IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF CERTAIN COMPOUNDS TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF RENDERING WOVEN AND TEXTILE FABRICS, PAPER, LEATHER, WOOD, OR OTHER
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, OR BE MADE
KNOWN, I, ROBERT BECK FROGGART, late of Sale Moor, in the County of
Chester, and now residing at Hulme, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Manufacturing Analytical Chemist, send greeting.
WHEREAS 1ler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Royal
Letters Patent, under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Thirty-first day of December, in the fifteenth year of Her
reign, and in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Robert Beck Froggart, my exors, adiiors, and assigns, Her especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that 1, the said Robert Beck Froggart,
my exors, adors, and assigns, and such others as I, the said Robert Beck
Froggart, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term of years
therein expressed should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within that part of Her Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland called England, Her Dominion of Wales, the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, and the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney. Sark, and Man, and in
all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, my Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF CERTAIN COMPOUNDS TO BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE
OF RENDERING WOVEN AND TEXTILE FABRICS, PAPER, LEATHER, WOOD, OR OTHER

page_text: MATERIALS OR SUBSTANCLE WATERPROOF AND FIREPROOF, AND ALSO IN MACHINERY
CR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN ;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said Robert Beck Froggart, shall cause a particular
description or instrument in writing under my hand and seal of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, or
carried intopractical effect, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next immediately after the date of the
said herein in part recited Letters Patent, as, reference being thereunto had,
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Beck Froggart, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed and carried into
practical effect, are fully described and ascertained in and by the following
description or Specification, that is to say:-
1
My Invention of Improvements in the Preparation of certain Compounds
to be used for the Purpose of rendering Woven and Textile Fabrics, Paper,
Leather, Wood, or other Materials or Substances Waterproof and Fireproof,
and also in Machinery or Apparatus employed therein," consists of, firstly,
graphite, which prepare by fusing about ten parts of iron filings with ninety
parts of carbon for about ten hours; secondly, I dissolve animal or vegetable
matter, as glue, gluten, resin, mucous, or any gummy substance in water in
different proportions, according to the materials or substances to be made
water or fireproof; thirdly, I take blood and heat it slowly until the scrum,
which is a clear transparent liquid, floats on the top, and the crassamentum is
precipitated; fourthly, I prepare a strong solution of the proto-sulphate of
iron, by dissolving it in two parts of water to one of the proto-sulphate, and
expose it to the atmosphere for three or four days, or the basic red sulphate
of iron, double sulphate of potassa, and alumina or hydrochlorate of ammonia;
and, fifthly, I use oxygenated oils or fatty substances. I may now remark
that when I use the word about so much of an article, or about such pro-
portions, I mean that I have found the quantities and proportions I name
the best and most efficient, but that from various causes, such as the better
or worse quality of the article, the state or temperature of the atmosphere
and other causes, slight variations will be required. To render any fabric or
material waterproof, I take four parts of the animal or vegetable matter
aforesaid, and add four parts of the oxygenated oil or fat with one part of
resin, and boil them to a thick consistency, or the resin may be omitted if
preferred; then pass the fabric or material to be waterproofed through the

page_text: said mixture, or if only one surface is required to be waterproofed, I put the
said mixture on the surfaces of the fabric or material with a brush or
brushes or other convenient manner, and when. it is perfectly dried, I pass
the said fabric or material through a strong solution of the proto-sulphate
of iron after such proto-sulphate has been exposed to the atmosphere as
before described, or the basic red sulphate of iron, double sulphate of
potassa and alumina, or hydrochlorate of ammonia; this done, the water-
proofing process is completed. In waterproofing wood, leather, or other
materials or substances not requiring softness or pliability, the oxygenated oil
or fat may be dispensed with, paper may be attached or united to the surface
of or between the woven fabrics or other materials by first applying the
before-described composition to the said surfaces, then. placing the paper on
the fabric or material whilst the composition is wet, after which cover the
surface of the paper with the composition, and, when dried, pass the whole
through a weak solution of proto-sulphate of iron, or the basic red.sulphate
of iron, double sulphate of potassa and alumina, or hydrochlorate of ammonia
and oxygenated oil or fat, as before described. This material is a substitute
for very strong cloth, such as is suitable for cart sheets, wagon. covers, or
similar purposes, and by using a very light paper with a very light cloth, it
will be much cheaper than a strong woven fabric. It will be easily perceived
that many methods may be adopted for applying these compositions to the
surfaces of fabrics, materials, or substances; for instance, a woven fabric may
be passed through the composition by being immersed by hand, by being
guided through it by rollers, by being laid on with revolving or stationary
brushes, or any other convenient method, as experience will suggest or the
material may require. I prepare a material or substance which will serve for
the purpose of floor cloths, felting, mouldings, cornices, or architectural
ornaments made of or worked on or in at present by plaster or papier maché,
et cetera, by grinding to a fine pulp fleshings or parings from hides, or any
animal matter, which I mix with fine ground sawdust from cork or any other
vegetable substance, as wood or cotton waste, et cetera, to the consistency of
thick paste; I then form them to the required shape, in moulds or any other con-
venient manner, and, when dry, I steep them. in a strong solution of the
proto-sulphate of iron, and if the material requires a certain degree of
pliability, I use the oxygenated oil or fat, as before described.. I also prepare
or make waterproof varnish, by dissolving about eighty-nine parts of: resin: or
other similar gummy substances with eleven parts of a solution of alkali with
the oxygenated oil or fat, and also paints and cements, by mixing with that

page_text: composition any pigment to produce the necessary color, and, when dry, I fix
them with the proto-sulphate of iron or sclicated potasb, or basic red sulphate
of iron, double sulphate of potassa and alumina, or hydrochlorate of ammonia.
To render fabrics or materials waterproof and fireproof, I use four parts of
the animal or vegetable mixture, as before described, for waterproofing, and
one part of the hydrochlorate of ainmonia dissolved in the serum or trans-
parent liquid obtained from the blood, as already described, which I boil down
to the consistency of paste, and then mix with this substance about three
parts of graphite to one of crassamentum, as before mentioned. I then apply
this mixture or composition to the fabric or material in any convenient
method, such as those before described for waterproofing, and, when it is dry,
pass it through or apply to the surface a strong solution of proto-sulphate of
iron or basic red sulphate of iron, or the double sulphate of potassa and
alumina. By this process the fabric or material is rendered both waterproof
and fireproof. I also make hemp or oakum water and fireproof by steeping it
in the aforesaid compositions, which will dispense entirely with the use of tar
for ropes and oakum. It is also evident that these processes will be very
advantageous for sails of ships and waste for cleaning machinery, by which
accidents arising from self-combustion will be avoided. Casks or packages for
holding gunpowder or other combustible matter may be covered inside "änd
outside with the aforesaid waterproof and, fireproof compositions, or the
powder may be enclosed in wrappers or envelopes before being put into
the casks, or both processes may be used. Cart and wagon covers now
supplied by tarpauling or oilcloth, may be 'rendered water and fire proof
by these processes, by which accidents from fire (now so general on rail-
ways), will be avoided. It is also applicable to horse covers, rugs, mats,
floorcloths, bed hangings, and all kinds of drapery and wearing apparel.
To impregnate oils or fatty substances with oxygenated gas they must
be freed from all impurities, such as mucilage, gluten, et cetera, to effect
which I use my improved apparatus as shewn in the Drawings hereunto
annexed, in which the same letters of reference denote similar parts where
different views or diagrams are shewn. This apparatus consists of three
cylinders, which are placed inside each other when in working order;
the second and third, or inner ones, being perforated; the second with
holes about the size of a pea at convenient distances asunder, and the
third, with small holes similar to wire gauze. I charge the space between
the second and third cylinder with lead filings, alum, and marble, in small
picces in equal proportions; I then pour the oils or fatty substances into the

page_text: top of the apparatus, they run into the spaces between the first and second
cylinders, and I then connect the tap on the top of the inner cylinder with a
retort for producing oxygen gas, a continuous stream of which is kept passing
through the oil or fat until it ceases to give any deposit. The oil thus refined
or purified is drawn off by a tap at the bottom of the apparatus, and the
residue or sediment is drawn off by another tap. Fig. 1 is a section of the
first and second cylinders with an elevation of the third cylinder, all in working
order; Fig. 2 is a plan of the same; Fig. 3 an elevation of the third or inner
cylinder; Fig. 4 an elevation of the second cylinder; Fig. 5 an elevation of
the first or outside cylinder; and Fig. 6 a section of the double acting valve
with spring inside to allow the gas to emit freely either in an upward or
downward direction. a is the first or outer cylinder; the second or inter-
mediate cylinder, perforated at certain distances with small holes; c, the third
or inner cylinder, which is perforated with very fine holes similar to wire guaze,
and also covered with fine cloth, paper, or skin, to prevent the impurities pass-
ing, and to allow the gas to escape and diffuse itself with regularity through the
oil or fatty substance, which is placed between the first and second cylinders;
d is a tap communicating with the inner cylinder to draw off the oxygenated
oil or fat; e a tap to draw off the residue or sediment; f is a tap for the
entrance of the gas to the inner cylinder; the double acting safety valve
with spring, as before described. The whole of this apparatus may be made
of iron, tin, brass, or any other suitable metal or material.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner for carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein
mentioned, as such may be varied as before mentioned, to the peculiar circum-
stances of each case, but what I claim as of my Invention is,-
Firstly, the several combinations, compositions, or compounds of chemicals
as herein before described, to be used for rendering woven or textile or other
fabrics or materials waterproof or fireproof, or both.
Secondly, the machinery or apparatus herein described and illustrated in the
annexed Drawings for impregnating oils or fatty substances with oxygenated
gas, and freeing such substances from impurities.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Beck Froggart, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of June, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.
ROBERT BECK (L.s.) FROGGART.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of June,
in the year of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid Robert Beck Froggart came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-two.