IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO GUNPOWDER FLASKS, AND OTHER METALLIC FLASKS OR BOTTLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis William Ticehurst, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Gunpowder Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OR ADDITIONS TO GUNPOWDER FLASKS, AND OTHER METALLIC FLASKS OR
BOTTLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis William Ticehurst
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th May 1881.
FRANCIS WILLIAM TICEHURST, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gunpowder Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO GUNPOWDER FLASKS,
AND OTHER METALLIC FLASKS OR BOTTLES."
The object of my Invention is so to construct metallic gunpowder flasks and
other metallic flasks or bottles, that after they have been emptied of their contents
the said flasks may be used either as the oil reservoirs of lamps or as candle
holders.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a gunpowder flask.
In constructing a gunpowder flask according to my Invention, I give the body
of the flask the ordinary figure, but instead of filling the flask at the open end of
the neck part of the flask as usual, I close the said neck part and fill the flask at
the bottom end of the bulging or convex side of the body of the bulging or convex
side of the body of the flask. For this purpose I form at the said bottom end of
the said body a screwed hole, which I close by means of a screw plug screwed
into the said hole. When the gunpowder flask has been emptied of its contents,
the empty flask may be used as the reservoir of an oil lamp by filling it with oil
at the screwed bole, the wick holder or burner being made of a size proper to screw
into the said screwed hole at the end of the reservoir. I make the closing plug
hollow or cup like, and in the said hollow plug the wick for the burner may be
placed. The said hollow plug may also be used as a candle holder after the flask
has been emptied of its contents. There is thus supplied with the gunpowder
flask, constructed as before described, means whereby when empty it may be con-
verted into an oil lamp, the oil reservoir resting when in use upon the flat side of
its body. Or the empty gunpowder flask may be used as a candle holder by placing
the candle in the hollow screwed plug used for closing the opening in the flask.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Francis William Ticehurst in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th November 1881.
FRANCIS WILLIAM TICEHURST, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gunpowder Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR ADDITIONS TO GUNPOWDER FLASKS
AND OTHER METALLIC FLASKS OR BOTTLES."
The object of my Invention is so to construct metallic gunpowder flasks and
other metallic flasks or bottles, that after they have been emptied of their contents
the said flasks may be used either as the oil reservoirs of lamps or as candle
holders.
I will describe my Invention as applied to a gunpowder flask.
In constructing a gunpowder flask according to my Invention I give the body
of the flask the ordinary figure, but instead of filling the flask at the open end of
the neck part of the flask as usual, I close the said neck part and fill the flask at
the bottom end of the bulging or convex side of the body of the flask.
For this purpose I form at the said bottom end of the said body a screwed hole,
which I close by means of a screw plug screwed into the said hole.
When the gunpowder flask has been emptied of its contents the empty flask
may be used as the reservoir of an oil lamp by filling it with oil at the screwed
hole, the wick holder or burner being made of a size proper to screw into the said
screwed hole at the end of the reservoir. I make the closing plug hollow or cup
like, and in the said hollow plug the wick for the burner may be placed or packed.
The said hollow plug may also be used as a candle holder after the flask has been
emptied of its contents. There is thus supplied with the gunpowder flask,
constructed as before described means whereby when empty it may be converted
into an oil lamp, the oil reservoir resting when in use upon the flat side of its
body. Or the empty gun powder flask may be used as a candle holder by placing
the candle in the hollow screwed plug used for closing the opening in the flask.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents partly in side elevation and
partly in longitudinal section, and Figure 2 in plan, a gunpowder flask made
according to my Invention; Figure represents the gunpowder flask used as a
lamp, and Figure 4, the said gunpowder flask used as a candle holder.
a is the body of the gunpowder flask closed at its neck part b. In the bottom
end of the bulging or convex side of the body a of the flask I form a screwed
hole c raised slightly above the level of the flask, at which hole the flask is filled
with gunpowder. The screwed hole c is closed by the hollow or tubular screw
plug d.
After the gunpowder flask has been emptied of its contents the empty
flask may serve as the reservoir of an oil lamp, the said reservoir being filled with
oil at the screwed hole c, as illustrated in Figure 3. The wick holder or burner c
of the lamp has in this case a screw f, of a size proper to screw into the screwed
hole c, in the reservoir a.
In using the empty flask as a candle holder, the hollow screw cap d serves as a
socket, in which the candle is placed and held, as illustrated in Figure 4.
When the empty flask is used as the reservoir of an oil lamp, as represented in
Figure 3, or as a candle holder, as represented in Figure 4, the said flask rests
when in use upon the flat side a³ of its body a.
I apply my Invention to metallic flasks or bottles other than gunpowder flasks,
such as flasks or bottles for containing mustard, coffee, and like commodities in
the manner herein before described and illustrated with respect to a gunpowder
flask.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,
The improvements in or additions to gunpowder flasks and other metallic flasks
or bottles herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing,
that is to say, constructing the body of the flask or bottle so that it is filled and
emptied at a screwed hole at or near the bottom end of the bulging.or convex side
of the said body instead of at the neck end as usual, and closing the said screwed
hole by preference by means of a hollow or tubular screw plug, substantially as
described and illustrated; also converting the empty flask or bottle, constructed as
described and illustrated into an oil lamp or candle holder.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis William Ticehurst, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
FRANCIS WILLIAM TICEHURST. (L.S.)
Witness,
ARTHUR HENRY BAILEY,