AN IMPROVED PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Auguste Fortuné Lefèvre, of Paris, France,
for the Invention of " AN IMPROVED PORTABLE HEATING APPARATUS."
Sealed the 22nd January 1875, and dated the 23rd July 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Auguste Fortuné Lefèvre
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd July 1874.
I, AUGUSTE FORTUNÉ LEFÈVRE, of Paris, France, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED PORTABLE HEATING
Apparatus," to be as follows:-
My improved heating apparatus consists of a vessel or dish, preferably
of metal or carthenware, enclosing cotton, sponge, or other absorbent
substance, which is saturated with hydrocarbon oil or other inflammable
liquid, the vapour of which is to be burnt. In order the isolate the
flame from the absorbent substance in the vessel I cover the upper part
of the vessel with several thicknesses of wire gauze, which may be more-

page_text: or less in number, according to the character of the inflammable liquid,
and the amount of heat which it is required to obtain. The vapour
passing through the several thicknesses of wire gauze is ignited, and by
its heat radiating through the gauzo gradually vaporizes the liquid and
keeps up the combustion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Auguste Fortuné Lefèvre in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd January 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, AUGUSTE
FORTUNÉ LEFÈVRE, of Paris, France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Augusto Fortuné Lefèvre, Her
special licence that I, the said Augusto Fortuné Lefèvre, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Augusto Fortuné
Lefèvre, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, excrcise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED PORTABLE HEATING Apparatus," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Auguste Fortuné Lefèvre, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the dato
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Augusto Fortuné Lefèvre, do hereby

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, and accompanying Drawing (that is to
say):-
My Invention relates to an improved kind of portable heating
apparatus, so constructed as to be readily enclosed in a box or casc and
carried in the pocket, the apparatus occupying little space being very
light and easily supplied with any inflammable liquid, such as mineral
oil, spirit of wine, or naphtha, which may also be carried in a suitable
vessel fitting into the same case which carries the apparatus.
The apparatus consists of two parts; first, the support or stand which
may be jointed so as to fold into a small compass; and second, the part
in which the heat is generated, consisting of a vessel of metal or other
suitable material containing a sufficient quantity of some absorbent
substance, such as cotton, tow, asbestos, or other suitable substance, or a
3 mixture of two or more of them.
The accompanying Drawing is in illustration of my Invention,
Figuro 1 being a side view of the apparatus in operation; Figure 2, a
plan of the same; Figure 3 is a side view, and Figure 4, a plan of tho
support folded up; Figure 5 is a section, and Figure 6, a plan of the
heater.
The support is composed of three legs a, a, a, jointed together on the
vertical axis b, so that they can be folded together, as shown in
Figures 3 and 4, and then occupy very little room.
A small plate c
pierced with openings fitting the projections 8, 8, 8, upon the legs a, a, a,
holds the latter in their place with great steadiness. The plate c is
attached to one of the legs a by a chain d, so as to prevent it from being
lost when the support is folded up. Figure 2 shews the plate c above
the heater that its shape may be better seen, but it is really arrangod
below it. The shape of the legs a, a, a, is arranged so that they carry
between them the heater, and their upper parts are turned inward so as
to form a support for the vessel or other object which is to be heated.
Sometimes I make the support of cast iron or other suitable material
without jointing the legs together, the Drawing illustrating only one of
the forms of support which may be used.
The heater (shewn separately in section in Figure 5, and in plan in
Figure 6), is composed of a vessel e (preferably of metal) filled with
cotton or other absorbent material as already described, and, covered
፡

page_text: by one or more pieces of wire gauze ƒ which are firmly held in their
placo between the turned-over ring 9 formed upon the inner edge of the
vessol e, and the corresponding inner ring which is itself firmly fixed
to the inner side of the vessel e. The wire gauze f confines the heat to
the surface of the heater, and prevents the too rapid evaporation of the
inflammable liquid which it contains. The heater may be provided with
a metallic cover which prevents the evaporation and disagreeable odour
of any liquid remaining in the vessel whon not in use.
When it is desired to use the portable heating apparatus, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2, a small quantity of inflammable liquid, such as alcohol
or mineral oil or extract is poured into the vessel, and when the
absorbent substance (cotton, tow, asbestos, &c)., which it contains is
saturated, a light brought near the wire gauze will ignite the vapour and
produce a powerful flame (as shown at 2, Figure 1), from which a great
quantity of heat is evolved.
My apparatus may be advantageously employed for warming or
cooking food, as well, as for other analogous purposes. Its dimensions
may be varied to suit different circumstances, and (as has already been
described) it may be contained in a box, a compartment in which
carries a supply of inflammable liquid. Its lightness and portability
make it very convenient for travellers or sportsmen, and in all
circumstances where it may be necessary to obtain warm or cooked food
in places isolated or far from habitation.
It is especially useful for soldiers on campaign, and for every one who
may need at short notice to obtain hot beverages, and as by my method
of construction very little inflammable liquid is required, the apparatus
is very economical.
The apparatus may be constructed of any suitable material, such as
wrought or cast iron or brass, &c., and of various forms and dimensions,
according to the particular circumstances in which it is to be used.
I claim the novel arrangement of portable heating apparatus, sub-
stantially as described and shewn in the Drawing, composed of two parts,
the support and the heater fitting into a special box or case, and so light
and small as to render it extremely portable and casily managed.
Also the method of enclosing in the heater somo absorbent substances
covered by one or more picces of wire gauze which separate the flame

page_text: from the liquid, and prevent the latter from becoming too warm, the
heater being capable of being fed by any suitable inflammable liquid,
and allowing the immediate production of a flame intense enough to
rapidly warm or cook food or other substances supported above it.
'
In witness whereof, I, the said Augusté Fortuné Lefèvre, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
AUGUSTE FORTUNÉ LEFÈVRE. (L.S.)