Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1888
I PERCY HENRY NEWILL of 38 Hanover Gardens Kennington Park in the County
of Surrey Solicitor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved appliances for trimming circular and other
curved lamp wicks, and my object is to enable such wicks to be cut evenly without
the difficulty which at present exists in using the ordinary straight bladed scissors
for that purpose.
In carrying out my invention the wick is cut by the shearing action of sharp
metal edges.
The essential feature of the invention and that from which its chief advantages flow,
is that the lower shearing edge is formed in a curve similar in size and shape to the
circular or curved wicks intended to be cut.
This lower shearing edge may conveniently be formed on the upper and larger
end of a truncated metal cone, which will rest in the central air tube of the lamp
and prevent any of the burnt wick falling therein while it is being cut. The said
lower edge need not necessarily be a complete circle.
The upper shearing edge or blade is made straight curved or of any other con-
venient form and it cuts the wick by being constrained in any suitable manner to
shear against the lower curved cutting edge. Thus for example the respective cutting
edges may be suitably attached or formed to or on lever arms jointed together in
somewhat similar manner to those in ordinary scissors or nutcrackers and so arranged
as to cause the cutting edges to shear against each other in the required manner.
In order to facilitate a clean cut the whole appliance is preferably so shaped that
it can be placed in position ready to cut the wick without pressing down or crushing
the upper burnt edge of the wick, and so that the wick completely surrounds the
lower shearing edge leaving the portion thereof required to be cut off projecting
above the said edge.
When the appliance is thus arranged the actual shearing edges will be entirely out
of contact with each other before the cutting is commenced, and it is desirable in

page_text: order to ensure their meeting accurately that they should be provided with a guide
or guides, or that the joint between the lever arms should be broad and rigid enough
to ensure that object.
The action is as follows. The appliance is placed in the position indicated above so
that the cone (if used) rests in the central air tube as a centre. The shearing edges
being then brought together cut the portion of the wick between and are afterwards
caused to cut the rest of the wick by being moved to and fro as in using ordinary
scissors, fresh uncut portions of the wick being continuously brought between the
shearing edges by rotating the lamp or the appliance itself.
Instead of the lower cutting edge being convex and surrounded by the wick as
above described, it may be concave and occupy a position outside the same, the
upper cutting edge being modified in shape accordingly. Also more than one upper
cutting edge or blade may be used.
When the lower cutting edge is a complete circle as where a truncated cone is
used, the upper shearing edge may be formed on a circular disc and it will cut the
wick by being constrained to roll round and shear against the lower cutting edge.
To get this effect the upper shearing disc is pivotted on an arm which in its turn
is pivotted on an axis concentric with the lower circular cutting edge. This arm is in
two parts hinged together so that when the hinge is open the shearing edges are out
of contact and vice versa. The action is as follows. The appliance is placed on the
lamp with the shearing edges out of contact they are then brought together by
closing the said hinge so cutting the portion of the wick between them as before, and
the said arm being revolved radially causes the upper shearing disc to roll round the
lower shearing edge cutting the wick as it progresses. A positive rotary motion may
he impressed upon the upper shearing disc by connecting it with gearing to the lower
shearing edge which in this case must be prevented from revolving. This modification
my invention may be arranged with the lower circular cutting edge either convex
of
or concave.
In whatever modification adopted the cutting edges may be provided with teeth or
other inequalities to prevent the wick slipping.
I may attach to my improved appliance a circular brush for purpose of cleaning
the central air tube of the lamp.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1888.

page_text: Improvements in Lamp Trimmers.
I PERCY HENRY NEWILL of 38 Hanover Gardens Kennington Park in the County
of Surrey Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improved appliances for trimming circular lamp wicks, and
my object is to enable such wicks to be cut evenly without the difficulty which at
present exists in using the ordinary straight bladed scissors for that purpose.
In carrying out my invention the wick is cut by the shearing action of sharp metal
edges. The essential feature of the invention and that from which its chief advantages
flow, is that the lower shearing edge is formed in a curve similar in size and shape to
the circular wicks intended to be cut.
This lower shearing edge may conveniently be formed on the upper and larger end
of a truncated metal cone, which may rest in the central air tube of the lamp and
prevent any of the burnt wick falling therein while it is being cut.
edge need not necessarily be a complete circle.
The said lower
The upper shearing edge or blade is made straight curved or of any other con-
venient form and it cuts the wick by being constrained in any suitable manner to
shear against the lower curved cutting edge. Thus for example the respective cutting
edges may be suitably attached or formed to or on lever arms jointed together in
similar manner to those in ordinary scissors, and so arranged as to cause the cutting
edges to shear against each other in the required manner.
In order to facilitate a clean cut the whole appliance whatever form it takes is so
shaped that it can be placed in position ready to cut the wick without pressing down
or crushing the upper burnt edge of the wick, and so that the wick completely
surrounds the lower shearing edge leaving the portion thereof required to be cut off
projecting above the said edge. When the appliance is thus arranged the actual
shearing edges will be entirely out of contact with each other before the cutting is
commenced and it is desirable in order to ensure their meeting accurately that
the joint between the lever arms should be broad and rigid enough to ensure that
object.
Fig. 1 shows one form of my improved Wick Trimmer, Fig. 2 being a side view
without the handles, Fig. 3 an enlarged vertical section on line y y, and Fig. 4 a
cross section on line xx. The lever arms a¹ and a² provided with handles hh are
jointed or pivotted together like ordinary scissor blades by the bolt which is
screwed into arm a² and clamped tight but nut n'.
The lower shearing edge consists of a portion of the sharp upper edge of a truncated
steel cone c which has a slightly concave or hollowed top surface to give a proper
clearance to the cutting edges (as shown in Fig. 3). The cone c is fixed to arm a² by
bolt 62 and nut n², and is kept at correct distance from a² by metal block t through
which bolt 2 passes. The conical head of bolt 62 will rest in central air tube of the
lamp preventing any of the burnt cut-off wick falling therein. The cone c night be
made deeper so that its lower portion would take the place of the conical head of
bolt but the design illustrated seems more convenient.
The upper shearing edge which shears against the cutting edge of cone c consists
of sharp edge e of the arm a'.
The bearing surface between the arms a¹ and a² at their joint is made flat and
broad and placed on side of bolt & nearest to the cutting edges so that the cutting

page_text: edges can be adjusted so as to meet accurately by tightening or slackening bolt .
The arms a¹ and a² are also made thick enough to be practically rigid and without
spring so that the cutting edges may not be forced apart when cutting the
wick.
When one portion of cone c becomes blunt it can be turned round to bring a
fresh portion of the sharp edge into use.
Another form of my improved Wick Trimmer is shown in Figs. 5 and 6, Fig. 5
being a plan and Fig. 6 a side view thereof. The lever arms a³ and at provided with
handles as shown are pivotted together by screw s. The lower circular-shaped
shearing edge is formed on arm a' and immediately beyond the said edge the arm is
bent up at an angle (as shown in Fig. 6) so that it may not crush the upper edge
of the wick to be cut off. is a small turned boss fixed to arm a¹ by screw. It is
formed in steps as shown that it may fit air tubes of different sizes and be more casily
kept in a horizontal position while in use.
The arm a³ on which upper cutting edge is formed is springy and shears against
lower cutting edge like an ordinary scissor blade. The actual cutting edges as in
previous example are not in contact before the cutting commences but the blades or
arms and a on which the cutting edges are formed are never out of contact and
therefore there is here no difficulty in making the cutting edges meet accurately. The
arms a³ and a are bent at point o for convenience in use.
The action of either of the appliances above described is as follows:-The shearing
edges are separated and the cone or the circular shaped end of arm a is placed with
its lower cutting edge horizontal within the circular wick and with the head of bolt /,2
or the boss in the central air tube of the lamp as a centre. The wick is then
turned up until the quantity thereof which is to be cut off stands above the lower
cutting edge. By pressing the handles together the shearing edges are then brought
together so cutting the portion of the wick between them, and they are afterwards
caused to cut the rest of the wick by a to and fro movement of the handles as in using
ordinary scissors, fresh uncut portions of the wick being continuously brought between
the shearing edges by rotating the lamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The use in an appliance for trimming or cutting circular lamp wicks of a lower
shearing edge formed in a curve similar in size and shape to the circular wicks
intended to be cut, and arranged or shaped so that the said lower shearing edge can
be placed within the circular wick in position for cutting same without crushing the
upper edge thereof.
2. A Wick Trimmer provided with a shearing edge consisting of a metal
cone or any mechanical equivalent therefor substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3. A Wick Trimmer provided with shearing edges which are formed substantially
as herein described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4.
4. The Wick Trimmer substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3
and 4.
5. A Wick Trimmer provided with cutting edges which are formed substantially as
herein described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6.
6. Wick Shears or cutters provided with a conical bolt head or the boss or any
mechanical equivalent therefor for the purpose of resting in the central air tube of
the lamp to prevent the cut-off burnt wick falling therein and to act as a centre.
Dated this First day of October 1888.