IMPROVEMENTS IN NIGHT LIGHTS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Payne and Joseph William Freestone,
both of the Palm Candle Works, Millwall, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN NIGHT LIGHTS."
Sealed the 26th June 1874, and dated the 1st May 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Payne and
Joseph William Freestone at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 1st May 1874.
We, GEORGE PAYNE and JOSEPH WILLIAM FREESTONE, both of the
Palm Candle Works, Millwall, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NIGHT
LIGHTS," to be as follows:-
Our said Invention relates to that class of night lights which have a
wick surrounded by a solid body of wax or composition enclosed within
a circular case of paper or other material.
The first part of the said Invention relates more particularly to the
putside case of such night lights, and consists in fixing in the same at a

page_text: slight distance from the bottom a disc of paper or other suitable material
which serves the double purpose of securing the wick and as a support
for a filling of plaster of Paris or other like cement which is placed in
the space below the said disc. This cement prevents the escape of the
liquid grease from the bottom of the night light when the same is
burning.
The second part of our Invention relates to the wicks of night lights,
and consists in fixing the wick in the said disc or holder out of the centre
of the same so that it will be kept at an angle to the flame and will
project through the side of the cone of the flame, thereby ensuring the
perfect combustion of the wick..
The third part of our Invention relates to providing a night light with
a wick which will retain its proper position during the burning of the
night light, whatever may be the heat thereof. This part of our Inven-
tion consists in incorporating with the wick one or any number of pieces
of metal wire thin or fine enough to bend at the point. The wick passes
through the flame, but strong enough to keep the wick in any position
in which it may be fixed. The combustible portion of the wick is formed
of strands of fibrous substance, preferably that known as inkle, which
is commonly used for the wicks of night lights. These fibrous strands
are drawn through wax or composition to cement the fibrous strands and
wire properly together.
The fourth part of our Invention consists in the securing of the said
wire and fibrous strands together by gimping or winding around them a
fine thread either before or after the drawing of the wire and fibrous
strands through the wax or composition. The gimping prevents the
separation of the wire and fibrous strands, and is preferably applied to
the wick before the final application of the wax or composition.
;
Our said Invention consists, fifthly, in making the wicks of night
lights of bibulous or unsized paper. This paper may be used in one,
thickness of the required substance or the wick may be made up of
several thicknesses, either with or without a woven fabric, to give
strength to the wick, the paper and fibrous material being cemented
together by wax or composition..

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Payne and Joseph William Freestone in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th October 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
PAYNE and JOSEPH WILLIAM FREESTONE, both of the Palm Candle
Works, Millwall, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand ciglt hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto us, the said George Payne and Joseph
William Freestone, Her special licence that we, the said George
Payne and Joseph William Freestone, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said George Payne and Joseph
William Freestone, our 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 Chanel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NIGHT LIGHTS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said George Payne and Joseph William Freestone,
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
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.
1
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Payne and Joseph William
Freestone, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying Drawing forming a part of this Specification
Our said Invention relates to that class of night lights which have a
wick surrounded by a solid body of wax or composition enclosed within
a circular case of paper or other material.

page_text: These improvements are clearly illustrated by the accompanying
Drawing, which we will now proceed to describe.
The first part of the said Invention relates more particularly to the
outside case of such night lights.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the said case, and Figure 2 is an
under side view of the same.
This part of the said Invention consists in fixing in the said at a
slight distance from the bottom a disc a of paper or other suitable
material, which serves the double purpose of securing the wick b and as
a support for a filling of plaster of Paris or other like cement, which is
placed in the space c below the said disc a. This cement prevents the
escape of the liquid grease from the bottom of the night light when
the same is burning, and also aids in securing the wick which is passed
through the disc a and turned over at the bottom of the same, as
shewn.
The second part of our Invention relates to the arrangement or position
of the wick of a night light, and consists in fixing the wick in the said
disc or holder out of the centre of the same and at such an inclination
that it will be kept at an angle to the vertical axis of the flame, and will
project through the side of the flame cone, thereby insuring the perfect
combustion of the wick. This position and inclination of the wick is
clearly shewn in Figure 1.
The third part of our Invention relates to providing a night light with
a wick which will retain its proper position, that is to say, the position
in which it is first placed during the entire time of the burning of the
night light whatever may be the heat thereof. This part of our Inven-
tion consists in incorporating with the wick a piece or any number of
pieces of metal wire thin or fine enough to bend when heated at the
point where the wick passes through the flame, but strong enough to
keep the wick in any position in which it may be fixed. The combustible
portion of the wick is formed of strands of fibrous substance, preferably
that known as inkle, which is commonly used for the wicks of night
lights. These fibrous strands are drawn through wax or composite to
cement the fibrous strands and wire properly together. This method of
forming the wick is illustrated in Figure 3, in which d is the fibrous
material and e is a fine wire wound spirally around the same.

page_text: . The fourth part of our Invention consists in the securing of the wire c
and fibrous strands d together by gimping or winding around them a
fine thread f, as shewn in Figure 4, either before or after the drawing
of the wire and fibrous strands through the wax or composition. The
gimping prevents the separation of the wire and fibrous strands, and is
preferably applied to the wick before the final application of the wax or
composition.
Figure 5 shews our improved wick with the strands of fibrous material
d and fine wire e laid parallel with each other as in Figure 4, but without
the gimp, and secured by drawing the wick through cement, which forms
a coating or envelope at the exterior of the same.
It will be seen that Figures 3, 4, and 5 are drawn to a scale many
times greater than that of the natural size of the wick.
Our improved wick is manufactured in a continuous length of any
desired extent, and afterwards cut into short pieces for the night lights.
Our said Invention consists, fifthly, in making the wicks of night
lights of bibulous or unsized paper. This paper may be used in one
199
thickness of the required substance, or the wick may be made up of
several thicknesses, either with or without a woven fabric, to give
strength to the wick, the paper and fibrous material being cemented
together by wax or composition.
Having thus fully described our said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we wish it understood that we are
aware that plaster has been already used for forming the bottoms of
night lights, we therefore do not claim the use of plaster irrespective of
the manner of using the same, as herein set forth. We are also aware
that wire and other devices have been employed for supporting the
wicks of night lights, but such devices have been separate from the
wick, and do not form a portion of the same, and therefore do not
accomplish the object effected by our Invention, and we claim,-
First. Providing the casing of a night light with a disc at a sufficient
distance from the bottom to receive a filling of plaster of Paris or other
like substance, as herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
Second. Fixing the wick of the night light in the said disc or holder
5 eccentric to the case and in an inclined or sloping position, as herein set
forth and for the purpose specified.

page_text: Third. Incorporating with the wick of a night light a piece or number
of pieces of fine or thin wire or other non-combustible material, as
herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. Securing the strands and wire of the said wick by gimping
the same, as herein set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The wick of a night light formed of bibulous paper with or
without a woven fabric, as herein set forth.
Sixth. A night light with a case constructed with a disc and a space
or chamber with a filling of plaster of Paris or the like below the said
disc, and with a wick which is secured in the said disc out of the centre
of the same, and is supported by a fine wire incorporated with or forming
part of the said disc, or with a wick of bibulous paper or bibulous paper
combined with woven fabric, as herein set forth and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Payne and Joseph William
Freestone, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-four.
GEORGE PAYNE.
(L.S.)
JOSEPH WILLIAM FREESTONE. (L.S.)
Witness,
JOHN COMPORT BENNETT.