An Improved Compound for Treating Fuel.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1890-Accepted, 6th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE STOLETATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE STANDARD COAL AND FUEL Co., of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.]
An Improved Compound for Treating Fuel.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a compound for treating fuel by chemical agents applied to
the surface of the coal to facilitate the combustion thereof.
Various compounds have been heretofore employed for this purpose such compounds
usually containing salts that readily set. free oxygen to combine with the carbon of
the coal and containing other agents having various modifying effects upon the action
of the oxygen supplying salt.
Such compounds as have been heretofore used are generally objectionable on
account of the deliquescent nature of the chemicals employed, from which it results
that even if they are originally prepared and mixed dry they rapidly absorb moisture
and dissolve, so that they can only be kept in liquid condition making it extremely
difficult and expensive to store the compounds or ship them from place to
place.
The present invention is based on the discovery of a specific compound containing
fewer ingredients than those heretofore employed, which performs the necessary
functions in enhancing the combustion of the fuel and is also sufficiently non-absorbent
of moisture to remain without liquifying under ordinary climatic conditions until it
is desired to use it, when it may be prepared by the addition of sufficient water to make
a solution, which is sprinkled upon the surface of the coal.
The compound forming the subject of this invention is composed of the following
ingredients which for the best results should be in the proportions specified although
the proportions may be varied somewhat without seriously impairing the utility of the
compound, which consists of
Glauber's salt (sodium sulphate, Na₂SO) 63 parts by weight (dry) saltpetre,
(potassium nitrate, KNO) 37 parts by weight (dry)..
The above ingredients should be dried ground and thoroughly mixed together and
will form a compound which does not deliquesce under ordinary climatic conditions and
consequently may be stored and shipped in try condition without necessitating the use
of air tight packing cases.
The compound may thus be prepared at any point where it is most convenient to
carry on the manufacture and shipped to the point where it is desired to use the same,
when it may be applied to the coal in any convenient manner either by sprinkling the
powder upon the same or preferably by dissolving the compound in water and
sprinkling the solution over the coal.
The saltpetre affords oxygen for a thorough combustion of the coal while the
Glauber's salt has a restraining effect preventing too rapid evolution of oxygen from
the saltpetre and too rapid chemical union of the oxygen with the carbon of the
coal, and also tending to hold back.the smoke until thoroughly consumed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
The herein described compound for treating fuel composed of Glauber's salt and
saltpetre, in substantially the proportions specified.
Dated this 31st day of October 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.