IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NON-EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS FORMING THE MATERIAL FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COLLODION AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Henley and Daniel Spill,
junior, both of North Woolwich, in the County of Essex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NON-EXPLOSIVE
COMPOUNDS FORMING THE MATERIAL FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COLLODION AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Henley
and Daniel Spill at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 6th April 1870.
We, WILLIAM THOMAS HENLEY and DANIEL SPILL, junior, both of
North Woolwich, in the County of Essex, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NON-
EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS FORMING THE MATERIAL FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COL-
LODION AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOB," to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is the production of a non-explosive but
soluble compound from vegetable fibre at less cost than hitherto
attained.

page_text: For this purpose vegetable fibre, and notably esparto grass, in a finely
divided state (which is the novel and indispensable condition for the
success of the process or operation) is treated with a combination of
nitric and sulphuric acid and water, the fibre being saturated and then
pressed out again as quickly as possible (this being the second novel and
indispensable condition for the success of the operation) before it has
become sufficiently soluble in hydrocarbon solvents. For this purpose.
we employ any suitable agitating or mixing apparatus. The fibre is
then in the moist state conveyed to a closed but not air-tight chamber,
subjected to an elevated temperature below 130° F. until thoroughly
soluble, experiments having shown that this takes place in the course
of several hours. The material is then washed in a plentiful supply of
water to free it from the remaining acids, after which it is dried in a
warm room or stove at a temperature not exceeding 100° F.
Collodion is then prepared from this material in any ordinary and
well-known manner. In producing a flexible material (for insulating
purposes) we use vegetable, mineral, or animal oils, fats, pitch, tar,
resins, or gums in suitable proportions according to the material required
to be produced.
Firstly. According to the process well known in connection with gun
cotton for the purposes named, we take, say, 100 parts of our fibre and
dissolve it in any suitable solvent or in a mixture of a solvent and oil,
fat, tar, or gum, and add thereto, say, 100 parts more or less of the oil,
fat, tar, or gum, or a mixture of the above-named compounds. We are
well aware that straining or filtering the material has been proposed and
tried at this stage but without success; but we are enabled to do so by
reason of our material being more perfectly dissolved so that it will pass
through a strainer. We then purify it by filtering or straining when-
ever required. The material is then placed in a still, heated by preference
by steam by means of a steam jacket, and fitted with a powerful
agitator or mixer and an ordinary worm or other condensing apparatus
whereby we recover about 90 per cent. of the solvent. The compound
thus treated will be similar to india-rubber or gutta percha dough, and
may be worked in a like manner according to the various purposes. For
hard or rigid compounds we take to every 100 parts of the dissolved fibre
100 parts more or less of pigments or colours such as are used for
compounding india-rubber; we then work it in the before-mentioned
still with the agitator or grind it between rollers working in a closed
say

page_text: heated chamber of the following description:-The chamber or vessel
is fitted with double walls containing steam between the same (steam
jacket). This steam jacket extends all along the bottom, which by
preference is made flat, and the steam jacket may in some cases
extend nearly round the sides and top; the ends of the vessel may also
be steam jacketed. A suitable door is provided for filling in and
removing the material to be treated, and means are provided for turning
over the mass of the material at certain intervals. The grinding rolls
are of either a corrugated or undulating shape, or they are made taper,
the small end of each roller working against the large end of the other.
To prevent the material from charring by direct contact with the hot
bottom walls of the chamber perforated inner screens may be provided
or wire gauze when required. The solvents pass off through a worm
fitted to the top of the chamber; the worm acts as a condenser.
To promote the efficacy of the heating surface of the steam jacket the
inside walls of the chamber may be made with a corrugated, ribbed,
cupped, or otherwise raised and extended surface.
After being ground or kneaded sufficiently in this manner it may be
worked in a manner similar to india-rubber in a soft state by rolling or
pressing into sheets or other forms as required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Thomas Henley and Daniel Spill in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
THOMAS HENLEY and DANIEL SPILL, junior, both of North Woolwich,
in the County of Essex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourthi
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said William Thomas Henley and Daniel Spill, junior,
Her special licence that we, the said William Thomas Henley and Daniel
Spill, junior, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others

page_text: as we, the said William Thomas Henley and Daniel Spill, junior, our
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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NON-EXPLOSIVE COMPOUNDS FORMING THE MATERIAL FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF COLLODION AND OTHER SUBSTANCES, AND IN APPARATUS
THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said William
Thomas Henley and Daniel Spill, junior, our executors or adminis
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their
hands and scals, 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 Thomas Henley and
Daniel Spill, junior, 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, reference
being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters of reference
marked thereon, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is the production of a non-explosive
but soluble compound from vegetab fibre at less cost than hitherto
attained.
For this purpose vegetable fibre, and notably esparto grass, in a finely
divided state (which is the novel and indispensable condition for the
success of the process or operation) is treated with a combination of
nitric and sulphuric acid and water, the fibre being saturated and then
pressed out again as quickly as possible (this being the second novel and
indispensable condition for the success of the operation) before it has
become sufficiently soluble in hydrocarbon solvents. For this purpose
we employ any suitable agitating or mixing apparatus. The fibre is
then in the moist state conveyed to a closed but not air-tight chamber,
subjected to an elevated temperature below 130° F. until thoroughly
soluble, experiments having shown that this takes place in the course of
several hours. The material is then washed in a plentiful supply
of water to free it from the remaining acids; after which it is dried

page_text: in a warm room or stove at a temperature not exceeding 100° Fahren-
heit.
Collodion is then prepared from this material in any ordinary and
well-known manner.
For the purpose of finely dividing the vegetable fibre, and notably
esparto grass, we prefer to employ a machine of a construction illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the same; Figure 2, a vertical
cross section on line A, A, Figure 1; and Fig. 3 is an outside end view
of the larger end of the machine. The same consists of a stationary
hollow conical drum a, a, conveniently made of wood segments held
together with iron hoops b, b, b, which also serve as means for fixing the
machine to a wooden frame. The interior of the stationary drum is
lined with wood segments having pins or points projecting on the
inside. In this stationary drum revolves at a great speed another
corresponding conical drum e, e, which in a similar manner is fitted
with outside projecting pins or points. The shaft of this revolving drum
is here shewn with fast and loose pulley. The material to be operated
upon is fed into the machine through a shoot or hopper d; a slide e in
the same serves to regulate the feed. By passing between the projecting
pins on the stationary drum and the revolving drum, and by reason of
the centrifugal force finally passing out of the machine at its open end,
the material is caused to be finely divided as required.
In witness whereof, wc, the said William Thomas Henley and
Daniel Spill, junior, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM THOS. (L.S.) HENLEY.
DANIEL (L.S.) SPILL, Junª.
WILLIAM THOS. (L.S.) HENLEY,
DANIEL (L.S.) SPILL, Junª.