THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN MATERIALS TO THE MANUFAC- TURE OF COFFIN FURNITURE
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Humpage, of King's Norton, in the
County of Worcester, for the Invention of "THE APPLICATION OF
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Humpage
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 3d March 1853.
I, CHARLES HUMPAGE, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN MATERIALS TO THE MANUFAC-
TURE OF COFFIN FURNITURE" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in the application of paper, paper pulp, woven
fabric, and gutta percha, suitably embossed, gilded, silvered, or other-
wise ornamented, for the purposes of lace, handle plates, breast plates,
and other ornaments of coffins. When the said paper, paper pulp, or
woven fabric is wished to be waterproof, it is prepared with suitable
waterproofing materials, which may be used with proper colouring
matter at the same time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Humpage, in the Great Seal Patent
Oflice, on the 3d September 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES HUMPAGE, of King's Norton, in the County of Worcester.
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Elerself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Charles Humpage, Her special licence, that 1, the
said Charles Humpage, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as 1, the said Charles Humpage, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 "THE APPLICATION OF CERTAIN
MATERIALS TO THE MANUFACTURE OF COPPIN FURNITURE," upon the condi-
tion (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Humpage, by an instru-
ment 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 immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Humpage, do hereby de-
clare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
Heretofore those parts of coffin furniture known as "lace," "handle
plates," "breast plates," and other ornamental parts of the furniture,
have been made by embossing or stamping sheet metal and iron tinned.
Now, my Invention consists in the application of paper, paper pulp,
woven fabric, and gutta percha, suitably embossed, gilded, silvered, or

page_text: otherwise ornamented for the purposes of "lace,"
"breast plates," and other ornaments of coffins.
"handle plates,"
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will now
proceed to describe the means of performing the same. In making
"lace," which, as is well known, has heretofore been a narrow embossed
fillet of sheet metal, nailed to the edges of coffin lids; but, according
to my Invention, I emboss a like fillet of strong paper, and I apply
white-metal surface to such paper by means of silver or other white-
metal leaf, or powder of such metals, in like manner to what such leaf
and powder have before been used on paper for other purposes; but
when the "lace" is for black work, I cause the embossed paper to be
japanned black. For the purposes of "lace," comparatively thin but
stiff paper used; but where greater strength is desired, such as for
handle plates and breast plates, and the like, I paste or cement
several sheets of paper together, and emboss them: but for such
stronger work I prefer to use the pulp more direct; and for this
purpose I either obtain the thickness of pulp desired on a sieve, as
when making mill board, or I make several thinner sheets and lay
them together in the wet state, as when making button board; and,
having pressed and dried these sheets, 1 cause them to be embossed;
and if for black work, I japan them; or, when using white-metal leaf
or powder, I apply the same to the one surface before enibossing, as is
well understood. If woven fabrics are used, such as calico or such like
cheap fabrics, they are to be well stiffened; but I prefer them to be
coated with a layer of paper pulp either on one or both sides, as is well
understood when manufacturing such combined fabrics for other uses;
and I cause such fabrics to be embossed and formed suitably for coffin
furniture, japanning the surfaces or applying white metal to the
surfaces, as before explained. When gutta percha is used, I take
the same when in the warm and plastic state, and I cause it to be
pressed into moulds to get the desired embossing, and I then apply
the white metal, either in the form of leaf or powder, using proper
adhesive varnish or cement, as when using like materials on paper, as
is well understood; and, when for black work, I apply to the surface
black varnish. When the said paper, paper pulp, or woven fabric is
]

page_text: wished to be waterproof, it is prepared with suitable waterproofing
materials, which may be used with proper colouring matters, at the
same time, to give a waterproof coating to such articles of coflin
furniture.
In witness whereof, I the said Charles Humpage, have hereunto
set my hand and seal this Thirty-first day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
CHARLES HUMPAGE. (L.s.)
Witness, WILLM HAYES,
Attorney-at-Law, Hales Owen.