CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WICKS FOR CANDLES, LAMPS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES, AND IN THE AP- PARATUS CONNECTED THERE WITH
Year: 1841

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHANIEL
CARD, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Candle-wick Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Eighth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
forty-one, in the fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Nathaniel Card, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Nathaniel
Card, my, executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said Nathaniel Card, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no other, from time to time and at all times during
the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England and Wales and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my. Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF WICKS FOR CANDLES, LAMPS, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES, AND IN THE AP-
PARATUS CONNECTED THERE WITH;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said Nathaniel Card, shall cause a particular description or
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six

page_text: 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
Nathaniel Card, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereto annexed, and the following
explanation thereof, that is to say :-
My Improvements in the Manufacture of Wicks for Candles, Lamps, and
other similar Purposes, and in the Apparatus connected-therewith, consist,-
Firstly, in preparing the cotton or linen thread of which they are to be
made, either by hand or machinery, so that the wick is considerably improved
for the use of either wax or tallow chandlers, or for use in various kinds of
oil lamps for which they may be suitable; and,-
Secondly, in the application of the ordinary doubling or twisting machine
to prepare the same. The best wicking is manufactured from the short
staple or finest Smyrna cotton. The cotton or flax having first been spun
into thread of the usual size employed for such purposes, two or more
such threads are to be doubled or slightly twisted together (I prefer
two) into a strand or twist, and afterwards as many in number of such
strands or twists as are intended to constitute the wick are to be placed
together and again twisted from end to end to form the complete wick! It
will be understood that the principal feature of novelty. in this improved
manner of forming the wick is simply the use or application of doubled
threads or strands being twisted together to form the wick instead of taking
single threads and twisting them bodily together, as hitherto done in making
wicking. The employment of double threads for wicks is of considerable impor-
tance and advantage, as in the first place all the loose fibres are twisted in,
which entirely prevents the occurrence of what are. termed "wasters," and its
peculiar combination or construction will. also prevent the wick falling or
turning over into the tallow or other material when burning, as the twisted
strands will support each other and preserve its upright position: Another
advantage arises from the use of double threads for wicking, as the body of the
wick being more open and porous than the common wick, the wax, tallow, or
spermaceti, oil; or other inflammable substance, and the air, is much more freely
supplied to the flame through its passages, which not only assists its illumi-
nating power, but materially prevents the smoke during combustion. A
.considerable economy is also effected by the use of double thread wicking, as
about two thirds of the doubled thread is only requisite to form the same sized

page_text: wick as commonly produced with the full quantity of cotton 'merely twisted
together in the usual manner; the candle will also be found to burn much
longer.
Thirdly, my improvements consist in charging or filling the cotton wick with
oxygen gas in order that a greater degree of oxygen may be supplied to the
flame during combustion, and the clearness and brilliancy of the light
improved. The presence of pure oxygen gas will be found also to preserve
the wick from, the effects of damp; or from rotting in the candle or in stock;
it. is therefore particularly useful in the manufacture of candles; either for
exportation or storing. The oxygenated wicks will also be found to burn
longer, give a much superior light, and free from smoke. The cotton being of
itself cellular and' porous in the fibre, if not completely tubular from end to
end of the staple, is capable of thus being bodily charged with gas, which
may be done as follows:-Place the wicking, either in lengths for use or in
the ball, in an air-tight vessel or chamber, and exhaust the same by means of
a common air-pump, and, the air being now completely drawn out of the
cotton, admit pure oxygen gas from a gasometer placed in connection with the
exhausted vessel, the gas as it passes being heated or dried in the connecting
pipe for the purpose of preventing any moisture passing with the gas into the
cotton. The cotton wicking being thus oxygenated may be removed for use.
The apparatus I employ for manufacturing the wicks from a series of these
double or single threads, and winding the wicking in lengths upon a reel or
bobbin, is a slight modification of the ordinary doubling machine. A series of
bobbins of the double or single threads or strands, as many in number as are
intended to constitute the wick, are placed in an ordinary creel and conducted
altogether into one of the hollow arms of a revolving flyer (similar to that
used for roving cotton), and are wound from thence upon a large bobbin or
reel, the flyer making one or more revolutions in a given time more than the
speed of the bobbin round which it revolves, to give the necessary degree of
twist to the series of threads or strands, and thus form the wicking.
I have attached to these Presents three Diagrams in order to illustrate my
Invention more distinctly.
Figure represents a microscopic view of the staple or fibre of ordinary
Smyrna cotton (which is preferred for wicking) shewing the cellular or
porous construction thereof capable of receiving the gas. Fig. 2, a repre-
sentation of my improved wicking, formed from doubled threads; and Figure 3,
an ordinary candle-wick of single threads.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I desire it it particularly to be understood,
that Lalaim

page_text: Firstly, the application, use, or employment of doubled threads in the
manufacture of wicks either for wax, tallow, or spermacetti candles, or any.
other inflammable matter, or for lamps.
Secondly, the charging or filling cotton or wicks with oxygen gas, whether
the wick is of my improved or of the common construction; and,
Thirdly, the application of the doubling apparatus above alluded to for
manufacturing my improved wicks into lengths for use.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathaniel Card, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.

page_text: Patents of England, pursuant to an Act passed
years of His late Majesty's reign, intituled "An Act to amend the Law
touching Letters Patent for Inventions."
I; the said Nathaniel Card, do hereby declare that in compliance with the
proviso contained in the said Letters Patent, I duly inrolled a Specification of
my said Invention in the words following, (that is to say) :-.
My Improvements in the Manufacture of Wicks for Candles, Lamps, and
"other similar-Purposes, and in the Apparatus connected therewith, consist,
Firstly, in preparing the cotton or woollen thread, of which they are to be
made, either by hand or machinery, so that the wick is considerably improved for
the use of either wax or tallow chandlers, or for use in various kinds of oil lamps
for which-they-may be suitable; and,
Secondly, in the application of the ordinary doubling or twisting machine
to prepare the same. The best wicking is manufactured from the short staple
or finest Smyrna cotton. The cotton or flax having first been spun into
thread of the usual size employed for such purposes, two or more such
threads are to be doubled or slightly twisted together (I prefer two) into
a strand or twist, and afterwards as many in number of such strands
or twists as are intended to constitute the wick are to be placed toge-
ther and again twisted from end to end to form the complete wick.

page_text: It will be understood, that the principal feature of novelty in this improved
manner of forming the wick is, simply the use or application of doubled
threads or strands being twisted together to form the wick instead of taking
single threads and twisting them bodily together, as hitherto done in making
wicking. The employment of double threads for wicks is of considerable
importance and advantage, as in the first place all the loose fihres are twisted
in, which entirely prevents the occurrence of what are termed "wasters," and
its peculiar combination or construction will also prevent the wick. falling or
turning over into the tallow or other material when burning, as the twisted
strands will support each other and preserve its upright position. Another
advantage arises from the use of double threads for wicking;, as the body
of the wick: being more open and porous than the common wick, the wax,
tallow, or spermaceti, oil, or other inflammable substanee, and the air, is much
more freely supplied to the flame through. its passages, which not only assists
its illuminating power, but materially prevents the smoke during combustion.
A considerable economy is also effected by the use of double thread wicking,
as. about two thirds of the double thread is only requisite to form the same
sized wick as commonly produced with the full quantity of cotton. merely
twisted together. in the usual manner; the candle, will also be found to burn
much longer.
Thirdly, my improvements consist in charging or filling the cotton wick
with oxygen gas, in order that a greater degree of oxygen may be applied to
the flame during combustion, and the clearness and brilliancy of the light
improved. The presence of pure oxygen gas will be. found also to preserve
the_wick, from the effects of damp, or from, rotting in the candle, or in stock; it
is therefore particularly useful in the: manufacture of candles; either for
exportation. or storing., The: oxygenated. wicks will also be, found to. burn
longer, give a. much superior light; and free from smoke. The cotton, being
of itself. cellular and porous in the. fibre,. if not completely tubular from.end to
end of the staple, is capable of thus being bodily charged. with. p gas,. .which may
be done as follows:-Place. the wicking, either. in lengths for use. or. in.the
ball,, in an air-tight vessel or chamber,, and exhaust the same. by means of a
common air pump,, and the air being now, completely drawn out. of the cotton,
admit. pure oxygen gas: from a gasometer. placed in. connexion with. the
exhausted vessel; the gas as it passes being heated or dried in the connecting
pipe for the purpose of preventing any moisture passing, with. the gas. into the
cotton. The cotton wicking being thus oxygenated, may be removed. for. use.
The apparatus. I employ, for, manufacturing, the wicks from a. series of. these
double or single threads, and winding the wicking in lengths upon a reel or

page_text: bobbin, is a slight modification of the ordinary doubling machine. A series of
bobbins of the double or single threads or strands, as many in number as are
intended to constitute the wick, are placed in an ordinary creel and conducted
altogether into one of the hollow arms of a revolving. flyer (similar to that used
for roving cotton), and are wound from thence upon a large bobbin or reel,
the flyer making one or more revolutions in a given time more than the speed
of the bobbin round which it revolves to give the necessary degree of twist to
the series of thread or strands, and thus form the wicking,
:
I have attached to these Presents three Diagrams, in order to illustrate my
Invention more distinctly.
Fig. 1 represents a microscopic view of the staple or fibre of ordinary
Smyrna cotton, which is preferred for wicking) showing the cellular or porous
construction thereof capable of receiving the gas. Fig. 2, a representation
of my improved wicking, formed from doubled threads; and Fig. 3, an ordinary
candle-wick for single threads.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed; I desire it particularly to be understood
that I claim,
Firstly, the application, use, or employment of doubled threads in the
manufacture of wicks either for wax, tallow, or spermaceti candles, or any other
inflammable-matter, or for lamps.
Secondly, the charging or filling cotton or wicks with oxygen gas, whether
the wick is of my improved or of the common construction; and,
Thirdly, the application of the doubling apparatus above alluded to for
manufacturing my improved wicks into lengths for use.
In witness, &c.
And I do hereby further declare, that since the taking of such Letters
Patent, and since the inrolment of the said Specification, I have discovered
that my Invention cannot be applied, beneficially, to manufacturing wicks
for lamps, for which reason I am desirous to disclaim all those parts of
my Specification which relate to manufacturing wicks for lamps. And for
the reason aforesaid, I, the said Nathaniel Card, do hereby disclaim and
omit such parts of my Specification as relate. to manufacturing wicks for
lamps, and which parts are ruled through with red ink in the copy of my said
Specification, herein-before referred to.
And I also disclaim and omit the words "lamps and other similar purposes,"
ruled through in the title of my said Patent with red ink, herein-before referred
to, so that the title of my said Patent (when this Disclaimer as aforesaid
shall have been entered) will read as follows - Certain Improvements in

page_text: the Manufacture of Wicks for Candles, and in the Apparatus connected
therewith."
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathaniel Card, have hereunto set my
hand, this Sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.