IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING WOOD
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicholas Charles Szerelmey, of 90, Belgrave
Road, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING WOOD."
Sealed the 21st July 1868, and dated the 8th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicholas Charles
Szerelmey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th February 1868.
I, NICHOLAS CHARLES SZERELMEY, of 90, Belgrave Road, Pimlico,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESERVING WOOD," to be as
follows:-
In order to preserve railway sleepers and other timber from white
ants, torredo navalis, dryrot, and decay from other causes I dissolve
in 50 gallons of boiling water 10 lbs. of powdered potassa and 40 lbs.
of powdered lime, in another 150 gallons of cold water I mix 40 lbs.
of sulphuric acid, afterwards I mix the two liquids together; this is
compound No. 1. Again I boil in an iron pot 50 gallons of crude

page_text: petroleum, 40 lbs. of asphaltum, 30 lbs. of powdered lime, and after
half an hour's boiling I mix therewith one pint of sulphuric acid; this
is compound No. 2. I immerse the railway sleepers or timber in the
liquid No. 1 for quarter of an hour, or I coat them with a large tar
brush and dry them for a day or two. Afterwards I coat the sleepers
or timber with a tar brush well on all sides with the composition No. 2
in a hot state.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Nicholas Charles Szerelmey in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 7th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICHOLAS
CHARLES SZERELMEY, of 90, Belgrave Road, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, 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 Nicholas Charles Szerelmey, Her special
licence that I, the said Nicholas Charles Szerelmey, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Nicholas Charles
Szerelmey, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and 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 PRESERVING WOOD," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Nicholas Charles Szerelmey, 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 Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nicholas Charles Szerelmey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner

page_text: the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say:―
In order to preserve railway sleepers and other timber from white
ants, toredo navalis, dry rot, and decay from other causes, I dissolve
in 50 gallons of boiling water 10 lbs. of powdered potassa and 40 lbs.
of powdered lime, in another 150 gallons of cold water I mix 40 lbs.
of sulphuric acid, afterwards I mix the two liquids together; this is
compound No. 1. Again I boil in an iron pot 50 gallons of crude
petroleum 40 lbs. of asphaltum, 30 lbs. of powdered lime, mixing in
therewith by preference 20 lbs. of zopissa, and let it boil until it
ignites as the zopissa can only be dissolved by fire, and after half an
hour's boiling I mix therewith one pint of sulphuric acid; this is
compound No. 2. I immerso the railway sleepers or timber in the
liquid No. 1 for a quarter of an hour, or I coat them with a large tar
brush and dry them for a day or two. Afterwards I coat the sleepers
or timber with a tar brush well on all sides with the composition No. 2
in a hot state.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nicholas Charles Szerelmey, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
N. C. SZERELE.
(U.S.)