IMPROVEMENTS IN PREVENTING THE INCRUS- TATION OF METALLIC SURFACES, AND IN INSULATING METALLIC SURFACES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Haymen, of Cannon Street, in the City of London,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PREVENTING THE INCRUS-
TATION OF METALLIC SURFACES, AND IN INSULATING METALLIC SURFACES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Haymen at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March 1879.
"IM-
HENRY HAYMEN, of Cannon Street, in the City of London, Gentleman.
PROVEMENTS IN PREVENTING THE INCRUSTATION OF METALLIC SURFACES, AND IN
INSULATING METALLIC SURFACES."
This Invention relates to certain novel applications of a compound or compounds
at present employed in the arts but for very different uses.
In the Specification of a Patent granted to Charles Moise Jacob, dated 22nd June
1878, No. 2484, he describes a composition which has somewhat the property of a
fluid metal, and which is capable of easy application to textile and other surfaces.
This compound consists of an admixture of pyroxiline with a metallic powder or
an earthy or other pigment thinned down by the addition of a volatile spirit, and
to this mixture is added glycerine, oil, or caoutchouc and gum resin or gelatine to
improve the covering property, and impart suppleness to the composition when
set.
I have found by experiment that boilers coated internally with a composition of
this nature, the metal contained therein being, by preference, tin reduced to a fine
powder, will present such a surface to calcarieus or other impure water contained
in the boiler as to prevent incrustation being formed thereon. Boilers coated inter-
nally with this composition will present a metallic lustre, and so long as this lustre
is maintained calcareous or briny deposits will not harden but will admit of ready
removal from the boiler. Moreover the heat to which the boiler is subjected does
not appear to affect the composition.
I have also found that ships' bottoms may with great advantage be coated by a
composition of this nature, and that the bright metallic surface thus imparted to
the hull will prevent the adhesion of barnacles to the ship and also protect the
hull from the injurious action of sea water. Instead of tin I may use bronze
powders of various kinds to mix with the pyroxiline; I can apply the composition
Drine AJI

page_text: as a wash, or after the manner of a paint, giving the surface one or more. coatings
as may be found desirable.
The composition above named serves not only as a protection to metallic surfaces
in the manner indicated above, but forms a good insulator, and for this purpose I
propose to use it as a coating for telegraphic wires, substituting in this case an
earthy pigment for the metallic powder and giving it greater consistency. This
composition I may apply either to the bare metal or the metal coated as usual with
cotton, or after an insulating material has been applied thereto. In the latter case
it will serve to protect the gutta percha or other insulator from decay, and on the
former it will insulate the wire while increasing its diameter to an inappreciable
degree. The composition may be applied to the wire after the manner now
employed in coating wires with insulating materials, that is, by passing the wire
through a fixed die, which constitutes the outlet for the insulating material, and
gauges the thickness of the coating which it forms around the wire in passing out
with it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Haymen in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th Sep-
tember 1879.
HENRY. HAYMEN, of Cannon Street, in the City of London, Gentleman. " IM-
PROVEMENTS IN PREVENTING THE INCRUSTATION OF METALLIC SURFACES, AND IN
INSULATING METALLIC SURFACES."
This Invention relates to certain novel applications of a compound or compounds
at present employed in the arts, but for very different uses from those now con-
templated by me.
'
In the Specification of a Patent granted to Charles Moise Jacob, dated Twenty
second June, One thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, No. 2484, he describes
a composition which has somewhat the property of a fluid metal, and which is
capable of easy application to textile and other surfaces.
'
This compound consists of an admixture of pyroxiline with a metallic powder
or an earthy or other pigment thinned down by the addition of a volatile spirit,
and to this mixture is added glycerine, oil, or caoutchouc, and gum resin or
gelatine to improve the covering property and impart suppleness to the composition
when set.
I have found by experiment that boilers coated internally with a composition
of this nature (the metal contained therein being, by preference, tin reduced to a
fine powder), will present such a surface to calcareous or other impure water
contained in the boiler as to prevent incrustation being formed thereon.
In carrying out this application I mix with the pyroxiline varnish prepared as
heretofore, the tin prepared as a bronze powder, and I apply the same when well
mixed to the surfaces of the boiler exposed to the water by means of a painter's
brush.
Boilers coated internally with this composition will present a metallic lustre, and
so long as this lustre is maintained, the calcareous or earthy deposits will not
harden but will admit of ready removal from the boiler by blowing out in the
usual manner. The heat to which the boiler is subjected will not for a considerable
period materially affect the efficiency of the composition.
I have also found that ships' bottoms may with great advantage be coated by a
composition of this nature, and especially those used for river navigation. The
bright metallic surface thus imparted to the hull will also serve for a time to
protect the hull in sea water, and prevent the adhesion of barnacles to the ship.
Instead of tin I may use bronze powders of various kinds to mix with the
pyroxiline.
The composition is to be applied as a wash or after the manner of a paint, and
it may be laid on in one or more coats as may be found desirable.
The composition above named serves not only as a protection to metallic surfaces
in the manner indicated above, but forms a good insulator, and for this purpose I
propose to use it as a coating for telegraphic wires, omitting in this case the
metallic powder, and using when required an earthy pigment in place thereof.
This composition I prefer to apply to the bare metal, taking care that it is clean at
the time of applying the compound. For coating the wire several plans may be
used, but that which I prefer is to pass the wire slowly through a bath of the liquid
composition, leaving time for the coating taken up by the wire to set before
winding it up into hanks. By this means wire may be insulated at a compara-
tively small cost, and that without increasing its diameter to any appreciable
degree.
When it is desired to protect telegraph wires mounted upon posts, this may
be done by applying the liquid composition thereto by means of a painter's
i

page_text: Having now set forth the nature of this Invention of "Improvements is Pre-
venting the Incrustation of Metallic Surfaces, and in Insulating Metallic Surfaces,"
and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
rstood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim the application
of the pyroxiline fluid compound above mentioned to the uses and in the manner
above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Haymen, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
HENRY HAYMEN. (L.S.) 1