Improvements in Lamps Burning Hydrocarbon Oils under Pressure for Lighting or Heating, also Applicable to other Lamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec., 1889-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Lamps Burning Hydrocarbon Oils under Pressure
for Lighting or Heating, also Applicable to other Lamps.
I, WILLIAM GILBERT ROBINSON, Ainley Grange, Elland, in County of York,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention is an improved form of gas generating lamp, whereby a portion
of the gas generated is used to obtain sufficient pressure in the oil vessel and thus
secure an uniform supply of oil to the burner.
In carrying out my invention I employ a reservoir of iron or other suitable metal as
an oil tank. which reservoir works in conjunction with a suitable self-generating gas,
or vapour burner. From the bottom of the reservoir (which, when sufficient oil has
been placed therein is closed, so as to leave no other outlet, except the nozzle of the
burner) I take a pipe to the lowest part of the generator portion of the burner, and
from the highest part of the same generator I take a pipe to a space left over the oil
in the reservoir.
From the highest portion of the generator I also take a pipe to the nozzle or jet,
and place the said nozzle or jet in such a position, that the flame when issueing therefrom
will play upon, or be in close proximity to the generator, so as to keep the generator
hot enough to vapourize all the oil required for the proper supply of gas, both to the
burner and to the space over the oil in the reservoir so that the oil and gas in the
reservoir and the oil & gas in the self-generating burner, are always evenly and
properly balanced, at whatever pressure is necessary for the perfect combustion of the
aforesaid oil gas.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps Burning Hydrocarbon Oils under Pressure
for Lighting or Heating, also Applicable to other Lamps.
I WILLIAM GILBERT ROBINSON, of Ainley Grange, Elland, in the County of York,
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 and accompanying drawing :-
My said Invention is an improved form of gas generating lamp, whereby a portion
of the gas generated is used to obtain sufficient pressure in the oil vessel and thus
secure an uniform supply of oil to the burner while dispensing with the use of hand
pumps or other mechanism for developing pressure. In carrying out my invention I
employ a reservoir of iron or other suitable metal as an oil tank, which reservoir
From the
works in conjunction with a suitable self-generating gas, or vapour burner.
bottom of the reservoir I lead a pipe to the lowest part of the generator portion of the
burner, and from the upper part of the same generator I take a pipe to a space left
over the oil in the reservoir. From the upper portion of the generator or from the
pipe leading the gas pressure thereto I also take a pipe to the nozzle or jet, and place
the said nozzle or jet in such a position, that the flame when issuing therefrom, will
play upon, or be in close proximity to the generator, so as to keep the generator hot
enough to vapourize all the oil required for the proper supply of gas, both to the
burner and to the space over the oil in the reservoir so that the oil and gas in the
reservoir and the oil and gas in the self generating burner, are always evenly and
properly balanced, at whatever pressure is necessary for the perfect combustion of the
aforesaid oil gas.

page_text: To render the foregoing description more clear and to ascertain exactly of what my
invention consists I will now enter upon a more detailed specification thereof with the
assistance of the attached drawing.
The said drawing is a view in side elevation of a lighting apparatus or lamp of the
type to which my invention applys. The oil reservoir is marked A, the gas generator
is marked B, and the jet or nozzle from which the gas issues to be burned is
marked C. As detailed in my provisional specification my Invention consists in
utilising the pressure of gas evolved in the generator to create equal pressure in
the oil reservoir this equality of pressure being requisite to allow the oil to enter
the generator. To do this, all that is requisite is that the upper portion of the
generator or that portion of the generator which is furthest from or at a suitable distance
form the oil inlet, should be connected to the upper part of the oil reservoir, a pressure
spare being preferably left between the surface of the oil and the top of the reservoir. By
this means I establish an equilibrium or equality of pressure between the gas
generator, the oil reservoir and the gas efflux nozzle. If the gas generator is
situated beneath the level of the oil the oil will enter it by force of gravity as the
pressure behind it in the reservoir is exactly equal to the pressure in front of it
in the generator. With this preliminary explanation I will now refer again to
the drawing. It will be observed that the gas generator B which I have elected
to show but which forms no part of my present invention is composed of a
succession of horizontal tubes the said horizontal tubes being connected by
vertical tubes or hollow members b. All of the said tubes are closed by screw
stoppers which can be removed for the purpose of cleaning out the tubes. A similar
set of generator tubes exists on the other side of the flame a the two sets being
connected by .cross tubes 62 68. The foot of the generator B is connected to the oil
reservoir A by means of the pipe d, a valve e being provided to regulate or cut
off the supply of oil. The pipe d is cranked as shown so as to carry the foot of
the generator well beneath the lowest level of the oil. The upper end of the
generator is also connected to the oil reservoir by a pipe f. The gas issues from
the generator and, passes through this pipe to the oil reservoir. Enclosed within the
vertical portion of the pipe is a smaller pipe the upper end of which is in
communication with the pipe while the lower end is in communication with an
extension which is attached to the foot of the pipe f, the said extension carrying the
gas eflux nozzle C. The gas proceeding through the annular space in the pipe goes
partly into the reservoir through the horizontal portion as indicated by the arrows
and partly down the central smaller tube g to the hollow extension and thence to the
burner from whence it issues to be consumed. The curved arrow at the top of the
pipe represents the action of the gas as it rises to the top of the annular space in
the pipe and turns to go down the central small tube g to the burner. It will be
evident that instead of the pipe being within the pipe I might place it outside
and connect it to the pipe for I might lead the gas to the burner from the upper
part of the oil reservoir. Above the nozzle C and attached to the foot of the gas
generator is the argand or air mixing portion of the burner. The oil reservoir is
carried on a swivel pillar or on any other suitable or convenient support. The
generator may have a tray or other means to support a funnel or wind guard. The
apparatus is put in operation as follows. The reservoir A is filled with oil to within a
suitable distance from the top as indicated, through the filling hole in the top which
is thereafter closed by a screwed plug j. I then place a portion of oily waste or
other suitable combustible between the halves of the generator B and set fire to the
combustible. When the generator is sufficiently hot, I open the valve e and allow
the oil to enter the foot of the generator. Gas is at once formed in the heated
generator a portion of the gas proceeding to the reservoir the remainder which issues
from the nozzle C being ignited and consumed in the form of the flame x. This flame
maintains the generator at a high temperature so as to vapourise the oil entering from
the reservoir the pressure of gas from the generator going as aforesaid partly to the
oil reservoir and partly to the burner with the result that equality of pressure is
constantly maintained between the generator and oil reservoir and also the burner.

page_text: The oil is thus permitted to enter the generator by its own gravity. The pressure
space in the oil reservoir has a beneficial result in preserving the light from sudden
fluctuations owing to any possible sudden access of pressure from the generator, by
acting as a sort of elastic cushion to absorb any such sudden access of pressure and
re-distribute it before the light is appreciably affected. It will be evident that
although I have described and shown a particular form of generator and burner, any
other suitable form of generator whether placed vertically, horizontally or otherwise
and from which pressure developed therein can he led to the oil reservoir, could be
used in carrying my invention into effect. I do not bind myself to the disposition of
parts nor arrangement of pipes shown and described as these can be varied. Indeed
I do not bind myself to any mechanical arrangement or construction of the parts of
this type of lamp, nor to any form of generator or burner so long as the feature
constituting my invention is preserved, namely conducting the pressure evolved in
the gas generator to the upper part of the oil reservoir so as to balance the pressure
between the generator and the oil reservoir and secure the efficient working of the
light without the use of hand pumps or other auxiliary means at present used for
creating pressure in the oil tank. My improved light will burn without requiring
any of the periodical attention which must be bestowed upon lighting apparatus fitted
with the said auxiliary means for creating and maintaining pressure in the reservoir.
The gas pressure from the generator may either be admitted directly to the upper
part of the oil reservoir as described and shown or the said pressure may be caused to
act upon some interposed body or medium which will in its turn transmit the pressure
to the oil in the reservoir.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
(1) In lighting apparatus or lamps of the indicated nature or type conducting the
pressure of gas evolved in the gas generator or a portion of such pressure to the
upper part of the reservoir containing the oil or other carbonaceous fluid or to
another chamber or part that will act thereon so as to obtain_automatically the
requisite pressure in the oil reservoir or otherwise to maintain the pressure in
the generator and the oil reservoir in equilibrium for the purposes and substantially
as hereinbefore described and shown.
(2) The general arrangement, construction and combination of parts comprising the
improved lighting apparatus in which the pressure in the oil reservoir is automatically
maintained from the gas generator, thereby dispensing with the use of pumps and
other auxiliary means for obtaining such pressure substantially as described and
shown.
Dated this 30th day of November 1889.