Improvements in the Manufacture of Sealing Wax.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
Improvements in the Manufacture of Sealing Wax.
We, PHILIP STEER WATKINS and PERCIVAL JOHN NUNN, both of Nos. 3 and 17,
Tower Royal, London, E.C., Quill Merchants, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention more particularly relates to improvements in the manufacture of
the commoner kinds of sealing-wax, such as bottle wax and parcel wax, and the
like; but, if desired, it may also be applied to the manufacture of the better kinds
of sealing-wax.
Hitherto the materials employed in the manufacture of such commoner kinds of
sealing wax have been first reduced to a molten mass, which is made into sticks or
cakes either by hand, or by running it into suitable moulds, in which form it is
supplied to the consumer.
This mode of manufacture entails considerable labour and expense, and is attended
with great inconvenience, as when the wax is required for use it necessitates the
breaking up of such sticks or cakes into small pieces, in doing which considerable
waste frequently occurs, and then remelting the same, which process of remelting
impoverishes the wax both in quality and colour.
By our improved process of manufacture we effectually obviate these various
disadvantages.
Such improved process consists in grinding, pulverising, crushing, or otherwise
reducing to powder, the various solid materials or substances used in the manufacture
of any kind of sealing-wax, whether bottle, parcel, post office, or letter sealing wax,
or otherwise, and in mixing such powdered ingredients together in any desired
proportions, so as to form a composite sealing-wax powder, which can be readily
packed in bags, boxes, or other suitable receptacles, and supplied either to the trade
or to the consumer in such powdered forin.
By this improved process of manufacture we entirely dispense with the initial
operations of melting and moulding above referred to and also with the operation of
breaking up the sticks or cakes for the purpose of remelting, while we obviate the
necessity for such remelting and so avoid impoverishing the sealing wax either in
colour or quality.
In addition to these advantages such composite sealing wax powder can be packed
far more closely and conveniently than when the various ingredients are made into
sticks or cakes as it is not liable to be broken or otherwise injured by compression
or rough handling.
It is likewise much more convenient for use as any desired quantity can be
readily put into any suitable vessel and melted in a few minutes thus preventing
waste.
The following example is given as an illustration of our improved process :-Take
six parts of common resin and one part shellac and reduce the same to a fine
powder by grinding or otherwise and mix with six parts of Barytes and two parts of
Venetian red, or other suitable colouring material. Mix such various ingredients
together until they are thoroughly intermingled and together form a composite

page_text: sealing wax powder which is then ready for immediate use by putting the same,
or any desired portion thereof, into any suitable vessel, and reducing it to a
state of fusion by the application of heat.
We would here observe that in giving the above formula, we wish it to be
distinctly understood that we do not in any way bind ourselves either to this
particular combination of materials, or to the proportions in which they are
employed, as both the materials and proportions may be varied according to the
quality of sealing wax required: The novel and essential feature of our invention
consists in grinding pulverising, crushing or otherwise reducing to powder the
various solid materials or substances used in the manufacture of sealing wax of
any description and in mixing such powdered ingredients together in any desired
proportions so as to form a composite sealing wax powder which can be readily
packed in bags, boxes, or other suitable receptacles, and supplied either to the trade
or to the consumer in such powdered form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is :-
As a new article of manufacture a composite sealing wax powder, consisting of
the solid ingredients or substances used in the manufacture of any description of
sealing wax, such ingredients or substances being reduced to powder and mixed
together in the proportions until they are thoroughly intermingled; the materials
used, and the proportions employed, being regulated by the quality of sealing wax
required.
Dated this 24th day of June 1897.
ELT & Co.,
Registered Patent Agents,
43 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for Applicants.