AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WICKS USED IN THE MAKING OF CANDLES
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
WHELE, late of Walsall, in the County of Stafford, but now of West Bromwich,
in the County of Stafford, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty, by Her Letters Patent under
the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing
date at Westminster, the Sixth day of April, in the sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edwin Whele, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial license, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Edwin Whele, my exors, adñiors,
and assigns, and such others as I, the said Edwin Whele,, my exors,
adiiors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times hereafter, during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within that part of
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England, and Her
Majesty's Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR PREPARING WICKS
USED IN THE MAKING OF CANDLES;" in which Letters Patent there is con-
tained a proviso, requiring that I, the said Edwin Whele, shall particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what, manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
calendar months next and immediately after the, date of the now.. reciting
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso I, the said
Edwin Whele, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and

page_text: hereunto annexed, and hereafter referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a machine for the purpose of cutting,
twisting, and spreading wicks upon rods, for the purpose of making candles,
constructed according to my Invention, and adapted to a rod of three feet.
The scale will give the dimensions.
Figure 2 shows a side elevation thereof separately; A is the frame,
made of wood about one inch and a quarter thick, tenanted into the legs B,
and which are braced together by means of stretchers C. This frame has
an opening at the back sufficiently large for a drawer, in which is placed
the material for the wicks, wound in balls; it is also open in front with
the exception of the part A, and it is open at the top. Two stretcher,
marked by the dotted lines D and E, and about one and a quarter incli
thick, run across the frame A; F is the carriage; this is made of wood about
three quarters of an inch thick, and braced together by stretchers. The
bottom and top is marked by dotted lines G and II, between which there
is a sufficient space for the candle rods; I and J are small slots at equal dis-
tances, through which the cotton or wick yarn runs. The number of these
should be according to the number of wicks upon the rod; J is a small sliding
frame extending across the carriage underneath from side to side, acted upon
by springs at the back; K is a small spring slide, one of which is placed on
each side of the carriage F; L-are the wheels, upon which the carriage moves
the fram A; M are strong iron arms about one inch thick, bent to clear
the frame, and extending downwards as low as the shaft, upon which the
windlass is placed; N are connecting rods moving upon joints on the arms M,
and connecting them with the windlass O, which forms a crank for the purpose
of moving the carriage upon the frame; S is the shaft upon which the wind-
lass is placed. This is made of one inch and a quarter round iron; Q are
boards about three quarters of an inch thick, and four feet and four inches
long. They are best when made of mahogany. The inner surface of these
should be lined with woollen cloth; R are iron braces screwed to the
upper
board Q, and firmly attached to the shaft L. This shaft is made of one
inch and a quarter round iron, and moves in two iron sockets formed like
this
upon
These sockets are screwed into the sides of the frame at T.

page_text: The dotted lines U is the bottom of the frame; V is a round iron shaft, one
inch and a quarter. thick, centred into iron plates W, which are screwed to
the frame A. Upon this shaft is a crank X; Y, are two cog wheels keyed
upon the shafts Vand: S. These are about seven inches and a half in
diameter, and work in each other; they are also shewn by the dotted lines in
side view; is a bevil wheel keyed upon the shaft S, and working in the bevil
wheelc a, which has double the number of teeth. This is keyed upon an'iron
shaft, as shown in Figure 3; b is a joint upon the shaft L, which connects the
lever c with the lower board Q by means of a pin screwed to the under side of
the board. This lever is made of iron after this fashion
.. It lies
horizontal, and turns at the centre upon a pin attached to that part of the
frame marked by the dotted lines E at the point d. e, are small levers
attached to the shaft L, and connected by a rod of iron about half an incli
thick; these are also shewn the dotted lines e. f, forms the connection
between. the lever e upon the shaft L, and the crank X upon the shaft V;
this is also shewn by the dotted lines f; the upper part of this is a link
working upon the rod that connects the levers e; the bottom forms a joint upon
the crank, with a pin wormed into the link, by which tlic connection between
the two shafts, is adjusted. 9 are steel springs; tliese are also shewn by the
dotted lines g; they work upon the stays shewn by the dotted line h, which is
screwed to that part of the frame dotted E. The upper part of these are the parts
which are made as a spring; the bottom is strong, about three quarters of an
inch thick, and extended downwards, so as to be acted upon by the part marked i;
this is a segment of a wheel formed of.iron about three quarters of an inch thick,
keyed on to the shaft S. t are weights connected with the springs g by a rod aš
shewn by the dotted lines, and sufficiently heavy to throw them back when not
acted upon by the part marked i. w is a strip of iron, about one inch broad
and a quarter of an inch thick, extending along the front of the machine, and
connected at cach end to the springs g; v is a stop screwed upon a board which
extends across the frame of the machine in front of the boards Q; this is
sufficiently high so as to allow the front of the carriage to pass underneath,
and the point is turned down about one inch, w are arms grooved on the inner
side to receive the rods. The dotted lines are wood rods about one inch
square; these pass through holes in the frame dotted D and E, and extend
to the front, and have a light spring, markel also a, attached to their ends;
this is bent so as to clear the shaft L, and returns back to the point where the
part u falls upon the board, as before described, and are turned up at the end

page_text: with sufficient hook to clip a candle rod. The other end of the wood rod runs
through a hole in the bottom part of the carriage F, and has a small piece
attached to it so as to form a stop.
Figure 3: These movements are placed between the parts of the frame
dotted D and E in Figure 2, and are best made of iron. 1 is part of the
lever in Figure 1. 2 is a connecting rod to lever 3; this is connected to
lever 4 by means of the rod 5: Levers 3 and 4 act upon centres fixed to the
frame D. 6 is a lever welded or firmly fixed to a spindle, which is centred into
the frame D and E, extending from one to the other; and upon this spindle is
keyed the bevil which is in Figure 1.
Figure 4: This Figure shews the scissors with their movements. 9 is a
lever, fixed upon the end of the shaft bearing the lever 6 in Figure 3, this
being extended through the frame D for that purpose. 10 is a small lever
centred upon the frame 11. The frame 11 is placed in the inside of the frame
of the machine against the part D, and shewn in Figure 2 by the dotted
lines Y. The legs are attached to the bottom of the frame A by means of
hinges, and it extends upwards to the bottom of the lower board Q, and from
side to side, having a small fastening to attach it to the frame A; this should
be made of hard wood; I prefer oak for this purpose, about three quarters
of an inch thick. 12 is a connecting rod, attached to the lever 10 by a
joint, also to the lever of the scissors. 13 are the scissors. These are of
the ordinary kind, each of which is screwed by one leg to a plate of iron about
three quarters of an inch thick, at equal distances, according to the distance
intended for the wicks; the other leg is attached by the lever 14 by means of
a screw; this lever is simply a rod of iron extending from side to side. The
object of my Invention is to facilitate the spreading, twisting, and cutting of
wicks for the purpose of making candles.
The way in which this machine is worked, and the connection of the move-
ment are as follows:-The carriage F is filled with rods through the hole
marked e, in the inside of the frame of the machine; upon the botton U are
placed a number of balls of cotton or yarn equal to the number of wicks
intended to be put upon each rod; an end of each ball is drawn through the holes
1-and left to hang down in front of the carriage F; the workman then turns the
windlass O, which brings the earriage F forward by means of the connecting
rod N and the arm M; the windlass being connected with the shaft S turns
the shaft V by means of the cog wheel Y, and the crank X acts upon the
shaft L by the levers e and connection f; the upper board Q is raised up
by means of the braces R, and allow the front of the carriage to pass under-
neath, and the wicks drag over the lower board Q until the point of the spring

page_text: slide J comes in contact with the edge of this board, this binds the ends of the
wicks against the bottom board Q; the springs of this slide have a sufficient play
so as to allow the carriage to pass on; the small spring slides K come in contact
with a small projection made of wood or iron fitted to the board in front of the
boards Q, this forces them back just sufficiently so as to allow the lower rod to
fall out into a groove made to receive it; and at the same time, the point of
the stop v coming in contact with the other or upper rods, prevents them from
rolling down so as to fall out; the carriage now begins to recede and doubles
the wicks over the rod, the windlass having passed its extreme distance, and
the segment of the wheel i coming in contact with the botton of the spring g,
the bar or strip u presses upon the wicks, binding them against the board in
front of the boards Q, and just at the back of the groove before mentioned,
and also close against the rod, preventing the rod from going back and the
wick from slipping. As the carriage recedes, the crank X of the shaft V
gradually releases the upper board Q and allows it to fall down, enclosing the
wicks; when the carriage has gone back to its utmost distance, the lever 9 in
Figure 4 strikes against the point 15 of the lever 14, in consequence of its
connection with the shaft S through the wheels z and a; this acting upon the
scissors causes them all to close at once and cut off the wicks; the edge of the
upper board Q having a small projection downwards, presses the wicks into them
for that purpose. The boards Q now move in opposite directions, and twist the
wicks; this is performed by lever 6 in Figure 3 coming in contact with the
point 8 of the lever 3 and acting upon the rod 2 upon the lever c, one end
of which is attached to the lower board Q, and the other to the joint 6 of the
shaft L, this being connected with the upper board Q as before shewn. The
carriage F now begins to move forward, and the lever 9, having passed the
point 15, strikes against the lever 10; this acting upon the lever 14, by means of
the rod 12, opens the scissors ready for a second operation; the rod shewn by the
dotted lines x has now been drawn back by the receding of the carriage F,
and drawn the spring & underneath the rod in the groove, so that the hook at
the end is at the back part of the rod; this spring, as it passes underneath the
rod, is pressed down so as to clear the rod while passing by a small projestion
coming in contact with a bit of hoop iron placed on a slant attached to the
board in front of the boards Q; this now begins to advance, being pressed for-
ward by the back of the carriage F, and carries the rod into the groove of the
arms w, making room for the second operation, which has already commenced.
The machine should be so adjusted as to cut the wicks at the time the carriage
has receded to its utmost limits, and to twist the wicks immediately after the con-

page_text: nection between the crank X and the lever e should be of that length which
will lift the upper board Q so as not to come in contact with the carriage, but
allow it to fall just as the carriage has passed from under the length of the rod a,
and its stop should be of such measure as will bring the spring a underneath
the candle rod at the moment the carriage F is at its utmost limits, and carry
it out immediately after the wicks have been twisted; the lever 6, in the second
operation, should strike the point 7 of the lever 4, which will act upon the lever
3 by the connection 5; and the spring g should be released by the segment į
just previous to the rod a carrying out the candle rod, and the weight should
be sufficient to tilt the spring g back and to bear up the strip u. The board
or frame Y should have a small fastening at the top so as to adjust it to
different distances according to the length of the wick; and the boards Q
should also have strips of wood made to screw upon their edges, which will add
sufficiently to their breadth, when a longer wick is, required (the Drawings
only represent the ordinary length of wick); and the springs acting upon the
slide J should have sufficient play so as to allow the slide to be set to catch the
ends of the different lengths of wicks.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I lay no claim
to the separate parts of a machine which are already known and in use;
neither do I confine myself to making the machines in the precise shape,
form, or dimensions represented, or to any particular material, but have
mentioned and described those which I consider best. But what I claim as
my Invention in this form of the machine is, the arrangement of the scissors
acting by a lever, the arrangement of the levers working the same, and the
arrangement and construction of the levers working the twisting boards Q.
I likewise claim as my Invention the mode of lifting the boards in the
manner before described; the form and construction of the shaft L, with its
connection with the upper board Q, the double motion of the twisting boards,
the movement of the carriage F, by the windlass and connecting rods, and
the form and construction of the springs g, their combined effect with, the
strip u, and the segment i holding the wicks. And I further claim the general
combination of the machinery here described for preparing wicks for the pur-
pose of making candles by means of a windlass or revolving motion acting
upon its several parts.
Another mode by which. I carry my Invention into effect is as follows:-The
frame of the machine is made like that commonly called or known by the name
of Colebank's candlewick machine, and the carriage also; but the twisting boards

page_text: lift up in the same way as heretofore described by me, only reversed; the shaft L
is placed on the opposite side, but so as not to interfere with the carriage, and
is connected with the upper twisting board Q as before described, and the upper
and lower boards Q are connected together by means of the lever c, and its connec-
tion with the shaft L. A treadle is placed underneath the frame and connected
with the head, like as in Colebank's machine; the treadle is also connected
with the rod of the lever e upon the shaft L, in the same manner as to the
head, by a cord or chain, or some such material, but so adjusted as to lift up
the upper board Q without interfering with the head; two other treadles are
placed one at each corner at the front of the machine, similar to the one now
sometimes used in Colebank's machine to work the twisting boards, and they
must be attached to the lower twisting board in the same way. All the parts
of Colebank's machine are so well known that I need not describe them. The
scissors; as described in Figure 4, may be used to divide the wick, connected
by a simple lever to the treadles; but the cutting instrument I prefer is a pair
of long blades-like those used in Colebank's machine, but acting as a pair of
guillotine shears, the lower one screwed to the frame of the machine; and to
the upper one is attached at each end a round-rod of iron about one inch
thick turned in a lathe, and these work in brass, sockets screwed on each side
of the the frame so as to allow the blade to fall true against the lower one with
sufficient slant to cut; this is raised by means of a treadle that works the head,
being extended out backwards beyond its centre, and the rods connected with the
upper knife resting upon its extension. The manner of working this machine
is as follows:-The workman places his foot upon the centre treadle (having
previously charged the machine with cotton, or yarn and rods), this lifts up the
upper knife and twisting board, and also brings the carriage up pressing the
ends of the wicks against the lower twisting board; he then draws out a rod,
placing it in the groove, now releasing the centre treadle, the upper twisting
board and the upper knife fall down by their own weight, dividing the wicks ;
the carriage also goes back to its former place; then he places his foot upon
the right-hand treadle which twist the wicks, moving the boards in a reverse
direction; he now draws out the rod and places it upon a rack, fitted in the
most convenient situation, and performs the same operation again; but now
using the left-hand treadle to move the boards instead of the right-hand, and
so on alternately. What I claim as this part of my Invention is,―
28.
Firstly, the use of guillotine knives, worked by treadle in the manner I have
before described.
Secondly, I claim the movements of the twisting boards, with their connec-
tions as before described: and.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifth day of. October in
the year of our Lord 1843, the aforesaid Edwin Whele came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.