IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FUEL
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Barker, of Northflcet, in the County of Kent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL
FUEL."
Sealed the 26th March 1867, and dated the 3rd October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Barker at the
Office of the Commissiouers of Patents,, with his Petition, on the
3rd October 1866.
I, DAVID BARKER, of Northfleet, in the County of Kent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
ARTIFICIAL FUEL," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in certain improvements in the manufacture of
artificial fuel whereby its combustible properties are greatly improved whilst the
blocks into which the fuel is divided are rendered waterproof or impervious
to moisture in a high degree, such improvements being especially applicable
to fuel manufactured in accordance with certain Letters Patent which have
been granted to me, bearing date the Twenty-third day of July 1864 (No.
1842), and the Sixth day of June 1865 (No. 1547), and which fuel is
in some degree porous, and is liable to injury from exposure to moisture.
In order to impart a greater degree of combustibility to the fuel; the blocks
into which the same is divided are dipped (after they have been dried) into
coal oil or other analogous oil, the same being either undiluted or mixed

page_text: with water. The blocks having been thoroughly saturated can then be
subjected to the waterproofing process, for which purpose the following
compound is employed :-One part of pitch or other analogous vegetable
resinous substance is mixed with two parts of coal oil or other analogous oil
and two parts of gas or other tar (these proportions being approximative
only). The said last-mentioned ingredients are heated until they are thoroughly
united, when the mixture is ready for use. The blocks of fuel are then dipped
into the liquid thus prepared, and afterwards covered with a thin coating of
charcoal dust or other pulverised substance or substances which will not
interfere with the combustible nature of the fuel, the object of such coating
being to prevent adhesion of the blocks. In cases in which there is any
apprehension of danger resulting from the inflammable nature of the oil
introduced into the blocks of fuel, a small quantity of carbonate or silicate
of potash, hydrochloric acid, or other salt or substance calculated to prevent
or check combustion may be combined with the waterproofing compound, the
effect being that immediate combustion of the blocks of fuel will be prevented
or checked until they are broken or the exterior coating removed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Barker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd
April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
BARKER, of Northfleet, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
David Barker, Her special licence that I, the said David Barker, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Barker, 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 MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL
FURL," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Barker, 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

page_text: 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 David Barker, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention consists in certain improvements in the manufacture
of artificial fuel whereby its combustible properties are greatly improved
whilst the blocks into which the fuel is divided are rendered waterproof or
impervious to moisture in a high degree, such improvements being especially
applicable to fuel manufactured in accordance with certain Letters Patent
which have been granted to me, bearing date the Twenty-third day of July,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four (No. 1842), and the Sixth day
of June, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five (No. 1547).
In order to impart a greater degree of combustibility to the fuel the blocks
into which the same is divided are dipped (after they have been dried) into
coal oil or other analogous oils or products, the same being used singly, or if
desired in combination, and either undiluted or mixed with water. As
examples of the substances which may be so employed I may mention the
various oils obtained by the direct distillation of coal, petroleum, paraffin oil,
carbolic acid, naphtha, pyroligneous acid, and kreosote, and also the animal
and fish oils. By this mode of treatment the blocks of fuel may be caused
to take up and absorb a very considerable quantity of the substance or sub-
stances so employed, a double advantage being thus gained, that is to say,
the combustibility of the fuel as originally made is greatly increased, whilst
a convenient mode of using such substances as heating agents is afforded.
The fuel when thus prepared will possess considerable non-absorbent properties,
and may be used for some purposes, as, for instance, for marine furnaces
without any further treatment. The fuel may be stored in waterproof tanks
filled or partially filled with water, which may be allowed to cover the fuel, a
convenient mode of transport being thus furnished, whilst at the same time
all danger arising from spontaneous combustion is entirely avoided. It will
be found that the burning qualities of the fuel are in no way interfered with
by reason of its having been thus stored, and in cases in which petroleum or
the heavy oils have been employed for the saturation of the coal they become
solidified by coming in contact with the cold water, and thus greatly improve
the combustible.properties of the fuel; or the blocks of fuel may be dipped or

page_text: saturated in lime water or any other of the well-known preparations or substances
which have the effect of separating the fluid from the solid portions of fatty
matters. In order to render the fuel more perfectly waterproof, the blocks
baving been thoroughly saturated, as before mentioned, can be subjected to a
further process, which I will now describe. One part of pitch or other
analogous vegetable resinous substance is mixed with two parts of coal oil
or other analogous oil, and two parts of gas or other tar. Such proportions,
however, are not absolutely essential, but may be varied to suit the requirements
of each particular case, and with which the operator will be familiar. The
said last-mentioned ingredients are heated together until they are thoroughly
united, when the mixture is ready for use. The blocks of fuel are then dipped
into the liquid thus prepared, and are afterwards covered with a thin coating
of charcoal dust or other pulverized substance or substances which will not
interfere with the combustile nature of the fuel, the object of such coating
being to prevent adhesion of the blocks. In cases in which there is any
apprehension of danger resulting from the inflammable nature of the substances
introduced into the blocks of fuel, a small quantity of carbonate or silicate of
potash, hydrochloric acid, or other salt or substance calculated to prevent or
check combustion may be combined with the waterproofing compound, the
effect being that immediate combustion of the blocks of fuel will be prevented
or checked until they are broken or the exterior coating removed.
In some cases, as, for example, when the saving of time is an object, and
especially when the fuel has been prepared with petroleum or other analogous
substances as before mentioned, and which would not bear the process of drying,
the waterproofing composition before described may be dispensed with, and
the blocks rendered impervious to moisture by being simply dipped in melted
pitch, with which carbonate or silicate of potash, or such other acid, salt, or
substance as aforesaid, may or may not be combined as may be considered
necessary or desirable.
I have already stated that my present. Invention is especially applicable to
the treatment of fuel manufactured in accordance with the Inventions for
which the several Letters Patent herein-before referred to have been granted
to me. In the processes embraced by such Inventions a mucilage is employed
which is partly composed of farina, fecula, or starch, and in using the water-
proofing composition herein-before mentioned in combination with fuel made
in accordance with the said Inventions it may be mixed with the materials of
which the fuel is composed, or may be introduced into the mucilage and
therewith combined with the materials, instead of being applied to the fuel
after the latter has been formed into blocks, as before described. In like

page_text: manner the oils or products hercin-before mentioned as being employed for
the saturation of the blocks of fuel may be mixed with the materials of which
the same is composed or with the mucilage which is employed in its manu-
facture. Fuel which has been prepared and treated in accordance with my
said Invention possesses the important property of being converted into coke
upon the application of heat, and of becoming nearly smokeless, as the gases
escape and are consumed by the heat evolved.
Having thus fully declared and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in, which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion
that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting
the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent are,
First. The methods herein-before described and set forth of employing
coal oil and such other analogous oils or products as aforesaid in the
manufacture and treatment of artificial fuel, or any mere modifications
thereof.
And, secondly. The methods herein-before described and set forth of
rendering artificial fuel waterproof or impervious to moisture, or any mere
modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Barker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
54, Chancery Lane,
Agent for the Patentce.
DAVID BARKER. (L.S.)