IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL TEETH AND Amaro
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Massey, of Hemer Terrace, Bootle-cum-
Linacre, near Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer of
Mineral Teeth, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL TEETH
AND Amaro"
Sealed the 25th April 1854, and dated the 24th January 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Massey at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
January 1854.
I, WILLIAM MASSEY, of Hemer Terrace, Bootle-cum-Linacre, near Liver-
pool aforesaid, Manufacturer of Mineral Teeth, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL TEETH AND GUмs" to be
as follows (that is to say):-
In colouring, or staining, or using a substance coloured or stained, cor-
responding to the natural colour of the gums throughout the whole mass
or base used to form the artificial gums, or so much of the same as may be
desirable, in place of the ordinary method now in use of making mineral teeth
with gums attached, which consists of only colouring the portion to represent
the gums on the outer surface, the base or substance being of the same colour
as the teeth, in consequence of which any portion being chipped or ground off*
from the surface (which is frequently the case in adapting them to the mouth)
the gum colour is lost on that part.

page_text: These improved artificial gums may be manufactured either independently or
with the teeth attached thereto, as now commonly practised in making mineral
teeth and gums. When the teeth and gums are formed separately it is
proposed to form recesses in the artificial mineral gums to receive the base of
the mineral teeth, which can be held in their position by a wire passing
vertically through the artificial teeth and gums, and riviting or fixing them to
the metal mouth-plate thereby, or any other convenient mode. The advantage
of this arrangement is that the length, &c. of the teeth can be more readily
altered to suit the mouth.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Massey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th July 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
MASSEY, of Hemer Terrace, Bootle-cum-Linacre, near Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturer of Mineral Teeth, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Massey, Her special licence that I, the said William Massey, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Massey, 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, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ARTIFICIAL TEETH
AND GUMS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Massey, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly 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 William Massey, do hereby declare 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):-

page_text: Heretofore in the manufacture of artificial teeth and gums from mineral
substances it has been usual to apply the coloring matter for the parts repre-
senting the gums only to the outer surface thereof, whilst the base or all except
just the surface of the material remains white or of a light color, and when, as
is frequently the case in adapting the gums to the mouth, any portion becomes
chipped or ground off, or is otherwise worn off, the color on the surface of that
part (and applied in imitation of a natural gum) is lost, and the defect is
thereby made more perceptible; and my improvements consist, first, in the
application of coloring or staining matter throughout the entire mass or sub-
stance of which such artificial gums are composed, or of so much of the whole
substance or mass as may be desirable, in order to provide against any variation
of colour being observable, in the event of chipping or grinding taking place.
The mineral matters employed by different manufacturers of mineral tecth
vary. I however lay no claim to any of such matters separately, but having
obtained such matters either in the powdered or in a plastic state, I mix there-
with any suitable coloring matter that will incorporate itself therewith, and
give the desired color thereto as near as possible to imitate the natural gum.
The coloring matter which I have found to answer well consists of gold leaf or
gold filings combined with felspar, in the proportion of eighty grains of gold
leaf or gold filings to one oz. of calcined felspar, ground or otherwise, intimately
mixed together. Of the coloring matters thus obtained, I usually employ about
four pennyweights to one pound of mineral composition (such as is usually
employed by manufacturers of artificial mineral teeth); but I do not confine
myself to these proportions, as they may be varied according to the degree of
colour required. The coloring matter in all cases should be ground or otherwise
intimately mixed with the mineral composition. I usually proceed, first, to
mould material of a tooth color to the form of the proposed teeth (one or more),
I then add thereto mineral material colored, as explained, giving to it the
desired form of the intended gums or portion of gums, and I then fire or burn
the same, as at present practised, when manufacturing teeth and gums from
mineral matters. Mineral matters thus colored to the desired gum color may
be moulded into the desired gums and finished independently of the teeth, or
the teeth may be moulded and applied to the gums whilst such materials are
in the plastic or powdered state and before firing, or the parts may be united
by the fusion of vitreous matter or glaze between the teeth and gums. When
the artificial gums and teeth are produced separately, according to the second
part of my Invention, I form the artificial gum with recesses or undulations,
suitable to receive the base of the teeth, and I hold the teeth in position on the
gums by wire passed through holes formed for the purpose through the artificial

page_text: teeth and gums, and also through the metal mouth plate, when one is used,
and then rivetted; but the mode of fixing the parts together, as also to the
metal mouth plate, when a mouth plate is employed, may be varied, as I do.
not confine myself to the means of fixing together such teeth and gums. And
guns prepared according to my Invention may have applied to them artificial
teeth made of other material than that referred to..
When the artificial gums are made, as here explained, separately from the
teeth, the teeth may be more readily adjusted in length or otherwise, as may
be desired, than when formed with the gum.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, I would have it
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein mentioned;
but what I do claim is.-
First, the combining or incorporating with mineral substance to form arti-
ficial gums of coloring or staining matters, as herein explained.
And, secondly, I claim the forming of artificial gums of mineral substance
separately from the teeth, and the fixing thereto of suitable teeth, as herein
explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Massey, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
EDw J. MASSEY.
WILLIAM MASSEY. (L.S.)