Year: 1896

page_text: I ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH of 208 Choumert Road, Peckham, in the County of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to so construct and arrange the several parts
comprising the burner that said burner will when connected to an oil, and an air
supply, (both under pressure) light up upon the application of a flame, such as from a
lighted match, and burn thereafter with an intense bunsen flame, which can be
regulated at will to suit the varying circumstances and conditions under which it
may be used.
Hitherto petroleum burners have been so constructed as to require preheating by
burning, benzine, or spirits of wine around the base of the burner, to vaporise the oil
within it before it would light up or burn. Hence such burners cannot be used without
danger and delay.
Now by my invention as hereinafter fully described, preheating is entirely obviated,
the burner being instantly lighted, and can moreover be used for many purposes to
which those of ordinary construction are not applicable, such for instance as heating
laundry irons, which as is well known, are now heated by gas, the air supply being
under pressure to produce the required bunsen flame within the iron.
In carrying my invention into practice I arrange a coil of piping one end of which
is connected to the oil supply, and the other end to a small jet with its orifice opening
into the cylinder formed by the coil of piping. A second pipe is also connected to
the before mentioned jet, and to an air supply under pressure, preferably from the air
space in the top of the oil reservoir as it is necessary that both the oil and the air be
at the same pressure, or if a continuous air pressure be available such as from a fan,
that is in use for forcing air along a system of pipes, then the air supply to the jet
may be made direct, so long as the oil is also subjected to the same pressure.
The air pumped into the oil reservoir forces the oil up the pipe and around the coil
until it reaches the jet, to issue therefrom with the air, the force of which breaks it
up into a spray of very fine vapour which on account of the forced air supply will
readily ignite on the application thereto of a lighted match, and thereafter burn as a
bunsen flame of intense heat.
The spray when first lit heats the coil and gasifies the oil within it, which as it
enters the jet commingles with the air, which if desired may be previously heated by
causing it to flow through a coil intertwined with the oil tube to obtain a flame of
great heat. The size of the flame and the degree of blast imparted thereto, is
regulated by cocks or valves in the air and oil supply tubes, or in the jet itself.
Or instead of the oil and gas issuing from the same jet, it may issue from separate
jets, arranged at an angle to each other, the chief feature in either case being to use
air pressure that forces the oil to the burner, to cause it in the first instance to so
spray it as to be able to easily ignite it, and afterwards to intermix with the oil gas,
which in the first place is generated by the flame obtained from the spray, instead of

page_text: from a separate supply of heat as at present. As an equivalent to the coiled tubes I
may cut a fine groove, around a cylinder, and fit another cylinder tightly over it, the
said groove (or it may be grooves) being connected to the oil supply, or to both the
air and oil supply.
Dated thin 9th day of T1 1008
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Petroleum Burners.
I ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH of 20 Hinckley Road East Dulwich late of
208 Choumert Peckham in the County of London S.E. 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 for its object to so construct and arrange the several parts
comprising the burner that said burner will when connected to an oil and air supply
(both under pressure) light up upon the application of a flame such as from a lighted
match and burn' thereafter with an intense bunsen flame which can be regulated at
will to suit the varying circumstances and conditions under which it may be used.
Hitherto petroleum burners have been so constructed as to require preheating by
burning methylated or other spirit around the base of the burner to vaporise the oil
within it before it would light up or burn. Or additional burners have been used to
heat the main burner, said additional burner not being required after the main burner
is sufficiently heated. Now by my invention as hereinafter fully described preheating
by spirit, or by additional burners of the kind designated is entirely obviated as will
be well understood upon reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a burner and oil and air reservoir, Fig. 2 part
sectional elevation of a burner in which the air to be used is heated by the flame.
Fig. 3 is a part sectional elevation shewing. an alternative method of applying the
principle of my invention. Fig. 4, is a view of the cap and air pipe as required to be
fitted to lamps of ordinary construction, to convert the burners into self vaporizing
burners.
In carrying my invention into practise I arrange a coil of piping A one end B of
which is connected to the oil supply C, and the other end to the jet D with its orifice E
opening into the cylinder formed by the coil A and the casing F.
A second pipe G is also connected to the before mentioned jet D and to an air
supply under pressure preferably from the air space H in the top of the oil reservoir I,
or if a continuous air pressure be available such as from a fan or pump then the air
supply to the jet may be made direct so long as the oil is not subjected to less pressure.
The air pumped into the oil reservoir I forces the oil C up the pipe B and around the
coil A and thence to the jet D to issue from the orifice E with the air that passes up
the pipe G which breaks up the oil as it issues from the cap J into a fine spray that
will readily ignite on the application thereto of a lighted match. The flame thus
created impinges upon the coil A and heats it sufficiently to vaporize the oil passing
through it, which as it passes out of the jet D, commingles with the air, in the small
interstice M formed between the cap J and the orifice E of the jet D. The amount
of air so issuing can be regulated by the screw P or shut off altogether if desired, for
the vapour alone to burn such as when only moderate heat is required, as for example
in a torch suitable for burning off paint, in which case the pipe Q may be fitted with
an india rubber bladder pump in order that a continuous supply of air may be pumped
into the air space H during such time as the spray is burning. A regulator R is
also provided to determine the amount of oil that shall pass, or of gas, after the oil has
become vapourized.

page_text: The peculiar characteristic of my invention consists in the fact that the oil spray
issues from the same jet as the vapour, and that the spray is gradually merged into a
gas as the heat of said spray after ignition takes effect upon the coil A, also that air
may issue with said gas or vapour such as when an intense flame is required, or said
air may be shut off altogether as described. In Fig. 2, the air supply tube G is
intertwined in the coil A by being inserted within the larger pipe before the bending
or coiling of same is effected, a sufficient length G being left to be turned up to
communicate with the air space H when used in connection with a reservoir I as
shewn and described with reference to Fig. 1 so that the air as it passes on its way to
the jet D becomes heated, moreover the oil having to traverse a minute passage
between the inner and outer pipe is more readily heated and vaporized or separate air
and oil coils may be arranged for this purpose in the manner indicated at Fig. 2^.
The spray is preferably caused by a cap J, screwed upon the jet D the interior of
same being of such shape as to leave an interstice M before inentioned, a sinall
passage M being provided that communicates with the air pipe G, the orifice of the
jet D also opening into said interstice M the outlet from which is a fine hole K. Or
the said cap J may form part of the jet D and the orifice be formed in a plug tap as
indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 2.
Or instead of the gas and air issuing from the samne jet, they may issue from
separate jets arranged at an angle to each other as at Fig. 3 the coil A being arranged
above the lighting jet D and is opened out to admit the flame and allow same to
spread each way within it for heating purposes, a second jet D1 being set axially with
the coil A to act as a blast to the flame arising from the jet D after the air from the
pipe G is shut off. The flame from the jet D impinges upon the pipe and is deflected
upwards into the coil by the casing F, this casing acting as a resistance against.
which the flame impinges, and I may if desired arrange a resistance in the burners
shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
Burners constructed according to my invention are particularly applicable to
engines of motor cars, as they can be readily lit up and moreover the engine by a
pump, or an enclosed crank chamber will keep a constant supply of air flowing under
pressure to the air space H by the pipe Q which is fitted with a non return valve L,
for this purpose. For instance if the pipe Q Fig. 1, be put in communication with
an enclosed crank chamber of an engine similar to that described by me in my
Complete Specification No. 9038 of 1895, the piston of such an engine on its
downstroke compresses the air in the chamber and forces a proportion of it through
the pipe Q to exert pressure upon the top of the oil in the reservoir I. As the engine
continues in action a continuous pressure will be maintained in the space H to which
it rises through the oil as indicated by the arrows, so that if desired I may allow air
to issue with the spray without lowering the effective pressure in the reservoir I
which is maintained by the action of the engine to force the oil to the burner.
The space H of the reservoir I may at starting be charged with air by a separate
hand pump but preferably by giving the engine a few turns, it being of course
understood that the crank chamber is fitted with an air inlet valve and the pipe Q
with a non return valve Q. Therefore supposing that the air space H is charged
with air in the manner indicated it is only necessary when required to light the
burner to turn the taps R and P, to be able to instantly light the resulting spray
preparatory to starting the engine instead of igniting a small but dangerous
supplementary supply to effect the same purpose as hitherto has been done. My
invention is applicable to torch lamps as at present constructed, as by the addition of
the cap J and pipe G provided with a regulator P and attaching same to the jet and
the air supply in the manner hereinbefore described, said lamps by opening the
regulator P can be caused to spray the oil for ignition purposes the flame of which
will vaporize the oil. The spray flame is a white one but as vaporizing proceeds it
will gradually turn blue, when the regulator P may shut off the air supply to the
burner altogether if desired, or if connected to a source of constant supply may be
used to increase the intensity of the flame. From the foregoing it will be noticed.
that the spray is first produced for ignition and self heating purposes, and that

page_text: vapour afterwards issues from the same burner, which will continue to burn in the
well known manner supplying sufficient flame for external use as well as automatically
vapourizing the oil for continuous combustion. It is obvious that spirits of petroleum
or any suitable combustible oils may be used.
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. The improvements in and connected with petroleum burners consisting in so
constructing a burner, and connecting same to an air and combustible oil supply
under pressure, that said oil first issues as a spray for ignition and self heating and
afterwards as a vapour for combustion and external heating purposes as set forth.
2. Connecting the jet of a petroleum burner to an air supply and an oil supply and
so combining said jet with the vaporizing coil or its equivalent, and with a spraying
nozzle, that when pressure is put upon said air and oil supply, a spray is produced
which after ignition will vaporize the oil in the coil and issue as vapour and continue
to burn automatically with or without the pressure air supply as described.
3. In a petroleum burner so combining a vaporizing tube connected to a jet at one
end and an oil reservoir or supply at the other end with an air pipe connected to a
spray nozzle at one end and an air supply at the other end that said oil supply
when subjected to pressure by the air, will issue with said air as a spray that can be
ignited for the purpose described.
4. In a petroleum burner, the combination with a vaporizing tube such as A, B,
and jet such as D, of a spraying nozzle, and air pipe such as J, and G, respectively, all
arranged and regulated in the manner substantially as shewn with reference to Fig. 1
and for the purposes described.
5. In a petroleum burner the combination with vaporizing tube such as A, B, and
jet such as D of an air supply tube G intertwined with said tube A, B, and with or
without the upturned end G¹ all arranged and regulated in the manner substantially
as shewn with reference to Figs. 2 and 2 and acting in the manner and for the
purposes described.
6. In a petroleum burner the combination with a vaporizing coil such as A or its
equivalent of jets D, D' and spraying nozzle G and arranging same substantially in
the manner described and shewn with reference to Fig. 3 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 8th day of April 1897.
ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH.