US2081073A - Polish - Google Patents

Description

Patented May 18, 1937 UNETED STATES engineerin POLISH No Drawing. Application March 12, 1936,

' Serial No. 68,541

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a polishing composition for use in cleaning and restoring the luster of varnished, enamelled, lacquered and bakelite surfaces. The composition is particularly adapted for polishing automobiles, furniture, floors and the like.

While it is old in the art to use a raw vegetable oil in an emulsion polish, nevertheless, such polishes have been largely unsuccessful because when applied, they leave a film which is greasy, of hazy appearance and of poor durability.

This invention has, therefore, as an object the making of a free-flowing, liquid polish that is easily and quickly applied, and which will leave on the surface being polished a protective film that is non-greasy, non-sticky, of brilliant luster and excellent durability.

The success of this liquid emulsion polish over previous liquid polishes is based on the formation of a three-phase emulsion. The ingredients which form the three phases of the emulsion are as follows:

(1) A saturated petroleum hydrocarbon such as a light mineral oil.

(2) A vegetable oil, such as raw castor oil, which provides a protective film and acts as a luster restorer. The vegetable oil must be immiscible with the petroleum hydrocarbon.

(3) Water.

When the petroleum hydrocarbon and raw castor oil are emulsified in the water, the petroleum hydrocarbon and the raw castor oil each provide a distinct dispersed phase, the water being the continuous phase.

When a polishing composition of the character indicated is applied to a surface being treated, the emulsion breaks and the Water evaporates. The mineral oil film and castor oil film remain. The castor oil being inherently tacky sticks to the surface that is being polished, whereas the light mineral oil being immiscible with the castor oil, comes to the surface of the latter. The mineral oil provides lubrication during the rubbing or polishing operation and prevents the polishing cloth from coming in contact of mineral oil. As a result, a durable coating of high-luster, free from greasiness and hazy appearance, is obtained.

This three-phase emulsion polish is distinctly superior to previous emulsion polishes which employ a'vegetable oil, such as linseed oil, which is miscible with the petroleum hydrocarbon. the use of such linseed oil, a two-phase emulsion is formed when emulsified in water.

On applying a two-phase emulsion polish of the type indicated to a surface, there is obtained a coating of hazy appearance, of a greasy nature and of poor durability. I miscible with mineral oil, the residual oil film is a mixture of the two, and hence, during the polishing operation, the polishing cloth will remove both the linseed oil and mineral oil with the result that a film is left which is deficient inlinseed oil. The latter has the highest refractive index, and the property of imparting durability to the polished surface. Further, during the polishing operation, the linseed oil will remove small fibers from the cloth which is additionally responsible for the hazy appearance produced on the surface of the object being treated.

The instant invention comprises as essential ingredients a saturated petroleum hydrocarbon such as a light mineral oil; an oil which is to act I Parts Mineral spirits 169 Light mineral oil 187.5 Castor oil (C; P. quality)"; 93.6 Ricinoleic acid 11.03

Water 624.75

Water solution of potassium hydroxide containing 1.65 parts of potassium hydroxide 19.25

'A preferred method to be followed in mixing the ingredients is as follows. The potassium hydroxide solution and one-third of the total water i are put into a mixing tank provided with a stirrer. To this is added a mixture of the castor oil and. the ricinoleic acid. The mineral oil is then Because linseed oil is added, followed by one-half of the remaining watenwhich in turn is followed by the addition of the mineral spirits and finally the remaining water. The entire mixture is then sent through a homogenizer to produce a stable emulsion.

The mineral spirits function as a cleansing agent.

Other cleansing agents maybe substituted entirely or in part for the mineral spirits, such substitution to be limited only in nature and amount so that the substituted cleansing agent does not render the castor oil miscible in the mineral oil.

The potassium ricinoleate soap formed from the ricinoleic acid and potassium hydroxide acts as the emulsifying agent and in theformula given, the potassium hydroxide is used in an amount just suificient to neutralize the ricinoleic acid. Though the ricinoleate soap has been found to be most desirable as the emulsifying agent, nevertheless, it will be understood that others may be advantageously employed. Use of an improper soap imparts a greasiness to the final film. The ricinoleate soap does not produce this greasiness. One can obtain the needed soap for emulsifying purposes by saponifying the raw castor oil; but care must be taken that the quantity of unsaponified castor oil is in the ratio called for by the formula above set out. However, more accurate results are obtained by adding the ricinoleic acid in the manner indicated.

While the preferred formula includes all basic ingredients, still such substances as dyes, deodorants, and abrasive materials may be added. Also gums, such as gum tragacanth, gum arabic and gelatine may be used as body-imparting agents to aid in maintaining the stability of the emulsion over a long period of time. For example, to the basic formula 1.687 parts of gum tragacanth may be added. The gum is soaked in Water over night and when added produces a heavy-bodied emulsion of increased stability.

While raw castor oil, that is the natural oil, has been referred to as the preferred vegetable oil, other natural vegetable oils which are inherently immiscible with petroleum hydrocarbons may be used. As far as I am aware, the only natural oils which answer this requirement are castor oil and croton oil.

However, as it is possible to render vegetable oils which are miscible with saturated petroleum hydrocarbons, immiscible with these petroleum hydrocarbons, such oils would fall within the class of vegetable oils which might be successfully employed. For example, air can be blown through tung oil under such conditions as to render it immiscible with saturated petroleum hydrocarbons. This blown tung oil product may be used as the fatty oil in a polishing composition to produce an excellent polish.

It has been found that the durability of the film produced by the polishing composition described can be extended to as long as'five months so as to equal that obtained by the use of a paste wax polish, the latter having heretofore proven to be most efficacious in producing an enduring luster. These paste wax polishes which are waxes admixed with organic solvents, are, however, laborious and time-consuming in application.

. Being solids, they require a large amount of rubbing to bring out the high polish characteristic of them.

Attempts have been unsuccessfully made to incorporate various vegetable or mineral waxes such as carnauba, paraffin and the like in polishing compositions in order to increase the durability of the finish. This lack of success has been due to the fact that if incorporated in the quantity necessary to impart durability, these waxes have interfered with the easy working of the polish, and produce a hazy appearance common when oils and Waxesare admixed. The incorporation of the wax destroys both the luster of the oil and of the wax.

I have found, however, a wax which will perform the task of increasing the durability of the finish to make it equal to a paste wax and still not interfere with the working quality of the polish herein described or the brilliant luster which is obtainable. This wax is a blend of straight chain higher fatty alcohols, .and has a melting point of 50 C. Its specific gravity in liquid state is 0.81, aoetyl value 180-190 and its molecular weight about 250. Its acid value, saponification value, and ester value are each nil. Such a wax can be purchased in the open market under the trade name of Lannette Wax.

To the composition set out above, 30 parts of Lannette Wax may be incorporated and the resulting product will be a polishing composition of maximum durability.

The method of compounding the polish when employing the Wax is as follows. The Lannette Wax is warmed to its melting temperature, and

kept in this condition until entirely melted. The castor oil is then stirred in and the entire mixture allowed to cool. The cool mixture will be a true solution which is free-flowing, although it is viscous. The procedure from this point Having thus described my invention, what is claimed is:

1. A free-flowing emulsion liquid polish combining the ingredients listed below in approximately the following parts by weight:

Parts Mineral spirits 169 Light mineral oil 187.5 Natural castor oil 93.6 Ricinoleic acid 11.03

Water 624.75 Water solution of potassium hydroxide containing 1.65 parts of potassium hydroxide 19.25

2. A free-flowing emulsion liquid polish combining the ingredients listed below in approximately the following parts by weight:

Parts Mineral spirits 169 Light mineral oil 187 .5 Natural castor oil 93.6 Ricinoleic acid 11.03

Water 624.75 Water solution of potassium hydroxide containing 1.65 parts of potassium hydroxide Gum tragacanth 3. A free-flowing emulsion liquid polish combining the ingredients listed below in approximately the following parts by Weight:

Parts Mineral spirits 169 Light mineral oil 187.5 Natural castor oil 93.6 Ricinoleic acid 11.03

Water 624.75

Water solution of potassium hydroxide containing 1.65 parts of potassium hydroxide 19.25

Lannette Wax 30 LEROY w. SHUGER.