IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE WICKS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE ROOF LAMPS AND OTHER LAMPS 73 PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Defries, of the Firm of J. Defries and Sons, of
No 147 Houndsditch, in the City of London, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE WICKS OF RAILWAY CARRIAGE ROOF
LAMPS AND OTHER LAMPS
73
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Defries at the Office'
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1882.
HENRY DEFRIES, of the Firm J. Defries and Sons, of N° 147 Houndsditch, in
the City of London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE WICKS OF
RAILWAY CARRIAGE ROOF LAMPS AND OTHER LAMPS "
My Invention relates to improvements in the preparation of the wicks of
railway carriage roof lamps and other lamps, whereby I secure a proper adjustment
and trimming of the wick however unskilful or careless may be the person
entrusted with this duty.
If the top of the wick of a Lamp is unskilfully shaped in the cutting the
flame often becomes forked, or otherwise distorted, and their regular burning of the
wick produces a very unsatisfactory light; again, if the wick is not cut to a
proper length, particularly in Lamps having a chimney or a cone, the light will
leave much to desire; and these important elements in the production of a steady
brilliant light are at present at the mercy of the Lamp Trimmer, from whom we
cannot expect the requisite attention to the preparation of each wick when we
consider the number that he has daily to deal with.
I propose so to prepare the wick which I place in the hands of the Lamp
Trimmer that he cannot, unless wilfully, (and scarcely then without actually
tampering with the wick itself) place it in the lamp except in the position which
will ensure a steady and regular light, with perfect combustion.
To attain this object I first cut or make my wick of the exact length required
for any particular class of wick holder, but this of itself would be of little avail,
and if I give to the top of my wick the precise shape or curve most suitable for
the lamp in which it is to be used I still do not arrive at the desired result, I
must go further, I cut or shape both top and bottom of my wick of exactly the
Price &dI

page_text: same curve or form, thus, whether the Trimmer puts one end or the other of the
wick into the holder the result will be equally good and equally assured; my
object is now nearly attained, yet there remains another preparation of the wick
necessary to ensure perfect success-If a regulated quantity of wick for lighting is
to be invariably and automatically secured above the top of the holder, I, using
always a wiek of a fixed length in relation to the holder into which it is to be
inserted, must use a holder with a flange or stop piece at the bottom upon which
the lower end of the wick must rest when fully introduced into the holder; there-
fore I cannot draw my wick through the holder as is practised with holders open
top and bottom, but inust insert it from the top. Now if I leave my wick in a
flexible condition, such as that of an ordinary wick, the Trimmer will have
difficulty in getting it completely to the bottom of the holder and if this is not
done my ohjeet is again defeated.
I therefore, as the complement of my preparation treat the wick with a waxing
material which will give it the stiffness, required to make it drop with certainty to
the bottom of the holder, and although I may use any suitable waxing material for
this purpose I give preference to an improved composition forming part of my
Invention and the preparation and application of which to a wick I will now
proceed to describe.
To prepare 1350 yards or say 9 gross yards of Wick.
I take of Paraffin Wax say 70 lbs and of Cominon Colza or Rape Oil say 30 lbs.
I cut or break the wax into conveniently small pieces and place in a suitable
vessel over a source of heat (preferably an Atmospheric Gas Burner ring form)
apply heat-and-proceed-to-melt...
•
While the wax is melting I pour in the oil gradually and continue the¯heät,
stirring, the mixture thoroughly.
I raise the temperature of the mixture to about 170° "Fahrenheit," taking care
not to exceed 185°.
When the temperature-has-risen-to-170° the burner_may_be_extinguished and
the wick placed in the fluid inixture till thoroughly saturated
I then place one end of wick between scrapers or rollers placed conveniently to
the melting vessel and draw briskly through so as to remove all superfluous
waxing material, which is returned to the melting vessel.
The wick may be made of any of the materials usually employed in the
manufacture or weaving of wicks.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Defries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st May
1883.
HENRY DEFRIES, of the firm of Defries and Sons, of 147 Houndsditch, in
the City of London " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE WICKS OF
RAILWAY CARRIAGE ROOF LAMPS AND OTHER LAMPS
"
My invention relates to improvements in the preparation of the wicks of
railway Carriage Roof Lamps and other Lamps, whereby I secure a proper
adjustment and trimming of the wick, however unskilful or careless may be the
person entrusted with this duty.
If the top of the wick of a Lamp is unskilfully shaped in the cutting the flame
often becomes forked, or otherwise distorted, and the irregular burning of the wick
produces a very unsatisfactory light; again, if the wick is not cut to a proper
length, particularly in Lamps having a chimney or a cone, the light will leave
much to desire; and these important elements in the production of a steady
brilliant light are at present at the mercy of the Lamp Trimmer, from whom wo
cannot expect the requisite attention to the preparation of each wick when we
consider the number that he has daily to deal with.
I propose so to prepare the wick which I place in the hands of the Lamp
Trimmer that he cannot, unless wilfully, (and scarcely then without actually
tampering with the wick itself) place it in the lamp except in the position which
will ensure a steady and regular light with perfect combustion.
To attain this object I first cut or make my wick of the exact length required
for any particular class of wickholder, but this of itself would be of little avail, and
if I give to the top of my wick the precise shape or curve most suitable for the
Lamp in which it is to be used I still do not arrive at the desired result, I must
go further, I cut or shape both top and bottom of my wick of exactly the same
curve or forin, thus, whether the Trimmer puts one end or the other of the wick
into the holder the result will be equally good and equally assured; my object is
now nearly attained, yet there remains another preparation of the wick necessary
to ensure perfect success. If a regulated quantity of wick for lighting is to be
invariably and automatically secured above the top of the holder I, using always
a wick of a fixed length in relation to the holder into which it is to be inserted,
must use a holder with a flange or stop piece at the bottom upon which the lower
end of the wick must rest when fully introduced into the holder; therefore I
cannot draw my wick through the holder as is practised with holders open top and
bottom, but must insert it from the top. Now if I leave my wick in a flexible
condition such as that of an ordinary wick, the trimmer will have difficulty in
getting it completely to the bottom of the holder and if this is not done my object
is again defeated. I therefore, as the complement of my preparation, treat the
wick with a waxing material which will give it the stiffness required to make it
drop with certainty to the bottom of the holder, and although may use any
suitable waxing material for this purpose I give preference to an improved
composition forming part of my invention and the preparation and application of
which to a wick I will now proceed to describe.
To prepare 1350 yards or say 9 gross yards of wick.
I take of Paraffin Wax say 70 lbs and of Common Colza or Rape oil say 30 lbs
I cut or break the wax into conveniently small pieces and place in a suitable vessel
over a source of heat (preferably an atmospheric Gas burner ring form) apply heat
and proceed to melt.

page_text: While the wax is melting
stirring the mixture thoroughly.
pour in the oil gradually and continue the heat,
I raise the temperature of the mixture to about 170° "Fahrenheit," taking care
not to exceed 185°.
When the temperature has risen to 170° the burner may be extinguished and
the wick placed in the fluid mixture till thoroughly saturated.
I then place one end of wick between scrapers or rollers placed conveniently' to
the melting vessel and draw briskly through so as to remove all superfluous
waxing material, which is returned to the melting vessel.
The wick may be made of any of the materials usually employed in the
manufacture or weaving of wicks.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is or may be performed; what
I Claim us secured to me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is :-
Firstly The use in Railway Carriage Roof lamps and other lamps of a wick
cut or made of the exact length required for any particular class of wick-holder,
having both top and bottom cut or made of precisely the same shape, and stiffened
for the purpose of insertion into the wick holder, substantially as herein before
described.
'
Secondly For the purpose of giving stiffness or rigidity to a Lamp Wick, the
use of the waxing material composed of a combination of Paraffin Wax and Colza
or Rape Oil prepared and applied substantially as hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Defries have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Thirtieth-day-of-April.in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred-and eighty three: