CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING PARAFFIN AND OTHER HYDROCARBON OILS." PARAFFIN AND OTHER HYDROCARBON OILS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Pitcairn Wright and Cephas Butler, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers.
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING
PARAFFIN AND OTHER HYDROCARBON OILS."
PARAFFIN AND OTHER HYDROCARBON OILS."
Sealed the 2nd November 1869, and dated the 3rd May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Pitcairn Wright
and Cephas Butler at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 3rd May 1869.
We, DAVID PITCAIRN WRIGHT and CEPHAS BUTLER, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR
BURNING PARAFFIN AND OTHER HYDROCARBON OILS," to be as follows (that is
to say):-
The arrangement, herein-after described, not only conduces to the
perfect combustion of paraffin and other hydrocarbon oils, but as a
consequence freedom from all smell, producing an increased brilliancy
of light, and at the same time permitting the dispensing of the ordinary
chimney.

page_text: We effect this by using a bell-mouth or spreading base, serrated,
perforated, or vandyked on its lower edge, and into this we fit a per-
forated convexed disc, to which disc a concentric tube is secured for
receiving the cotton tube and regulator, the lower end of the tube being
screwed in the ordinary way for screwing into the oil vessel. The
spreading or bell-mouth base terminates with a flange and shoulder,
below which is a row of perforations, and around the flange is placed a
bezel or gallery for supporting the shade having a concentric row of
perforations so as to admit the air through the bezel or gallery to the
interior of the glass globe or shade, and above this the dome that covers
the top or burning portion of the wick is placed, which dome is slightly
contracted, terminating upwards in a regular curve, and through which
an oblong aperture is cut for the gaseous flame to pass through. The
flattened tube for receiving the wick has an opening on one side a little
below the top, which opening is capped or covered on the outside leaving
sufficient space for the purpose of receiving an auxiliary piece of cotton,
which is left sufficiently pendant to extend to the bottom of the oil
vessel that it may assist by its capillary attraction in supplying the
wick proper by its contact with it just below the top or igniting end.
The glass shade or protector we have found best suitable for this lamp
has a contracting bottom for fitting the gallery before described, and
spreading slightly spherical and contracted at the top. In action or
when burning a strong current of air is induced or drawn in under the
bell-mouth perforated or serrated edge, and which air is broke up and
evenly distributed before ascending to support and impinge the flame
underneath the dome. All excess of air beyond what combustion
requires according to the regulation of the wick escapes through the
perforations surrounding the base just beneath the gallery, so that the
lamp regulates its own supply of oxygen, hence the perfect combustion
and brilliancy of the flame.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Pitcairn Wright and Cephas Butler in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd November 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, DAVID
PITCAIRN WRIGHT and CEPHAS BUTLER, of Birmingham, in the County 3
of Warwick, Lamp Manufacturers, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said David Pitcairn Wright and Cephas
Butler, Her special license that we, the said David Pitcairn Wright
and Cephas Butler, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said David Pitcairn Wright and Cephas Butler, our
cxecutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING PARAFFIN AND OTHER HYDROCARBON OILS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that we, the said David Pitcairn Wright
and Cephas Butler, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said David Pitcairn Wright and
Cephas Butler, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement (that is
to say):
The arrangement, herein-after described, not only conduces to the
perfect combustion of paraffin and other hydrocarbon oils, but as a con-
sequence freedom from all smell, producing an increased brilliancy of
light, and at the same time enabling us to dispense with the use of the
ordinary chimney, which in practice is found to engender much objec-
tionable heat in and about the wick holder and wick, which tends to its
rapidly charring, and is a constant source of expense from frequent
breakage of the said chimneys.
We give effect to our improvements by using a thin sheet metal base
formed into a bell-mouth or spreading shape, by preference serrated,
perforated, or vandyked on its lower edge for airway, and into this we fit
perforated convexed disc, to which disc a concentric tube is secured or

page_text: formed for receiving the rectangular cotton holder and regulator; the
lower end of the tube, before mentioned, being screwed or otherwise in
the ordinary way for screwing into the oil vessel. The spreading or
bell-mouth base contracts and terminates upwards with a perforated con-
centric disc formed of the same or applied within the top edge or flange
and shoulder, below which is by preference a row of perforations, and
around the flange is placed a bezel or gallery for supporting a glass
shade having a concentric row of perforations so as to admit the air
through the bezel or gallery to the interior of the said glass globe or
shade, which shade supports and proteots the flame of the lamp from
draughts and external currents of air, and over the flange above referred
to the dome or cap that covers the top or burning portion of the wick is
placed, which dome is slightly contracted, terminating upwards in a
regular curve, and through which the ordinary oblong aperture is cut for
the gaseous flame to pass through, the base of which dome by preference
is indented or raised vertically on one side to correspond with an inden-
tation or raised part in the top flange of the base to ensure the dome
being so placed that the opening for the flame shall be parallel with the
wick and wick tube below. The flattened tube for receiving the wick in
large sized lamps, has an opening on one side a little below the top,
which opening is capped or covered on the outside leaving sufficient
space for the purpose of receiving an auxiliary piece of cotton, which is
left sufficiently pendant to extend to the bottom of the oil vessel that it
may assist by its capillary attraction in supplying the wick proper with
oil by its contact with it just below the top or igniting end. The glass
shade or protector we have found best suitable for this lamp has a con-
tracting bottom for fitting the gallery, before described, spreading
slightly spherical and contracted at the top. In action or when burning
a strong current of air is induced or drawn in under the bell-mouth
perforated or serrated edge, and which air is broke up and evenly dis-
tributed before ascending to support and impinge the flame underneath
the dome by its passing through the two or more perforated discs placed
above. All access of air beyond what combustion requires (according
to the regulation of the wick) escapes through the perforations, more
particularly the row before mentioned surrounding the upper part of the
base just beneath the gallery, so that the lamp regulates its own supply
of oxygen, which oxygen by the regular form of the dome or cap, before
referred to, contributes much to the regular support and impinging of
the gaseous flame as generated or emitted from the cotton wick, which

page_text: we are enabled to considerably more expose by keeping the metal wick
holder much lower than in other lamps, and consequently there is less
tendency to charr the wick; hence the perfect combustion and con-
tinuous brilliancy of the light.
But in order that the foregoing description and details may be fully
defined and understood, we will refer to the Drawings hereunto annexed
(that is to say) :-
:-
Fig. 1 is a side view of what we have before termed the bell-mouth
base, but which of itself is not new but in connection with the van-
dyked lower edge a, a, or its equivalent for admitting the air to the
interior of the burner. The top or dome. part concentric with the flange
or part marked b, b, may be entirely removed or allowed to remain, and
be finally perforated either into a dome shape, as here shown, or
horizontal, The row of holes c, c, is more important to large lamps, and
assists in producing the result we attain. On the flange b at right angles
by preference with the wick holder, not shown in this Figure, an inden-
tation is formed for the purpose of receiving a corresponding indent on
the dome or cap E, as seen in position in relation with the base last
described at Fig. 2, which is a sectional view of the burner complete;
the indentation of the dome, before referred to, being marked d, and
with the same letter in an inverted view of the dome or cap E at Fig 3.
By these simple indentations the dome or cap will have its defined
position, that the hole through which the flame passes shall always be in
true position with the wick and wick holder below. In Figure 2 we have
represented at f,f, a perforated disc applied within the top or contracted
part of the bell-mouth base, and to which the wick holder is united by
soldering or otherwise; but, as before stated, instead of applying a per-
forated disc, the same may be formed of the top part of the bell-mouth
base G, G, and at the lower or spreading part of this base we unite by
soldering or otherwise another perforated disc, so raised and formed that a
concentric shank is formed and screwed as at h, h, for uniting the whole
burner to the oil vessel or reservoir. The perforated disc k, k, has a
cap marked 1, 1, for carrying and supporting the cotton regulator
marked m, the axis of which is shown in section, and it may also sub-
serve to hold and sustain by soldering or otherwise the wick tubes; we
say tubes because we purpose in a general way, as here shown, using an
additional wick, not for burning, but for the advantages of its medium
of absorption and capillary attraction, so as to assist in supplying the

page_text: wick proper with the oil for supporting combustion, and which auxiliary
tube and wick we have exhibited passing up vertically in connection
with the wick holder proper through the screwed shank h, h, cap 1, and
perforated disc f, the said auxiliary tube and cotton being marked n, n;
while the cotton proper shown in dotted lines is marked o, o. The dome
or cap E we design to be of the shape here shown, viz., a regular curve,
as we find its uniformity assists in concentrating the current of air on
cach side of the wick, thereby assisting and continuing to impinge the
flame at the point of combustion so as conduce to the perfect combus-
tion of the oil as the flame escapes beyond the surface of the said dome
or cap. Around the bottom of the dome and just over the row of per-
forations here shown marked c, c, a gallery is applied marked p for
supporting a glass shade, which may be retained by a projecting lip
marked q and set screw r, or by any other convenient means. This
gallery has a row of perforations, as indicated by the arrows, for the
free admission and circulation of air within the said glass shade, and
if desired the said gallery may be formed with the dome of one piece of
metal. Fig. 4 is simply a detached sectional view of the internal parts,
as shown also in section at Figure 2. Fig. 5 is a top view of Figure 2,
and Fig. 6 is the same with the dome or cap E removed showing the
indentation d, before referred to, for the corresponding indent in the
dome, shown by the same letter at Figure 3, to fit into.
Having thus given in detail a description of our Invention, and the
manner in which the same may be carried into effect by ordinary work-
people accustomed to the manufacture of lamps, or the raising, shaping,
piercing, or perforating of thin sheet metal, we wish it observed that
we do not bind ourselves to the exact shape, proportion, or details here
exhibited, as the same may be generally varied in the style of work and
detail of fabrication without departing from the spirit of our Invention;
as, for instance, the lower serrated edge of the base part G may be
pierced in any variety of pattern, or so placed as to be capable of
admitting air through or underneath it, and its general curvature may
be altered and stamped or raised into any desirable design; and in like
manner the row of perforations, as at c, c, Figures 1 and 2, may be of
any other shape, provided they are sufficiently capacious according to
the size of the lamp to permit the equalization of the necessary supply
of oxygen to pass up to the wick; and these observations apply to the
perforations in the gallery p, as best seen in section at Figure 2 and in

page_text: plan at Figures 5 and 6; nor do we claim such perforations as new but
in general combination with the other parts, air ways, and passages, as
well as the depression of the top part of the rectangular metal tube for
holding the wick, as herein described and set forth, the whole as a com-
bination being new, and producing results not hithertoo attained in the
combustion of hydrocarbon and other volatile oils.
In witness whereof, we, the said David Pitcairn Wright and
Cephas Butler, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Second day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-nine.
DAVID PITCAIRN WRIGHT. (L.S.)
CEPHAS BUTLER.
(L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM LOACH,
Clerk to James S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.