US1022064A - Process of preserving wood. - Google Patents

Description

F chemicals, and has for its object to render then ready for the second step of the proc- CHARLES H. CURTIS, ARGOS, INDIANA.

PROCESS OF PRESERVING \VQOD.

N0 Drawing.

Specification of Letters Pritent.

Patented Apr. 2, 191.2.

Application filed April I0, 1911. Serial No. 620,091

To all wlzmn it may concern Be-it known that I, Cuanms H. Cnirris, a citizen of the United States, residing at Argos, in the county of Marshall and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Inuirovements in Processes for Presin-ring Wood; and T do hereby declare the Following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to process for treating wood to preserve the latter by sub jeeting it to a solution composed of certain the. wood stronger and more durable and to give it longer life.

In treating the wood by means of the solution employed, the wood first sawed or carved into the desired shape or design. The sap and moisture is then driven out either by the h at of the sun or an ordinary dry kiln, or the ordinary vacuum pump apparatus may be employed. "lhc wood is ess, which consists of bath in a solution having the following ingredients and made in the following manner: Two parts of an alkali, preferabiy sodium carbonate (N21,,CQ.) are thoroughly mixed with one part of silica (SiO), pure White sand and ground dry by any ordinary ltllll wh ch 15 capable of grinding.tinely. The nurture is then fused in an ordinary furnace forming a soluble alkali silicate it is then allowed to cool and again ground to a line powder. The mass is then dissolved in water (lhfi) and chlorin ((ill.) is then added. The solution is then ready to receive the wood to be treated, which should be iunuediately placed therein.

(lhlorin ((ll') will unite with an equal volume of the hydrogen (ll) of the "water, l'n-ming llydroehloric acid (llC-l); a sutlicient quantity of chlorin (Ci) being added to l orm one pound of hydrochlmric acid (llCl) for each pound of silica (slog originally employed.

The solution may be injerted into the wood by either the open tanl; or pressure u'u'thods now employmd for such purpo,

When the cells and interccllular symres of the wood are Jilled with the solution, the wood is placed in the hot sun or subjected to a moderate heat in a dry kiln. The heat completes the union of the chlorin (Cl) and the hydrogen (ll) in the cells and intercellular spaces of the wood, leaving si.icon (Si) to unite with the two parts oxygen (0,), forming siliea (S10 which remains in the wood, while h ydrochloric acid (HCl) is, by means of heat, drawn from the. wood, destroying at the same time a small portion of the wood fiber. The wood is again dried out, as described in the first step of the process, and then given a. second bath in the. solution, as described in the second step. The drying is again repeated and the wood subjected. to a third bath. The steps of the process are repeated in regular order until the natural cells and intercellular spaces and the spaces made by the destruction of a portion of the wood fiber by the hydrochloric acid (IICl) are completely plugged or filled up with silica (SiO,).

The wood at this stage of treatment is especially suitable for such uses as railroad ties, posts, telegraph and telephone poles, bridge timber, piling, etc., and for shingles and other building material.

Should a completely silicified wood be desired, the wood after being treated as above described, is subjected to a bath of sul'l'urie acid (H 30 under pressure, \\'lll(5li more readily destroys the wood fiber than does the hydrochltn'io acid (H01). It-

is removed from the solution when only a small portion of lhe wood fiber has been destroyed. It is then put through steps munber one and two, thereby filling the spaces normally occupied by the destroyed fiber with the silica (SiO as the cells, inlet-cellular and other spaces were filled in the first steps of the process. If desired, the treatment may he continued, using the sulfuric arid (l-LSOJ bath until the wood is completely petrified.

During the above described preserving process all living organisms and fungi are killed and the finished product cannot be harmed by such wood destroyers.

The more porous and so called inferior woods otter treatment by this process are rendered just as desirable as, if not more dosirable than the high grade woods. Therefore. this process may be employed for preserving wood of all grades. And as Ineelumirul abrasion is the chief destructive agent oi a wood treated by this process, all

wood. so tr ated will be of great; Value for all purposes for which Wood is en'iployed. Further, as the Wood so preserved will have a practically endless lite the result will be an enormous annual saving of the rapidly v diminishing tiinber reserves.

Whati claim is: 1. The process of prising preparing a gether sodium carbonate solution by fusing to and finely ground v silica, cooling' and pulverizing the frit, dis

solving the same in Water, treating said solution with chlorin gas; drying the Wood by heat immersing the dried Wood in said solution, removing the wood from the bath and tying the same, and thereafter repeat ing t e steps of immersing the Wood in the n and drying the sameuntil the Wood is 1inregnated to the desired degree.

2 he "rocess of reservin WOOd oompt-ising preparing a solutionoy fusing together sodium carbonate and finely ground silica, cooling and pulverizing the frit, dissolving the same in Water, treating said solution with chlorin gas; drying the Wood by heat; immersing the dried 'WOOCt in said solution, removing the Wood from the bath and drying preserving Wood, com-- the same, and thereafter repeating the wood by heating. 3. The process of preserving Wood, com

the steps of immersing the Wood in the solution and drying the same until the Wood 15 impregnated to the desired degree, thereafter immersing said Wood in a bath of di lute sulfuric acid under pressure, to render the slhca insoluble, and then a g'am drying thereafter repeating the steps ofimmersing the Wood in the solution and drying the same until the Wood is desired degree In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES H. CURTXS.

impregnated to the vVitnesses:

Cimmyns W. WoR'rMAN, FRANK M. PICKERL