M a y , 1914
T H E JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL A N D ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY
t h e advantages of being light, flexible, and durable, and perfectly strictureless. INSTRUCTIONS TO SURFACE AND POLISH XYLONITE SHEET
T h e Surface of t h e sheet can be made smooth with either a file, glass paper, scraper, or plane; or by grinding on a stone, either with fine emery powder a n d water, fine emery powder and oil, or pumice stock a n d water; i t may also be pressed t o a smooth surface between polished plates of metal heated t o about 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Polish with oil a n d crocus, oil and rotten-stone, or oil a n d whiting, combined with friction; i t may also be French polished, in t h e same manner as cabinet work or hard woods. T h e friction polish is most durable, and may be obtained b y t h e use of a rotary wheel or oscillating flat plate, having a leathern or woollen surface well supplied with t h e above-named polishing powders, combined with oil or water. Finish with a rotating or oscillating brush or wheel made of hair, cotton or wool, well supplied with whiting combined with oil or water. IKSTRUCTIONS FOR WORKING AND EASTENING HANDLES
To work Xylonite Handles for Table or Pocket Cutlery, t h e material should be first surfaced or shaped, either with a hardened steel file, or by grinding upon “fine grit” stones, supplied with water in a n y convenient way; then polished on a leather surfaced or buff wheel, well supplied with rotten-stone a n d oil, or powdered pumice stone, a n d oil; and finished on a rotating dolly or wheel composed of hair, cotton, woollen rays, or felt, well supplied with whiting combined with oil or water. This will give a high gloss, similar t o ivory. I n many instances t h e ordinary method of polishing ivory will suffice. Previous t o working Xylonite into Table or Pocket Knife Handles, in large practice, i t is desirable, in order t o avoid t h e possibility of the warping or contortion of t h e material, t h a t t h e article should be shaped approximately t o its finished form, either b y file or grinding; the hole drilled for t h e t a n g ; a n d the rough handle then seasoned a n d set, by exposing i t for from 14 t o 21 days t o a warm and free atmosphere of about 100 t o 130 degrees Fahrenheit. After this it may be surfaced a n d polished. Xylonite may be moulded into form under combined pressure and heat. T h e mould a n d material should he heated t o about 212 degrees Fahrenheit, pressure then applied, and t h e mould allowed t o remain until cool, or i t m a y be plunged instantly into cold water, in order t o set t h e shape quickly. To permanently fasten Xylonite Handles, which will not be affected b y climate or boiling water, a n d d o not require pinning or riveting: H e a t the t a n g of t h e blade in a gas flame t o a b o u t 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or, say a blue heat. Fill t h e drill hole of t h e handle with flour of sulfur or powdered brimstone, then insert t h e hot tang; this will melt t h e powder, t h e excess of which will escape while adjusting t h e handle; in a few seconds t h e t a n g will be sufficiently cool for t h e handle t o become firmly set. Half a dozen tangs may be heated a t one time by a n ordinary gas flame a t t h e workman’s bench in about one minute, thus economizing time, avoiding t h e inconvenience and risk of fires, and t h e use of t h e melting pot. If necessary t o remove handles from the tang, hold t h e blade firmly i n a &e, then with a lever or spanner forcibly twist t h e handle round, a t t h e same time pulling i t off; this may be executed without injury t o t h e article. Knives having Xylonite handles fastened as above described m a y be cleaned with boiling water without risk of becoming cracked, discolored, loose on t h e tang, or injured in any way, as neither t h e material nor t h e fastening will be affected b y heat considerably above t h e temperature of boiling water. T h e ordinary fastenings with Rosin will not answer with Xylonite handles. 7, GREATWINCHESTER STREETBUILDINGS, E. C. LONDON, 31st March, 1871
44 1
of the Hyatt alcohol dehydration patent, i t took only one hearing t o cause a discontinuance of the suit. The invention of celluloid has been discussed’ before in a manner sufficiently lucid to cause anybody not possessed of the light-heartedness of Prof. Chandler and Dr. Baekeland t o make a little more sure of his premises. I think I gave hZr. Hyatt due credit in the article which Prof. Chandler takes exception to, as I also did in 1895, when I said: “ I n the United States, J. A. McClelland and John W. Hyatt were a t work to utilize the valuable properties of soluble pyroxylin, But an invention overshadowing all the others in importance was made by Daniel Spill in 1869, when he first produced a pyroxylin-camphor composition, plastic at about 75 O C., by gelatinizing pyroxylin by means of a solution of camphor in commercial grain alcohol. As far as the chemical side is concerned, Daniel Spill must be hailed as the father of the celluloid industry, while to John W. Hyatt;at that time of Albany, N. Y . , the greatest credit is due for devising suitable machinery for the intricate processes involved, for discerning the importance of pure materials, and for the perseverance which he exhibited under most adverse conditions.” It would have been much better to have the presentation of the Perkin medal t o Mr. Hyatt based on the things which he accomplished, of which there are a good many. ROBERTC. SCH~~PPHAUS 175 PEARLSTREET, l
i YORK ~ ~
March 2 7 , 1914
LABORATORIES IN THE CHEMISTS’ BUILDING The Chemists ’ Building Company, organized primarily t o finance the construction and operation of a building in which t o house The Chemists’ Club and various Chemical Societies in New York City, starts on May 1st next, a new form of leases for its tenants. There has been a good demand for laboratories in the Chemists’ Building and only a few of them are left. They rent a t a uniform rate of $ 2 . 0 0 per square foot per annum. Each laboratory has its own gas supply and meter. Heat, electric light, water, compressed air and vacuum are supplied by the building. Laboratories have openings for hood connections. The Chemists ’ Building is most conveniently located a t 50 E. 41st Street close to the Grand Central and Subway Stations. The Chemists’ Club acts as agents for the Building Company, and all inquiries may be addressed to the House Committee or the Superintendent of the Club.
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE PRESENCE OF FURFURAL IN CIDER VINEGAR-A CORRECTION
Through an oversight the final paragraph of the article under the above title in THISJOURNAL, 6, 214, was omitted. It follows: “The vinegars used above, except the farmers’ vinegars, GENTLSMEN: I beg t o inform you t h a t this Company has appointed Messrs. BEACH were made under the direction of Asst. Prof. H. Louis Jackson & Co., of Hartford, Connecticut, t h e sole Agents for t h e United States of for his study of pure cider vinegar. The test for furfural was America a n d Canada. made a t his suggestion.” AGNESA. ANDERSON You will, therefore, oblige by forwarding t o them your orders for t h e f u t u r e , which will receive prompt attention. Messrs. Beach & Co. will have t h e pleasure of affording you full particulars of t h e various uses of our material, together with Price Lists, etc. I a m , Gentlemen, Yours obediently, HERBERTJ. C A N N I N G , Secrefary
Tons of Spill’s xylonite were a t this time imported into this country. Worden’s description (“Nitrocellulose Industry,” pp. 571, 5 7 2 ) of Spill’s work is incomplete. His criticism of Parkes’ processes (Ibid., p. 568, foot-note) does not tally with the facts. I n regard to the dehydration of pyroxylin by means of alcohol, Mr. Hyatt labors under a misapprehension. This process is about as old as collodion itself, and was first patented by Cutting in 1845. It was first employed in a n industrial way by J. R. France, the late President of the Arlington Company (died in 1895), and when his company was sued for infringement
STATE FOOD LABORATORY KANSAS,LAWRENCE
UNIVERSITY OF
April 13, 1914
CORRECTION The articles on “Sociological Work of the New Jersey Zinc Company” by F . Hughes, “Welfare and Safety Provisions a t the Welsbach Company’s Plants” by H. Lyon, THISJOURNAL, 6,333 and 336, were presented a t the JOINT MEETING of the New York Sections of the American Chemical Society, The Society of Chemical Industry and the American Electrochemical Society, Dec. 12, 1913, and not at the Annual bIeeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers as stated in the foot-notes. 1Schhpphaus, Jour. SOL. Chem. Ind., 14 (18951, 5 5 7 and 26 (1907), 383; Joyce, THISJOURNAL, 3 (1911). 194 and 702.
