IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Cass Smart, Doctor of Medicine, and Adam
Aitchison, both of Scarborough, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Cass Smart and
Adam Aitchison at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 27th June 1861.
We, JOHN CASS SMART, Doctor of Medicine, and ADAM AITCHISON, both of
Scarborough, in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL," to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to the manufacture of charcoal to be used for
purposes for which ordinary charcoal is at present employed, and is particularly
adapted for use in iron and other foundries.
We propose placing within suitable retorts "bark knots," or the refuse bark
of the tan pits, or the bark or produce of other trees, and burning it while in the
retorts, when, after being subjected to the required heat, it is to be withdrawn
from the retorts, and thrown into an air-tight receiver, composed of wood,
metal, or other such material as may be found most suitable in practice; it is
to be left to cool in the receiver, and when taken out it has become charcoal;
it may then be powdered for foundry work, or left in lumps for ordinary
use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Cass Smart and Adam Aitchison, in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 27th December 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, Joun
CASS SMART, Doctor of Medicine, and ADAM AITCHISON, both of Scarborough,
in the County of York, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Cass Smart and Adam Aitchison, Her special licence that we, the
said John Cass Smart and Adam Aitchison, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such other as we, the said John Cass Smart and Adam Aitchison,
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 MANU-
FACTURE OF CHARCOAL," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said John Cass Smart and Adam Aitchison, our executors or admini-
strators, by an instrument in writing under our, 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 John Cass Smart, 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:
Our Invention relates to the manufacture of charcoal to be used for purposes
for which ordinary charcoal is at present employed, and which is also particularly
adapted for use in iron and other foundries.
We now proceed to describe the best means we are acquainted with for
carrying our Invention into practical effect.
We place within suitable retorts of metal or earthenware bark knots, or the
refuse bark of tan pits, or produce of other trees, and burn them while in the
retorts until they are reduced to ashes, which are to be quickly withdrawn

page_text: into an air-tight box or receiver, composed of wood, metal, or other such
material as may be found most suitable in practice; the ashes are then to be
left to cool in the box or receiver, whereby the charcoal will be produced,
which may then be powdered, if required, for foundry work, or left in lumps if
for ordinary use.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention for
"Improvements in the Manufacture of Charcoal," and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, we would remark, in conclusion, that we do not
limit or restrict ourselves to the exact details herein specified, as the same
may evidently be varied or modified under certain circumstances to effect
similar results, without in any way departing from the principle of the Inven-
tion, as herein expressed; but what we claim as our Invention, and desire to
be secured to us by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, is, the manu-
facture of charcoal from bark knots, the refuse bark of the tan pits, or the
bark or produce of other trees, by burning the same in retorts, and placing
the ashes in air-tight receivers or boxes, in the manner herein described, and
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Cass Smart, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JOHN BUTTERY,
No. 3, Cemetry Road,
Scarborough.
JOHN C. SMART. (L.S.)