US2803906A - Art of forming flakes - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent Ofltice 2,803,906 Patented Aug. 27, 1957 ART OF FORMING FLAKES Norman Steinhilber, Flushing, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Boyle-Midway Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 14, 1951, Serial No. 241,867

3 Claims. (Cl. 41-34) This invention relates to a method and article of manufacture for forming a dry flaky substance.

As conducive to an understanding of the invention, it is noted that in the decoration of Christmas trees, for example, where flakes of conventional type are sifted over the branches to simulate snow, many of such flakes will fall to the floor causing an untidy appearance and a relatively large quantity of flakes are required even for a small tree. In addition, where such flakes do not bond to the branches they will easily be dislodged therefrom and will fall off leaving numerous uncovered areas.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide a method and article of manufacture for forming a dry, flaky substance which utilizes relatively inexpensive chemicals and simple equipment and which will leave a residue that will quickly dry in flake-like form and when sprayed on an object will bond thereto and provide a coating that is snow-like in appearance.

According to the invention, these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing the single figure illustrates one of various possible types of containers in which the solution to be dispersed may be confined.

According to the invention the material to be dispersed is desirably a synthetic resin such as a polymerized acrylic acid ester known as an Acryloid and preferably a butyl methacrylate polymer is selected which is soluble in organic solvents.

The solvent selected desirably is liquid at atmospheric pressure and has a high vapor pressure with a relatively low boiling point so that when confined in a closed container the resultant solution of solvent and butyl meth acrylate polymer will be under high pressure.

Typical of the solvents that may be used is dichlorodifluoro methane, commonly known as Freon 12, which has a boiling point of -28 degrees, or dichloro-tetrafluoro ethane, commonly known as Freon 114, which has a boiling point of 3.55 degrees.

Although any suitable receptacle may be used for the solution of butyl methacrylate polymer and Freon, in the embodiment herein shown it desirably comprises a container 11, preferably of steel or other metal capable of withstanding relatively high pressure.

The container 11 has a valve assembly 12 mounted on the top wall 13 thereof which desirably comprises a casing 14 preferably cylindrical in shape, having a reduced root end 15 forming a shoulder 16 on which is seated a spring 17. Although the casing 14 may be affixed to the container wall 13 in any suitable manner, it desirably extends axially through an opening in said wall and is aflixed thereto as by welding.

A valve closure 18 having a diameter sufliciently smaller than that of said casing to permit slidable movement of said closure member, has a cup portion 19 at the upper end thereof normally urged to seat against a compressible gasket 21 preferably of rubber or other flexible material,

by means of coil spring 17 on which said closure member rests.

The gasket 21 is securely retained on the upper end 22 of the casing 14 by means of a sleeve 23 having an internally threaded portion 24 which coacts with the correspondingly threaded exterior of casing 14, said sleeve having an internal shoulder 25 which clamps said gasket on end 22 of the casing. Extending axially through sleeve 23 is a valve stem 26, one end of which extends through the central opening 27 of gasket 21 and is screwed in a threaded opening 28 in valve member 18. The other end of stem 26 extends through a gasket 31 seated on a shoulder 32 in said stem and retained on said shoulder by a plug 33 through which said stem extends. The sleeve has a relatively small opening 34 defining a nozzle through which the contents of the container may be ejected.

The casing 14 has a narrow pipe 35 telescoped therein at its lower end which extends to nearly the bottom of the container 11 so that the solution therein will be discharged through said pipe to the outlet nozzle 34.

The container 11 is charged with the butyl methacrylate polymer which is in solid crystal form and the solvent is thereupon poured into the container which is then sealed.

It has been found that in order to have substantially no undissolved solid material in the solution, from 10 to 20 percent of the latter should be the butyl methacrylate polymer. If more than this quantity is used the undissolved particles might clog the relatively small nozzle of the valve.

Due to the high vapor pressure of the Freon 12, for example, which will boil at room temperature, a high pressure will be developed in the container. Thus upon actuation of the valve by pressing down on the valve stem 26, the solution of the butyl methacrylate polymer and Freon will emerge from the nozzle 34! in the form of aerosol.

The droplets of solution emerging from the nozzle will do so at relatively high velocity. Due to the high vapor pressure of the Freon it will evaporate almost as soon as it emerges from the nozzle and the residue of butyl methacrylate polymer will remain. This residue will be flaky in appearance and although the crystals of butyl methacrylate polymer are colorless the residue will be white in appearance resembling flakes of natural snow.

The spray may readily be used to decorate a Christmas tree, for example. For this purpose if the nozzle 34 is held near the branches of the tree and the valve stem 26 is actuated, the droplets of solution will strike the branches and the Freon will quickly evaporate leaving the white flaky residue which will bond to the branches and remain thereon. If some of the sprayed material should not strike the branches but drop to the floor, as the Freon would have completely evaporated before the flaky residue had fallen all the way it could readily be brushed off the floor as it would not adhere thereto.

If desired, the spray may be made of any desirable color. This is readily accomplished by dissolving an oil soluble coloring in powdered form in the solution of Freon and butyl methacrylate polymer. In addition, perfume may be added to the solution to impart an agreeable odor to the residue deposited on the tree.

It is of course to be understood that the spray could be used for many other purposes. Thus, for example, a design can be sprayed on any surface such as a store window, a mirror, or the like, and letters and numerals can also be formed on such surfaces. As the residue is only lightly bonded to the surface it may readily be scraped therefrom.

As many changes could be made in the above method as well as in the solution and equipment and many ap parently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing; shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

' Having thus described my invention; What I claim as' new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is;

I ,1. The :methodof decorating surfaces .by the applica-i tion thereto ofla plurality of discrete flakes of a polymeric material of crystalline appearance so that the. individual. flakes, as appliedto said surfaces, are generally separated from each. other and but lightly bonded thereto, whereby said: surfaces. appear to be decorated with flakes of natural snow, which comprises; applying to a surface totbe deeorated as trayof. a solution ofarmateri 'li which, whe applied-to saidlsunfacei Will'iormthereon a plurality of flakes sim l ting natural snow sai sol t n comprising from .150 percent to-ZO perc n of a u yl metha rylate t a pressure, so that a pressure-driven spray'of said solution contacts said surface which is to be decorated. said,

,flakes simulating natural snow, whereupon, when said halogenated hydrocarbon solvent volatilizes, a plurality of discrete flakes of said polymeric material of crystalline appearance is left on said surface.

2. The method of decorating: surfaces defined in claim 1 wherein the halogenated hydrocarbon solvent. is dicholorodifiuoromethane.

3. The method of decora ing surface define in claim. 1 wherein the halogenated hydrocarbon solvent is .dichlorotetrafluoroethane.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent,

UNITED SIATESRATENTS 1,892,750 Rotheim Jan. 3, 1933 1,945,998 Rotheim Feb. 6, 1934 2,4 7,668 Lea hcrm-an, Sep l.7, 1: 2,440,915 QQh -t- M y 4, 194B- '1-5,2 0 1 Mtl ti Fa- J ly LS, 19. 0- 2,524,590 .Bne --s s Oct. .3, 1950; 2,617,780 Lutz Nov. 1.1 19,521

FOREIGN PATENTS 811,418 France s s Jan. 14, 1937 OTHER REFERENCES Condensed Chemical Dictionary, ReinholdjPub. Clot,

New York, 3rd ed. (1942-), page 49.

la s

Claims (1)

1. THE METHOD OF DECORATING SURFACES BY THE APPLICATION THERETO OF A PLURALITY OF DISCRETE FLAKES OF A POLYMERIC MATERIAL OF CRYSTALLINE APPEARANCE SO THAT THE INDIVIDUAL FLAKES, AS APPLIED TO SAID SURFACES, ARE GENERALLY SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER AND BUT LIGHTLY BONDED THERETO, WHEREBY SAID SURFACES APPEAR TO BE DECORATED WITH FLAKES OF NATURAL SNOW, WHICH COMPRISES: APPLYING TO A SURFACE TO BE DECORATED A SPRAY OF A SOLUTION OF A MATERIAL WHICH,WHEN APPLIED TO SAID SURFACE, WILL FORM THEREON A PLURALITY OF FLAKES SIMULATING NATURAL SNOW, SAID SOLUTION COMPRISING FROM 10 PERCENT TO 20 PERCENT OF A BUTYL METHACRYLATE POLYMER DISSOLVED IN A SOLVENT THEREFFOR, WHICH COMPRISES A HALOGENATED HYDROCARBON CONTAINING BOTH CHLORINE AND FLUORINE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP WHICH CONSISTS OF DICHLORODIFLUOROMETHANE AND DICHLOROTETRAFLUOROETHANE, SAID HALOGENATED HYDROCARBON SOLVENT HAVING A LOW BOILING POINT AND HIGH VAPOR PRESSURE SO THAT PRESSURE DUE TO VOLATILIZATION OF SAID SOLVENT IS BUILT UP WHEN SAID SOLUTION IS STORED IN A CLOSED PRESSURE-RESISTANT CONTAINER AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, SAID SOLUTION BEING APPLIED TO SAID SURFACE TO BE DECORATED BY RELEASING SAID SOLUTION FROM A CLOSED PRESSURE-RESISTANT CONTAINER WHEREIN IT IS HELD UNDER PRESSURE, SO THAT A PRESSURE-DRIVEN SPRAY OF SAID SOLUTION CONTACTS SAID SURFACE WHICH IS TO BE DECORATED WITH SAID FLAKES SIMULATING NATURAL SNOW, WHEREUPON, WHEN SAID HALOGENATED HYDROCARBON SOLVENT VOLATILIZES, A PLURALITY OF DISCRETE FLAKES OF SAID POLYMERIC MATERIAL OF CRYSTALLINE APPEARANCE IS LEFT ON SAID SURFACE.

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