THE EMPLOYMENT OF A NEW MATERIAL IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF WICKS FOR MODERATOR LAMPS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Elce, of the City of Manchester, Machine
Maker, and George Hammond, of the same Place, Watch Maker, for
the. Invention of "THE EMPLOYMENT OF A NEW MATERIAL IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF WICKS FOR MODERATOR LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Elce and George
Hammond at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 24th November 1855.
We, JOHN ELCE, of the City of Manchester, Machine Maker, and GEORGE
HAMMOND, of the same Place, Watch Maker, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for THE EMPLOYMENT OF A NEW MATERIAL IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF WICKS FOR MODERATOR LAMPS, to be as follows:-
The nature of our Invention consists in manufacturing the wicks for lamps
of asbestos, instead of cotton or the other fibrous substances usually employed.
In manufacturing our improved wicks, the filaments of asbestos are worked
together, so as to form threads, which are woven into circular wicks to suit
the ordinary moderator or other lamps; or the filaments of asbestos may be
made into a sort of felt, or woven into a fabric, which felt or fabric is after-
wards cut to the size and make of wick required.
The object of our Invention is to supersede the necessity of trimming and
renewing the wicks, for asbestos being incombustible, all the inconveniences
or disadvantages arising from the consuming of the wicks are avoided.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Elce and George Hammond in the Great Seal Paten
Office on the 23rd May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, JOHN
ELCE, of the City of Manchester, Machine Maker, and GEORGE HAMMOND
of the same Place, Watch Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said John Elce and George Hammond, Her special license that we, the said
John Elce and George Hammond, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said John Elce,and George Hammond, our executors,
administrators, and, assigns, should. at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for THE EMPLOYMENT OF A NEW MATERIAL IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF WICKS FOR MODERATOR LAMPS, upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said John Elce and George Hammond, our executors or adminis
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of our or their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said John Elce and George Hammond, do
hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following Specification thereof (that is to say):--
The nature of our Invention consists in manufacturing the wicks of
moderator lamps of asbestos, instead of cotton or other fibrous substances
usually employed for making wicks. In manufacturing our improved .wicks,
the filaments of asbestos aro made into threads, in the same manner as has
before been practised for making fabrics of asbestos, and these threads are
woven into circular wicks by means of a braiding machine of the usual con-
struction; or the threads are woven into a fabric, which is afterwards cut into
strips and bent into a circular form of the diameter of the wick required. The
filaments of asbestos may also be felted or worked together to form a material

page_text: resembling felt, which is afterwards cut of the size required to form the
wicks.
Tho object of our Invention is to supersede the necessity of trimming and
renewing the wicks of moderator lamps, for asbestos being incombustible, it is
evident that all the inconveniences or disadvantages arising from the consuming
of the ordinary wicks are avoided.
Having thus described the nature and particulars of our Invention, wo
declare that we claim the employment of asbestos in the manufacture of
wicks for moderator lamps.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Elce and George Hammond,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-second day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-six.
Witness,
H. B. BARLOW,
Manchester.
JOHN ELCE.
(L.S.)
GEOE HAMMOND. (L.S.)