IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OIL, AND OTHER LIKE COMBUSTIBLE FLUIDS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO GAS FITTINGS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Davies, of. No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's
Inn, in the County of Middlesex, and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in
the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OIL, AND OTHER LIKE
COMBUSTIBLE FLUIDS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO GAS
FITTINGS." A communication from abroad by J. T. Van Kirk, of
Philadelphia, in the United States of America.
-
Sealed the 12th March 1861, and dated the 15th September 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Davies at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th September 1860..
I, GEORGE DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of
Middlesex, and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OIL, AND OTHER LIKE COMBUS-
TIBLE FLUIDS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO GAS FITTINGS,"
(a communication from abroad by J. T. Van Kirk, of Philadelphia, in the
United States of America,) to be as follows:-
These improvements relate, firstly, to a peculiar method of constructing the
cap of such lamps, whereby currents of air may be allowed to pass beneath
the lower edge of the chimney, and afford a liberal supply of oxygen, so
necessary for the proper burning of coal oil and other like combustible fluids,

page_text: such air at the same also tending to keep the chimney cool.
This part of the
Invention consists in providing the lower flange of the hollow cone or air
deflector enclosing the upper end of the wick tube, and upon which the flared
end of the chimney rests with a number of ribs or corrugations, so as to form
a number of air passages round and beneath the lower flared end or edge of
the chimney.
Secondly, the improvements relate to the method of securing the chimneys
or shades of such lamps, and consist in the peculiar application of a spring bolt
or catch for retaining the chimney or shade of the lamp in its proper position,
the spring being so arranged as to yield as the chimney expands through the
agency of the heat imparted to it, thus obviating the breakages which
frequently occur when the chimneys or shades are secured by means of the
ordinary set screws.
This second part of the Invention is applicable to all lamps and gas fittings
in connection with which glass chimneys and shades are used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th March 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
DAVIES, of No. 1, Serle Street, Lincoln's Inn, in the County of Middlesex,
and No. 28, St. Enoch Square, in the City of Glasgow, Civil Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Davies, Her special licence that I, the said George
Davies, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said George Davies, my executors, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OIL, AND OTHER LIKE COMBUSTIBLE FLUIDS,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO GAS FITTINGS," being a com-
munication to me from abroad by J. T. Van Kirk, of Philadelphia, in the

page_text: United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Davies, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their 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 I, the said George Davies, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement in writing, and on reference to the accompanying Drawings,.
that is to say:-
These improvements relate, firstly, to a peculiar method of constructing the
cap of such lamps, whereby currents of air may be allowed to pass beneath the
lower edge of the chimney, and afford a liberal supply of oxygen, so necessary
for the proper burning of coal oil and other like combustible fluids, such air at
the same time also tending to keep the chimney cool.
This part of the Invention consists in providing the lower flange of the
hollow cone or air deflector, enclosing the upper end of the wick tube, and
upon which the flared end of the chimney rests, with a number of ribs or "cor-
rugations, so as to form a number of air passages round and beneath the lower
flared end or edge of the chimney.
་
Secondly, the improvements relate to the method of securing the chimneys
or shades of such lamps, and consists in the peculiar application of a spring
bolt or catch for retaining the chimney or shade of the lamp in its proper
position, the spring being so arranged as to yield as the chimney expands
through the agency of the heat imparted to it, thus obviating the breakages,
which frequently occur when the chinineys or shades are secured by means of
the ordinary set screws.
This second part of the Invention is applicable to all lamps and gas fittings
in connection with which glass chimneys and shades are used.
Such being the nature and object of the said Invention for "Improvements
in Lamps for Burning Coal Oil, and other like Combustible Fluids, Part of
which Improvements is applicable to Gas Fittings," I will proceed to describe
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect. And in order that the same may be distinctly understood, I
have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have
marked' the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those
in the following explanation thereof, that is to say:-

page_text: こ
On reference to the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is an exterior view-of
a coal oil lamp, with the improvements shown as applied;. Figure 2, a vertical
section of part of Figure 1; Figure 3, a plan view, and Figure 4, an enlarged
sectional view of part of the lamp. Similar letters refer to similar parts
throughout the several views.
A is the ferrule attached to the reservoir F of. the. lamp, and B is the per-
forated cap or air chamber screwed to the ferrule A, and containing the wick
tube C; D is the hollow cone or air deflector inclosing.the upper end of the
wick tube and having a flange d, which rests in the cap B, and. which is
confined to the same by an annular flange b forming a part of the said cap.
On the upper surface of the flange d are any convenient number of ribs or
corrugations e formed by indenting the under side of the flange, or in any other
suitable manner. The lower flared end of the glass chimney F rests on these
ribs or corrugations e, e, and is confined to its place within the annular flange b
on one side by lips h, h, (see Figure 3), and on the opposite side by a spring
latch which will be particularly described hereafter. In the annular flange bare
a number of openings c, c, c, Figure 1, formed by the ornamentation of the
flange in this instance, and into these openings the air passes through the spaces
formed by the corrugations e, e, between the chimney and the flange d. of the
cone D. It will be evident that the currents of air passing beneath the flange of
the chimney must increase the draught in the latter, and introduce that liberal
supply of oxygen so necessary for the proper burning of kerosene or coal oil,
and that the passage of the air in close contact with the lower end of the
chimney tends to keep it cool while the corrugations themselves afford a
steady foundation for the chimney. To the flange 6 is rivetted or otherwise
secured a metal tube G, into which the collar m of the rod H fits snugly, but
so as to move freely, the opposite end of this rod being furnished with a disc
of a convenient size for being handled by the finger and thumb. Within the
tube G, and surrounding the rod H, is a coiled spring n which bears at one
end against the collar m, and at the opposite end against the end of the
tube G, thus tending to press the rod inwards, and to maintain it in
the position illustrated in Figure 4. The lower end of the glass chimney
is maintained in its proper position on one side by the lips h, h, which
project from the inside of the flange b, and on the opposite side by the
enlarged end of the rod H. It will be readily seen that. after pulling this
rod outwards by means of its disc f the chimney may be removed from its
proper position on the corrugations e, e, of the cap D; and that it may be
readily replaced by holding the rod back until the flared end
rests on the cap, after which: the rod is released. The chimneys: of coal oil and
of the chimney

page_text: other lamps are usually held in their proper positions by a screw passing
through the flange 6 and bearing with its point against the side of chimney
above the flared lower end. As the chimneys have to be frequently removed,
the screw by constant turning becomes worn and finally inoperative. Moreover,
as the chimney expands by the beat, the rod H will yield and accommodate
itself to the expansion, thus preventing the breaking of the chimney, which
frequently takes place when it expands and bears against the usual rigid set
It will be readily seen that this improvement affords better facilities
for the rapid removal and replacing of the chimney than the usual appliances.
Having now described the nature and object of the said Invention for
Improvements in Lamps for Burning Coal Oil and other like Combustible
Fluids, Part of which Improvements is applicable to Gas Fittings," together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried
into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as the Invention
communicated to me by the aforesaid J. T. Van Kirk.
Firstly, the use of any convenient number of ribs or corrugations e, e, or
their equivalents, arranged within the flange b in such a position in respect to
the openings 'c, c, in the said flange that air can pass beneath the flared end of
the chimney for the purpose specified.
Secondly, maintaining a glass chimney or shade on a lamp or gas fixture
by means of a yielding retainer constructed and applied in the the manner
described, or in any other manner by which the same result may be attained.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Davies, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
GEORGE DAVIES. (L.S.)