AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CEMENT
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Sonneborn, of Lüdge, in Westphalia,.
Kingdom of Prussia, and now residing at 39, Finsbury Square, London,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Sonneborn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th September 1859.
I, EDWARD SONNEBORN, of Lüdge, in Westphalia, Kingdom of Prussia, and
now residing 39, Finsbury Square, London, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CEMENT," to
be as follows:-
Almost all kinds of hydraulic lime (chalk) and cement, no matter by what
process they may have been manufactured, contain oxyd of iron (iron oxyd),
which is the natural constituent part of the earth, clay, or stone used for the
manufacture of cement, mostly to the extent of from three to fifteen per cent.
of their weight. Oxyd of iron may, however, be added to them in this or a
larger quantity. Cement (by which name I meane all and every hydraulic
chalk and lime) thus containing oxyd of iron, namely, those called "Roman
and "Medina cement," are by the process of my Invention essentially improvable.
The nature of this my Invention is to add to the cement a small portion of
dry sal ammoniac. This adding can take place either before or at the time
when the burned cement is ground to powder at the mills in order that the
pulverisation of the cement and the sak ammoniac be simultaneous. It may
also be added after the pulverisation of the cement, but then it is necessary that
the sal ammoniac be likewise previously pulverized. It is requisite.in all cases
that both the cement and the sal ammoniac be very small, pulverized, and

page_text: intimately mixed together, may this be done in whatever mode and by any
mechanical means. From the quantity of oxyd of iron (iron oxyd) which the
cement contains, the quantity of sal ammoniac to be added is to be ascertained.
If the same, as above stated, amounts from three to fifteen per cent. of the
weight of the cement, an addition of sal ammoniac from one to five per cent.
of the weight of the cement is advisable. The sal ammoniac enables the oxyd
of iron to unite itself with the cement and form a putty, which gives to the
cement a greater hardness and tenacity, and renders it more fit for most building
purposes. The cement thus produced is to be mixed with water when
required to be used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Sonneborn in the Great Seal Patent Office' on
the 28th March 1860..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
SONNEBORN, of Lügde, in Westphalia, Kingdom of Prussia, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patént, bearing date the Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Edward. Sonneborn, Her special licence that I, the said Edward
Sonneborn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward Sonneborn, 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CEMENT," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Edward Sonneborn, 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 performed, and cause.the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Sonneborn, 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 :-

page_text: Almost all kinds of hydraulic lime and cement, no matter by what process
they may have been manufactured, contain oxyd of iron (iron oxyd), which is
the natural constituent part of the earth, clay, or stone used for the manu-
facture of cement, mostly to the extent of from three to fifteen per cent. of their
weight. Oxyd of iron may, however, be added to them in this or a larger
quantity. All and every cement thus containing oxyd of iron, namely, those
called "Roman" and "Medina" cement, are by the process of my Invention
essentially improvable. The nature of this my Invention is to add to the
cement a small portion of dry "sal ammoniac." This adding can take place
either before or at the time when the burned cement is ground to powder at
the mills, in order that the pulverization of the cement and the sal ammoniac
be simultaneous. It may also be added after the pulverization of the cement,
but then it is necessary that the sal ammoniac be likewise previously
pulverized. It is requisite in all cases that both the cement and the sal
ammoniac be very small, pulverized, and intimately mixed together, may this
be done in whatever mode and by any mechanical means.
From the quantity
of oxyd of iron (iron oxyd) which the cement contains, the quantity of sal
ammoniac to be added is to be ascertained. If the same, as above stated,
amounts of three to fifteen per cent. of the weight of the cement, an addition
of sal ammoniac from one to five per cent. of the weight of the cement
is advisable. The sal ammoniac enables the oxyd of iron to unite itself with
the cement and form a putty, which gives to the cement a greater hardness
and tenacity, and renders it more fit for building purposes. The cement thus
produced is to be mixed with water when required to be used.
I also find it practicable to add to the cement iron and iron waste, as
shavings of iron, file dust, particles of iron from a forge, slacks, &c., either in
a fine or a little more coarse pulverized state, in such proportions as the
purposes for which the cement is wanted permit.
Having now described my said Invention, I claim the employment of sal
ammoniac in manufacturing or improving cement.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Sonneborn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
EDWARD SONNEBORN. (L.S.)