IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPES FOR SMOKING TOBACCO
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Strangman, of Waterford, in the County
of Waterford, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PIPES FOR
SMOKING TOBACCO."
Sealed the 6th April 1868, and dated the 23rd January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Strangman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
January 1863.
I, EDWARD STRANGMAN, of Waterford, in the County of Waterford,
Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PIPES FOR SMOKING TOBACCO," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in constructing pipes so as to purify the smoke
by filtration and absorption, and remove therefrom all poisonous and dele-
terious substances or qualities.
According to one method of carrying out my Invention I construct the
pipe with a moveable thimble, with a flange at the top, and perforated at the
bottom, such thimble being placed in the bowl, and intended to contain
the tobacco or other vegetable substance to be smoked, and I fill the space
between this thimble and the bowl of the pipe with a suitable filtering and
absorbent material, so that the smoke in passing from the ignited tobacco to
the mouth of the smoker is compelled to pass through the said filtering and

page_text: absorbent material, and thus becomes purified and deprived of all poisonous
or deleterious qualities.
According to another modification I construct a tube or vessel of any
suitable form or material to contain the filtering or absorbing substance, and
I connect an ordinary pipe bowl to one end thereof, and a mouthpiece to the
other end, in such a manner that the smoke in passing from the bowl to the
mouth is compelled to pass through the filtering or absorbing material, when
the effect will be the same as above mentioned.
The materials which I propose to employ as the filtering and absorbing
medium are chalk, lime, peat, clay, aluminous and siliceous earths, vegetable
and animal charcoal, or any of the porous or absorbent substances used for
making tobacco pipes, such substances being pounded, granulated, and moist-
ened with water and spirits of various kinds.
Any other substances or materials may be used which are alike porous to
the air and smoke, and at the same time possess an affinity for the oil,
ammonia, acids, such nicotine contained in the smoke, so as to absorb them
and prevent them from reaching the mouth of the smoker.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Strangman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
STRANGMAN, of Waterford, in the County of Waterford, Ireland, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Edward Strangman, Her special licence, that I, the said Edward
Strangman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Edward Strangman, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 PIPES FOR SMOKING TOBACCO," upon the condition, amongst others, that I,
the said Edward Strangman, my executors or administrators, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly 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 Edward Strangman; 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 in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings, that is
to say:-
These improvements consist in constructing pipes so as to purify the smoke
by filtration and absorption, and remove therefrom all poisonous and dele-
terious substances or qualities.
According to one method of carrying out my Invention I construct the
pipe with a moveable thimble, with a flange at the top, and perforated at the
bottom, such thimble being placed in the bowl, and intended to contain
the tobacco or other vegetable substance to be smoked, and I fill the space
between this thimble and the bowl of the pipe with a suitable filtering and
absorbent material, so that the smoke in passing from the ignited tobacco to
the mouth of the smoker is compelled to pass through the said filtering and
absorbent material, and thus becomes purified and deprived of all poisonous.
or deleterious qualities.
According to another modification I construct a tube or vessel of any
suitable form or material to contain the filtering or absorbing substance, and
I connect an ordinary pipe bowl to one end thereof, and a mouthpiece to the
other end, in such a manner that the smoke in passing from the bowl to the
mouth is compelled to pass through the filtering or absorbing material, when
the effect will be the same as above mentioned.
The materials which I propose to employ as the filtering and absorbing
media are, chalk, lime, peat, clay, aluminous and siliceous earths, vege--
table and animal charcoal, or any of the porous or absorbent substances:
used for making tobacco pipes, such substances being pounded or granu-
lated, and moistened with water and spirits of various kinds, or with
water or spirits in combination with alkalies or substances of various
kinds.
Any other substances or materials may be used which are alike porous to
the air and smoke, and at the same time possess an affinity for the oil,
ammonia, acids, nicotine, resins, and hydrogen contained in the smoke, so as
to absorb them and prevent them from reaching the mouth of the smoker.

page_text: Such being the nature and object of my said Invention for "Improvements
in Pipes for Smoking Tobacco," I will now proceed to describe more in detail
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, and in order that the same may be distinctly understood, I have
annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof, that is to say :-
In the annexed Drawing, Figure 1 represents (partly in section) one modi-
fication of my Invention. a, a, is the bowl of the pipe, and 6, 6, the stem;
c, c, is a moveable thimble (intended to hold the tobacco) which is perforated
at the bottom, and is screwed or otherwise fixed air-tight into the bowl, being
provided with a rim or flange at the top for the convenience of unscrewing or
removing it. The space between the thimble and the bowl is fitted with a
strainer composed of a piece of woven fabric, intended to be wetted with
water, spirits, or other liquid, and is filled with granulated sulphate of lime,
earth, and peat, so that the smoke in passing through these filtering and
absorbent materials becomes purified and deprived of all poisonous and dele-
terious qualities.
Figure 2 represents another modification of my Invention, in which the
filtering and absorbing media are placed in the stem instead of in the bowl of
the pipe. a, a, is the bowl; b, b, the stem; and c, c, the mouthpiece. It
will be seen that the stem b, b, is formed of a hollow tube; this tube contains
a sponge at each end (soaked in water or perfumed liquids at the upper end
next the mouth), and the space between the two sponges is filled with various
earths, common clay, or other granulated substances, principally of an alkaline
nature, and saturated with liquids, either medicated, scented, or otherwise.
This filter can be made to purify and alter the flavour of the smoke from the
strongest tobacco, and also to cause that from substances that are not tobacco
to resemble the flavor of the latter very closely. The part marked d forms
a receptacle for the oil, water, or other fluids that may be condensed from the
smoke.
Figure 8 shows a further modification of my Invention, which is suitable
for smoking mild tobacco. It consists of an ordinary bowl and mouthpiece,
with an intermediate tube a, a, containing pieces of wet sponge, which when
they become foul are to be removed, washed, and replaced.
Figure 4 shows another modification of the same, being a combination of
the bowl of Figure 1 with the stem of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a modifi-
cation of the same, wherein the sponge is placed in the bowl and the other
substances in the tube; and I may here observe, that it will be evident that

page_text: an indefinite number of further variations or modifications of the same may
be made without departing from the characteristic features of my Invention.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
Improvements in Pipes for Smoking Tobacco," together with the manner in
which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical effect,
I would remark, in conclusion, that I am aware than an attempt has been
made to construct a filtering tube for tobacco pipes by filling a tube with dry
wool, through which the smoke was caused to pass, and also that the smoke
has been partially purified and flavored by passing through scented or other
liquids, and therefore to such Inventions I lay no claim; but what I consider
to be novel and original, and claim as my Invention, is the employ-
ment and use in the bowls or stems (or in both the bowls and stems) of
tobacco pipes of filtering and absorbing media, such as sponge or woven
fabrics of various kinds, together with chalk, lime, peat, clay, aluminous and
siliceous earths, vegetable and animal charcoal, or any of the porous or
absorbent substances used for making tobacco pipes, such substances being
pounded or granulated, and moistened with water or spirit, either plain,
scented, or otherwise flavored, or any other similar substances or materials
(except wool) which are alike porous to the air and smoke, and at the same
time possess an affinity for the oil and ammonia, acids, and nicotine contained
in the smoke, so as to absorb them and prevent them from reaching the
mouth of the smoker.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Strangman, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
EDWARD STRANGMAN. (L.S.)