IM- PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE CHARACTER OF METALS, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE DETECTION OF COUNTERFEIT COIN
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hickisson, of Maria Street, Kingsland Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE CHARACTER
OF METALS, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE DETECTION OF COUNTERFEIT
COIN."
Sealed the 10th August 1860, and dated the 22nd May 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hickisson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 22nd
May 1860.
I, JAMES HICKISSON, of Maria Street, Kingsland Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE CHARACTER
OF METALS, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE DETECTION OF COUNTERFEIT COIN,"
to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to the use of nitrate of silver, or nitrate of silver
in connection with tartaric acid, as a means of ascertaining the character of
metals. For this purpose I provide a holder, one part of which may be fitted.
with a pencil or pen, or with both, whilst the other is adapted to receive.
and enclose a stick of nitrate of silver. The holder is also formed with a
roughened surface at one part, or with a coating of emery or other substance,
adapted to be used for taking off a portion of the surface of the metal to be
tested, and thereby to facilitate the action of the nitrate of silver when rubbed
thereon. The holder is also formed to receive the acid, and so that a small

page_text: quantity thereof may be imparted to the surface of the metal to be tested, to
facilitate the operation when desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hickisson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd November 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HICKISSON, of Maria Street, Kingsland Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of May, 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 James Hickisson, Her special licence that I, the said James
Hickisson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said James Hickisson, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR ASCERTAINING THE CHARACTER OF
METALS, PARTICULARLY APPLICABLE TO THE DETECTION OF COUNTERFEIT COIN,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Hickisson, 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 James Hickisson, do hereby declare
the nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say :-
The improvements relate to the use of nitrate of silver, .or nitrate of silver
in connection with tartaric acid, as a means of ascertaining the character of
metals, combined with an ever-pointed pencil, or pen, or with both.
But that the nature of the improvements, and the means I adopt in carrying

page_text: DESCRITTION
b
DRAWINGU.
Figure 1 shows a section, and Figure 2 an external view, of a holder con-
structed according to my Invention. The part a of the holder is fitted with
a sliding ever-pointed pencil, such as is well understood, and which separately
constitutes no part of my Invention; or it may be also fitted with a pen, or
with both pen and pencil, whilst the part 6 is adapted to receive and enclose
a stick of nitrate of silver held in the part c; and I prefer that the nitrate of
silver be prepared with an excess of nitric acid. The parts a, b, and c are
screwed together. The holder is also formed with a roughened surface
applied to the stud d, or it may be to other suitable part; or it may be pro-
vided with a coating of emery or other substance adapted to be used for
taking off a portion of the surface of the metal to be tested, and thereby to
facilitate the action of the nitrate of silver when rubbed thereon. The holder
is also formed at c to receive the acid, which I prefer to be in a solid form by
mixture with plaster of Paris held in the part c, and so that a small quantity
thereof may readily be imparted to the surface of the metal to be tested, to
facilitate the operation when desired.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the means
which I adopt in carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the precise details shown, as these may be
varied; but what I do claim is the adaptation of parts forming apparatus for
ascertaining the character of metals, particularly applicable to the detection
of counterfeit coin, in combination with means for writing and marking,
substantially as explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hickisson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
WILLIAM BROOKES,
73, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent.
JAMES HICKISSON. (L.S.)