Improvements in the Manufacture of Concrete and Artificial Stone for Building, Paving, and other purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Concrete and Artificial Stone for
Building, Paving, and other purposes.
I, THOMAS ROUSE, of 26, Southwold Road, Upper Clapton, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say:-
The object of this invention, is to provide a means of preparing a hard and
strong artificial stone for use in blocks, slabs, pipes, sinks, ornamental objects
and the like, more quickly and cheaply than has heretofore been effected.
I mix Portland or other similar cement with ordinary proportions of sand,
gravel, or broken or powdered granite clinkers, or coke breeze, and use sufficient
water or steam to moisten the mixture. After mixing, the material is put into
moulds of the required shape. The moulds are placed for a short time on a
rocker, the action of which consolidates their contents. The moulds are then
as quickly as possible placed in an air-tight chamber which is then closed, and
into which steam is allowed to enter as in a rubber vulcanising chamber. The
heat is allowed gradually to rise from 110° Fah. to 212° Fah., and the mixture
while still in the moulds in the hot moist atmosphere of the chamber, is sub-
mitted to mechanical pressure. The mixture is retained in the chamber for
several days, the time depending on the size of the moulded article, afterwards
the complete hardening of the stone is effected by the well known method of
passing it through a bath of soluble silicate of soda, and subsequently when the
stone is dry, it is immersed in a bath of calcium chloride.
Dated this 6th day of June 1899.
THOS. WILKINS,
Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Concrete and Artificial Stone for
Building, Paving, and other purposes.
I, THOMAS ROUSE, of 26, Southwold Road, Upper Clapton, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, 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, that is to say:-
The object of this invention is to provide a means of preparing a hard and
strong artificial stone for use in blocks, slabs, pipes, sinks, ornamental objects
and the like, more quickly and cheaply than has heretofore been effected.
D

page_text: I mix Portland or other similar cement with ordinary proportions of sand
and gravel, or with broken or powdered granite, clinkers or coke breeze, or with
other material usually employed in preparing concrete, and use sufficient water
or steam to moisten the mixture. After thorough mixing, the moistened material
is put into moulds of the required shape. The moulds are placed for a short time
on a rocker. What is to be the bottom of the stone I prefer to place uppermost.
The action of the rocker consolidates the mixed material in the mould which is
kept filled up by adding more material. The moulds, are next as quickly as
possible, placed in an air-tight chamber fitted with an escape or safety valve.
The chamber is then closed and steam is allowed to enter as in a rubber
vulcanising chamber. The heat is allowed gradually and slowly to rise from the
temperature the mixture in the moulds has when taken off the rocker and placed
in the chamber to about 212° Fah. The mixture while still in the moulds in
the hot moist atmosphere of the chamber, is submitted to mechanical pressure
by any suitable known means. The mixture is retained, in the chamber for
several days the time depending on the size of the moulded article. The com-
plete hardening of the stone is effected after removal from the moulds by the
well known method of passing it through a bath of soluble silicate of soda, and
subsequently when the stone is dry it is immersed in a bath of calcium chloride.
Blocks thus prepared are ready for use in about fourteen days from their final
washing, and there is no need to expose them to the atmosphere for several
months before using them as is necessary when moist heat is not used as described.
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 process of making artificial stone by aid of moist heat substantially
as herein described.
(2.) Artificial stone in the manufacture of which moist heat has been used
substantially as herein described.
Dated this Third day of March 1900.
THOS. WILKINS,
Agent for the Applicant..