THE PRESERVATION OF GLOVES FROM THE INJURIES ACCRUING TO THEM FROM TROPICAL HEAT, & FOR THE PARTIAL RESTORATION OF THEIR COLOUR WHEN FADED BY WEAR AND EXPOSURE
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederic Sydenham Clarke at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th August 1870.
I, FREDERIC SYDENHAM CLARKE, at present Clerk in the Service of
the Borneo Company, Limited, Merchants, 7, Mincing Lane, London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "THE PRESERVATION
OF GLOVES FROM THE INJURIES ACCRUING TO THEM FROM TROPICAL HEAT, &
FOR THE PARTIAL RESTORATION OF THEIR COLOUR WHEN FADED BY WEAR AND
EXPOSURE," to be as follows:-
I propose to obviate this acknowledged difficulty by the employment
of ammoniacal vapours in air-tight cases, in which gloves will be
subjected to the preserving fumes of this chemical. For this purpose
I employ either metal boxes or bottles made in such a manner as
to be perfectly air-tight, & provided in either case with peculiar
receptacles to hold the ammonia, which I apply either in the form of
a liquid on a sponge, or in its solid form as a salt.

page_text: In the first place, I will suppose myself to make use of my Invention
in the form of a metal box. I construct an air-tight box of suitable
size, either of japanned tin or any other metal I may find convenient.
I place the ammonia (in either form above mentioned) into a small
porcelain vessel constructed for that purpose to fit down across one 5
end of the box, which I partition off to receive it by means of
two small flanges attached respectively to the back & front of the
box, & projecting for about ½ inch into the centre thereof. The
side of this vessel for holding the ammonia which is next to the
interior of the box, is perforated with holes through which the fumes 1
This vessel has
penetrate into the remaining portion of the box.
moreover a porcelain lid, and the whole of the partition is shut
down by a metal slide fitting into grooves attached to the sides. of
the box.
Secondly. Supposing myself to make use of my Invention in the 1
form of a bottle, I construct an air-tight bottle of convenient height
& size for holding gloves, the lid of which is surmounted by a
bronze grip & screw%; this screw presses on to a small disc in
the centre of the lid, which covers an aperture communicating with
a receptacle attached beneath or manufactured in one piece with the
whole lid; this receptacle is in the form of a small cup, and in it I
place the ammonia in either of the forms afore-mentioned. It is
perforated with holes through which the fumes of the ammonia pass
into the bottle itself.
Experiment proves that gloves sent out from this country in such a
bottle or case as I have described, & kept therein, are preserved from
the deleterious effect of tropical heat, & that moreover, if when dis-
coloured from the same cause, they are subjected (in either bottle or
case) to the fumes of the ammonia they are restored in a great measure
to their original colour.
Having thus described the principle of my Invention, I claim,―
1st. The construction of bottles or cases of the above description for
the purposes aforesaid.
2nd. The use of ammonia, either in a liquid or solid form, in any
specially constructed vessel, whether bottle or case.

page_text: 3rd. I claim to apply this principle of ammonia to any kind of bottle
or case constructed for that purpose, not binding myself down to the
application of it to bottles or cases made in a precisely similar form to
those described in my Specification.