IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGAR LIGHTS, MATCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND OF WICKS FOR LAMPS, CANDLES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hynam, of Wilson Street, Finsbury, in the
County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGAR LIGHTS, MATCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR
ARTICLES, AND OF WICKS FOR LAMPS, CANDLES, AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES,
AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hynam at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th February 1874.
I, JOHN HYNAM, of Wilson Street, Finsbury, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CIGAR LIGHTS, MATCHES,
AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES, AND OF WICKS FOR LAMPS, CANDLES, AND OTHER LIKE

page_text: cigar lights, matches, and other similar articles, and incombustible wicks
for lamps, candles, and other like articles, so that immediately upon the
extinction of the flame there may be no spark or glow left. For this
purpose I employ asbestos as the principal material in the manufacture
of the said stems and wicks, and I spin it into threads either in a dry or
in a wet state, and either alone or by preference mixed with a small pro-
portion of cotton, hemp, or other suitable fibrous substance.
When stems for cigar lights and other similar articles or wicks for
candles or other like articles are required I twist the threads into cords
or strings, and when tubular or flat wicks for lamps are required I
weave the threads into strips, ribbons, or tubes.
When cotton or other fibrous material has been mixed with the
asbestos the strings or wicks may now be placed in a clear fire, so as to
burn or destroy the said fibrous material, or the burning may be dispensed
with;
For stems for cigar lights and other like articles I now stiffen the
strings, and this may be done by passing them through or dipping them
in a mixture of silicate of potassa, or silicate of soda and carbonate of
magnesia, chalk, China clay, talc, or other like substance which will
give a stiffening, and they should then be passed through powdered
carbonate of magnesia or chalk, so as to remove the stickiness caused by
the silicate mixture. When dry the stems are cut into proper lengths,
and have the usual igniting composition applied to them.
The wicks for lamps, candles, or other like articles I pass through or
dip in a thin solution of paraffin, stearine, or naphtha, in turpentine, or
any other suitable volatile spirit or essence, so as to cover and protect the
fibre. The wicks are then cut into proper lengths.
For the purpose of covering or impregnating the strings and wicks
with a mixture or solution as above described I employ an apparatus
provided at its upper part with holes slightly larger than the strings or
wicks. The mixture or solution is placed together with the strings or
wicks in the apparatus, and the ends of the strings or wicks are then
pushed through the holes. After the requisite lapse of time the
strings or wicks are drawn through the holes, and are thereby made
smooth and regular.

page_text: For making fusees I sometimes instead of spinning and twisting or
weaving the asbestos press it into the proper form by screw or any
ordinary pressing apparatus, having previously mixed with it any suitable
agglutinant substance to cause it to bind together. I then apply the
usual igniting composition.