A SUBSTITUTE FOR ICE FOR SKATING AND SLIDING PURPOSES;
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY KIRK,
of Tavistock Square, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting....
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that I had invented "A SUBSTITUTE FOR ICE
FOR SKATING AND SLIDING PURPOSES;" and Her said Majesty being willing to give
encouragement to all arts and inventions which may be for the public good
was graciously pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Second day of November (One thousand eight hundred and forty-one), in
the fifth year of Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, to give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Kirk, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her
especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I or they, by
myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants or agents, or such
others as I or they should agree with (and no others), during the term of
fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part of Her
said Majesty's Dominions called England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations
abroad, and in the Isles of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, in
such manner as to me, my exors, adñors, and assigns, shall seem meet, and as
that I or they shall enjoy the whole profit and advantage arising by reason of
the said Invention, during the said term of fourteen years; and for that end
Her said Majesty requires and strictly commands all Her subjects, whatsoever,

page_text: within England, Wales, and Berwick-upon-Tweed, and the Colonies and
Plantations abroad, also in the Isles of Man, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and
Sark aforesaid, that they shall not, neither directly nor indirectly, make, use,
or put in practice my said Invention or any part thereof, nor in anywise
counterfeit, imitate, or resemble the same, nor make any addition thereto or
subtraction therefrom, whereby to pretend himself or themselves to be the
inventor or inventors thereof; and whereas the said Letters Patent contain
a proviso obliging me, the said Henry Kirk, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and to
cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, as in and by the same (reference being thereunto had) will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Henry Kirk, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described and
ascertained in manner following (that is to say):
•
The nature of my said Invention is to produce à substitute for ice for skating
and sliding purposes, which substitute is à continuous extended even surface,
formed of a solid substance possessing suitable qualities (as to slipperyness,
hardness; and tenacity) for skating and sliding purposes, those qualities
being as follows: For the purpose of skating, it is requisite that the said
substance should be sufficiently hard and tenacious to resist being cut or
penetrated deeply into its surface by what are termed the irons of the skates
which are worn by the skater or person who skates on the said surface, at the
same time that the substance is of a sufficient slippery nâture to enable
the said irons to glide along endways in the direction of the length of the
said irons; nevertheless, the substance must not be so hard but that the
irons of the skates will slightly indent or imprint into the surface with
just so much penetration therein as will effectually prevent. the said irons
from slipping laterally in respect to their length, but without any more
penetration than is requisite for that purpose. The aforesaid qualities
exist in natural ice, which should be imitated as nearly as can be by my
aforesaid substitute for ice, but natural ice is liable to be formed under very
different circumstances as to coldness, dampness, windyness, and other
conditions of weather, and in consequence natural ice is in some cases suddenly
and effectually frozen into a hard and compact solid, but in other cases it is
progressively and less effectually frozen into a less compact and less hard
solid; wherefore, natural ice is liable in some cases to differ considerably from

page_text: other cases in respect to the qualities aforesaid. And whereas, notwithstanding
such differences of quality, natural ice is used for skating and sliding purposes,
so in the making of my aforesaid substitute for ice, ingredients (or compounds
of ingredients) may in some cases be used which are very different from what
are used in other cases, and yet it will in all cases be a substitute (more or
less effectual) for ice for skating or sliding purposes. The shoes used for
sliding upon my substitute for ice, may be studded at the under sides of the
soles with nails, having convex rounded heads for the purpose of sliding; the
penetration before mentioned into the surface is not required, wherefore if my,
substitute for ice should in any case be required to be made exclusively for the
purpose of sliding, without regard to skating thereon, the substance may in
such case be of any degree of hardness, so that polished metal may be used.
And in order to facilitate the progress and to prolong the course of sliding on
my substitute for ice, the surface may be laid slightly inclining to the
horizontal, the sliding being performed downwards from the highest part of
such inclined surface towards the lowest part thereof, and steps or stairs may
be provided for mounting up the height or difference of level between such
highest and lowest parts. And although for the purpose of skating a horizontal
flat surface will most generally be preferred (because natural ice is flat and
horizontal), nevertheless, my substitute for ice for skating and sliding purposes
can be laid with its surface slightly inclining to the horizontal, and may be laid
with that surface curved instead of flat, in any case when it may be thoughts
desirable to do so; for instance, an extended surface of my substitute for ice
may be laid somewhat lowest at the central part, descending everywhere from
the circumference towards that central part in the manner of a concave basin
of very slight concavity. And as to the manner of performing my said Invention
in the making of my substitute for ice for skating and sliding purposes, different
ingredients, or compounds of ingredients, may be used in different cases, those
ingredients or compounds being in all cases brought into a massive state by
dissolving, melting (or partially melting), and thereby (or by other means)
reducing such ingredients or compounds to a liquid (or semi.liquid state) and
then casting the same into the form of masses or slabs, which will set and
harden into a solid substance, possessing the qualities aforesaid, and a number
of which slabs or masses are to be joined or cemented together, so as to form a
continuous extended surface, which constitutes my substitute for ice for skating
and sliding purposes. The ingredients which are to be preferred for making.
such solid substance belong chiefly to that class of chemical substances called
salts, (which are compounds of an acid with a base,) the said ingredients being
chosen from amongst those salts which contain a large proportion of water of

page_text: 'crystallization, and which salts are therefore susceptible of dissolving or melting
in the manner of what is called watery fusion by heat. But in consequence of
the large quantity of materials which is required in the making of my
substitute for ice, the choice is necessarily limited to those ingredients
which can be procured at a cheap cost, such, for instance, as the crystalized
alum of commerce, and grease or hog's lard may be incorporated with
alum to give slippyness. Or, the salts of soda are cheap, and may
be used in the making of my artificial ice, viz., soda in the state of
crystalized carbonate or subcarbonate of soda, or soda in the state of
crystalized sulphate of soda, both which salts contain a large proportion of
water of crystalization, or a mixture or composition of subcarbonate of soda
with sulphate of soda may be used, or by adding sulphuric acid in limited
quantity to carbonate or subcarbonate of soda, those particles thereof wherewith
the acid combines will be converted into sulphate of soda, leaving other par-
ticles in the original state of subcarbonate of soda. The said particles being
intermixed, the result is a mixture or composition somewhat resembling that
which is obtained by a mixture or composition of subcarbonate of soda with
sulphate of soda as aforesaid. But other ingredients which are not salts
may be used in some cases; for instance, sulphur may be melted by heat and
cast into a mass or slab, and a number of such slabs may be joined and cemented
together for forming a continuous extended surface, which constitutes my
substitute for ice. The substance called French chalk, or steatite, or soapstone,
in the state of powder, may be applied on the surface of my substitute for ice,
in order to diminish the friction of skating or sliding on such surface.
The manner of proceeding in case alum is to be used in the making of my
substitute for ice is as follows:-I take ten pounds of the alum of commerce in
its crystalized state, and crush the crystals, and then melt the crushed alum by
heat in a copper or other suitable vessel, and when it is reduced to a liquid
state I then add three quarters of an ounce of sulphate of copper (commonly
called blue vitriol) by way of colouring matter for the substitute for ice, and I also
add about one pound of hog's lard, or other sweet, colourless, oleaginous matter,
in order to render the substitute for ice more slippery. The said ingredients
after being thoroughly melted together are then allowed to cool, until they become
semi-liquid or of the consistence of cream, the mixture being continually stirred
during all the time of such cooling, so as that the ingredients will become
thoroughly incorporated; and then I proceed to cast the whole into a flat slab
or mass, by pouring the semi-liquid ingredients into a suitable mould, which
may be a shallow pan or tray of metal, about eighteen inches square, of any
other suitable form and size, and about three quarters of an inch or an inch

page_text: deep. Five or six pieces of thin wooden lath may be placed across over the top
of the said mould, at equal distances apart and parallel one to another, and the
semi-liquid matter flowing around such pieces of wood, they will become
imbedded in the slab or mass which is formed in the mould. After the semi-
liquid matter is poured into the mould as aforesaid, it is to be left at rest
whilst it cools, and in cooling the matter will harden into a solid slab or mass,
which when cold can be easily turned out of the mould. The aforesaid pieces
of wood which remain imbeded in the mass will strengthen it. Those pieces
of wood are at what will become the back or under surface of my substitute for
ice, because that surface of the slab which was downwards in the mould is to be
the upper surface of the said substitute, which is to be found by conjoining a
number of such slabs into one extended surface. A number of such slabs or
masses being so cast, they are afterwards to be laid down upon a floor, joining
one to another, edge to edge. A portion of the same matter prepared as afore
said, and being brought to that state in which it is fit for casting or pouring
into the mould, is to be used in its liquid or melted state, by way of cement
for interposing between the floor and the backs of the slabs, in order to bed
them firmly on such floor, and also for filling up all interstices between the
said edges of the slabs, so as to cement them altogether into one continuous
even surface, constituting my substitute for ice for skating or sliding purposes.
The quantities above mentioned are only stated by way of expressing the
proportion of the different ingredients, but the said quantities are to be
increased or diminished in order to suit the size of the slabs or masses
into which the substance is to be cast. Or, if more convenient, the semi-
liquid matter may be procured on the floor, in the place where the substance
is to remain, suitable border pieces of metal being fixed in a temporary manner;
on the floor, in order to retain the semi-liquid matter to the intended.
place on the floor. The casting, when so performed on the floor, may be
in portions of any convenient extent, and they will bed truly on the floor,
and each piece which is so cast will form contact with and join its edges to
the edges of those pieces which have been previously cast in like manner on
the floor, and thereby a continuous even surface will be formed, constituting my
substitute for ice. The above mode of using alum in the making of my.
substitute for ice will not give so slippery a surface as when salts of soda are
used, but the alum is less liable to be affected by atmospheric influences than
the salts of sodá. A small quantity of the substance called French chalk, or
steatite, or soapstone, in powder, being laid on the surface of my substitute for
ice, the sliding or skating thereon will be facilitated, particularly when alum is
used as aforesaid.

page_text: In case subcarbonate of soda is to be used in the making of my sub-
stitute of ice, the manner of proceeding is as follows:-I take ten pounds
of the carbonate or subcarbonate of soda, in the state of crystals, as the
same is commonly sold as an article of commerce, and after crushing the
crystals to coarse powder, I then melt the same with heat in a copper or othér
suitable vessel, so as to produce what is called watery fusion of the salt, and I
continue the action of the heat until by gradual evaporation of water from the
'melted salt the same will have lost about two pounds in weight, that is, about
one fifth of its original weight; I then add three quarters of an ounce of
sulphate of copper (or blue vitriol) in a powdered state, by way of coloring
matter, or in lieu of such blue vitriol, a small quantity of what is commonly
called chemic blue, being indigo dissolved in sulphuric acid, the melted
matter being well stirred until the ingredients are thoroughly intermixed; the
whole is then allowed to cool, stirring it all the time of such cooling, until it
acquires a tolerably uniform consistence like that of thick cream, and then it is
to be poured into a mould or cast on the floor, in the manner already described
respecting alum, except that the pieces of wood directed to be imbedded into
the back surface of the slabs or masses, to give strength thereto, are not
necessary when salts of soda are used; and after being thus cast the matter is
to be left at rest until it cools and sets, or becomes a solid substance. The
slabs or masses which are so formed are to be bedded on the floor and
cemented together by using a portion of the same matter, prepared as afore:
said, in its liquid or melted state, and thereby forming an extended, continuous
even surface, constituting my substitute for ice for skating and sliding purposes.
In case sulphate of soda is to be used in the making of my substitute for ice,
the manner of proceeding is the same as above described respecting sub-
carbonate of soda, taking ten pounds of sulphate of soda (commonly called
Glauber's salt) in the state of crystals, as the same is commonly sold as an
article of commerce, and treating those crystals in the same manner as the
subcarbonate of soda is herein-before directed to be treated.
Or in case a mixture of subcarbonate of soda with sulphate of soda (or
Glauber's salt) is to be used in the making of my substitute for ice, the manner
of proceeding is as follows:-I take five pounds of cabonate or subcarbonate of
soda, and five pounds of sulphate of soda (or Glauber's salt) and crush the
crystals and pound them in a mortar, and intermix the two salts well
together, and melt the mixture in a copper or other suitable vessel by
heat, and I continue the heat until about two pounds (that is, about
one fifth of the original weight of the mixture of salts) is lost by evapo-
ration. I then add about three quarters of an ounce of blue vitriol, or else

page_text: a small quantity of chemic blue, stirring the whole until the ingredients
are thoroughly intermixed, and I allow the melted matter to cool (stirring it
all the time of such cooling) until it acquires the consistency of thick cream,
and then I cast the semi-liquid matter into a mould, or else cast it into portions
in its intended place on the floor, leaving it at rest until it cools and sets or
hardens into a solid substance. A number of slabs or portions of such sub-
stance may be conjoined into an extended, continuous, even surface, for con-
stituting my substitute for ice for skating and sliding purposes; and a portion
of like melted matter, prepared as aforesaid, and when the same is brought to
that state in which it is ready for pouring into the mould) may be used by way
of cement for bedding, setting, or joining the aforesaid slabs or portions of
solid substance, in order so to conjoin the same into such continuous even surface.
Or in case carbonate or subcarbonate of soda is to be treated with sulphuric
acid in the making of my substitute for ice, the manner of proceeding is as
follows: I take twelve pounds of carbonate or subcarbonate of soda, and
crush the crystals to a state of fine fragments, and spread such fragments
thinly on canvas trays in a stove or drying room, wherein the atmospheric air
is kept heated to a temperature of eighty degrees of Fahraiheit's thermometer,
and the crushed salt is to remain exposed to that atmosphere during several
days, or so long as that it will have lost about three pounds (that is, about one
fourth part of the original weight of the salt, carbonate, or subcarbonate of
soda) by drying or evaporation, and then the dried crushed salt being allowed
to cool, is to be reduced to fine powder by grinding it in a suitable mill or by
other means, and after so grinding it is to be sifted fine through a sieve, in
order to separate all fragments which may have escaped being ground fine.
The dried and powdered salt being thus prepared is then to be put into a large
glazed earthen pan, which is to be placed beneath a chimney, so as that the draft
or current of air up the same may be sufficient to carry away the carbonic acid
gas that will be extricated when the sulphuric acid is poured into the pan upon-
the salt, which is to be done gradually, pouring in only a small quantity of the
acid at a time, and stirring up the salt with a wooden spoon in order to effec-
tually mix the acid therewith. An effervescence will take place, with a copious
evolution of carbonic acid gas. The pan must be large and deep enough to
retain the effervescing ingredients without running over the border, and the
quantity of acid that is poured in at a time must be, regulated so as to avoid
such running over, but repeating the pouring in as often as can be done to
avoid such running over; the stirring is to be kept up continually. Heat
will be generated or extricated during the effervescence, and the powdered salt
will assume a liquid or semi-liquid state. This course is to be continued untiд

page_text: the quantity of sulphuric acid which has been poured in amounts to about
three pounds weight of strong oil of vitriol or sulphuric acid of commerce (that
is, about one fourth part of the original weight of the carbonate of soda) into
which acid about one ounce of blue vitriol or a small quantity of chemic blue
has been previously mixed, in order to serve by way of colouring matter to
the substitute for ice; and by the time that the said quantity of acid is effec-
tually stirred in, the ingredients will be in a semi-liquid state, and the stirring
should be continued after the whole quantity of the acid before mentioned
has been poured in, and until the effervescence is quite over, and as
the matter cools it will become less liquid; and when it is come to the con-
sistency of thick cream (the stirring being continued all the time), then
it is to be poured out into a mould, or else cast in its intended place on
the floor, in the same manner as herein-before directed, the matter being left
at rest after being so poured or cast until it sets and hardens to a solid
substance. A number of slabs or portions of such substance may be
conjoined into an extended, continuous, even surface for constituting my
substitute for ice for skating and sliding purposes. And a portion of the same
ingredients, prepared in manner aforesaid (and being brought to that state
when the same is ready for being cast or poured into the moulds) may be used
by way of cement for bedding, setting, or joining the aforesaid slabs or
portions of solid substance, in order to conjoin the same into such continuous
even surface, and and also for renewing or repairing that surface whenever it
is worn or injured. And note, the mode last described of stove-drying the
crushed salt requires time and space for such drying, and also the subsequent
grinding and sifting of the dried salt is troublesome, wherefore time and
expence will be saved by proceeding in the following manner, for treating
subcarbonate of soda with sulphuric acid in the making of my substitute for
ice, that is to say:-I take twelve pounds of crystallized carbonate or
subcarbonate of soda, and cither crushing the crystals or not, put the
same into a shallow pan, copper, or other heating vessel, and melting
the salt by heat with watery fusion to a liquid state. I continue that
heat until, by gradual evaporation of water from the melted salt, the
same will have lost about three pounds (that is, about one fourth part
of the original weight of the salt), the melted salt being frequently
stirred in order to facilitate the evaporation. I then pour out the liquid
matter into a large and deep glazed earthen pan, wherein it is to be
allowed to cool, but stirring it continually during the cooling until it becomes
simi-liquid or of the consistency of treacle, and then, the pan being placed
beneath a chimney by which the carbonic acid gas can be carried off, I pour

page_text: Heat will
in by little and little at a time about three pounds of strong oil of vitriol or
sulphuric acid of commerce (that is, about one fourth part of the original
weight of the salt), having first put into that quantity of acid about one
ounce of blue vitriol, or else a small quantity of chemic blue, by way of
colouring matter for the substitute for ice. The acid is to be poured, a small
quantity at a time, into the semi-liquid salt, and stirring the same continually
in order to effectually intermix the acid therewith. An effervescence will take
place, with a copious extrication of carbonic acid gas, the quantity of acid
poured in at once being regulated so as to avoid running over the border of
the pan by violence of the effervescence. The effervescing ingredients are to
be stirred continually, and the pouring in of the acid repeated as often as can
be done without causing the effervescing ingredients to run over.
be generated or extricated during the effervescence, and by the time that the
aforesaid quantity of sulphuric acid has been effectually stirred in, the ingredients
will be in a semi-liquid state, and the stirring should be continued after 'the
whole quantity aforesaid of the acid has been poured in, until the effervescence
is quite over, and as the matter coals it will become less liquid; and when it is
come again to the consistency of treacle or thick cream (stirring it all the
time), then it is to be poured out into a mould or else cast in its intended place
on the floor, the matter being left at rest after it is so poured or cast until it
sets and hardens into a solid substance. A number of such slabs or masses
may be conjoined into an extended, continuous, even surface for constituting my
substitute for ice for skating or sliding purposes. And a portion of the same
ingredients, prepared in manner aforesaid (and being brought to that state
when the same is ready for being cast or poured into the mould), may be used
by way of cement for bedding, setting, and joining the aforesaid slabs or portions
of solid substance, in order to conjoin the same into such continuous even
surface; and also for renewing or repairing that surface whenever it is
worn or injured. And note, although the quantity of sulphuric acid to be
used in the two last cases has been stated to be about one fourth part of the
original weight of the subcarbonate of soda that is used in each of those cases,
nevertheless, less quantity of sulphuric acid may be used, as, for instance, one
fifth part of the original weight of the subcarbonate of soda; but in case of so
doing, the drying of the crushed salt, or the evaporating of the melted salt
herein-before mentioned, need not be carried further than until the salt
(carbonate or subcarbonate of soda) has lost one fifth part of its original weight
by such drying or evaporating. And it is to be understood, that the sulphuric
acid which is used is to be strong oil of vitriol or sulphuric acid of commerce;
but if the acid that is used is weaker, in consequence of containing more water in

page_text: it than is usually contained in strong sulphuric acid of commerce, then the
quantity of such weaker acid that is used should be increased as much as will
give the same quantity of real acid as would be contained in the quantities
herein-before mentioned of strong sulphuric acid of commerce; but in case of
so using weaker. acid, the drying of the crushed salt, or the evaporating of the
melted salt, should be carried further than hercin-before mentioned, so as that
the said salt (carbonate or subcarbonate of soda) will lose as much of its
original weight by such drying or evaporating as will be equal to the weight of
the weaker acid that is to be used with the dried or evaporated salt. And note,
in the making of my substitute for ice, I recommend carbonate or subcarbonate
of soda to be treated with sulphuric acid in either of the two modes herein-
before described, in preference to any other manner of proceeding. Note, it
will be best in all cases to perform the aforesaid pouring or casting into moulds
in a cellar or other cool place, and to leave the matter at rest in the moulds in
such cool place for at least twelve hours in the winter time, or twenty-four
hours in the summer time, in order that the slabs or masses may harden
effectually into a solid substance before turning them out of the moulds. Note,
in all cases of salts being used in the making of my substitute for ice, the
same must be effectually preserved from action of water. The floor whereon
it is laid may be a wooden floor, if the wood is very effectually jointed, without
crevices between the boards, so as to prevent access of water or of air to the
under surface of my substitute for ice, which is laid on the floor, and it will be
most secure to cover the floor with thin sheet lead or zinc before laying down
my substitute for ice, and laying the said substitute on such lead or zinc. It
is not necessary that it should be a wooden floor, for a plaister floor laid on the
ground may be used, or a stone pavement, or a bed may be prepared of what
is called concrete (that is, gravel stones mixed with lime mortar) or of asphalte,
such as has been recently introduced for pavement purposes. If such bed is
impervious to water, my substitute for ice may be laid theron without the sheet
lead or zinc before-mentioned, but which lead or zinc should otherwise be used.
My substitute for ice must be laid under cover of a roof or building, which
should be a cool place, as well on account of the strong exercise of skating or
sliding rendering coolness desirable, as for the preservation of the surface of my
substitute for ice, which when salts of soda are used in the making thereof, is very
liable to efflorescence in dry whether, by the drying away of the water of crystali-
zation from the superficial part of my substitute for ice, whereby such superficial
part becomes covered with a slight crust of white powder or flower of the salt;
and if by neglect of precaution herein-after stated such crust should form, it must.
be scraped off, and the surface cleaned with a wet mop, in order that the crust:

page_text: on;
may not impede skating or sliding on such surface; but care should be taken
to prevent such efflorescence as much as possible; and my substitute for ice
being laid in a cool place will be less liable to efflorescence, and dampness or
humidity of the air which is in immediate contact with the surface will
effectually prevent efflorescence. My substitute for ice should be occasionally
damped by rubbing over the surface with a mop or large sponge, wetted
with cold water, containing as much of the same substance whereof my sub-
:stitute for ice is composed as the cold water will dissolve; or common culinary
salt may be put into the water, or a small quantity of sulphuric acid may be
added to that water; the continual action of the irons of the skates upon the
surface of my substitute for ice will cut up small quantities of the substance into
powder, which powder will remain loose on the surface in the same manner as
takes place in skating on real ice. Such loose powder will not accumulate to
an injurious extent during one time of skating, and when that time is over the
powder should be left on the surface, of my substitute for ice, in order that it
may in some measure cover up that surface from access of the air, and thereby
protect it from efflorescence during the time that no skating or sliding is going
and if such powder is slightly damped, the protection will be effectual so
long as such dampness continues; for this purpose a coarse cloth of canvass or
drugget, or hair cloth, or of matting, such as used by gardners, or for cover-
ing floors, may be soaked with cold water containing as much of the said
powder of my substitute for ice as the water will dissolve, and such a wet cloth
or mat being laid down over the surface will prevent efflorescence during the
time that no skating or sliding is going on. On removing such cloth or other
covering, and sweeping away the powder from the surface, and rubbing the
surface over with a wet mop or large sponge as aforesaid, the surface will be
fit for skating and sliding purposes. The cold water so used for mopping or
sponging the surface may have as much of the said powder of my substitute
for ice put into it as it will dissolve when cold, or instead of the powder
common culinary salt may be put into the water, at the rate of about two.
pounds of such salt to a pailful of water; or instead thereof, about two pounds
of Glauber's salt may be dissolved in hot water, and that solution poured into
a pailful of cold water, to be used for mopping or sponging the surface of my
substitute for ice in manner aforesaid; or sulphuric acid may be diluted with
water and used for mopping or sponging the surface. As dry wind will cause
efflorescence of my substitute for ice, and as rain water would dissolve its
surface, it should be laid in a place which can be enclosed at the sides (so as
to keep off wind, when that wind is too drying,) as well as being covered over
by a roof to keep off rain.

page_text: And for decoration of the sides or walls of such place they may be hung
with canvass, painted in the manner of scenes for theatres, to represent a
country covered with snow, with a foreground of rocks, herbage, shrubs,
and plants, apparantly frozen, or such other scene as taste may suggest;
and such foreground of rocks, herbage, shrubs, and plants being kept watered
in dry weather will produce humidity of the air which is contact with the
surface of my substitute for ice, and tend to prevent efflorescence. The
herbage, shrubs, and plants may be kept growing, their leaves and branches
being sprinkled over with powdered substance to give them the appearance of
being covered with snow and hoar frost. And note, when my substitute for
ice is not intended to be used for skating and sliding purpose for any consider-
able time, the surface should be covered over in the manner already described,
and the covering kept in a damp state by occasionally sprinking water slightly
over it whenever it appears to be getting dry, so as to prevent the dryness
which causes efflorescence, without, on the other hand, causing so much
wetness as can dissolve the substance of which my substitute for ice
is composed. Or, in such case, the surface of my substitute for ice may
be covered over with a layer of oil or hog's lard, or any other sweet,
oleaginous matter to prevent access of air, but such layer should be
effectually cleared away from the surface before it is used for skating
or sliding purposes. And note, the liability to efflorescence is greater
when salts of soda are used in the making of my substitute for ice
than when alum is used, but that liability can be counteracted in cases when
the substitute for ice can be laid down in a cool, damp place; and by care
in taking the precautions already mentioned, when alum is used, there will be
less of slippyness than when salts of soda are used, but the greatest degree of
slippyness will be attained when carbonate or subcarbonate of soda is treated
with sulphuric acid in the manner herein-before described; but a very great
degree of slippyness may not be so desirable in all cases, such, for instance, as
surfaces of my artificial ice which may be laid down for the purpose of practice
by those who are beginning to learn to skate, and for the purpose of sliding
with nailed shoes as before mentioned. If the surface is laid with an
inclination to the horizontal, the tendency to descend along such inclining
surface will compensate for an inferior degree of slippyness, and skating may
also be performed down such inclining surface. And note, when the matter
whereof my substitute for ice is composed (being in its semi-liquid state as
herein-before described) is to be poured out or cast in portions in its intended
place on the floor whereon it is to be laid (instead of casting the said matter
into slabs or masses in moulds) then the space in the floor which is to receive

page_text: such portion as is to be cast at once is to be bounded by iron bars about one
inch square, laid on the floor and slightly fastened in a temporary manner
in place thereon, so as to form a substitute for a mould to receive the
semi-liquid matter, the edges of such bars which form the upright side of such
mould being made smooth and slightly covered with oil, lard, or grease, in
order that the matter may not adhere too strongly to the iron, but that in due
time, after the matter has become set and hardened into a solid substance, that
the iron may be knocked away without disturbing such solid substance,
leaving the same solidly bedded on and adhering to the floor in its intended
place thereon. And after a portion has been thus cast in its intended place on
the floor, then in proceeding to cast another adjoining portion, the edges of
the former portion will serve as the upright side of the substitute for a mould,
wherein the aforesaid adjoining portion is to be cast, those edges of the former
portion being scraped to remove any greasy matter that may be upon such
edges, wherefore the edges of such adjoining portions as are in that manner
cast, one after another, in their respective intended places or the floor will
become conjoined together so as to form the said portions into one continuous
extended surface. And when the matter whereof my substitute for ice is
composed is cast into slabs or masses in moulds, as herein-before described,
and those slabs or masses are to be laid down on a floor, the same may be laid
thereon with the same side or surface upwards as was upwards in the mould
when the slab or mass was cast therein; or, on the contrary, that side or surface
of the slab or mass which was d*wnwards in the mould may be upwards when
the same slab or mass is laid on the floor, and the setting or bedding of the
slabs or masses on the floor, and the joining together of the edges of those slabs
or masses, is to be performed in the same manner as slabs of stone are set with
cement or mortar for forming a stone pavement, the cement which is used for
so setting, bedding, and joining, being a portion of the same matter whereof
the slabs or masses are composed, that matter being so used by way of cement
when it is in the same semi-liquid state as that in which it would be ready for
casting in the mould; such semi-liquid matter is to be spread on the floor before
the slabs or masses are laid down thereon, so as to become interposed between
the floor and the under surface of the slabs or masses, and fill up all vacuities,
and also such semi-liquid matter is interposed between the adjoining edges of
the several masses or slabs, to fill up all vacuities and conjoin those edges
effectually together. And note, if the edges of the masses or slabs, are at
all dirty or greasy, or covered with efflorescence, they should be scraped clean,
and may be damped so as to expose a fresh and solid surface of the substance

page_text: for the semi-liquid matter to adhere to in the matter of cement. And after the
solid substance has been so laid down, either in slabs or masses, or in portions
cast in the intended place on the floor, the surface of the slabs or masses or
portions are to be scraped to render them even at their junctions, and to remove
all superfluity of the cement, so as to form a continuous, extended, even surface
for constituting my substitute for ice for skating and sliding purposes. And
when by use, or by violence, any part of such surface becomes injured, or is
deeply indented or cracked, it may be repaired by pouring on a fresh portion of
the same matter in its semi-liquid state, so as to fill up all holes or cracks, and
restore the continuity and evenness of surface, such indentations, holes, or cracks
being first scraped out and enlarged, so as to expose clean and fresh surfaces
before the semi-liquid matter is poured on. And when the whole surface of my
artificial ice is worn away by use, the surface being scraped clean, it may be
covered with a new layer of semi-liquid matter, to obtain a renewed surface for
skating and sliding purposes.
Or in case sulphur is to be used in the making of my substitute for
ice, the mode of proceeding is as follows:-I take ten pounds of the sulphur
of commerce in state commonly called roll brimstone, or else flour of
brimstone, if such flour is free from gross impurities, and melt that sulphur
by heat in a suitable vessel, such as is commonly used for melting and refining
sulphur; and when the sulphur is reduced to a liquid state, I pour the
same into a mould, which may have laths of wood placed across it to become
embedded in the slab or mass which is cast in that mould, in the same manner
as already described respecting alum, and the said pieces of wood will strengthen
such slab or mass; or the melted sulphur may be cast in its intended place on
the floor in portions, as already described respecting preceding cases. The slabs
or masses may be bedded or set in place on the floor, and their edges conjoined.
together by using a portion of melted sulphur by way of cement, so as to obtain
an extended, continuous, even surface, for constituting my substitute for ice for
skating and sliding purposes. Sulphur will bear exposure to the open air, and
a little French chalk in powder spread over the surface will render it more
slippery; but my substitute for ice is not so slippery when sulphur is used in the
making thereof as when salts of soda are used; but as already mentioned, for
the purpose of sliding with nailed shoes, the surface may be laid with a slight
inclination to the horizontal in order to slide down the slope, so that the
tendency to descend may compensate for an inferior degree of slippyness, and
skating may also be performed down such inclining surface.
And in case polished metal is to be used in the making of my substitute for
ice, for the purpose of sliding with nailed shoes, plates of zinc, iron, or steel may
be laid in a long track or pathway, with the end of one plate joining closely and

page_text: evenly to the end of the next adjoining plate, by means of a junction piece applied
at the under side of the plates beneath each joint, the said junction piece being
firmly united to both the meeting plates by rivet pins with countersunk heads,
so as to be flush and even on the upper surface, that upper surface of the plates
being smooth polished, and kept in that state by use, and being laid on suitable.
wooden bearers, or else laid on the bottom of long shallow wooden troughs, and
with a slight inclination to the horizontal in the direction of the length of the
pathway, may be used for sliding down the slope of such pathway, and
lengthways thereof with nailed shoes. And to facilitate the sliding in a straight
course along the middle of the pathway, and to avoid sliding against the sides
of the troughs, the plates may be bended somewhat concave, so as to be rather
lower at the middle of the width of the said pathway than at the border edges
of the pathway..
Having now described my said substitute for ice for skating and sliding
purposes, I, the said Henry Kirk, do hereby declare that the new Invention,
whereof the exclusive use is granted to me by the aforesaid Letters Patent,
consists in a Substitute for Ice for Skating and Sliding Purposes, to be laid in
an extended, continuous, even surface, which may be a horizontal surface, or an
inclined surface, or a curved surface, as hercin-before described, and which
substitute may be made in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof; I, the said Henry Kirk, have hereunto my hand
and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.