IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO OIL AND OTHER LAMPS WITH WICKS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Whitehead, of Ashton-under-Lyne, but at present
0
at Southport, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
DDY LOVA
T
I
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Whitehead at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September 1881.
JAMES WHITEHEAD, of Ashton under Lyne, but at present at Southport, in
the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO OIL AND OTHER
LAMPS WITH WICKS."
This Invention relates chiefly to those lamps with which chimneys and wicks
are used, and in which petroleum, paraffine, and other oils and spirits are consumed,
and has for its object the arrangement of the several parts of the burner and other
parts of the lamp, so as to cast little or no shadow downwards, and arrangements
for maintaining the surface of the oil at a fixed level as it is consumed; also the
arrangement of the wick winder by which unnecessary friction is obviated and
different thicknesses of wick provided for.
In the first part of my Invention I so arrange the several parts of the burner as
to cast little or no shadow downwards.
To accomplish this I dispense with the ordinary flange and other chimney
mountings projecting around and beyond the upper part of the burner, called the
dome or deflector, upon which flange the chimney in ordinary burners stands, and I
form the said dome round, or oblong, or of varied shapes, as required, in single,
duplex, or circular burners, and in all cases form it as small as possible consistent
with the size of the flame required. To increase the usual breadth of the flame in
small burners, I cut down the opening in the sides of the said dome lower than is
usual in order to cause the flame to spread out sideways, and I also open the sides of
the wick tube at its upper end for a short distance downwards for the same purpose,
thus making a comparatively broad flame which will overshine the burner.
In mounting the chimney upon the said dome I employ three projections from
the dome, curved to the required form of the chimney which rests upon them, the
opening at bottom of said chimney fitting around the bottom of the said dome just
beneath the usual perforations in the dome inside the chimney. The chimney has
no flange at bottom, but is fastened down to the seat or mounting, so formed by

page_text: two or three moveable points or projections from the inside of the dome through
its sides to the inside of chimney immediately above its lower opening, where it
fits the dome.
For this purpose around its bottom opening the chimney is flattened for a short
distance, the said points or projections being made by screws or springs to protrude
from the inside of said dome through its sides, or in other convenient manner, and
can be made to recede towards centre of dome by said screws or springs to provide
for the removal of the chimney, and vice versa, the said screws or springs being
worked from the outside of the dome underneath the chimney, or said projections
supporting chimney.
The said done with its projections and fasteners is fitted, mounted upon, and
hinged to the perforated air chamber below it, so as to turn over for lighting or
trimming the wick or other purposes, and is fastened down to the perforated air
chamber by means of a spring catch.
The said air chamber is made of the depth requisite for volume of air required,
but in no case allowed to project sideways beyond the said dome, or intercept the
rays of light downwards, and is mounted upon the wick tube or tubes which pass
through it, the lower end of wick tube or tubes terminating in a screw collar for
fixing to the tube which mounts and supplies it with oil and receives the “ 'spare"
wick.
In the duplex burner I use two wick tubes with their separate wicks, the upper
ends of which tubes are curved outwards. The dome in this case has two openings
or air passages, one to each wick tube, curved outwards at the top as the wick
tubes are, so that the two flames will be caused by the draught in an outward
direction to diverge from each other, and thus be maintained as two separate
flames issuing out so as to overshine the burner and throw the light downwards.
In circular burners in which either flat or tubular wicks are used I arrange two
air tubes inside the tubes containing the wick, and another outside of the wick
tube for supplying the necessary amount of air to the flame and chimney to
promote combustion, and on the top of the outside of the outer air tube I place a
conical funnel instead of a dome, and over the innermost air tube I place another
such funnel, though smaller, the sides of these funnels forming a passage for the
flame from the wick between them. The air tubes immediately on either side of
the wick tube lead into a passage between the two funnels, while the air passing
through the innermost or central tube passes up between the flame into the chimney.
This latter tube I can arrange so as to control or stop the draught. The perforated
air chamber and the gallery for supporting the chimney I construct as already-
described, but to allow of the chimney passing over the projecting sides of the
conical shaped burner, I make the opening of the bottom of it larger than the
diameter of the air tubes, and use the glass disc which I describe more fully
hereafter, or one or more glass plates fitted in between the projections to close the
bottom of the chimney.
In the case of chandelier or bracket lamps, I curve the lower end of the tube or
tubes containing the wick sideways to come in line with the horizontal or other
form of tube supplying the wick and burner with oil, and receiving the spare wick,
and to which the curved tube or tubes are mounted and fixed preferably by a
union joint.
In the wick winder I employ a roller similar in length to the breadth of the
wick, between which roller and the ratchet wheel the wick passes, thereby
obviating friction and ploughing of wick; the journals of said roller can work in
fixed bearings or in slots, the journals being in the latter case pressed to the
extremity of the slot towards the ratchet wheel by a forked spring or springs
bearing on the journal of the roller, or its equivalent, thus accommodating varied
thicknesses of wick.
The said winder so formed is encased so as to prevent the escape of oil, and the
wire or shaft which works the ratchet wheels is enclosed in a screw stuffing box to
prevent the escape of oil, which arrangement permits the surface of oil to rise

page_text: above the winder, and also that in the case of the chandelier or bracket lamp the
winder can be removed from under the flame, so as not to cast a shadow
downwards, and can be placed close to the union or other joint above described.
Sometimes I leave a larger opening at lower end of chimney for convenience of
cleaning, and it rests on a glass disc or plates which is made large enough to close
the said opening in chimney, and is mounted and fixed to the dome by the three
projections, the dome passing through it.
Another part of my Invention relates to the maintaining of the surface of the oil
to a fixed level, so as not to recede downwards from the flame, which I accomplish
in the following manner :-
In the case of the pedestal or table lamp I use bellows for containing the oil to
be consumed, from which the oil is forced by means of a regulated weight or spring
placed on the upper side proportionate to the height that the oil has to be forced.
These bellows are preferably placed at the foot of the pedestal in which they are
encased; the oil tube passes from the side of the lower part of bellows upwards,
and is curved over said bellows to the centre of pillar up which it passes; or I may
place a spring below and actuate the bellows from the bottom, leading the oil tube
from the top. At the upper end of the said tube is encased a glass tube through
which the oil passes to the burner, and in which is also contained the lower end of
the wick. The upper portion of the pillar, where it encloses the glass tube, is
provided with a slot or slots, to show the level of the oil and the position of
the wick in the glass tube. To the upper end of the pedestal is screwed or
otherwise attached the burner of the lamp. The oil is filled into the container
through a screw capped opening placed immediately below the perforated air.
chamber. In the case of chandelier or bracket lamps, I employ an oil vessel
through which an upright tube passes which is fixed to the bottom of the oil
vessel, and projects upwards for about double the depth of said vessel; through
this tube or opening passes the stud 0. stem upon which the oil vessel is
mounted, and the tube or hole, being round it, swivels sideways, or rises and falls
as required, being held at required height, preferably by a ring or washer, secured
to the stem by a thumb screw.
Upon the said tube, inside the oil vessel, is another tube of required length sliding
up or down, which is fixed at the bottom of another vessel, rather smaller than
the oil vessels, which slides up and down with the last mentioned tube, so that
when the outer vessel is filled with oil the inner one rises and floats upon the
surface of the oil, and as the oil in the outer vessel consumes and the vessel
empties, the said inner vessel fails and the oil rises between the two vessels.
Increasing pressure is imparted to the descending vessel by means of a weight
at the extremity of a radial arm, which is in nearly a vertical position when the
outer vessel is full of oil; but as the inner vessel descends, the radial arm presses
it downwards by a pulley on the upper end of another radial arm, fixed or
hinged at its lower end to the bottom of the inner vessel; the said pulley is
also attached to a third radial arm, which is fixed at such a position as to cause
the said pulley to traverse the said radial arm, carrying the weight from the
weight towards the fulcrum as the weight falls. The fulcrum of the arm last
mentioned, and also the fulcrum of the one carrying the weight, are carried
by a bracket fixed to the upper end of the tube which passes through the oil
vessel.
A flange or enlargement round the top of the outer or oil vessel forms a recess or
receiver, to the top of which the oil is continually kept by the pressure exerted by
the float or inner vessel; or I may use a bellows, as before described, fixed inside
the inner vessel instead of the above arrangement of float to maintain the surface
of the oil at a fixed level, and the bellows may be actuated by a weighted lever, as
before described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Whitehead in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th March
1882.
JAMES WHITEHEAD, of Ashton-under-Lyne, but at present at Southport, in the
County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO OIL AND OTHER
LAMPS WITH WICKS."
This Invention relates chiefly to those lamps with which chimneys and wicks
are used, and in which petroleum, paraflin, and other oils or spirits are consumed,
and has for its object the arrangement of the several parts of the burner or other
parts of the lamp, so as to cast little or no shadow downwards, and for maintaining
the surface of the oil at a fixed level as it is consumed; also the arrangement of
the wick winder, by which unnecessary friction is obviated and different thicknesses
of wick provided for.
It is best described by aid of the accompanying Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a
sectional elevation of bracket or chandelier lamp; Fig. 2, a plan of Fig. 1; Fig. 3
is a sectional elevation of a pedestal or table lamp in which the oil reservoir is
controlled by a weight N; Fig. 4, section showing wick tube and dome cut down
at sides; Fig. 5, section of wick winder (through x, x, Figs. 2 and 3); Fig. 6,
sectional elevation of double wick burner arranged for pedestal lamp; Fig. 7,
section through circular burner; Fig. 8, detailed view in sectional elevation showing
arrangement of spring and levers for compressing the oil reservoir: A is the
burner; B, the chimney; C, projections or gallery upon which the chimney rests;
D, screw or spring catches to hold the chimney securely to the gallery C; E, per-
forated air chamber; F, the wick tube; G, the wick; H, coupling between wick
tube and oil tube; I, oil tube; J, wick winder; K, friction roller; L, stuffing box;
M, bellows for raising the oil; N, weight for actuating bellows; N₁, spring for
ditto; O, pillar or bracket of lamp; P, glass tube in which the height of the oil is
seen; R, oil vessel; S, tube fixed to bottom of oil vessel; T, iuner vessel or float;
-U-tubo-fixed-to-bottom-of-inner_vessel_or_float;_and_weight_for_depressing the
float T; W, inlet for oil and recess for containing oil.
In carrying out this Invention I dispense with the ordinary flange or other
chimney mountings projecting around and beyond the upper part of the burner A
called the dome or cone, upon which flange the chimney in ordinary burners stands
and form the dome or cone A round or oblong, or of varied shapes, as required in
single duplex or circular burners, and in all cases form it as small as possible
consistent with the size of flame required. To increase the usual breadth of the
flame in small burners I cut down the opening a in the sides of the dome or cone A
lower than is usual in order to cause the flame to spread out sideways, and also
open the sides or edges of the wick tube F for a short distance downwards, as
shewn at f (Fig. 4) for the same purpose, thus making a comparatively broad flame
which will overshine the burner.
In mounting the chimney B upon the dome or cone A, I employ three projections C
curved to the required form of the chimney B which rests upon then, the opening
at the bottom of chimney fitting around the bottom of the dome or cone A, just
beneath the usual perforations in the dome inside the chimney. The chimney has
no flange at bottom, but is fastened down to the seat or mounting so formed by
one or more moveable points or projections D passing from the inside of the dome
through its sides to the inside of chimney immediately above its lower opening
where it fitts the dome.
For this purpose around the bottom opening the chimney is flattened for a short

page_text: distance, the points or projections D being made by screws d or springs to protrude
from the inside of dome A through its sides, or in other convenient manner, and
can be made to recede towards.centre of dome by the screws & or springs to provide
for the removal of the chimney, and vice versa. The screws or springs are
worked from the outside of the dome A underneath the chimney or below the
projections C. The dome A with its projections C and fasteners d is fitted to,
mounted upon, and hinged to the perforated air chamber E below it so as to turn
over for lighting or trimming the wick or other purposes, and is fastened down to
the perforated air chamber E by means of a spring catch e. I find as a result that
a chimney formed in this way, whilst promoting a free current at the top, does not
interfere with the free passage of the air at bottom, which often occurs where
flanges are used, particularly in the case of slip burners, where the bottom of the
chimney fits into a socket and is held by clasps.
The air chamber E is made of the depth requisite for the volume of air required,
but in no case allowed to project sideways beyond the dome A, or intercept the
rays of light downwards, and is mounted upon the wick tube or tubes F which
pass through it; the lower end of wick tube or tubes terminates in a screw and
collar, by which they are fixed or mounted to the tube I which supplies them with
oil and receives the "spare" wick.
In the duplex burner (see Fig. 6) I use two wick tubes F, with their separate
wicks G, the upper ends of which tubes are curved outwards. The dome or cone A
in this case has two openings or air passages, one to each wick tube, curved out-
wards at the top as the wick tubes are, so that the two flames will be caused by
the draft, in an outward direction to diverge from each other, and thus be main-
tained as two separate flames issuing out so as to overshine the burner and throw
the light downwards.
In circular burners (see Fig. 7) in which either flat or tubular wicks are used, I
arrange two air tubes g, g', inside the wick tube, and another outside of the wick
tube, for supplying the necessary amount of air to the fame and chimney to
promote combustion. On the top of the outside of the outer air tube I have
placed a conical funnel instead of a dome, and over the innermost air tube g¹ I
place another such funnel A', though smaller, the sides of these funnels forming a
passage for the flame from the wick. The air tubes g and h immediately on either
side of the wick tube F lead into the passage between the two funnels, while the
air passing through the innermost tube g¹ passes up between the flame into the
chimney. The perforated air chamber and the gallery for supporting the chimney
I construct as already described, but to allow of the chimney passing over the pro-
jecting sides of the conical shaped burner I make the opening at the bottom of it
larger than the diameter of the air tubes, and use one or more glass plates fitted in
between the projections C to close the bottom of the chimney.
In the case of chandelier or bracket lamps (see Fig. 1) I curve the lower end of
the tube or tubes F containing the wick, as shown, until the burner stands at right
angles with the horizontal or other, form of tube I through which the wick and,
burner or cone A are supplied with oil. This tube receives the "spare" wick, and
to it the wick tube or tubes F are mounted and fixed, preferably by a union*
joint H.
In the wick winder J I employ a roller K, similar in length to the breadth of
the wick between which roller and the ratchet wheel the wick passes, thereby
obviating friction and ploughing of wick; the journals of said roller can work in
fixed bearings or in slots, the journals being in the latter case pressed to the
extremity of the slot towards the ratchet wheel by a forked spring or springs k
bearing on the journal of the roller K or its equivalent, thus accommodating various
thicknesses of wick.
The winder J so formed is encased so as to prevent the escape of oil, and the
wire or shaft which works the ratchet wheels is enclosed in a screw stuffing box L,
which arrangement permits the surface of oil to rise above the winder, and also
that in the case of the chandelier or bracket lamp the winder can be removed from

page_text: under the flame so as not to cast a shadow downwards, and can be placed close to
the union or other joint above described. Or the shaft from the winder may be
carried in a socket or tube above the level to which the oil will rise, and working
the wick winder by a worm or pinion.
Sometimes I leave a larger opening at lower end of chimney B for convenience
of cleaning, and rest it on a glass disc or plate B' (see Fig. 6) which is made large
enough to close the said opening in chimney and is mounted and fixed to the dome
or cone A by the three projections C, the dome passing through it. The fasteners D
in this case being connected to the projections C instead of passing through the
dome as shewn, Fig. 6.
Another part of my Invention relates to the maintaining of the surface of the
oil to a fixed level so as not to recede downwards from the flame, which I
accomplish in the following manner:-In the case of chandelier or bracket lamps
(see Figs. 1 and 2) I employ an oil vessel R through which an upright tube S passes,
which is fixed to the bottom of the oil vessel and projects upwards for about
double the depth of the oil vessel R; through this tube or opening passes the stud
or stem O upon which the oil vessel R is mounted, and the tube or hole, being
round, it swivels sideways or rises and falls as required, being held at required
height, preferably by a ring or washer secured to the stem by a thumb screw.
Upon the tube S inside the oil vessel is another tube U of required length sliding
up or down, which is fixed at the bottom of an inner vessel T, less in breadth than
the oil vessel which slides up and down with the tube U, so that when the outer
vessel R is filled with oil, the inner one T rises and floats upon the surface of the
oil, and as the oil in the vessel R consumes, and the vessel empties, the inner
vessel T falls and the oil rises between the two vessels. Increasing pressure is
imparted to the descending vessel by means of a weight V at the extremity of a
radial arm v, which is in nearly a vertical position when the outer vessel R is full
of oil, but as the inner vessel T descends the radial arm presses it downwards by a
pulley on the upper end of another radial arm ¹¹, fixed or hinged at its lower
end to the bottom of the inner vessel T; the pulley is also attached to a third
radial arm 1, which is fixed at such a position as to cause the pulley v¹ to traverse
the radial arm v carrying the weight from the weight V towards the fulcrum as the
weight falls. The fulcrum of the arm 111 and also the fulcrum of the radial
arm are carried by a bracket X fixed to the upper end of the tube S. A flange or
enlargement Y round the top of the outer or oil vessel R forms a recess or receiver,
to the top of which the oil is continually kept by the pressure exerted by the float
or inner vessel T.
In the case of the pedestal or table lamp I form the oil reservoir or container M
in the form of bellows, from which the oil is forced by means of a series of levers
similar to those already described for the chandelier lamp, but preferably actuated
by a spring, and exerting an upward pressure, as seen in Fig. 8, though a precisely
similar arrangement to that previously described may be used. Or the pressure
may be derived from a dead weight N resting on top of the bellows, as seen Fig. 3.
This spring or weight is regulated in proportion to size of lamp and height the oil
has to be raised.
At the upper end of the tube I is encased a glass tube P through which the oil
passes to the burner, and in which is also contained the lower end of the wick.
The upper portion of the pillar O, where it encloses the glass tube, is provided with
a slot or slots p in its sides to show the level of the oil in the glass tube P, and
the position of the wick. To the upper end of the pedestal O is screwed or other-
wise attached the burner of the lamp. The oil is filled into the container through
a screw capped or other opening W placed immediately below the perforated air
chamber. The bellows are preferably made of sheet copper, brazed or soldered
together, or by electro plating the copper onto a core or block made of the proper
shape, which may afterwards be removed. Any other suitable material however
which will withstand the action of the oil may be used.
The bellows are preferably placed at the foot of the lamp pedestal O in which

page_text: they are encased, the oil tube I passing upwards therefrom through the centre of
the pillar. When using a weight to force the oil to the burner I prefer to place
it on the top of the bellows in the position shewn in Fig. 3, though it may be
otherwise arranged. In Fig. 8 is shown in detail the arrangement of levers to
compensate the varying pressuro exerted by the spring as it expends itself, and
also to give increased pressure on the oil reservoir as the oil is consumed. N' is
the spring exerting an upward pressure through the lever n. On the lever na
small pulley or roller n travels backwards and forwards as the lever n is raised
or depressed; n' is a radial arm carrying the pulley or roller n¹¹, and is pivotted
ou a fulcrum at m; m', connecting rod or radial arm pressing the bottom of the
bellows M. When the lamp is full of oil and the bellows expanded, the lever n is
depressed and the roller ni at the outer or further end of the lever where the
pressure of the spring will be least exerted to raise it. As the oil in the lamp is
consumed and the bellows compressed, the arin n rises and the roller n" moves
towards the spring, lessening the leverage through which the power is com-
municated, and thus increasing the effective power of the spring. The inner
tube I attached to the bottom of the oil reservoir M acts as a guide to keep the
sides of the bellows parallel when being compressed. I may, if desired, attach a
lever or thumbpiece to one of the radial arms to facilitate the filling of the oil
vessel by pressing it down and thereby compressing the spring N¹.
The coiled spring N¹ is provided with a ratchet and pawl, as shewn, and the
tension of it can be regulated at pleasure to adapt it to the height the column of
liquor is to be raised.
In a chandelier lamp I may sometimes use a bellows fixed inside the inner
vessel T actuated by a weight or spring with or without the arrangement of radial
arms instead of the arrangement of float to maintain the surface of the oil at a
fixed level.
Having now described my Invention, and the best modes known to me of
carrying it into effect, I wish it to be understood that what I believe to be new
and desire to protect under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1. The manufacture of lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or
spirits, constructed with the air chamber of not greater breadth than the dome or
cone of the burner, and without a flange or ring projecting beyond the cone or dome
so as to cast little or no shadow downwards, substantially as described.
2. The combination with lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or
spirits, of a chimney without a projecting flange at the bottom, and a screw or
spring catch impinging on the inside of it, substantially as described and shown.
3. The combination with lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or
spirits, constructed without a projecting flange or ring to obstruct the downward
passage of the light of a cone or dome and wick-tube cut away at the sides or
edges to allow the flame to spread out and produce a broad flame from a narrow
wick, substantially as described and shown.
4. The manufacture of lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or
spirits, in which the oil is kept at a regulated or fixed level by means of a float
or bellows actuated by a spring or weight which forces the column of oil up the
tube of the lamp, substantially as described and shown.
5. In lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or spirits, a float or
bellows actuated by a spring or weight through a series of arms or levers so arranged
as to compensate for the diminishing force applied and the extra force required to
act on the oil as it is consumed, to maintain it at the required height, substantially
as described (shown in Figs. 1 and 8).
6. In lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or spirits the combina-
tion of a wick winder placed below the level of the oil, and formed with a stuffing
box and gland or other mechanism above the level of the oil to prevent any
leakage, and a roller with or without spring to keep the wick in contact with the
ratchet, substantially as described.
7. In lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or spirits, the use of

page_text: two wick tubes curved outwards at the top with cone or dome correspondingly
shaped so as to throw the flame outward, substantially as described.
8. In lamps for burning petroleum, paraffin, or other oils or spirits, an annular
burner formed of two cones diverging outwards, between the walls of which the
flame passes with a central air passage leading through the flame in the manner
set forth and illustrated in Fig. 7.
9. The glass disc B¹, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Whitehead, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty two.
JAMES WHITEHEAD. (L.S.)