Improvements in Lamps for Burning Liquid Hydro-carbons.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1893—Accepted, 22nd July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Burning Liquid Hydro-carbons.
I, HENRY ARTHUR WHEAT of a'Beckett Street, Melbourne, in the Colony of
Victoria, Engineer, 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 has been devised for providing the public generally, and railway
proprietors in particular, with an improved lamp which is so constructed as to
enable the heavier hydro-carbon liquids to be utilised, causing economy in the
production of light; and at the same time affording an illuminant of the first
quality and obviating the use of the light liquid hydro-carbons, the employment.
of which is deprecated on account of their inflammability and liability to
explosions.
Before describing my invention in detail I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to any particular class of lamps, as the invention may be utilized for
all purposes, and in all places, where a brilliant light is required; I shall therefore
for simplicity of illustration, restrict myself to describing my improvements as
applied to the ordinary hanging lamps such as are frequently met with in railway
passenger carriages.
My invention comprises
Firstly The improvement that I adopt for using any sort of hydro-carbons or
analogous liquids for burning same in regenerative lamps entirely without the use
of an air or vapour chamber for generating vapour and gas from such liquids as has
been previously used in connection with regenerative lamps burning hydro-carbons,
and,
Secondly-The improvements which I adopt for using same in connection with
such construction of lamps as I have before referred to for lighting railway carriages,.
and the manner in which my invention can be adapted to existing lamps of this
description as well as to most patterns of existing regenerative gas lamps, in either
case producing a simple and efficient lamp of great brilliancy, and one which works.
automatically. I use a lamp on the regenerative principle in combination with
both a top, or downward, and bottom, or upward, draught impinging on a
flame produced from any small burner suitable for the purpose. I find the bottom,.
or direct upward draught particularly necessary for producing a brilliant white
light (especially so where a heavy grade of liquid is used) and although top,.
or downward draughts may be used so as to supply both sides of the flame with air,
it is found from practice that it will not produce the effect of the top and bottom
draughts in direct opposition to one another, as the draughts require to be of similar
strength, or else imperfect combustion will follow.
I employ an inverted glass chimney in connection with the flue, above where it is
necessary or advantageous to have the flame, some distance below the reflector in
some cases, for the purpose of giving it extra length to the flue where the height
cannot be got from above, as well as for the purpose of assisting the vaporization
of heavy grade hydro-carbons hereinafter to be referred to.
"
Reference may now be made to the accompanying drawing showing a sectional
elevation of my improvements, as arranged in a common railway carriage lamp, and
in which "A" is the tank containing the liquid hydro-carbon and from which the
liquid is allowed to trickle by the regulation of a tap "A l through the
pipe "A 2" down and along the vaporizer tube "B," the function of which will be
explained hereinafter. At the bottom of "B" I place a burner or gasifier "C"
preferably, but not arbitrarily, of the pattern shown, but may be of an analogous
pattern if desired, or its construction may be simplified by the employment of wire
cr

page_text: gauze in connection therewith. The burner, as shown by me on the drawing, is
provided with outlet holes for the escape of gas or liquid and so constructed as to
terminate in a point, the advantage of this construction will be referred to later on.
If preferred, to facilitate lighting, a small piece of asbestos fibre may be suitably
arranged in proximity to the burner. "D" is an air-tight glass globe or shell for
surrounding the whole of the burner or flame parts, and terminating at its bottom
in an opening through which a ventilator “E” is arranged. This ventilator "E"
fulfils a double function, that is to say-
Firstly Permitting the air for the combustion of the flame to enter under the
burner (and may or may not be provided at its exit with wire gauze), and
The
Secondly Preferably providing a small cup "E1" in its centre for catching
any drip of liquid from the point of the burner "C" and also acting as a director
for the ventilation air to the flame. In lieu of the ventilator "E" a piece of wire
gauze may be inserted at "E 2" but I prefer the construction as shewn.
whole of the construction may be unscrewed and removed from the bottom of the
globe "D" when it is required to light the lamp. "F" is a tubular passage
through which air proceeds from the openings at "F1" down towards the
burner "C" aforesaid after having passed through a sheet of wire gauze "G" placed
in the enlarged end "H," but a sheet of wire gauze may be placed at the bottom of
the enlarged chamber "H" and the shape of the said chamber altered to suit. I would
now call attention to the direction of the draughts in my lamp from which it will be
seen (as indicated by the arrows) that air enters at passages "F1" and proceeds
down the tube "F" through the perforations or wire gauze "G" (situated in the
chamber "H") and makes its exit therefrom on the neck or top of the flame,
issuing from the burner "C," and proceeds together with the flame in an outward
and upward direction to the flue. On the other hand the air draughts entering at
the ventilator "E," proceed up and through the annular opening under the
cup "E 1," up to and impinges against the under side of the flame issuing from the
burner "C." It will therefore be seen that the flame will be supplied with air on
either side both trending, by reason of their combatting with one another, outwardly
and upwardly and taking the flame between them. The spent gases or products
from combustion proceed thence up through apertures "I" in the frame-work
supporting the lamp, to a conical shaped chimney "J" fitted with an uptake tube
chimney "K" on which may be mounted any convenient cowl for preventing
antagonistic draughts. "L is an ordinary inverted glass globe in common use in
railway carriages, "M" being the usual outer casing provided with annular entrance
perforations "M 1," and louvred rings "M 2." If preferred, and to suit local
peculiarities or requirements, the outer casing of "M" may be perforated in a
suitable manner and used either in lieu of or in conjunction with the ventilator holes.
under louvre rings "M 2" aforesaid. "N" are the usual standard tubes supporting
the lamp, from which it will be seen are secured the hanging of the globe of my
lamp, by means of locking levers "O' to enable the globe "D" to be removed.
The whole of the parts of my lamp are detachable and replaceable, being held in
position the one with the other by fitting collars and screws.
*
"
"
The modus operandi of my invention is as follows:-
High grade liquid hydro-carbon may be placed in the annular tank "A," a small
amount is then allowed to trickle through the cock "A 1" down the small pipe
(shown in dotted lines) into the tube "A. 2" and then down the gasifier pipe "B"
into the burner "C." A small quantity will exude down the fine point terminating
the burner "C" to which I apply a light and it will be found to burn steadily for
a short while until the burner "C" becomes heated. Any surplus drippings being
caught by the cup "E 1" or equivalent receiver. As the burner becomes heated
the flame will increase rapidly, and the hydro-carbon liquid coming to it in the
pipe "B" will become gradually volatilized or vaporized as it approaches the heated
part, and in a short while the flow of liquid at "C" will cease and a vaporous gas
take its place; simultaneously the combustion of the flame will cause an indraught
of air both at the bottom ventilator "E" and in the tube "F," in the direction

page_text: shown by the arrows respectively. Perfect combustion will ensue and the products.
will pass up from the circular flame to the apertures "I," the funnel shaped
director "J," and the chimney tube "K." I would call attention to the fact that.
the gasifier tube "B" will, after the burner has been in flame a short while become
heated, particularly at its lower end, as will also the air in tube "F" by reason of
radiation caused by the passing products of combustion so that when a high grade
liquid is being used it will become lightened gradually during its passage through the
pipe "A 2" and the gasifier tube "B" and being made gradually hotter and hotter
as it approaches the burner it will assume a gaseous of vapoury state and be readily.
combustible.
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 lamps for burning liquid hydro-carbons: A gasifier tube (as "B"),
through which the flame-producing liquid is allowed to trickle or flow, whilst being
gradually heated, so as to become volatilized or vaporized on its arrival at the
bottom, and the end of which terminates in a burner of any approved pattern, as
and for the purposes described and explained.
2. In lamps for burning liquid hydro-carbons :-The combination of a downward.
draught impinging on the top of the flame with an upward draught impinging on the
underside of the flame in a combative manner with the downward draught, said
flame being produced from the direct combustion or gasification of liquid hydro-
carbon substantially as described and as illustrated.
3. In lamps for burning liquid hydro-carbons -A globe (as "D"), the sides of
which are impermeable to air or gases, its top being open to the main flue of the
lamp, and in the bottom of which a ventilator is placed for the ingress of air to.
the flame substantially as described and illustrated.
4. In lamps for burning liquid hydro-carbons :-An inner air tube or cylindrical
chamber (as "F"), preferably terminating in an enlarged chamber (as "H"),.
containing perforated passages or wire gauze, and around the outside of which the
flame and its products pass for the purpose of heating the air in such tube
substantially as described.
5. In lamps for burning liquid hydro-carbons :-The general construction,.
mechanical arrangement and combination of the whole of the parts shown on the
drawing herewith constituting a complete hydro-carbon lamp substantially as and.
for the purposes described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Hated this hth day of Anx
IRUR
Dated this with
H. A. WHEAT.
John P. O'Donnell,
Palace Chambers, Westminster, S.W., Agent.