IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WICKS FOR CANDLES AND LAMPS, AND IN THE MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Olier Aspinwall' at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd January 1875.
I, EDWARD OLIER ASPINWALL, of Manchester Street, Manchester
Square, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WICKS FOR CANDLES AND LAMPS, AND IN THE
MACHINERY EMPLOYED THEREIN," to be as follows:-
..
:
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
wicks for candles and lamps, and in the machinery employed therein,
and consists in manufacturing such wicks from paper instead of from
cotton as has been hitherto done.
The paper may be either folded flat, or it may be coiled or plaited by
means of my improved machinery for that purpose, herein-after described.
Care must however be taken in thus folding, coiling, or plaiting the
that it be not subjected to too great a degree of compression which
would interfere with its steady combustion and decrease its illuminating
power, but when such wicks are to be used for candles composed of hard
wax (such as those for example known as stearine), it is desirable to
paper
:

page_text: twist them tighter than when they are used for tallow or oil. Any kind
of paper may be used for the purpose, such as ordinary writing or printing
paper.
I have found that it is preferable to twist together two or more strands
or strips of paper varying in width according to the size of the wick
required, say from one sixteenth to three sixteenths of an inch wide, and
this I casily effect by means of my improved machine which is shewn' in
the accompanying Drawing, and of which the following is a description:―
A, A, A, are pulleys of different speeds driven by means of a strap or
endless band worked from over-head motion. The rate of speed is regu-
lated by placing the band on either of the pulleys A, A, A; by placing
it on the larger one, the motion will be diminished to the minimum, and
on removing it to either of the others the speed will be proportionately
increased. B is a spindle provided with a face plate, and running in
bearings C, C. This spindle B is used to carry the speed pullies A, A, A,
and it also serves to form a bearing for an internal spindle D hereafter
referred to.
The face plate which is not shewn in the Drawing is used for the
purpose of fixing the reels K, K, thereto. D is an internal spindle
'running through the spindle B, fixed firmly at one end by a standard E,
'and provided with a spur wheel and pinion F. This spur wheel and
pinion serve to communicate motion to a spindle G, such spindle G
being provided with an endless screw H, which works on a small pinion,
giving motion to the rollers J, J, such rollers serving to draw out the
strands or strips of paper so as to keep them tight while being twisted
off the reels K, K, to which a revolving motion is given by wheels
L, L, L; M, M, M, is the main framing to be fixed to any suitable
foundation.
:
By this method of manufacturing wicks for candles or lamps, a
considerable economy in the cost of production is effected whilst the
illuminating power of the wick is equally great to those hitherto in
use, and its combustion, when prepared in the manner above described,
complete, durable, and effective.