AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WICKS FOR LAMPS OR STOVES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Carl Quitmann at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 1st June 1880. A communication from
abroad by Carl Kuhlen, of Rheydt, in the Province of Rhenish Prussia, Germany.
CARL QUITMANN, of Jewin Crescent, in the City of London. "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF WICKS FOR LAMPS OR STOVES." (A communication
from abroad by Carl Kuhlen, of Rheydt, in the Province of Rhenish Prussia,
Germany).
This Invention relates to an improvement in the manufacture of wicks for lamps
or stoves, in which mineral or hydro-carbon oils or other suitable combustible
liquids are used for general lighting, illuminating, or heating purposes.
In the manufacture of such wicks as at present most generally carried out,
the wicks are composed simply of cotton or other fibrous materials woven or
felted together.
In the wicks there is a certain amount of stiffness which is desirable to allow of
the wick being readily raised and lowered in the wick tube of the lamp or stove,
but, as at present constructed, this feature can only be attained in weaving by
weaving the cotton threads very closely together, so as mutually to support
each other; but this method of attaining one desirable feature is very detrimental
as regards another, in that the absorbing power of the wick is greatly lessened,
consequently there is a deficient supply of the liquid fuel elevated from the
reservoir to the point of combustion, and the lamp or stove cannot attain its
full power; moreover, the wick at the point of combustion, not being kept
sufficiently moistened, gets charred, necessitating constant trimming to avoid the
clogging of the air passages and the danger of explosion.
The especial object of this Invention is to remove these disadvantages and to
attain the necessary amount of stiffness with a much looser weaving or felting,
or other make of the usual fibrous materials of which the wick is composed, so
that the absorbing power of the wick is greatly increased, whereby the illuminating
or heating power of the lamp or stove is also increased, rendering the lamp or stove
more economical, and the production of the objectionable charred portion of the
wick, which is so detrimental to the free flow of the oil or combustible liquid, is
quite avoided, it only being necessary occasionally to trim the wick to avoid
inequality in its top surface and to ensure a steady and proper shaped flame.
The Invention consists in combining with the wick a series of fine metallic
wires or threads. These metallic wires or threads may be spaced apart at any

page_text: desirable distances, and they may be combined with the wick in various ways, but
it is preferable that they should be incorporated with the wick during the process
of weaving or manufacturing the same by being interwoven with and enveloped
by the usual cotton or other fibrous materials of which the wick is composed.
Besides the advantages hereinbefore enumerated, there are others attendant
upon the improved manufacture of wick, among which may be mentioned the
following:
Owing to the cotton being woven very much looser than at present, the wick
immersed in the oil or combustible liquid in the reservoir is rendered much less
liable to become foul or clogged with oleaginous or other matter, which greatly
prevents a free absorption of the oil, such being the most detrimental influence to
which wicks can be subject, their especial object being to transfer the combustible
medium from the reservoir to the point of combustion. Another advantage is, that
the illuminating or heating power of the lamp or stove is increased, as the metallic
threads get white hot, are vaporized, and tend to cause a quicker flow of the
combustible medium. Again, owing to its non liability to char and so waste away,
it is rendered cheaper in use.