Improvements in Refractory Balls or Lumps for Incandescent Gas Fires.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Refractory Balls or Lumps for Incandescent Gas
Fires.
We, ROBERT BAILLIE MAIN and ARCHIBALD POLLOCK MAIN, both of the
the firm of
R. & A. Main, Gas Engineers Argyle Works, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, and
HARRY DARWIN, Manager to said firm, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows
:
This Invention has for its object to provide refractory balls or lumps for use in gas
fires of such a nature that they very readily become incandescent on being heated by
a gás flame and by the use of which a very close approximation to the appearance of
a coal fire is produced in gas fires.
In the production of the improved refractory balls or lumps we employ as a base
natural sponge or in lieu of sponge any light fibrous material having absorbent
properties and this base we saturate or soak in a slurry composed mainly of clay
carbon and silicate of soda. After drying by means of warm air we carbonise or bake
the material in a furnace and upon removal it is ready for use in gas fires as a sub-
stitute for the asbestos or fireclay balls or lumps commonly employed. Whilst the
slurry in which the spongy base is immersed may be composed of the ingredients
above mentioned in various proportions we prefer to use a slurry made up by mixing
in warm water in or about the proportions following, viz.
2 lbs. china clay
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Refractory Balls or Lumps for Incandescent Gas
Fires.
We, ROBERT BAILLIE MAIN and ARCHIBALD POLLOCK MAIN both of the firm of
R. & A. Main, Gas Engineers, Argyle Works, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark and
HARRY DARWIN Manager to said firm, 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 has for its object to provide for use in gas fires refractory balls or
lumps of such a nature that they very readily become incandescent on being heated
by a gas flame and by the use of which a very close approximation to the appearance
of a coal fire is obtained.
In the production of the improved refractory balls or lumps we employ as a base
natural sponge or in lieu of sponge any light fibrous material having absorbent
properties. This base we saturate or soak in a slurry composed mainly of clay,
carbon and silicate of soda. After drying, by means of warm air, we carbonise or
bake the material in a furnace and upon removal it is ready for use in gas fires as a
substitute for the asbestos or fireclay balls or lumps commonly employed. The slurry
in which the spongy base is immersed may be composed of the ingredients above
7

page_text: mentioned in various proportions but we prefer that it should be made by mixing the
materials in warm water in or about the proportions following viz. :--
lbs. china clay
2
1
"
powdered carbonaceous or carbonised material
lb. silicate of soda.
to which a small proportion of sugar or gummy matter is or may be added.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
A refractory ball or lump composed of an absorbent spongy or fibrous base, china
clay, powdered carbonaceous or carbonised material and silicate of soda with or
without the addition of sugar or gummy matter substantially as described.
Dated this Eleventh day of January 1890.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.