IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VATS AND SIMILAR VESSELS FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Doulton, of High Street, Lambeth, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VATS AND SIMILAR
VESSELS FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 5th November 1861, and dated the 15th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Doulton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
May 1861.
I, HENRY DOULTON, of High Street, Lambeth, do hereby declare the nature
of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VATS AND SIMILAR
VESSELS FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of vats
and similar vessels for containing liquids.
There are many manufactures in which it is necessary or desirable to
employ earthenware vessels of large size. In such cases when the size of the
vat or vessel required is such that it cannot be conveniently made in one piece,
it is common to build up the vat or vessel in brickwork and line it with tiles.
According to this Invention I construct such vats or vessels of blocks or tiles of
earthenware made in convenient sizes by expressing clay through dies, and

page_text: having projections and grooves (or it may be other arrangement of locking
parts) at their edges, so that they may lock the one into the other. The blocks
or tiles are also by preference made hollow or with passages running through
them, which not only lightens them, but at the same time allows of the passage
of fluids through such passages when desired. The blocks or tiles are built
together to form a vat or vessel either of a rectangular, cylindrical, or other
form, and the vat or vessel is tied together with metal or other bands or rods.
The bottom of the vessel is also made of earthenware and in parts. The joints
are made sound with suitable cement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Doulton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
DOULTON, of High Street, Lambeth, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry Doulton, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Doulton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Henry Doulton, 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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF VATS AND SIMILAR VESSELS FOR CONTAINING LIQUIDS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Doulton,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
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 Henry Doulton, 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 :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the construction of vats
and similar vessels for containing liquids.
There are many manufactures in which it is necessary or desirable to
employ earthenware vessels of large size. In such cases when the size of the
vat or vessel required is such that it cannot be conveniently made in one piece,
it is common to build up the vat or vessel in brickwork and line it with
tiles.
According to this Invention I construct such vats or vessels of blocks or
tiles of earthenware made in convenient sizes by expressing clay through dies,
and having projections and grooves (or it may be other arrangement of locking
parts) at their edges, so that they may lock the one into the other; the blocks
or tiles are also by preference made hollow or with passages running through
them, which not only lightens them, but at the same time allows of the passage
of fluids through such passages when desired. The blocks or tiles are built
together to form a vat or vessel either of a rectangular, cylindrical, or other,
form, and the vat or vessel is tied together with metal or other bands or rods..
The bottom of the vessel is also made of earthenware and in parts. The joints.
are made sound with suitable cement.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
In some cases the sides of a vat will be composed of a series of tiles, each
equal in length to the depth of the vat or vessel, but in those cases where the
depth of the vat or vessel is greater than it would be convenient to make tiles
of earthenware, the required length of each upright part or section, or what
may be called a stave, is composed of two, three, or more lengths, preferring
in all cases, when thus building each section or stave, that the parts of which it
is composed shall so go together as to break joint with the parts composing
the neighboring staves or sections. These parts are each made by forcing.
suitable clay through moulding orifices, and by preference such as will make
the tiles. hollow with longitudinal passages through them, which not only.
produce great strength with comparative lightness, but may, under some
circumstances, when desired, be used for the passage of fluids through, them.
Each of these tiles is formed at its two edges with grooves, which I prefer to
be of a dovetail section, so that when the edges of two of them come together
in building up a vat or vessel, they will have similar dovetail grooves, which
may be connected together by using a solid or hollow bar formned by forcing

page_text: clay through suitable dies in such manner as to produce two male dovetails
suitable to fit freely in the grooves or female dovetails formed in the edges of
the staves or upright sections of the vessel or vat, or such bar may be of other
material. The male and female dovetails are in each case formed to fit in
such manner as to admit of the use of a suitable cement which is run in
between the joints. Or, in place of making the sections or staves with grooves
at each of their edges, they may, if preferred, be each made with a groove at
one edge and corresponding projecting rib to fit the groove of the next or
neighbouring section or stave, and in place of the grooves and projecting
ribs being of a dovetail form, they may be of other device so long as they
will contribute to the formation of fluid-tight joints between the sections
or staves, and as much as may be lock them together. In addition to making
the parts of a section or stave with grooves or projections at those edges where
the upright sections or staves butt against each other, where such staves or
sections are made in parts, then the parts where they come together
horizontally are also made with grooves and projecting ribs or otherwise, so
as to lock together, and to receive cement in order that they may have good
fluid-tight joints made thereto where they come together. In making
rectangular vats or vessels the upright sections are made flat, and it is
preferred that the angles of a vat or vessel should each be composed of two of
the upright sections or staves moulded together and at right angles to each
other. In making cylindrical, oval, or elliptical vats or vessels, the sections
or staves are moulded or formed to the desired curvature, the dies used being
made accordingly. The bottoms of these earthenware vats when of large
dimensions are made by combining several sections or parts which are grooved
at their edges, or have grooves and projections at their edges in such manner.
that the groove of one shall be suitable to receive the rib or projection of
the neighboring one, and also suitable cement to make a fluid-tight joint,
taking care in all cases to use a cement which will not act on or be acted:
on prejudicially by the fluid which the vat or vessel is to contain. The
bottom, whether formed in sections or in one piece, is made with a groove all.
round it to receive a projection or rib formed at or near the lower end of
each of the upright sections or staves, or grooves may be made at the lower
parts of the staves or upright sections to fit or receive the edge of the
bottom, but it is preferred that each of the sections or staves should be
made with a portion of the bottom which is fixed thereto at right angles
to the lower end of each of such sections or staves, which may readily.
be done before the section or stave is burned, and where the bottoms are.

page_text: circular, oval, or elliptical, these parts of the bottom, added to or formed with
the lower ends of the staves or upright sections, should go together by radial
joints, but where the bottom of a vessel or vat is rectangular these parts of
the bottom which are made to form parts of the staves or upright sections
should be rectangular. These vats or vessels are further strengthened by hoops
of metal or wood, which by preference are made with screw couplings, as is
well understood.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Doulton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
HENRY DOULTON. (L.s.)