IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INCOMBUSTIBLE WICKS AND IN BURNERS FOR PETROLEUM AND OTHER LAMPS, AND IN A METHOD FOR RENDERING PARAFFIN AND SIMILAR LAMPS LESS DANGEROUS IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Cornelius Hessel, Ph.D., of 82, Gresham House, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF INCOMBUSTIBLE WICKS AND IN BURNERS FOR PETROLEUM AND OTHER
LAMPS, AND IN A METHOD FOR RENDERING PARAFFIN AND SIMILAR LAMPS
LESS DANGEROUS IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS."
ed the 16th January 1880, and dated the 19th July 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Cornelius Hessel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th July 1879.
CORNELIUS HESSEL, Ph.D., of 82, Gresham House, in the City of London.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INCOMBUSTIBLE WICKS AND IN BURNERS
FOR PETROLEUM AND OTHER LAMPS, AND IN A METHOD FOR RENDERING PARAFFIN
AND SIMILAR LAMPS LESS DANGEROUS IN CASE OF ACCIDENTS."
My Invention relates,―
Firstly. To the construction of incombustible wicks for paraffin and oil lamps.
For this purpose I employ incombustible minerals in form of fine powder, and
select those in preference which possess great power of suction or capillary
attraction, such as is possessed by the substance known as infusorial silica, but I
find as most effective the silicate of magnesia and alumina, which is found native
in Spain, as a light flocculent white powder, for which however no distinct minera-
logical name is known to my knowledge. I employ these substances after the
same are purified if requisite in form of fine powder by running the same into the
receptacle for the wick, or by first moulding them into the required wick shape,
either by themselves, or by incasing them in wire gauze. These wicks may either
be used as they are, or after they have been backed to give them more constancy.
To increase the cohesion of the articles I mix the powder with suitable fluxes.
The whole wick can be made of these incombustible substances, or only that part
which is affected by the heat of the burning lamp, whilst the other part can consist
of cotton, wool, or usual lamp wick.
Secondly. As the wicks of this construction are never consumed, there is no
necessity of contrivances for raising the wick. I make therefore my lamps with

page_text: stationary or immovable wicks, though they may be used likewise in lamps with
movable wicks. To regulate the height of the flame I fix the incombustible wick
so-that-it-reaches-a-little-above the wick casing, and attach an outer close fitting
slide which is movable up and downwards, and am thus-enabled-to-regulate_the_
height-of-the-flame,-or-even to extinguish the saine by raising the upper edge of
the slide to a little above-the level of the wick.
Thirdly. To prevent-accidents from upsetting or breaking of paraffin and similar
lamps, I fill the oil reservoir with the above powders. These suck up the oil and
coagulate with it; in case that the lamp_is_upset no oil is spilled, and if the
reservoir should be broken by an accident, then the wick powder forms detached
lumps. which can easily be swept up and removed without igniting.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Cornelius Hessel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th January
1880.
CORNELIUS HESSEL, Ph.D., of 82, Gresham House, in the City of London.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INCOMBUSTIBLE WICKS AND IN BURNERS
FOR PETROLEUM AND OTHER LAMPS, AND IN A METHOD FOR RENDERING PARAFFIN
AND SIMILAR LAMPS LESS DANGEROUS IN CASE OF ACCIDENT."
My said Invention relates, first, to a peculiar manufacture of incombustible wick's
to be used in the burning of petroleum, spirit, paraffin, and other liquid hydrocarbons,
whether mineral or vegetable, either in lamps, cooking stoves, or furnaces. In
carrying out this part of my said Invention I employ incombustible minerals in a
fine state of division, & selecting those in preference which possess great absorbent
properties, such for example as what is called infusorial earth, but I recommend
as giving the best results a silicate of magnesia-alumina found in its native state
in Spain in the form of a white light flocculent powder, which has up till now
no distinctive mineralogical name to my knowledge. I use these substances pre-
viously levigated if required in the form of fine powder by ramming them in
their then condition of dry fine powder into the wick holders or other burners;
or I previously moisten the said powder with petroleum or other liquid hydro-
carbon or wood spirit, or I moisten them with water alone, & mould the mass to
the requisite shape in conjunction or not as preferred with a casing or support of
fine wire gauze.
I then heat them sufficiently to expel the water & use them at
ouce; or I heat them to a still higher degree in order to impart to them greater
consistency, adding to the powder if desired suitable fluxes for the same purpose.
But I have found in practice that the incombustible powder aloné moistened with
petroleum to the consistency of a thick paste gives the best results, & amply suffices
for all the usual applications.
The entire wick may be composed of the before mentioned incombustible
substances, more particularly in those cases where great heat is produced by the
combustion, for example in the burners for stoves and furnaces, but for lamps
where the heat does not affect the whole of the wick I prefer to make the lower
part of such wick of cotton or other well known wick material, using the said
powders for making that part only of the wick which is affected by the heat. In
order to facilitate the flow of the oil to the ignited part of the wick, & to prevent
any overheating of the wick, by which the oils are liable to become decomposed in
the wick casing & deposit carbon, I prefer to make the wick thicker than usual,
& also to attach thereto when required for use in larger lamps wire gauze or
perforated metallic discs, in order to conduct the heat away from the wicks.
burners employed may be of any convenient shape, such for example as the arganḍ,
flat, or solid round burner, the shape of the burner being immaterial to my
Invention.
The
As the wicks of my improved make are never consumed, the necessity for raising
or lowering them is obviated, & I therefore adapt the lamps wherein such incom-
bustible wicks are employed for the reception of stationary or immoveable wicks,
& in order to regulate the height of the flame I 'allow the wick to project slightly
above the wick holder, & surround the latter with a close fitting tubular slide,
which is capable of being raised or lowered by any of the usual contrivances for
such purpose.
I am thus enabled to regulate perfectly the height of, the flame,
& even to extinguish the same when required. In order to obtain a perfect com-
bustion of the oil I employ the usual & well known contrivances already adopted
in lamps burning liquid hydrocarbons, namely, a cap or cover having a slit or
round hole therein situate over or around the burner, whereby a sufficient supply
of air is admitted to the flame, both above & below the opening in the cap or

page_text: cover. I likewise employ the usual lamp chimney in the well known manner, for
the purpose of increasing the draught. The burners which I prefer to employ in
_cooking stoves & furnaces.consist simply of ordinary tubes or hollow fire bars of
metal or other material capable of withstanding heat, & having a longitudinal slot
Cor-a-series-of-openings in the upper part or edge, these tubes or bars being
=filled-with-the-wick-powder or paste; when applied they are to be connected by a
-pipe-with-the-oil-reservoir situate in any convenient position sufficiently removed
from the fire. The supply of the oil may then be regulated as is well known by a
tap, or by the admission of air into the closed-reservoir in-proportion as the_oil_is
consumed. Perfect combustion is effected by regulating the supply of air above
& below the burners by slides, or in any other well known.manner.
In order to obviate the serious results of accidents from overturning or breaking
of paraffin & similar lamps, I fill the oil reservoir with the above mentioned
incombustible minerals, which absorb the oil whilst supplying it readily to the
wick even to almost perfect dryness, but should the oil reservoir be broken, the oil
being absorbed by the powder will not flow out, but forms in conjunction with the
powder detached
umps, which can easily be swept up and removed without
igniting.
Having now described & particularly ascertained the nature of my said, Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I am aware that it has been proposed to make incom-
bustible wicks of asbestos, and therefore I do not claim generally the use of
incombustible wicks in lamps & stoves, neither do I claim the use of lamps having
stationary or immoveable wicks & outer sliding tubes surrounding the wick or
wick holder, neither do I claim generally the use of an absorbent in the reservoir of
a lamp for absorbing the oil therein, as I am aware that sponge & similar substances
have been so employed for the like purpose, but what I consider to be novel &
original, & therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in
part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The application and use to and in the manufacture of incombustible wicks
for burning spirit, petroleum, and other liquid hydrocarbons in lamps, stoves,
and furnaces of incombustible minerals, more particularly native silica and silicate
of magnesia-alumina in a fine state of division, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Second. The application and use of the before mentioned incombustible
minerals in a fine state of division for filling the oil reservoirs of petroleum,
paraffin, spirit, and other similar lamps, for the purpose herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Cornelius Hessel, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
14, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
W.C.
CORNELIUS HESSEL. (L.S.)