IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRE- VENTION OR CONSUMPTION OF SMOKE IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES.
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Holmes, of Pendleton, in the County of
Lancaster, Bleacher, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRE-
VENTION OR CONSUMPTION OF SMOKE IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES.
VENTION OR CONSUMPTION OF SMOKE IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES.
Sealed the 27th February 1857, and dated the 6th January 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Holmes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
January 1857.
I, THOMAS HOLMES, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster, Bleacher, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PREVENTION OR CONSUMPTION OF SMOKE IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES," to be as
follows:-
I claim as my Invention the use of common salt, or other salts of the
alkalies giving a neutral or acid reaction with test papers, or any mixture of
any of these substances, either with each other, or with substances containing
lime, magnesia, or baryta, for admixture with coal or other smoke-giving
fuels commonly used in close or open furnaces or fire-places, whereby black
smoke is more or less prevented during the combustion of such fuels
therein.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Holmes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th July 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
HOLMES, of Pendleton, in the County of Lancaster, Bleacher, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Thomas Holmes, IIer special licence that I, the said Thomas Holmes,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Holmes, 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 PREVENTION OR CONSUMPTION OF SMOKE IN FURNACES AND FIRE-PLACES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Holmes, 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 Thomas Holmes, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
To prevent the emission of black smoke from furnaces or fire-places in
which bituminous coals or other smoke-giving fuels are being burnt or con-
sumed, I mix with such fuels a certain quantity of a neutral or acid salt of an
alkali. On account of its cheapness and superior efficacy, I prefer to use for
this purpose chloride of sodium, commonly known by the name of common
salt, although I do not confine myself to the use of this salt. I mix the salt
with the fuel in such proportion that every hundredweight of coals is mixed
with three pounds and a half of common salt. I also prefer to mix the half
of this proportion of common salt with the fuel before the latter is charged
upon the furnace, and I then distribute, by means of a spade or otherwise, the

page_text: remaining half of the due proportion of salt over the surface of the freshly-
charged fuel. I also sometimes use in the same manner mixtures of one or
more of the above neutral or acid salts of the alkalies with lime or substances
containing lime, or with baryta or substances containing baryta, or, finally, with
magnesia or substances containing magnesia. I prefer, however, when I use
a mixture of this kind to employ a mixture of seven parts by weight of
common salt with one part by weight of quicklime, and I use this mixture
in the proportion of four parts by weight of the mixture to every hundred-
weight of coals.
After the common salt, or mixture of common salt and quicklime, has been
mixed with the fuel, in the manner already described, the fuel is to be charged
upon the furnace or fire-place in the usual manner.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means
known to me of performing the same, I hereby declare that I do not confine
myself to the use of the proportions and mixtures above recommended, and
which I find to be most suitable for the bituminous coals generally used in
furnaces and fire-places, and I also hereby declare that I do not claim the use
of lime or of substances containing lime when used without admixture with
common salt, or with a salt of an alkali giving a neutral or acid reaction with
test papers; but I here claim as my Invention the use of common salt, or other
salts of the alkalies giving a neutral or acid reaction with test papers, or any
mixture of any of these substances, either with each other, or with substances
containing lime, magnesia, or baryta, for admixture with coal or other smoke-
giving fuels, commonly used in close or open furnaces or fire-places, whereby
black smoke is more or less prevented during the combustion of such fuels
therein.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Holmes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
THOMAS HOLMES. (L.S.)