IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF GAS BURNERS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Laidlaw, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Iron and Brass Founder, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF GAS
BURNERS."
Sealed the 8th December 1852, and dated the 11th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Laidlaw at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 11th October 1852.
I, DAVID LAIDLAW, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Iron and Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION
OF GAS BURNERS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates as well to the manufacture of burners by a
new process as to the use of new materials therein. For this purpose
various metals or alloys of a comparatively easily fusible nature, such as
tin, or tin and regulus of antimony combined, or other known alloys of
easy fusibility, are used, instead of iron or brass as ordinarily adopted.
The metal is cast or moulded to the required form of burner, or nearly
so, in metal or other moulds, so contrived with cores or mandrils that

page_text: the bore of the burner may be formed in the act of casting, leaving the
actual egress apertures for the gas to be drilled; and either the main
bore alone, or the smaller egress apertures for the gas also, may be so
produced in this way. By this means the burners may be produced
entirely by casting, or so as to require only a slight amount of labour and
attention subsequently. By this system of construction the burners
are produced with uniform accuracy, whilst the materials of which they
are made are not liable to he acted on, either by the gas itself or by
the humidity of the atmosphere. Any metal or composition capable of
being cast with facility in this manner in separate moulds, and pos-
sessing the advantages of freedom from oxidation and deposit, may be
used, and for some purposes the orifice and portion exposed to the
flame may be gilt or plated, or otherwise treated with a defensive
coating of gold, silver, or other metal or material, as a preservative
covering.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Laidlaw in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 11th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
DAVID LAIDLAW, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Iron and Brass Founder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the six-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her beirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said David Laidlaw, Her special licence
that I, the said David Laidlaw, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said David Laidlaw, my executors, administra-
tors, or 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 Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE

page_text: MANUFACTURE OR PRODUCTION OF GAS BURNERS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said David Laidlaw, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Laidlaw, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement (that is to say):
My said Invention relates as well to the manufacture of burners by
a new process as to the use of new materials therein. For this
purpose I employ various metals or alloys of a comparatively easily
fusible nature, such as tin, or tin and regulus of antimony combined,"
or other known alloys of easy fusibility, instead of iron or brass as
ordinarily adopted. The metal is cast or moulded to the required form of
burner, or nearly so, in metal or other moulds, so contrived with cores
or mandrils that the bore of the burner may be formed in the act of
casting, leaving the actual egress apertures for the gas to be drilled;
and either the main bore alone, or the smaller egress aperture for the
gas also, may be so produced in this way, or the actual egress openings
for the gas at the point of combustion may be formed by subsequent
drilling or cutting in the usual manner. By this means the burners
may be produced entirely by casting, or so as to require only a slight
amount of labour and attention subsequently. By this system of
manufacture the burners are produced with uniform accuracy, whilst
the materials of which they are made are not liable to be acted on
either by the gas itself or by the humidity of the atmosphere. Any
metal or composition capable of being cast with facility in this manner
in separate moulds, and possessing the advantages of freedom from
oxidation and deposit, may be used, and for some purposes I cause the
orifice and portion exposed to the flame to be gilt or plated, or other-
wise treated with a defensive coating of gold, silver, or other metal or
material, as a preservative covering: for example, according to one

page_text: modification I insert a nib made of glass, china, or other incorrodible
substance into the top of the burner so as to protect the body thereof,
whether such burner is made according to my general improvements or
according to the old process.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine
or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have
had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations may be made
therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention; but what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the system or mode of manufacturing or producing gas
burners wherein the main bore is moulded simultaneously with the
shaping of the external contour of the burner, and either with or
without the shaping of the egress holes for the gas at the same time.
Second, the application and use of easily fusible metal, as tin or
easily fusible alloys, in the manufacture of burners.
Third, the coating the surface of gas burners with an incorrodible
protective film or layer.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Laidlaw, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
DAVID LAIDLAW. (L.S.)