CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS, WHEREBY THEY ARE RENDERED CAPABLE OF BURNING CONCRETE OILS, ANIMAL FAT, AND OTHER SIMILAR INPLAMABLE SUBSTANCES
Year: 1822

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ERSKINE COCHRANE, of Somerset Street, Portman Square, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by
His Letters. Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-third day of
February, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, in the third year of
His reign, give and grant unto me, the said William Erskine Cochrane, my
exors, adiñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, my exors, adññiors,
and assigns, during the term of years therein mentioned, might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF LAMPS, WHEREBY THEY ARE RENDERED CAPABLE OF BURNING CONCRETE OILS,
ANIMAL FAT, AND OTHER SIMILAR INPLAMABLE SUBSTANCES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso, that if I, the said William Erskine
Cochrane, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by writing under
my hand and seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High

page_text: Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all
liberties and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease,
determine, and become void, as in and by the same (relation being thereunto
had) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Erskine Cochrane, do hereby declare that the nature of
my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are
particularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and the following description thereof (that is to say):-
Fig. 1 represents a lamp constructed according to my improvements, being
adapted to burn concrete oils or tallow. The section is supposed to be taken
through the centre of the lamp, in order to explain the internal construction.
The general form of this lamp is similar to those known under the denomina-
tion of the French lamp, or Linumbra lamp, where the reservoir or vessel to
contain the oil is made in the form of a ring or hoop, concentric with and
surrounding the flame of the lamp in such manner as not to obstruct or inter-
cept the rays of light in any material degree. Fig. 2.shews an horizontal plan
of the same lamp. Figure 3 represents a section of a lamp constructed
according to my improvements, being adapted to burn concrete oils or tallow.
The general form of this lamp is similar to those known under the denomina-
tion of fountain lamps, where the oil reservoir is situated above the level of the
flame of the lamp, in such manner as to furnish a regular supply of oil or
inflamable matter to the wick as fast as it is consumed. Fig. 4 shews
an horizontal plan of the same. Fig. 5 represents a lamp adapted to burn
concrete oils or tallow. It is constructed according to my improvements, and
is intended to be employed with two, three, or more lamps similarly formed,
the whole being arranged in a circle; so as to be suspended by chains or wires
from a ceiling, in the manner of a chandelier. Fig. 6 shews a section of the
same lamp. A, Fig. 1, represents the wick or cotton of the lamp, which is of
the ordinary construction, usually denominated Argand wicks, or circular wicks,
where the cotton is contained in a circular channel or annular space, which is
formed by two tubes of metal, fixed one within the other, leaving the centre
space quite clear for a current of air to pass through the middle of wick
and supply the flame in the direction shewn by the small arrow at a; the air
enters through openings formed at the part b, b, and descends in the space left
between the external wick tube and the inside of the pillar or pedestal column B,
so as to arrive at the bottom of the air tube a. c, c, represents two small pro-

page_text: jections or handles, which serve to turn the cotton holder round by, for the
purpose of raising or lowering the cotton to produce more or less light or to
extinguish the flame, in the same manner as the Argand lamps at present in
use; D, D, represent the section of the ring or circular reservoir which con-
tains the concrete oil or tallow; it is shaped or constructed in such manner as
to obstruct or intercept as little as possible the rays of light proceeding from
the flame of the lamp. E, E*, shew the tube or channel which serves to con-
duct the inflamable matter from the ring or reservoir D, D; to the wick. The
tube E, E, is not round, but is much deeper in the section than in its width,
as will be seen in the plan, Fig. 2. This tube is soldered to the ring or
reservoir D, D, its whole depth, but has no direct communication with the
interior of the same, except at the lower part of the tube, where a hole is left,
as seen at e, e, in Fig. 1. F shews a small screw cap, which is intended to be
removed for the purpose of introducing the inflamable matter into the ring or
reservoir D, D. When tallow is to be used for burning in this lamp, it must be
rendered fluid by exposing it to a sufficient degree of heat in a proper formed
vessel and then poured into the ring or reservoir until it be filled, after which
the small screw cap F may be replaced; when the ring or reservoir is filled
with tallow it leaves a small space or channel vacant in the upper part of the
tube E, E, in consequence of the top edge of the said tube being a little above
the level of the surface of the ring or reservoir D, D. The object of this arrange-
ment will be herein-after explained. G, G, represent a bar or rod of metal,
which is bent or formed into a kind of frame, and is fixed so as to pass across a
short distance above the top of the glass chimney H, and descend on each side,
passing through the tube E, E*, and extending to the bottom of the space or
section of the ring or reservoir D, D; the joints are secured by solder where
they enter the upper side of the tubes at h, h, as also at the part where they
enter the inside edge of the ring or reservoir at d, d; the two extreme ends of
the bar G, G, within the cavity of the ring or reservoir, are soldered to a
round wire or rod of metal, shewn in section at i, i, which extends entirely
round the ring or reservoir, as represented by the dotted circles i, i, i, i, in the
plan, Fig. 2. It is the application of these rods or bars of metal that constitutes"
the cheif object of my improvements, as will be herein-after more particularly
stated. The glass chimney H may be removed from the lamp in order to be
cleared by slipping it out sideways from the elastic clip or horn spring k,
which is fixed to the bar G, G; after the ring or reservoir D, D, is filled with
tallow, as before mentioned, the small screw cap N must be removed and a
quantity of olive oil or any proper fluid oil must be poured into the rounded

page_text: cavity or boss n, which is soldered upon the surface of the ring or reser-
voir D, D. The oil so poured in will flow, along the upper part of the tube E*
to the centre through the space or channel left unoccupied by the tallow, as
before described; by this means a small quantity of fluid oil may be made
to reach the wick of the lamp, which will enable the lamp to be lighted and
kept burning for some minutes, during which time the action of the flame
upon the circular button g of the bent bar or rod G, G, will render the two
branches of the said bar sufficiently hot to conduct and transmit the heat to the
wire i, i, contained within the cavity of the ring or reservoir D, D, and there-
by render the tallow fluid throughout the lamp, so as to cause a regular supply
or flow to the wick for the support of the flame as long as any tallow or
inflamable substance remains in the ring or reservoir D, D. I prefer the bar
G, G, being made of copper, since that metal conducts or transmits heat very
readily, but most other metal would answer the same purpose very well.
The external thick tube has a conical boss or enlargement formed in it at the
part where the tube E, E, joins to it, as seen at S, S, in Fig. 1. This enlarge-
ment contains a considerable quantity of tallow, which, being very near to the
flame of the lamp, becomes very soon melted, and serves to supply the flame
until the whole of the tallow is in a fluid state, as before mentioned; by this
means it requires a small quantity only of the fluid oil to put the lamp into
use. The upper part of the lamp is surrounded by the ground glass cover L, L,
which is adapted to stand upon the surface of the ring or reservoir D, D.
Figures 3 & 4 upon the Sheet of Drawings will serve to illustrate the
application of my metallic bars or conductors to a fountain lamp adapted to
burn concrete oils or tallow. The reservoir D is intended to supply the two
circular wicks of flames A, A, of the lamp, being of the same description as
before described in. Fig. 1, one of the wicks A, with its tubes, is represented
in section, and the other is shewn externally; c, c, are 'the small handles
for raising or lowering the wick, as before described; E, E, represent the two
tubes which serve to conduct the supply of tallow to the wicks from the ex-
ternal reservoir or case K, K, which is made of an, oval form, as shewn in
Fig. 4; the internal reservoir D corresponds exactly in form with the external
case K, K, and is made.so as to be drawn easily up and down by the knob or
button d; the lower part of the reservoir D is closed by a cover or bottom,
fitting and sliding over, similar to. the lid of a snuff box. e, e, represent two
small sliders or sluices, which are connected with the reservoir D, in order to
shut off the supply of tallow from the wicks at pleasure; the regular flow of
tallow does not rise quite so high as the top of the tubes E, E, which leaves a

page_text: small channel to allow a quantity of fluid oil to reach the wicks at first lighting
the lamp, as before described in the Figures 1 and 2. In this lamp the fluid oil
is introduced by means of a small cylindrical tube N sliding into a case fixed
in the resevoir D; the tube N is finished with a small turning plate or valve n;
so contrived as to be opened by coming into contact with a small pin or peg
fixed into the bottom of the case, into which the tube N slides, but the valve n
shuts by its own gravity the moment that the tube N is raised up out of its
case; the tube N is entirely withdrawn from its case by means of the small
knob p and, filled with fluid oil in an inverted position and then introduced
into its case, at the same time the oil is prevented from escaping by the valve n
untill the tube gets quite down, and the valve is opened by the small fixed pin
before mentioned, which allows the fluid oil to escape from the tube N and
flow along the upper part of the tubes E, E, upon the surface of the congealed
tallow to the wick. The tube N is furnished with a small projection at its
upper part, which falls into a notch in the top of the reservoir D, and thereby
determines the proper position of the said tube in its case, as shewn at 7 in
the plan, Fig. 4. G, G, represent the metallic, conductors which slide into
small tubes soldered to the ends of the reservoir D; the upper ends of the
conductors are turned or bent at g, so as to project over the glass chimneys
HI, II, and be acted upon by the flames, in order to conduct or transmit a
sufficient degree of heat into the reservoir D to melt the tallow and to main
tain it in a fluid state. m,, m, represent a sort of channel, which is carried
round the inside, of the reservoir D, opening by holes outwards, having .no
direct communication with the interior of the reservoir D. The object of the
channel m, m, is to prevent the danger of any tallow being forced over the top
of the wick tube at the mouth of the burner by a sudden flow or gush of
tallow from the reservoir D, occasioned by the rarefaction of the air within
the reservoir; if such sudden flow should happen it would run into the
channel m, m, through the holes shewn by the dotted circles in the. Fig. 3,
and be given out again in proportion as the lamps.might, require it; v shews a
small turning button, which locks or secures. the bottom of the reservoir D in
its place, but which may be released to withdraw the bottom of the reservoir
for the purpose of filling the reservoir with tallow, which is effected in this
lamp by removing its. bottom and introducing pieces of solid tallow untill it
contains a sufficient quantity, after which the bottom is put on and the reser-
voir fixed in its place; s, s, represent the bosses or enlargements the wick
tubes, containing a quantity of tallow which operates in the manner before
mentioned in Fig 1; t, t, represent small tubes, which are soldered into the

page_text: bottom of the outer cases K, K, and rise some height in the space between
the said case and the reservoir D; they serve to supply air for the fountain
flow of the lamp instead of allowing it to find its way down from the top of
the reservoir between the two. surfaces of the vessels, as is generally the case
with the fountain lamps of this description at present in use. The whole lamp
is mounted upon a pillar or pedestal B; the lower part of the wick tubes are
furnished with pans I, I, constructed in the usual manner to prevent the tallow
dropping from the tubes.
Fig. 5 and 6 shew the application of my metallic conductors to lamps for
chandeliers. The wick A with its appendages is similar to the Figs. before
described. E shews the tube for conducting the flow of tallow to the wick;
and N, n, the screw cap and boss for introducing the small quantity of fluid oil,
as before mentioned in Fig. 1; F represents the screw cap for filling the
reservoir D with tallow by pouring it in warm; I, I, represents a ground glass
cup, which is suspended by a metal ring T, so as to surround the wick and
flame; the reservoir D with the wick tubes can be lifted out of the chan-
delier ring K, K, and glass cup I, I, to be filled without deranging the orna-
mental part or suspension chains of the lamp. G represents the metallic
conductor, which stands up behind the glass chimney H, and projects over the
flame of the lamp at g, in order to transmit the heat to the metal rod i, shewn
also by dotted lines i, i, in the plan, Fig. 5, to render the tallow fluid in the
reservoir D, as before described. The part g of the conductor may be turned
aside for the purpose of withdrawing the glass chimney to be cleaned.
Having described the manner of carrying my improvements into effect, it
remains for me to state what I consider as constituting my Invention. I
confine my claim to the mode of rendering and keeping concrete oils, tallow,
or other similar inflamable substances in a fluid state in lamps of every (les-
cription by means of metallic conductors applied in such manner as to conduct
or transmit a sufficient degree of heat from the flame of the lamp to the
.concrete oil, tallow, or other similar inflamable substance contained in the
reservoir of supply, so as to effect a regular flow of inflamable matter to the
wick, in order to maintain the flame of the lamp.
I also claim the apparatus as described, particularly in the Figures 3 and 4
on the annexed Drawing, for supplying the wicks with a small quantity of
fluid oil for the purpose of lighting the lamp and keeping it burning a sufficient
length of time to operate upon the metallic conductors, for the objects before
mentioned:
All other parts described in this Specification are only introduced to explain

page_text: he application of my Invention to Jamps of various descriptions; the form
and proportions of the parts may be varied at the discretion of the workman.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Erskine Cochrane, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-two.
SAINE (L.S.)
HRANE.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-second day of August,
in the year of our Lord 1822, the aforesaid William Erskine Cochrane, came
before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the
› Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and twenty-two