Ax IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS AND ARTIFICIAL FUEL
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Plant and William Tatton, both of Sutton,
near Macclesfield, in the County of Chester, for the Invention of "Ax
IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS AND ARTIFICIAL
FUEL."
Sealed the 9th April 1867, and dated the 4th February 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Plant and William
Tatton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition,
on the 4th February 1867.
We, SAMUEL PLANT and WILLIAM TATTON, both of Sutton, near Maccles-
field, in the County of Chester, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE LIGHTERS AND
ARTIFICIAL FUEL," to be as follows:-
According to our system of manufacturing fire lighters and artificial fuel
turf is first cut into sods from the bog in the ordinary way and then weathered
and dried in the usual manner; they are then taken into a heated room and
thoroughly dried, after which they are taken to a saw mill and cut into pieces
of suitable form and size, according to the purpose for which they intended;
these thoroughly dried pieces of turf are then immersed in a sufficient quantity
of coal tar oil to saturate them in a cold state; they are then dipped into a hot
cement (hereafter more particularly referred to), and afterwards re-coated
with turf.

page_text: The general principle of manufacturing fire lighters and artificial fuel from
dried turf saturated with coal tar oil as above stated is not new and has been
tried before, but with indifferent success, firstly, owing to the evaporation of
the inflammable oil; secondly, to the very disagreeable odour exhaled there-
from; and, thirdly, to the want of tenacity and cohesion, whereby they were
It is to
very liable to break and could not be kept any length of time.
remedy these defects that our Invention is designed, and our improvement
consists in the composition of the cement into which the pieces of turf are
dipped after they have been saturated with the coal tar oil, and which is as
follows, namely, about two-thirds resin and one-third Portland cement, Roman
cement, or plaster of Paris; either of these three last-named ingredients may
be used with the resin, or a mixture of any two, or of all three. This cement
is used hot, and is for the purpose of sealing up or preventing the escape of
any obnoxious smell, or of any of the oil-of which the fire lighters or fuel are
composed, and at the same time the cement so hardens the exterior of the
same that they will resist a great amount of pressure, and they can be stored
for any length of time and removed from place to place without any deteriora-
'tion and without giving off any offensive odour. Artificial fuel manufactured
in this manner is particularly adapted for the generation of steam in steam
ships and for other similar purposes,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Plant and William Tatton in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd August 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
PLANT and WILLIAM TATTON, both of Sutton, near Macclesfield, in the County
of Chester, send greeting.
7.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her, heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Samuel Plant and William Tatton, Her special licence that we, the
said Samuel Plant and William Tatton, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Plant and William Tatton, 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

page_text: the United. Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FIRE
LIGHTERS AND ARTIFICIAL FUEL," upon the condition (amongst others) that we,
the said Samuel Plant and William Tatton, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our, or one of 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 we, the said Samuel Plant and William Tatton,
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 in writing, that is to say :-
According to our system of manufacturing fire lighters and artificial fuel
turf is first cut into sods from the bog in the ordinary way and then weathered
and dried in the usual manner; they are then taken into a heated room and
thoroughly dried, after which they are taken to a saw mill and cut into pieces
of suitable form and size, according to the purpose for which they are intended;
these thoroughly dried pieces of turf are then immersed in a sufficient quantity
of coal tar oil to saturate them in a cold state; they are then dipped into a hot
cement (hereafter more particularly referred to), and afterwards (or before),
re-coated with turf, cenient, clay, or any admixture thereof in a dry (or wet)
state.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention for "An Improve-
ment in the Manufacture of Fire Lighters and Artificial Fuel," we will now
proceed to describe more in detail the manner in which the same is to be or
may be performed or carried into practical effect.
The general principle of manufacturing fire lighters and artificial fuel from
dried turf saturated with coal tar oil as above stated is not new and has been
tried before, but with indifferent success, firstly, owing to the evaporation of
the inflammable oil; secondly, to the very disagreeable odour exhaled there
from; and, thirdly, to the want of tenacity and cohesion, whereby they were
very liable to break and could not be kept any length of time. It is to
remedy these defects that our Invention is designed, and our improvement
consists in the composition of the cement into which the pieces of turf are
dipped after they have been saturated with the coal tar oil, and which is as
follows, namely, about two-thirds resin and one-third Portland, Roman, or
other mineral cement, or plaster of Paris; either of these three last-named
ingredients may be used with the resin, or a mixture of any two, or of all

page_text: three. This cement is used hot, and is for the purpose of sealing up or pre-
venting the escape of any obnoxious smell or of any of the oil of which the
fire lighters or fuel are composed, and at the same time the cement so hardens
the exterior of the same that they will resist a great amount of pressure, and
they can be stored for any length of time and removed from place to place
without any deterioration and without giving off any offensive odour. We
would here remark that common clay may be mixed with the cement in the
proportion of about one half, and that the clay, even when used alone, will
produce a beneficial result. Artificial fuel manufactured in this manner is
particularly adapted for the generation of steam in steam ships and for other
similar purposes.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention for "An
Improvement in the Manufacture of Fire Lighters and Artificial Fuel,"
together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, we would remark in conclusion that we claim as
our Invention the coating or covering of fire lighters and artificial fuel with
cement in the manner and for the purposes above particularly set forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said Samuel Plant and William Tatton,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this First day of August, in
the year four Lord. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
SAMUEL PLANT.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM TATTON. (L.S.)