USRE10546E - Treating and molding pyroxyline - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. HYATT, OF NEWARK, AND ISAIAH SMITH HYATT, OF MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE CELLULOII) MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

TREATING AND MOLDING PYROXYLINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Reissued Letters Patent No.10.546. dated December 23, 1884.

Oliginal No. 105,338. dated July 19, 1870; Reissue No. 5,928, dated June 23, 1874; Reissue No. 10,409. dated April 15, 1884. Application for roissuc tiled November 26, 1884.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Join; \V. IIYATT, a citizen oftho United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New 5 Jersey, and ISAIAH S. IIYATT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morristown, in the county of Morris and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Process of Dissolving Pyroxyline and Making Solid Collodion, of which the following is a specification. 1

Our invention consists, first, of so preparing pyroxyline that pigments and other substances ina powdered condition can be easily 1 and thoroughlymixed therewith before the pyroxyline is subjected to the action of a solvent; secondly, of mixing with the pyro'xyline so prepared any desirable pigment, coloring-1natter,'or other material, and also any substance in a powdered state which may be vaporized or liquefied and converted into a solvent of pyroxylineby the application of heat; and, thirdly, of subj ccting the compound so made to heavy pressure while heated, so

that the least practicable proportion of solvent may be iised in the production of solid collodion and its compounds.

The following is a description of our process:

First. "We prepare the pyroxyline, by grinding it in water until it is reduced to a fine pulp, by meansof of machine similar to those employed in grinding paper-pulp.

Second. Any suitable white or'coloring pigment or dyes, when desired, are then mixed 3 5 and thoroughly ground with the pyroxyline pulp, or any powdered or granulated material is'incorporated that may be adapted to the purpose of the manufacture. "Vhile the ground pulp is still wet we mix therewith finely-p111 LO vcrizcd gum-camphor in about the proportions of one part, by weight, of the camphor, to two parts of the pyroxyline when in a dry state. These proportions may be somewhat varied with good results. The gum-camphor 5 may be oomminutcd by grinding in water, by

pounding or rolling; or, if preferred, the camphor may be dissolved in alcohol or spiritsof xyloidine.

wine anu then precipitated by adding water, the. alcohol leaving the camphor and uniting with the water, when both the alcohol and the water may bcdrawn off, leaving the camphor in a very finely-divided state. After the po wdered camphor is thoroughly mixed with thewet pyroxyline pulp and the other i ng'redients, we expel the water, as far as possible,by st raining the mixture and subjecting it to an immense pressure in a perforated vessel. This leaves the mixture in a comparatively solid and dry state, but containing sufficient moisture to prevent the pyroxyline from burning or exploding during the remaining process.

Third. The mixture is then placed in a mold of any appropriate form, which is heated by steam, or by any convenient method, to from 150 to 300 Fahrenheit, to suit the proportion 6 5 Y of camphor and the size of the mass, and is subjected to a heavy pressure in a hydraulic or other press. The heat, according to the degree used, vaporizes orliqucfies the camphor, and thus converts it into a solvent of the pyroxyline. By introducing the solvent in the manner here described, and usingheat to make the solvent active, and pressure to force it into intimate contact with every particle of the pyroxyline, we are able to use a 7 5 less proportion of this or any solvent which depends upon heat for its activity than has ever been known heretofore. After keeping the mixture under heat and pressure long enough to complete the solvent action throughoutthe mass, it is cooled while still under pressure, and then taken out of the mold. The product is a solid about the consistency of sole-leather, but which subsequently becomes as hard as horn or bone by the evapo- 8 5 ration of the camphor. Before the camphor is evaporated the material is easily softened by heat, and may be molded into any desirable form, which neither changes nor apprcciably shrinks in hardening. 4 0

We are aware that camphor made into a solution with alcohol or other solvents of camphor has been used in a liquid state as a solvent of Such use of camphor as a solvent of pyroix yliue we disclaim and we are aware of Letters Patent of the United States No.

' 97,454, dated- November 30, 1869, and issued ing xyloidine for use to Daniel'Spill, for improvement in dissolv-v in the arts; and also of the existence of English'Letters Patent heretofore granted to Alexander Parkes, and es; pecially of that numbered 1,313 and dated May 11, 1865, for improvements in the manufacture of parkesine. \Ve do not intend to claim the use of camphor as described in said Letters Patent. Neither do we intend to claim, broadly; grinding pyroxyliue in water, inasmuch as pyroxyline has heretofore been ground or comminuted for the purpose of using it in the manufacture of explosives; but

.W'hat we do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The use of finely-comminuted cam'phorgum mixed with'pyroxyline pulp, and render'ed a solvent thereof by the application of heat, substantially as described.

2. In conjunction with such use of camphorgum,the employment of pressure, and continumg the same until the mold and contents are cooled, substantially as described.

JOHN W. HYATT. ISAIAH SMITH HYATT,

Witnesses:

B. S. HEbRIcK,

B. H. TOWER.