AN IMPROVED METHOD OF RENDERING FIRE-WOOD INFLAMMABLE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Abbott, of 118, Cambridge Street, Warwick
Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
METHOD OF RENDERING FIRE-WOOD INFLAMMABLE."-A communication from
abroad by James Campbell Francis Calvert, resident at the Dardanelles,
in Turkey.
Sealed the 19th June 1860, and dated the 21st December 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Abbott at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 21st
· December 1859.
I, WILLIAM ABBOTT, of 118, Cambridge Street, Warwick Square, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF RENDERING FIRE-WOOD INFLAMMABLE," (a com-
munication from abroad by James Campbell Francis Calvert, resident at the
Dardanelles, in Turkey,) to be as follows:-
The object of this Juvention is to prepare fire-wood in such a manner as to
render it highly inflammable, consequently more easily ignited, and is well
adapted for domestic purposes. It is proposed cutting up timber known as
'pitch pine" and other wood containing resinous matter into suitable lengths,
and chopping it in the ordinary way, when it is to be subjected to heat by
means of an oven, or roasting, or steam, whereby a portion of the resinous

page_text: matter contained in the wood is brought to the surface, forming a coat or
crust, thus facilitating the properties of igniting. It may then be made up
into bundles of any desired form for use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Abbott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st June 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ABBOTT, of 118, Cambridge Street, Warwick Square, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Abbott, Her special licence that I, the said William Abbott,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Abbott, 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, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF RENDERING FIRE-WOOD INFLAMMABLE," (a communication from abroad by
James Campbell Francis Calvert, resident at the Dardanelles, in Turkey,)
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Abbott,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Abbott, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
The object of this Invention is to prepare fire-wood in such a manner as to
render it highly inflammable, consequently more easily ignitable, and is well
adapted for domestic as well as general purposes.

page_text: In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, as follows:-
I procure the wood necessary for my operation, which will be that known as
pitch pine" or other wood containing any resinous matter; that I cut up into
suitablo lengths, and chop it in the ordinary way. I then subject it to heat
in a suitable chamber, or oven, the heat being procured either from fuel or
steam, the result being, that a portion of the resinous matter contained in the
wood is brought to the surface, forming a coat or crust, which coming into
contact with the flame from a match or lighted piece of paper, greatly
facilitates the properties of igniting. After being taken from the hot chamber
and left to cool it may be made up into bundles of any desired form and size
ready for use.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of "An
Improved Method of Rendering Fire-wood Inflammable," together with the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in conclusion,
that what I claim as my Invention intended to be secured to me by the bercin
in part recited Letters Patent is, the rendering of fire-wood inflammable, in
the manner herein described, for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Abbott, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
25
W. ABBOTT. (L.S.)
Witness,
S. J. WETHERELL,
Clerk to Messrs. Prince & Co., Patent Agents,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.