IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE FIRE-PROOF SAFES AND IN WARDROBES, AND FIRE-PROOP CLOSETS FOR BUILDINGS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Ray Hosmer, of 63, Queen Victoria Street,
(Metropolitan Buildings), County of Middlesex, London, for the
Invention of “ IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE FIRE-PROOF SAFES AND IN
WARDROBES, AND FIRE-PROOP CLOSETS FOR BUILDINGS.”—A communication
from abroad by William Albert Shepard, of the City of New York,
in the State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Ray Hosmer
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th October 1875.
I, JAMES BAY HOSMER, of 63, Queen Victoria Street (Metropolitan
Buildings), County of Middlesex, London, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE FIRE-PROOF SAFES
AED IN WARDROBES, AND FIRE-PROOF CLOSETS FOR BUILDINGS," to be as
follows:-
☐ The object of this Invention is the construction of portable fireproof

page_text: safes or caskets, and of wardrobes, fireproof cases of pigeon holes, and of
fireproof closets for buildings in an inexpensive manner, so that from
their low cost they may be purchased by all classes of people.
The entire safe is made with double walls of tin or sheet iron. I
then cover the inside of the outer wall and the outside of the inner wall t
with a thick paper or felt which has been first saturated with a solution
of alum, and after being dried again saturated with a solution of the
silicate of soda. I then compress in the space between the walls finely
sifted coal ashes.
In order to prevent the heat from being communicated by metallic 1
contact from the outer wall to the inner wall of the safe; I place any
suitable non-conducting substance, such as paper or felt saturated with
any of the well known chemical solutions to render it non-combustible
between the edges of the walls, so that they cannot touch each other in
any place, and particularly where they are rivetted or fastened together; 1
the lining of the outer wall may be extended for this purpose.
The mode above described will answer equally well for wardrobes,
and for closets in buildings as for portable caskets, but for closets, when
desired, I fill the walls with a stiff mortar made by mixing together
plaster of Paris and the ashes of anthracite coal, the ingredients being 2
mixed half and half. The inside wall of the closet might with safety be
made of wood lined with paper as described, and if desired the wooden
wall might first be rendered fireproof by soaking it with a solution of
alum or silicate of soda, or by any well known chemical process.
In order to protect the bottom of the casket more thoroughly, I put 2
another bottom lined with the non-combustible paper or felt underneath
the bottom wall of the casket.
Where it is desired to protect the walls of the casket, wardrobe, or
closet from becoming injured by being very highly heated in case of fire,
I coat them with a thick coating of finely powdered asbestos mixed 8
with silicate of soda in solution, and to this may be added when
color may be desired about ten per cent. as much plumbago as there is
asbestos.

page_text: To give strength to the casket I place around it two bands or straps
of iron, placing under them, however, and next to the outer walls a strip
of non-conducting felt or paper. The hinges and hasps are formed of
these bands.
Where a lining of the safe is desired I make it of felt, paper, or any
desired fabric treated with the solution of alum, and of silicate of
soda as above described, and then coated with asbestos and silicate of
soda.