US1024926A - Paint and varnish remover. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEL THOMAS M. DEVINE, OE CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB. TO THE OHIO VARNIS H COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

PAINT AND VARNISH BEMOVER.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1 912.

Serial No. 945,231.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS M. DEVINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Paint and Varnish Removers, of which the following is a iull, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a composition of matter adapted to be applied to a painted or varnished surface and s0 dissolve or destro the paint or varnish that it may be re ily removed.

Dneof the objects of the invention is to give the remover such a character that a paint or varnish attacked by it may be washed clean from the wood with water.

Another object is to provide in the varnish remover a. protecting coating adaptodtonot only retard evaporation as it is being applied, but, by standing in a layer abcv the volatile constituents, prevent any rapt evaporation when the material 13 standing in an open vessel.

' Other objects are to render the remover harmless to the hands of the operator and non'poisonous.

- I accomplish the above objects by provida water soluble caustic, a series of paint or varnish solvents and a thickener, the whole combination being in such roportions as to be very effective in attacking and loosening the constituents of paint and varnish without eing so strong as to injure either the fiber the wood orthe hands of the operator.

The preferred composition for my remover consists of caustic soda or potash, water, aicoh pibenzol, carbolic nc dand spemiac i. 'ggfiidier to use these in abut)- stantially the o 'oi vingpropcrtlons,namely: 4 oz. caustic soda or potash, 2 oz. water, 6 pts. alcohol, 8 oz. carbolic acid, 5 pts. benzol, 3 oz. sprmaceti.

The caustic soda or potash is preferably first dissolved in the water. To this is added thealcohol and then the catholic acid. 3 ounces of spermaceti is preferably melted and dissolved in the 5 pints of benzol and then this mixture added to the former. If commercial caustic soda or potash is used there will be impurities in it in the form of carbonates, which do not interfere with the dissolving action, while on the other hand they are, of assistance in cleaning the surface of the wood. For the alcohol I prefer to use ordinary wood alcohol, though it is to be understood that other'alcohols may be used. Ordinary commercial spermaceti, benzol and carbolic acid are emplo ,lvhenrthe mixture is made it is placed in glass jarsorbottles and is ready for use. In this condition there is on top a. distinct layer of a saturated solution of spermaceti and benzol. This layer, while in the jar, is very cfi'ective in retarding the evaporation of the volatile constituents. Below the layer of spermaceti and benzol comes a mixture of the otherconstituents and so much of the benzol as is not holdingthe spermaceti in the to layer. At the bottom of the vessel are t e carbonates in the form of precipitates. Beforeusing', the vesselisshakcn to thoroughly mix the contents; the remover, which is quite fluid, 'is then up lied to the painted or varnished surfiace liy a brush or tag; the surfaceis then preferably loosened by theaction of a little steelwool, after which the remover and the disintegrated paint or varnish is washed ofi simply The benzol, carbdlic acid and alcohol are all solventsfor the constituents of paint or varnish and, beingmixed together, not more vigorously than'any of them alone. The water in the mixture facilitates the caustic going intov the solution. The caustic soda. or potash acts on some of the constituents of the paint and varnish. so that when the wash water is used saponi-fication of the paint or varnish takes place. and this saponifiidv maitclf-ldissolving leaves a mixture on the surface which ma .be readily washed off. The soapproduced by the .saponific'ation also assists in clean-mg the surface. The wash water and caustic raises the grain of the wood just suiliciently to expel the filler, which is saponifie'd by the caustic and wash water. The result is that simply cold water may wash the surface perfectly clean of all traces of the paint or varnish and filler and of all greases or gums. This capacity of my'remover to act on the paint or varnish so that not only the destroyed aint and varnish but the remover itself is entirely removed by the action of cold water is u. very decided advantage over with cold water, leaving th't sur face clean and ready to be refinished.

paint and varnish removers which reqtrire more volatile liquids for the removal of them and the destroyed paint or varnish.

It should be noted that in my composition the water in the mixture reduces the. solubility of the alcohol for benzol, and spermaceti being soluble in benzol and practically insoluble in alcohol, the spermaceti, with a portion of the benzol, forms a layer on top, as heretofore explained, the depth of this layer depending on the amount of water in the mixture. That is to say, in: crease in the water increases the amount of benzol which goes with the spermaceti in the top layer. 'After the contents are shaken up and allowed to stand, whatever benzol cannot be dissolved in the lower layer se- :1 rates and rises with the spermaceti to t e top in globules. 1

It will, of course, he understood that tllilllgtfi may be made in the proportions given. I have found that a small amount of ammonia. say one ounce, added to the formula stated somewhat increases thecleaning power of the compound, though ammonia is optional and may he used on not, as desired Having thus described my invention, WM I claim is:

1. A paint or varnish remover, the constituent ingredients of which are a comparatively large proportion of alcohol and benzol and a comparatively small proportion of, caustic soda or pot ash, carbolie acid, and spermaceti dissolved in a portion of the benzol and forming in the vessel 9. protective layer over the other constituents.

2. A paint or varnish remover consisting of caustic soda or potash, rarbolic acid, alcohol and benzol, and spermaeeti in a top protective layer.

3. A paint or varnish remover consisting Of catholic acid or its equivalent a solvent for-Paint 0r varnish and an evaporation retarcler adapted to stand in the vessel dissolved in a portion ot' the lvent as a pro tective layer.

4. In a paint or varnish remover, the combination of a plurality of solvents for paint or varnish and a suli tnnl'e soluble in one of the solvents but. not in another, the substance forming with its solvent a proteetive layer above the other solvent; or solvents.

5. A Water soluble paint. or varnish remover eonsisting of solvents for paint or varnish constituents, a caustic alkali adapted to saponify with some of sueh constitucuts, and a suhstanmsoluhh in onof the Solvents and adapted to Hoax therein on the rest of the slow-tits in the ve el and from a protective layer there wr as well as to retard evaporation llm". app ied.

(1. A paint or varnish r noner nsisting Of caustic oda or potash. t'ltllltlllt ul'itl or its equivalent. alc h l and bentol. and a thickener in a top plmtocti mi-vi.

In testimony whereof, l hereunto atlix my signature in the piesence of two witnesses.

THOMAS M. DEYINE.

Witnesses ALBERT H. Bn'rss, J.. B. HULL.