An Improved Compound for Treating Fuel.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1890-Accepted, 6th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
[Communicated from abroad by THE STANDARD COAL AND FUEL Co., of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.]
An Improved Compound for Treating Fuel.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to a compound for treating fuel by chemical agents applied
to the surface of the coal to facilitate the combustion thereof.
Various compounds have been heretofore employed for this purpose, such com-
pounds usually containing salts that readily set free oxygen to combine with the
carbon of the coal, and containing other agents having various modifying effects upon
the action of the oxygen supplying salt.
Such compounds as have been heretofore used are generally. objectionable on
account of the deliquescent nature of the chemicals employed, from which it results
that even if they are originally prepared and mixed dry, they absorb moisture and
dissolve, so that they can only be kept in liquid condition making it extremely difficult
and expensive to store and ship them from place to place.
The present invention is based on the discovery of a specific compound containing
fewer ingredients than those heretofore employed, which performs the necessary
functions of enhancing the combustion of the fuel, and is also sufficiently non-
absorbent of moisture to remain without liquifying under ordinary climatic conditions
until it is desired to use it, when it may be prepared by the addition of sufficient water
to make a solution, which is sprinkled upon the surface of the coal.
The compound forming the subject of this invention is composed of the following
ingredients which for the best results should be in the proportions specified, although
the proportions may be varied without seriously impairing the utility of the compound,
which consists of
The above ingredients should be thoroughly mixed together, and will form a
compound which does not deliquesce under ordinary climatic conditions and con-
sequently may be stored and shipped in dry condition without necessitating the use
of airtight packing cases.
The compound may thus be prepared at any point where it is most convenient to
carry on the manufacture, and shipped to the point where it is desired to use the
same, when it may be applied to the coal in any convenient manner either by
sprinkling the powder upon the same, or preferably by dissolving the powder in the
water, and sprinkling the solution over the coal.
The saltpetre affords oxygen for a thorough combustion of the coal, while the sal
ammoniac has a restraining effect preventing too rapid evolution of oxygen from the
saltpetre and too rapid chemical union of the oxygen with the carbon of the coal, and
also tending to hold back the smoke until thoroughly consumed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
The herein described compound for treating fuel, composed of saltpetre and sal-
ammoniac, in substantially the proportions specified.
Dated this 31st day of October 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.