AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION FOR FURNACE LININGS, FIRE-BRICKS, POTS, CRUCIBLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Nimmo, of Jersey City, in the State of
New Jersey, and United States of America, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION FOR FURNACE LININGS, FIRE-BRICKS, POTS,
CRUCIBLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Sealed the 30th June 1868, and dated the 15th January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Nimmo at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th January 1868.
I, GEORGE NIMMO, of Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, and
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION FOR FURNACE LININGS, FIRE-BRICKS,
POTS, CRUCIBLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
Heretofore the ashes or residuum from the combustion of coal have.
been but little utilized. My Invention relates to a composition in which
such residuum forms the basis or one of the principal ingredients.
The ashes or earthy portion that remains from the combustion of coal,
have of necessity been exposed to a much higher temperature than the
furnace linings in which such fuel is consumed, hence such residuum is.

page_text: of a character to withstand almost any degree of heat without rapid
change or destruction. I therefore form furnace linings, fire-bricks, pots,
crucibles, or similar articles out of a composition in which such ashes or
residuum forms the basis or principal part, in order that the same may be
of a character to withstand an intense heat. I mix with such ashes or
residuum a sufficient quantity of clay, fire sand, plumbago, or similar
material in the desired proportion, according to the character of the
article to be produced, the clay being moistened causes the particles to
adhere together, and the mass is to be rendered sufficiently plastic to be
moulded, spread, or shaped into any desired form or article.
It will be understood that the more intense the fire from which the
residuum is taken the better the composition made of the same will be
for withstanding heat, and according to the condition of the residuum
and the use to which it is to be employed so the same may or may not
require grinding or sifting. This compound of ashes with clay forms a
good material for polishing steel and other articles of metal, and it can
be moistened and moulded into a convenient form for handling. When
such ashes and clay are mixed with a small amount of melted soap a
good compound is formed for cleaning tin ware and culinary articles.
This compound of the residuum and clay when mixed with sufficient
water will form a plaster or mortar adapted to setting fire-brick, lining
furnaces, and for other uses. And the compound of ashes or residuum
of coal and clay may be employed, when mixed with sand or other
materials, for retorts, or for blocks, or bricks for buildings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Nimmo in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 13th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
NIMMO, of Jersey City, in the State of New Jersey, United States of
America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Fatent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Nimmo, Her special licence that I,

page_text: the said George Nimmo, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said George Nimmo, 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 "AN IMPROVED COMPOSITION FOR
FURNACE LININGS, FIRE-BRICKS, POTS, CRUCIBLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Nimmo, 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 George Nimmo, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 the manufacture of fire-brick it has been usual heretofore to
employ a peculiar quality of clay known as fire-clay, because it is of a
consistence and quality adapting it to withstand high degrees of heat;
these bricks are very often rapidly destroyed by the heat of steel and
other furnaces.
In the consumption of fuel the earthy portions that remain in the
form of ashes, clinker, or cinder have been exposed to a higher degree of
heat than the lining of the furnaces in which such fuel is consumed,
hence the combustible portions of the fuel are consumed, and the
residuum is of a character adapted to withstanding almost any degree of
heat without rapid change or destruction. The nature of my said
Invention or discovery therefore consists in the employment of the
ashes or other residuum of the combustion of coal as the basis for the
manufacture of fire-brick, furnace linings, pots, &c., said material being
of a character the best adapted to withstand an intense heat. In order
to employ this material I mix therewith a sufficient quantity of clay, or
of clay and fire sand, to cause the particles of ashes or other coal
residuum to adhere together, and I mould the same into the desired
shape.

page_text: It will be understood that the more intense the fire is from which the
residuum is taken, the better the composition will be for withstanding
high temperature, and according to the condition of that residuum so
the same may be made use of without sifting, or it may require to be
ground as well as sifted previous to mixing with the clay.
What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is, the
employment of the residuum of the combustion of coal as the base
or principal component in the manufacture of fire-brick, retorts, furnace
linings, pots, and similar articles, as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Nimmo, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, A.D. One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witnesses,
CHA'. H. SMITH,
121, Nassau St., New York,
GEO. D. WALKER,
121, Nassau St., New York.
GEORGE NIMMO. (L.S.)