US1328080A - Paint and varnish remover - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

QARLETON ELLIS, MONTOLAIR, NEW JERSEY.

No Drawing.

. "To all wkom'z't may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARLETON ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montclajrj in the county of Essex, Statepf New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paint and Varnish Removers, of which the following is 'a specificati'on.

This invention relates to paint and varnish remover and in particular to removing compositions containing organic acid material of a non-volatile or slightly volatile character including such acids as carbolic, cresylic and the like.

For a general run of paint and varnish coatings the removing composition largely used is one prepared according to Letters Patent No. 714,880, embodying in its more specific aspects a volatile solvent such .as benzol, a volatile alcoholic body or loosening solvent such as methyl alcohol or acetone and a quantity of waxy evaporation retarding material, preferably, however, without any substantial amount of strongly acid ma terial, as such acomposition is more advantageously used when it is of a substantially neutral character. The addition of acid such as carbolic acid, is not precluded so long as the operative character of the remover is,not affected. For some purposes,

- however,'a quantity of non-volatile or only slightly volatile organic acid material has been thought desirable in such compositions, but heretofore if carbolic acid or similar material were used in any large proportion, its caustic and corrosive action'on the materials with which it contacts, and its offensive odor, rendered such remover highly objectionable to the operator. The preparation of certain classes of so-called non-inflammable removers sometimes calls for the use of carbolic acid or phenol in relatively large quantity, as for example, the Government requirement for a paint and varnish remover regarded as safe to have aboard battleships andthe like without danger of inflaming. When the composition is being used in confined and possibly heated spaces where the vapors emanating from'a more volatile composition might travel to a distance and in some manner become ignited, it is roposed to use forty per cent. or so of car olic acid together with other non-inflammable solvents for such purpose. Heretofore it has been common to use fusel oil,

PAINT AND VARNISH REMOVER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an, 13, 19,20,

Application filed December 4, 1917. Serial No. 205,335. I

veliminate the corrosive or other objectionable characteristics of carbolic acid and s1m1lar substances where for special reasons these are present in removers in considerable proportion.

It has been demonstrated that carbolic acid is peculiarly corrosive to the skin when it contains a proportion of water and that in the absence of water its corrosive qualities are, much-less. I propose, therefore, in

compounding the carbolic acid remover of thls invention, preferably either to use ingredients containing substantially no water or to add ingredients that will wholly or substantially eliminate any water that may be present or mitigate its effects. In ad dition I propose using ingredients that preferably have a chemical or physical action that neutralizes or otherwise minimizes the corrosiveaction of the carbolic acid or similar substance. For example, if in the compounding of a carbolic acid remover along the lines above indicated, the materials used, be substantially anhydrous and particularly if among these ingredients glycerin which is substantially anhydrous be included the resultant remover will have substantially no corrosive action even when carbolic acid is present to the extent of twenty-five or thirty per cent. or so. If, however, a small amount of water be added to such carbolated glycerin the corrosive action of the carbolic acid at once becomes manifest. According to the preferred form of the present invention a composition containing fifteen to twenty-five per cent. ofcarbolic acid or its, homologues or other large percentages, as for example, the forty per cent. carbolic acid composition called for by the United States Navy specifications for ships use, may be prepared yielding a' product in which the usual very marked unpleasant characteristics of such proportion of carbolic acid are largely minimized and which in many ways approaches the remover of the composition covered by the formulae v of Ellis Patent No. 714,880.

Glycerin is particularly desirable as an ingredient of the present remover in'that it not only contains a hydroxyl body that offsets the acid hydroxyl of carbolic acid acid hydroxyl of carbolic material.

and its homologues, but it also has an independent beneficial effect upon the skin and furthermore it is substantially non-volatile. In specifying the glycerin as a desirable element, however, it is not intended that any limitation be imposed thereby as to other similar hydroxyl or equivalent bodies possessing the same palliative action on carbolic acid and possessing beneficial or'at least no unpleasant action on the skin.

The composition preferably should have its content of water, if any be present, adjusted with respect to the carbolic acid content, due consideration being had for any physico-chemical laws which govern this phenomenon probably involve conditions of dissociation and association dependent upon the mutual action of these three types of hydroxyl. When cooperating in a sphere of action such as'may obtain in the composition above set forth, the presenceof a nonvolatile body such as glycerin having three hydroxyl groups is therefore advantageous.

When a considerable proportion of carbolic acid is present and alcohol, acetone or similar substances ordinarily used in the manufacture of remover are employed, the alcohol or acetone shou-ld desirably be present in an amount excessive from the removing standpoint and the alcohol, acetone or similar substances should preferably be "substantially anhydrous. Desirable results are obtained when the proportions are:

Alcohol (Acetone) Phenol The relations also may be expressed on the basis of the stoichiometrical relations of the several types'of hydroxyl embraced in the foregoing, which relation points to the possible formation of desirable complexes possessing a minimum of corrosive action and a maximum of useful solvent in the generality of cases.

Thepresent invention therefore relates to The consistency, as the case'may' be, in'which composition the corrosiveness of the organic acid medium is minimized by a suflicient degree of reduction of impurities tending to cause corrosive action. The corrosive action mayalso be offset by the presence of an element capable of inhibiting or largely. re-

ducing the ordinary corrosive action of the acid substance. By eliminating or reducing the amount of water from the ingredients used in the preparation of a remover containing carbolic acid or its homologues or in eliminating the Water from the remover-when compounded, the corrosive action of the carbolic acid orits homologues will be largely prevented and the presence in such remover of glycerin or its equivalent which has an inhibiting effect u on the corrosive action of the carbolic acid will add to the harmlessness of such remover. By using synthetic carbolic acidin compounding my present remover the objectionable odor formerly connected with crude carbolic acid removers will be eliminated. In the mixtures of carbolic acid and moisturecontaining fusel oil, such ashave. been employed in the'past to some extent for certain purposes, the objectionable corrosive action and odor were particularly apparent. According-to the present invention a composition is derived which supplants such mixtures and affords a paint remover'in which serious or marked unpleasant. action is larigely reduced or eliminated.

11 several of my applications attention.

has been called to methods of dehydrating materials or of producing removers of an anhydrous nature by commingling various water freed solvents; as for example in Serial No. 360387, filed March 4, 1907, mention is made of calcium oxid as an antacid material which will also, of course, dehydrate organic solvents containing moisture. As stated in Serial No. 67 5,215, filed February 3, 1912, ethyl alcohol when used in removing compositions of the character mentioned is preferably dehydrated as by drying the commercial alcohol over quick lime for several da s and .then decanting the dehydrated alco 01 from the lime. In the same application it is stated that the loosening solvent incorporated should be preferably the alcohols and other loosening finish solvents having a relatively high flash point and being substantially; immiscible in" character or as being relatively free from.

water, which minimi'zes'the hydrolytic decomposition in the case of incorporated chlorinated solvents. The following formulais given therein: 50 parts turpentine; 20

parts carbolic acid with or without 30 parts benzyl alcohol and parts of paraflin wax.

In the same application, as also in Serial. No. 653773, filed October 10, 1911, the following formula is given: cresylic benzyl ester 40 parts; benzyl alcohol parts;

benzyl acetate parts.

Another desirable composition may comprise 50 parts of solvent naphtha; 5 to 25 parts of carbon tetra-chlorid; 25 parts of cresole or creosote and 5 parts of paraffin wax. I

In Serial No. 615,711 filed March 20, 1911,

which contains subject matter taken frommy application Serial .No. 36 1,7 19 filed March 27, 1907, and Serial No. 598,398 filed December 20, 1910, the following formulae appear: carbolic acid 20 gals; benzol 13 gals; denatured or wood alcohol 20 gals;

, wood flour 10 lbs; ceresin wax 5 lbs. caustic soda 2 to 6 lbs.

And also, carbolic acid 25 gals; benzol 25 gals; wood alcohol 20 gals; ceresin wax 4 lbs; light oxid of magnesia 50 lbs.

, In Serial No. 574,708, filed July30, 1910, the following formula appears: ortho-anisidin 20 parts; naphthenic acid 20 parts; mono-chlorcresol 20 parts, vceresin wax 5 parts. 3

According' to the procedure given in Serial No. 592,342, filed November 10, 1910, sulfuric acid is used to dehydrate the materials employed.

This application contains subject matter from the foregoing applications pending at the time of filing the latest application above, mentioned or during the pendency of the latter.

The present invention preferably seeks to minimize the corrosive action of carbolic acid and its homologues especially in removing compositions of 'high acid content as stated either by using solvents rendered substantially or more nearly anhydrous'before combination in the remover or. sufficiently by dehydrating the solvents after paraffin wax.

they have been mixed to form the remover, which corrosive action may also be lessened by using an inhibiting agent as glycerin.

An example of such composition is the following: 50 'parts. of dry turpentine; 20

parts carbolic acid crystals and 2 parts If synthetic carbolic acid be used, such as is provided by mixing benzol with sulfuric acid to form the sulfonate, with subsequent alkali fusion and ultimate liberation of the carbolic acid, the usual highly disagreeable odor of carbolic'acid will be eliminated, and if such-acid be distilled or otherwise purified to render it fairly dry its corrosiveness will be reduced, Y

Another illustrative composition consists of 50 parts of turpentine; .25 partsof car- -bolic acid and 5 parts of glycerin.

Another composition consists of 10 parts,

carbolic acid, 10 parts glycerin, 10 parts denatured alcohol and the requisite amount of waxy material.

Another illustrative composition consists of orthoanisidin 20 parts, naphthemc ac d.

20 parts, monochlorcresol 20 parts, ceresm wax 5 parts. The materials, in the examples given are anhydrous or substantially so or the composition is maintained in an anhydrous state by the addition of a small amount of quicklime or dry sodium sulfate which may be added wheredesired, to in-' dryness of the comthe corrosive action which would be in evidence in the presence of substantial amounts of water.

In this connection it should be stated that dehydration need not be carried to the extreme in many cases as the removal, under ordinary conditions, of the water should take place only sufficiently to minimize the action of the high percentage, of carbolic acid to the extent required.

Another formula comprises cresylic ben zyl esters 40 parts, benzyl alcohol 10 parts,

benzyl acetate 15 parts and glycerin 3 parts.

By the use of synthetic carbolic acid the unpleasant tarry odor of ordinary carbolic acid-is eliminated to a very considerable ex tent and by eliminating suchjobjectionable constituents as crude wet fusel oil and using solvents of aunore desirable and effectivecharacter acomposition is obtained which has a not unpleasant odor and does not have the more objectionable corrosive and discoloring action thatcharacterized the ordi-' nary carbolic acid composition.

ommercial benzol is free from water and glycerin of good quality is also substantially free from water. Anhydrous wood alcohol and, grain alcohol and acetone can ordinarily be procured if especially, demanded.

"If desired these ingredients may, however,

be specially dried before used in my remover or the remover may be dehydrated as above explained by the addition of quicklime, dry sodium sulfate or some Whether the action betweeni glycerin and carbolic acid is chemical or hysical is perhaps not settled, but the act is demonsimilar agent.

strated that these substances have a marked assimilative capacity or aflinity for each other and that the presence of glycerin materially reduces the corrosive and seemingly also the poisonous qualities of carbolic acid and its homologues. A simple and eifective remover canbe made up under my present invention as follows: benzol parts, grain alcohol (or methyl acetone) 30 parts, carbolic acid 24 parts, glycerin 12 parts and paraflin wax as desired.

, Another simple and effective formula is, carbolic acid SO parts, glycerin 30. parts, benzaldehyde 20 parts and benzol 20 parts. To these formulae may be added, if desired, about 5 per cent. of quicklime, sodium sulfate or similar dehydrator.

In the foregoing formulae containing waxy evaporation retarding material, it will be noted that only a relatively small amount of waxy material in comparison with the solvents employed is indicated. The use of this relatively small amount of evaporation retarding material enables the production of liquid or fluent compositions adapted for ready application to surfaces from which the paint and varnish coatings areto be removed as in the manner shown in the art.

Having thus described my invention in connection with illustrative formulae to the details of which I do not wish to be limited, what I claim is:

1. A paint and varnish remover consisting of phenol, finish solvent material, glycerin, wax and moisture.

, 2. A paint and varnish remover consisting of a phenolic body, finish solvent material, glycerin, wax and moisture.

3. A paint'and varnish remover consisting of a phenolic body, finish solvent material, glycerin, a waxy body and moisture.

4;. A paint and varnish remover consisting of a phenolic body, finish solvent ma-- terial, a hydroxy palliative agent for the' phenolic body, a waxy body and moisture.

' CARLETON ELLIS.