IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, READ
HOLLIDAY, of Huddersfield, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Eleventh day of
February (One thousand eight hundred and fifty), in the thirteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Read Holliday, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial
license, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said. Read
Holliday, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Read
Holliday, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a
proviso that I, the said Read Holliday, should cause a particular description
of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled
in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said in part, recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Read Holliday, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows the section of a lamp for obtaining light by consuming
spirit when converted into vapour by the heat of the burner.
a is the vessel
for containing the spirit, the shape of which may be varied; 6 is a tube which,
at its upper part, carries the burner c, the form of which may be varied as
hereafter described. The tube 6 has a disc or plate d fixed thereon, so as
to obtain a means of fixing the tube in an upright position between surfaces
of non-conducting matters, so that the heat of the burner and tube may not
be conducted to the vessel a, which, if made of glass or china, would be liable
to be cracked by the heat if a provision were not resorted to in order to cut
off the heat thereto. I would however remark, that I am aware that non-
conducting matters have before been introduced between the burner tube and
the vessel; but the arrangements for doing so have been different from those
shewn, which consist of two discs of leather or cork f, f, or other suitable
non-conducting matter on either side of the disc or plate d, and within the
screw cap e, by means of which screw cap the parts f, f, are pressed together;
and in addition to preventing the passage of heat to the vessel a, this mode
of upholding and fixing the tube in its position offers a very convenient means
of making the joints between the vessel a and the tube 6 vapour-tight which is
important; and it also facilitates the supplying of the vessel a with spirit with-
out an additional opening. In the tube 6 is placed a cock or regulatory, below
the point g, where a jet of vapour passes off to be consumed. This cock or
regulator consists of a conical plug of the ordinary kind used for gas and other
fluids, but the form may be varied, so long as the same be placed in à position
to regulate the flow of vapour to the jet orifice g, and it also serves to shut off
the supply of vapour when the lamp is to be put out. I would remark,
that I am aware that a valve has before been proposed to be used above
the jet orifice or orifices. I do not therefore claim the employment of valves
when placed beyond the jet orifices of such descriptions of lamps, nor do I
claim the use of cocks or regulators to such lamps, unless the same be com
bined with the use of means of raising the spirit to the burner tube by
capillary means, or when applied to burners having a vessel containing spiri

page_text: below the burner. In the tube b is placed cotton or other suitable means for
raising the spirit from the vessel a by capillary means, as is well understood.
The upper part of the tube 6 is formed to enter the burner, as shown, there
being a hole at h on either side, to admit air to mix with the vapour which
issues at g, and which, together with the air, rushes againt the under side of
the top of the burner, and is deflected off thereby through the orifices where
the same will burn.
Figure 2 shows a burner of another form, in which an upright grating is
used under the head of the burner in place of the side openings.
Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2. The burner, Figures 2 and 3, fixing over
the upper part of the tube 6 descends into it, the upper part of the tube b in this
case being made double; and these modes of fixing or holding a burner are new.
Figure 4 shews the section of another lamp, in which there is also employed
a cock or regulator below the jet orifice, as before explained, in combination
with the use of a wick or capillary means in the tube 6 for raising the spirit.
In this arrangement there is a tube or cylinder &¹ within the tube b, so that the
wick passes between the tube and the cylinder or tube 6. The burner of
this lamp is arranged with a gallery for a glass, and apparatus for carrying an
external cover to the upper part of the lamp, and there is also a means of
regulating the quantity of air supplied to the jet of vapour, which consists of a
short tube i embracing the burner tube, the tube i and the burner tube being
perforated to admit air. And when the perforations in the two are coinci-
dent, the largest quantity of air will be admitted, but by turning the exterior
cover the tube i, which is connected thereto, will be turned also, and the
openings through it and the burner tube more or less closed. Or, in place of
this regulating tube i being in connection with the external cover, it may form
part of or be in connection with the gallery used for carrying a glass.
Figure 5 shows another arrangement of lamp, in which my improvement
of having a cock or regulator in combination with the use of capillary means
of raising the spirit in vapour lamps is employed, and it has also another of
my improvements, that of having the regulating tube i part of the gallery.
And this lamp has another improvement not shown in the previous lamps,
that is, an enlarged chamber 6, in which the upper end of the capillary wick is
retained, thus encreasing the extent of surface for generating vapour from
the spirit brought up, and the lower part of the burner tube is spread out and
thickened, so as to offer a considerable substance of metal for applying heat to
the spread-out wick or capillary fibres.
Figure 6 shows the section of another lamp, in which there is a bent wick
tube, through which a wick is drawn by passing a wire through. By this

page_text: means a larger evaporating surface is obtained, and a convenient mode of
introducing a capillary wick. This lamp is also fitted with a cock or regu-
lator, as before described; and in order to regulate the jet hole g, as well as
to cleanse it, there is a fixed spike k, so that by screwing the burner up or
down, more or less of the orifice g is left open, and when quite screwed down,
the spike will enter through the orifice, and cleanse or open it, should it have
become clogged. This application of a spike to lamps having capillary wicks,
or wherein the spirit vessel is below the burner is new. This Figure also
shews another mode of connecting the burner tubes with the vessel containing
the spirit.
Figure 7 shews another lamp which is peculiar in regard to the mode of
applying cork or other non-conducting material to support the wick tube, as
shewn, so that the heat shall not be transmitted to the vessel a. There is
also an improvement in the means of retaining the capillary wick in the tube
b, and it consists of the use of the tube b, which is punched with holes
when in form of a plate, the punching taking place from the interior outwards,
so that the tube stands off slightly from the interior of the tube b, allowing a
free passage for the vapour, as it passes off from the spirit conducted up by
the wick. The use of a cock or regulator in combination with a capillary
wick is also resorted to in this lamp, and the burner is of a novel character,
inasmuch as it and the upper part of the tube 6 is perforated with numerous
small air-holes, which, when coincident with each other, offer the largest
passage for air to combine with the vapour issuing from the orifice but
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when turned more or less the numerous air passages are reduced.
Figure 8 shews the section of part of another lamp, the vessel a of which
may have one or several branch tubes b for supplying spirit to one or several
burners. In this arrangement the burner tube has cotton or capillary fibre
in it, and there are means of regulating the jet orifice g, by means of a spike
from below, up through the cotton or fibre, which combined arrangement is new.
Figure 9 shews the section of another lamp in which a capillary wick is
employed, and a regulator or cock to regulate the flow of vapour to the jet
orifice 9. In this arrangement the burner is on one side, there being a regu-
lating tube used to regulate the air, which is new; and there is a passage w
by which the vapour is taken from the upper part of the tube b, and conducted
to the orifice g. This lamp has also like means to those before described for
applying non-conducting material to fix and uphold the tube b.
Figure 10 shews another lamp in which the tube 6 and burner c are formed
in one casting; and in addition to improvements already described this lamp
has another improvement applied thereto, and it consists of applying means at

page_text: m for compressing the capillary wick, so as thereby to regulate the flow of
spirit up such wick.
Figure 11 shews another arrangement of lamp very similar to the pre-
ceding one. It differs in the form of the burner, the nature of which is
clearly shewn.
Figure 12 shews another lamp wherein a capillary wick and cock is used,
but no separate jet orifice g, the plug of the cock or regulator having its
opening conical, so as at once to serve as the regulator and the jet orifice.
same.
Figure 18 shews a side view partly in section. Figure 14 a plan of
another lamp; and Figures 15 and 16 views of parts of a burner for the
This lamp has a single capillary wick in a tube b, and I have
found it desirable to make the lower end of this tube 6 split, and with a
screw thereon to fit into a screw tube, as shewn, so that when the wick has
been introduced the screwing up of the outer tube will contract the inner
tube, and cause it to embrace the wick moro tightly. This lamp has four jets
from one wick tube, or other numbers might be used, each having its regu-
lating cock and jet orifice, and the upper part forms only one burner, as
shewn, or each may have a separate head, all which is new; the vapour from
all the jets rising up in combination with air, strikes against and is deflected
off by the under surface of the burner or burners.
Figure 17 shews a section, Figure 18 a plan, of another arrangement of
lamp. Figures 19, 20, and 21, shew details of the same. In this arrange-
ment there are two tubes b, with wicks, which conduct the spirit to a single
jet or orifice g, and a single burner, by which arrangement I am enabled to
obtain a larger evaporating effect. And I would here state that I have in the
various arrangements of lamps spoken of there being only one orifice for the jet
at g, but I do not confine myself to such single orifice, as in some cases
I combine several such orifices at the point g. vin the various lamps shews
cups for spirit to be burned in order to heat and light the lamps.
Figures 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28, shew several new burners which
may be employed in combination with capillary wicks.
In making the burners and burner wick tubes of capillary wick vapour lamps,
it has heretofore been usual to make the same of several parts; now another of
my improvements in this description of vapour lamps consists of making the
burners and burner wick tubes in one casting, by which I can not only have
the advantage of using harder metal, but the advantage of getting a longer
bearing for the plug of the cock, and which part I prefer to be of hard brass, and
I avoid the cost of an inside tube, which heretofore has been hard soldered
or brazed.
I will now describe my improvements in spirit vanour lamps. wheroin no

page_text: capillary fibres are used for the purpose of raising the spirit above its level in
the containing vessel, this part of my Invention being applicable to those lamps
wherein a pressure or column of fluid is employed to keep up the supply. In
this class of lamps it has been in some cases the practice of using cotton or
or other fibre between the vessel and the burner, such fibres offering resist-
ance, and also acting as filters.
One improvement consists in applying apparatus to press on such fibre, so
as to regulate the flow of spirit. This may be done by any of the means
above described, or it may be done by passing the fibres through a plug of a
cock, and thus compressing the cotton or fibre more or less as may be required
to regulate the supply of spirit through such fibres, which is new.
Figure 29 shews a burner suitable for a pressure lamp according to this
improvement, but the form of the burner may be varied. I would remark,
that in place of the inlet for the spirit being at the side, it may be at the bottom,
and a cock or tap used therein to regulate the escape of the vapour.
Figure 30 shews an arrangement of pressure spirit lamp, where several
burners may be supplied with vapour, using a separate burner for generating
the vapour. n, n, are the burners, of which there may be two, three, or more,
and o is a burner for generating heat for several burners.
Figure 31 shews the section of a lamp burner for obtaining heat sufficient
to one or more flat flames, there being a hollow chamber between them, into
which the air and jet of vapour first enter before dividing off to supply the two
flat flames.
In witness whereof, I, the said Read Holliday, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord