AN IMPROVED PREPARATION FOR REMOVING PAINT, VARNISH, JAPAN, OR GREASE FROM THE SURFACE OF WOOD, OR OXIDE OR DIRT FROM THE SURFACE OF METALS."
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Parker Hayhoe, of Bury St. Edmunds,
in the County of Suffolk, Japanner and Decorator, for the Invention
cr
of "AN IMPROVED PREPARATION FOR REMOVING PAINT, VARNISH, JAPAN, OR
GREASE FROM THE SURFACE OF WOOD, OR OXIDE OR DIRT FROM THE SURFACE
OF METALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Parker Hayhoe
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 18th October 1875.
I, HENRY PARKER HAYHOE, of Bury St. Edmunds, in the County of
Suffolk, Japanner and Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PREPARATION FOR REMOVING PAINT,
VARNISH, JAPAN, OR GREASE PROM THE SURFACE OF WOOD, OR OXIDE OR DIET PROM
THE SURFACE OF METALS," to be as follows:-
Compositions which have heretofore been used for the removal of old
paint from the surface of wood or other substances have usually consisted
mainly of a caustic alkali of some kind, which not only acts on the

page_text: paint but also injuriously affects the fibres of the wood and very quickly
destroys the brushes or other tools by means of which the composition
is applied.
The object of the present Invention is to produce a preparation which
will soften the paint or other covering which it is desired to remove, but
will not injure or discolor the surface of the wood nor yet destroy the
brushes which are used to apply it to the surface which is to be operated
upon.
My improved preparation consists mainly of carbonate of soda,
common flour, soft soap, and ammonia, the whole mixed with water and
boiled to a proper consistence.
In carrying out my Invention I take, say pint of water which I
beat, and dissolve therein lb. of common carbonate of soda, I then
add four table spoonfuls of flour and a little more water, and boil the
ingredients to form a paste which is allowed to cool and thicken; I then
take a portion of this paste and dissolve it by heating it, and add
an ounce of soft soap. In the remainder of the paste (when dissolved
by heat) I put an ounce of carbonate of ammonia, and then mix the
two solutions and boil them together; the mixture is then allowed to
get cold, when it will be of the consistance of paste.
When required to use the composition may be reduced to a liquid
state by the addition of a little heat; it can then be applied to the
surface to be operated upon by an ordinary painter's brush, and although
the solution will act on and soften the old paint, varnish, or other
covering it will not injuriously affect the bristles of the brush. The
surface should be payed over two or three times and allowed to remain
for a time, say 6 hours. If at the end of that time the surface be dry it
may be moistened by brushing it over with a little water, the paint may
then be casily removed by means of a metal scraper, and the wooden
surface may then be cleaned with water or soap and water.
The olå paint when scraped off may be used again if mixed with a
little oil and varnish, when it will form a good covering first coat which
must of course be covered with a finishing coat of any desired color.
The preparation may also be used for cleaning the surface of metal
from dirt, grease, verdigrease, or oxidation.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Parker Hayhoe in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
PARKER HAYHOE, of Bury St. Edmunds, in the County of Suffolk,
Japanner and Decorator, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
in the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Parker
Hayhoe, Her special licence, that I, the said Henry Parker Hayhoe,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Parker Hayhoe, 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 IMPROVED PREPARATION FOR REMOVING PAINT,
VARNISH, JAPAN, OR GREASE FROM THE SURFACE OF WOOD, OR OXIDE OR DIRT FROM
THE SURFACE OF METALS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Henry Parker Hayhoe, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Henry Parker Hayhoe, 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)
Compositions which have heretofore been used for the removal of old
paint from the surface of wood or other substances have usually
consisted mainly of a caustic alkali of some kind, which not only acts
on the paint but also injuriously affects the fibres of the wood and very
quickly destroys the brushes or other tools by means of which the com-
position is applied.

page_text: The object of the present Invention is to produce a preparation or
composition which will soften the paint or other covering which it is
desired to remove, but will not injure or discolor the surface of the wood
nor yet destroy the brushes which are used to apply it to the surface
which is to be operated upon.
This object may be effected by mixing with the caustic alkali employed
in the preparation of the composition certain other ingredients which
will so far modify the action of the alkali as to prevent it from injuring
the brushes or tools employed in its use, or from injuring or discoloring
the surface which is to be operated upon. It is well known that
most of the caustic alkalies will soften the paint, varnish, or other
covering, and any such alkalies may be employed in making my
improved composition; but after repeated trials and experiments I have
found that taking cost and other circumstances into consideration lime
is on the whole the most convenient caustic alkali to employ for the
purposes of my Invention.
In carrying out my Invention, to make, say fourteen gallons of the
improved preparation, I take twelve gallons of water, which I place in a
suitable vessel, and I add to the water a peck and a half of unslaked lime,
and stir until the lime is properly slaked, when I add three pounds and a
half of soft soap; I then heat the mixture to nearly boiling point and add
thereto seven pounds of ordinary flour which has been previously mixed
with two gallons of water. The ingredients should be kept well stirred
while the heat is being applied, and by this means a pasty mass is formed,
to which I add fifty-six pounds of common carbonate of soda. When
the soda is dissolved the mass is to be carefully strained, and then the
preparation may be put into cans or bottles ready for use.
When the composition is required to be used it is applied to the
surface to be operated upon by means of an ordinary painter's brush,
and although the solution will act upon and soften the old paint, varnish,
or other covering it will not injuriously affect the bristles of the brush.
The composition need only be applied to the surface once, and may be
allowed to remain thereon for a short time (say one hour), when the
paint or other covering will be softened, and may be easily removed by
means of a metal scraper, and the wooden surface may then be cleaned
with water or soap and water. If the surface of the composition should
become dry it may be moistened by brushing it over with a little
water.

page_text: The old paint when scraped off may be used again if mixed with a
little oil and varnish, when it will form a good covering first coat which
must of course be covered with a finishing coat of any desired colour.
The preparation may also be used for cleaning the surface of metal
from dirt, grease, verdigris, or oxidation, as well as for cleaning printers'
type, for which latter purpose it will be found extremely valuable as it
effectually clears out the ink without injuriously affecting the metal of
the types.
The preparation may also be employed for the removal of paint or
grease from articles of wearing apparel and other fabrics, and for the
removal of varnished and other papers from walls.
The preparation when freey diluted with water is also very useful for
domestic cleaning purposes of all kinds.
Having now described the nature of my Invention of an improved
preparation for removing paint, varnish, japan, or grease from the
surface of wood, or oxide or dirt from the surface of metals, and having
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,
the combination, as herein set forth, of lime or other suitable caustic
alkali with soft soap and flour with the addition of carbonate of soda,
which compound when mixed with water and heated as above described
becomes converted into a pasty composition, which will soften paint,
varnish, japan, dirt, grease, or oxide, so that these substances may be
casily removed from the surfaces to which they have been applied,
leaving such surfaces when merely cleaned with water or soap and water
in the ordinary manner fresh and clean and ready to receive a fresh
coating or covering, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Parker Hayhoe, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
six.
HENRY PARKER HAYHOE. (L.S.)