IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS FOR PETROLEUM AND FOR LIGHT OILS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer and Patent Agent, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS FOR PETROLEUM AND FOR LIGHT OILS."
A communication by Louis Sepulchre, of 33, Rue Bassenge, Liege, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturing Engineer.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th December 1881.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS FOR
PETROLEUM AND FOR LIGHT OILS." A communication by Louis Sepulchre, of
33, Rue Bassenge, Liege, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturing Engineer.
These improvements have reference to burners for petroleum and for light oils,
whether the same be attached to portable or to suspended lamps.
For the purpose of guiding the wicks of the burners I make use of two
concentric tubes A and B, cylindrical throughout their entire length, and forming
between them a regular open space from top to bottom for the wick; the wick is
completely cylindrical and fills the said annular space; its cylindrical forms assures
its uniform motion; in order to facilitate its introduction these two tubes are
independent, the one being fixed to the oil reservoir, the other being movable with
the burner; this point constitutes my first improvement.
The use of wicks enclosed between two concentric tubes necessitates the perfect
and constant concentricity of these tubes; this I obtain by soldering concentrically
to the tube A a grooved piece C, which serves as a guide for the tube B and
maintains it concentrically with the tube A. Therefore this piece fills exactly the
annular space included between the two tubes up to a certain height. In order to
allow the passage of the oil from the reservoir to the wick enclosed between the
tubes the part or piece C is grooved vertically all around; this piece C constitutes
my second improvement.

page_text: My third improvement consists in the box which contains the mechanism for
actuating the wick and which serves at the same time for closing the oil reservoir.
This box, which is soldered on the tube B, is formed of two dishes, the one
concave E and the other convex F, which latter serves as a cover for the former.
The convex dish F serves as a cover for the mechanisin G and protects it against
foreign substances and pieces of carbonised wick which might fall thereon; it thus
facilitates keeping the burner in a cleanly state.
My fourth improvement has especially reference to large round burners and
admits the use of sizes much larger than those hitherto used and which may be
used for heating purposes. It consists in an apparatus composed of two pieces,
and which is attached to the tube A; the one R is fixed and made of round iron
or brass wire soldered to the tube A, and it rises through the centre of the burner
to the top of the tube, and it serves as a support for the second piece S, which is
made in brass and is detachable for the purpose of cleaning the burner. This
tube S is set on the top of the wire R and supports two discs d & d¹ placed one
above the other, their diameters being determined with reference to the diameter
of the wick and to that of the chimney. These two disks combined are used to
replace an apparatus formed with a massy truncated cone previously employed by
me, and which I have abandoned for the purpose of limiting to what is strictly
necessary the presence of opaque bodies within the flame. These disks answer the
purpose of the aforesaid cone, viz., of-distributing-the-central-current-of-air_in_a
thin conical or cylindrical draft, which is pressed against the gasses, which are thus
forcibly compressed between this draft of air and the cylindrical body of air which
is introduced through the burner and brought externally in contact with the gasses
by the capsule D; all the body of air coming through the tube A encounters
therefore the combustible gasses directly these latter start from the wick, and these
gases thus laminated between the two currents of air form immediately an
intimate mixture with the air and a perfect combustion, besides which the flame
fixed between these two currents in a constant and invariable vertical direction is
stable, regular, and full throughout its entire height, and it is white from whence it
originates to where it ends.
This arrangement is an advantageous subsitute for narrowed or throttled
chimneys; regular and straight chimneys can be employed with it. The spreading
and thinning of the flame of lighted gasses obtained by this apparatus has the effect
of perfectly multiplying the contact of the gasses and the air of the two currents,
of producing a complete combustion, which is made manifest by a magnificent light
and the absence of smoke and disagreeable odour.
My fifth improvement consists in the funnel K placed at the opening of the
reservoir for charging the lamp with oil. This funnel is of a concave shape, in all
respects similar to the part E, in such a manner that this latter is covered thereby
all over when the burner is screwed home. The perfect adherence of these parts
renders the connection completely tight and entirely does away with the expansion
of the oil by the screw, and consequently its spreading over on the outside of the
lamp.
The above improvements give rise to the following advantages:-
1. Facility for placing the wick and security against the ignition of the gasses
contained in the reservoir.
2. Constant concentricity of the two tubes which enclose the wick.
3. Cleanliness of the actuating mechanism and facility for cleaning the burner.
4. The internal current of air is combined with the external current of air, and
produces a perfect and complete combustion of the gases which escape from the
wick; consequently there is a total absence of obnoxious odours, a marked
economy of oil obtained in very large as well as in very small burners. It follows
that with a given quantity of petroleum these burners emit a much more
powerful light, that is, for a given amount of light they consume much less
petroleum.
5. The charging of the oil in the reservoir is rendered much easier by the addition

page_text: of the fixed funnel, and this latter answers also the purpose of maintaining the
outer surface of the lamp always absolutely dry and perfectly clean.
I claim,
In petroleum or light oil burners,-
Firstly. The use of two independent tubes, cylindrical throughout their entire
length, admitting the use of an entirely cylindrical wick.
Secondly. The grooved piece C, serving as a guide for the tubes A and B, for
maintaining their concentricity and for giving access of the oil to the wick.
Thirdly. The arrangement of the box composed of the two discs E and F.
Fourthly. The apparatus consisting in multiple diaphragms R, S, combined for
obtaining by means of a progressive and regular spreading, a flame emitting an
intense light throughout its entire height and maintained constantly and invariably
in one direction, and
Fifthly. The special arrangement described of the disc E and the funnel F for
sealing the oil reservoir.
In witness whereof, I, the said Raphael Hunter Brandon; hath hereunto set
my hand and seal, the 10th day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witnesses,
ETIENNE BRANDON,
1, Rue Laffitte,
A. LE CANN,
Paris,
Paris.
1, Rue Laffitte.
R. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)