IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIGMENTS OR COLORS FOR PRESERVING IRON
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edouard Beckman Olofson, of. Cologne, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIGMENTS OR COLORS FOR PRESERVING IRON."
Sealed the 1st January 1858, and dated the 2nd July 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edouard Beckman Olofson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd July 1857.
I, EDOUARD BECKMAN OLOFSON, of Cologne, in the Kingdom of Prussia,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIGMENTS OR COLORS FOR PRESERVING
IRON," to be as follows:-
I take plumbago of rich or greasy quality and brilliant metallic appear-
ance which is found in crystals, which crystals I reduce to powder of extremo
fineness, I then place the powder in a metal pot with about one-third of its
weight of boiled linseed oil (raw oil may be used, but then the usual driers
must be added). This mixture is submitted to a sustained heat, and well
stirred, that it may be thoroughly mixed, and until the color shall have changed
from black or dark grey to a bright light grey; I add sometimes a little
sulphur, more or less, according to the quality of the crystals; I then take
powdered white marble, moistening it with sufficient raw linseed oil to allow of

page_text: its mixing well when ground on a stone with a muller, or otherwise ground;
I mix from four to eight per cent. in weight of this with the plumbago treated
as above described. For coarser pigments, posessing similar properties, I
propose to use anthracite or any of the charcoals in lieu of plumbago, treat-
ing them in a similar manner. Iron is coated with the above-described
mixtures, paints, or colors, to prevent oxidation.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edouard Beckman Olofson in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 1st January 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDOUARD
BECKMAN OLOFSON, of Cologne, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Civil Engineer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edouard Beckman Olofson, Her special licence that I, the said Edouard
Beckman Olofson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edouard Beckman Olofson, 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, 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 for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PIGMENTS OR COLORS FOR
PRESERVING IRON," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edouard Beckman Olofson, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, 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 Edouard Beckman Olofson, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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):
The colors or pigments usually used in coating iron to preserve it from.

page_text: rust are minium or red lead, white lead, and zinc white; these colors mixed
cold with oils in the ordinary manner answer the desired end more or less,
perfectly, but all are costly, and their want of durability necessitates frequently
renewed applications. By my Invention a composition is obtained which will
at a more moderate cost better preserve iron, to which it may be applied. It
is a mixture of graphite (otherwise plumbago or black lead) and linseed oil,
to which is added powdered white marble or "calx," and sometimes a small
quantity of sulphur. This composition, pigment, or color, when prepared as
herein-after described, has, when applied, a beautiful lustre, similar to that on
slates, dries quickly (covering the iron with a glazed, compact, and tenaciously
adhesive coating), possesses the properties of never running, cracking, or
peeling off, has a great affinity to iron (with which it seems to unite itself
most intimately), and consequently, when the oleaginous matters which it
contains have become decomposed by the action of sun, air, or rain, the color
remains, preserving the object to which it may have been applied as by an
epidermis or impenetrable coating; I call it "minium grey" or "diamond
color," and (although it may be manufactured as other oil colors) give pre-
ference to the following mode of preparation:-I reduce to a fine powder
(in a mill or otherwise) native percarburet of iron or graphite (more or less
justly known as plumbago or black lead), of fine quality and glistening appear-
ance (in preference that of Bohemia, Ceylon, or England, which is found
tolerably pure, and in brilliant crystals), and after it is thoroughly dried, either
by exposure to the sun or air or artificially, it is put into an iron or copper
pot or boiler, with about one-third of its weight of linseed oil, boiled or raw
(but in the latter case the ordinary drying oils are used). This mixture is
placed over a good fire, and continually stirred until both ingredients are
thoroughly united, and the mass has tho consistence of paste, and the shade
of color be changed from black or a dark grey to a bright and clear grey; it
is then allowed to cool. It is impossible to give the exact quantity of oil to
be used with a given quantity of percarburet of iron or black lead, upon the
quality of which it entirely depends, and for the same reason the duration of
the boiling process cannot be fixed; the consistence and shade of colour
(above specified) will, however, in both cases guide the manufacturer. In
most instances the proportion of oil to graphite or black lead should be one
(in weight) of oil to three of graphite, and one or two hours' boiling should
bring it to the clear colour and desired consistence. It may sometimes be
desirable to add to the mass a little finely powdered sulphur, but the quantity
must depend upon the quality of the graphite, and the manufacturer should
therefore, well understand the nature of the materials he uses. I would

page_text: "
further observe, that all charcoal and anthracite coal possessing the same
chemical properties as percarburet of iron or graphite may advantageously
replace this latter when brilliancy of colour is less regarded. The body of the
color being thus prepared, the following additional preparation is added;
namely, white marble or "calx," reduced to the finest powder, is mixed with
raw linseed oil until it forms a thick paste, which is then ground on a stone
(until the oil and marble or "calx become thoroughly incorporated), and
afterwards added to the body of color above described (when this latter shall
have cooled) in a proportion of four or eight per cent. (in weight), the whole
is then mixed and ground in a mill, on a stone, or by any convenient process;
after which the addition of a sufficient quantity of raw linseed oil, to liquify
the preparation, prepares it for immediate use. One coating of this color
well put on will preserve iron from oxidation during one or two years, and
two coats will answer the same purpose for several.
It is well known that colors prepared with white marble become exceed-
ingly hard when exposed to the air, and also that raw linseed oil mixed with
boiled, obtains therefrom the property of drying quickly, and at the same time
absorbing the oxygen of the atmosphere, I do not, therefore, claim these
compositions or communications in themselves, nor do I confine myself to the
precise proportions of materials that may be herein mentioned or described,
as such may be varied under particular circumstances; but what I do
claim is,
Firstly, the exclusive use of percarburet of iron (otherwise graphite or
black lead), charcoal or anthracite coal, combined (as herein described) with
oil, to be used as a color for preserving iron exposed to the action of the
atmosphere.
Secondly, the composition or preparation, herein described, of graphite
(boiled with oil, or prepared cold with oil), with or without the addition of
powdered marble, or "calx," sulphur, or raw linseed oil.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edouard Beckman Olofson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
S. ROSE.
E. BECKMAN OLOFSON. (L.S.)