AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF VEGETABLE FLUID TO BE USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT, AND IN LAMPS OR BURNERS FOR CONSUMING THE SAME, WHICH VEGETABLE FLUID IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE MANUFACTURE OF LACKER OR VARNISH
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ABRAHAM
MOSES MARBE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Chemist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighteenth day of April, in the thirteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Abraham Moses Marbe, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Abraham Moses Marbe, my exors, admors,
and assigns, and such others as I, the said Abraham Moses Marbe, my exors,
admiors, 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 mentioned, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark,
and Man, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED MANUFACTURE OF VEGETABLE
FLUID TO BE USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT, AND IN LAMPS OR
BURNERS FOR CONSUMING THE SAME, WHICH VEGETABLE FLUID IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO
THE MANUFACTURE OF LACKER OR VARNISH;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Abraham Moses Marbe, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High

page_text: 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
Abraham Moses Marbe, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
My improved manufacture of vegetable fluid to be used in the production
of artificial light has for its object to produce a combustible liquid which
shall be highly luminous when burned, and yet shall not produce dense smoke,
as is now frequently the case when the combustible liquids known as bydro-
carbons are burned in lamps for the purposes of illumination. Another objection
to the use of the hydrocarbons, or preparations into which they largely enter
as component parts, is their liability to clog up the lamp if burned in the
form of vapor, or to form a crust at the top of the wick, whereby the porosity
and capillary action of the wick is impaired and the lamp goes out and
cannot be burned for a continuance unless the crust be from time to time
removed from the wick. Now I have discovered that by preparing and
treating hydrocarbons in combination with other combustible liquids a fluid
free from many of the above objections and suitable for the purposes of
illumination may be obtained.
In the manufacture of my vegetable fluid I employ the hydrocarbons
known as wood tar spirit, oil of turpentine, native naphtha, (that is, naphtha
flowing from the earth,) naphtha commonly known as coal tar naphtha, and
naphtha obtained from bituminous substances. When wood tar spirit
obtained by the distillation of wood tar is the hydrocarbon employed I
proceed as follows:-I take one gallon of wood tar spirit and add thereto a
pound of sulphuric acid diluted with a quart of water; these materials are
mixed together and stirred, and having been allowed to remain from two to
three hours to settle, the clear supernatant liquid is carefully drawn off into a
.vessel containing clear water in order to wash the greater part of the acid
out of it. The washed part is then further purified by being sprinkled upon
ground or pulverized lime. The lime is placed on the bottom of a suitable
vessel, one quarter of a pound of lime being employed for each gallon of the
liquid. To ensure the beneficial action of the lime care must be taken that
the lime is not made too wet at first. When all the liquid is added to the
lime the contents of the vessel must be well stirred so as to mix the lime

page_text: intimately with the liquor; the mixture is then allowed to rest until the
lime has settled to the bottom of the vessel; the clear liquor is then drawn off
into another vessel ready to be used, in the manner hereafter explained.
Other alkaline substances will effect the desired object; I however prefer
to use lime, as the cheapest.
In Fig. 21, Sheet III., of the accompanying Drawings, I have shewn the
vessel I employ for acting on the liquor with lime. The vessel is provided
with several cocks, at different heights from the ground, in order to draw off
the supernatant liquor.
The hydrocarbon, prepared and purified as above described, is mixed with
a definite proportion of alcohol, or of pyroxylic spirit, sometimes called wood
naphtha. Previous, however, to mixing these materials together, I deprive
the alcohol or pyroxylic spirit of a certain amount of water which it contains,
and which will prevent it from blending properly with the hydrocarbon when
the two materials are brought together. For this purpose I proceed as
follows:-I take of the rectified spirit of wine or alcohol, or of pyroxylic spirit,
one gallon and a half; of pulverized lime, a quarter of a pound; of calcined
potash, half a pound. These two solid matters are placed in a tub or vat, and
the alcohol or pyroxylic spirit is to be sprinkled thereon. A vapor will then
arise, and when this has in some measure subsided, a further quantity of the
alcohol or of the pyroxylic spirit must be sprinkled over it, taking care that
the lime is not at first made too wet, otherwise the action will be stopped.
When all the spirit is added to the lime and potash, the ingredients must be
occasionally stirred and then left for about one or two hours. To this one
gallon of the hydrocarbon (purified in the manner above explained) is added,
and the mixture is then to be distilled, and the product of distillation will be a
fluid burning with a pure white light, without smoke, in the lamps herein-after
described. When oil of turpentine is the hydrocarbon employed, the treat-
ment for purifying it and for the manufacture of the fluid is the same as that
already described in reference to the wood tar spirit. When naphtha is the
hydrocarbon employed, I make use either of sulphuric or of nitric acid for its
purification from foreign matters, taking of sulphuric acid one pound diluted
with a quart of water, and of nitric acid half a pound diluted with a quart of
The process for drawing off the liquor and purifying it from the acid
is the same as already described for the purification of wood tar spirit. The
naphtha so purified is to be mixed with the prepared alcohol or pyroxylic
spirit, in the proportion of half a gallon of purified naphtha to one gallon and
a half of prepared alcohol, or pyroxylic spirit, and the mixture is to be distilled.
as before.
water.

page_text: Other acids, as, for instance, the nitrous or the nitro-muriatic acid, will
produce a similar effect on the hydrocarbons as the nitric or the sulphuric
acid, but I prefer to employ one of the latter; and I would remark that I
have observed that the fluid manufactured by the use of the sulphuric acid is
colorless, and by the use of the nitric acid generally brown. The hydro-
carbons prepared in the manner and by the processes above set forth can be
used as a substitute for camphine. The liquid obtained in the manner and by
the processes above described is also applicable for the manufacture of lacker
or varnish, in place of the alcohol or pyroxylic spirit usually employed for that
purpose. I would observe that I am aware that hydrocarbons, such as
campline, or turpentine, or naphtha, have each of them been heretofore mixed
with alcohol or with pyroxylic spirit in order to produce a combustible liquid;
I do not, therefore, intend to claim as of my Invention the mixing hydro-
carbons with alcohol or pyroxylic spirit unless the same be treated and
employed in and for the manufacture of a fluid suitable for illumination in the
manner above described. The hydrocarbons, purified as above described,
may be used together as well as separately in the manufacture of my fluid.
If I wish to employ wood tar spirit and naphtha, I take one quart of the
purified naphtha and three quarts of the purified wood tar spirit, and having
mixed them together and added one gallon and a half of the prepared alcohol
or pyroxylic spirit, I treat and distil the mixture as already described. If I
wish to employ oil of turpentine and naphtha, I take one quart of the purified
naphtha and three quarts of the purified oil of turpentine, and having mixed
them together and added one gallon and a half of the prepared alcohol or
pyroxylic spirit, I treat and distil the mixture as already described. If I wish
to employ wood tar spirit, oil of turpentine and naphtha, I take one quart of the
purified naphtha, one quart of the purified wood tar spirit, and two quarts of
the purified oil of turpentine, and having mixed them together and added one
gallon and a half of the prepared alcohol or pyroxylic spirit, I treat and distil
the mixture as already described.
A fluid highly combustible, and burning without smoke in an ordinary spirit
or camphine lamp with a glass, may be manufactured by combining wood tar
spirit with oil of turpentine, purified as above described, without the addition
of the prepared alcohol or pyroxylic spirit.
I also manufacture a fluid highly combustible, and burning without smoke,
from oil of turpentine, in the following manner:-I take one gallon of oil of
turpentine and add thereto two fluid ounces of nitro-muriate of tin. The
mixture having been stirred and allowed to settle, the clear oil of turpentine is
drawn off and washed through water. It is then sprinkled on ground or

page_text: powdered lime or potash for the purpose of neutralizing the acid, and the-
mixture being distilled, the inflammable fluid will be obtained.
•
The hydrocarbon wood tar spirit may be treated with nitro-muriate of tin,
in the same manner as lastly above described, for oil of turpentine, and a fluid-
obtained therefrom by distillation. The fluid so obtained does not burn with.
so bright or pure a flame, but it may be mixed with an equal quantity of the
purified oil of turpentine lastly described, when it will give a bright flame:
The oil of turpentine or wood tar spirit purified by the use of nitro-muriate of
tin, as first described, may be mixed with the prepared alcohol or pyroxylic
spirit, when a very pure and highly combustible fluid will be obtained from
the mixture by distillation. The oil of turpentine or wood tar spirit purified.
by the nitro-muriate of tin may also be mixed with purified naphtha and burnt:
without alcohol. I also manufacture a highly combustible fluid from wood
tar spirit and oil of turpentine by treating each with nitrate of iron. For
this purpose,
I take half a pound of nitrate of iron diluted with a quart of
water, pour it gradually into one gallon of oil of spirit of tar or into one
gallon of oil of turpentine, stir it now and then for three or four hours, and
let it settle, and then strain it from the acid and sprinkle it on lime and distil
it by itself; after the distilling take off the clear liquor from the water which
comes over by the distilling; this will be fit for burning without alcohol or
pyroxylic spirit in a common spirit or camphine lamp with a glass. Instead:
of treating the wood tar spirit and oil of turpentine separately, they may be.
mixed together and the mixture treated as lastly above described, when the-
substances are taken separately.
A fluid highly combustible may also be produced by the use of a portion of
the naphtha purified as firstly above described. For this purpose I take one.
quart of the purified naphtha, and three quarts either of the purified oil of
turpentine or of the purified wood tar spirit, and mix them together; the
mixtures will be a liquid which will burn with a clear white light in an
ordinary spirit lamp,.burning either by a wick or as vapour.
A fluid highly combustible may also be produced by using the oil of turpen-
tine or spirit of wood tar, treated with the nitrate of iron run through lime,
and distilled by adding to each gallon of oil of turpentine, or to a
gallon ofi
wood spirit of tar one and a half gallon of alcohol or pyroxylic spirit treated.
as already described. This fluid will burn without smoke without a glass in. the-
lamps herein-after described.
.I would now finally observe that the relative proportions of the different
hydrocarbons and spirits which I have above specified are those which I have
practically found most applicable; but inasmuch as the composition of the

page_text: several hydrocarbons is liable to certain limited variations, and they are some-
times more or less dense, it becomes necessary in such case to modify the
proportion of the alcohol or of the pyroxylic spirit, so as to give to the mixture
the desired quality.
I will now proceed to describe my improved manufacture in lamps and
burners for consuming such of the combustible liquids above described as
are produced by distilling the hydrocarbons, alcohol, or pyroxylic spirit in
combination. The lamps and burners are shewn in the Figures of the three
Shects of Drawings hereunto annexed. Figure 1, Sheet I., represents a wall
or bracket lamp constructed according to my improvements, the burner part
of the lamp being drawn in section in order to shew more clearly the interior
construction. The burner consists of a long brass or other metal tube a for
containing the wick, and on the upper end of this tube is screwed or otherwise
fastened a cover b, which is pierced all round with horizontal holes, and is
furnished with a button at top for the purpose of directing the flame outwards,
as shewn in the Drawing. The lower end of the tube a is screwed into the
top of a small chamber or reservoir c at the upper end of the supply pipe,
which is furnished with a cock for cutting off the supply of liquid when
required.
The wick & consists of some ordinary cotton wick wound round the forked
end of a wire e, as shewn in Figures 2. The wick, wound lightly round the
wire, is pushed into the wick tube a nearly up to the top, but the lower end
is allowed to project below the tube a, and dip into the liquid in the reservoir
or chamber c. The holes in the upper part of the burner must be extremely
small, say, pin holes, otherwise the liquid will consume too rapidly; also the
cotton or wicking must fit loosely in the tube so as to admit of the free
passage of the liquor, and the reservoir at the bottom of the tube into
which the wick enters must be of sufficient dimensions to keep the wick well
supplied with the liquid.
Figure 3 represents a similar construction of burner adapted for a table
lamp. In this case the chamber c is dispensed with, as the lower end of the
wick is immersed in the liquid contained in the large glass reservoir. This
lamp is lighted by means of the instrument shewn in plan and edge views at
Figs. 4. This instrument consists of a wire handle, at the end of which is a
forked piece of wire gauze of several thicknesses. By dipping this instrument
into some inflammable liquid enough of the latter will adhere to the gauze to
burn for a short time; the forked end in an ignited state must then be placed
against the upper end of the tube a (as seen by dots in Fig. 3), and held there
Eufficiently long to vaporize a portion of the liquid with which the wick is

page_text: saturated, and gas or vapour will then issue from the holes at top and will be
ignited by the flame. A small cup f which surrounds the tube a will serve to
receive any drippings that may fall from the forked end of the igniting instru-
inent, and will prevent it from running down and soiling the lamp. Between
the burner and reservoir may be placed a box filled with charcoal, or other
medium not readily conducting heat.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another form of burner adapted to a ship's
lamp. The body of the lamp is mounted on gimbles, and the wicks are com-
posed of threads of cotton, inserted in tubes a, a, a, a; these tubes are made
larger at bottom than at top; and the wicks being made to project beyond the
top of the tubes, may be ignited and made to burn as shewn in the Figure.
9, 9, are small caps or extinguishers, which are suspended from the edge of
the burner.
Fig. 6 is a side view of a small glass lamp suitable for a binnacle lamp,
being mounted in gimbles, as in Fig. 5. In this instance, however, there is
only one wick tube a, but there is a glass reflector h, which throws the light
downwards. Figs. 7 is a view of another lamp in which only one wick tube
is employed. It is intended to represent a small band or portable lamp. The
wick is inserted in a wick tube a; as before, but this wick tube is surrounded
by a second tube i, which is adjustable, and may be moved up and down in
order to regulate the size of the flame. To the lower end of the tube i is
attached a spring which passes through a hole in the flat plate k, and retains
the tube i at any altitude; or the spring j may be dispensed with, the tube i
being kept in its place by the wick alone. The cap or extinguisher is attached
to the lamp by a small chain.
Fig. 8 represents a single wick burner, adapted to a carriage lamp. It is
well known that in carriage lamps, when candles are used, the candles are
pressed upwards by a spring placed in the circular socket of the lamp; the
candle and its spring are dispensed with in this instance, and in lieu thereof I
employ a small cylindrical chamber for containing my improved inflammable
liquid, as shewn in the detached view, Fig. 9. The lower end of the wick dips
into the liquid in the chamber, and the upper end passes through a short tube
above, as seen best in the sectional view, Fig. 8. The cylindrical chamber or
vessel is held steadily in its place and prevented from shaking about by
means of the springs j, j.
Figures 10 represent two sectional views of another construction of burner,
in which a crescent or half-moon-shaped flame is produced; the wick tube a is
similar to that shewn at Figures 1 and 3, but the cap piece b, which forms the
burner, is of a crescent shape, and has holes formed in the upper part, and is

page_text: furnished with division pieces m, m, between the holes for the purpose of
preventing the flame from the different jets from joining.
In Fig. 11 I have shewn another form of burner, in which the jets consists
of two horizontal holes at the side of the cap piece and one vertical hole in the
centre; besides this, the burner is furnished with two wing pieces or spreaders,
as shewn in the Drawings.
Figures 12 represent plan and vertical sectional views of another form of
burner. In this instance the cap piece is perforated at top with several holes,
whereby the flame is separated and kept apart.
Figures 13 represent similar views of another burner constructed somewhat
upon the principle of an ordinary Argand gas burner. It is perforated with a
series of holes at top, and is furnished with a button or deflector b.
Fig. 14 is another form of Argand burner adapted to a table lamp. In
this instance the tube a is screwed on the outside, and carries the gallery n
which supports the glass chimney o, o. It will be seen that by screwing the
tube a, the gallery, and consequently the glass chimney, may be rendered
adjustable and the light thereby regulated, as the gallery and glass may be
raised or lowered by merely turning the gallery on the tube a. The tube a
passes through a box or chamber at 2, filled with pulverized charcoal, or other
bad conductor of heat. It will be seen that the glass chimney is of a peculiar
form, so that as it is raised or lowered the light or flame may be regulated by
the quantity and direction of the current of air that is admitted to the exterior
of the flame.
Figures 15 represent views of a glass shade and deflector. By causing the
shade to rest on the upper part of the deflector (which being made of glass
will not prevent the light from passing through) the two articles together are
made to answer the purpose of a chimney globe and reflector; they may,
however, be used separately, or for different lamps.
Fig. 16, Sheet II., represents a side elevation of a chandelier constructed
according to my improvements, and intended to burn my improved liquid.
A, A, are two large reservoirs for containing the liquid; and B, B, are supply
pipes, diverging from these reservoirs, and carrying at their outer end burners
or lamps, of which, of course, there may be any convenient number. The
burners a, a, which are constructed upon the principle of some of those
above described, and therefore need no furthur explanation, are screwed
into the upper ends of an enlarged part of the supply pipe, as seen at C in
the Figure, the lower part of the wick being surrounded by the liquid. I
sometimes construct the upper part of the reservoir A, A, of glass, in order
that it may be seen when they require refilling.

page_text: Fig. 17, Sheet III., is a side elevation of a lamp with a pair of burners and
reflectors. The burners are similar in construction to some of those already
described; they are screwed into or otherwise attached to branch pipes, which
diverge from a reservoir A, as in Fig. 16, the only difference being that in
this instance the reservoir is mounted on an upright bar D, on which it works,
so that the reservoir, and consequently the lamps, may be raised up and down
by simply causing the reservoir to slide on the rod or bar D, and the lamps
may be retained at any altitude on the bar D by merely tightening the
screw q.
Fig. 18 is a portable stable or miner's lamp or lanthorn constructed to burn
my improved liquid. The burner is made upon the principle shewn in Figures
6 and 8. The lamp E is moveable, and is made of glass, and when required
for use is placed in the socket F at the lower part of the lanthorn. The upper
part of the lanthorn is made of thick glass and in a conical form, and is con-
nected to the lower part of the lanthorn by means of a bayonet joint.
Figure 19 represents another form of lanthorn. In this instance the reser-
voir of the lamp is not moveable, but forms the bottom part of the lanthorn,
the only moveable part of the whole lanthorn being the glass, which is sup-
ported on a gallery r, and may be taken off the lamp by lifting it up vertically;
the glass is shewn detached at Figure 20.
In the lamps and burners constructed for the purpose of burning the
vegetable fluid manufactured according to my Invention, the wick is to be
lightly wound and inserted loosely in the tube, for if the wick be tightly
wound or be tight in the tube, as in spirit and vapour lamps in ordinary use,
the fluid will not pass freely through the cotton and the cotton will singe;
also there is no access of atmospheric air to the exterior of the wick except
at the place of combustion, and in the lamps in which my fluid is to burn as
vapour the wick reaches to the top of the burner. I would observe, that the
lamps above described are intended to burn the fluid manufactured from the
combination of the purified hydrocarbons and prepared alcohol or pyroxylic
spirit, and not the fluid manufactured from the hydrocarbons without the
prepared alcohol and pyroxylic spirit.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim, as the
Invention whereof the exclusive use is intended to be secured by the said
Letters Patent,―
First, the manufacture of a fluid suitable for illumination from hydro-
carbons, alcohol, and pyroxylic spirit, purified and treated with acids, lime,
and alkaline substances, and distilled together, as above described.

page_text: Secondly, I claim the manufacture of a fluid suitable for illumination from
hydrocarbons purified and treated with acids, lime, and alkaline substances,
as above described.
Thirdly, I claim the manufacture of a fluid suitable for illumination from
hydrocarbons purified and treated with nitro-muriate of tin, as above
described.,
Fourthly, I claim the manufacture of a fluid suitable for illumination from
hydrocarbons purified and treated with nitrate of iron, as above described.
Fifthly, I claim the manufacture of a fluid suitable for illumination from
hydrocarbonsstreated; and purified with nitro-muriate of tin or nitrate of iron.
either alone or in combination with naphtha, or with oil of turpentine, or with
wood tar spirit, or with alcohol, or with pyroxylic spirit, as above described.
Sixthly, I claim the manufacture of lacker or varnish by the use of the
combustible fluids manufactured as above described.
Lastly, I claim the adaptation of lamps and burners constructed as shewn
in the accompanying Drawings, to the burning of the fluid manufactured from
the purified, hydrocarbons and prepared alcohol and pyroxylic spirit distilled
in combination, as above described.
In witness whereof, I; the said Abraham Moses Marbe, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
(L.S.) A. M. MARBE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Seventeenth day of October,
in the year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid Abraham Moses Marbe 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 Statute inade for that purpose.
Enrolled the Eighteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
housand aight hundred and fifte