A NEW OR IMPROVED VAT TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Matthews, of Hurcott Mill, near Kidderminster,
in the County of Worcester, Paper Maker, for the Invention of "A
NEW OR IMPROVED VAT TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER."
Sealed the 25th August 1857, and dated the 11th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Matthews at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th April 1857.
I, JOHN MATTHEWS, of Hurcott Mill, near Kidderminster, in the County of
Worcester, Paper Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "A NEW OR IMPROVED VAT TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER," to
be as follows:
My Invention consists of the method herein-after described of constructing
vats used in the manufacture of paper. I divide the vat into two parts by a
vertical partition, one of the said divisions being large and containing the
pulp. The said pulp flows over the partition into the smaller division, the
bottom of which is perforated. Pipes connected with these perforations con-
duct the pulp to the lifter, by which it is raised to the strainer; from the said
strainer the pulp passes again to the vat.
The essence of my Invention consists in so constructing vats used in the
manufacture of paper that the pulp shall pass from the upper part of the vat
to the lifter, instead of passing from the middle or lower part, as in the
ordinary vat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Matthews in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JoпN
MATTHEWS, of Hurcott Mill, near Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester,
Paper Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, 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 John Matthews, Her special licence that I, the said John Matthews,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Matthews, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thercafter 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED VAT
TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF PAPER," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Matthews, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Matthews, do hereby declare the
nature of the 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 thereof, that is to say:—
My said Invention consists of the method herein-after described, and illus-
trated in the accompanying Drawing, of constructing vats used in the manu-
facture of paper.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in plan a vat con-
structed according to my Invention, and Figure 2 represents a transverse
vertical section of the same. I divide the vat into two parts, marked
respectively a and b, by a vertical or nearly vertical partition c, the division a s
being much larger than the division b. The part 6 of the vat is less deep
than the part a, as represented. The bottom d of the part 6 is perforated
with holes, marked e, each of the pipes opening into one of the holes e, as

page_text: will be understood by reference to the Drawing. The holes can be closed
when necessary by plugs g. The pulp is contained mainly in the compartment
a of the vat, from which it passes to the compartment 6; from the compart-
ment & the pulp is conducted by the pipes f to the lifter, by which it is raised
to the stranier; from the said strainer the pulp again passes to the vat.
The essence of my Invention consists in so constructing vats used in the
manufacture of paper that the pulp shall pass from the upper part of the vat
to the lifter, instead of passing from the middle or lower part, as in the ordi-
nary vat. By thus drawing off the pulp from the upper part of the vat only,
all knots from the hand, vat bridge, and blue lodgments are carried off to the
strainer.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit
myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the same
may be varied without departing from the nature of my said Invention; but
I claim as my Invention the new or improved vat to be used in the manu-
facture of paper, herein-before described, and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, (that is to say,) a vat to be used in the manufacture of paper, the
said vat being divided into two portions, one of the said portions being
shallower than the other, the said shallow portion being provided with open-
ings from which the pulp is drawn off.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Matthews, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
THOMAS JAMES.
JOHN MATTHEWS. (L.S.)