AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE AND OTHER MATERIALS TO PREVENT THE PREMATURE DESTRUCTION OR DECAY OF THE SAME BY THE ACTION OF WATER OR ATMOSPHERIC OR OTHER LIKE INFLUENCES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING TEXTILE AND OTHER
MATERIALS TO PREVENT THE PREMATURE DESTRUCTION OR DECAY OF THE
SAME BY THE ACTION OF WATER OR ATMOSPHERIC OR OTHER LIKE INFLUENCES."
A communication from abroad by Waldemar Thilmany, of Cleveland, Ohio,
United States of America.
Sealed the 11th August 1876, and dated the 12th April, 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th April 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR
TREATING TEXTILE AND OTHER MATERIALS TO PREVENT THE PREMATURE DESTRUC-
TION OR DECAY OF THE SAME BY THE ACTION OF WATER OR ATMOSPHERIC OR OTHER
LIKE INFLUENCES." A communication.
This Invention relates to the charging or impregnating of timber, animal and
vegetable fibre, and textile fabrics, such as sails, cordage, cloths, hose pipe and
the like with antiseptic salts consisting of sulphate of copper and chloride of
barium, or muriate of barytes or their equivalents, in or about in the following
proportions, and in the manner herein-after described. The said Invention also
relates to the apparatus or mechanism employed in connection with the said process
for treating ship timber, piles, and the like.
It is well known that ship sails, textile hose pipes, cordage and the like, by
exposure to the weather, by the action of water on the pipes, moisture by rain,
and changes of temperature, will tend to mildew and decay."
The object of this Invention is to arrest the premature destruction of such
and other textile fabrics and articles when exposed to such destructive agents.
The advantage gained by the preservation of sails, awnings, textile water pipes, and
cordage alone is well understood to be very great.
This improved process consists in dissolving say three pounds of the sulphate of
copper in one hundred pounds of water, which may be of the temperature of ordinary
cold water. To facilitate the process the water should be heated. In this liquid
the fabric is then immersed and remains there until it is thoroughly charged with
the solution. It may be necessary in some cases to enclose the compound and
[Price 6d.

page_text: articles in a suitable closed tank or vessel of such construction as would allow of
pressure being used to force the sulphate of copper solution into the fabric. This
may not be needed in open and light fabrics. After the goods are taken out of this
bath they are subjected to pressure by being passed between rolls, or by other
mechanical means to press out the excess of the said solution.
The next step is to immerse the goods in a bath prepared of three parts of the
chloride of barium or muriate barytes, and one hundred parts of water by weight.
In this solution the goods should remain until they are completely impregnated;
and to facilitate this impregnation of the fabrics pressure may be employed
substantially in the same manner as in the first stage of this process in treating
the manufactured goods with sulphate of copper. After the second bath the fabric
is again subjected to pressure to express the excess of the last solution from the
goods thus charged. The articles are then allowed to dry preparatory for use.
By this process of treating the said manufactured articles with sulphate of copper,
and next with the chloride of barium in the manner described, the result of the
union of these salts is the sulphate of barytes and chloride of copper, which unite
the fabrics and fornt an insoluble union, arresting the tendency to mildew and decay.
In some instances it may be preferable to subject the raw material by the above
described process before they are manufactured into goods of various kinds, in
which case the treatment or process would be substantially the same as for the
manufactured articles.
The mechanisin or apparatus referred to as employed in connection with this
process comprises an elastic band or ring, for this purpose rubber is preferred. The
size of the band will be according to the size or diameter of the log or timber on
which it may be used. Surrounding the said band is a metal clamp which may be
in two or more sections or arcs of a circle, the ends of each section are turned
outward, forming an ear with a bolt hole in each, in which bolts are inserted,
whereby the sections are connected, and by which they are clamped tightly around
the rubber band, a hole is made through one section of the clamped and elastic band,
in which is inserted a stop cock.
The practical operation of the above described device for conducting the process
is as follows: In practice two pieces of timber or logs are treated at once. Thus
one end of each log is squared off, the two ends are then brought in close proximity
to each other almost so as to touch, the elastic band is placed on about the ends of
the two logs covering the space between them, the clamp is also put around the
band and clamped tightly around it by the bolts, thereby binding the band tightly
around the ends of the timbers. The antiseptic solution is now forced into the
timber by means of a press, and by a pipe attached to the stop cock, which on being
opened allows the solution to pass into the narrow space between the ends of the
timbers, and thence into the pores thereof. The solution will not be able to escape
from the space between the timbers in consequence of the band clamped tightly
around it. If it is necessary to employ excessive pressure two clamps may be used
one on each timber. The elasticity of the band readily adapts it to any irregularity
in the surface of the timber, and also permits its application to various sizes of
timbers if not greatly different, larger or smaller bands being used as required, and
should one timber be larger than the other, the smaller one can be bolstered up
by a secondary band placed on the timber in connection with the first band.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th October
1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR
TREATING TEXTILE AND OTHER MATERIALS TO PREVENT THE PREMATURE DESTRUC-

page_text: TION OR DECAY OF THE SAME BY THE ACTION OF WATER OR ATMOSPHERIC OR OTHER
LIKE INFLUENCES." A communication from abroad by Waldemar Thilmany, of
Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.
This Invention relates to the charging or impregnating of vegetable and animal
fibre, such as cotton, wool, hair, silk, timber, flax, wood, and the like, either in its
raw state or when manufactured into various articles with antiseptic salts, con-
sisting of the sulphate of copper and the chloride of barium (muriate of barytes) or
their equivalents, in or about the following proportions, and substantially in the
manner herein-after specified:-
--
The said Invention also relates to the herein-after described apparatus employed
in charging logs, piles, masts, and other timbers with said salts.
It is well known that wood, ships' sails, cordage, textile hose, pipes, and the like,
by exposure to the weather, by the action of water on the pipes, moisture by rains,
atmospheric changes, and other agents become mildewed, hence decay.
The object of this process is to arrest the premature destruction of said fabrics and
other articles when subject to such degrading agents; the advantage of preserving
sails, cordage, awnings, textile water pipes, timbers, woody fibre and the like, in its
various forms is well understood to be of great importance.
To
In this process I dissolve three pounds of the sulphate of copper in one hundred
pounds of water, which may be of the temperature of ordinary cold water.
facilitate the process of charging the articles with the sulphate of copper the liquid
should be heated, in which the fabric is then immersed and remains there until it
is completely charged with the solution.
In some cases it may be necessary to place the compound and articles or materials
in a suitable closed tank or vessel of such construction as would allow of pressure.
being employed to force the sulphate of copper solution into the fabric; this may
not be needed in open and light fabrics, but in heavy cordage, canvas in rolls or
packages, and other similar goods it may be requisite. After the goods are taken
out of this bath of sulphate of copper they are subjected to pressure by being
passed between rolls (or by other mechanical means) to force out the excess of
said solution.
The next step is to immerse the goods in a bath prepared of three parts of the
chloride of barium, muriate of barytes, and one hundred parts of water by weight.
In this solution the goods should remain until they are fully impregnated, and to
facilitate this impregnation of the fabrics pressure may be used, substantially in
the manner as before referred to in the first stage of the process for treating the
manufactured goods with the sulphate of copper.
After this second bath the fabric is again subjected to pressure to express the
excess of the last solution from the goods thus charged; the articles are then.
allowed to dry preparatory for use.
By this process of treating the said manufactured articles and raw material with
the sulphate of copper, and next with the chloride of barium in the manner.
described, the result of these salts is the sulphate of barytes and chloride of copper
which unite with the fabric and vegetable fibre and form an insoluble union,
arresting the tendency to mildew and decay, and to a certain extent rendering the
vegetable or woody fibre fire-proof.
In some cases it may be preferable to subject the raw materials to the above-
described process before the same are manufactured into goods of any kind, in
which case the treatment would be substantially the same as for the manufactured
articles.
In treating raw material, such as solid timber or woody fibre when in a damp
unseasoned and compact state, the articles may be placed in a closed chamber and
the moisture driven off by charging the articles with steam, which opens the cells
and fibres of the material, and at the same time changes the nature of the albumi-
nous parts of the sap, so as to render them harmless as agents of fermentation and.
decomposition.

page_text: After this treatment the moisture and condensed steam are drawn off and the
material is charged with the sulphate of copper, and when sufficiently impregnated
with the sulphate of copper solution it is.drawn off and the articles again charged
with the chloride of barium, or its equivalent, to the extent of intimately combining
the chloride of barium solution with the articles.
When treating articles of heavy and close fibre the liquid salts may be forced
into the cells and fibre by a force pump or other mechanical means.
Experience in manipulating this process will enable the operator to determine
by examination and chemical test when the goods, woods, and other articles are
sufficiently charged with the solution.
Wood may be used directly after being taken from the tank or chamber, and
when treating this material it is not taken out of the chamber until the process is
completed, as the moisture, condensed steam, and the solutions may be drawn off as
required by an exhaust pump or otherwise.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a side view of my apparatus as used
for timber of considerable length, such as masts, spars, and other pieces which
cannot conveniently be immersed in the bath.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section; Figures 3 and 4 are, transverse sections of
the same; Figures 5 and 6 are herein-after described. Like letters indicate
corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
This apparatus is designed for conducting the process of charging timber with
antiseptics for their preservation from decay, and to prevent the destruction of ship
timber, spiles and wood structures when exposed to the attack of the teredo and
liminosa. The said apparatus is constructed and operated substantially as follows:-
It consists of an elastic band or ring A of india-rubber or other suitable material,
rubber being preferred for this purpose.
On each end of the band is fitted a metal
clamp B and C, as will be seen in Figures 1 and 2. These clamps may consist of
two or more sections or arcs of a circle, the ends of which are turned outward,
forming ears in which bolts D are inserted, whereby the sections are connected to
each other and clamped tightly around the band, as will be seen in the Drawing.
E is a stop cock secured in the band A, and to which is attached a hose F.
The practical application of the above described apparatus to the timbers for
the purpose specified is as follows:-In practice it is found convenient to treat two
pieces of timber or logs at once, which pieces of timber may be both of a size or of
unequal size or lengths as shown in the Drawing, in which G and H represent two
logs or timbers. The ends of the timbers are cut straight across, and are then
brought close to each other, leaving a space between them, as will be seen in
Figure 2 at I. Over the proximated ends of the two logs is placed a band A, as
shown in said Figure 2. Should there be a difference in the size of the two logs
or piles, as shown in the Drawing, the elasticity of the band will allow it to stretch
and adapt itself to this difference, also the clamps may be adjusted to this difference
by means of the bolts D, which may be left of considerable length for that purpose.
The said clamps it will be seen are bound around the two ends of the band respec-
tively, thereby clamping the band tightly to the ends of the timbers covering the
space I, as will be seen in Figure 2. The logs thus prepared are now charged with
the antiseptic solution, which by means of a pump, hydrostatic pressure, or other
suitable means connected to the apparatus by the hose F is forced through the
stop cock E into the space I between the logs, thence into the pores of the wood,
thereby charging the timber with chemicals for the purpose specified.
If extraordinary pressure is to be exerted in order to charge the timber to keep
the band from being forced from the logs, a clamp may be used having a rib along
the inner side, as will be seen at bin Figure 6 which represents a transverse
section of a clamp with the rib buried in the band c. This rib will prevent the
pulling of the band from under the clamp. In place of the rib a piece of wire may
be placed around the band under the clamp, as will be seen in Figure 5. This
expedient, however, need not often be resorted to as the band can be bound
sufficiently tight to the logs without.

page_text: In making the clamp in several sections it will readily adapt itself to the ends of
logs or timbers that may not only be of different diameters but of irregular shape,
hence strong and tight joints will always be secured by means of the jointed
clamps. By the use of this apparatus two logs can be treated at once in but little
more time than would be needed in treating one only. The clamps may be shaped
to the timber.
The chemicals designed to be used are chloride of barium and sulphate of copper,
as herein-before specified, but other chemicals may be used with the above described
apparatus for the same purpose.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim-
First. The process of treating textile or woody fibre in any of its forms, textile
fabrics or their raw material with the sulphate of copper and chloride of barium,
or their equivalents in the manner as above set forth, and for the purpose of
arresting mildew and decay.
.
Second. The combination of the sulphate of copper and chloride of barium or
their equivalents with woody fibre in any of its forms, for the purpose of arresting
decay in the manner described and for the purpose set forth.
Third. The combination of the elastic ring or band, the clamps consisting of
two or more sections each, the stop cock and the pipe as above described, and for
the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The elastic band open at each end to receive a log in combination with
clamps, and a pipe as above described and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six
XXXX
DAD
TTT
T
W. ROB LAKE. (S.)