IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NIGHT LIGHTS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Earnshaw, of Cambridge Terrace, Thornton
Heath, Croydon, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NIGHT LIGHTS."
Sealed the 11th January 1859, and dated the 12th July 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Earnshaw at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 12th
July 1858.
I, THOMAS EARNSHAW, of Cambridge Terrace, Thornton Heath, Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF NIGHT LIGHTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of night
lights. For these purposes a stand is made for cach night light of plaster of
Paris, in such manner that the upper portion is of a cylindrical form, of the
diameter of the intended night light, and such portion enters some distance
into the cylinder of paper which forms the outer case of the night light. In
the centre of the plaster bottom to the night light a hole is made to receive
the lower end of the wick, the casting of plaster below that portion which
enters into and forms the bottom of the paper case of the night light protrudes
below, and is formed of a larger diameter than the paper case, and thus con-
stitutes a stand for the night light on which it can safely be burned without
the bottom of the night light being immersed in water. In place of em-
ploying the night light stuff or material of its natural color, I color it with
such colors as may be preferred.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Earnshaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th January 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
EARNSHAW, of Cambridge Terrace, Thornton Heath, Croydon, in the County
of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Earnshaw, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas
Earnshaw, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Thomas Earnshaw, my 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF NIGHT LIGHTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Thomas Earnshaw, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Earnshaw, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of night
lights. For these purposes a stand is made for each night light of plaster of
Paris in such manner that the upper portion is of a cylindrical form, of the
diameter of the intended night light, and such portion enters some distance
into the cylinder of paper which forms the outer case of a night light. In
the centre of the plaster bottom to the night light a hole is made to receive
the lower end of the wick. The casting of plaster below that portion which
enters into and forms the bottom of the paper case of the night light protrudes
below, and is formed of a larger diameter than the paper case, and thus con-
stitutes a stand for the night light, on which it can safely be burned without

page_text: the bottom of the night light being immersed in water.
being immersed in water. In place of em-
ploying the night light stuff or material of its natural color, I color it with
such colors as may be preferred.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a plan, a section, and side view of a bottom for a night
light case. This bottom is moulded of plaster of Paris; it is made a little
concave at its upper surface, and it is also made with a hole in the centre to
receive the lower end of a wick.
Figure 2 shows a section of a night light complete. The bottom a of
plaster of Paris descends below and projects beyond the paper case b, as
shown, so that, in addition to closing the bottom of the case b, it forms a foot
or stand on which the night light is burned, and it does not require to be
placed in water, as is most usually the case. In making a night light, a
paper case or box is placed on the upper part of the stand or foot a, and then
by a brush fluid size is applied on the interior all round the plaster of Paris
and the paper case or box 6, by which a close joint is produced between them;
the wick is then introduced, and when the case is dry the melted fat or
material is run in to fill the case or box. The form of the external parts of
the stand or foot a may, if desired, be varied from that shewn. In place of
using the grease or matter of its natural color, I prefer to color the same with
coloring matters, such as have been used when coloring fats and grease for
other purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Earnshaw, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
S. CARPMAEL.
THS. EARNSHAW. (L.S.)