Year: 1886

page_text: I, FRANCIS LAURENCE VINCENT DI MARZO of Rome, in the Kingdom of Italy,
Clerk in Holy Orders, 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 :-
This invention relates to automatic lamps and its object is to improve, and
simplify the construction of that class of lamps, which are provided with an oil
reservoir and a separate burner-supply-regulating chamber, whereby the cost of
their manufacture will be less and their operation more simple and perfect than
heretofore.
The invention consists in certain details of construction of burner-supply-
regulating mechanism, and in securing the primary oil reservoir or chamber upon
the tubular supporting standard of the lamp, as will be hereinafter particularly
described.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a lamp embodying
the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the pipe above the reservoir when the
invention is applied to a hanging lamp. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a suitable valve
for the induction orifice of the supply tube.
A is the reservoir, which may be of any suitable size, shape or style, and which
is supplied with oil in any convenient manner, as through an aperture a. It is
to be understood, that the aperture may be supplied with a suitable cap or plug.
The reservoir may be upon the lamp or elsewhere and may be supplied with a
gauge-glass or any other suitable device, as with a float and chain or cord a¹, as
shewn, to indicate the height of its contents.
B is a pipe, which passes centrally or substantially so, through the reservoir
as the invention is here exhibited and which thus forms the uiain support or the
standard of the lamp. The lamp may be either a suspension lamp a standing
lamp, or a bracket lamp to be attached to a wall; in any case the central tube
preferably forms the standard by which the lamp is held in position.
In the present instance the invention is illustrated as applied to a suspension
or hanging lamp, so that chains or cords x are shewn attached to the tube above
the reservoir and passing over pulleys y to a counter-poise or ring around or
upon an outer tube in which the central tube B slides.
Any other suitable means for raising or lowering a banging lamp may be adopted
without deviating from my invention.

page_text: In the illustration of the invention here shown, the central tube B passes
vertically downward through the reservoir A into a separate regulator C, con-
sisting of an upper or float chamber C, and a lower chamber C³. Within the
reservoir, and preferably at a short distance above its bottom, the pipe B is
provided with an aperture b for the admission of oil. The regulating chamber
or regulator C is of any desirable size, shape or style, and preferably suspended
below the reservoir A upon the pipe B, this pipe passing centrally. The float
chamber is provided with an appropriate bottom c. Below the float chamber,
the pipe B has an elbow D, which is bent or curved upward and enters the float
chamber through its bottom.
Within the float chamber C₁ and placed upon the central pipe in such manner
as to be free to move up and down thereon, is a float E. At the upper and lower
part of this float are two rings e, which form collars for the float upon the pipe,
and by having these rings alone instead of an extended tube of the entire depth,
or even of a greater depth than the float, which tube cannot always be straight,
and by adjusting the size of the rings to the pipe, so that they will barely touch
the same at two points, friction is reduced to a minimum.
Attached to the float, preferably near the perimeter of the same, to give greater
leverage is a vertical rod F, which may be adjusted in length to regulate the
extent of its movement by a thumb-nut f¹, or otherwise, and which is pivoted
as at f, to a horizontal bar or lever G. This bar or lever at its central part spans
the tube B, where it has a wide collar or bend to allow the free action of the lever
on the valve as a handle. The rod F is so attached to the float as to move with it
in both directions, instead of upward only as heretofore.
The extremity of the lever G, opposite its attachment to the rod F, forms a cap-
valve H, which valve is over the induction opening of the pipe D, where this pipe
is tapered to lessen the orifice and form a seat for the valve. The lever G
carrying the valve, is hinged upon the induction tube or pipe D, as shown in
Fig. 3. The valve H may be of any suitable kind; but I prefer to have it con-
structed in the nature of a cap having a central conical depression provided with a
suitable washer h, to fit over and upon the seat or tapered end of the pipe D.
The washer may be held in place by a packing-ring. It will be understood, that
the float rests the liquid in the chamber C, and that as the liquid rises, the float
rises with it, and in this manner raises the rod F and operates the lever G, which
controls the valve and lessens or entirely stops the supply. Below the pipe D;
the pipe B is provided with a plug or stopper b².
Leading out from the bottom of the chamber C₁ is a pipe I, which joins the
pipe B below the plug or stopper b¹. The lower part of the pipe B, with which
the pipe I communicates, leads to a distributer J, which has leading from it the
pipes K, which supply the burners L.
Instead of having the pipe B plugged, as at 61, it may end below the pipe D, and
there may be a separate pipe with which the pipe I communicates to feed the
distributor; but the construction shown is preferred as being more compact.
Instead of having the pipe I and distributor J and pipes K, pipes may lead
directly from the chamber C₁ to the burners, as shown in dotted lines. It is
obvious that, as the oil is discharged to the distributor, the valve over the induction
pipe will open.
There may be any number of burners. These may be arranged in any suitable
manner, and the invention may be applied to any suitable lamp.
It is evident, that the supply-pipe might be outside of the regulator, in which
case a rod might be placed in the center of the chamber for the support or standard,
along which the float would slide, and thus prevent it from catching against the
sides of the regulator.
From the foregoing, the operation of the device shown will readily be understood
and may be stated in sequence as follows; The reservoir having been supplied
with oil, the same will enter the pipe B through the aperture b and passing down-
ward will run into the chamber C through the bent pipe D. As the oil enters the

page_text: chamber C, it will raise the float E, and, as this carries up with it the rod F, it
will operate the lever G, and close the valve. As the chainber C¹ is depleted by
passage of the oil to the burners, the float sinks and the valve is opened.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare, that what
I claim is:
1) In a lamp, the combination of the tube B, a primary oil reservoir or chamber
surrounding the said tube, the two chambers communicating through the tube, and
a rod pivotally arranged in the regulating chamber, provided at one end with the
valve, and a float to which the rod is connected, substantially as described.
2) The combination, with the pipe or tube B, a primary oil chamber or reservoir
surrounding the same, and a separate supply-regulating chamber, also surrounding
the tube B, the two chambers communicating through the pipe, of a float located in
said regulating chamber, surrounding and guided by the tube B, and a valve
operated by said float to open and close the inlet to the supply-regulating chamber,
substantially as described."
3) In a lamp, the combination of the tube B, a primary oil reservoir or chamber
surrounding the same, a separate supply-regulating chamber having inlet and
outlet openings also surrounding the tube, the float situated in the regulating
chamber having the collar e surrounding and sliding upon the tube, and the valve
lever connected to the float and operating to open and close the inlet to the
regulating chamber.
4) The combination, in a lamp, of the central tube B, the main-reservoir and
the separate supply-regulating chamber upon said tube and communicating there-
through by means of the opening b in the tube and inlet-tube D, a supply-outlet,
and a valve operated by a float in said supply-cham
en and close the end of
the inlet tube, substantially as set forth.