IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Buncombe Evans, of Colyton, in the
County of Devon, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL,"
Sealed the 14th January 1853, and dated the 9th November 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Buncombe
Evans at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 9th November 1852.
I, ROBERT BUNCOMBE EVANS, of Colyton, in the County of Devon,
5 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL " to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of manufacturing charcoal from spent
tanners' bark, by causing it, when in a moist state, to be pressed
into moulds, and then dried and charred in like manner to that
L'

page_text: persued when treating wood in the manufacture of charcoal there-
from; the object being to obtain a light porous charcoal for the
purpose of manure.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Robert Buncombe Evans in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 9th May 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
ROBERT BUNCOMBE EVANS, of Colyton, in the County of Devon,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two; in the
sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Robert Buncombe Evans,
Her special licence. that I, the said Róbert Buncombe Evans,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I
the said Robert Buncombe Evans, 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 Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN:
THE MANUFACTURE OF CHARCOAL," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Robert Buncombe Evans, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 Robert Buncombe Evans,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is
to say):
This Invention consists of manufacturing charcoal from spent
tanners' bark, by causing it, when in a moist state, to be pressed
into moulds, and then dried and charred in like manner to that
pursued when treating wood in the manufacture of charcoal there-
from; the object being to obtain a light porous charcoal for the
purposes of manure.
The spent tan as it comes from the pits has to be pressed in
moulds, either by hand or by a suitable machine, as in the case of
bricks. Previous to moulding the tan, it has to be reduced to rot-
tenness by being occasionally turned over and well worked in a
pug mill, so that it may become of a uniform consistency and more
cohesive for working. The size of the moulds is not material ; I
have found that about seven inches square, by one and a half inches
thick, and four inches wide, is as good a size as may be. The moulded
lumps, after having been dried on racks, on which they should be
placed edgeways, are to be charred in a fire brick oven or chamber,
provided with a door capable of being closed air tight, and with a
pipe or flue at the top, through which the smoke and gases arising
from the charring tan may be conducted away into the chimney or
brought down and passed over the body of the fire in the grate; by
the latter arrangement, considerable saving of fuel is effected, and
the
escape of gases, which prove a nuisance to a neighbourhood, is
avoided. The fire under the oven is to be fed with the dried
lumps of tan, and should be so arranged that the body of the lower
part of the oven may be kept to a red heat. When the lumps of
moulded tan have been subjected to this action long enough to be
sufficiently charred, they are to be raked out into iron canisters,
fitted with water guttered covers, and allowed to cool in them, and
they may be sunk in a pit of water. After a time the charcoal may
be exposed to the air. By the application of a simple apparatus
for purification, such as is in use at gas houses, the gas which
escapes through the pipe alluded to above, and which, otherwise, is

page_text: allowed to pass over the flame in the grate below, may be rendered
available for purposes of illumination.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Buncombe Evans, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
ROBERT BUNCOMBE EVANS. (L.S.).
Witness,
JOHN HINE,
Farmer,
Ottery St. Mary.