Patented Nov.

4, 1930

1,780,844

UNITED STA TEs PATENT OFFIC

HANS

SCHULZ, OF BOMLITZ, NEAR WALSIRODE, GIilRMANY

APPLYING NITROCELLULOSE VARNISHES

No Drawing. Application ?led November 30, 1926, Serial 'No. 151,827, and in Germany December 4, 1,925.;

This invention has reference to improve about 20 to 40 percent solids can be obtained
ments in varnish coatings of nitrocellulose that can be applied in jets or by sprinkling.
and the like, and it is intended to devise To this class of varnishes belongs for instance
means of producing a better adhesion of the the Du-Pont-Errtee-Duco~Finish. These '
6 nitrocellulose coating to the article to be Duco-varnishes show the drawback, how
treated than it was possible to obtain by the ever, that they do not adhere directly to sheet
means heretofore suggested. The invention metal surfaces, so that it becomes necessary
has also for its object to generally improve, to provide for grounding the surfaces twice
the process of manufacture of such varnishes with oil paint. This previous grounding of I
10 and varnish coats, as well as the quality of
the surface requires at least two days, par 60
such products. Other objects and advantages ticularly in cases where stopping or ?lling is
will appear from the speci?cation and claims. necessary; and there is also the inconvenience
For the purpose of coating articles with that these Duco-varnishes produce a dull sur-
15

varnishes or lacquers, such as for instance in face, which is objectionable in manycases.

, Now this invention'is adapted to overcome

the case of the coating of automobiles and

65

other vehicles and the like, oil varnishes have all these drawbacks and disadvantages re
been employed almost exclusively until re sulting in the application of coats of nitro
cently. The long duration of the drying re- cellulose-varnishes. It has been ascertained
quired
for such varnishes was, however, a
20 serious drawback which has become particu in the course of my experiments that the in
termediate layer intended to secure such

larly annoying with the introduction of the coats of celluloid-like nature to the underly
so-called series-method of manufacture of ing surface, instead of consisting of. a ground
automobiles and the like, so that it became ing of oil-paint or varnish, may comprise
necessary to devise means of substituting a a suitably compounded solution of nitro-cel- .
25
suitable, but more rapidly drying product for lulose; and by this means a very quick com
the oil varnishes heretofore employed. Asa pletion of the entire coating process with
partial substitute for oil varnishes it has been the simultaneous reliable ?xing of the coat

suggested to make use of cellulose-ester var

to the surface of wood, sheet metal or the

nishes. While these varnishes and lacquers like is made possible. In accordance with
dry very quickly, there is the - inconvene this invention it has been found advanta
ience that such varnishes fail to possess geous to employ intermediate layers of ni- _
su?icient body, inasmuch as the cellulose tro-cellulose possessing a solubility which is
ester- can only be dissolved in the solvents different from the other coats. These di?'er- '
employed at very low concentrations. Such ent solubilities do not refer to the slight vari
thin varnishes or lacquers will according ations of solubility exhibited by the ordinary
ly requiremore successive coats, which will collodion-cotton with a content of nitrogen
to a large extent compensate the advan from, say 10.5% to 12.5%, but the invention
tage of more rapid dryin thereof. Be refers particularly to the different solubilities
sides, such varnishes are lia le to showfis of the kinds of nitrot-cellulose containing
o 40. sures and blistering and are likely to come more than 12.6% of nitrogen, the so-called GO 0
off ; or they present other physical disadvan-' gun-cottons, the solubility of which in ether
tageous features, and there is the additional alcohol is less than that of the ordinary col
difficulty that such methods are rather ex lodion-cotton. A grounding coat composed
pensive by the great amounts of valuable of this kind of nitro-cellulose-solutions will ,
45 solvents required.

50

'

securely adhere to surfaces of sheet metal or

The nitro-cellulose-varnishes and lacquers wood, and it also adheres to old varnish-?ll
have become important, since it has become ers and lacquer-?llings, and to old coats of
possible to manufacture nitro~cellulose yield oil paint or of collodion, and protects them
ing comparatively thinly liquid solutions by from
the swelling action of additional coats
means of which varnishes or lacquers with of varnish the solvents of which are selected, 10d

1,780,844
so as not to produce any dissolving action tent and a lower ether-alcohol solubility than

upon the fastening intermediate layer. This the nitrocelluloses used in the subsequent
varnish or lacquer obtained from the kinds coating solutions.

. 2. In a method of applying coatings of

of "nitro-cellulose above speci?ed having nitrocellulose
varnishes upon bases with the
morethan 12.6% of nitrogen may be com

70

pounded in the usual manner with softening aid of a primary binding layer, the apply
agents, coloring pigments, natural and arti ing as primary binding layer, of a nitrocel
?cial resins-and varnishes. This grounding lulose solution comprising a nitrocellulose
varnish may moreover be employed as a having a substantially higher nitrogen con

means for the ?lling of, the pores, thus for tent and a lower ether-alcohol solubility than 115
_10 instance in the case of colorless or colored the. nitrocelluloses used in the subsequent
varnishes or lacquers on wood, while in the coating solutions, and the employing for
case of colored varnish coats it- may be em

these subsequent coatings, of nitrocelluloses

ployed-as a ?lling varnish or is suitable to be which differ considerably amongst them

applied with the spatula,after having been selves in respect of solubility and nitrogen
compounded with suitable ?lling agents. content.

15

For the coats to be applied subsequently to

the grounding it is likewise possible to em
ploy modifications of nitro-cellulose with
different solubilities and varying contents of
'20 nitrogen
with advantage, by which means the
durability of the entire coating of varnish is

3. In a method of applying coatings of

nitrocellulose varnishes to surfaces with the

of the application of varnishesin accordance _

with this invention therefore comprises for
instance the applying of a'suitable solution
of gun-cotton nitrocellulose as the ground,
then the application of the coating varnish

further coatings, of nitrocelluloses differing

a1d of a primary binding layer, the employ

ment as primary binding layer, of a gun
cotton-nitrocellu-lose having a nitrogen con
tent above 12.6% and incomplete ether-al
greatly increased. Hence, the-entire method cohol solubility, and the employment for the

25

considerably amongst themselves in respect

85

90

of solubility and nitrogen content.

4. In a method of applying coats of nitro- >

cellulose varnishes to surfaces of work with

- of any desirable adjustable hardness, and the the aid of a primary bindinglayer, the using
30

80

application of the gloss-varnish by sprin for the primary binding layer, of a nitrocel~
kling orby jets; Each of these three varnish lulose having a nitrogen content above
layers containing easily volatile solvents 12.6%, and for the following layers, of nitro

95

dries very rapidly, about one to two hours celluloses having another nitrogen content

35

drying being generally sui?cient for every than the nitrocellulose of the primary coat
varnishing and painting operation at 25
Centigrade up to the rubbing and burnishing g. In a method for producing superim
posed layers of nitrocellulose varnishes dif-_
of the coatings.
in

100

fering from one another in content of

.A numerical example may explain still nitrogen
and degree of ether-alcohol solubil
more clearly the method of theinvention. To

ity using as nitrocellulose of the grounding

40 an iron sheet there is applied by means of layer
a nitrocellulose of a substantially high
t a brush or otherwise a primary grounding
layer by_using a lacquer of the following er nitrogen content and a lower ether-alcohol
_

solubility than the nitrocelluloses of the sub

composition:

10% low-viscous nitrocellulose of 12.8%

45

105

sequent coatings.

>

- 6. In a method for producing superim

N., 5% rosin-ester, 8% butylphtalate, 20% posed
layers of nitrocellulose varnishes, con
butyl-acetate, 17% propyI-acetate,_ 15%
ethyl-acetate, 15% propanol, 10% pigment." stituting the grounding layer by a nitrocel-'

'

-After the vdrying of this grounding coat a .lulose having a nitrogen content above 12.6%
second layer. of varnish is applied which may and an incomplete ether-alcohol solubility, _

of the following constituents: whilst the other layers have another nitrogen 115
v50 becom'posed
13% low-viscous nitrocellulose of 12% N., , content than the nitrocellulose of the ground
7% butylphtalate, 10% butanol, 35% meth in layer.
and, 25% toluol, 4% castor oil, 6% pigment, In testimony whereof I a?ix my signature. _ It should, of course, be understood that the

inlvention is susceptible ofmodi?cations, and

that no limitations on the invention are in
tended other than those imposed by the scope .
of the appended claims. I
I claim :7

' ;

_ 1. In a method of applying coatings of

nitrocellulose varnishes upon bases with the

aid of a primary binding layer, the applying

65

as primary binding layer of a nitrocellulose

solution which comprises a nitrocellulose
having a substantially higher nitrogen con

HANS F. ,SOHULZ.

120