Improvement in Lamp-wicks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Lamp-wicks.
I, DAVID JENKINS, of Wyrallah House, Esplanade, Perth, in the Colony of
Western Australia, Gentleman, 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 an improvement in the constitution of wicks for use
in lamps for burning illuminating oils whereby such wicks are rendered non-
consumable or non-combustible as regards that portion of the wick which is utilised
for ignition purposes and as the intermediate agent of illumination which conveys
or feeds the oil to the flame.
The wicks which possess this invention do not char therefore do not require to
be retrimmed whilst the quality of the light is improved being whiter more steady
and brilliant than the light resulting from wicks of the ordinary cotton or such
like consumable material.
The invention essentially consists in the use of tips composed of asbestos fibres
or threads which are woven or incorporated in and into the wick such asbestos
woven portion or tip would extend to a reasonable depth of say a quarter of an
inch or thereabouts although it is obvious that it could extend to a lesser or greater
depth. In practice I would use the maximum depth or amount of asbestos fibre
as is consistent with good results.
In the manufacture of this invention I may use the asbestos tips as a whole for
subsequent attachment to the wick body or may also employ strands or threads
which individually are tipped or composed of asbestos, which asbestos is twisted
or interwoven into such strands which compose and constitute the body of the
wick.
These non-consumable tips may also be in the form of asbestos pulp, asbestos
solution or compound which are affixed to the main body of the wick by virtue of
the inherent adhesive power of such pulp solution or compound.
I have mentioned asbestos as the non-combustible constituent although I do
not limit myself to the arbitrary use of this material as other analogous natured
materials may be adopted to the purposes of this invention, but by preference I
use asbestos as the non-consumable agent in the manufacture of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. In the manufacture of lamp wicks the herein described and specified improve-
ment consisting of the commixture, union or incorporation by weaving or such
like means of non-combustible or non-consumable fibrous material with the other
fibres or threads of the lamp wick substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth and specified.
2. In the manufacture of lamp wicks the herein described and specified improve-
ment consisting of the use of asbestos fibred tips which are incorporated or inter-

page_text: woven together in one piece with the other absorbent and combustible fibres con-
stituting the lamp wick substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and
specified.
3. In the manufacture of lamp wicks the herein described and specified improve-
ment consisting of the employment of tips which are made altogether of an asbestos
or analogous non-combustible material, such tips being subsequently attached or
connected, so as to become one with the lamp wick substantially as and for the
.purposes herein set forth and specified.
4. In the manufacture of lamp wicks the herein described and specified improve-
ment consisting of the use of an asbestos pulp, compound or solution which is
attached by its adhesive power in the form of tips to the body of the wick sub-
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and specified.
Dated this 30th day of August 1898.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.