Improvements in the Process of Manufacturing Artificial Stone.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1839
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by LORENZ HEINRICH CLAUSEN, of Hamburg, Merchant,
and JOHANN HEINRICH EHLERS, of Bahrenfeld, near Hamburg, Germany,
Contractor.]
Improvements in the Process of Manufacturing Artificial Stone.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Fel. Inst. P.A., Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., practising as
Phillips & Leigh, of No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improvel process of manufacturing artificial stone
proper for the manufacture of mouldings, flag-stones, flooring-tiles, ornaments and
the like, imitation marble, granite and other natural stones, pavings, and road metal.
In carrying this invention into effect, one part of finely pulverised and well dried
loam, clay, or chalk, is mixed with an equal quantity of common resin heated to about
212° F. This mixture is well stirred until it is homogeneous, and the temperature
is then raised to about 530° F. Four parts of loam, chalk, or sand, are next
gradually added; and the mixture kept well stirred at the last mentioned tempera-
ture for about a quarter of an hour, when it is poured on to polished plates or into
moulds previously heated to about. 106° F.
After the mass is cooled, and for the most part hardened; it is found to possess a
highly polished surface where it has been in contact with the polished plate or mould;
and will soon become as hard as natural stone. The colour varies according to the
colour of the materials which had been use; and may be modified by the addition of
other suitable materials such as tar, and the like.
To imitate marble, or other natural stone, possessing characteristic markings, the
latter are painted in the proper colours on the polished plate or mould. After the latter
is cooled, the stones thus obtained will show a true copy of the design painted upon
the moulds, on a highly polished surface, which has entirely absorbed the painted design.
To produce imitation granite, mosaic, and the like, small fragments of granite,
marble, or other suitable material, are saturated with oil, such as linseed or fish-oil,
heated, and then distributed through the molten mass according to the desired design.
The stone thus obtained may be ground and polished with sand and water, as the well
known artificial mosaics are polished.
Mouldings, ornaments, and the like may be produced by arranging the fragments
prepared as above described in moulds, into which the hot mixture is then poured.
If the mixture is heated to about 848° F. and kept at this temperature while five
more parts of loam, chalk or sand are stirred in, the product obtained is somewhat
darker, very durable and elastic, so that it can be used for pavements instead of
asphalte.
Pieces of wood, bone, ivory or the like, duly impregnated with oil, may be employed
instead of the above mentioned fragments of natural stones.
Dated this 25th day of February 1880
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Process of Manufacturing Artificial Stone.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Fel. Inst. P.A., Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., practising as
Phillips & Leigh, of No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved process of manufacturing artificial stone

page_text: proper for the manufacture of mouldings, flag-stones, flooring-tiles, ornaments, and
the like, imitation marble, granite and other natural stones, pavings and road metal.
In carrying the invention into effect, one part of finely pulverised and well dried
loam, clay or chalk, is mixed with an equal qua itity of common resin heated to about
212° to 260° F. This mixture is well stirred until it is homogeneous, and the
temperature is then raised to about 600° F. Four parts of loam, chalk, or sand, are
next gradually added, and the mixture kept well stirred at the last mentioned
temperature for about a quarter of an hour, when it is poured on to polished plates or
into moulds previously heated to about 106° to 150° F.
After the mass is cooled, and for the most part bardened, it is found to possess a
highly polished surface where it has been in contact with the polished plate or mould,
and will soon become as hard as natural stone. The colour varies according to the
colour of the materials which had been used, and may be modified by the addition of
other suitable materials, such as tar and the like.
To imitate marble, or other natural stone, possessing characteristic markings, the
latter are painted in the proper colours on the polished plate or mould. After the
latter is cooled, the stones thus obtained will show a true copy of the design painted
upon the moulds, on a highly polished surface which has entirely absorbed the
painted design. To produce imitation granite, mosaic, and the like, small fragments
of granite, marble, or other suitable material, are satured with oil, such as linseed
or fish-oil, heated, and then distributed through the molten mass according to the
desired design. The stone thus obtained may be ground and polished with sand and
water, as the well known artificial mosaics are polished.
Mouldings, ornaments, and the like, may be produced by arranging the fragments,
prepared as above described, in moulds, into which the hot mixture is then poured.
Such articles may be also produced by first subjecting the previously obtained mass
to the heat of a suitable stove, and then pressing it into the cold metal moulds of the
desired form.
The mixture above described may be also employed for combining pieces of wood,
ivory, bone, or the like, and particularly the former, for the production of parquetry
for floors. Such pieces of wood, bone, ivory or the like, duly impregnated with oil,
are either laid close together and arranged according to the desired design, and finally
the heated mixture poured thereover; or the mixture is first poured over the floor
and the impregnated pieces of wood, bone, or the like, afterwards pressed into the
mixture; and where required, a certain quantity of the heated mixture is finally
poured over the said pieces of wood or the like.
If the mixture is heated to about 940° F., and kept at this temperature for about
quarter of an hour whilst five more parts of chalk, loain, or sand are being stirred in,
the product obtained is somewhat darker, very durable and elastic, so that it can be
used for pavements instead of asphalte.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
The hereinbefore described process of manufacturing artificial stone by melting
together about equal quanties of loam or chalk with common resin at about a tempe-
rature of 260° F., heating the mixture up to about 600° F. while still more sand,
loam, or chalk, may be added, whereupon the mixture is poured over polished metal-
plates upon which the desired design had been previously painted in the proper
colours and with the characteristic markings, or upon which it had been set out
by means of duly impregnated fragments of stone, wood, bone, ivory or the like,
arranged in the desired manner, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 25th day of November 1889.
HENRY H. LEIGH.