US206891A - Improvement in compositions for coating alkali balls - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT ornrenz AARON MENDLESON, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN COMPOSITIONS FOR COATING ALKALI BALLS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 206,891, dated August 13,1878; application filed June 10, 1878.

To'all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON MENnLEsoN, of

the city and county of Albany, and State of coating. The compound, as a coating of the alkaline blocks, also withstands ordinary atmospheric temperatures without becoming soft; I and sticky, or requiring non-conducting substances, such as sawdust, for packing, when w conveyed from place to place.

I take sixteen (16) parts by weight of Burgundy pitch and from two (2) to four (4) parts of ground plaster-of-paris and about one-half .5) part of olive or other fixed oil as the ingredients and about the proportions of my compound. I now melt the pitch in any suitable vessel or kettleplaced over a fire, or otherwise; then I pour the oil among the pitch to make it more mobile and fluid, and prevent it from sticking to the sides or inner surface of the kettle. The temperature of the pitch is elevated to about 240 centigrade, the plasterof-paris stirred among it, and the whole stirred and boiled until all the moisture is expelled and the molten mass ceases to emit bubbles. It is then in a proper state for coating the blocks of caustic alkali.

I now take the said blocks of alkali, which may be cast in any form in suitable molds, or compressed from granulated alkali, and each block is simply grasped with a pair of small tongs made of steel wire, the shape of the tongs being like those employed to lift pieces of ice; and I dip the block into the molten compound in the open kettle. The compound quickly adheres to the surface of the alkali and covers it very evenly. The coated alkali block is then lifted out, and may be instantly cooled by dipping in cold water or pouring water over it but lprefer to hang each block, whencoatechby its tongs, and expose it to a current of cool'air until the coating becomes sufficiently hard.

The tongs used. are small, and a number of blocks of the alkali may be dipped at the same time. When cooled in the atmosphere the coating of the blocks looks clearer than when cooled in water; otherwise the water answers well. This coating compound for blocks of caustic alkali, used inmaking domestic soap, covers the said blocks in a very easy and Sllnr ple manner.

Complex apparatus, as used in the vacuum process, also metal and other cans, hard plaster, cements, and wrappers of india-rubber and fibrous materials are avoided and dispensed with.

The plaster-of-paris, which I use mixed with the pitch, prevents the coating from becoming soft at common atmospheric temperatures. Compounds of resin and fats for coating do not prevent the alkali from leaking during hot weather when exposed in'open places.

I desire it to be understood that the method or process herein described of applying my compound is not a part of the invention which is here claimed as new.

Having thus described my improvement, I claim as my invention The compound of Burgundy pitch, plasterof;paris, and oil for coating blocks of caustic alkali, the ingredients of the said compound being of the proportions herein set forth.

AARON MENDLESON.