE PRESERVATION AND
KEEPING CLEAN THE BOTTOMS OF IRON VESSELS, AND ALSO FOR THE PRESER-
VATION OF IRON SUBMERGED AND IRON STRUCTURES EXPOSED TO THE ACTION
OF THE ATMOSPHERE OR WATER."
Sealed the 10th April 1866, and dated the 14th October 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Jardine Combe
MacMillan, James Mason, and John Vickers Scarborough, at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on-the
..14th October 1865.
We, WILLIAM JARDINE COMBE MACMILLAN, of Sunderland, in the
County of Durham, Gutta Percha Shoe Maker, JAMES MASON, of the same
Place, Examining Officer in Her Majesty's Customs, and JOHN VICKERS
SCARBOROUGH, also of the same Place, Gutta Percha Shoe Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A CERTAIN
COMPOSITION HAVING ANTI-CORROSIVE AND ANTI-FOULING PROPERTIES FOR THE

page_text: PRESERVATION OF AND KEEPING CLEAN THE BOTTOMS OF IRON VESSELS, AND ALSO FOR
THE PRESERVATION OF IRON SUBMERGED AND IRON STRUCTURES EXPOSED TO THE
ACTION OF THE ATMOSPHERE OR WATER," to be as follows:-
T
The Invention consists of an application to iron vessels, or any iron
work to be submerged or exposed to the action of the atmosphere or water,
of a coating or coatings of a composition or preparation consisting of gutta
percha and resin dissolved, and applied in the manner herein-after
described, followed by a coating or coatings of pure gutta percha, to
prevent the oxidation of the iron, and over these a coating or coatings of
a composition or preparation, consisting of gutta percha and phosphorus,
dissolved and applied in the manner also herein-after described, to prevent
the adhesion of barnacles and marine vegetation. First, the iron must be
made as clean as possible, after which it is coated over with one, two, or
three coverings of a liquid obtained by dissolving equal parts of resin and
gutta percha in four times their weight of bisulphuret of carbon, naphtha,
or other solvent, bisulphuret of carbon, however, being preferable to the
other solvents, inasmuch as it does not require heating. The best gutta
percha (which is easily dissolved), and also good resin (mastic is the-best)
should be used. The solution must be made in a flask or other suitable
vessel, and must be corked or tightly fastened so as to prevent evaporation,
but the solution will require occasional shaking, and after the lapse of six
hours it will be fit for use. As the solution or preparation is very liable to
become too thick through the evaporation of the solvent, it should be
brought to a proper consistency by adding thereto more bisulphuret of
carbon. Second, after the coating (or coatings) of the firstly described
solution has been applied and become properly dry, the next or second
coating or coatings of gutta percha may be applied, after having been dis-
solved in three or four times its weight of bisulphuret of carbon, naphtha,
or other solvent. If the solution be too thick, add more of the solvent; if
too thin, add more gutta percha. Third, the solution of gutta percha and.
phosphorus is obtained by dissolving phosphorus with bisulphuret of
carbon, in the proportion of one drachm of the former to two or three
ounces of the latter. Next dissolve gutta percha in bisulphuret of carbon
until made of the same consistency as ordinary paint, to which add the
solution of phosphorus in equal quantities. Shake the bottle or vessel
containing this solution and it will be ready for use. The third or
phosphorus anti-fouling coating may be advantageously used on the bottoms
of wooden vessels, but the vessel must' first receive one or two coats
of maint

page_text: For the preservation of iron structures exposed to the action of the
atmosphere or water, the first and second coatings are only applicable; but
above these coatings any metallic oxide' may be applied as paint without
causing oxidation. All these coatings are to be applied with a brush.
Great care is required in preparing and using the lastly described solution.
It must not be exposed to heat exceeding sixty degrees Fahrenheit, and
kept from contact with fire. The cork, stopper, or cover of the flask or
other vessel containing the phosphoric solution should have an occasional
coating of gum. The above mode of protecting iron from the action of
the water may also be employed for coating or lining iron vessels intended
for holding water.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said William Jardine Combe MacMillan, James Mason.
and John Vickers Scarborough, in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th April 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
JARDINE COMBE MACMILLAN, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham,
Gutta Percha Shoe Maker, JAMES MASON, of the same Place, Examining
Officer of Her Majesty's Customs, and JOHN VICKERS SCARBOROUGH, also
of the same Place, Gutta Percha Shoe Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said William Jardine Combe MacMillan, James Mason,
and John Vickers Scarborough, Her special licence that we, the said
William Jardine Combe MacMillan, James Mason, and John Vickers
Scarborough, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
we, the said William Jardine Combe MacMillan, James Mason, and John
Vickers Scarborough, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there.
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exércise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A CERTAIN
COMPOSITION HAVING ANTI-CORROSIVE AND ANTI-POULING PROPERTIES FOR THE

page_text: PRESERVATION AND KEEPING CLEAN THE BOTTOMS OF IRON VESSELS, AND ALSO. FOR
THE PRESERVATION. OF IRON SUBMERGED, AND IRON STRUCTURES EXPOSED TO THE
ACTION OF ATMOSPHERE OR WATER," upon the condition (amongst others) that
we, the said William Jardine Combe MacMillan, James Mason, and
John Vickers Scarborough, our executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under our, 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
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Jardine Combe. Mac
Millan, James Mason, and John Vickers Scarborough, do hereby declare
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Our Invention consists of a phosphoric, resinous, and gutta percha
composition, having anti-corrosive and anti-fouling properties for the
preservation and keeping clean the bottoms of iron vessels, and for the
preservation of iron submerged, also for lining iron vessels built for the
purpose of containing water, and also for the preservation of iron structures
exposed to the action of the atmosphere, and other purposes. The iron
must be made as clean as possible, for which purpose we make a prepara-
tion in the following manner :-Take a suitable vessel, say a glazed earthen
vessel; take sulphuric acid, five measures; unboiled tar or oil, one measure;
'lampblack sufficient to bring the mixture to a consistency, so as not to
run on a perpendicular piece of iron; allow the mixture to digest for 12
hours or so, when a thin fluid will separate from the black paste that is in
the vessel, this must be stirred and sufficient sulphuric acid or lampblack
added to bring it to its former consistency.
Another method is to take an equal measure of powdered resin and
lampblack, add sulphuric acid till a proper consistency is formed, allow it
to digest and be treated as above. The preparation thus formed has to be
applied with a brush, and when applied to the bottom of iron vessels or other
iron structures must remain at least 24 hours before being cleaned off,
which is done by scraping or brushing. In some cases, when the iron is
highly oxidized, a second application of the preparation may be necessary.
A white salt of iron being formed with the sulphuric acid, as some portions
thereof may remain attached to the iron after it is brushed, the iron must

page_text: be well washed with water and rubbed dry previous to applying the first
anti-corrosive coating.
The first, or anti-corrosive coating,, is prepared as follows:-Take of best
asphaltum 20 parts, dissolve in bi-sulphuret of carbon, naptha, or other.
solvent, until complete saturation has taken place, add by weight or
measure one part of unboiled tar. Should a pure gútta percha coating: be
used as a second coating, the first coating will require to have ten parts of
shillac and ten of asphaltum to one of bees-wax shillac dissolved in alcohol..
One, two, or more of these coatings may be applied.
די
The second coating is prepared as follows:-Dissolve in bi-sulphuret of
carbon, naptha, or other solvent, to which add one part of phosphorous,
dissolved in bi-sulphuret of carbon; then take shillac ten parts, dissolve
in alcohol, mix the shillac solution with the asphaltum, and phosphorous,
the whole to be brought to the consistency of varnish. As every solution,
that can be applied to iron is porous, from the evaporation of the solvent
being from one surface only, owing to its contact with a non-absorbant
body (iron), we, in order to contract the pores that may exist in the
coating after evaporation, apply diluted sulphuric acid; the acid must,
however, be afterwards neutralized by the application of a solution of
carbonate of soda or any alkali..
Another mode of preparing a second coating is as follows:-Take equal
parts of resin and gutta percha, dissolve in bi-sulphuret of carbon, naptha,
or other solvent, bring the solution to the consistency of varnish. After it
is applied, in order to close the pores that may exist after evaporation,
apply heat and afterwards press the coating with some flat instrument, or
cover it by a coating of equal proportions of gutta percha and phosphorous
applied in small sections at a time on the vessel, and ignited and afterwards
pressed with a flat instrument. One or more of these coatings may be applied.
As the anti-corrosive preparations are all very volatile, the operator must
regulate the consistency of each solution according to the space to be
covered. Phosphorous may be applied. in larger or smaller quantities.
In all the coatings in which phosphorous is an ingredient, the state of the
temperature has considerable influence; for instance, a much greater
proportion of phosphorous could be safely introduced in the solution under
a cold than under a warm temperature, therefore in warm weather, in
order to get a sufficient quantity of that agent on a vessel's bottom, two
or more coatings should be applied. The third anti-fouling coating is last
applied. It is prepared in the following manner :-Take of phosphorous
0.125 parts, of gutta percha 500 parts, bi-sulphuret of carbon 2.000 parts,

page_text: dissolve. After being in solution, add turpentine 0·250 parts, all by
weight. One, two, or more applications of this coating may be applied.
All the phosphoric solutions must be kept in a close tin vessel having a
wide mouth, so that a brush may be easily inserted; care has to be
exercised in removing the stopper or cover, inasmuch as friction might
ignite particles of phosphorous that may have attached themselves to the
lid or stopper, and thereby ignite the gas contained in the tin. It is,
however, free from danger, and is easily extinguished by replacing the
cover.
For the preservation of iron structures exposed to the action of the
atmosphere, we propose, after the iron has been cleaned by the first
preparation, to apply the first and second coatings, omitting the phosphorous
in the latter, afterwards treating as before stated to close the pores. Any
metallic oxide can then be applied.
In preserving water tanks we propose to apply the first and second
solutions, as in the iron structures exposed to the atmosphere, heated in
the same manner to close the pores, after which we apply a coating of pure
gutta percha dissolved in the sulphuret of carbon. Vessels built of wood
may be advantageously covered with this composition. Apply the first
solution, afterwards the second, omitting the phosphorous, above this a
covering of tin foil put on with adhesive solution, and afterwards the anti-
fouling or third coating.
In witness whereof we, the said William Jardine Combe MacMillan,
James Mason, and John Vickers Scarborough have hereunto set our
hands and seals this Fourteenth day of April, A.D. 1866.
WILLIAM JARDINE COMBE MACMILLAN. (L.S.)
JAMES MASON.
JOHN VICKERS SCARBOROUGH.
(L.9.)
(L.S.)