An Incandescent Lamp for the Combustion of Paraffin Oil and other Liquids.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Incandescent Lamp for the Combustion of Paraffin Oil and other
Liquids.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the Firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute
of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to.me by Albert Meyenberg, Manufacturer, Max Wendorf, Mechanician, and
Siegmund Henlein, Merchant, all of 61, Langestrasse, Frankfort on Main,
Germany) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a lamp in which may be produced a light of great
steadiness and brilliancy from a "mantle" (such as has hitherto been used in
conjunction with ordinary illuminating gas) composed of a refractory substance
and rendered luminously incandescent by contact with the flame produced by
burning paraffin oil or other suitable liquid fuel.
In the following description paraffin oil only is referred to as this is usually the
cheapest liquid fuel obtainable, but other suitable combustible liquids, amongst
which may be specially mentioned spirits of wine, may be employed.
To obtain the desired result it is essential that the flame produced should be
very hot and free from liability to deposit soot, and consequently it is first necessary
to vaporize the liquid fuel before it reaches the point of ignition and to mix the
vapours with a proper proportion of atmospheric air.
The beat required to vaporize the liquid is in this improved lamp derived from
the flame employed to render the luminous hood or "mantle" incandescent, the
vaporization being effected within a suitable "converting chamber or vaporizer
situated within, and forming the support for, the "mantle."
"
"
It being necessary for first setting such a lamp in operation that a secondary or
temporary ignition flame should be provided whereby to raise to the necessary
temperature the "converting chamber or vaporizer before the first admission of
the paraffin oil or other liquid fuel thereto, 1 make use for this purpose of the
combustible vapour generated by passing compressed atmospheric air through a
highly volatile liquid, such as benzoline, igniting the vapour thus obtained at the
same spot where later on the principal or permanent flame, that is to say the flame
from the paraffin or other liquid fuel, is produced.
new structural features.
as
This new lamp is characterized by several
will be apparent from the description. The vaporizer consists of a tube set
vertically in the centre of the burner and fed with paraffin oil from beneath, a bent
tube passes vertically downwards from the top of the chamber for some distance
and terminates in an upward bend so as to give the paraffin vapour generated within
the tube an upward direction from the point of discharge and at the same time to
cause this vapour to mix with the current of atmospheric air admitted at this
point. The employment of a wick in close proximity to the flame being
impracticable, owing to the high temperature, the liquid fuel is raised to the
burner by means of compressed air, but this being a method already well known
in connection with other classes of lamps forms no part of this invention.
I also use compressed air from the same source of supply, for the production of
the benzoline or other vapour required for the secondary (or ignition) flame
before mentioned.
Means are also provided for controlling and properly correlating the action of
:

page_text: the secondary (or ignition) flame and of the principal (or permanent) flame, such
means comprising a cock operating so as to open successively the conduit for the
benzoline and that for the paraffin oil in such a manner that the opening of the
paraffin conduit occurs slightly before the closing of the benzoline conduit, and
that thus the benzoline flame although of almost momentary duration secures
the ignition of the paraffin vapour. The cock is also so arranged that the benzoline
conduit remains open for a brief interval after the closing of the paraffin conduit,
in order that when the lamp is extinguished the high temperature of the vaporizer
and "mantle" may be maintained so long as is required to consume the paraffin
vapour generated after the stoppage of the paraffin oil supply, and thus the
deposition of soot on the "mantle," which would otherwise result from premature
cooling of the vaporizer and "mantle " is avoided.
t
The compressed air required for propelling the oil or other liquid is stored in an.
elastic reservoir consisting preferably of an india-rubber ball of such size as to
contain sufficient for some twelve hours working. The additional quantity of
compressed air necessary for lighting the lamp is produced by means of a second.
india-rubber ball so arranged as to be easily removable and serve for charging the
first mentioned or reservoir ball.
One form of lamp is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming part of
this specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the lamp.
Figure 2 is a side view of an index attached to the plug of the cock, and
Figures 3, 4, and 5, are cross-sections through the two-way cock.
"
C is the hollow base of the lamp supporting the paraffin container A and the
benzoline container B, the latter being placed within the former. By means of
small pillars D the burner is supported above the container A and maintained in
position by a tube P which also carries the "mantle or hood S and the glass
chimney F, F. Inside the hollow base C of the lamp is the india-rubber ball H
serving as the air-reservoir and communicating by tube h with the interior of the
benzoline container B. At one. side of tube h is a branch tube ', containing a
non-return valve 2, which consists preferably of an india-rubber flap. H¹, is an
air ball which may be readily attached to, or detached from, tube . The upper
part of tube h passes into a larger tube ', which is closed at top, the compressed
air coming from the reservoir H being caused to enter the benzoline container B
near the bottom of the latter. The container B is filled with wadding in order to
assist the vaporization of the benzoline and at the same time prevent any benzoline
from being carried forward by the compressed air in a liquid state. The benzoline
vapour passes into the upper part of vessel B through the perforated cover B',
which rests upon the wadding, and thence the vapour escapes through the box b³,
into tube a¹.
The container B is filled with benzoline through the tube b which is closed by
the cover L which likewise serves to close the tube K whereby the container A is
filled with paraffin oil. The cover L has a cone which fits tightly into the
mouthpiece of tube b so that in case the lamp is not held upright, no paraffin oil
from container A can enter container B at same time that the compressed air
issuing from the bottom of B can enter A through tube b. From the bottom of
the container A rises a tube a filled with wadding or with a wick for the
filtration of the paraffin oil, a two-way cock M being provided through one of
whose passages the paraffin oil passes whilst the benzoline passes through the
other passage f¹.
The two passages are so arranged that on turning the pointer N (see Figure 2)
to the right the passage f¹, is only slightly opened when f is just beginning to
open. As will be seen the plug has two small slits or grooves at opposite sides
which are made a little deeper at the ends, these grooves enabling the passage to
be controlled with more exactness and the quantity of paraffin oil to be regulated
with more accuracy than would otherwise be the case. Both the passages are
closed when the pointer N stands at zero on the dial N¹, but when it is placed

page_text: over No. 1 the passage for the benzoline alone is open. When it is at No. 2 the
passage for the paraffin oil is open as well, and when it stands at No. 3 the latter
alone is open. The graduations on the dial are more minute near No. 3 in order
to accurately fix the position the pointer should occupy for the flame of the lamp
to be perfectly steady and burn with full brilliancy.
The supports D which carry the dome-like cover G¹, are surrounded by a
cylinder G on which is carried the dial N', and through which the admission of
atmospheric air to its interior is permitted. The cover G', supports the tube P
which is surmounted by the gallery E and which at its lower part terminates in a
closed piece Q having apertures g. This piece serves to catch any paraffin which
may fall and to induce the admission of air to the burner. The tube P is of
greater diameter at its upper end which is funnel-shaped forming a head P¹, which
carries a conical cap of wire netting, the cone shape being adopted in order to
cause a freer escape for the combustible vapours and to lead them to the luminous
body or "mantle." Upon the upper edge of the enlargement t of the tube P the
vaporizing chamber R is situated, this chamber being supported by three arms and
being supplied with the necessary quantity of paraffin oil from below through the
tube m controlled by cock M. From the top end of the chamber a tube p extends
downwards, its bottom part being bent upwards to a point pl. Upon the vaporizing
chamber is fixed a support s for the luminous hood or "mantle " S which hangs
freely therefrom. The benzoline vapours after having been mixed with atmospheric
air pass through the tube m', and enter the annular chamber T below the head of
the burner F, and thence pass through the perforations of the funnel-shaped
enlargement t, the vapours burning, when lighted, as a tubular flame.
The lower part F of the glass chimney is of conoidal shape and conforms as far
as possible to that of the "mantle" with the object of keeping the atmospheric air
and the combustible vapours which both pass upwards from below, as near as
necessary to the luminous body and thus bringing about the complete combustion
of the paraffin and avoiding any bad odour in burning. The upper part F¹, of the
chimney is of the usual cylindrical form.
.
The operation of the lamp is as follows, The ball H', having been attached,
air is forced into the vessel 13 so as to fill Ball H serving as the air reservoir and
benzoline vapours are simultaneously forced through the wire netting u after
the indicator N has been set at No. 1 on the dial whereby the passage
through a', f, m', T, t, is opened. A lighted match is then held over the
chimney to ignite the benzoline vapours within the "mantle" S. The ball H', is
continually squeezed (for, say, the space of a quarter to half a minute) until the
benzoline flame has sufficiently heated the "vaporizing chamber" R. The
indicator N is then turned to No. 2 so that the passage through a, f, m, R, p, p, is
opened and the vaporization of the oil now takes place, the flame from the paraffin
enveloping the wire netting u. Upon this taking place the indicator N is still
further turned until it occupies accurately the position upon No. 3 for which the
lamp has been regulated beforehand. The ball H', is then removed. When it is
intended to extinguish the lamp the pointer N is turned back to No. 1 where it
may remain.
A benzoline flame is then again produced which burns a short time
until the reservoir H is exhausted.
To ensure proper vaporization it is necessary that the chamber R be large
enough and provided with rather thin walls so that it may be sufficiently heated
by the surrounding flame or by the heat from the " mantle." The bottom part of
the vaporizing chamber should preferably be extended a little distance below the
flane in order to there obtain a space slightly cooler than the top part and allow
the entering paraffin to accumulate a little and thereby secure uniformity of
vaporization.
Dated this 12th day of December 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: An Incandescent Lamp for the Combustion of Paraffin Oil and other
Liquids.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the Firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark of
53, Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Chartered Institute
of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me by Albert Meyenberg, Manufacturer, Max Wendorf, Mechanician, and
Siegmund Henlein, Merchant, all of 61, Langestrasse, Frankfort-on-the-Main,
Germany), and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to an incandescent or glow lamp in which a light of great
steadiness and brilliancy is produced from a hood or "mantle" composed of a
refractory substance rendered luminously incandescent by the flame produced by
burning paraffin oil (which is the cheapest liquid fuel obtainable) or other
suitable combustible liquids, e.g. spirits of wine.
In order that the flame produced should be very hot and free from liability to
deposit scot it is necessary to vaporize the liquid fuel before it reaches the point of
ignition and to mix the vapours with a proper proportion of atmospheric air, the
heat required to vaporize the liquid being derived from the flame which renders
the luminous hood or "mantle "incandescent, the vaporization being effected within
a "converting chamber" or vaporizer situated within and forming the support for
the "mantle."
In order to initially raise the "converting chamber" or vaporizer to the
necessary temperature before admitting the paraffin oil or other liquid fuel
thereto, combustible vapour generated by passing compressed air through a highly
volatile liquid such as benzoline is first ignited at the same burner.
The vaporizer is a tubular chamber set vertically in the centre of the burner
and fed with paraffin oil from below, the vapour passing from the upper part of
the vaporizer down through a tube terminating in an upward bend to give the
paraffin vapour emitted thereat an upward direction and cause it to mix with the
induced upward current of air. The liquid fuel is raised to the burner by means
of compressed air, but this being a method already well known in connection with
other classes of lamps forms no part of this invention; compressed air from the
same source of supply being also used for the production of the benzoline or other
vapour required for the initial flame before mentioned. A cock provided with
passages, for both the benzoline and paraffin oil serves to control the supply in
such a manner that, on the one hand, when lighting the lamp the opening of the
paraffin conduit occurs slightly before the closing of the benzoline conduit in order
that the benzoline flame, although of almost momentary duration, shall ignite the
paraffin vapour, and, on the other hand, when extinguishing the lamp the benzoline
conduit remains open for a brief interval after the closing of the paraffin conduit
in order that the high temperature of the vaporizer and "mantle"
maintained so long as is required to consume the paraffin vapour generated after
may be
the stoppage of the paraffin oil supply and thus avoid the deposition of soot on
the "mantle" which would result from premature cooling of the vaporizer and
"mantle."
The compressed air for feeding the oil or other liquid is stored in an elastic
reservoir consisting of an india-rubber ball large enough to contain sufficient for
some twelve hours working and charged by a compressible bulb which also
supplies the additional quantity of air necessary for the initial lighting of the
lamp.
In the drawings accompanying, the Provisional Specification Figure 1 is a

page_text: vertical section of one form of lamp. Figure is a 810c view of an index attached
to the plug of the cock and Figures 3 4 and 5 are cross sections through the
two-way cock.
Referring to Figure 1, C is the hollow base of the lamp supporting the paraffin
container A and the benzoline container B, the latter being placed within the
former. By means of small pillars D the burner is supported above the con-
tainer A and maintained in position by a tube P which also carries the "mantle "
or hood S and the holder E for the glass chimney F F. Within the base C is an
india-rubber ball H serving as the air-reservoir and communicating by tube h with
the interior of the benzoline container B. Connected to tube h is a branch tube /¹
(containing a non-return valve h³ consisting preferably of an india-rubber flap) and
having attached to it an air pumping bulb H' by which the reservoir H is charged
with air.
The tube rises into a larger tube 6 which is closed at top and open at
bottom so that the compressed air coming from the reservoir H is caused to enter the
benzoline container B near the bottom, the container B being filled with wadding
in order to assist the vapourization and prevent any liquid benzoline being carried
forward by the compressed.air. The benzoline vapour passes into the upper part
of vessel B through the perforated diaphragm B¹ (which rests upon the wadding)
and thence through the box 68 into tube a¹.
The container B is charged with benzoline through the tube b which is closed.
by the screw plug L which likewise serves to close the mouth K at which the
container A is filled with paraffin oil, the plug L having a cone 7 which fits tightly
into the funnel mouth of tube b so that in case the lamp is not held upright no
paraffin oil from container A can enter container B but the compressed air can pass
up through tube b and enter the container. From the bottom of the container A
rises a tube a containing wadding or a wick for the filtration of the paraffin oil, a
two-way cock M being common to the two pipes a a¹. The passage for paraffin
oil and the passage f¹ for benzoline are so arranged that on turning the pointer N
(see Figure 2) to the right the passage flis only slightly open when is just
beginning to open. The plug has two small slits or grooves at opposite sides of
the passage whereby to enable the quantity of paraffin oil passing to be regulated
with accuracy. Both the passages are closed when the pointer N stands at zero on
the scale N' but when it stands at 1 the passage for the benzoline alone is open.
When it is at 2 the passage for the paraffin oil is open also and when it stands at 3.
the latter passage alone is open. The scale is more finely graduated near 3 in order
to accurately fix the position of the pointer in order to obtain the most steady and
brilliant light.
6:
The scale N is fixed to the casing G G¹ to which atmospheric air is admitted..
The tube P terminates at its lower part in a chamber Q having air inlet
apertures 9 and serving to catch any paraffin which may fall and to induce the
admission of air to the burner. The tube P is enlarged at its upper end to form a
chamber P provided with a conical cap of wire netting a from which the com-
bustible vapours mixed with air escape within the luminous body or mantle."
R is the vapourizing chamber, this chamber being supported by arms and supplied
with paraffin oil through the tube m. From the upper part of the chamber a
tube p extends downwards, its lower end being bent upwards as at p₁. The
luminous hood or "mantle "S is suspended on a support s. The air charged with
benzoline vapour passes through the tube m' into the annular chamber T below
the head of the buruer P¹ and thence through the perforations t to the burner.
The lower part F of the glass chimney is of conoidal shape and conforms as far
as possible to that of the "mantle " in order to favour complete combustion of the
paraffin and avoid any bad odour, the upper part F¹ of the chimney being of the
usual cylindrical form.
The operation is as follows:-The reservoir H having been charged with air,
when it is required to light the lamp the index N is set at 1 upon the scale,
whereupon air passes through the container B, becomes charged with benzoline
vapour and passes through pipe a', passage fi of cock M, and tube m¹ to the

page_text: chamber T and through the orifices t to the burner at which the vapour may be
ignited within the hood or "mantle "S. When the benzoline flame has sufficiently
heated the "vapourizing chamber" R the index N is moved to 2 thus opening the
passage through a fm R ppl through which oil is forced from A to the vapourizing
chamber wherein it is vapourized, the vapour issuing at p¹ mixing with air and
burning at the wire net u. The index N. is then accurately set to the position
near 3 on the scale to which the lamp has been regulated. In order to extinguish
the lamp the pointer N is turned back to 1, a benzoline flame being again produced
which is left to burn the short time necessary to consume any paraffin vapour
which may be generated after the stoppage of the supply, this flame being then
either extinguished by turning the pointer to zero or continued until the supply of
compressed air in ball H is exhausted.
To ensure proper vapourization the chamber R must be large enough and
have thin walls so that it may be sufficiently heated by the surrounding flame
and by the heat radiated from the "mantle" and the chamber should extend
below the flame as shown to allow the entering paraffin to accumulate at this
cooler lower part and ensure uniformity of vapourization.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An incandescent lamp specially constructed as specified for enabling
vapourized liquid fuel to be burnt in admixture with air.
2. In an incandescent oil lamp the combination and arrangement of the oil
vapourizing chamber and of the vapour outlet pipe, with and in relation to, the
burner as specified.
3. In an incandescent oil lamp the combined vapourizer and burner for
producing and burning oil vapour in admixture with air in combination with
means of supplying easily ignitable vapours to the burner as and for the purpose
specified.
4. In an incandescent oil lamp having a combined vapourizer and burner for
the oil, the combination therewith and with means of supplying easily ignitable
vapour to the burner and liquid fuel to the vapourizer, of a cock or equivalent
means of simultaneously and accurately controlling both supplies so that first the
one and then the other supply may be opened the second being slightly opened
before the first is entirely closed on lighting the lamp and the first being slightly
opened before the second is closed on extinguishing the lamp as and for the
purpose specified.
5. In an incandescent oil lamp having a combined vapourizer and burner for the
oil, separate containers for oil and for volatile fluid, means for controlling the
connection of both containers with the vapourizer and burner respectively and an
air reservoir in connection with both containers as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 12th day of September 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.