3 - Jean-Pierre SOHET (1769 - 1842) [1]

Jean-Pierre SOHET was born in 1769 in Paliseul, a village near Neufchâteau, situated in the Province de Luxembourg. He was a menuisier in Paliseul when he applied for a patent.

His invention, filed on 16 April 1824, was entitled:

Houillerie sans pierres meules, pilons ou cylindres

or, alternatively, according to the notice of grant published in the Memorial: nouvelle forme d’huillerie.

The patent was granted on 16 April 1825 for a 10 year term [2].

There is no description or drawing available that reveals the technical aspects of the invention.

Two years later, on 9 August 1826, Jean Pierre SOHET’s son, Pierre Joseph (born 1801) filed a brevet de perfectionnement based on his father’s patent (see No 7). However, his application did not proceed to grant and its technical content has not been revealed either.

At about the same time Jacques NEYS from Hostert (Niederanven) obtained a French brevet d’importation for an improvement on a “Dutch patent used in Belgium”.

The following are quotes from the French NEYS file: (see No 2 under Law of 1791)

… étant auteur de plusieurs améliorations faites aux procédés nouvellement employés dans le Royaume des Pays-Bas pour la fabrication des huiles extraites des graines oléagineuses, notamment de la navette et du colza, j'ai le désir d'importer en France ce nouveau mode de fabrication …
Le nouveau mode de fabrication … se trouve établi en Belgique depuis un an environ; il a été accordé à son auteur un brevet d'invention par sa Majesté le Roi des Pays-Bas, mais le sieur Neys y a apporté quelque perfectionnement dans la construction.

NEYS’ “improvement invention” is described in detail in his patent. It is of the type “moulin à noix et à matrice en fonte” or “moulin à noix et à boisseaux en fonte”, rather than the traditional “moulin à pierres meules” which corresponds to and agrees with the original title of SOHET’s invention: Houilerie sans pierres meules, pilons ou cylindres.

Finally, in 1828, COLLETTE & MAMER applied for a brevet de perfectionnement on SOHET’s patent (see No 11). This patent was not granted, and again, the technical aspect of the improvement has not been revealed.

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[1] FamilySearch database (9JN5-29G)

[2] Mémorial 1825-1, page 343; this is the first patent granted to a Luxembourg resident under the Dutch Law of 1817. WILLCOX and ROUYERE, residents of Leclereau (Département des Forêts), had obtained in 1812 the first patent granted to a Luxembourg resident under the French Law of 1791.

(21/02/2021)