Improvements in Lamps for Heating and Boiling, Part of which Applies to Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Indicating the Period of Ebullition and to Methods for Extinguishing the Lamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1889-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Heating and Boiling, Part of which
Applies to Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Indicating
the Period of Ebullition and to Methods for Extinguishing the
Lamps.
FRANK WYNNE of 5 Westminster Chambers in the City of Westminster a Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
My improvements relate to an improved construction of and improvements in
materials used in Lamps for heating and for boiling fluids, in which spirits of wine is
burnt and to an improved arrangement of the same whereby when I require a strong
or boiling heat I use two flames, one of which is mainly employed in evaporating or
heating the spirit for the other flame, and so arranged that when I require a gentle
or simmering flame I extinguish the smaller or evaporating flame as I prefer to call
it whereby the other flame becomes much reduced in size and becomes what I prefer
to refer to as the simmering flame and part of my invention relates to the means
which I employ to regulate or eventually shut off the supply of air to the evaporating
flame whereby I am enabled to vary the heat of the lamp, and part of my invention
relates to improvements by which when using the combination of both flames which
I prefer to refer as the boiling flame and applying it or a similar flame to a vessel
containing a liquid to be boiled, a signal or indication is given when ebullition occurs,
such indication preferably continuing during the period of ebullition, and part of my
invention relates to the automatic reduction of the boiling flame and to the automatic
extinction when required of the lamp.
In carrying out my invention I prefer to employ a vessel containing the spirits
having a small vertical tube which I prefer to refer to as the air tube passing thro'
the spirits communicating at its lower end with the atmosphere and opening at its
upper end above the spirit into a cylinder or tube concentric to it which cylinder
forms an opening to the spirit vessel and continues to a convenient height above the
level of the spirit and above the upper opening of the air tube.
a
In the annular space between this cylinder and the air tube, and extending the
length of the cylinder and the tube to the bottom of the spirit vessel I place a cylinder
or coil made preferably of wire gauze preferably brass, woven of very fine mesh, the
use of which fine wire gauze as a material to which the heat of the evaporating
flame can be applied direct without fear of carbonizing it, forms a material part of
one part of my invention. By applying light to the gauze where it appears just
above the air tube I obtain a small flame localized round the top of the air tube, &
this is the evaporating flame and this flame by heating the gauze cylinder above it
evaporates and heats the spirit and furnishes a large quantity of material for a flame
which I get at the top of the cylinder and this combination forms the boiling flame,
by this combination I get in a much more simple form and in a much better form
than has hitherto been obtained a flame which is superior in many ways to that
supplied by the lamp known as the Rechand Lang.
By regulating in any convenient way the supply of air to the air tube I am able
to modify the strength of the boiling flame and by closing the supply of air the
evaporating flame is extinguished and the simmering flame at the top of the cylinder
is obtained.
In one form of lamp for regulating this supply of air I place a false bottom to the
'spirit vessel thro' which air passes to the air tube, and I make the communication to
this false bottom by means of a tube which may be the handle of the lamp which
communicates with the air, and which I can wholly or partially close.
I sometimes arrange for the automatic regulation or extinction of the flame when
applying the boiling flame to a vessel containing water, in the following way.

page_text: I place an inverted jar like a bell jar in the water vessel, or over the pipe through
which the boiling water is forced over into another vessel, the bottom of the jar
dipping below the level of the water, and by this means I obtain a slight pressure of
steam in the jar, and from the upper part of the jar I take a pipe which carries the
steam to near the flame which may thus be blown out, and I sometimes cause this steam
to blow thro' the air tube by which means the evaporating flame is extinguished, and
I sometimes place a piece of wire gauze between the evaporating flame and the
simmering flame to prevent the former from being reignited.
I sometimes use the steam pressure in the jar to blow a whistle or move an indicator
inserting the whistle in the upper part of the inverted jar.
I do not limit myself to the single cylinder or concentric coil of fine wire gauze,
but sometimes supplement this by the addition, or simple use of a cotton wick.
I prefer to close the lamp by means of a cap consisting of two tubes with the
annular space between them closed, one of which covers the cylinder and the other
the air tube, and I sometimes close the cylinder by a cap, and use a cork preferably
attached to it to close the air tube.
Dated this Twenty-first day of February 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Heating and Boiling, Part of which
Applies to Improvements in Means and Apparatus for Indicating
the Period of Ebullition and to Methods for Extinguishing the
Lamps.
I, FRANK WYNNE of 5, Westminster Chambers in the City of Westminster, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved construction of and material for use in lamps in
which combustible liquid for example spirits of wine (hereinafter referred to as
spirits) is burnt, it may be for heating and for boiling liquids, and in which when a
strong or boiling heat is required two flames are used, one of which the smaller, is
mainly employed in evaporating or heating the spirit for the other or larger
flame.
Such a lamp is according to my invention constructed with an air tube and an
outer concentric tube with an intervening space for a wick, the arrangement being
such that the lamp can burn with two flames viz. a small flame and a large or main
flame the smaller flame heating the wick internally and causing the volatilization of
combustible liquid for the large flame. The arrangement is also such that when a
gentle or simmering flame is required the smaller, or evaporating flame as I prefer to
call it, can be extinguished, whereby the other flame becomes much reduced in size
and becomes what is herein referred to (when applied to cooking or boiling) as the
simmering flame. For this latter purpose I provide the lamp with means for
regulating or eventually shutting off the supply of air to the evaporating flame, and
whereby I am enabled to vary the heat of the lamp either by hand, or in an automatic
manner.
Part of my invention also relates to improvements by which when using a lamp
to heat a vessel containing liquid to be boiled, a signal or indication will be given
when ebullition of the liquid occurs.
A lamp according to my invention comprises a vessel provided with a tube herein
referred to as the air tube that is arranged to extend above the spirits within the
vessel, this tube communicating at one part with the atmosphere and at another part
with a cylinder or outer tube that is arranged concentric to the air tube and forms
an opening to the vessel, this outer tube being continued to a convenient height
above the level of the spirit and above the upper open end of the air tube. In the

page_text: annular space between the two tubes and extending from or about the top of the
outer tube to or nearly to the bottom of the spirit vessel, I place a wick,
the arrangement being such that with one wick, two flames can be obtained, viz. an
upper or main flame and a smaller or evaporating flame. The wick may consist of a
wire gauze cylinder that may advantageously be of brass woven with a mesh sufficiently
fine to enable it to act readily as a wick by capillary attraction, and arranged to be
beated by the smaller or evaporating flame. The use of this wire gauze cylinder as
a material to which the heat of the evaporating flame can be directly applied without
fear of carbonizing it, forms a part of this invention. The air supply to the air tube
may be regulated in various ways as hereinafter described.
By applying a light to the gauze where it appears just above the air tube I obtain
a small flame that is localized around the top of the air tube this flame constituting
what is herein called the evaporating flame which by heating the part of the gauze
cylinder above it, evaporates and heats the spirit and furnishes a large quantity of
combustible vapour for the flame which burns at the top of the outer tube and herein
called, when applied to boiling, the boiling flame.
I do not limit myself to the use in a lamp of the kind described of a cylinder or
concentric coil of fine wire gauze as in some cases I may use therewith an external
cotton wick; or I may use a cotton wick alone but this will ultimately become
carbonized.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a vertical section, of a lamp constructed according to this invention.
1 is a vessel to contain the spirits of wine to be burnt; it is provided with an air
tube 2 that extends upward to a height above the level of the combustible liquid and
through which air can pass from below, and with a cylinder or tube 3 that com-
municates at its lower end with the interior of the vessel 1. This tube 3 is arranged
concentric to and outside the tube 2 so as to leave an intervening space 4 to 'receive
a cylindrical wick 5 that extends downward into the spirits as shown.
6 is a cup
shaped valve adapted to take against the underside of the vessel 1 and close the lower
end of the tube 2. This valve is carried by a forked lever 7, pivotted at 8
and provided with a handle 9. 10 is a tube connected to the valve and arranged to
slide in the tube 2 in which it slides sufficiently tight to hold the valve in any position
into which it may be moved by its lever. The cylindrical wick 5 is according to
this invention made of metal gauze that may advantageously be of closely woven brass
wire. Such a wick can be heated by the direct contact therewith of the evaporating
flame without liability of its becoming damaged or carbonized as would be the case
if an ordinary cotton wick unprotected by wire gauze between it and the flame were
used.
With the construction of lamp described if a light be applied to the metal wick at
a point just above the top of the air tube and this be open to the atmosphere at its
lower end, a small flame indicated at 13 will be obtained. This flame which constitutes
the evaporating flame, will heat the part of the metal wick surrounding it and will
consequently heat the spirit drawn up the wick by capillary attraction and will
vaporize the spirit in such quantity as to form a large flame at the top of the tube 3
as indicated at 12 and which flame constitutes the large or main flame. The gauze
metal wick may be regarded as an internally heated retort in which the greater
portion of the spirits is vaporized.
Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 illustrating another way of controlling the air
supply to the air tube 2. The vessel 1 is provided with a false bottom 14 which
together with part of the bottom 1* and the side walls of the vessel form an air
chamber 15 that is in communication with the air tube 2, and also with a tube 16 upon
which the lamp handle 17 is fitted. The tube 16 and handle 17 are each formed with
openings 18 and the handle is so arranged that it can be partly rotated upon the tube 16
for the double purpose of causing the holes in the one to register more or less as
desired with those in the other when air is to be supplied through these openings to
the chamber 15 and tube 3 and for closing the openings when this air supply is to be
cut off.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 1 in which the air pipe 2 is provided with a lateral
pipe 16ª for the admission of air. In this pipe may be arranged another pipe 17ª
formed with openings 18 and capable of being partly drawn out, and pushed into the
pipe 16" for the purpose of accurately regulating or cutting off the air supply to the
evaporating flame. The air tube is formed with a hole 2ª at its lower end through which
spirits that may become condensed in the air tube when only the small flame 13 is
burning can fall into the vessel 1. The metal gauze wick 5 is formed with a slot to
allow of its being passed over the tube 16. This wick may be used alone or it may be
used with an external wick 5ª of carbonizable material such as cotton, as shewn in
dotted lines.
By suitably regulating the supply of air to the air tube by the valve I am able to
modify the strength of the large flame 12, and by closing or sufficiently closing the
supply of air to the air tube the evaporating flame can be extinguished and a small or
simmering flame only be obtained at the top of the tube 3 as indicated in dotted
lines at 13 Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section illustrating an arrangement of apparatus for auto-
matically cutting off the supply of air to the evaporating flame when the liquid
in the vessel heated by the lamp boils. In this construction the pipe 16, which
is in communication with the air tube 2 is connected by a spigot joint 19 to a
pipe 20 carried by a vessel 21 that is of the kind described and shewn in the
specification of another application for Letters Patent filed by me dated 17th
October 1888 No. 14893 and which is intended for making infusions of substances
such as tea.
The upper end of the pipe 20 passes through and extends to a short height
above the bottom of a receptacle 22 that is in communication with the interior
of the vessel 21 through a hole 23. This receptacle is provided with a cap 24
the rim of which extends downward below the top of the pipe 20. The arrange-
ment is such that when the lamp is burning, air will freely pass under the cap
to the pipe 20 and thence to the evaporating flame whilst the liquid to be boiled
is in the lower compartment 21ª of the vessel, but when this liquid boils and is
forced into the upper compartment 21° of the vessel as described in the said former
specification and rises above the lower edge of the hole 23 part of the liquid will
flow into the receptacle 22 and seal the air passage thus automatically cutting
off the supply of air to the evaporating flame which will consequently be extin-
guished whereupon the boiling flame will be reduced to a simmering flame.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section of apparatus of the kind hereinbefore referred to with
reference to Fig. 4 for making infusions, and provided with means for giving an
audible signal when the liquid in the lower compartment of the vessel has boiled and
has been forced into the upper compartment. For this purpose a whistle 26 is
attached to the outer side of an inverted bell jar or vessel 27, arranged within the
upper compartment 21ª of the apparatus. The lower edge of this vessel extends
downward sufficiently to be below the surface of the liquid when the same has been
forced from the lower compartment. 21ª to the upper compartment 21b, in order that
the steam which follows the liquid shall, when it enters the vessel 27 be maintained
under a slight pressure as explained in my said former specification.
This steam is in the present case utilized to sound the whistle the interior of which
is placed in communication with the interior of the vessel 27 by a small hole 28 as
shown. In order that the whistle inay act readily it is so arranged that it shall be
heated by the hot liquid forced into the upper compartment 21. By this means con-
densation of the steam in the whistle, and consequent delay in sounding an alarmı,
which would take place if the whistle were attached to the apparatus externally are
avoided.
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. A lamp adanted to produce two flames such
49 referred to by combustion of

page_text: combustible liquid fed as described by a single wick from a suitable vessel or
reservoir.
2. A lamp comprising a vessel or reservoir for containing combustible liquid, a
tube in communication therewith, and within this tube a second tube arranged
concentrically with the outer one and in communication with the atmosphere the top
of the inner tube terminating below the top of the outer tube, a space being provided
between the tubes to receive a suitable wick and the arrangement being such that two
flames can burn viz., a main or upper flame and below this a smaller or evaporating
flame to promote volatilization of combustible liquid and produce vapour for supporting
the main flame.
3. A lamp of the kind referred to in the preceding claim provided with means
for regulating and shutting off the supply of air to the inner or air tube.
4. The combination of a lamp of the kind referred to in claim 2, a vessel in which
liquid can be boiled by heat from such lamp, and means for automatically cutting off
the supply of air to the smaller or evaporating flame of the lamp when the liquid in
the vessel has boiled, substantially as herein described.
5. In a lamp constructed to burn with a large or main flame and an evaporating
flame, a wick composed of woven wire gauze of material such as brass that is not
easily carbonized and of such fine mesh as to act as a wick by capillary attraction the
arrangement being such that this wick can be heated by the smaller or evaporating
flame and extending into the combustible liquid will continually supply liquid to be
evaporated.
6. In a lamp of the kind referred to in claim 2 providing between the inner and
outer tubes a tubular wick composed of material such as cotton protected internally
by a suitable material such as metal wire gauze, the arrangement being such that the
wick made of cotton or other carbonizable substance is protected by the metal wire
gauze from being carbonized.
7. My improved lamps constructed to burn with two flames and provided with
means for controlling the supply of air to the smaller or evaporating flame as herein-
before described with reference respectively to and shewn in Fig. 1, in Fig. 2, and
in Fig. 3 of the drawings annexed.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the compound apparatus
shewn in and described with reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings.
9. In apparatus for making infusions the arrangement substantially as described
with reference to and shewn in Fig. 5 of the device for giving an audible signal when
liquid in the said apparatus has boiled.
Dated this 21st day of November 1889.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.