A CHEMICAL COMBUSTIBLE SUBSTANCE, AND APPARATUS TO WHICH IT IS APPLICABLE
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Gedge, of the Firm of John Gedge
and Son, of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "A CHEMICAL COMBUSTIBLE
SUBSTANCE, AND APPARATUS TO WHICH IT IS APPLICABLE."-A communication
from abroad by Francois Stoker, of 39, Faubourg Saint Martin, Paris,
France.
Sealed the 15th August 1865, and dated the 20th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Gedge
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th February 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of
No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
"A CHEMICAL
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
COMBUSTIBLE SUBSTANCE, AND APPARATUS TO WHICH IT IS APPLICABLE," (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Francis Stoker, of 39, Faubourg Saint
Martin, Paris, France,) to be as follows:-
The combustible substance or fuel, the subject of this Invention, is composed
principally of carbon obtained from the distillation of light woods in a close
receptacle, say two-thirds "fusain" (the charcoal used by artists) reduced to
powder, and one-third vinegar charcoal, this latter forming part of the waste
of acetic or pyroligneous acid or spirit of wood or verditer manufactories. To

page_text: this mixture, which forms the base, various metallic salts are added, such as
the nitrates of soda of potash or of baryta, which act as combustible and
oxygenating bodies; their proportions will vary with the amount of caloric
required from the fuel; lastly, agglomerating bodies, such as gum adraganth,
fecula, starch, or dextrine are added in proportions varying from two to five
per cent. The whole having been well triturated can be pressed and moulded
into very compact cakes of any desired form.
This fuel, which may be lit by a simple lucifer match, will give out
a heat of from 45 to 720% "Farenheit;" it disengages neither smoke, smell,
or poisonous gasses, and may be applied wherever heat is required, provision
being made to supply a draught, which may be regulated at pleasure so as to
increase or lessen the heat, which may be done, for example, by placing the
fuel in a wire gauze casing, and thus introducing it into the apparatus in
which it is to be burnt, cold air for feeding combustion being supplied by
suitable openings furnished with dampers for regulating the draught.
The special apparatus which form part of this Invention are, firstly, a foot
warmer, which is a box made of brass or other suitable metal or material, and
of any suitable shape, in the interior of which is fitted a moveable box, which
is to contain the fuel; it is made of wire gauze, and rests on two trestles or
supports riveted to the bottom of the foot warmer. One, two, or more rows
of holes are pierced in one of the sides for the entrance of cold air, and holes
of various form are also cut out of the lid for the issue of hot air, which
openings may be completely or partially closed by means of a plate sliding in
two grooves or turning on a pivot; this plate acts as a moderator, and may
be used to increase, lessen, or completely stop combustion. The moderator
might be placed at the side, and consist of a plate pierced with as many holes
as there are in the side for the entrance of cold air. This plate sliding in two
grooves being moved to or fro, its holes alternating with those in the side, open
or close them at pleasure.
Secondly, an iron for smoothing linen, composed of a box of the shape of an
ordinary smoothing iron; at the bottom of this box is fitted a piece of polished
steel forming the ironing surface. At the back is a piece of metal, placed at
a slight angle, and crossing the box in its entire breadth; it leaves between
it and the bottom a space of, say, half an inch, at which height is placed a
wire gauze, spreading over all the interior of the iron, and resting on blocks
rising from the bottom plate; it is on this wire gauze that the fuel is placed.
This box is then covered by a plate fixed by a screw in front, and the handle
of the iron is supported in front by a hollow upright forming chimney for
draught, and at back by an upright opening, and closing by a spring, for the

page_text: introduction of the fuel. Cold air for feeding combustion enters by openings
made at the back, is driven by the inclined plate into the space reserved
beneath the fuel, and passes out by the front upright which forms chimney.
Thirdly, a box or foot warmer to be placed on to a stirrup iron. Two
pins or pieces riveted to the bottom of the box support a small frame covered
by a wire gauze, on which the fuel is laid; another small frame is placed
above the fuel, and kept in position by a spiral spring. The lid of this
warmer, which constitutes the foot plate of the stirrup, may turn on a hinge;
it is pierced with two or three rows of holes, closes by means of a spring
catch, and is attached to the stirrup by means of two fixed and two working
catches; these latter closing on the stirrup iron by the lowering of the lid
of the box.
Fourthly, a soldering iron consisting of a metallic box of quadrangular
pyramidical truncated form, furnished with a perforated lid surmounted by a
chimney provided with a wire gauze to prevent the fuel falling out in case of
the iron being turned over. Within this box is a blade or block of copper
projecting about an inch beyond the bottom; and around this piece of
copper is placed a small grating, a press screw keeping the grating and the
copper in a fixed position. A small grating of this sheet iron completes on
each side the casing in which the fuel is placed, and openings made in the
sides of the box admit air to feed combustion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Gedge in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th August 1865.'
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son, of No. 11, Wellington
Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Edward Gedge, Her special licence that I, the said William
Edward Gedge, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Edward Gedge, 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

page_text: make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A
CHEMICAL COMBUSTIBLE SUBSTANCE, AND APPARATUS TO WHICH IT IS APPLICABLE,"
(a communication to me from abroad by Francois Stoker, of 39, Faubourg
Saint Martin, Paris, France,) upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Edward Gedge, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Gedge, 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 fol-
lowing statement:-
To
The combustible substance or fuel, the subject of this Invention, is composed
principally of carbon obtained from the distillation of light woods in a close
receptacle, say, two-thirds "fusian." (the charcoal used by artists) reduced to
powder, and one-third vinegar charcoal, this latter being part of the residuum
of acetic and pyroligneous or spirit of wood, or verditter manufactories.
this mixture, which serves for basis, various metallic salts are added, such as
nitrates of soda, of potash, or of baryta, which play the part of combustible and
oxygenating bodies; their proportions varying with the amount of caloric
required from the fuel. Lastly, agglomerating bodies, such as gum adraganth,
fecula, starch, or dextrine are added in proportions varying from two to five
per cent. The whole having been well triturated can be pressed and moulded
into very compact cakes, varying in size and form according to their
destined use.
This new fuel is very portable by reason of its small volume; it may be lit
by an ordinary lucifer match, and give out a heat of from 77 degrees
"Fahrenheit" (25 degrees Centigrade) up to 848 degrees "Fahrenheit"
(400 degrees Centigrade) accordingly as its combustion is quickened or
slackened; it usually burn vory slowly, and disengages neither flame, smoke,
smell or hurtful gasses.
It will be understood that the applications of this fuel extend to every
object requiring heat, thus to foot warmers, chafing dishes, horsemen's
stirrups, smoothing irons, glue pots, soldering irons, furnaces for heating
smoothing irons, tea urns, coffee pots, hand warmers; as a cigar light in shops
and public establishments, to portable kitchens, to heating, finishing, and

page_text: goffering cylinders; to the apparatus used by hatters, bookbinders, and gilders,
to heating railway and other public or private carriages; finally, to every
apparatus where heat or fire is required.
In fact and in principle all that is required for the application of this fuel
to all these apparatus is simply to place in their interior a box or case of wire
gauze or perforated metal, in which case the fuel is placed, the apparatus
being provided with suitable openings and regulators for increasing or
decreasing the draught.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing forming part of this Specification
are shewn several apparatus specially constructed for the consumption of the
fuel above described, Figure 1 representing an improved foot warmer open.
In its interior is a wire gauze case A, B, acting as firegrate, and with it's ends
resting on two trestles or sheet iron supports C, D, E, F, riveted to the bottom
of the foot warmer. It is in this case A, B, that the fuel is placed, On one
of the sides of the foot warmer are one or more rows of small holes a, a, a,
intended to permit the entrance of the outer cold air to fed combustion. The
lid is pierced in its centre with a certain number of holes of various shapes
intended to permit the exit of hot air from the interior. These holes or open-
work designs may be closely entirely or partially either by means of a metal
plate sliding between two grooves, or by means of a plate turning on a pivot,
as shewn on the Drawing. This plate, then, acts as a regulator. or moderator,
and may consequently increase, decrease, or even completely stop combustion.
This moderator might also be placed on one of the lateral sides; it would
then consist of a metal band pierced with as many holes as there are in the
side for entrance of air and sliding in two grooves. By a come-and-go
movement the holes of this plate alternate with those of the side, and these.
latter are opened or closed according to the movement.
Figures 2 and 3 represent in longitudinal section and end view a smoothing
iron having its source of heat within itself, and thus heating without the
necessity of placing it in an oven or on a fire; it is composed of a box having
the shape of a smoothing iron, under which is fitted a piece of polished
steel B, B, which forms the bottom. At the back is a metal band L slightly
inclined, and crossing the box in its entire breadth; it leaves between itself
and the bottom a space of about of an inch; at this height from the bottom
is a wire gauze, occupying the whole extent of the iron, and resting on 'the
shoulders D, D; it is on this wire gauze that the fuel is placed. This box is
then covered by a plate of wrought or cast iron, or other metal fixed on it in
the front by a screw V. A chimney for draught H serves at the same time

page_text: to support the handle screwed into its collar K, K. This handle is supported
on the other side by a piece A' of brass or other material. A steel spring R
closes the iron after the introduction of the fuel. The apparatus being thus
put together and provided with its lighted fuel, the outer air enters by the
opening A, slides against the band L in the direction indicated by the arrows,
passes under the fuel C, C, and rises in the chimney H.
Figures 4 and 5 represent in front view and in longitudinal section a stirrup
furnished with an improved foot warmer. Two pins with shoulders R riveted
to the bottom of the apparatus are intended to fix a small frame D', covered
with wire gauze, on which rests the fuel. Another similar frame D is placed
above the fuel C, and is held in position by a spiral spring S. The lid B of
the warmer, which here constitutes the pedal or foot plate of the stirrup, may
turn on a hinge E; it is pierced with two or three rows of holes, and is
closed by a spring catch, the knob of which is shewn at L. At the two
extremities are two suspension clasps A and A'; the two clasps A are fixed,
and the two A¹ are moveable, and may be thrown back to the point indicated
by the dotted line when the lid is open. The fixed clasps A are placed on
the lateral edge of the stirrup; the two moveable ones A¹ are pushed on to
the other edge, where the lid B in falling fixes them, and the apparatus is
then entirely put together.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 represent in front view, and in longitudinal and
transverse section, a soldering iron, having its source of heat within itself.
This soldering iron consists of a metallic box A, B, C, D, having the shape
of a quadrangular truncated pyramid, furnished with a lid E, F, pierced with
an opening G, H, intended to receive a chimney for draught, and having on
it a wire gauze to keep the fuel from falling out in case the iron should be
very much inclined. Inside this box is placed a plate or block of wrought
copper K, projecting through the bottom of about
of an inch. Around this
plate is placed a small grating L, L, L, a press screw V keeping plate and
grating in a fixed position. A small grating of thin sheet iron M comes on
each side B, D, B¹, D', and completes the casing in which the fuel is placed.
Openings are made in the sides of the box for the entrance of air to feed
combustion.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and means by
which it may be carried into practical effect, I would have it distinctly under-
Istood that I claim the exclusive use,-
Firstly, of the chemical combustible substance or fuel, to whatever purpose
it may he applied.
I

page_text: Secondly, of the foot warmer, smoothing iron, stirrup apparatus, and
soldering iron, the whole substantially as herein-before described, and illus-
trated on the accompanying Sheet of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Gedge, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
W. E. GEDGE. (L.S.)