AN IMPROVED CANDLE WICK
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED CANDLE WICK."-A com-
munication from Léopold Autran, residing at Milan, in the Kingdom of
DL

page_text: of the fused fatty matter towards the centre of combustion, during which the
top of the plaited wick in curving outwards carries with it the netting by
which it is surrounded, and is consumed with the latter as fast as it comes in
contact with the air. The longitudinal filaments correct the tendency of the
wick to bend outwards in certain cases more than is necessary. The wick
thus formed may be used in the combustion of all fatty bodies, and gives, even
with those of the lowest quality, a fine uniform flame, the necessity for snuffing
being entirely obviated.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marc Antoine François Mennons in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the, 9th July 1860..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 39,
Rue de l'Ecbiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Marc Antoine François Mennons, Her special licence that I, the said Marc
Antoine François Mennous, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Marc Antoino François Mennons, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED CANDLE WICK," (a communication from Léopold Autran,
residing at Milan, in the Kingdom of Piedmont,) upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describo 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 I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say):-
The Invention communicated to me consists in the application to ordinary
candles of a wick requiring no snuffing, and composed of the following
parts:-
1stly, an ordinary plaited wick, similar to that used in composite candles.
2dly, a variable number, say, from two to ten, or more, of threads or filaments
of cotton or other suitable textile matter distributed longitudinally round the
plaited wick.
3dly, a tubular netting in cotton or other analogous matter enveloping the
wick with the longitudinal filaments, and forming a loose open-worked sheath.
The sketch below represents the entiro combination.
The object of this arrangement is to facilitate the sufficient and uniform flow
of the fused fatty matter towards the centre of the combustion, during which
the top of the plaited wick, in curving outwards, carries with it the netting by.
which it is surrounded, and is consumed with the latter as fast as it comes in.
contact with the air. The longitudinal filaments correct the tendency of the
wick to bend outwards in certain cases more than is necessary. When from
the nature of the fatty body this tendency does not exist, the longitudinal
filaments may be dispensed with, and the wick be composed simply of the
plaited core enclosed in the open-worked sheath. When this system is adopted,
the wick generally requires to be prepared with a solution of boric acid, or
treated by any of the other processes of a similar nature. When the filaments.
are added, this is in most cases unnecessary. On the other hand, two or more
plaited wicks may, if desired, be enclosed in one netting, or in two or more
nettings passed one over the other. As above noted, the number of longitudinal
threads enclosed in the sheath with the plaited core may vary considerably,
depending as it does on the thickness or strongth of the filaments employed, tho
degree of fusibility of the fatty matter, a. the rigidity of the tubular netting.
As a general rule, from two to ten the ads are sufficient; thus in varying, ac-
cording to circumstances, the thickness of the plaited tresses and the tubular
nettings, in tightening or slackening the meshes of the latter, in interposing or
suppressing the longitudinal filaments, and in varying their number and
strength, the wicks composed as above described may be used without snuffing
in the combustion of all fatty bodies, and give, even with those of the lowest
quality, a fine uniform flame.

page_text: The tubular netting may be prepared and applied to the plaited wick, with
or without the longitudinal threads, by a variety of known mechanical con-
trivances, among which may be noted the apparatus generally employed in the
manufacture of watch guards, round braidings ("cordonnet"), and other meshed
or netted fabrics.
With a few modifications, the loom used in the preparation of the sheathing
tissue for petticoat steels or springs answers every purpose; the tubular netting
being woven over the plaited wick and longitudinal threads (when these latter
are adopted) in the same way as the sheathing tissue on the steels. In this
case, the spindles ("fuseaux,") should be arranged to work as in the manu-
facture of plaited wick, that is to say, that they should cross without revolving
on themselves, and leave the thread flat, during the delivery, instead of
twisting it.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of
carrying it into effect, I declare that what I claim is, the application to tallow
and other candles of a wick composed of an ordinary plaited wick or tress,
enclosed in an open-worked sheath of cotton or other suitable textile matter,
with the addition, when required, of longitudinal filaments or threads,
substantially as above laid down, and represented in the sketch at the head of
the present Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
M. F. MENNONS. (L.S.)