IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FUZEES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
MICHAEL LOAM, of Treskerley, in the Parish of Gwennap, in the
County of Cornwall, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria,
by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Eleventh day of January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-
nine, in the twelfth year of Her reign, did, for Elerself, Her beirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Michael Loam, my exors,
adiñiors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, solo privilege
and authority, that I, the said Michael Loam, my exors, adññiors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said Michael Loam, my exors,
adiñors, or assigns, should at auy time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF FUZEES;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that I, the said
Michael Loam, should cause a particular description of the nature of my
said. Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by

page_text: an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her
said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Michael Loam, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
fully described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, reference being had to Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:
My Invention consists of means of manufacturing fuzees for mining
and other purposes, by employing calico or other flexible fabric or
material to form an internal tube to receive the powder, and to enclose
the same so as to obtain a continuous train, as hereafter explained.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, shews a side elevation in section, Figure 2, shews a plan,
and Figure 3, shews a front view of apparatus used by me in carrying
out my Invention, a, is a reel, on which is wound a strip of calico or
other flexible fabric or material, of a width proportioned to the quantity
of powder required to be enclosed in the internal tube of the fuzce to be
manufactured, and from this reel the strip of calico or other flexible
fabric or material is made to pass under the hopper b, (containing the
powder to be enclosed,) and between it and the trough c, and in so
passing under the bottom of the hopper, within and along the trough c,
the fabric is bent up into the form of a trough, and receives from the
hopper (which is open at its bottom) the required quantity of powder.
The fabric is then to be formed into a tube, and for this purpose a pro-
jecting point d, at the bottom of the hopper, and the instrument e, are used;
such instrument e, by means of a weight pressing on one edge of the fabric
or material, bends it in towards the other edge thereof, and thus partly
closes the fabric or material into a tube. The fabric or material next
passes through the hollow axis f, in which is placed the tube which is
supported by the framing, as shown, so as not to revolve, and it is larger
9,

page_text: at the end next the hopper, and has its smaller end split in three places,
in order that the three portions thereof may spring towards each other.
By this arrangement the fabric or material containing powder, in
passing through the tube g, has its other edge pressed over the edge
previously folded down, and the edges of the fabric being thereby folded
one over the other, a tube is produced containing powder in the whole
of its length. The tube thus formed then passes through the screw
passage h, carried by the plate h', which is supported by means of the
two pins i, i, the plate in which the screw passage his formed being
capable of a sliding movement on such pins i, i. The axis f carries
the plate or dise k, which receives eight or other number of bobbins
on axes l, fixed to the plate or disc k, and the yarns or twines from
the several bobbins are conducted through holes formed in the screw
passage h. The screw passage h, is cut with eight or other number of
threads, to correspond with the numbers of yarns or twines used,
so as that the yarns or twines may be laid correctly side by side on
the tube of fabric by the revolution of the axis f; and motion is
communicated to the axis f, by the handle m, on the axis m', ou
which is affixed the bevelled tooth wheel m², which takes into and
On this
gives motion to the bevelled toothed wheel n, on the axis o.
axis o, is fixed the cog wheel p, which takes into and drives the
pinion 7, fixed on the axis f. The tube of fabric containing powder,
thus bound round, is then received from the screw passage k, on to a
drum, or by other apparatus, and waterproof coating is to be applied, as
has heretofore been the practice when employing twine only in forming
fuzees known as the miners' safety fuzees. In place of only lapping
yarn or twine in one direction around the tube of fabric, the same may
be wound round in opposite directions, in which case a second apparatus*
would be employed, and caused to revolve in the opposite direction to
the one shewn and described. I would remark, that when I only lap
the tube with yarn or twine in one direction I generally cause the tube,
as it passes from the passage h, to be twisted in the direction in which
the lapping takes place, and this I do by causing the axis of the receiv-
ing roller or drum to be carried by an axis, so that, in addition to its
revolving to take up the fuze as it is made, the apparatus may revolve

page_text: so as to put on twist to the tube of fabric. I would also remark, that
in place of binding the fabric together to form the fuzees by mean of
yarn or twine, I sometimes employ tape for that purpose, in which
case I only require one bobbin (carried by the disc or plate le), and in
place of there being eight or other number of holes formed in the
passage, I have but one opening, a slit formed therein at an angle
across the passage h, so that the lapping of the tape may correctly enclose
the fabric of powder.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed. I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the details as herein described, as varia-
tions may be made. But what I claim are the means of manufacturing
fuzees for mining and other purposes by employing calico or other
flexible fabric or material, to form progressively an interior tube of
fuzees, as herein-before explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Loam, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
MICHAEL (Ls.) LOAM.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Ninth day of July,
in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Michael Loam came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and
specified, in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid
was stamped according to the tenor of the Statute made for that
purpose.
Enrolled the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-nine