Improvements in the Preparation or Treatment of Wicks for Wax and Tallow Candles and Tapers, and for other Purposes in order to Prevent Smell and Smoke on Extinction of the 88me.
Year: 1884

page_text: Improvements in the Preparation or Treatment of Wicks for
Wax and Tallow Candles and Tapers, and for other Purposes
in order to Prevent Smell and Smoke on Extinction of the
88me.
I BENJAMIN JOSEPH BARNARD MILLS of the firm of Harris and Mills of 23
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OR
TREATMENT OF WICKS FOR WAX AND TALLOW CANDLES AND TAPERS AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES IN ORDER TO PREVENT SMELL AND SMOKE ON EXTINCTION OF
THE SAME to be as follows:-
Wicks of all kinds employed in the manufacture of wax and tallow candles and
tapers and for other purposes have hitherto undergone various preparations in order
to ensure their regular combustion, but none of these preparations prevent the
disagreeable smoke and smell resulting from their extinction."
The present Invention consists in the complete suppression of all smoke and bad
smell, in obtaining by a suitable preparation of the wick that which I call
"instantaneous extinction."
This result is attained by the following preparation,
1. For bleached wicks, I mix in a bath for about every litre of distilled water.
16 grammes of phosphate of ammonia.
7 grammes of sulphuric acid at 66 degrees Baumé.
The sulphuric acid is added when the phosphate of ammonia is well dissolved.
There are placed in the bath thus obtained as many wicks as it can contain,
they are left in it about 30 minutes, then withdrawn and wrung and afterwards
spread out to dry.
•
These wicks are then employed in the ordinary manner,

page_text: 2. For unbleached wicks, before. steeping them in the bath, it is necessary
previously to clean them, for this purpose they are plunged in a preparatory bath
containing about.
246 kilogrammes of water.
6
do. of volatile ammonia.
1 do. of sulphuric acid at 66 degrees Baumé.
This mixture is boiled by steam; during the ebullition there are added as many
wicks as the liquid can contain.
At the end of about an hour and a half these wicks are withdrawn, they are then
boiled for about half an hour in pure water, they are then rinsed in cold water
after which they are wrung and dried.
When the wicks are dry they are then immersed during about 40 minutes in the
same preparation as that indicated for bleached wicks.
In the composition of the baths above described the phosphate of ammonia and
the sulphuric acid could be replaced by any other salt or acid capable of producing
the same results.
I have only indicated these substances because they will fulfil the desired end
without being of high price.
The proportions can also be varied according to the nature or quality of the wicks
to be treated.
B. J. B. MILLS.
By Harris & Mills,
Patent Agents,
23 Southampton Buildings.

page_text: I claim is the treatment of wicks, plaited, twisted woven or otherwise and of all
textile materials either bleached or not, by the preparation and process substantially
✓ as hereinbefore described, whereby the instantaneous extinction of wax and tallow
candles and of other articles containing the said wicks is obtained without either
smoke or smell.