IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
Year: 1855

page_text: application for Letters Patent was not given within the time, prescribed
by the Act!)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th. October
1855. A communication.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS," a communication
from Abraham Coates, of the City of New York, in the United States of
America, to be as follows:
These improvements relate to lamps wherein the oil or other liquid
employed is forced to the wick, and overflows faster than it is consumed, as in
the carcel or moderator lamps. The burner, which is of the ordinary con-
struction, is supported by a suitable arm or bracket, and has a short glass
chimney, the upper end of which carries a metal chimney, in which there is
a throttle valve for regulating the amount of draught. This chimney passes
through the oil reservoir, which is placed above the light, and thus the, oil
becomes heated. The oil passes from the lower part of the reservoir to the
burner by a syphon pipe, which is formed in three parts. The first part is
fixed in the reservoir, with a stop-cock to shut off the supply of oil when
needed, to uncouple the middle section, or to put out the light. The middle
section is bowed or bent outwards, and follows the line of the frame, so as not

page_text: to cause any additional obstruction to the light, and has a coupling screw at
each end. The lower section, which is connected to the burner, is provided
with a valve, and is coupled to the middle section immediately below the valve
box. The valve is attached to a lever, one arm of which carries an adjustable
weight, whilst the other supports a dripping cup, into which the superfluous
oil falls as it overflows from the burner. The valve is regulated for the
requisite supply of oil by a screw in the under side of the valve chest. Upon
lighting the lamp the valve should be opened wide until the dripping cup on
the end of the lever under the burner is partially full, when the flow should be
regulated with the screw. So long as the supply of oil is sufficient, regular,
and unobstructed, the valve will be kept in its place by the weight of oil in
the cup; but should it become obstructed or irregular, the cup will empty
itself through a small hole made in the bottom for that purpose, and the valvo
will be opened wide by the weight on the opposite end of the lever, which will
remove the obstruction, when the flow will be immediately regulated again by
the filling of the dripping cup. Below the cup is placed a receiver, which holds
a little more than half the quantity contained in the reservoir, and should be
emptied at least every six hours, when the reservoir should be filled with fresh
oil also. The cup and weight should be so arranged as to balance each other
when the oil in the cup is one quarter of an inch above the level of the hole,
and the flow should be so regulated by the screw as to keep them in that
position. The oil passes through three strainers, one in the reservoir, one in
the dripping cup, and a third in the receiver.