Improved Means of Regulating the Supply of Oil to the Burners of Hydro-carbon and other Oil Lamps.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 14th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted 20th May, 1887.
RESERVE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Regulating the Supply of Oil to the Burners of
Hydro-carbon and other Oil Lamps.
I, JOSEPH BEVERLEY FENBY, of Sutton Coldfield, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to maintain the oil in hydro-carbon and other lamps
at a constant level during the period of consumption. I effect this in the following
way. The supply of oil is contained in a closed vessel at any convenient distance
below the burner. A tube, opening into the top of this closed vessel, conveys the
oil up to the burner. This tube is open at both ends. The oil is forced up to the
burner, and maintained at a constant, or nearly constant, level by hydrostatic
pressure. This pressure is obtained by means of a column of water, or any liquid of
greater specific gravity than the oil, and of a nature not to injure the oil. This
column of water, or other liquid, is contained in a tube which passos downwards
through the top of the closed vessel, and terminates in a well provided in the bottom
of the closed vessel. This water tube rises to a height such that the head of water (or
other liquid) shall just balance a column of oil of the height required to supply the
burner. The water tube is open at both ends. At a level higher than the top end of
the water tube is a closed vessel. This closed vessel holds a supply of water (or other
liquid) to maintain the hydrostatic column in the water tube. This closed vessel has
two tubes-open at both ends-passing through the bottom, and dipping into the upper
end of the water tube, to the level which is to be maintained by the hydrostatic
column in the said tube.
The action is as follows. So fast as the burner consumes the oil, the oil level tends
to fall, but the hydrostatic column also tends to fall, and the water (or other liquid)
in the water tube passes down into the closed vessel containing the oil; and, by a
constant, and self-regulating, process of displacement, the water exactly occupies the
space of the consumed oil, and the level of the oil under the burner is maintained.
Simultaneously, as the water (or other liquid) in the water tube tends to fall, a

page_text: sufficient supply to maintain its level passes out of the upper closed vessel. A perfect
hydrostatic balance is thus maintained so long as the oil and the water (or other
liquid) hold out. It is advisable that the water (or other liquid) should exceed in
quantity the full charge of oil. The lowest part of the wick should be higher than
the top of the hydrostatic column in the water tube.
For table lamps the upper closed vessel may be in the form of a hollow ring
surrounding the chimney above the flame.
If it be desired to prevent the oil and water from coming into contact with each
other, I introduce a secondary closed vessel in communication with the oil vessel.
The water from the water tube flows into this secondary vessel, and, by expelling the
air from the same into the oil vessel raises the oil.
DL: 1
T.... 1000

page_text: Improved Means of Regulating the Supply of Oil to the Burners of
Hydro-carbon and other Oil Lamps.
I, JOSEPH BEVERLEY FENBY, of Sutton Coldfield, in the County of Warwick,
Civil 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 :-
The object of this invention is to maintain the oil in hydrocarbon and other lamps
at a constant level during the period of consumption.
I effect this in the following way.
The supply of oil is contained in a closed vessel at any convenient distance below
the burner. A tube opening into the top of this closed vessel conveys the oil up to
the burner. This tube is open at both ends. The oil is forced up to the burner, and
maintained at a constant, or nearly constant, level by hydrostatic pressure. This
pressure is obtained by means of a column of water, or any liquid of greator specific
gravity than the oil, and of such a nature as not to injure the quality of the oil.
This column of water, or other liquid, is contained in a tube which passes down-
wards through the top of the closed vessel, and terminates in a well provided in the
bottom of the closed vessel. This water tubo rises to a height such that the head of
water or other liquid-shall just balance a column of oil of the height required to
supply the burner. The water tube is open at both ends. At a level higher than the
top end of the water tube is a closed vessel. This closed vessel holds a supply of
water or other liquid-to maintain the hydrostatic column in the water tube. This
closed vessel has two tubes open at both ends-passing through the bottom, and
dipping into the upper end of the water tube, to the level which is to be maintained
by the hydrostatic column in the said tube.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a lamp_made according to my invention.
Fig. I shows an elevation of such a lamp. Fig. II shows a section of Fig. I so far as
is needed to set forth my invention. In the base of the lamp is the closed vessel a,
from which rises the oil tube b, enlarged at the top to form the cup b¹ for the burner.
Parallel with b is the water tube c, passing down into the well d. The upper part of c
is enlarged into the annular chamber e. This annular chamber e is open to the
external atmosphere. Above e is the water vessel f. This vessel has two tubes
and h, both opening into e.
One of these, g, is opened and closed by a weighted valvo i, operated by the leg k of
the screw plug. The other tube is an air tube. The action is as follows. When
the chamber a is filled with oil, and the vesself with water, the water falls through
into e and fills the tube c. The pressure of the water raises the oil into the cup br,
until the relative heights of the oil and water columns in b and c are in inverse
proportion to the specific gravities of the two fluids. When in this condition, no
further action takes place until the burner is lit. However, when the burner begins

page_text: to consume the oil, air enters the vessel through h, and water falls through g, in
quantity exactly equal to the consumption of oil. Hence by degrees the whole of the
oil is expelled from the vessel a, which is thus filled with water. The lamp is then
recharged with oil in the following manner. Oil is poured into the cup 1, and the
water in a is forced up the tube c into the annular chamber e, and away by the
overflow pipe m into the chamber n. This chamber is emptied by a stopcock at o.
In the drawing, Fig. II, the water is shewn by horizontal shading, and the oil by
vertical.
Fig. III shews a plan of the weighted valve i.
when the plug is withdrawn to pour water into f.
is screwed home.
This valve serves to close the tube g
The leg k opens the valvo when 7
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 :-
The hydrostatic lamp described and illustrated.