IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Blethyn, of Swansea, in the County of
Glamorgan, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF FUEL"
Sealed the 6th May 1859, and dated the 11th November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Blethyn at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
.. 11th November 1858.
I, JOHN BLETHYN, of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
THE MANUFACTURE OF FUEL," to be as follows:-
The fuel manufactured in accordance with this Invention consists of an
amalgamation of small free-burning coal or dust with small bituminous coal
and coal-tar pitch in certain definite proportions. For example, of small free-
burning coal or dust, 90 parts per cent.; of small bituminous coal, 5 parts per
cent and coal-tar pitch, 5 parts per cent. These several ingredients having
been properly amalgamated, a suitable quantity of water is added thereto, so
pas to qualify the mixture for the purpose of moulding. The composition is
then compressed into blocks of the desired size, which are afterwards baked in
a close oven in such a manner that the gases evolved during the process are
not allowed to escape.
'

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Blethyn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
BLETHYN, of Swansea, in the County of Glamorgan, Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said John Blethyn, Her special licence that I, the said
John Blethyn, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said John Blethyn, 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 FUEL," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Blethyn, 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 John Blethyn, 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-
This Invention relates to certain improved methods of combining and
preparing the materials and ingredients herein-after mentioned, so as to form
an artificial fuel possessing advantages superior to those of other descriptions
of artificial fuel now in use.
The fuel manufactured in accordance with my Invention consists of -an
amalgamation of small anthracite coal or dust, such as is known in the coal
districts of South Wales as "free-burning" coal, with small bituminous coal
and coal-tar pitch and water in certain definite proportions. The proportions
which I prefer, and which I consider as those proper to effect the object of
my Invention, are as follows:-Small free-burning coal or dust, ninety per

page_text: cent. small bituminous coal, five per cent.; and coal-tar pitch, five per cent.
These several ingredients having been properly amalgamated, a suitable
quantity of water sufficient for the purposes of forming and moulding the
blocks (the proportion which I consider most desirable to be employed being
five per cent.) should be added. The composition is then compressed into
blocks of the desired size by means of the machinery ordinarily employed for
such purposes, or by any suitable means, the blocks being afterwards baked in
a close oven in such a manner that the gases likely to be produced or
generated during the process of baking are not allowed to escape, but are
retained in the fuel itself. Care should also be taken that the temperature of
the oven is not allowed to get higher than to bring the combined materials
into the state of a pulp.
By the means above detailed an artificial fuel of a very superior quality is
produced, the same possessing great heating powers, and evolving, when in
combustion, nearly pure carburetted hydrogen gas. The fuel thus formed is
applicable to a great variety of purposes, and especially for use in the furnaces
of steam engines, and in other cases where it is desired to avoid the production
and escape of smoke.
Having thus described and explained the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, I would observe, in conclusion,
that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim as my Invention,
are,―
First, the combination of ingredients and materials herein-before, men-
tioned, or any mere modifications or equivalents thereof, in the proportions
aforesaid.
And, secondly, the method herein-before mentioned of baking the blocks of
fuel when prepared as aforesaid.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Blethyn, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord One.
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
E. P. H. VAUGHAN,
15, Southampton Buildings,
Agent for the Patentee.
JOHN BLETHIN
(L.S.)
!