IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES AND MATTING, AND IN THE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CANDLES
Year: 1851

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, GEORGE
FERGUSON WILSON, Managing Director of Price's Patent Candle Company,
Vauxhall, DAVID WILSON, of Wandsworth, Esquire, JAMES CHILDS, of Putney,
Esquire, and JOHN JACKSON, of Vauxhall, 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 Third day of Novem-
ber (One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one), in the fifteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said George Ferguson Wilson, David Wilson, James Childs, and John
Jackson, our exors, adññiors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power, solc
privilege and authority, that we, the said :George Ferguson Wilson, David
Wilson, James Childs, and John Jackson, our exors, admors, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said George Ferguson Wilson, David Wilson, James
Childs, and John Jackson, our exors, admors, or assigns, should at any 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,
and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and also in
all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, our Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PRESSES AND MATTING, AND IN THE PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS
FOR TREATING FATTY AND OILY MATTERS, AND IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CANDLES

page_text: AND NIGHT LIGHTS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that
we, the said George Ferguson Wilson, David Wilson, James Childs, and
John Jackson, or some or one of us, shall cause a particular description of
the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under
the hand and seal of some or one of us, 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, we, the said
George Ferguson Wilson, David Wilson, James Childs, and John Jackson,
do hereby declare that the nature of our 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 the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is
to say:-
The first part of our Invention relates to improvements in presses. And
one part of our Invention consists of employing more than one ram in the
same vessel or cylinder, such rams being capable of working together or
separate. This arrangement of press will very greatly facilitate the loading
and unloading of material which is to be pressed in a cylinder or in a press with
a moveable capital or bead. The operation of the press will be better understood
from the following description of the course of proceeding in charging, finish-
ing, and removing one batch of material, reference being had to the Drawings A.
The pumps being set to work the larger ram A rises, (carrying with it the small
inner ram B) until its course is stopped by a collar A³ on the bottom of the
check rod, which passes downwards through the bottom of the water cylinder C.
Then the small ram B from this point rises alone, and is pumped up to near
the top of the cylinder B, when the pumps are stopped, and in case the press
be used for expressing oil, a pierced plate of iron is placed on the ram by the
workmen, and a certain quantity of the material to be pressed is filled into
the oil cylinder upon the plate; then the ram is allowed to fall a little by the.
escape of some water; an iron plate fitting the oil cylinder is then dropped on
the first quantity of material, and a second quantity of material is to be filled
upon this plate. Thus the filling goes on until the charge of what we call the
oil cylinder D is complete. If requisite pieces of basket work, coir matting,
or other pervious substances are placed on each iron plate to receive the
material to be pressed and to facilitate the escape of the oil from it, it is
evident that in practice instead of allowing the ram to fall at intervals only, it

page_text: may be allowed to fall continuously by allowing the water to escape constantly
at such a rate that the workmen are able, as it were, to follow it down with
the successive iron plates, basket, or coir matting, and charging of material.
As soon as the small ram B has fallen as low as it can, the large ram A will
begin to sink, and thus allow the charging of the oil cylinder to be completed.
But the charge so filled in is very loose, and if pressed at once could not be
sufficiently compressed to yield all its oil; therefore the head of the press is
put on and secured to its place by the hinged dogs or catches E; the large
ram A is prevented from rising by the bolts F on the top of the press cylinder,
and the small ram. B is pumped up so as to apply a comparatively light
pressure to the material, and consolidate it. Then the head G is removed,
and the ram B being allowed to fall slowly as it first, the space which has been
produced by the compression of the loose charge is to be filled up by more
material put in as already described. The oil cylinder being now full, tho
head G is again put on, the dogs or catches E turned over it, and prevented
from starting back by the ring of iron I, which is wedged up behind and
around them. Then the bolts F being withdrawn from the large ram A, the
full pressure is set on by this ram and kept up as long as necessary, the oil
escaping through the holes pierced in the oil cylinder D.
As soon as the operation is complete, the ram is allowed to fall a little to
release the lead from pressure, the head is removed, and then the pumps are
again set to work. The finished charge is then raised slowly out of the oil
cylinder, and is removed by the workmen as it rises. As soon as the largo
ram has completed its stroke and is checked by the collars A' on the lower end
of the check rod, the small ram B begins to rise alone and completes the
lifting out of the pressed material. When this is done the two rams are in
the same position as at first, and the press is ready to receive a second charge
in the same manner as already described.
It is evident that great economy of time will be attained by thus using a
small ram to give the first light pressure, and afterwards to lift the spent
material from the cylinder instead of employing for this purpose a large ram,
which could be pumped up only slowly, though with an unnecessary amount of
force.. Care must obviously be taken not to apply to the 'small ram when
rising alone too great a resistance, for fear of breaking either the check rod
or the bolts on the top of the water cylinder, for it will be seen, from its
greater area, the large ram always tends to rise first, and, consequently, any
pressure which may be applied to the small ram acts with proportionably
greater force on the large ram. Although we have shewn this press arranged

page_text: suitaory for pressing out, W
constructed for performing other work, in which cases the oil cylinder would
be dispensed with, and other parts added suitable for receiving the materials
to be pressed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A.
The nature of the various Figures shewn on Drawings A, being written
thereon, it will not be necessary to repeat the same here, and the same letters
of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures.
A and B are the two rams, the ram A working within the water cylinder C,
in the ordinary manner; the ram B works within the ram A, which acts as a
water cylinder to it, there being a passage A* through the lower end of the ram A,
connecting its interior circumference with the interior of the water cylinder C,
so that the pressure may be communicated to the ram B. D is the oil
cylinder pierced with holes, and firmly bolted on to the top of the water
cylinder C, as shewn. D' are arched openings, to enable the workmen to get
into the interior of the press, when requisite. D' are metal rings for
strengthening the oil cylinder. D, E, E, are dogs or catches jointed to the
upper end of the press bars, and are used for securing the head G, over the
top of the oil cylinder, as shewn at Figure 1; a ring H being placed over
them and secured by wedges, to prevent the dogs or catches E being forced
outwards. F, F, bolts for holding down the ram A, whilst the first pressure
is given by the ram B.
b
The second improvement in bydraulic presses has reference to the con-
struction of presses, in which the material to be operated upon is placed in
boxes or drawers. In the arrangement shown in the Drawings, each one of
the boxes or drawers a, is shewn resting, when in the press, on a grating of
iron bars fixed on the upper side of a stout iron plate b. These plates 6 are
fitted so as to be supported on notches or brackets 6', placed at regular
intervals, one above the other, within the press bars. The length of each
plate b, and the position of its notch or bracket b¹ are so adjusted that each
plate will rise freely past every notch above its own, and in falling again, will
pass the successive notches or brackets until it arrives at and is caught by its
own. To the under side of each plate 6 is attached a block of wood or
The
metal b² of a size just to enter freely into the top drawer or box a.
drawers or boxes a are of metal, having holes pierced in their sides and
bottom, so as to allow of the escape of the oil, and the bottom turns on a
hinge at the inner end of the drawer, so as to permit the easy removal of the

page_text: spent material after pressing. The drawers or boxes a are charged by having
first a piece of coir matting or other pervious substance placed on each of
their bottoms; they are then filled with the material to be pressed from
hoppers, fixed over the part over where [the boxes have discharged. their
contents; the bottoms are prevented from falling by a catch a³, placed on the
front of the drawer, by the workman, and they are then pushed along the
slides or runners a' into the press, each on to its appropriate plate; pressure
being applied, the blocks cause the material. to be compressed. as they enter the
drawers, and as the compression proceeds, the lower drawers with their plates
rise-freely past the notches or brackets. of the higher plates. As soon as the
operation is finished, the ram is allowed to fall, and the plates and drawers
follow it down until each plate rests on its appropriate notch or bracket; the
drawers are then slid out, one by one, on the runners or slides to the back or
front of the press, the catch being, released, so as to allow the bottom to fall
and empty the drawer of the spent material; the bottom is then again
lifted and retained by the catch and the drawer filled as before. The two
sets of runners must be at a sufficient distance asunder to allow of the drawer
Bottom falling freely between them, while they must be guarded at the sides,
so as to prevent all risk of the drawer slipping off them, or the drawer may
be rebated at the sides, so as to fit upon these runners securely. Two sets of
such drawers may be very economically provided for each press, so that one
In this case, a
set may be charging whilst the others are under the press.
platform or series of runners is placed both at the back and front of the
press, each of a length rather more than double the width of a drawer. The
full set of drawers,. when pushed into the press from one side, thrust the
finished set out on to the other platform; then while the fresh set is under-
going the pressure, the others are drawn, one by one, to the end of the
runners emptied of their spent material, refilled and pushed back into
the row, in readiness to recharge the press. In some cases, instead of
piercing the sides of the drawers, they may be made solid and false pierced
sides fitted within them; bearing on projecting ribs or bars fixed to the inside
of the outer casing. The bars fixed on the upper surface of the plates
support the drawer bottoms during the pressing very safely, while yet they
allow the oil, as it trickles from the bottom, to escape with perfect freedom.
It is evident that the depth of each block should be proportioned to the
amount of compression which has been observed to occur in the material to
be operated upon, and also that the distance asunder of the successive plates
must be such as to allow the drawers to slide freely in under the block of the
plate above them.

page_text: .
Inc nature of the various figures snewn in these Drawings, and some of
the principal parts being written thereon, it will not be necessary to repeat the
same here. And we would remark that the water cylinder B, the ram A, and
the fixed head C of this press are of the ordinary construction, and therefore
do not require to be further noticed. a, a, are boxes or drawers for containing
the materials to be pressed, and they are capable of sliding into or out of the
press upon the fixed bars or runners a' on each side as shewn; b, b, are strong
metal plates, having a series of fixed bars on their upper surfaces, upon which
the boxes a, a, rest when in the press, and the plates brest on the notched
brackets 6, 61, as before described; 6, are blocks fixed on the under sides of
the plates b, which enter into the boxes, and serve to compross the materials
contained therein, when the press is in action.
Another part of our Invention consists of making and employing mats of
Brazilian grass and also fibres of the aloe. We find that mats made from
cocoa-nut fibre when used in pressing fatty acids at a high heat, color the
material under pressure; we therefore substitute the fibre of the aloe and
Brazilian grass and its waste. The aloe fibre is spun or twisted into a yarn,
in the well-known manner employed with coir; the Brazilian grass has pre-
viously to be cut into shreds, and the shreds are woven into matting, and such
matting, in addition to the use above mentioned, will also be found useful for
other purposes. We find that the color of saponified fat is greatly improved by
excluding the air from the apparatus during the process of lime saponification
and decomposition, and part of our Invention consists of employing steam,
introduced from a suitable boiler or generator into a closed vessel within which
the fatty or oily matters are saponified and decomposed; the steam thus
introduced pervading the vessel, and driving off the air in the closed vessel,
and also heating the matters therein. In carrying out this part of our
Invention we employ similar vessels to those now in use for such processes,
but so constructed as to admit of being covered or closed to exclude the
external air, and we admit steam from a boiler into such vessels by coiled
perforated pipes at the bottom of such vessels, by which the matters will
become heated, and the steam will pervade the vessels so as to exclude the
atmosphere, and we apply an exit pipe to each vessel for the passing away of
the steam, which may be regulated at pleasure by a valve and allowed to pass
to a suitable condenser. The processes of saponification and decomposition
are in other respects carried on in the ordinary manner, and we employ steam

page_text: of three and a half lbs. in the boiler. We also find that fatty matters com-
bined, as in lime soap, are easily acted upon by bleaching agents.
"
And part of our Invention consists, particularly when extra whiteness
is required, in exposing line soap in a powdered state to the action of sul-
phurous acid gas. This gas may be produced in any convenient manner, and as
is well understood. And we prefer to employ a force pump to inject the gas
through the powder placed on perforated trays; and in order as much as
possible to economize cost in this process, we employ the sulphurous acid
evolved when carrying on the process known as the "hot acid saponification."
We are aware that it has been proposed to use sulphurous acid gas disengaged
from its salts during the process of lime saponification and subsequent decom-
position, and also to use jets of sulphurous acid during these processes; we do
not, therefore, claim the use of sulphurous acid when preparing or making
soap, this part of our Invention consisting of employing sulphurous acid to act
on the soap after saponification.
We find that distilled fatty acid, especially that produced from animal fats,
is of a very crystallized character, and contracts but little in cooling, and con-
sequently there is difficulty in drawing candles made from it from metal
moulds; we find this difficulty greatly obviated by the employment of glass
moulds; we believe that it is to be owing to retaining a high polish, and
possibly also to their expanding when filled with hot material less than those
made of metal. We prefer to make glass moulds from drawn glass tubing,
each shaped suitable at one end for forming the upper end of a candle, and
we set such glass moulds in machine frames, such as are known as Morgan's
machines, wherein the moulds are supplied with fresh wicks by discharging
the previous moulded candles; and it is new to combine glass moulds with
apparatus capable of self-feeding, or supplying with wicking, and in order that
these glass moulds may not be liable to injury by being set in metal, I cause
them to be surrounded with flexible elastic matter such as india-rubber or
cork, or other flexible or soft packing.
Candles made from the stearine of cocoa-nut oil give a pure white light and
burn when uncombined with acid fat with the flame a considerable distance
from the top of the candle; this causes them not to drop grease or gutter when
carried, and they are therefore very suitable to be used for bedroom candles.
They have hitherto for the most part, if not wholly, been made with straight
wicks, which causes them to require snuffing, and this has consequently pre-
vented their general use; and part of our Invention consists of combining
wicks with stearine of cocoa-nut in making candles, which, in burning, will
turn out of the flame. We have discovered that by adjusting suitable platted

page_text: wicks the above good qualities may be preserved, and the evil of snuffing
removed. The platted wicks should be considerably larger than those employed
for fat acid candles; we prefer to use in candles of the size of eight to the Ib.
a wick of coarse soft cotton, three plait, six threads to the strand, to weigh
about two oz. to the dozen lb. of candles; two smaller wicks similarly made
may be adjusted to turn out of the flame in opposite directions, as have been
practised in making candles of other materials, but we prefer the one large plait.
Another part of our Invention relates to the cheapening the outside casing
of night lights. In these descriptions of night lights sold in their casings,
such as those known as "Child's " night lights, we effect this saving by several
means. First, by lessening the quantity of paper employed; we accom-
plish this by saturating the paper with size or other suitable substance, which
give sufficient stiffness to the case and prevents the grease from oozing through.
In carrying out this part of our Invention, we dip the paper into size; so that
the two surfaces when lifted out will be coated therewith, and we allow
such coatings to dry thereon, the paper will then be ready for use; or, in
place of dipping the paper, the size or other varnish may be applied by
brushes or otherwise to the paper before being made up into boxes or
cases for night lights, or after making up; second, by dispensing with the
necessity of a thick bottom to the case when there is a wick sustainer em-
ployed. We prefer to effect this by rolling the paper or other material round
the previously moulded mortar or night light, with its wick sustainer folding
the paper under the wick sustainer. If the casing be of paper or other un-
adhesive material, it must be cemented at the edge and bottom; if of adhesive
material, such as gelatine, this is unnecessary, as it forms its own joint. Third,
by saving the expence of colored paper, and yet giving an ornamental appear-
ance; we effect this by the use of colored inks upon uncolored paper. Fourth,
it has been suggested to employ gelatine for night light cases. It will be found
an improvement to strengthen it by means of fibrous materials, such as cotton,
wool, or threads, laid longitudinally and also with gelatine or other transparent
material soluble in water to make the case in two pieces, the upper part
transparent, the lower of paper or other insoluble material.
We will now describe those parts of our Invention which consist of machi-
nery for filling night lights.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS C.

page_text: machine; the wheel a is composed of a number of arms a¹, upon the outer
ends of which are fixed the pins or studs a³, projecting inwards, and on which
the series of boards or trays b, for carrying the night lights, are suspended,
as clearly shewn in the Drawings; c is a vessel containing the materials em-
ployed for making night lights, the axes c¹ of which are supported in bearings
carried by the side framings of the machine. When the vessel c is caused to
move on its axis by raising the lever handle c³ a sliding bolt, carried by the
lever d, is forced into a recess or opening in the side of the chain wheel e by a
spring d' affixed to the framing, pressing against the pins d* on the sliding
bolt; the lever d is carried by a projecting arm d** fixed on the axis c', the
chain wheel e being loose on the axis c¹ remains stationary, when the bolt on
the lever d is disconnected from it by the lever arm da coming in contact with
the spring, by depressing the handle &; the chain wheel e is acted upon by.
the sliding bolt, and motion is communicated by the endless chain e¹ to the
chain wheelf on the axis g, on which is fixed the toothed disc h, which, in its
revolution, acts on the pins a³ on the wheel a, and drives it round a distance
suitable for placing one of the boards or trays b, containing a series of empty
boxes, into a position to be filled by the next movement of the handle &* up-
wards; i is an axis carried by bearings formed in the ends of the vessels c; one
end passing through a stuffing box, has a projecting arm i', which is.acted
upon when the handle c³ is depressed by coming in contact with a shoulder in
the friction spring clip j, and by its resistance causes the axis i to turn its
bearings, and the forked levers on the axis i, taking into collars on the
stems of the plugs or valves k, withdraws them from the openings into the
trough or vessel c³, and allows the material employed to flow from the vessel c
into the trough or vessel c³, which is formed into as many divisions as there
are night lights to be filled, each division having a spout or lip for the material
employed to flow from by still further depressing the handle c³ until the pro- .
jection on the end of the vessel c, comes in contact with the fixed stop or
set screw ; the valves or plugs & are kept open by the arm coming against
a stop jx, in the clip j, and any excess of material in the trough or vessel c³,
which is more than sufficient to fill one row or series of night lights, will flow
back into the vessel c. The lower part of the vessel is hollow, as shewn,
and hot water or steam is caused to circulate through it in order to keep the
material in a fluid state. By again raising the handle c² the plugs or valves k
will close their openings by the spiral springs around their stems pressing
against the fixed bar (by which the stems of the valves or plugs are sup-
ported), and against the collars on the plugs, and the quantity of material

page_text: measured into the vessel c³ will flow from the spouts or lips into the boxes
previously placed in a position to receive it; the sliding bolt will then enter
another hole or recess in the chain wheel e, and by again depressing the
handle the wheel a will raise the series of night lights just filled out of the
way, and place a fresh series of boxes in a position to be filled, and the action
of the machine will be repeated. When the boards or trays containing the
finished night lights arrive at the opposite side of the wheel, they are to be
removed by the workman, and others containing empty boxes supplied in
their place.
We will now describe another method of filling the cases of night lights.
Figure 1, Drawing D, shows the section of a machine constructed according to
this part of our Invention. a is a box or cistern capable of holding a consider-
able quantity of the material employed for making night lights. At the bottom
of this cistern is a strip or bar of metal b, having a number of small holes in it
corresponding to the number of night lights intended to be filled at once; the
upper surface of this bar is made very true, and on it slides another bar c,
having on its upper surface a number of hemispherical cavities, and from these
small holes are made to correspond with the holes in the lower bar or strip b.
This second bar is made true on both upper and lower surfaces, and slides
evenly between the lower bar and an upper bar d, on which are fixed a number
of open cylinders or small pump barrels e, in which solid plungers f move truly;
when the middle bars slide to the right, the hemispherical cavities are partly
under the pump barrels and partly open to the material contained in the
cistern a, while the small holes at the bottom of these cavities are opposite to
solid parts of the lower bar b, and are therefore closed. In this position the
crank handle g being turned half round, the long crank bar h raises the
plungers within the barrels a certain height, so as to partly fill the barrels
with the material employed. Then the middle bar is quickly slid to the left, so
that cach hemispherical cavity in the bar c comes directly under its appropriate
pump barrel, and the small hole at its bottom corresponds with the small hole
in the lower bar b. Then the turn of the handle being completed, the material
is expelled from the pump barrels through the small holes into the cases placed
in a tray or shelf below ready to receive it. The middle bar c is slid to the
right or left by means of two pins i and j on the crank and axis, which, as the
crank handle g is turned round, come in contact with one of the arms on the
cross head, carried by the upright axis l, which is supported in bearings on
the side of the box or cistern a, and the arm l' on the lower end of the axis l
coming in contact with one of the projections c', c², on the end of the bar c,

page_text: when the cross head is struck to one side by a projection i, the bar c is
slid to the right; when struck by the projection j, the bar c is slid to the
left. Hence, the workman has merely to turn the handle once round as
each tray of cases is placed beneath his box, and it is evident that by a simple
arrangement of an endless belt connected with the handle among many other
means, these trays of cases may be presented one after the other in required
succession, the full cases being removed at one end, and empty cases supplied
at the other end of the upper surface of the band as they are required. The
crank bar is capable of adjustment by screws or other means, so as to vary its
distance from the axis of the handle. By this means the length of stroke of
the plungers will be varied, and the quantity of material supplied exactly as
required for the length of burning of the night lights.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, we would have it, understood that we do not confine
ourselves to the details as herein shown and described, so long as the
peculiar character of any part of our Invention be retained, but what we
claim is,―
First, the improvements in presses herein described.
Secondly, we claim the manufacture and application of matting herein
described.
Thirdly, we claim the excluding the air when saponifying and decomposing
fatty and oily matters, as herein described.
Fourthly, we claim the operating on or treating saponified matters by
sulphurous acid gas, as herein described.
Fifthly, we claim the moulding of candles made of distilled fatty acids in
glass moulds, and the making of glass moulds and setting them in elastic
material, as herein explained.
Sixthly, we claim the manufacture of candles by employing the stearine of
cocoa-nut oil combined as herein described with wicks, which in burning turn
out of the flame.
Seventhly, we claim the means of improving and cheapening the manufac-
ture of night lights herein described, and also the combinations of machinery
herein explained for filling several night light cases or boxes.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Ferguson Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this First day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-two.
GEO. F. (L.s.) WILSON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the First day of May, in the year
of our Lord 1852, the aforesaid George Ferguson Wilson came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and everything 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 Third day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-two.