A New Material Adapted for Electrical Insulation and also for Many Purposes for which Ebonite, Wood and such like Materials are used.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New Material Adapted for Electrical Insulation and also for Many
Purposes for which Ebonite, Wood and such like Materials are
used.
I, ARTHUR SMITH, of 90, Wickham Road, Brockley, in the County of Kent,
Analytical Chemist, 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: —
My invention relates to the production of a new material adapted for electrical
insulation and also for many purposes for which ebonite, wood and such like
materials are used, such as cells, partitions, boxes or other parts of electrical
apparatus.
As the material resists the action of most chemical substances, it may be used
in apparatus in which these substances are treated.
For this purpose, I mix two parts by measure of acetic paraldehyde with one
part by measure of methylated spirit; to this I add three parts by measure of
liquid carbolic acid which had been liquified by adding 5 per cent. of water. To
this mixture in a closed vessel I add in small doses, while cooling, three to six
parts by measure of fusel oil or methylated spirit which had been saturated
with hydrochloric acid gas, the temperature being kept below 80° Fahr. In-
stead of using the saturated fusel oil or methylated spirit alone, a mixture of
one part of fusel oil to two or three of methylated spirit may be employed.
When the saturated fusel oil is used alone, the product is black, like ebonite.
I pour the mixture above described into a mould suited to the article to be
produced, and previously greased to prevent adhesion, and after the material
has set, I remove the moulded article from the mould and dry it at 212° Fahr.
For some purposes the moulded article is preferably impregnated with paraffin.
This may be done by immersing the moulded article either before or after it is
dried, in paraffin or ozokerit melted at about 120° Fahr., the temperature being
then slowly raised to 212° Fahr., during a period of 12 to 30 hours according
as the article is of less or greater thickness and then slowly cooled.
In the above process, when acetic aldehyde can be obtained pure, it may be
used instead of the acetic paraldehyde, in double quantity.
Also, instead of the acetic paraldehyde, I may employ polymerised formic
aldehyde dissolved in fusel oil saturated with hydrochloric or sulphurous acid
gas, the proportions being one part of the formic aldehyde to four and a half or
five parts of the gas saturated fusel oil, after separating the acid water. To this
are added carbolic acid crystals, in such quantity that when they are dissolved
they add 50 per cent. to the volume of the mixture. This mixture sets rapidly
producing a pink translucient solid, and is to be moulded and treated as above
described.
In any of the processes above described, before adding the gas saturated fusel
oil or methylated spirit, resin, lac or such like gums, soluble in the mixture,
may be added to it to the extent of five or ten per cent., for the purpose of
hardening and cheapening the product.
The material produced as above described may be moulded in slabs or other
forms by itself or absorbed in asbestos pulp.

page_text: By slightly reducing the proportion of the gas saturated fusel oil or methylated
spirit, the material can be produced in a plastic condition capable of being
pressed into various forms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
-
1. The herein described process for producing a material suitable for electric
insulation and other purposes, the said process consisting in mixing acetic
paraldehyde or its equivalent with methylated spirit, carbolic acid and fusel
oil or methylated spirit which had been saturated with hydrochloric or sulphurous
acid gas, moulding and saturating with paraffin or its equivalent.
2. The new material produced as above set forth.