IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING AND PREVENTING SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IN SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS LADEN WITH COAL CULM. OR CINDERS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Tronson, of the Chamber of Commerce,
Liverpool, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTILATING
AND PREVENTING SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IN SHIPS AND OTHER VESSELS
LADEN WITH COAL CULM. OR CINDERS."
Sealed the 9th November 1853, and dated the 10th September 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Tronson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th September 1858.
I, ROBERT TRONSON, of the Chamber of Commerce, Liverpool, do
hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VEN-
TILATING AND PREVENTING SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IN SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS LADEN WITH COAL, CULM, OR CINDERS" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in a Patent granted to
James Meacock on the 12th day of April, 1848, for like objects, and
consists of applying numerous vertical or upright tubes of iron or other
suitable material extensively perforated with holes.
In loading a ship or vessel these tubes are placed or fixed upright
in and rise up above the coal, culm, or cinders, in such manner that

page_text: any gas or vapour evolved from the same may rise up such tubes and
be removed by means of any suitable exhausting apparatus, which, pre-
venting accumulation of inflammable matters, will prevent spontaneous
combustion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Tronson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 10th March 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT TRONSON, of the Chamber of Commerce, Liverpool, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Tronson, Her special licence
that I, the said Robert Tronson, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Tronson, 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, au Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VENTI-
LATING AND PREVENTING SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION IN SHIPS AND OTHER
VESSELS LADEN WITH COAL, CULM, OR CINDERS" upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Robert Tronson, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Tronson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof (that is to say):
It has heretofore been usual in ships carrying coals to have a series
of upright chimneys of wood, which, descending through the cargo of
coals, ascended through the deck, and a Patent was granted in One
thousand eight hundred and forty-eight to Mr. Meacock, for an Inven-
tion which consisted of employing systems of perforated tubes under
and covered by the cargo of coals, culm, or cynders, communicating
with chimneys rising through the cargo and through the deck. This
Invention consists of improvements for accomplishing like objects,
and consists of applying numerous vertical or upright tubes of iron or
other suitable material extensively perforated with holes. In loading a
ship or vessel these tubes are placed or fixed upright in and rise up
above the coal, culm, or cinders, in such manner that any gas or vapour
evolved from the same may rise up such tubes and be removed by
means of any suitable exhausting apparatus, which, preventing accumu-
lation of inflammable matters, will prevent spontaneous combustion.
In carrying out my Invention I place at intervals from the bottom of
the ship upwards, so that their upper ends come just above the top of
the coals, culm, or cinders, and below the under side of the deck, a
number of tubes, which I prefer to be of wrought iron, such tubes
being perforated with numerous small holes on all sides, and from end
to end. The tubes I use are about five inches diameter; but this may
be varied. I find that these tubes, when placed upright, at about ten
feet apart, throughout the whole cargo, act very completely in passing
off the gases and products from coals, culm, or cinders constituting a
cargo, and I therefore prefer that they should be placed at that distance
apart. When the ships have a platform above the keelson I prefer
that some of the tubes should pass through such platform in order to
create additional draft to carry off the gases, that part of the ship
should be well ventilated, and that no gas should remain there. By
thus using numerous upright perforated tubes in the midst of the cargo
and rising up above the coals, cul, or cinders, the gases will rise up to
the unfilled space below the deck, and I conduct the same away by
means of tubes of about five inches diameter, rising two or three feet

page_text: above the hatchways, one such tube being used to each hatchway with or
without a cowl at the top; or, if desired, there may be a fan or other
exhausting apparatus employed to withdraw the gas. And it is the use
of numerous perforated tubes, arranged or fixed upright in the cargo,
conducting the gases to the space above the cargo and below the deck,
and conveying the gases away from such space, that constitutes the
peculiarity of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Tronson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
ROBERT TRONSON. (L.S.)