IMPROVED APPARATUS AND FUEL FOR FACILITATING THE SOLDERING OF THE JOINTS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Fletcher, of Chester, in the County
of Chester, Telegraph Inspector, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS AND FUEL FOR FACILITATING THE SOLDERING OF THE JOINTS OF
Sealed the 4th April 1871, and dated the 7th October 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Fletcher
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 7th October 1870.
I, JOHN WILLIAM FLETCHER, of Chester, in the County of Chester,
Telegraph Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVED APPARATUS AND FUEL FOR FACILITATING THE SOLDERING OF THE
JOINTS OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH AND OTHER WIRES," to be as follows:-
My improved apparatus and fuel have been devised and perfected for
the use of "telegraph linemen" and others who have to solder joints at
a distance from houses or fires. They are small and neat, in fact pocket
size, and from the. rapidity with which by their use a joint can be made

page_text: they are especially valuable to such persons, although they can be used
by others in the soldering of joints of wires generally. The apparatus
which may be of any convenient form is provided with a space to
receive the fuel, and a trough or space to contain the solder when melted,
such space being so formed that the joint can be placed amongst the
solder, and if desired rubbed against the bottom or sides. In practice
I make the apparatus of a trough-like shape of metal or terra cotta
with double sides perforated all over with the exception of the central
part which forms the solder pot. The fuel is placed between the sides.
The fuel is composed of charcoal, nitrate of potassium or equivalent
salt and mucilage, 16 parts charcoal, 6 parts nitrate of potassium, and
sufficient mucilage to hold these ingredients together answer well.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John William Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th April 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM FLETCHER, of Chester, in the County of Chester, Telegraph
Inspector, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John William Fletcher, Her special license
that I, the said John William Fletcher, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John William Fletcher, 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 "IMPROVED APPARATUS
AND FUEL FOR FACILITATING THE SOLDERING OF THE JOINTS OF ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH
AND OTHER WIRES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John William Fletcher, 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

page_text: 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 William Fletcher, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
My improved apparatus and fuel have been devised and perfected for
the use of "telegraph linemen" and others who have to solder joints
at a distance from houses or fires. They are small and neat, in fact
pocket size, and from the rapidity with which by their use a joint can
be made they are especially valuable to such persons, although they
can be used by others in the soldering of joints of wires generally.
The apparatus which may be of any convenient form is provided with
a space to receive the fuel and a trough or space to contain the solder
when melted, such space being so formed that the joint can be placed
amongst the solder, and if desired rubbed against the bottom or sides.
In practice I make the apparatus of a trough-like shape of metal or
terra cotta with double sides perforated all over with the exception of
the central part which forms the solder pot. The fuel is placed between
the sides. The fuel is composed of charcoal, nitrate of potassium or
equivalent salt and mucilage, 16 parts charcoal, 6 parts nitrate of
potassium, and sufficient mucilage to hold these ingredients together
answer well.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a perspective view drawn
full size, and Fig. 2 a transverse section of apparatus arranged in
accordance with my Invention to receive the fuel between the sides.
a are the perforated sides of sheet metal; b, solder trough; c, handle;
d, removable end piece; fuel is passed through the open end into e and
ashes ejected when d is removed. This modification answers well in
practice. When charged with fuel composed of the ingredients hereafter
mentioned cut or broken into cubes solder can be kept melted for about
twenty-five minutes.
D
Fig. 3 is a perspective view, and Fig. 4 a transverse section of a
modification in which the bottom is fitted as a door for charging with
fuel and discharging ash; f, sides; g, door hinged at h and formed with

page_text: a catch at i; j, solder trough; k, handle. With this apparatus the fuel
space being fully charged solder can be kept liquid for about forty
minutes.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view, and Fig. 6 a transverse section of a
modification in which the solder trough is so arranged that it can be 5
slid upon the body; is the body formed with guides to receive the
turned over edges of the solder trough m. When m is withdrawn an
opening is left for charging with fuel; n, handle.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a double apparatus arranged with an
inner casing to shield the fuel in windy weather and to supply heated 1
air for combustion; Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse sections.
o, o¹, are respectively top and bottom outer pieces hinged at p; q, inner
casing; r, solder troughs; s, spaces for fuel; t, principal closing catch;
u, minor closing catches. The whole top part can be moved into the
position shewn in Fig. 9 by releasing t, but when it is desired to move o 1
by itself the catches u must be released; v, handle.
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a modification of an arrangement with
inner casing, and Figs. 11 and 12 transverse sections. Here a' is the
outer casing; 6¹, inner casing; c³, space for fuel; d, solder trough; e¹,
handle; f, outer casing of lid; 9¹, inner casing of lid. Fuel may be 2
placed in the space i if desired; f¹ and g¹ are hinged at j¹; k¹, closing
catches; the parts f¹ and g¹ can be moved together on j¹, or f¹ can be
moved by itself.
In preparing fuel under my Invention I prefer to proceed as follows:-
I take 16 pounds of wood charcoal preferably finely ground, and 6 pounds 2
of nitrate of potash and mix them well together. To these I add 2
pounds of gum arabic dissolved in about 12 pounds of water. After
well stirring and incorporating the whole I stove dry the mass, having
first formed it into cakes about half an inch thick, and cross lined it to
admit of easy breaking up into cubes suited to fit the apparatus.
3
It will be obvious the proportions of the ingredients can be varied
and other salts such as nitrate of soda used instead of nitrate of potash,
also that sugar can be used instead of gum. The important considera-
tion is the providing a fuel which burns to a powdery ash so that the
diminishing mass of fuel can always be maintained at a red heat, it is 3
also an important consideration for many places that the fuel should
during combustion give off very little if any flame.

page_text: Telegraph linemen and others when provided with apparatus and fuel
under my Invention do not require to carry a soldering bit nor the very
troublesome yet necessary fire pot. This was not possible previous to
the perfecting of my improvements. For overhouse work my Invention
is eminently adapted because fire pots are not allowed to be used in
making overhouse joints.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and par-
ticularized the same by various modifications, I claim, the apparatus and
fuel substantially as described for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Fletcher, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
In the presence of,
J. T. KING,
Patent Agent,
Liverpool.
JNO. W¼. FLETCHER. (L.S.)