A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CANDLES OF WAX, SPERMACETI, TALLOW,. OR ANY OTHER SOLID INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCE, WHEREBY SUCH CANDLES WILL BE OF MUCH GREATER DURABILITY, AND WILL GIVE A MORE STEADY AND BRILLIANT FLAME
Year: 1801

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BINNS, of Great Barlow Street, in the Parish of Saint Marylebone, in the
County of Middlesex, Water-closet Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS the King's most Excellent Majesty, by His Letters Patent
under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at Westminster, the
Twenty-third day of April, in the forty-first year of His reign, did give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Binns, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, Ilis especial licence that I, the said Thomas Binns, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, might make, use, exercise, and vend my Inven-
tion of "A NEW AND IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CANDLES OF WAX,
SPERMACETI, TALLOW,. OR ANY OTHER SOLID INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCE, WHEREBY
SUCH CANDLES WILL BE OF MUCH GREATER DURABILITY, AND WILL GIVE A MORE
STEADY AND BRILLIANT FLAME," within that part of Great Britain called England,
the Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, for and during the
term of years therein mentioned; in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso, that if I, the said Thomas Binns, should not particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of my Invention, and in. what manner the same is to
be performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause
the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one
calendar month next and immediately after the date of tho said. Letters.
Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages
whatsoever thereby granted, should utterly cease, determine, and become void;
anything therein-before contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwith-

page_text: standing, as in and the said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had,
may more fully and-at large appear..
NOW KNOW YE, that J, the said Thomas Binns, in compliance with the
said proviso, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in manner following, that is
to say:-
The apparatus by which I mean to perform and carry into effect my said
Invention may be seen by the plan hereunto annexed, to which I refer, and
which is more fully explained in the subsequent part of this Specification. A
principle object of my Invention is to destroy the bad effects which the naked
fire causes in melting down and manufacturing animal fat, and other substances
of which candles are made, by employing steam to produce a sufficient degree
of heat to melt, render down, or manufacture the aforesaid substances, and
thereby prevent the naked fire from discoloring, wasting, or otherwise injuring
the bodies or substances to be melted, rendered down, or manufactured into
candles. My Invention will also diminish manual labor in the following
ways: First, by rendering the constant attendance of a man or men at the
boiler unnecessary, since the heat produced by steam is of that particular
nature, that substances, which when melting in the common way must
inevitably burn to the boiler unless constantly stirred, will, in this improved
manner of producing the heat required, never stick or burn to the boiler in the
smallest degree. Secondly, by the aid of pumps, kept warm by the means of
steam, constructed as in the plan, a considerable saving of manual labor will
take place in using these pumps for the purpose of taking such solid imflam-
mable substances when in a liquid state from one vessel to another, which in
the common way is attended with much labor and trouble as well as waste.
Another advantage is also obtained by means of these pumps, as thereby the
liquid may be easily raised to any given height, from whence it may fall by
natural gravity from vessel to vessel, until the whole process is compleated.
Thirdly, by having a false bottom or strainer to lift the greaves from the
bottom of the melting copper, whereby they may be taken away with greater
facility, and in a fitter_state_for_pressing, than if no such strainer was used.
The great consumption of fuel in the melting or manufacturing of various
solid substances by the common method of applying fire only for such purposes,
will be considerably lessened by this Invention, as, when the water boiler in the
plan is once in a state of ebullition, a very small quantity of fire will keep it
in that state. Manual labor and fuel will be also saved in cutting the fat or
other solid inflammable substance according to the method shewn in the plan,
By the present method it will be more completely divided, and easily reduced in

page_text: a state for the melting copper, and will be more quickly melted or rendered
down. A considerable saving will also be made by applying steam round the
the press, and placing hollow press plates between the bodies or substances
to be pressed; the liquid being thus more easily drawn from the centre of the
bodies pressed, and the greaves or dregs left in a more dry state than by the
common way, and more fat extracted therefrom.
By preparing the cotton wool for the wicks of the candles according to
my Invention there will be a great saving in the quantity of cotton wool, the
wicks upon the improved plan requiring about two-thirds less cotton wool
than the common method; and also a considerable saving in labor; as tho
wicks are made from cotton wool only as it comes from the carding machine,
without the necessity of winding or spinning. Besides this advantage, there
are many others resulting from the cotton being prepared in this improved
manner, for the wick, being tubulous or hollow, on account of its being rolled
round wire, burns with a more steady and brilliant flame, and requires less
snuffing, and, from the small quantity of cotton to be used, the candle will
burn for a greater length of time, producing at the same time a better light.
The candle is also not so liable to gutter as when it is snuffed close to the
tallow, which inevitably causes a common candle to gutter. The tube, which
is never filled up entirely in the burning, proves a receptacle for the super-
fluous fluid, occasioned by the too near approach of the flame to the tallow, and
thus preventing it from overflowing.
The great advantage of making mould candles, by applying steam and cold
water in succession round the outside of the moulds, makes them more expe-
ditiously and beautifully than heretofore, as there is no necessity for waiting
until they are cooled by the air, and when made will have a better gloss than
common candles. These moulds are particularly adapted to the making of wax
candles, which have never before been made perfectly in moulds, on account of
the difficulty of keeping the mould warm while the wax was poured in, and
from the impracticability of drawing them out when made, which is entirely
remedied by introducing steam and water in succession round the outsides of
the moulds. There will also be a very great saving in manual labor by my
Invention for dipping candles, as it will make them more expeditiously, and at
the same time in a more true and perfect form, than can possibly be effected
by hand, as in the common way, and will be a great preventive to the cracking
of the candles.
An explanation of the apparatus, described in the plan hereunto annexed,
by which apparatus my Invention may be performed or carried into effect.
Fig. 1 is a section of a machine for cutting fat. a is the circular trough,

page_text: placed in a horizontal position, which moves upon a centre at b, b; this hori-
zontal trough is moved. by an endless screw upon the axis c, on which-the-fly
wheel d moves, which endless screw works in the spur wheel f, which gives
motion to the horizontal trough at g; is the cutting knife, which is fixed on
the lever i; is a communicating rod, which connects the lever to a crank on
the axis of the fly wheel at c, which gives motion to the knife by the revolution
of the crank; this is performed by a handle in the common way. The hori
zontal trough is made to advance any given distance by the endless screw at c,
and 'is so contrived as only to move when the knife is elevated by the extreme
of the crank, and is intirely clear of the fat, so that when the knife is brought
down again by the crank the situation of the trough is changed, and the fat
cut in a different place every revolution of the crank.
Fig. II. is a platform of the cutting machine, Fig. 1, which exhibits more
clearly the frame or lever wherein the cutting knives are fixed, marked 1, 1.
m, m, m, are the knives so fixed, screwed upon the frame 1. The knives
working parralel with the centre, and the trough being moved in a circular
direction, causes the knives to cut the fat into very small picces, similar
in shape to a lozenge or diamond, thereby dividing and separating it
completely.
Fig. III. is a melting copper, on an improved principle, which is intended
to melt either by confined steam or boiling water. n is a copper or boiler
to contain water to any given height, into which another copper is immerged
(marked o); this last-mentioned copper is surrounded either with steam or
water. These coppers are to be fastened together at the top either by solder
or screws, so as to be steam-tight, on some part of the top of which is a
steam valve, marked 2. This valve is weighted or loaded according to the
heat required. In the copper o is a false bottom or strainer (marked "g); fu!l
of fine holes, to divide or filter the liquid from those parts of the fat which do
not melt, but more particularly intended to separate the greaves from the
tallow, and to rise up the greaves to the surface of the copper by a cord.
When the same are required to be taken away from the fat or liquid, the
cord upon such occasions is hooked or fastened_to_the_bow_or_handle-of-the-
false bottom or strainer and disengaged at pleasure. The handle of the false
bottom or strainer is made to rise and fall occasionally, so as to be entirely
out of the way when there is any occasion to stir the fat. The liquid fat
when separated from the greaves by the false bottom is drawn off from the
copper by the pump 2.
Fig. IV. is a hot press for pressing the greaves. S is a cylindrical or square
vessel, which is surrounded by steam, as at t, t, which steam is supplied from

page_text: is a cock to let off
a copper by a commuuicating tube into the steam vessel surrounding the
vessel S, in which the greaves are contained. The cylindrical or square
vessel S is perforated with holes, which suffer the fat that is pressed out
from the greaves to sink into a space between the steam vessel, and the vessel
containing the greaves, which space is niarked u, u. The fat or liquid so
pressed out is drawn from such space by the cock v.
the condensed steam. For the more completely pressing the fat out of the
greaves, it is proposed to put the greaves into hair bags and place hollow
boards or press plates with holes or channels in them to let the fat run off
between the hair bags, thereby greatly facilitating the operation, which press
plates are marked a, a, . y is one of those plates out of the press; is a
small crane, fixed to the press, for the purpose of taking or swinging out the
cylindrical or square vessel from under the screw, the better to enable a
person to put the greaves, or other material to be pressed, into the.cylindrical
or square vessel, and to place the same in like manner under the screw, and
again remove it after being pressed. This press will also be found particularly
useful in the hot-pressing of paper, linen, woollen, and other cloths, and all
other materials for which hot presses are used; for the steam being contained
in an outer vessel, close to the cylinder or square vessel containing the things
to be pressed, rarifies the air within the press, and causes a considerably
greater degree of heat than in the usual manner: and by keeping up the
strength of the steam, this heat may be kept up or even increased during tlie
operation, and by the addition of the hollow press plates between the several
articles pressed. this heat is extended to every part of them. The steam is
confined in the outer vessel, which is steam-tight, and consequently no part
of it comes to the articles or things in the press but only the heat.
Fig. V. is a carding machine for preparing the cotton wool for the wicks of
candles. The cotton is taken from the carding cylinder in the usual way and
is led on to a drum wheel No. 1. This drum wheel is marked in divisions
or spaces for cutting the cotton of certain widths by a circular cutter at 2.
The cotton may be also cut by shears or any other cutting instrument on a
platform marked or divided into given breadths. 3, 3, 3, 3, are the cottons,
cut into a proper length and breadth for rolling on the wire No. 4; these
pieces of cotton are rolled on the wire, and may then be either dipped or
introduced into a mould and maile into candles, as in the common way.
Fig. VI. is a view of the machine for making mould candles, more particu-
Harly calculated for wax and spermaceti candles. The moulds are immerged
in a steam-tight vessel, fixed to a wheel, as at Nos. 5, 5, 5, 5. When steam
is wanted to inake the moulds warm, it is done by a communicating steam pipe,

page_text: as at No. 6; and when the wax, tallow, or other material of which candles
are made, is poured into the mould, and it is requisite to cool it expeditiously,
it is done by a communicating pipe, as at No. 7, which lets in cold water from
a cistern, No. 8. The steam moulds are fastened on a vertical wheel, which
is moved round at pleasure by a pinion, No. 9..
Fig. VII. is a section of a steam-tight vessel containing the moulds, which
more clearly exhibits the manner in which the steam or cold water is applied.
Fig. VIII. is a section of one of the moulds contained in the steam-tight
vessel, on a larger scale, to shew the manner by which the candle is taken out
of the mould, by a foot piece No. 10, which screws on the mould; this section
likewise exhibits the tubulous wick on the wire at No. 11.
Fig. IX. is the side view of a dipping machine, which consists of a vertical
spur wheel, on which is fixed a quantity of frames supporting the wicks to be
dipped; these frames are hung upon pivots, and are kept perpendicular by
pendulums. The vertical spur wheel on which the frames are fixed is hung
upon a scale beam, as at No. 12, and works upon a centre or pivot, No. 13;
at the onc end of the scale beam are the weights, and at the other a communi-
cating rod, which comes down to the centre of the wheel at No. 14. No. 14
is a friction wheel, moving up and down between two guides at Nos. 15, 15.
The machine is put in motion by a fixed pinion, No. 16. On the vertical wheel
are placed racks, perpendicularly over the frames, supporting the wicks to be
dipped. When the machine is in motion, and one of the racks is brought to the
fixed pinion, it causes the wheel to descend until the top of the rack passes
under the pinion, and then the pinion causes the wheel to ascend; the pinion
then works in the usual part of the spur wheel until it is again engaged in the
succeeding rack. At every depression of the vertical wheel of this machine
the wicks are dipped in a dipping mould placed underneath. No. 17 is tho
dipping mould, which is supplied with liquid tallow, or any material of which
the candles are to be made, from the reservoir, No. 18, by a communicating
steam pipe, No. 19. No. 20 is a steam copper to supply the dipping mould,
steam pipe, and reservoir, with steam,. thereby keeping the tallow or other
-material-in-a-liquid-state,-and-of-a-proper-heat,-which-by-this-improved-mode-
may be regulated by a thermometer.
::
Fig. X. is a section of the front view of the dipping machine, which
exhibits several of its parts in a more perfect. manner than the side view,
Fig. IX., before described. Nos. 21, 21, are the pendulums, fastened to the
ends of the pivots of the frames on which the wicks hang, which pendulums
always keep the candles in a vertical position. No. 22 is the dipping mould,
containing the liquid tallow, or other material of which the candles are to be

page_text: made, into which the wicks are dipped by the vertical wheel. No. 23 is an
air ball, floating in the tallow or other material in the dipping mould, which is
regulated by a thumb screw at the top, and by the air ball rising and falling
in the liquid tallow or other material, opens and closes the valve at No. 24, for
the purpose of keeping the dipping mould properly supplied with tallow.
Nos. 25, 25, are the two rods which communicate with the scale beam and
the vertical spur wheel, for the purpose of raising and falling that wheel at
pleasure, and thereby dipping the wicks. Nos. 26 and 26 are a sectional
view of the guides and friction wheels, which more clearly shows how the
same work.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-third day of May, in
the forty-first year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Third, the
said Thomas Binns came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery,
and acknowledged the instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein
contained and specified, in form above written. And also the instrument
aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the several Statutes made in
the sixth year of the reign of the late King and Queen William and Mary of
England, and so forth, and in the seventeenth, twenty-third, and thirty-seventh
years of the reign of His present Majesty King George the Third.
Inrolled the Twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and one.