Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by FRANK RHIND, of Meriden, in the County of New
Haven and State of Connecticut, M.E., and CHARLES STANFORD UPTON, of
New York City, County, and State of New York, Merchant.]
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to oil lamps having an Argand burner or circular wick and.
consists of certain improvements hereinafter described, whereby increased combustion
is effected and consequently a better and steadier light is obtained. It also consists.
of improved apparatus or means for regulating the height of the wick.
According to this Invention the wick tube consists of two concentrically arranged
tubes, arranged with an intervening annular space in which a double shell wick holder
is fitted to rise and fall, the said wick holder being provided with rack teeth or their
equivalent to gear with a pinion carried on a spindle fitted to rotate in suitable
bearings on the outer shell of the lamp burner by means of which the wick holder and
wick may be raised and lowered as required.
At the lower part of the wick tube portions are cut away so as to form openings or
draught ducts for the admission of air from outside the lamp to the interior of the.
burner, the spaces between the inner and outer concentric tubes of the wick tube
round these openings being closed by metal.
The wick which is of cylindrical form at its upper end, is cut away or divided at
the lower part so as to form two insulated pieces extending below into the oil
reservoir, the fibre at the edges of the said wick at the parts cut away or divided being
prevented from raveling by seating against the closed edges of the openings in the
wick tube. Above the lateral draught tube provided by the openings in the wick
tube as described is arranged a conical perforated tube decreasing in size from the
bottom of the wick tube towards the top thereof. The top of this conical perforated
tube is closed and is expanded above the wick tube so as to form a flame spreader.
Within this tube another conical perforated tube may be placed, the perforations in

page_text: which are preferably larger than those in the outer conical tube. The air entering
these conical tubes by the lateral draught tubes passes through the perforations and
impinges evenly against the interior of the flame whilst air entering perforations in a
chamber surrounding the exterior of the wick tube impinges on the exterior of the
flame, the combined currents of air thus effecting a more perfect combustion of the oil
than is the case with lamps at present in use, whilst the air impinging against both
sides of the flame with equal force produces a better and steadier light.
A removable ring may be placed in the upper part of the wick tube, preferably in
the outer shell or concentric tube thereof, for the purpose of contracting the space
between the two concentric tubes at this part and projections or friction teeth are also
provided in the wick tube at this part for the purpose of securing the wick in position.
Instead of the pinion and rack teeth herein before described for regulating the height
of the wick, the wick holder may be operated by means of a screw or worm fitted to
turn vertically in suitable bearings in the interior of the oil reservoir and gearing with
a yoke loop or projection attached to the wick holder so that by turning the screw in
one direction or the other, the wick tube and wick may be raised and lowered as
required by means of a knob or handle fitted on the upper end of the screw which
projects through the oil reservoir. The screw may be made hollow or in the form of
à tube through which the reservoir may be charged with oil.
Dated this 12th day of January 1887.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W.C.,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention which has been communi-
cated to me from abroad by Frank Rhind of Meriden in the County of New Haven
and State of Connecticut M.E. and Charles Stanford Upton of New York City,
County and State of New York, Merchant 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 certain improvements in lamps, lamp burners and wicks
especially adapted therefor and consists of the parts hereinafter referred to and
particularly pointed out in the Claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the lamp burner the section being taken on the
line Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line y-y Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view shewing the wick holder, the wick, and the ratchet
mechanism for raising and lowering the wick.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the perforated flame spreader.
Figure 5 is a bottom view of the wick holder.
Figure 6 is a detail view of the light extinguisher.
Figure 7 is a vertical section of a lamp showing in sectional side view the wick
adjusting device.
Figure 8 is a transverse section taken along the line - Figure 7.
Figure 9 is an enlarged view of the flame-extinguishing device.
In the drawings A is the outer shell of the lamp burner and B B' are the inner and
outer parts of the double wick tube, the said parts B B being arranged far enough
apart to accommodate the double shell wick holder C. C which seats within the double
walled tube B B' as shown in figures 1 and 2 and is adapted to travel vertically within
the aforesaid tube for the purposes hereinafter described. Upon the outer shell A of
the Burner is mounted a spindle P carrying a pinion P' which extends through the
outer shell B of the wick tube as shown in figure 2 and engages with suitable openings,
in the outer shell C of the wick holder as shown in figure 3.
The wick holder C. C' is formed of two portions as aforesaid, both of which are cut
away forming the openings X (figure 3) their lower horizontal edges being connected
together where they are cut away by pieces of metal as shewn at Y in figures 3 and 5,
the vertical edges being also joined together or merged into each other as shown at Z
in figure 3.
The wick W which sets into the wick holder C, Cis tubular and cylindrical in
shape at its upper part while at its lower part a portion is cut away in two places
forming thereby the insulated pieces W which extend downwardly into the lamp
fount. The horizontal edges of the wick where it is cut away, seat upon the

page_text: corresponding part Y of the wick holder by means of which the wick is fully protected
at this part and raveling or tearing apart of the fiber of the said wick is prevented.
The enclosing edges Z of the wick holder serve also to protect the vertical edges of
the cut portions of the wick and also assists in guiding the said wick up or down.
The object of this construction of the wick and wick holder is to provide for the
laterally extending air ducts D D' which form passages for the air from the outside to
the central draft tube E, and at the same time permits of a continuous cylindrical
wick in the upper part, being fed with oil by the portions extending down into the
lamp fount or oil reservoir and also providing for the feeding of fresh air directly into
the central draft tube.
This improved wick is made by taking an ordinary cylindrical wick of any suitable
fiber and cutting therefrom the openings X as shewn in figure 3 and then turning
over the vertical edges and stitching them as shown at S in figure 3.
Within the central draft tube E is placed a perforated tube F gradually decreasing
in size from the bottom up and ferminating at its upper end in an enlarged
portion F the lower and curved portion of which is perforated the same as the main
body of the tube while the top is closed. Within this tube F is fitted another
tube also provided with perforations, somewhat larger in size however than those
in the tube F. The object of this construction is to break the force of any injurious
current or currents of air which may pass in any particular direction through the
central draft tube, and also to thoroughly equalize the force of the current or currents
and distribute the air evenly as it passes upward to the flame thereby causing a more
perfect combustion, and producing a better and steadier flame than is the case with
lamps as a present constructed. The upper part of the perforated cone F forms a
spreader for the fresh air and causes the flame to spread upward.
In the upper part of the wick tube is placed a ring H preferably upon the outside
of the wick as shewn in figure 1. the said ring being constructed with a flange H' to
rest upon the upper end of the tube B. The inner surface of the ring diverges
from the upper side downward to substantially a sharp edge at the bottom as shown
in the detail figure & and in the enlarged section Fig. 9. It is made to fit closely but
removably in the tube B. The object of this ring is to extinguish the flame when the
top of the wick has been drawn down to this point.
Another object of forming the wick holder C, C of two parts as hereinbefore
described is to stiffen the wick supporter or holder so that when it is worked up or
down by the pinion 1" the said wick holder will be prevented from departing from its
proper vertical movement inasmuch as the inner shell C of the wick holder will be
braced against the inner sides of the tubes B B and the rack on the wick holder
which is adapted to engage with the pinion wheel will never be thrown out of contact
therewith by virtue of the double shell wick holder.
In the interior of the outer shell C of the wick holder friction teeth C (Fig. 5) are
provided for holding and securing the wick in position.
In figure 7J represents the fount of a lamp which may be of the usual constructions,
K the central air tube which forms the inner wall of the wick chamber, La concentric
tube surrounding the tube K but so as to leave a space between them in the usual
manner for the tubular wick W. N is a cylindrical wick holder arranged to slide
upon the tube K. The wick W is clamped between the inner shell N of the wick
holder and the outer shell O as shown, and so that when the shell N is raised or
lowered the wick W and the outer shell of the wick holder will be raised or lowered
accordingly.
The external diameter of the wick holder corresponds to the internal diameter of
the wick tube or chamber so that the vertical movement of the wick and wick holding
device may be perfectly free within the double shell wick tube.
To contract the opening at the top of the wick chamber and yet permit the wick
holding device to be moved up through it, I introduce the movable ring H preferably
upon the outside of the wick as shown, the said ring being constructed with a flange H
to rest upon the upper end of the tube, as herein before described. This ring contracts
the opening at the upper end of the wick chamber to the extent of its thickness, and

page_text: it should be constructed so as to impinge closely upon the surface of the wick and
hold it against the opposite side of the chamber, because of this contraction of the
opening at the upper end of the tube the space which would otherwise exist between
the wick and the sides of the tube is closed, and by such reduction the flame will be
extinguished as soon as the upper end of the wick passes into this contracting ring H.
When the wick becomes so far consumed as to require replacing, the wick holder
is raised as before described and in so doing, will strike the bottom of the ring Hand
raise it from its place in the tube, so that it may readily be removed, and then after
the wick has been replaced the ring also is re-set into the tube as before.
In Figs. 7 & 8 is illustrated a wick adjusting device consisting of a shaft Q
arranged vertically in the oil fount, or reservoir J with its axis parallel with the axis
of the wick tube, and provided with a spiral rib R forming a screw thread thereon.
This shaft is supported at its lower ends in a bearing T and extends up through the
top of the oil fount, where it is provided with a suitable head T by which it may be
rotated. Surrounding this shaft is a yoke U which works upon the spiral rib or
screw thread R of the shaft, and is fixed to the wick holder N. The shaft is free to
rotate in its bearings but is prevented from moving vertically. By rotating the
shaft in one direction the yoke U will by the rib or screw R be raised and with it the
wick holder and the wick it carries. When the shaft is turned in the opposite
direction the yoke will be forced downward carrying with it the wick holder and
the wick.
Preferably the spiral rib is made of a quick pitch, so that but slight extent of
rotation will impart a considerable up or down movement to the wick. This spiral
rib may be stamped up on the shaft.
To utilize the shaft as a filler it is made tubular as shown, opening at its lower end
into the fount at the bottom, its upper end is closed by the usual filler cap or plug T
on the removal of which oil may be poured into the fount through the tubular shaft,
in the usual manner of filling lamp founts.
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 :-
First A cylindrical wick holder having an inner and outer shell, with a down-
wardly extending portion as shown in Figure 3 having the inner and outer shells
connected to each other as at Z to form a continuous cover for the wick at the sides
where cut away substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second A cylindrical wick holder having downwardly extending portions with
openings for the wick and having closed portions Y for the cut away portions of the
wick, as shown and described.
:-
Third A double shell cylindrical wick holder having a continuous opening at the
top and open and closed portions at the bottom, substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.
:-
Fourth A double shell cylindrical wick holder having a semicylindrical extension
at the bottom, the edges of the two shells being joined at the sides of the extension for
the purpose of bracing the parts and preventing the rack from receeding from the
pinion wheel substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Fifth A cylindrical, and double shell wick holder, having one or more extensions
or isolated portions to accomodate the corresponding portions of the cylindrical wick
as hereinbefore described.
Sixth-A cylindrical wick holder having a continuous casing inside and outside
of the wick and closed portions where the wick is cut away for the purpose of protecting
the wick substantially as hereinbefore described.
Seventh-The double shell cylindrical wick holder having the parts braced against
each other as shown and described, the outer shell being provided with friction teeth
for holding and securing the wick.
Eighth The combination of the double shell wick holder, with the double shell
burner, the said parts being arranged substantially as shown and described.

page_text: Ninth The combination of the lamp burner having the pinion wheel arranged
substantially as described, with the double shell wick holder having the rack in the
outer shell of said holder.
Tenth A circular and cylindrical lamp wick made of a single piece of material,
which has one or more parts cut away with edges secured from raveling, as shown
and for the purposes set forth.
Eleventh A circular and cylindrical wick for argand burners the said wick
*forming a single piece of material and having cut away portions stitched at the edges
to protect the material from raveling, as and for the purposes set forth.
Twelfth The lamp burner having the centre draft tube E, the conical perforated
tube F having a spreader F¹ as described and the perforated tube G all arranged
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
:-
Thirteenth The herein described improvements in lamps, in which the wick
chamber consists of two tubes, one within the other, and forming respectively the
inner and outer walls of the wick chamber, the upper end of the wick chamber being
contracted by an annular ring or projection from one of its walls into the chamber
substantially as described.
Fourteenth
The herein described improvement in lamps, in which the wick
chamber consists of the double shell wick tube forming the inner and outer walls of
the wick chamber, the combination therewith of a removeable ring H at the upper
end of the tubes, and within the wick chamber, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Fifteenth In a lamp employing a wick, the combination of the wick holder, a
vertical shaft arranged within the fount and parellel with the wick, supported to
prevent vertical movement, but free to be rotated. The shaft provided with a spiral
rib, a yoke adapted to engage the spiral rib on said shaft, and fixed to the wick holder
substantially as described, and whereby under the rotation of said shaft the wick
holder will rise or fall according to the direction of said rotation substantially as
hereinbefore described.
Sixteenth In a lamp, the combination of a wick holder, an upright tubular shaft
supported against vertical movement but free to revolve, the said tubular shaft
extending into the fount, a wick holder and a yoke adapted to engage the spiral rib
on the shaft, and fixed to the wick holder, substantially as described, and whereby
said tubular shaft forms a filling tube for the supply of the fount.
Dated the 25th day of February 1887.