A METHOD OF CLEANSING FEATHERS FOR BEDS, AND HAIR, WOOL, DOWN, AND OTHER THE NATURAL COVERING OF BIRDS AND ANIMALS FROM THEIR ANIMAL OIL, IN THE MOST PERFECT MANNER, AND IN SUCH A WAY AS TO RENDER THEM MORE HEALTHFUL, SWEET, AND PLEASANT FOR USE
Year: 1804

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
GREGSON, of Liverpool, Upholder, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth day of December,
in the forty-fifth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said
Matthew Gregson, His especial licence that I, the said Matthew Gregson,
during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, my Invention of "A METHOD OF CLEANSING FEATHERS FOR BEDS, AND
HAIR, WOOL, DOWN, AND OTHER THE NATURAL COVERING OF BIRDS AND ANIMALS
FROM THEIR ANIMAL OIL, IN THE MOST PERFECT MANNER, AND IN SUCH A WAY AS
TO RENDER THEM MORE HEALTHFUL, SWEET, AND PLEASANT FOR USE;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging me, the said Matthew
Gregson, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to cause a
particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months after the date of the said recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Matthew Gregson, do bereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are herein-after parti-
cularly described and ascertained as follows, that is to say :-
Firstly, I place the said feathers, and the hair, wool, down, and other natural
covering of birds and animals, or any of them, attached to the skins or hides
or otherwise, in a chamber, or vessel, or other proper receptacle, closed on all
sides, except at that part where the heat or heated elastic fluid hereafter to be
described is to be introduced, and also at another part where the exhalations
or vapours of animal oil and other impurity are suffered to pass out; and I
dispose the said feathers, hair, wool, down, or other natural covering of birds
and animals thinly, lightly, or openly within the said chamber, vessel, or
receptacle, or other proper receptacle, by means of shelves, sticks, or other
supports, if needful, in such manner that the said heat or heated elastic fluid
may be duly applied to all and every part and portion thereof.
Secondly, I do, by the usual and well-known methods, raise steam, or I do
heat the common air of the atmosphere, and cause the same to enter through
an aperture, and by means of pipes or flues when needful, into the said
chamber, or vessel, or receptacle, so as to give sufficient heat to the contents
thereof as aforesaid, in order to evaporate and drive off the offensive animal
oil, and render the said contents more sweet and pleasant for use, for which
purpose I permit the said steam or heated air to escape again along with the
said offensive animal oil through another aperture in the said chamber, vessel,
or receptacle; and I do so manage my fire and regulate the said apertures
that the heat shall be adequate to the intended purpose, and continued a
sufficient time to compleat the intended effect.
Thirdly and lastly, instead of or along with the steam or heated atmospheric
air aforesaid I do avail myself and make use of such other heated vapours or
elastic fluids or gasses as may, with economy and advantage, be applied to my
said purpose; and more particularly I do use the altered residue or steam of
heated and burned common air which has passed through or amongst certain
bodies in combustion or fuel, which do not give out any taint or smell, or
otherwise injure the good qualities of the said feathers, hair, wool, down,
or other natural coverings of birds and animals so intended to be rendered
sweet and pleasant for use.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Gregson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and five.
MATTHEW GREGSON. (L.s.)

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Thirtieth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and five, the aforesaid Matthew
Gregson came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknow-
ledged the Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained
and specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid
was stampt according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the First day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and five.