IMPROVEMENTS THE COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL STONE, CEMENTS, AND OTHER COMPOSITIONS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Van Derburgh, of the City of New
York, in the County and State of New York, and United States of
America, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
THE
COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL STONE, CEMENTS, AND OTHER
COMPOSITIONS."
Sealed the 22nd March 1867, and dated the 25th September 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Van
Derburgh at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 25th September 1866.
IN
I, GEORGE EDWARD VAN DERBURGH, of the City of New York, in the
County and State of New York, and United States of America, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
THE COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL STONE, CEMENTS, AND OTHER
COMPOSITIONS," to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention consists in the production of artificial stones,
cements, and other compositions for building and other purposes from silex
in any form, with or without cement, gypsum, chalk, or other ingredients, in
combination with silicate of lime, the silicate of lime being either formed or
produced chemically in combination with the sand, or obtained separately and
Price 8d1

page_text: combined therewith as a distinct ingredient; also in the production of a pure
silicate of lime by the--intimate admixture of an alkaline silicate of soda or
potash with a saturated solution of lime containing sacharine matter; also in
obtaining the formation of silicate of lime in any combination of silex with
caustic quicklime, with or without other ingredients, by the application of
heat and moisture to the mass, and the exclusion thereby of atmospheric air
therefrom for such length of time as may be necessary; also in producing
silicate of lime in combination with silex by excluding atmospheric air from
a formed or moulded mass, block, or device composed of caustic lime and
sand, with or without other ingredients, and subjecting the same to a con-
tinuous moisture for this purpose without heat; also in the application of
steam to a composition containing silex or silicious materials and lime in any
form or in any proportions, with or without other ingredients, for the purpose
of manufacturing or producing therefrom an artificial stone by subsequent
pressure or percussion, or a cement or composition for ornamental or archi-
tectural devices and other purposes; also in treating a composition of sand
admixed with a soluble silicate of soda or potash with a diluted acid
solution of silicate of soda or potash, for the purpose of hardening the
same and converting it into stone, and afterwards soaking or saturating the
artificial stone thus formed in a strong solution of sulphuret of barytes, of
In
sulphuret lime, or any other soluble sulphuret having an earthly base.
all the ordinary building materials, cements, and other substances now
generally in use in which lime is relied upon as the bond or cementing
ingredient to unite the remaining particles of the mass or composition, the
composition hardens and acquires its desired hardness and durability through
the conversion of the lime into a carbonate of lime, the change being ordinarily
effected through the absorption of carbonic acid by the lime from the atmo-
sphere. I have found, however, that a silicate of lime is far superior to
carbonate of lime in securing the qualities most desirable in building materials,
and that artificial stones or cements in which silicate of lime forms the binding
ingredient uniting the silicious or other particles of the mass are far more
firm, hard, and close in texture and more durable than any others known in
commerce or the arts.
By my Invention I produce artificial stones and other compositions, such
as cements and plasters for walls, of silicate of lime in combination with other
ingredients. I contemplate the use of silicate of lime for this purpose when
obtained either entirely separate from the silex which enters into the com-
position of my artificial stones, and so forth, or from a combination of silex
and caustic quicklime. I obtain the silicate of lime for use as a distinct

page_text: ingredient in manufacturing my materials by adding to a saturated solution of
lime a proper proportion of the alkaline silica known in commerce as "water
glass." In order to obtain the largest possible amount of lime in solution I
sweeten the water in which the lime is dissolved with sugar, molasses, or
some equivalent gum, and add to from four to six gallons of this saturated
By
solution of lime about one gallon of the liquid silicate of commerce.
mixing the silicate of lime so obtained in a semi-fluid state with sand,
scoria, or other pulverent silicious matter, with or without other ingredients,
in the proportions of about one part of silicate to ten of the sand, keeping the
mass sufficiently plastic with water, or, by preference, lime water, I produce
a composition which when allowed to dry and harden in the atmosphere will
But instead of obtaining a
become as firm and more durable than stone.
plastic combination of moist silicate of lime and silex by mixing the two
elements or ingredients each in a distinct form as just described I prefer
ordinarily to obtain the same result by forming a silicate of lime upon and to
a certain extent out of each particle of the silex by mixing dry caustic or
hydrated quicklime with moist or damp sand in an air-tight or close vessel in
suitable proportions, and after reducing the mass with water or condensed
steam to the consistency of a thick paste, keeping this paste continually moist
until the lime in the mass has by its caustic action upon the silex become
converted into a silicate of lime in intimate combination therewith. This
production of silicate of lime in the mass may be hastened by applying heat
as well as moisture, and I contemplate the use of steam for this purpose.
After silicate of lime has been formed throughout the mass it is then ready
for moulding and fastening into any desired forms, to be subsequently
hardened by exposure to the atmosphere. Instead of thus producing silicate
of lime in a plastic mass to be subsequently moulded and fashioned into bricks,
blocks, ornamental and other designs, pipes, tiles, statuary, and so forth, I
contemplate first moulding or fashioning all desired forms and device out of a
composition of moist sand and quicklime, with or without the addition of
gypsum, chalk, or other ingredients, and then before allowing the moulded or
fashioned articles to dry or harden, carefully excluding the carbonic acid
therefrom to prevent the conversion of the lime into a carbonate, and
at the same time keeping them moist or damp to facilitate the production
After a silicate of lime has
of a silicate therefrom throughout the mass.
by this means been obtained in the blocks or other devices or articles I then
allow them to harden by exposure to the atmosphere, and thus, produce a new
article of manufacture. The production of the silicate of lime in these
moulded blocks or other articles may be hastened by the application of gentle

page_text: heat with the moisture, and the use of steam, either dry or saturated, is
advantageous to this end.
I contemplate the combination of cement or the oxides of iron or other in-
gredients with lime and sand in carrying my Invention into useful effect. I con-
template the use of silicate of soda or of potash in combination with sand, with
sand with or without chalk or other ingredients, in the manufacture or production
of an improved artificial stone or composition for various purposes by harden-
ing the same subsequently through the use of a diluted acid solution of silicate
of soda or of potash, which may be applied either as a wash by pouring it over
the same or as a bath in which the composition of sand and silica is to be
dipped or soaked. After the composition is thus treated with the acid solution
of silicate of soda or potash I wash, dip, or soak it in a strong solution of
sulphuret of barytes or of sulphuret of lime, or of any soluble sulphuret having
an earthy base. The acid solution of the silicate of soda or of potash may be
made either directly by the action of a diluted acid upon silicate of soda or of
potash, or by preparing a mixture of about two parts of barytes (or of iron or
lime) with about one part of silica, and then fusing the composition. The
glass thus formed may be dissolved in an acid, and then be made as neutral
as possible by the addition of an alkali, a metallic oxide, or in some cases of a
metal itself, as iron or zinc.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Edward Van Derburgh in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
EDWARD VAN DERBURGH, of the City of New York, in the County and
State of New York, and United States of America, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Edward Van Derburgh, Her special license that I, the said
George Edward Van Derburgh, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Edward Van Derburgh, my 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,

page_text: 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 of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMPOSITION AND PRODUCTION
OF ARTIFICIAL STONE, CEMENTS, AND OTHER COMPOSITIONS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said George Edward Van Derburgh, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, 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 per-
formed, 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 I, the said George Edward Van Derburgh, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, that is to say:-
.
In the ordinary building materials, mortars and cements, and. other com-
positions now generally in use, in which lime is relied upon as the bond or
cementing ingredient to unite the remaining particles of the mass or com-
position the composition acquires its desired hardness and durability through
the conversion of the lime into a carbonate of lime, the change being
ordinarily effected through the absorption of carbonic acid from the atmosphere
by the lime. I have found, however, that a silicate of lime is far superior to
carbonate of lime in securing the qualities most desirable in building materials,
and that artificial stones or cements in which silicate of lime forms the
binding ingredient uniting the silicious or other particles of the mass are
more firm, close in texture, and durable than any others known to the arts,
and the nature of my Invention consists in the production of artificial stones,
mortars, cements, or other compositions for building and other purposes, useful
or ornamental, from silex in any of its forms (with or without gypsum,
cement, chalk, or other ingredients) and silicate of lime formed or produced
chemically in combination with the silex. Its essential novelty consists in the
production and application, as herein-after specified, of silicate of lime as a
substitute for carbonate of lime in the production of artificial stones and
other compositions.
Under ordinary circumstances I produce my artificial stone by thoroughly
admixing in a close vessel dry,caustic or hydrated quicklime with moist or
damp sand, in about the proportion of one part of the former to eight or ten
of the latter, and after reducing the mixture with water or steam to the con-
sistency of a thick paste, and thereafter carefully excluding the carbonic acid

page_text: of the atmosphere from the mass by keeping the same constantly moist until
the caustic action of the lime in contact with the sand has produced a silicate
of lime upon and to a certain extent out of each particle of silex entering
into the composition, say for a period of from thirty to ninety days, the
quantity of silicate of lime in the mass being increased by a continuance of
the exposure under said conditions. After thus obtaining a composition of
silicate of lime and sand, hydraulic cement, gypsum, coloring matters, or other
ingredients may be combined therewith at pleasure, and the composition in its
plain state or with such other matters added thereto is fashioned or moulded
in suitable moulds by percussive pressure into building blocks, tiles, pipes, and
ornamental or other devices which will speedily harden into a firm and durable
stone. The production of silicate of lime by this process may be hastened
and perfected by moderately heating the wet mass of admixed lime and sand
in any suitable manner, such as by placing the same in a heated chamber or
by passing hot air or steam pipes through the mass. I prefer to obtain this
end by subjecting the mass at regular intervals of a few hours to the direct
action of steam, either saturated or superheated, issuing from jet pipes coiled
under or throughout the same. Instead of producing silicate of lime by the
exclusion of the atmosphere from a mixture of caustic lime and sand, under the
influence of moisture, either with or without heat, and subsequently moulding
the plastic mass into bricks, blocks, tiles, pipes, and other designs, I contemplate
first moulding or fashioning desired forms and devices out of a composition of
moist sand and quicklime in about the proportions herein-before given (with or
without the addition of gypsum, chalk, or other ingredients), and then keeping
the same constantly moist or damp for from twenty to ninety days, with or
without steam or the influence of heat, to prevent thereby the formation of a
carbonate and facilitate the formation of a silicate of lime in and throughout
such articles. After a silicate of lime has thus been made of the principal
element in the blocks or other devices I allow them to harden by exposure to
the atmosphere and thus produce a new article of manufacture.
Where great despatch is required in the production of my improved
artificial stone having silicate of lime for its base, I take a properly moulded or
fashioned block or other device containing lime and sand admixed in about the
proportions herein-specified, with or without other ingredients, and satu-
rate the same with a fluid alkaline silicate of moderate strength. The chemical
reaction of the lime in the block upon the alkaline silicate thus brought into
contact therewith produces an insoluble silicate of lime in the mass, imparting
thereto the desired permanence and durability. The excess of alkali remaining
in the block or other article may be removed by washing the same thoroughly

page_text: in pure water. It will be observed that I do not herein seek to secure the
mere application of an alkaline silicate to the surface of a moulded block or
device to act as a coating thereto, but I claim so applying it by saturation as
to produce a silicate of lime in the body of the moulded article to serve as the
chief binding or cohesive element thereof.
Having thus fully described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim therein as new and as of my
Invention, and I desire to secure by Letters Patent.
Artificial stones, blocks, tiles, pipes, or other devices which are formed and
moulded out of a composition of silicate of lime and sand, with or without other
ingredients when said silicate of lime is produced in combination with the sand,
substantially in the manner herein-before described.
I claim also as a new and useful process the application of heat to a
moistened admixture of caustic quicklime and silex, with or without other
ingredients so as to hasten and perfect thereby the production of silicate of
lime in the composition, substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein set forth.
I claim likewise the use and application of saturated or superheated steam
to and in combination with an admixture of silex and lime, with or without
other ingredients, for the purpose of promoting the formation of silicate of lime
in the mass.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Van Derburgh, have.
hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal, this Second day of March,
A.D. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
GEORGE EDWARD VAN DERBURGH. (L.S.)