Improvements in Lamps for Night-lights.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1893-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Night-lights.
I, WALTER CHAMBERS, of 4, Friday Street, in the City of London,
Warehouseman, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention to be as
follows:-
-
My invention relates to very diminutive lamps intended to take the place of the
ordinary night-lights, which are both expensive and dirty, inasmuch as one light
intended to burn one full night, costs generally about one penny, and the melted
grease often flows on to the stand, or container.
Now my improved lamps will cost much less to burn, probably only about one
penny per week, and there will be no more danger of the oil escaping than in the
case of ordinary mineral-oil lamps.
My lamp comprises a small oil holder, about the size of an ordinary night-light,
capable of fitting into the ordinary holders, such as the so called "fairy lamps,"
or others, and from the upper part of such oil holder rises a wick tube, or burner,
suitable for holding a very small cylindrical wick. Round the wick tube I place
a larger tube of such size as to leave a small annular air space between the two,
their concentric position being secured by suitable guides. This outer tube is
made to slide, or screw up and down on the inner one so as to be readily adjustable
and so that if the wick projects beyond the top of the inner tube, the outer one
may be moved upwards to about or nearly the level of the wick and thus enable
the operator to control the extent of wick exposed.
The air space between the tubes causes a current of air to impinge on the base
of the flame and to mix with the gasses rising from the wick, thus rendering the
combustion much more complete than it would otherwise be and the flame more
purely white, brilliant and smokeless, moreover the outer tube causes the base of
the flame to widen out so as to rest, not on the wick alone, but on the outer tube,
thus increasing the diameter of the flame and its volume, and for a given
consumption of oil increasing the light.
Dated the 20th day of October 1892.
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Night-lights.
I WALTER CHAMBERS of 4 Friday Street in the City of London,
Warehouseman, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to very diminutive lamps intended to take the place of the
ordinary night-lights, which are both expensive and dirty inasmuch as one light
intended to burn one full night, costs generally about one penny, and the melted
grease often flows on to the stand or container.
Now my improved lamps will cost much less to burn, probably only about one
penny per month, and there will be no more danger of the oil escaping than in the
case of ordinary mineral-oil lamps.
My lamp comprises a small oil-holder, about the size of an ordinary night-light,
capable of fitting into the ordinary holders, such as the so-called, "fairy lamps,"
or others, and from the upper part of such oil holder rises, a wick tube or

page_text: ;
!
burner, suitable for holding a very small cylindrical wick. Round the wick
tube I place a larger tube of such size as to leave a small annular air space
between the two, their concentric position being secured by suitable guides.
This outer tube is made to slide, or screw up and down, on the inner one so
as to be readily adjustable and so that if the wick projects beyond the top of
the inner tube, the outer one may be moved upwards to about or nearly the
level of the wick and thus enable the operator to control the extent of wick
exposed.
The air space between the tubes causes a current of air to impinge on the
base of the flame and to mix with the gases rising from the wick, thus rendering
the combustion much more complete than it would otherwise be and the flame more
purely white, brilliant and smokeless, moreover the outer tube causes the base of
the flame to widen out so as to rest, not on the wick alone, but on the outer tube,
thus increasing the diameter of the flame and its volume, and for a given
consumption of oil increasing the light.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of lamp constructed according to my
invention.
Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a central vertical section and a plan of the
lamp shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a central vertical section of the outer tube detached from the burner
and,
Figure 5 is an elevation of the burner detached from the oil holder and with
the outer tube removed from it.
Figure 6 is a view shewing a modified construction of my improved lamp formed
in part with a "fairy lamp."
Figures 7 and 8 are central vertical sections of the outer tube and burner
separated from each other and other parts of the lamp and
Figure 9 is an elevation of a lamp having a glass oil-holder of a different form
to those shown in the other figures.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the drawings."
The drawings represent the lamps at their actual size but it will be understood
that said lamps may be made larger or smaller than represented and that if desired
the proportions of the various parts may be modified in any of the lamps.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2, and 3, A is the oil-holder which may be
constructed of metal, glass or other suitable material and of any desired shape.
a is the neck or mouth of the oil-holder A, into which fits the lower part b of the
burner B in the ordinary manner either by screwing or preferably as shewn in the
drawings merely fitting tightly into it. is the wick tube of suitable diameter
for carrying a wick made of a single thread of darning cotton or the like and 62
the inner tube surrounding it at a sufficient distance away and both of which tubes
are rigidly mounted on the part b.
Air holes or, passages are provided to admit air to the annular air space b*,
between the tubes and ². These may consists. of perforations ³ in the lower
part of the tube 62 or may be placed in one or more rows of perforations cat_the
upper end of the tube c, as hereinafter described or may take the form of deep
"notches or serrations' (Figs. 6 and 7) but it is not absolutely necessary that such
air passages be both at the top and bottom of the said tubes, but may be at the
top or bottom only, or both.
. I
The inner tube 2 may either extend upwards to the same height as the wick
tube & or to a somewhat lower level than it, B¹ is the wick.
C is the tube which fits upon the outside of the tube so that it may be readily
slid up and down or otherwise raised and lowered therein. At its upper end which
projects beyond the upper end of the tube C is preferably formed with one or
more rows of perforations c as before mentioned and it is provided with a ring or
collar e by means of which it may be grasped between the thumb and finger when

page_text: it is desired to raise or lower it, as hereinafter explained. This collar c'though
not necessarily so, is preferably composed of wire wound helically so as to admit of
air circulating through it for the purpose of keeping it cool. A convenient
manner of securing this helical-wire collar c on the tube C is by means of two
discs cone on either side of it, or a grooved collar, the disc or collar being rigidly
secured as by brazing or otherwise to the tube C.
6 is a hole which allows any vapours generated in the oil-holder A to pass
upwards to, and be consumed at the burner, and which also admits of the return to
the oil-holder A of any surplus oil which might otherwise accumulate in the annular
space, b and also allows air to pass into the oil-holder as the oil is consumed.
In the lamp shewn in Figure 6 the oil-holder A is formed in and as an integral
part of the base D of a "Fairy lamp" the upper part or cover D' of which fits on
to the base D openings d being left between the parts D and D' so that air may
enter in the manner indicated by the arrows in Fig. 6. The upper end of the
outer tube C in this example instead of being perforated as in the tube C shown
in Figures 1. 2. 4 and 9 is serrated or formed with notches or recesses c³, and said
tube C is provided with a handle or equivalent et by means of which it may be
raised and lowered and with saw-cuts or splits at its lower end so as to make said
lower end elastic to more securely grip the tube b².
If desired the crown A' (Fig. 6) of the oil-holder A instead of being formed
integral with the ". Fairy lamp" may be formed separately from but cemented or
otherwise secured to it; or the oil-holder and lamp may be complete in itself and
be adapted to fit into into the appropriate receptacle of a "Fairy lamp" of ordinary
construction as is intended with the lamp shewn in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 9, though
these lamps may be used independently of the "Fairy lamp" if desired.
The wick and inner tubes and in the example shown in Figures 6 and 8 are
substantially the same as already described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 5,
the dimensions or proportion being however slightly modified.
The lamp shown in Figure 9 has a glass oil-holder A of bulbous form and an
outer tube C perforated at its upper end as in Figures 1, 2 and 4 and provided
with a handle or equivalent as in Figures 6 and 7. In this figure also the tube C
is shown raised so as to uncover the perforations in the lower part of the
tube 62.
through
When the lamp is burning air is admitted to the annular air space
the perforations and through the perforations cor serrations e³ to impinge on the
base of the flame and to mix with the gases rising from the wick, thus rendering
the combustion much more complete than it would otherwise be and the flame more
purely white, brilliant and smokeless, moreover the outer tube C causes the base of
the flame to widen out so as to rest, not on the wick alone, but on the outer tube C,
thus increasing the diameter of the flame and its volume and for a given con-
sumption of oil increasing the light.
The wick used in these lamps is of exceedingly small diameter, a single thread of
darning cotton answers the purpose well, and while using only a very small quantity
of oil produces sufficient flame to completely cover the top of the tube C.
One of these lamps uses only about three quarters of a pint of oil per month
burning twelve hours per night, and burns very clean and practically without
smell and very little deposit of charcoal at the top of the wick and practically
without any on the wick tube and adjacent parts, and hence the lamp can be burned
night after night for a long period with very little attention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a lamp such as described the combination with the wick tube of a tube
such as surrounding it and of such a diameter as to leave between the two an
annular air-space such as substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 2. In a lamp such as described the combination with the wick tube of a perforated
tube such as 2, 3, surrounding it at a distance therefrom, and a perforated or
notched tube such as C, c or C. e, substantially as and for the purpose herin before
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a lamp such as described the combination with the wick tube and perforated
tube such as ³ ³ surrounding it at a distance therefrom of a perforated or notched
tube such as C, or C³ having mounted on it a helical wire collar such as c
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
6
4. The combination with a "Fairy lamp" consisting of a base and cover of an
oil lamp the oil-holder of which is formed in or is an integral part of the base
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete lamp
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete lamp sub-
stantially, as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
7. A lamp such as hereinbefore described having a wick consisting of a single
thread, with an air space surrounding the wick tube whereby the volume of the
flame is increased and the flame rendered smokeless substantially in the manner
and for the purpose hereinbefore described and set forth.
Dated the 15th day of July 1893.
WALTER CHAMBERS.