Improvements in Apparatus for Trimming or Cleaning Lamp Wicks.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1890-Accepted, 30th Aug., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Trimming or Cleaning Lamp
Wicks.
We, GEORG WILHELM KRAFT, and KARL AUGUST LINGNER, trading as Lingner
and Kraft, of Dresden, Saxony, German Empire, Manufacturers, 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 :—
This invention has reference to apparatus for trimming or cleaning lamp wicks,
that is to say, for removing the burnt or charred end of the wick in an annular
lamp-burner, by revolving or rotating the apparatus around the centre line or axis of
the burner. The improved apparatus hereinafter described will allow of the easy and
thorough removal of the burnt part of the wick and while accommodating itself to
wick tubes of different diameters, it will prevent the removed parts of the wick
dropping into the lamp, either internally or externally of the wick tube.
The improved apparatus is constructed in the following manner:
It mainly consists, see Figure I" of the annexed drawings-of a scraper A, which
per forms the double duty of scraping or cutting the burnt wick end and of receiving
the scraped or cut off parts. It also comprises a cone B having a longitudinal slot
from top to bottom or partly from top to bottom; and also a stem d', which can be
shifted vertically up or down in the cone B which stem is connected to the scraper A
by means of a link or connecting part d, movably connected to the stem d¹ and to
the scraper A. The cone B at its top or wider part can be provided with a cover e
the central hole of which forms a guide for the stem d'. It is obvious that if the
cone B be inserted into the central aperture of a wick tube, as far as the diameter
of such tube will allow and if the stem d' be pushed downwardly, the scraper B
will be brought upon the wick tube. If now the whole apparatus be turned around
its vertical axis, the cutting edge of the scraper will cut the burnt parts off the
wick, and these parts will be deposited in the receiving part of the scraper.
By inspecting Figure 1, which is the ground plan of the apparatus shown in
Figure 1, it will be seen, that the connection of the scraper A to the stem d' by
the part d is such that the scraper in being pushed down remains always adjacent
to the surface of the cone B. Figure I also shows that the cutting edge g of the
scraper is not radial to the stem d¹ and cone, but tangential, or it can be at any
desired and suitable angle to said parts, the outer end of the cutting edge always
being in advance, thus pushing all the debris of the wick inwardly, so that they are
caught or received by the receiver, which is mainly formed by the bottom plate of
the scraper and the rim h. All dropping of the debris into the centre aperture of
the tube is prevented by the cone B closing such aperture.
In Figure II, side view, and Figure II', ground plan, a modification of the
apparatus is shewn in which the scraper A is combined with the cone B, which has
a longitudinal slot C. by means of a rod k rigidly connected to the scraper the position
of which rod coincides with the incline of the cone and which rod k is bent
horizontally at its top end to receive the handle d¹ which serves for pushing the
rod k with the scraper A and for rotating the apparatus when in the proper position
on the wick tube for cutting, cleaning or trimming the wick. Inside the cone B
and parallel with its slot C a tube may be provided for receiving holding and
guiding the rod k.
In Figures III and IV respectively we shew in ground plan two modifications
of the apparatus. In Figure III instead of the cone there is a spring part 1, to which
the scraper A is fixed; the spring part being inserted into the centre aperture of
the wick tube o and the apparatus being then revolved or rotated the
clean or trim the wick.
scraper
will

page_text: In Figure IV instead of the cone there is a cylindrical brush m with a central
stem n to which the scraper A is fixed; if this brush be inserted into the central
aperture of the wick tube o to the proper distance and the apparatus be then revolved
or rotated, the scraper will act in the same manner as in the other modifications, the
flexibility of the brush allowing it to be used for wick tubes of different sizes, while
the brush at the same time closes the central aperture of the tube, thereby preventing
the debris or cut off parts entering the tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :―
1. An apparatus for trimming or cleaning the wick of an annular burner, which
apparatus consists of a slotted cone, in combination with a stem or spindle capable
of being shifted vertically within the cone and with a scraper arranged outside the
cone, said stem and scraper being movably connected together by a link as and for
the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. Constructing the scraper A (which trims or cleans the wick by its circular
rotating motion around the centre line or axis of the burner) of a plate, the cutting
or scraping edge g of which does not, in its continuation, fall into the centre of the
plane of rotation and which plate has a rim h to form a receiver for the wick debris,
as hereinbefore described.
3. Applying the scraper as specified in claim 2 to an apparatus consisting of a
slotted cone B and a rod or stem, provided with a handle and rigidly connected
to the scraper outside the cone through the slot of the latter, as hereinbefore
described.
Dated this 91-4 dow of Tub. 1900
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent, Agent.