Improvements in and in connection with Table and other Oil-lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th July, 1895-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Table and other
Oil-lamps.
We, JOHN VINCENT MOORE, of 8 Crowland Road, Stamford Hill, Court
Slipper Maker, and THOMAS BELL, of 154 Stamford Hill, Gentleman, both in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
n and by the following statement :—
Our invention relates to improvements in, and in connection with table, pedestal
or standard, hanging and other lamps, the principle of which, while applicable to
colza, and other vegetable oil lamps, is more particularly adapted for use in the
construction of such lamps as are intended to burn paraffin and other hydrocarbon
oils.
Our invention has for its objects.
First To provide a means whereby the said lamp may when constructed to
stand upon a table or floor automatically extinguish itself when dropped or
knocked over.
Second To provide a means whereby the cil may be automatically fed to the
burner, so that approximately, the same distance always exists between the burner
and the level of the oil, thus preventing the unpleasant and unhealthy odour given
off from such lamps when the oil is low.
Third That by feeding the oil to the burner at a rate absolutely corresponding
to the rate of consumption, the down current of air to replace the oil consumed
in the well is avoided, whereby a more steady, uniform and brilliant light is
obtained.
Fourth-To provide an improved feeding funnel for indicating the exact level
of the oil in the lamp.
Fifth A method of construction whereby the well of the lamp or oil chamber
may be quickly and easily removed, cleansed and replaced.
Sixth-A means for preventing the chimney glass from making actual contact
with the cold or hot metal of the chimney rack, thereby prolonging the life of the
glass.
In order that our invention, and the manner in which the same operates, may be
fully understood, we have hereunto appended two sheets of drawings, in which
we have chosen to illustrate our invention as adapted to table lamps, the same
reference letters being used to indicate the same or like parts.
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a vertical section of such a lamp as it would appear when
charged with oil and in actual use.
Fig. 2 is a like section illustrating the automatic feed of the oil to the burner,
and the manner of operation of the parts for automatically extinguishing the lamp
when no longer required, or when dropped or knocked over.
Fig. 3 Sheet 2 is a plan view of same..
Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the manner in which we prefer to mount the
anti-friction rollers upon the oil chamber or well.
Fig. 5 is a diagram of so much of the chimney rack as will serve to illustrate
the manner in which we attach thereto resilient plugs against which the chitney
glass rests.
"

page_text: Fig. 6 is a horizontal 'section_upon the line-AB Fig. 1
Fig. 7 is a horizontal section upon the line-C D Fig. 2.
We carry our invention into effect by constructing of any suitable metal, glass,
porcelain or other suitable material, or any desired combination thereof, a
chamber. A, preferably but not imperatively circular in plan, and this we firmly
mount upon a tubular standard B, having a hollow and preferably circular base C,
provided with a removable bottom D.
Within the chamber A we place a preferably metallic chamber E, of the same
shape in plan, but of lesser diameter, and preferably half or thereabouts the depth
of A, the upper edge of E being provided with three or more anti-friction
rollers a, carried in brackets b, (shewn enlarged by Fig. 4) which may be fixed
upon or formed integrally with E, the said rollers being to permit the said chamber
to freely rise and fall within the chamber A without friction. Beneath the
chamber E we provide three or more suitable but preferably spiral springs c, of
such power, collectively, as to raise E gradually to its highest position, as this is
emptied, as at Fig. 2, and to collapse when E is filled as at Fig. 1.
The chamber A is provided with a preferably metallic cover F, shaped as shewn,
and in this a feeding aperture is formed covered by a screw cap G. The cover F
has also a central aperture surrounded by a boss Ħ, which receives the flange of
the burner J, and we prefer that the said flange shall be retained therein by
friction, rather than by that of a screw thread. The burner J may be provided
with a wick passage d, chimney rack j, wick cap f, globe gallery g, and wick
regulator g¹ in the usual way, but in order that the wick may not be spontaneously
lowered when in use, by vibration or other causes, we rivet, solder or otherwise
fix upon any suitable part of the burner J, a small spring ", which abuts against
the wick regulator gl, as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2.
In order that the chimney glass (shewn by dotted outline in Figs. 1 and 2)
may not be subjected to the usual hazard of breakage by contact with the cold or
hot metal of the rack j, we form in each or any number of the sections of the
latter suitable openings, into each of which we force and fix a cork, asbestos or
other non-conducting plug (shewn more graphically by the enlarged diagram
Fig. 5) and against these the outer surface of the flange of the glass would
collide, while the lower edge of same would rest upon a washer or ring of the
same material as k, placed around the lower surface of the wick cap f (Figs. 1, 2,
and 3).
Upon the tubular standard B we mount a sleeve or sliding collar K, to the
lower end of which is connected a diaphragm or plate L, having wings or pro-
jections m m, which slide in vertical slots n in the standard B, and serve as guide,
for the sleeve K. Through the centre of the diaphragm or plate L is passed, and
firmly fixed thereto, a rod M, the upper end of which terminates about level with
the top of K, while its lower end passes freely through a diaphragm or plate N
fixed within the standard B, and continuing on passes through a central hole in the
bottom plate D, the length of said rod being such, that when the sleeve K is in
its highest position, the lower end of M is flush with D, as shewn in Fig. 1.
The said rod M carries a fixed and preferably circular plate O, and between this
and the diaphragm N, is surrounded by a spiral spring P, which is placed in
tension when upward pressure is imparted to the rod M, occasioned by the weight
of the lamp when this is stood upon a table or other flat surface as at Fig. 1, or
by an upward pressure upon the sleeve K, by which the lamp must be carried from
place to place.
Within the base C. we provide an air proof collapsible chamber R, made of
rubber, rubber composition, air proof cloth or the like, shaped in plan to correspond
with that of the chamber or base C, and in this is formed a central aperture R',
through which the lower end of the rod M passes freely. The said chamber R
is provided with an exhaust nozzle, to which is connected one end of a short
length of elastic tubing r, the opposite end of which is connected to the lower end

page_text: of a fixed tube S, which extends upward and passes through the fixed plate N,
and freely through a hole in the diaphragm L, and preferably into the lower
portion of the chamber A, whereat it is bent or curved and passes outwardly
through an air tight hole in the side of same, from which point it is again bent
upward and fixed to the outer surface of A, or hidden within some ornamentation
thereon, and terminating a short distance below the top of same, and upon this
end of S is placed, and secured thereto by a thumb screw or its equivalent s,
the
Jower end of metal tube T, fixed to the burner J, and terminating with a nozzle,
bent or curved so as to be level with, and pointing along the combustion end of
the lamp wick t, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the said fixation of T upon S, also
serving to fix and bold in position the burner J. We may where a duplex burner
is used, bifurcate the nozzle end of T, so that this may operate upon both wicks
as hereinafter explained.
For the purpose of feeding the lamp with whatever oil may be used, we provide
a specially constructed funnel W, shewn in perspective by Fig. 8, which also forms
part of our invention, and is shaped in plan as shewn to clear the burner J and has
a stem closed at its lower end, and provided with two or more perforated or wire
gauze covered apertures w through which the oil is strained before entering the
lamp.
The said funnel is also provided with a cork, pith or other ball x of
lesser specific gravity than water, and to charge the lamp the screw cap G would
be removed, and the stem v of the funnel inserted in the hole previously covered
thereby, which would reach to the bottom of the chamber E, and as the oil was fed
into this it would be gradually lowered by the weight of oil as this increased
in bulk, thereby compressing the springs c, when E was filled as at Fig. 1,
ball & in the funnel rising to indicate the same, by reason of this floating upon the
oil in v which would always be the level of that in E, but should the oil by any
mishap overflow E, it would flow into the chamber A, where it may remain until
the lamp is cleaned, as it would have no worse effect than that of adding to the
The
buoyancy of E, and act as a lubricant to the springs c, and the rollers a.
funnel may now be removed and the cap G replaced, thus showing that the lamp
may be charged at any time without removing the burner or extinguishing the
lamp.
the
In practice, as the oil in E, is consumed the weight of its bulk would be gradually
lessened, and the chamber E would be as gradually raised by the tension of the
springs c thereby feeding the oil to the burner, and so attaining the second and third
objects of our invention as herein before stated.
In actual use the lamp would stand upon a table or other flat surface, when the
weight of the lamp would cause the said flat surface to force upwardly, to its full
height, the rod M, thereby compressing and placing in tension the spring P, and
placing the sleeve K close up against the chamber A, but should the lamp get knocked
over by accident so that the bottom D left the table or other flat surface, the tension
of the spring P would immediately press downward the rod M, causing the piate O
to compress the air chamber R as at Fig. 2, when the air therein would be forced
through the conduit rS T, and issuing from the nozzle or nozzles of the latter,
would immediately extinguish the wick or wicks t.
To remove the lamp from place to place the hand would grasp the sleeve K,
when the weight of the lamp would keep this close up to the chamber A, in the
same manner as when the lamp was standing upon the table, and should the person
so carrying the lamp stumble, or the lamp fall from any cause, so that the upward
pressure upon K was released, the tension of the spring P would operate in the
manner previously described, and the lamp be extinguished before reaching the
ground.
In lamps of this type as hitherto made and used, many accidents have occurred
through blowing down the chimney to extinguish the light when no longer needed,
but according to our invention all that is needed to extinguish the light would be
to lower the flame by the governor g', and lift the lamp by the chamber A, as

page_text: indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, thus removing the upward pressure upon the
rod M, and allowing the spring P to operate upon the chamber R in the manner
previously described, and so extinguish the light.
The lamp can be easily cleaned by removing the cover F.
From the foregoing it will be easily understood, that our invention, as a whole,
is equally applicable in the construction of pedestal, standard or floor lamps, and
that so much of our invention as relates to the chamber A and all the parts therein
and thereon, as a means for regulating the feed of the oil to the burner, and charging
the reservoir E by the aid of the funnel W, is equally applicable in the construction
of hanging or suspension lamps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1st. The improved table, pedestal or standard or hanging lamp, arranged to
burn vegetable or mineral oils, with one or more wicks, and in which the several
parts constituting the same are connected, combined and operate substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2nd. In an improved pedestal, floor or table lamp for burning mineral or vegetable
oils, the combination of a chamber A, containing a movable chamber or oil
reservoir E, provided with anti-friction rollers such as a, and springs such as c, the
whole being provided with a removable cover such as F, oil feed aperture,
covered by a screw cap G, a single or duplex burner J, fitted with a cotton
aperture d, and wick regulator g' with spring and non-conducting plugs such
ask and non-conducting ring 1, and arranged to fit by frictional contact within a
boss H in F, the whole supported by a tubular standard B, with hollow base C,
and removable bottom D, connected and operating substantially as and for the
purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In combination with the improved lamp set forth in the preceding claim,
the application thereto of a sleeve K, arranged to slide vertically upon B by the
means of projections m m, upon a diaphragm L fixed to K engaging with slots n n
in B, the rod M fixed to L, and passing loosely through a guide plate N, and the
bottom D of the base C. The spiral spring P, surrounding M below N and above
a plate O fixed upon M, the tension of said spring being arranged to operate by
expansion in the compression of an air chamber K in the base C, having a
passage R' for the rod M. The exhaust p connected by a tuber to a pneumatic
passage S, connected by a thumb screw or the like s, to a tube T fixed upon J,
and terminating with a single or bifurcated nozzle near to the combustion end of
the wick or wicks t, the whole connected, combined and operating substantially as
and for the purposes herein detailed and shewn by the appended drawings.
4th. In an improved hanging or suspension lamp for burning mineral or vegetable
oils, the combination of a chamber A, containing a movable oil reservoir E,
provided with anti-friction rollers a, and springs c, the whole provided with a
removable cover F, oil feed aperture covered by a screw cap G, single or duplex
burner J, the latter being fitted with a cotton aperture d, and wick regulator g¹
governed by a spring gl, and having resilient non-conducting plugs such as k and a
ring such as l, substantially as herein described and shewn.
5th. As a means for filling lamps of the type set forth in the preceding claims
without the need of extinguishing the lamp or removing the burner, and for
indicating the level of the oil therein, the combination of a funnel W, having a
tube with perforated or wire gauze covered apertures ww, and containing a
cork or other ball of low specific gravity, substantially as described and shewn
by Fig. 8.
6th. As a means for prolonging the lives of chimney glasses of lamps of the type
set forth in the preceding claims, the application of blocks of cork, asbestos or other

page_text: non-conducting material k to the sections; of the chimney rack and a like washer 1,
surrounding the wick cover f, substantially as herein described and shewn.
Dated this 18th day of July 1895.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.