IMPROVEMENTS IN WAPERS, AND IN THE MEANS OF SECURING LETTERS AND NOTES FROM BEING SURREPTITIOUSLY OPENED
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FELTON, of Bolton Percey, near Tadcaster, Station Master, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
Her Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifteenth day of April, in the eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Felton, my heirs and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that I, the said John Felton, my exors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Felton, my exors, adiñors, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WAPERS, AND IN THE
MEANS OF SECURING LETTERS AND NOTES FROM BEING SURREPTITIOUSLY OPENED;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said John
Felton, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be inrolled in

page_text: Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery, within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in
and the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Felton, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):-
My Invention consists of a peculiar description of wafers to be used for the
purpose of preventing letters and notes from being surreptitiously opened.
These wafers are of four different sorts.
First. The first kind are made thus:-Mix a certain portion of the finest
wheaten flour with five times its weight of the gum of the phormium tenax or
New Zealand flax in as much water as will reduce it to a very thin paste or
pap. This mixture being well incorporated and tinged with the requisite
colouring matter is poured into the tongs used for the manufacture of common
wafers. These tongs being first slightly heated, greased with butter, and filled
with the mixture are subjected for a short time to the heat of a charcoal fire;
when removed and allowed to cool the composition presents the appearance of
a dry cake about the thickness of a playing card which is cut into wafers by
means of punches.
Second. The second kind are thus made:-Prepare a thin solution of
isinglass, to which add as much in measure of the gum of the phormium
tenax; tinge this mixture with the required colouring matter, and let it
evaporate over a slow fire, till when cold it will become consistent; provide a
plate of mirror glass fitted in a metallic frame with edges just as high as the
wafers are designed to be thick; upon this plate, previously warmed with
steam, and greased, let the mixture be poured, over which place a second plate
of glass greased and heated as the first, observing to let it touch every part of
the mixture and rest upon the edges of the frame. The composition will have
become solid when cold, and may be cut into the required sizes by sharp
punches.
Third. The third description of wafers are made by painting the composi-
tion just named, vidilicit, isinglass and gum of the phormium tenax upon
paper or very fine muslin. The paper or muslin must be tightly strained upon
frames and anointed with two coats of the composition on each side, observing
to allow the first coat to become perfectly dry before the application of the
second, and the whole to be firm and hard before it be removed from the

page_text: frames. The muslin or paper thus prepared is cut into sizes by punches or
by any other convenient instrument or machine.
Fourth. The fourth sort are a species of fancy wafers made by painting
the composition used for the second and third kinds on the under or plain side
of paper either already embossed, stamped, or engraved with some motto or
device and cut into wafers, or about to be so. The first and second kinds of
wafers are cut into the shape of lozenges, and are used exactly as the common
wafers, being first wetted, placed under the fold of the letters, and then
impressed with a stamper. The third order are altogether different. They
are cut into rectangular shapes of two sizes, the larger are three-fourths of an
inch by one-half, and the smaller six-tenths of an inch by four-tenths. They
are applied thus:-Moisten one of them, and insert about three-fourths of its
length under the fold of the letter thus,-
with a seal, and then impose a seal of wax
中
and impress it firmly
upon the lower part.
When complete it will present an appearance similar to this,―
The upper
the black circle representing the seal of wax.
part of the wafer left shining through the paper I call the cautionary
index from a presumption that no one will attempt to open a letter so
sealed and secured. The fourth kind or fancy wafers are cut intothe shape
of lozenges. They are used by wetting the side anointed with the com-
position, and placing the wafer upon the letter immediately over the line of
juncture exactly as other fancy wafers are commonly used. These wafers
differ from all others by being insoluble by water or spirit or by any other
known means nor can a letter fairly sealed by any of them be opened without
furnishing the means of certain detection. The gum of the phormium tenax
or New Zealand flax is procured by forcibly pulling the centre leaves of the
plant from the socket that connects them with the root; this socket imme-
diately secretes a quantity of the gum which may be collected with a spoon.
I disclaim the methods of making wafers described as being used for the
first, second, and fourth kinds of my wafers.
I claim the making of wafers from paper, cloth, or any other material
anointed with any substance or composition on both sides.
I also claim the rectangular form of wafers, and the method of leaving the
upper part of the wafer uncovered with sealing wax as a "cautionary index."
I claim the application of the gum of the phormium tenax or New Zealand
flax in the manufacture of wafers or instruments for preventing letters and
notes from being surreptitiously opened.

page_text: Finally, I claim the compositions mentioned above, of which my wafers are
formed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Felton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-five.