AN IMPROVED ABSORBENT FABRIC TO BE USED FOR SANITARY AND OTHER USEFUL OR ORNAMENTAL PURPOSES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Hudson Smithett, of Hengrove House, Hengrove,
near Margate, in the County of Kent, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
ABSORBENT FABRIC TO BE USED FOR SANITARY AND OTHER USEFUL OR
ORNAMENTAL PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Hudson Smithett
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February 1881.
RICHARD HUDSON SMITHETT, of Hengrove House, Hengrove, near Margate, in
the County of Kent. "AN IMPROVED ABSORBENT FABRIC TO BE USED FOR
SANITARY AND OTHER USEFUL OR ORNAMENTAL PURPOSES.".
This Invention relates to the manufacturing of a new material as an absorbent
for all purposes in which absorption is required, and consists of manufacturing the
said material from the mineral known as asbestos.
I construct this material by first spinning asbestos into a loose thread or yarn,
and then weaving from this yarn an open and porous fabric to form the outer and
inner surfaces of the material, and I then by felting or other such processes fill the
space between the said outer and inner surfaces with asbestos in fibre, and I thus
form a very absorbent material, which may be used for sanitary or other useful
purposes when absorption is required. This new material is very absorbent, and
when it requires cleansing it can be readily purified by being exposed to the action
of fire, or by any chemical process, whereby all impurities are consumed leaving the
material clean and ready to be used. The operation of cleansing does not at all
injure the material, which may be used and cleansed over and over again.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Richard Hudson Smithett in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd September 1881.
RICHARD HUDSON SMITHETT, of Hengrove House, Hengrove, Margate, in
the County of Kent. "AN IMPROVED ABSORBENT FABRIC TO BE USED FOR
SANITARY AND OTHER USEFUL AND ORNAMENTAL PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to the manufacture of a new material as an absorbent for
all purposes in which absorption is required, and consists of manufacturing the
said material from the mineral known as asbestos. I construct this material by
first spinning asbestos into a loose thread or yarn and then weaving from this yarn
an open and porous fabric to form the outer and inner surfaces of the material, and
I then by felting or such other process fill the space between the said outer and
inner surfaces with asbestos in fibre, and I thus form a very absorbent material
which may be used for sanitary or other useful purposes where absorption is
required. This new material is very absorbent, and when it requires cleansing it
can be readily purified by being exposed to the action of fire, or by any chemical
process, whereby all impurities are consumed, leaving the material clean and ready
to be used. The operation of cleansing does not at all injure the material which
may be used and cleansed over and over again.
The uses to which an asbestos fabric prepared as above mentioned may be
applied are very various and numerous, for example,-
1. It can be used for all the purposes for which meerschaum, charcoal, and other
plugs in tobacco pipes are now considered desirable in smoking with the following
advantages which such plugs do not possess: -
The plug after such use as is deemed sufficient can be withdrawn from the pipe
and subjected to the flame of spirit or subjected to any intense heat in a clear fire,.
whereby it becomes perfectly purified, and can be used again and again for the
same purpose.
Such plugs on account of their absorbent properties would retain much
noxious oil vapour and moisture arising either from the combustion of the
tobacco or other material used in smoking, or from the saliva or breath of the
person smoking.
Elongated plugs could also be made for tubes for pipes or cigars and would be of
similar utility and be capable of similar purification.
2. In the manufacture of china, porcelain, earthenware, or any other manufacture
where the process of baking is required, asbestos being enclosed in any cavities
having any perforation or within any network of the plastic material will endure
the fiercest heat required during the process of manufacture and retain its normal
properties, thus any vases may be scented according to the desire of the possessor,
or may be caused to diffuse any medicated odour which may be deemed fit, such
perfumes or medicines being easily altered or varied.
3. In the manufacture of real or artificial jewellery, buttons, rings, bracelets, or
of ornaments of metal, glass, ivory, bone, or other material, asbestos fibre thus
enclosed could be readily perfumed or rendered hygienic when used, thus becoming
more desirable than similar articles not thus treated during manufacture.
4. For the use of hospitals and in private use absorbent blister, poultices,
plaisters, or bandages manufactured with the assistance of this Invention could
be purified and re-used, and would effect great saving where spongiopileine and
the usual lint and other applications now used and afterwards destroyed are
employed.
5. Respirators might be formed according to the principle of this Invention, and
such portion of them as should form a safeguard from air, damp, noxious vapour, or

page_text: should come into contact with the breath of the wearer could be readily detached
and purified.
The above are some of the principal uses to which my Invention may be applied
but it is equally applicable to many other purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and the manner in which it may be performed or carried into effect,
I declare that what I claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in
part recited Letters Patent is the manufacture of a fabric from asbestos, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Hudson Smithett, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
R. H. SMITHETT. (L.S.)