IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-BRICKS AND OTHER ARTICLES USUALLY MADE FROM FIRE-CLAY
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Robert Breckon, of Darlington, in the County
of Durham, Accountant and Colliery. Manager, and Thomas Douglas, of
Peases West Colliery, Crook, in the County of Durham aforesaid,
Colliery Viewer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF FIRE-BRICKS AND OTHER ARTICLES USUALLY MADE FROM FIRE-CLAY.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Robert Breckon and
Thomas Douglas at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 11th December 1862.
We, JOHN ROBERT BRECKON, of Darlington, in the County of Durham,
Accountant and Colliery Manager, and THOMAS DOUGLAS, of Peases West
Colliery, Crook, in the County of Durham aforesaid, Colliery Viewer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-BRICKS AND OTHER ARTICLES USUALLY MADE FROM FIRE-CLAY,"
to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in manufacturing fire bricks and other refractory
articles of the fire-stone called ganister, as it is found in the counties of
Durham and Northumberland, combined with the (ordinary) fire-clays as they
are obtained from the coal meaures of the two'aforesaid counties.
We find that four to five parts of pulverized ganister mixed with one part
of ground fire-clay' affords excellent results, but we do not confine ourselves to

page_text: these exact proportions, which may be varied at pleasure according as we
require the fire-bricks or other refractory articles to be dense and close-
grained, or open, porous, and silicious.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Robert Breckon and Thomas Douglas in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 3rd June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JOHN
ROBERT BRECKON, of Darlington, in the County of Durham, Accountant
and Colliery Manager, and THOMAS DOUGLAS, of Peases West Colliery, Crook,
in the County of Durham, aforesaid, Colliery Viewer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said John Robert Breckon and Thomas Douglas, Her special license,
that we, the said John Robert Breckon and Thomas Douglas,, our executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said John Robert Breckon
and Thomas Douglas, our 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE-BRICKS AND OTHER ARTICLES
USUALLY MADE FROM FIRE-CLAY," upon the condition (amongst others), that
we, the said John Robert Breckon and Thomas Douglas, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their or one
of our or their bands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 we, the said John Robert Breckon and Thomas
Douglas, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement (that is to say):-
The nature of our Invention consists in manufacturing fire-bricks and

page_text: other articles (usually made from fire-clay) of the firestone called ganister,"
as it is found in the coal fields in the counties of Durham and Northumberland,
combined with the ordinary fire-clays as they are obtained from the coal
measures of the two aforesaid counties.
In performing our Invention we find that four to five parts of pulverised
ganister mixed with one part of ground fire-clay affords excellent results,
and that fire-bricks and other articles manufactured from the above materials
in the proportions given resist the action of heat more completely and
are more durable than those manufactured in the ordinary manner. We
do not, however, confine ourselves to these exact proportions, as they may be
varied at pleasure according as we require the fire-bricks or other refractory
articles to be dense and close grained, or open, porous, and silicious.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Robert Breckon and Thomas
Douglass, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-seventh
day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-three.
JOHN ROBERT BRECKON. (L.S.)
THOMAS DOUGLAS.
(L.S.)