An Improved Device for Cutting or Trimming the Wicks of Lamps.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Cutting or Trimming the Wicks
of Lamps.
1, JOHN ALFRED HAY, of Shelford Lodge Ratcliffe on Trent near Nottingham,
in the County of Nottingham, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
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 has for its object an improved device for cutting or trimming the
wicks of lamps which is intended specially for trimming or leveling the round wicks.
of oil lamps in such a mauner that charred portion of the wick is entirely removed
without any chance of its falling into the tube perforated portions of the base of
the burner which fouls the lamp and prevents perfect combustion besides causing
them to smell disagreeable.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings giving an
example of my device which will enable others to apply it to lamp wicks of similar
construction. I do not of course confine myself strictly to any particular sized
lamps and the general design of parts may be varied without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
a
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation showing portion of a lamp wick W with the
outer wick tube to and the inner wick tube w³ and my device applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a broken off elevation of the bottom portion of my cutting-
device A.
Figure 4 is a plan of the tray T for catching the charred portion of the wick as
it is severed by the cutters.
My new device consists of two main portions acting the one in combination with
the other viz. the circular tray T and the cutting or rimming tube A. The tray T
has a circular hole to cut at its centre of sufficient size to allow it to pass over the
outside of the outer wick tube w². At the inner portion the edge is sharply
turned upwards as seen in section at Figure 1 and the tray is continued into a
hollow rising to the outer edge t2 thus forming a complete dish all round the outer
wick tube and the wick w. I prefer to add to the tray a wire or other handle t
which turns upwards finishing in the ring guide t* with the parts to enlarged for
the purpose of allowing the cutters a' and a² to pass through with the tube A..
The tube A is a hollow cylinder with a suitable cap a to form a handle and the
cutters, are formed by slotting pieces out of the tube as at a which are turned
upwards and set so that the cutting edge slants towards the wick and they are-
slightly depressed towards the inside of the tube as the best position to produce the
best effect. The two cutters a¹ and a² are so set that one cuts when moving the
reverse way to the other so that whichever direction the tube A may be revolved
or turned a cutting effect and a smoothing effect is produced. The tube A just fits.
loosely into the inner wick tube w³ so that when the cutters a¹ and a² are pressed
upon the charred portion of the wick w the whole of the charred portion is.
delivered on the tray T so that when the device is taken off the lamp there is no
refuse left and the lamp is ready for lighting. The tubes A may be made from
sheet steel tinned or ordinary tin sheet iron or other metal such for instance as
brass and they may be in any sizes required. It will be obvious that the parallel.

page_text: cutting tube A might be used without the tray-but the object of my invention
would then only be partly attained as the collection of the portion cut away is
highly important.
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:-
The improved device for cutting or, trimming the wicks of lamps, consisting
essentially of the tray T and cutting parallel tube A working in combination with
each other substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and as shown upon
the drawings.
. Dated this 4th day of March 1896.
GEORGE BARKER,
.77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.