Improvements in and relating to Incandescent Oil Lamps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in and relating to Incandescent Oil Lamps.
I
I, PETER JAMES FITZGERALD, Lighting Engineer, residing at 10, Pemberton Square,
in the City of Boston, County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, in the United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 is directed to improvements in lamps of the type employing mantles
which are capable of being rendered incandescent by a liquid hydrocarbon flame.
The mantles so employed are made to be highly refractory, and as now constructed
are very fragile owing to the nature of the material employed which necessitates the
utmost care in handling, and the provision of safeguards against fracture and
displacement while in use. Despite every precaution however the mantles are very
frequently rendered unfit for use and especially is this true when the lamps are
exposed to the outer air as in street lighting. With the mantles impaired it will be
understood that the lamp is practically useless for illuminating purposes, nor will it
again subserve its purpose until a new mantle has been supplied.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved lamp for liquid hydrocarbons
which is adapted for producing incandescence by the employment of a mantle, but
which in the event of the mantle becoming unfit for use, is capable of einitting a flame
suitable in character and power for the purpose of illumination.
The nature of my invention is clearly set forth in the following description in
connection with which attention is called to the accompanying drawing.
In the said drawing―
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved lamp.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view in line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail view of a modified form of mantle support.
Figure 5 is a detail view shewing the auxiliary burner in section.
Referring to the said drawing by letter, A denotes a vapor burner of the plate type
comprising the casing a provided with a passage in which the liquid hydrocarbon is
vaporized and which is connected by means of a pipe b with a supply of the liquid, a
valve b¹ being employed to control said supply; a curved plate a¹ which constitutes
a spreader for the flame; a hood a² for confining the flame at the base of the plate.;
a hood-plate u³. which. cooperates with the plate a¹ to form the flame slot; and a
needle-valve a for controlling the discharge of vapor. There is also provided
adjacent to the plate a¹, an extension a in the nature of a curved lug which receives
a portion of the flame through an opening a in the plate a¹ and thereby contributes
to the heat required for vaporization.
In operation, the liquid hydrocarbon entering the chamber a, is converted by heat
into vapor and passes in this form by the valve at, ignition taking place at the valve
opening. The ignited vapor impinges against the plate a¹, being confined thereto
by the hood a2 and hood plate as and finally issues in the form of a flame at the slot

page_text: formed by the plate a¹ and hood plate a³. This form of vapor burner is preferred by
me to other types but it is within the scope of my invention to employ any other
character of burner which will furnish an illuminating flame of requisite power, and
which will provide sufficient heat to readily vaporise the liquid hydrocarbon.
The casing a is provided with a lateral apertured extension to which is secured
a casing c having a passage c¹ the outlet of which is controlled by a needle valve c².
In the casing and adjacent to the outlet are openings c3 c by which air is admitted
to and mixed with the vapor as it passes from the chamber. The upper end of the
casing is screw-threaded for connection with.a coupling, which is cone-shaped at its
upper end d, and is provided with a central tapering aperture d² forming a continua-
tion of the passage for the mixed vapor and air. Below the cone-shaped portion this
coupling is exteriorly threaded för connection with a pipe or tube section e which is
provided adjacent to the end d¹ of the coupling with openings el e¹ for the further
admission and admixture of air. The upper end e2 of the pipe or tube section is
enlarged as shown, and its top is closed by a perforated plate preferably made of
woven wire and of convex form in cross section. This plate f is.held in position by
being interposed between the top of the enlarged end e² and an inwardly projecting
flange g on an outer sleeve g which fits said end closely. The mantle h is held in
position by a support i which comprises a rod, the upper end of which is provided
with a hook for engaging the upper end of the mantle, and at its lower end is a
ring which is confined between the lower end of the sleeve g and a shoulder e³ on
the upper end e².
.
1
25.
In Figure 3 I have shown a modified form of mantle support which consists of a
rod secured centrally of the cnd 62 and provided at its upper end with a bifurcation
or crotch 3. The lower end of the rod is threaded and is passed through the
centre of the plate and is held in position by the employment of binding nuts 24,
Still another form of mantle support is shown in Figure 4; the same consisting of
three, four or more wires 16, the lower ends of which are secured to the end e² in
any suitable manner, and the upper ends thereof converge together to form a cage-like
structure over which the mantle is placed.
.
My improved lamp while capable of general use; is more especially designed for
employment in street lighting, the form shown and above described being in every
way suitable for this character of work. While the mantle' is in proper condition the
incandescent burner may be employed for furnishing the illuinination; and to obtain
this service it is merely necessary to turn on the supply of liquid hydrocarbon, raise
the temperature of the casing of the plate burner by igniting alchohol or other
suitable liquid in the cup provided for the purpose, or by heating the same from a
hand torch, to the degree requisite for the conversion of the liquid hydrocarbon into
vapor, after which the valve c² is opened and the incandescent burner is ignited.
To effect the continuous vaporization of the liquid hydrocarbon a small flame is
maintained in the plate burner as will be understood. In the event of the mantle
becoming impaired or rendered unfit for use as will frequently happen from rough
usage, and even currents of air, the incandescent burner cannot be employed for
furnishing the illumination, in which event the valve c is closed, and the valve a
of the plate burner is opened to a greater extent; the result being that the illumina-
tion is produced by the flame of the latter burner, and that the effectiveness of the
lamp as a whole is preserved. The advantages of such an arrangement are obvious
to any one skilled in the art, and especially to those familiar with the lighting of
streets by lamps which are constructed to consume liquid hydrocarbons.
The plate type of burner shown and described is preferred by me to other forms,
but I do not confine myself to such type; as any character of burner which furnishes
an illuminating. flame and provides the heat for the proper vaporization of the liquid
hydrocarbon will answer my purpose, which is to combine in a lamp of the liquid
hydrocarbon burning type, an incandescent burner, and an auxiliary illuminating
burner which can be placed in service when the incandescent burner is rendered
unfit for use:

page_text: 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. A burner for hydrocarbon liquids, comprising an incandescent illuminating
burner, and an auxiliary illuminating burner, the burners adapted to be used alter-
nately for illumination, said latter burner being adapted for supplying heat for
vaporization of the liquid, substantially as described.
2. A burner for hydrocarbon liquids, comprising an illuminating burner provided
with a vaporizer passage and with a flame plate as described, and an incandescent
burner connected with said passage, substantially as set forth.
3. A burner for hydrocarbon liquids comprising an illuminating burner provided
with a vaporizer passage, a flame plate and a valve for controlling the vapor, and an
incandescent burner connected with said passage and provided with a valve.
Dated this foth day of March 1890.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.