IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NIGHT LIGHTS
Year: 1844

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
FERGUSSON WILSON, of Belmont, Vauxhall, in the County of Surrey, Gentle-
man, GEORGE GWYNNE, of Princes Street, Cavendish Square, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, and JAMES PILLANS WILSON, of Belmont aforesaid,
Gentleman, 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 Twenty-ninth day of October, in the eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
George Fergusson Wilson, George Gwynne, and James Pillans Wilson, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that we, the said George Fergusson Wilson, George
Gwynne, and James Pillans Wilson, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, and every of us, by ourselves, or by our deputy or deputies, servants
or agents, or such others as we, the said George Fergusson Wilson, George
Gwynne, and James Pillans Wilson, our executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, might make,
use, exercise, and vend; within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and
Man, and also in all Her said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad,
our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NIGHT LIGHTS;" in
which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso requiring us, the said George
Fergusson Wilson, George Gwynne, and James Pillans Wilson, particularly to

page_text: describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under our hands
and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, and to cause the same to
be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six 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, we, the said
George Fergusson Wilson, George Gwynne, and James Pillans Wilson, do,
and each and every of us doth, hereby declare that the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
and particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof (that is to say):
:-
According to the ordinary method of preparing fatty acids for the manufac-
ture of candles, the acid matter obtained is subjected to a high degree of
pressure, and in most cases to what is called "hot pressing," in order to sepa-
rate the liquid part of the fatty acid from the solid part thereof. The fluid
extracted being of a dark colour, and of little value, and composing about half
the bulk of the fatty acids, the expence of the harder product applicable to the
manufacture of candles is greatly increased by the necessity of removing the
liquid acid; but if the acid matter be distilled, a less degree of pressure is
necessary, both because the high colour of the liquid acid is removed, and
also, as our experiments have led us to believe, because the fatty acids are
hardened and improved by the process of distillation. Various Letters Patent
have been granted in late years in addition to the manufacture of candles
from distilled fatty acids, and, among others, certain Letters Patent granted
to the said George Gwynne and George Fergusson Wilson, bearing date at
Westminster, on or about the Twenty-eighth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and forty-three, the Specification enrolled under which describes
an Invention for making candles from distilled fatty acids without any process
of pressure whatever; and certain other Letters Patent granted to the said
James Pillans Wilson, bearing date at Westminster on or about the Twenty-
ninth day of August, One thousand eight hundred and forty-four, the Specifi-
cation enrolled under which describes an Invention for applying distilled fatty
acids to the manufacture of composite candles.
Now the first part of our Invention consists in the application of distilled
fatty acids to the manufacture of lights night, which are a well-known article of
trade, and in the manufacture of which undistilled fatty acids have been used
to some considerable extent. And in order to give the best information in

page_text: our power for enabling a workman to carry out our Invention, we will
describe, by way of example, the process or means which we pursue in making
night lights from the distilled fatty acids of palm oil combined with the
stearine of cocoa-nut oil or other suitable unacidified matter, such composition
being the mode which we consider the best of applying distilled fatty acids to
the manufacture of night lights; but acids of tallow or other fats may be sub-
stituted, and the mixture of unacidified matter might be dispensed with:-
We take thirty hundredweight of the distilled acids of palm oil, and boil the
same up with an equal weight of the stearine of cocoa-nut oil, adding also two
hundredweight of white wax to ensure the perfect amalgamation of the
materials. The operation of boiling is performed in a tub provided with an
ordinary steam worm, and containing a hundred gallons of water acidulated
with sulphuric acid, which, being a well-known process, need not be further
described. We prefer to operate on so large a bulk of material as that above
mentioned, having observed that the product is obtained brighter and clearer
in consequence of the longer time obtained for settling than in operations on
small quantities. When the composition obtained by the above-mentioned
process has settled down, we make it into night lights by any of the ordinary
means, preferring to use the apparatus described in the Specification of a
Patent granted to George Miller Clarke, and bearing date at Westminster, on
or about the Thirtieth day of January, One thousand eight hundred and forty-
four. The fatty acid here described is impressed for the sake of cheapness.
To make night lights of greater hardness, we substitute an equal proportion
of distilled stearic acid of palm oil. We may here state that palm oil has not
hitherto been used in the manufacture of night lights, and that we have dis-
covered that the same may be used by simply being pressed without being
distilled or acidified, either as a substitute for the stearine of cocoa-nut oil
alone or in combination with other fatty materials, although we consider the
mode above described greatly preferable.
The second part of our Invention relates to the manufacture of night lights
to burn more than one night. Night lights, as now made, being adapted for
burning for a limited number of hours, there is not enough of the materials
left for the second night's burning, and the ends, if any, are therefore lost.
Also, if the hours of burning have not been accurately regulated, the night
light is apt to go out before the night is ended. Now, we have discovered
that both these objections can be obviated by making night lights adapted for
burning a much longer time than has been usual, so that, after having been
once used, they may be put out in the morning, and used again on successive
nights. In accomplishing this object, we also dispense with the coverings or

page_text: cases hitherto used to prevent the escape of melted matter in burning the
common night lights or mortars, especially the common paper coverings,
which would be quite inappropriate for night lights of the increased length
which we propose. And we have also succeeded in applying the stearine of
cocoa-nut oil to the manufacture of night lights; but we would observe that,
being aware that the material of which the patent composite candles are
made, namely, stearine of cocoa-nut oil and stearic acid of tallow combined
in about equal proportions, has been already used in the manufacture of night
lights,―we lay no claim to the general use of stearine of cocoa-nut oil in such
manufacture, when combined with so much stearic acid of tallow as to adapt
the composition for burning in candles with the small platted wicks used in
the candles called "Patent Composite Candles;" and for the sake of precision
we would state, that such is not the case with any such composition containing
as much as two parts of stearine of cocoa-nut oil to one part of stearic acid.
And in order to give the best information in our power for enabling a work-
man to carry out this second part of our Invention, we will proceed to describe
the means which we pursue. We prefer to use moulds resembling those
employed in the manufacture of the mould candles called "long fours ;" and
the wicks we prefer to employ are six threads of fine cotton (unplatted), such
as is used in making cocoa-nut candles, and dipped in one of the ordinary
solutions; and the material we prefer is highly pressed stearine of cocoa-nut
oil; but we do not confine ourselves thereto; and we prefer that the cocoa-nut
stearine should be used unmixed with stearic acid, because of the additional
cost. And at the same time we have discovered that, when making long night
lights, the matter used in making composite candles, although more expensive,
is not suitable; and therefore, if the stearine of cocoa-nut oil be at all mixed
with stearic acid for making long night lights, then the quantity of stearic
acid should be less than in composite candles. Night lights, such as above
described, will burn three nights.
In order that we may be fully understood, and the extent of our Invention
fully defined in respect to the use of palm oil and stearine of cocoa-nut oil,
we wish to state that, by the expression "night lights," we intend that the use
of palm oil and stearini of cocoa-nut oil, which results from the smallness of
the wick used compared with the size or weight of the night light, that a
pound might be burned for seventy hours or upwards, whether the night lights
be formed in the ordinary sizes of mortars, or of considerable length in regard
to their diameters.
Having described the nature of our Invention, and the best means we are
acquainted with for carrying it into effect, we would have it understood that

page_text: what we claim as our Invention consists in the following particulars (that is
to say)-
First, we claim the application of distilled fatty acids to the manufacture of
night lights.
Secondly, we claim the combination of distilled fatty acid with unacidified
matter in such manufacture.
Thirdly, we claim the use of palm oil in the manufacture of night lights, as
herein described.
Fourthly, we claim the making of night lights adapted for burning for more
than one night, as above described.
Fifthly, we claim the using of stearine of cocoa-nut oil in the manufacturing
of night lights, when not combined with a greater proportion than half its
weight of stearic acid.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Fergusson Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One thousand
aight hundred and forty five
what we claim as our Invention consists in the following particulars (that is
to say)-
First, we claim the application of distilled fatty acids to the manufacture of
night lights.
Secondly, we claim the combination of distilled fatty acid with unacidified
matter in such manufacture.
Thirdly, we claim the use of palm oil in the manufacture of night lights, as
herein described.
Fourthly, we claim the making of night lights adapted for burning for more
than one night, as above described.
Fifthly, we claim the using of stearine of cocoa-nut oil in the manufacturing
of night lights, when not combined with a greater proportion than half its
weight of stearic acid.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Fergusson Wilson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, One thousand
sight hundred and forty five.
GEO. F. (L.B.) WILSON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Twenty-ninth day of
April, in the year above mentioned, the aforesaid George Fergusson Wilson
came before our Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained, in form
"