Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-01-06
EVOLUTION OF THE LAMP.
Origin and Changes Of the Popular and
Useful Household Ornsmeut

Origin and Changes OF the Popular and
Useful Household Ornameut
Boston Giobel
As used by the Egyptians. Greeks. and
Hebrews. lamps were simply Hat vessels.
round or oblong In shape. at one end OF
which was small handle. at the other q
nozzle, and with large opening in the
center, into which the oil was poured
The oil commonly used was vegetable.
but according to Pliny. sometimes Of
very elegant form and ornamented with
fanciful designs. were hung by chains to
bronze candeiabrA Tarentum and Egina
were especially famed for making them
of great elegance
low. oval. metallic vessels. furnished as
and nozzle at the other may still be
seen. Some are made to be carried in the
hand. while others are suspended by
Hebrews kept their lamps burning al
night. and this custom is still in vogue in
Aleppo and Egypt From the earliest
lamp remained about the same. consist.
Ihk VI Oh oitu . WIN IL oouIC Aiuu
If vessel A complete re olution in
arti ciai light was caused by the inven-
ton of NJ. Ami Argsud. in l7s4, of .
burner with circular wick. The fame
was thus supplied with an outer and
inner current Of sir. Areand was also
the inventor of glass chimney. as ap-
piled to his and other lamps The 50 called
astral lamps were provided with these cir
cular wicks. the reservoir for the oil being
arranged in the form Of hollow ring,
enveloping the central stand that sup.
ported the burner. In consequence Of the
peculiar shape given to the ring the lamp
cast no shadow at little distance ef An
ingenious piece of clockwork ma :hinery
was devised by Carcel. in 1900. for pump
ing the oil from the reservoir at the foot
Of the lamp up to the burner, and thus
supplying II ALWAYS from tho same point
This lamp afterward slightly improved by
others. was in many respects the most
perfect Of these contrivances but its great
cost prevented its general adoption II
was. furthermore. 30 large and heavy that
1t could be moved only with di fcuity,
and the very complicated nature of its
mechanism re uired access to skilled
workmen TO keep it in repair A modifi-
cation Of the Carei lamp known as the
Diacon, was long popular in this countrv.
lu 1877 le'er heir made the great in
vention-since fully developed by Aron
son-of raising the supply of oil by
means Of another fluid with specific
gravity greater than oil This fluid was
generally q mixture .of salt and water
The -automaton. invented by Porter in
lsOi. was very ingenious The lamp was
suspended on an axis. counterbalanced
by a weight. so that it hung level when
full. but at an angle Of IS degrees when
empty. thus being fed evenly by the
gradual ascent of the burners. In 1892
Samuel Parker. JE. made an important
improvement, the fixing Of French chin
neys upon burners by means Of metal
supports. The difficulty OF distinguish
ing between the countless inventions rel
ative 70 lamps and those referring to gen.
eral illumination does not appear great
prior to 1865. when tbs production Of Pc
troleum greatly stimulated the study of
practical methods of generating light
Ii is remarkable that the invention of
Hero Of Alexandria. in which the oil was
raised by water. involves the pressure
principle since developed in nearly
hundred forms 1t is adapted to any
kind Of in ammable fluid. and while
burning may be rolled upon the ground.
upset, pr reversed for any time without
danger. 1t is interesting to note that the
most important recent inventions In
lamps are chiefly American. A full de.
scription of them all would occupy
volumes; but 1t is safe to say that no
other household article has undergone SO
many and such marked changes in the
past century as the lamp