IMPROVEMENTS IN WICKS FOR LAMPS AND IN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Year: 1885

page_text: Manufacturing the same.
I WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 34 Blackfriars Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN WICKS FOR LAMPS AND IN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING
THE SAME to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to wicks adapted for use in existing and similar lamps in
which mineral fat and other oils are burnt and these Improvements have for their
object the production of an incombustible wick possessing great durability.
The material of which the wicks are composed is placed in a plastic condition in
a receptacle from which it may be forced by screw or hydraulic pressure through a
suitable die or dies the wicks being thus formed or moulded in a manner and by
apparatus similar to those employed in the production of bricks tiles or lead tubing.
As the wick is moulded or. issues from the dies it is received upon a series of rollers
upon which it may be cut into suitable lengths by transverse wires stretched upon
a swing frame at the requisite distances apart. The table carrying the rollers rests
at its outer end upon legs or supports and at the opposite end upon a bracket
secured below the die or dies.
If the wick is desired to be used with a star wheel regulator for raising or
lowering it in the lamp, corrugations are formed upon the wick as it issues from
the die by means of a spur or similar wheel rolling in contact with the plastic wick.
To prevent distortion of the wick when a tubular or hollow form is desired the core
of the die is made to project beyond the point of contact between. the wheel and
wick.
.
Any especial form of wick may be produced by suitably formed dies or in some
cases as in wicks for furnaces, they may be moulded by any of the methods or by
any apparatus usually employed in moulding similar forms in plastic material.
The material of which the wicks are formed consists of fire clay intimately
mixed with coal charcoal or other combustible matter and water to a plastic state.

page_text: Suitable proportions for ordinary use are: Fire Clay 2 parts, Charcoal 1 part and
water a sufficiency. These constituents are carefully and thoroughly ground
together and moulded as herein before described.
After moulding, the wicks are air dried and are then subjected to a white heat
in a muffle or suitable furnace until the Charcoal or combustible material is entirely
burnt. By this method of manufacture a porous fire clay wick is produced the
porosity of which is determined by the amount of charcoal or other combustible
material contained in the raw mass and the hardness of which varies with the heat
and length of time employed or occupied in the burning process.
Wicks produced according to this Invention have the porosity or cappilliarity of
cotton wicks without their combustible property and as no cake or "snuff" forms
upon them in use, their action is regular and equable for long periods. The danger
of explosion due to the falling off of portions of burning wick, and the necessity for
trimming are avoided and greater cleanliness is secured.
If from any cause the end or burning surface of the wick should become
damaged it may be repaired with a file as quickly as a cotton wick could be
trimmed.
•
Dated thin fouth dose of hunn 100K

page_text: Manufacturing the same.
I WILLIAM EDWIN HEYS of 34 Blackfriars Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Mechanical Engineer, 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 relates to wicks adapted for use in existing and similar lamps in
which mineral, fat and other oils are burnt and these Improvements have for their
object the production of an incombustible wick possessing great durability.
The material of which the wicks are composed is placed in a plastic condition in
a receptacle from which it may be forced by screw or hydraulic pressure through a
suitable die or dies the wicks being thus formed or moulded in a manner and by
apparatus similar to those employed in the production of bricks tiles or lead tubing.
As the wick is moulded or issues from the dies it is received upon a series of rollers
upon which it may be cut into suitable lengths by transverse wires stretchered
upon a swing frame at the requisite distances apart. The table carrying the rollers
rests at its outer end upon legs or supports and at the opposite end upon a bracket
secured below the die or dies.
.
If the wick is desired to be used with a Star wheel regulator for raising or
lowering it in the lamp, corrugations are formed upon the wick as it issues from
the die by means of a spur or similar wheel rolling in contact with the plastic
wick. To prevent distortion of the wick when a tubular or hollow form is desired
the core of the die is made to project beyond the point of contact between the
wheel and wick.
Any especial form of wick may be produced by suitably formed dies or in some
cases as in wicks for furnaces they may be moulded by any of the methods or by
any apparatus usually employed in moulding similar forms in plastic material.
The inaterial of which the wicks are formed consists of fire clay intimately mixed
with coal charcoal or other combustible matter and water to a plastic state.
Suitable proportions for ordinary use are; fireclay 2 parts, Charcoal 1 part and
water a sufficiency. These constituents are carefully and thoroughly ground
together and moulded as herein before described.
After moulding the wicks are air dried and are then subjected to a white heat
in a muffle or suitable furnace until the charcoal or combustible material is entirely
burnt. By this method of manufacture a porous fire clay wick is produced the
porosity of which is determined by the amount of charcoal or other combustible
material contained in the raw mass and.the hardness of which varies with the heat
and length of time employed or occupied in the burning process.
Wicks produced according to this invention have the porosity or capilarity of
cotton wicks without their combustible property and as no cake or "snuff" forms
upon them in use their action is regular and equable for long periods. The danger
of explosion due to the falling off of portions of burning wick and the necessity for
trimming are avoided and greater cleanliness is secured.
If from any cause the end or burning surface of the wick should become
damaged it may be repaired with a file as quickly as a cotton wick could be
trimmed.

page_text: And in order that this invention may be more readily understood and carrie 1
into practical effect I have hereunto appended a Sheet of drawings having the
figures thereon marked with letters of reference similar letters in the various
figures denoting similar parts and reference been hereinafter bad thereto.
Fig. 1 is a section of the apparatus along line ab Fig. 3.
Fig. 2 is a section along c d. Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a plan partly in Section.
Fig. 4 is a section of part of the apparatus along a b Fig. 3 shewing a
modification.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent two different forms of wicks such as may be used for
kitchen fires and other purposes.
A, is a closed reservoir in which is a piston by means of which the plastic mass A'
is forced out of A through the die or opening B. To the front C is secured within
the reservoir, or chamber A, a bow D the ends D' and D2 of which pass through C
and are held by the nuts D³ and D. To the centre of D opposite B may be secured
the core E and its prolongation E¹ by means of the nuts and screwed part E³.
F is a stand which carries the framing G G¹ the other end of which rests upon the
angle bracket H attached to C. The framing G G' carries a series of rollers J J
which serve to support and carry the wick as it issues from B. K K are bent arms
hinged to the framing G¹ and connected by the rod L upon which at convenient
distances are fixed screws M and hooks N or other suitable arrangement to which
cutting wires may be attached. The other ends of the cutting wires may be
attached to the rod L' which is parallel with L and may serve as the axis on which
the arms K turn. The wires are kept in tension and serve to cut the plastic wick
into the desired lengths. The plastic mass issuing from B takes the form of the
die or opening and if desired it may be corrugated for use with a star wheel or for
other purposes by means of a suitably shaped wheel P.
I am
aware that incombustible wicks have already been made and that
apparatus similar in some respects to that herein before described has been
employed for other purposes and therefore I do not broadly claim the production
or manufacture of incombustible wicks nor the general use or construction of the
apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
(1) The composition and manufacture or construction of porous incombustible
wicks for burning hydro-carbon oils substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before set forth and described.
(2) In an apparatus for moulding or otherwise producing incombustible porous
wicks for burning hydro carbon oils, the combination of the various parts consisting
essentially of the reservoir or chamber A, the die or opening B, a piston suitably
actuated for pressing the plastic material through B, the core E, the wheel P, the
rollers J J, the framing G G¹, the stand F and bracket B, and the cutting arrange-
ment consisting of the parts K. K¹. L M N and O, substantially as herein before set
forth and described, and as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this twenty fourth day of November in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty five.