IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND TREATMENT OF A MINERAL SUBSTANCE OBTAINED FROM COAL OR SLACK, WHEREBY A CERTAIN CARBONACEOUS PRODUCT IS OBTAINED AND RENDERED AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, IN THE PROCESSES OF CASTING AND MOULDING METALS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAINT AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Halford, of Great Barr, in the County of
Stafford, Coke Burner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PREPARATION AND TREATMENT OF A MINERAL SUBSTANCE OBTAINED FROM COAL
OR SLACK, WHEREBY A CERTAIN CARBONACEOUS PRODUCT IS OBTAINED AND
RENDERED AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL, IN
THE PROCESSES OF CASTING AND MOULDING METALS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF PAINT AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES."
ealed the. 22nd May 1863, and dated the 27th November 1862.
"PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Halford at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th
November 1862.
.I, JOHN HALFORD, of Great Barr, in the County of Stafford, Coke Burner,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PREPARATION AND TREATMENT OF A MINERAL SUBSTANCE OBTAINED
OR SLACK, WHEREBY A CERTAIN CARBONACEOUS PRODUCT IS OBTAINED AND RENDERED
AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND STEEL IN THE PROCESSES OF
CASTING AND MOULDING METALS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAINT AND SUCH LIKE
ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
The said Invention has reference to improvements in the preparation and
treatment of a mineral substance, known as small coal or "slack," by so
preparing the same as to free (as far as may be) the said material from all the

page_text: constituents thereof, except carbonaceous matter, the same being produced by
the said improvements or treatment fit to be used as a substitute for charcoal
or other highly carbonic fuel in the manufacture of iron and steel in the
processes of casting and moulding metals in lieu of the material known as
blackening," also as a base or absorbent in the manufacture of paint and
such like articles for coating substances, valuable manufactured products being
thus obtained from small coals or slack substances at present of small
value.
The means whereby I now intend to carry this Invention into effect, I may
illustrate as follows:-I take small coal or slack and wash it (which may be
done in the same manner as in its preparation for making coke for instance),
I then collect that portion of the deposit or subsidence which is best pulverized.
And in order to remove the gaseous matter I subject the same to destructive
distillation in a retort of similar construction to those made use of in the
manufacture of gas for illumination. Or a close oven or other closed vessel
excluding atmospheric air and provided with an outlet for the escape of the
gaseous products may be employed. The product thus obtained consists of a
light porous coke which I use as a substitute for charcoal or other highly
carbonic fuel as aforesaid.
In the application of my Invention to the production of a material to be
employed in lieu of the "blackening" or other like material at present used in
the casting and moulding of metals, after the above described process the
product after pulverization is passed through a fine sieve, thus removing any
particles of burnt coal or other foreign substance, the residue constituting a
material fit for use in the ordinary manner. This process also applies to the
production of the material which I employ as a base or absorbent in the
manufacture of paint and such like articles for coating substances.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Halford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HALFORD, of Great Barr, in the County of Stafford, Coke Burner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 'Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Halford, Her special licence that I, the said John
Halford, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Halford, 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 Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION AND TREATMENT OF A MINERAL SUBSTANCE
OBTAINED FROM COAL OR SLACK, WHEREBY A CERTAIN CARBONACEOUS PRODUCT IS
OBTAINED AND RENDERED AVAILABLE FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF IRON AND
STEEL IN THE PROCESSES OF CASTING AND MOULDING METALS AND IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF PAINT AND SUCH LIKE ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Halford, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
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 John Halford, 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:
. I take the mineral substance derived from coal or "slack" either by the
process of washing, such as is practised in the preparation of small coal or
slack for its conversion into coke, or by separation by floating or sifting the
same. These separative processes result in the production of a material or
residuum, the most finely divided portion of which is the mineral substance
I desire to procure, and to which I apply the preparation and treatment
hereafter particularly described, in order to obtain therefrom a carbonaceous.
product available for many useful purposes. This mineral substance contains
much carbonaceous matter; and can be procured from most coals, but in some
coals the proportion of carbonaceous material is much smaller than in other
kinds of coals, as is well understood by persons conversant with the properties
of that material.
And I would observe that for some of the purposes to which this product,
the subject of my Invention, is to be applied, as for instance, the manufacture
of iron and steel, it is desirable that the material from which the product is..
obtained should have a large proportion of carbon.

page_text: By the herein-after described process the mineral substance aforesaid is freed
(as far as may be) from all the constituents thereof except carbonaceous
matter, and rendered fit to be used as a fuel in the smelting process in
manufacturing iron, for which a light highly carbonaceous fuel is required,
and for fuel in the manufacture of steel, and for blackening or blacking used
in the processes of casting and moulding metals where. powdered charcoal is
at present commonly used, also as a base in the manufacture of paint and
such like articles for coating substances and for other purposes. This process
is as follows:-I take the said mineral substance procured from coal or slack.
as aforesaid, and if thought desirable I rewash it or adopt a secondary process
of sifting or of floating so as to obtain as pure carbon as practicable. I then
dry it either by submitting the same to the action of heat in stoves or retort
ovens or by long exposure to the atmosphere, so as to evaporate as far as
possible all moisture. The product is then pulverized by passing it through
rolls, or by means of millstones or edgestones or other convenient means.
The gaseous matter of the product is expelled by subjecting the material
to distillation in a retort of similar material and construction to those
commonly used in the manufacture of gas for illumination or in a close
built oven or other closed vessel constructed so as to exclude atmospheric
air, and provided with an outlet for the escape of the gaseous and
volatile products. Such ovens or receptacles have the heating power
applied externally, and this external heat, together with the heat developed
by the combustion of the gaseous matter evolved during the process effects
the, distillation and carbonization of the material within the ovens or retorts.
I submit the material to as low a heat as is sufficient to evolve the gases.
When the gases have been evolved the material may be drawn; the
product thus obtained is in a condition fit for use as a fuel in the manufacture.
of iron and steel: When the product is intended for blacking, or blackening,
or paint, or such like articles, as polish for leather, or otherwise, after the above
described process is completed I remove the same into the dressing room or
other convenient place, and pass it through a fine sieve say of seventy-five
meshes to the inch; the particles of burnt coal or foreign substance are hereby
removed, the material or product then constituting a material fit for use for
blacking or blackening paint and such like articles, or for other purposes ·
where carbon or carbonaceous matter is required. This product may be
converted into a material fit to be used in the manufacture of iron and steel as
aforesaid, by the admixture of water or liquid, which will cause the said material.
to cohere, it can then be cut into blocks of any suitable shape or size, which.
when dried are ready for use.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare
that I claim the treatment of a mineral substance as above described, so as to
obtain a carbonaceous product available for use in the manufacture of iron
and steel in the processes of casting and moulding metals, in the manufacture
of paint, in coating substances, and other purposes in the arts.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Halford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
THOMAS PARISH,
Great Barr.
JOHN HALFORD. (L.S.)