IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
52 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS,"-which invention has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Charles Stanford Upton, of Rochester, New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer,-and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a central, vertical section of the lamp showing my invention.
Figure 2 is a horizontal, cross section in line x, x, of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the wick and wick-holding device removed
from the lamp
Figure 4 is a modification showing another form of the wick-holding device.
My improvements relate to Argand lamps, and the invention consists in a novel
means for raising and adjusting the circular wick, as hereinafter described.
In the drawings A, shows the lamp, which may be of any desired form, either
for portable or hanging lamps; B is the central air-tube, also arranged in the usual
way, and C is a perforated cone at the top; D is another shorter tube located
outside the air-tube, and leaving an annular space between, through which passes
the tubular wick E. To the outer tube is attached the collar or casing G, that
holds the chimney H, said casing being seated in an open collar, I, of the lamp, and
held in place by a bayonet-slot fastening, or other suitable means.
My improvements are as follows:-
J, is a circular holder for holding the wick. It consists of a metal ring or hoop,
which encircles the wick at any desired point, and is capable of sliding, with the
wick attached, up and down through the annular space between the two tubes B, D,
by which means the wick and its attachment can be inserted down into the lamp
and can be removed at pleasure.
K, is a vertical handle attached to one side of the holder J, by a lug a, offset
sufficiently to enable the handle to pass up out of the lamp outside of the case G,
and chimney H. Preferably the handle is made of a thin strip of metal, and has
137

page_text: 3
a finger-hold b at its top, by which it is raised and lowered. The top of the
handle rests above the top of the lamp so as to be easily reached and operated, and
the handle passes down through a narrow slitted guide c, which centers it and
keeps it in place, at the same time allowing freedom of motion, and rising high
enough to prevent escape of the oil. Instead of the form just described, that
shown in Figure 4 may be employed, in which a screw thread is cut on the upper
end of the handle, and a nut screwed on top, by turning which the wick can be
raised and lowered to produce proper adjustment of the same.
The above described device forms a convenient and effective means for raising
and lowering the wick, and. adjusting the same properly for burning. The
ordinary spur wheels are ineffective for the purpose, since the bearing comes only
on one side, producing cramping and binding of the wick, and either obstructing
the raising movement of the wick, or raising it more on one side than the other,
and producing uneven light and smoking.
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. In an Argand lamp, the combination with the center air-tube, and a guide-
tube outside the center tube, of a. circular holder embracing the wick, and a
handle attached thereto, extending up through the lamp, as set forth.
Second. In an Argand lamp, a wick-holder and adjuster, consisting of a clamp
attached to the wick, and a handle attached to the clamp, arranged to operate in
the manner and for the purpose specified.
•
Third. In an Argand lamp, the combination, with a clamp attached to the wick,
and a handle attached to the clamp, of a slitted bearing or guide on top of the
lamp, through which the handle passes, as shown and described and for the purpose
specified.
Fourth. A device for adjusting wicks, consisting of a clamp attached to the wick,
a handle attached to the clamp, and provided with a narrow thread, and a nut
screwing thereon, as herein shown and described.