IMPROVEMENTS IN REN- DERING WOOD FIREPROOF
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Maugham, of Ifield Terrace, in the
County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REN-
DERING WOOD FIREPROOF."
Sealed the 29th January 1853, and dated the 4th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Maugham
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th December 1852.
1, WILLIAM MAUGHAM, of Ifield Terrace, in the County of Surrey,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN RENDERING WOOD FIREPROOF" to be as follows:-
I dissolve phosphate of soda and muriate or sulphate of ammonia
together, in atomic or equivalent proportions, in water, and then
submit the wood placed in the solution to pressure. I do not, how.
ever, confine myself to the use of inuriate or sulphate of ammonia
for decomposing phosphate of soda, as other salts may be used for
that purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said William Maugham in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 4th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM MAUGHAM, of Ifield Terrace, in the County of Surrey,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said William Maugham, Her special licence that I,
the said William Maugham, iny executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said William Maugham, my executors, ad-
ministrators, 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 RENDERING WOOD FIREPROOF," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said William Maugham, by an
instrument 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 William Maugham, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to
say):

page_text: My Invention consists in dissolving phosphate of soda and muriate
or sulphate of ammonia together, in atomic or equivalent propor-
tions, in water, and then submitting the wood placed in the solution
to pressure. I do not, however, confine myself to the use of muriate
or sulphate of ammonia for decomposing phosphate of soda, as other
salts may be used for that purpose. And in order that my said
Invention may be most fully understood and readily carried into
effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me. And
may state that the wood to be treated according to my Invention
should be in a thoroughly dry state.
I
The apparatus which I employ for carrying out my Invention
is such as has heretofore been employed, and is well under-
stood, for impregnating wood with solutions by withdrawing air
and then acting by pressure; such apparatus, therefore, forms no
part of my Invention. The well dried wood is to be put into this
apparatus, and the apparatus is to be filled with solution; the air is
then to be withdrawn, and pressure is to be applied gradually for
about two hours, till it reaches about 200 lbs. on the square inch;
and I have found that by allowing the wood to remain in the appa-
ratus and subject to such pressure for twelve hours, causes the wood
to be thoroughly impregnated with the solution; and I prefer that the
wood should be first cut into planks before subjecting the wood to
the process of impregnation. The solution which I employ by pre-
ference consists of one hundred and seventy-six ounces of crystallized
phosphate of soda and fifty-four ounces of muriate of ammonia to
two and a half gallons of water. This solution I allow to stand, and
draw off the clear solution for use. But I do not confine myself
thereto, as other salts of ammonia may be employed. The wood
thus impregnated is to be removed from the apparatus, and allowed
to drain and become dry, when it will be fit for use.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that

page_text: what I claim is the impregnating wood by pressure with a solution
containing phosphoric acid with a base.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Maugham, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of June
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-three.
Witness,
JNO. COOK.
W. MAUGHAM. (L.S.)