IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL OIL STOVES
Year: 1877

page_text: "
A
LETTERS PATENT to Charles Rennick, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of.
London, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL OIL STOVES."
communication from abroad by John A. Frey, of the City of New York, United
States of America.
Sealed the 10th July 1877, and dated the 23rd April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Rennick at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd April 1877.
CHARLES RENNICK, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COAL OIL STOVES." A communication from abroad by John A. Frey, of
the City of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to a class of stoves which is known as "oil stoves," and
has for its object an increase in the comfort, efficiency, and safety of the same, to
which end it consists principally in an oil stove in which are combined a body for
containing heated air and sustaining cooking utensils, one or more burners for
consuming oil, and oil reservoir, constructed of or from glass and made detachable
from said body, and a frame for sustaining, inclosing, or protecting said reservoir,
substantially as herein-after specified.
It consists further in the means employed for protecting the oil reservoir, sub-
stantially as is herein-after set forth.
It consists further in combining with the burners and body of a stove an
auxiliary air guide or passage, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after
shewn and described.
It consists, finally, in an oil stove provided with a water pan below its burners
and a detachable oil reservoir below said water pan, and having a pipe or passago
for supplying oil to said reservoir arranged within said water pan, and partly or
wholly surrounded by water, substantially as and for the purpose herein-after
specified.
In carrying out this Invention the water pan of the stove, which has any desired
horizontal dimensions, is arranged to contain the wick tubes, wick wheels, and
shafts, and has near the upper ends of the said tubes a perforated diaphragm, which
is secured to the same, and is provided at its edge with a cylindrical upward

page_text: projecting flange, and at such point is sustained by several braces extending
vertically between such flange and the bottom of the said pan, and secured to each.
Upon the upper end of the flange is placed a plate which contains two cones or air
guides fitting over or around the upper ends of the wick tubes, and performing the
usual office of such parts by directing the currents of air against the flame of the
oil. Secured to and extending upward from the edge of the plate is a cylinder
which has preferably a height about equal to its diameter, and at its upper end is
inclosed by means of a plate provided with openings directly over the wick tubes,
through which the heated escaping products of combustion pass from the said
cylinder. An outward and upward extending plate, provided with openings around
its sides, is secured upon the upper end of the cylinder, and serves as a support for
cooking utensils. For convenience the cylinder is hinged at its lower end at one
side to or upon a support carried by the water pan, which enables it to be turned
outward and downward, so as to uncover the burners.
In order that the flames from the burners may be rendered more steady, and the
heat generated may be caused to pass more quickly upward against the vessel
being heated, a series of openings is provided in and through the cone plate. At a
point midway between the cones or air guides of two separate and independent
burners and below the same is fitted a tube which extends downward to and
through the diaphragm, and conveys air from beneath the latter to the last-
mentioned openings.
The current of air passing upwards through the openings separates and steadies
the flames from the burners, and causes the heat generated by the same to pass
quickly to the top of the cylinder instead, as would otherwise be the case, of
remaining at its lower end.
The tubes for supplying oil to the reservoir have heretofore been outside of and
below the water pan, but as thus arranged have been liable to become broken or
injured. In order to obviate such difficulty a passage is formed within the lower
portion of the water pan, and extending from near the centre of the said pan,
where communication is had with the interior of the oil reservoir, radially outward
to or near the edge of the same, and from thence vertically upward to a convenient
height to permit its end to be closed by a screw cap. By this arrangement the
supply tube is removed from all liability to contact with surrounding objects, and
being covered by the liquid contents of the water pan cannot become heated.
Sheet metal reservoirs for containing oil have heretofore been employed, which
reservoirs have been permanently attached to or upon the stove section, so that their
interiors could not be exposed without removing the solder from the joints and
separating the top or bottom plates..
In the use of this class of reservoirs the only way in which the presence or
absence of a supply of oil could be ascertained was by shaking the stove, while
in filling such reservoir the means for determining when it was full was the
rising of the oil within the filling tube, the result frequently being an overflow
of oil.
Another difficulty arose from the inability of the operator to see the wick within
the reservoir, and thereby know whether the said wick was being raised or lowered
by turning the wick wheel shaft, the result being that occasionally the said shaft would
be turned in the wrong direction, so as to force the wick out of its tube and entirely
beyond reach. The wick thus forced into the reservoir would frequently become
entangled with and interfere with the movement of the wicks contained within the
tubes, and when, as sometimes occurred, several wicks where contained within the
said reservoir, the effect would be to completely obstruct the operation of the
stove.
The difficulties named are remedied according to this Invention in the following.
manner: A reservoir is constructed of glass, and at its upper end is provided an
opening which has a somewhat larger diameter than is necessary for the admission
of the wicks as arranged in the stove. Surrounding the opening is a vertical flange
or neck, around which is cemented a metal ring provided exteriorly with a screw

page_text: thread which coincides with an interior or female screw thread formed within a
flange, which is secureed upon and depends from the bottom of the water pan. As
thus arranged, by placing the flange upon the ring, and screwing the former down
around the latter, the stove and reservoir will be firmly united, while at the same
time they are capable of being easily and quickly separated.
In order that the glass reservoir may be protected from injury it is inclosed
within a frame which is composed of two square pieces of board arranged hori-
zontally in parallel lines, so as to embrace the upper and lower ends of the reservoir,
and connected together at their corners by means of posts constructed preferably
from wood, which posts may extend below the lower board and form feet; or the
said feet may be constructed separately and attached.
The reservoir is preferably constructed with sides which flare upward and outward,
and within the lower board is provided a correspondingly shaped recess for the
reception of the lower end of the said reservoir.
An opening for the reception of the neck portion of the upper end of the
reservoir completes the frame, which forms a perfect protection for the said
reservoir from contact with articles of furniture, cooking utensils, and the like.
The water pan rests upon the upper side of the frame, which latter is thus caused
to sustain the weight of the stove, and of articles placed thereon.
For the purpose of preventing the wicks within the reservoir from becoming
entangled with each other there is attached to or upon the lower side of the water
pan, midway between the wick tubes, a plate or diaphragm which extends down-
ward to or near the bottom of the reservoir, and effectually separates the said
wicks.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Rennick in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th October
1877.
"
CHARLES RENNICK, of Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COAL OIL STOVES." A communication from abroad by John A. Frey, of
the City of New York, United States of America.
The said Invention relates to a class of stoves known as "coal oil stoves," which
are used for burning coal oil, petroleum, or other suitable oil, and it has for its object
obtaining increased comfort, efficiency, and safety in the use of such stoves, to which
end it consists principally in the combination in an oil stove of a body for con-
taining heated air and sustaining cooking utensils, one or more burners for consuming
oil, an oil reservoir constructed of or from glass, and made detachable from the said
body, a frame for sustaining, inclosing, or protecting the said reservoir, an auxiliary
air guide or passage; also a water pan below the burners and a pipe or passage for
supplying oil to the said reservoir arranged within the said water pan, and partly
or wholly surrounded by water, all substantially as and for the purposes herein-
after specified.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the
several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a perspective view of the improved stove
arranged for use.
Figure 2 is a like view of the stove portion detached from the oil reservoir, and
with its upper part turned back to shew the burners.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lower side of the said stove section.
Figure 4 is a like view of the said oil reservoir; and Figures 5 and 6 are vertical
central sections of the stove taken at right angles to each other.

page_text: A is the water pan of the stove, which has any desired horizontal dimensions, and
is arranged to contain the wick tubes B, wick wheels and shafts C and D respec-
tively, and has near the upper ends of the said tubes a perforated diaphragm E,
which is secured to the same, and is provided at its edge with a cylindrical upward
projecting flange F, and at such point is sustained by several braces G extending
vertically between such flange and the bottom of the said pan, and secured to each.
Upon the upper end of the flange F is placed a plate H, which contains two cones
or air guides h, h, fitting over or around the upper ends of the wick tubes B, and
performing the usual office of such parts by directing the currents of air against the
flame of the oil. Secured to and extending upward from the edge of the plate H is
a cylinder I which has preferably a height about equal to its diameter, and at its
upper end is inclosed by means of a plate K provided with openings k, k, directly
over the wick tubes B, through which the heated escaping products of combustion
pass from the said cylinder. An outward and upward extended plate L, provided
with openings l around its sides, is secured upon the upper end of the cylinder I,
and serves as a support for cooking utensils and radiating appliances. For con-
venience the cylinder I is hinged at its lower end at one side to or upon the
support M, which enables it to be turned outward and downward, so as to uncover
the burners.
In order that the flames from the burners may be rendered more steady, and that the
heat generated may be caused to pass more quickly upward against the vessel being
heated, a series of openings h¹ is provided in and through the cone plate H. At a
point midway between the cones or air guides h, and below the same is fitted a
tube e which extends downward to and through the diaphragm E, and conveys air
from beneath the latter to the said openings h¹.
The current of air passing upwards through the openings h¹ separates and steadies
the flames from the burners, and causes the heat generated by the same to pass
quickly to the top of the cylinder instead, as would otherwise be the case, of
remaining at its lower end.
The tubes for supplying oil to the reservoir have heretofore been outside of and
below the water pan, but as thus arranged have been liable to become broken or
injured. In order to obviate such difficulty a passage N is formed within the lower
portion of the water pan A, and extending from near the centre of the said
pan, where communication is had with the interior of the oil reservoir radially
outward to or near the edge of the same, and from thence vertically upward to a
convenient height to permit its end to be closed by a screw cap n. By this arrange-
ment the supply tube is removed from all liability to contact with surrounding
objects, and being covered by the liquid contents of the water pan cannot become
heated.
Sheet metal reservoirs for containing oil have heretofore been employed, which
reservoirs have been permanently attached to or upon the stove section, so that their
interiors could not be exposed without removing the solder from the joints and
separating the top or bottom plates.
In the use of this class of reservoirs the only way in which the presence or
absence of a supply of oil could be ascertained was by shaking the stove, while
in filling such reservoir the means for determining when it was full was the
rising of the oil within the filling tube, the result frequently being an overflow
of oil.
Another difficulty arose from the inability of the operator to see the wick within
the reservoir, and thereby know whether the said wick was being raised or lowered
by turning the wick wheel shaft, the result being that occasionally the said shaft
would be turned in the wrong direction, so as to force the wick out of its tube and
entirely beyond reach. The wick thus forced into the reservoir would frequently
become entangled with and interfere with the movement of the wicks contained
within the tubes, and when, as sometimes occurred, several wicks were contained
within the said reservoir, the effect would be to completely obstruct the operation
of the stove,

page_text: According to the said Invention the difficulties before mentioned are remedied in
the following manner :-A reservoir O is constructed of glass, and at its upper end
is provided an opening o which has a somewhat larger diameter than is necessary
for the admission of the wicks as arranged in the stove. Surrounding the opening o
is a vertical flange or neck o' around which is cemented a metal ring P provided
exteriorly with a screw thread p, which coincides with an interior or female screw
thread formed within a flange Q, which is secured upon and depends from the
bottom of the water pan A. As thus arranged by placing the flange Q upon the
ring P, and screwing the former down around the latter, the stove and reservoir will
be firmly united, while at the same time they are capable of being easily and quickly
separated.
In order that the glass reservoir may be protected from injury it is inclosed
within a frame, which is composed of two pieces K, S, of wood or metal of a square
or other suitable shape arranged horizontally in parallel lines, and connected
together at their corners by means of posts T constructed of wood or metal, which
posts may extend below the lower board or plate S and form feet t; or feet may
be constructed separately and attached.
The reservoir O is preferably constructed with sides which flare upward and
outward, and within the lower board or plate S is provided a corresponding shaped
recess & for the reception of the lower end of the said reservoir.
An opening r for the reception of the neck portion of the upper end of the
reservoir completes the frame which forms a perfect protection for the said
reservoir from contact with articles of furniture, cooking utensils, and the like.
The water pan rests upon the upper side of the frame, which latter is thus caused
to sustain the weight of the stove and of articles placed thereon.
For the purpose of preventing the wicks within the reservoir from becoming
entangled with each other there is attached to or upon the lower side of the water
pan A, midway between the wick tubes B, a plate or diaphragm U, which extends
downward to or near the bottom of the reservoir O, and effectually separates the
said wicks.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, the general arrangement and combination of parts constituting an
oil stove, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described and as illus-
trated by the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Rennick, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.
CHARLES RENNICK. (L.S.)