Improvements in Oil Lamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 28th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
WILLIAM FRASER Engineer "Glenholme" Anderton Road Sparkbrook Birmingham
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The principal object of this Invention is, to render the use of oil lamps absolutely
free from danger by having them so constructed that it is impossible in the event of
being upset, or let fall when burning to cause a conflagration in any way whatever.
These improvements are most applicable to the class of lamps shown and described in
Blue Book 12458, 1886, for which I was granted a patent, and has since been
improved upon to a very considerable extent. I will now proceed to describe said
improvements.
The oil reservoir and the wick chamber are seperate compartments the latter
drawing the oil from the former in the same proportion as consumed when burning.
In this respect it is similar to patent 12458, 1886, the principal difference being, the
way the oil is supplied from the outer to the inner chamber. The chief object of this
departure is, to prevent the oil from rising in the wick chamber to the same level as
that in the oil reservoir when filling the lamp. To effect this arrangement, an upright
valve or feed pipe is attached to the bottom of the oil chunber and stands in an upright
position, and is long enough to be seen projecting through the top of the oil reservoir
when the feed cap is removed. It is so constructed and arranged that when said cap
is removed to refill the lamp, an outside shutter is forced upwards by means of a spiral
spring, and thereby covers the small holes at the bottom end of the valve that supplies
the wick chamber with oil. Thus, the supply to the said chamber is entirely cut off
when the lamp is being refilled. A cross connection between the bottom end of the
valve and the wick chamber connects both together. The valve is a piece of tube
about three inches long and 3" in diam. the shutter being another piece of tube
working telescopically on the outside of same. This valve is also arranged and fitted
with an inside shutter same being worked by a small rod projecting through the
bottom of the oil reservoir for the purpose of cutting off the oil supply to the wick
chamber when the lamp is upset, knocked over, or let fall, thus the oil is only fed to
the wick chamber when in its proper position. The inside shutter in the valve is kept
up and open by means of its being in contact with the extinguishing appliance.
There are many other modifications of this valve, but this one in particular I prefer
to use as being the best and most efficient. The extinguishing appliance is similar in
appearence to the previous one, but instead of being actuated by a swinging weight,
it is worked by means of a spring. The extinguisher is made about " thick, with a
recess about "deep or thereby for the purpose of receiving the wick. It is fitted
upon a hollow spindle about 3" in diam., said spindle being sufficiently long to rest on
whatever the lamp may be set upon, mantle shelf, table or the like, and when in that
position the extinguisher stands about 1" or thereby above the top of the wick when
burning. When said extinguisher is brought down upon the burning wick the recess
on the underside of same admits the wick and a tight joint is made on both the tubes
that encases said wick. Thé. spindle of said extinguisher is fitted at the bottom end,
with a sliding inside tube, with about 11" of shift, same being slotted and fitted with
a pin passing through both tubes for the purpose of keeping them together. A spiral
spring is fitted in the bottom end of said spindle for the purpose of keeping same the
full length of both tubes when the lamp is burning, i.e. the extinguisher stands about
one inch above the wick, but if pressed down the two. tubes telescope one another (at
the same time the spiral spring is compressed) to the extent required to allow the
extinguisher to encase the wick and both tubes simultaneously. The moment the

page_text: pressure from the spindle is relaxed, the spring forces the two tubes asunder and
the extinguisher immediately assumes its normal position. Said spindle is provided
and fitted with a screw collar towards the bottom end. The body of the lamp being
mounted upon a stand in the ordinary way, the part immediately above the stand,
i.e., the part between the stand and the oil reservoir being made sufficiently small in
diameter to enable the lamp being grasped easily by one hand when wanted to be
removed or the like. Suppose this part to be about 3" in diameter, and say, 4" long
with say six or eight half inch slots at equal distances all the way round running
vertically all the length of the part that is grasped by the hand when lifting the lamp.
A piece of tube about 5" long with an equal number of corrogations or distance
pieces is fitted inside the slotted tube, the corrogations projecting through said slots
giving the outside tube the appearence of a fluted column. The corrogated tube is
fitted with a cross bracket on the uppermost end for the purpose of suspending a tube
which is screwed internally for engaging with the screwed collar on the extinguisher
spindle, said tube being sufficiently large in diameter to admit of the spindle passing
right through the centre of same, and of sufficient length to pass through a cross arm
cast on the bottom stand for keeping said corrogated tube in its proper place, the end
of said centre tube passing through the cross arun attached to the stand to admit of a
spiral spring being applied below said arm for the purpose of keeping the extinguisher
hard down upon the wick, although the lamp was upside-down, i.e., the spring is
strong enough to extinguish the lamp though lying on its side or bottom up. To
extinguish when burning in the ordinary way, simply press down the corrogated part
of the extinguisher which projects through the slots in the pillar or stand the lamp is
mounted upon. The flame is also instantly extinguished by tilting the lamp to either
side i.e. the moment the lamp is upset it immediately extinguishes itself, when set in
its proper position again the extinguisher rises to the required height, thus being
always in position for burning when standing upright. This lamp is equally adapted
for hanging purposes or for wall brackets and the like. If hung from the ceiling of
a room the centre portion of the lamp need only be used, same being kept as small as
possible to prevent shadow, the top of the flame passing. between two bell-shaped
tubes attached to the top of the extinguisher; this arrangement gives the flame the
appearence of a circle say " or thereby deep, and exceedingly brilliant. A circle
reflector can be applied with splendid effect, to reflect the light from the ceiling to the
floor. The oil is supplied to the wick chamber either from above or below the
wick; and the fittings for suspending the lamp can be utilised as a container for
holding the oil, and fed by means of an upright valve similar to the one already
mentioned; but, instead of having an inside cut off shutter the valve can be
fitted with a bent tube inside; for supplying air to the reservoir oil is fed
from one chamber to the other, by the air being admitted through said bent tube ;
i.e. the valve draws air from its bottom end, when the lamp is burning, the
oil in the reservoir being displaced by the air as it is absorbed by the wick from the
wick chamber; thus, the air is only admitted to the lamp when burning. If upset, or
let fall, the air supply is immediately cut off, the result is, that no air gets to the oil,
therefore no oil can come from the lamp when upset and the like, thus, constituting
an unspillable, self extinguishing lamp, entirely free from danger. The wick is raised
and lowered by means of a skeleton tube, same having the bottom half of its under-
side cut away with teeth all round above and below, for engaging with the wick; said
tube being raised and lowered by means of a cog or any other convenient way. To
rewick the lamp the outside tube is unscrewed immediately above the cog, i.e., the
part to which the burner is attached; the wick raiser can then be taken out without
removing any of the other parts of the lamp, with the exception of the extinguisher
which requires to be unscrewed from the bottom part of the lamp.
Dated Oth dose of Jul 1880

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
WILLIAM FRASER Engineer "Glenholme" Anderton Road Sparkbrook Birmingham
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The principal object of this Invention is to render the use of oil lamps absolutely
free from danger by having them so constructed that it is impossible in the event of
being upset or let fall when burning to cause a conflagration in any way whatever.
These improvements are most applicable to the class of lamps shown and described in
the Specification No. 12458, 1886, for which I was granted a patent and which I
have improved upon to a very considerable extent.
I will now proceed to describe said improvements. The oil reservoir A and the
wick chamber B in figure I are separate compartments, the latter drawing the oil
from the former in the same proportion as consumed when burning. In this respect
it is similar to patent 12458, 86, the principal difference being the way the oil is
supplied from the outer to the inner chamber. The principal object of this departure,
is to prevent the oil from rising in the wick chamber to the same level as that in
the oil reservoir when filling the lamp, to effect this arrangement an upright valve
or feed pipe is attached to the bottom of the oil chamber and stands in an upright
position and parallel with the supply D. The screw cap which is not shown is of the
ordinary make differing only in one respect viz. that E is attached to it, for the
purpose of actuating the shutter F and spring G. When the cap is unscrewed and
taken off for the purpose of refilling the lamp, the spring G causes the shutter F
to rise and cover the feed H and I respectively, thus cutting off the supply of oil
from the oil reservoir A to the wick chamber B thus the shutter F completely
covers the feed holes when the lamp is being filled, thereby preventing the oil in
the wick chamber B from rising to the same level as that of the oil reservoir A.
Then immediately the lamp is refilled the cap is screwed on to D in the ordinary
way, the shank of the cap marked E pushes the shutter F down and the feed is
immediately in operation. The shutter F has two holes about " in diameter on
each side respectively, immediately opposite the feed holes H and I in the upright
valve C, so when E pushes the shutter F hard down to the bottom of the reservoir
all the four holes are exactly opposite one another, but when E is removed the
spring G forces the shutter up thereby covering the feed holes. The inside vilve
marked J is actuated by a small spring K which presses the valve on to its seat L
when the lamp is out, and thereby prevents the air from getting to the wick
chamber B when the lamp is out or upset. The tail end of J marked M projects
through the bottom of the lamp and when N comes in contact with it the valve J is
pushed up and compresses the spring K, the admission of air then passes up the
inside of the tube L and finds its way down the outside or between its outside and
inside of tube C. When the lamp is burning the extinguisher rod P pushes or
causes N to rise up to the level or height of the collar marked O when burning or in
its proper position. Thus the moment the lamp is upset or extinguished the spring K
pushes the valve J on to its seat L and completely prevents the air from getting to
the oil reservoir A thereby preventing the oil from getting its way into the wick
chamber B. I may mention that this kind of feed valve can be put in various
positions viz., to project through D and to be worked either by the cap direct or from
below the lamp, but its position is quite immaterial as it can be placed in various
ways. The permanent wick which is placed in the wick chamber B is held in
position by the scolloped ends of the tube Q which is simply bent or turned over
The
inside upon the wick thereby securing and keeping it in
its place.
extinguisher R in figure II passes right down through the centre tube S and engages
with P¹, thus the extinguisher when all together passes right down through the centre
of the lamp. The part marked N in Figure I projects through the slots T³ in

page_text: Figure III.
The eight pieces T₁ really connect, the upper and lower parts of the
lamp together. Tin Figure I being a parallel corrugated tube, the corrugations
projecting through the slots T3 enable them being got hold of easily without touching
the pillar of the lamp or the eight supports marked T. The object in having the
extinguisher projecting through the pillar of the lamp is to enable the lamp to be
extinguished by laying hold of the corrugations N and pressing or pulling same
down thereby pulling the extinguisher R down upon the burning wick and thereby
extinguishing the flame. It will be observed that the lower part of the extinguisher
shaft is a double tube or one tube working inside the other with a spiral spring Pl
to cause them to expand or contract when required. The part of the extinguisher
shaft projecting below the bottom of the lamp is always level with the bottom when
the lamp is burning, but if upset the whole of the extinguisher appliance drops and
extinguishes the flame immediately. The bell shaped tube as shown in Figure V is
an appliance for fitting on to the top of the extinguisher R which causes the flame
to become intensely white and brilliant. The extinguisher R in Figure II (which
is the extinguisher for lamp shewn in Figure I also) can be made several different
ways either with or without the recesses R¹ R2 and R3 a loose ring in the recess R¹
and R2 can be used with good results for the purpose of filling up the gap on the
under side of the extinguisher the wick raises the ring to the top of the recess and
when the extinguisher is raised the ring falls to the bottom by its own weight, it can
also be varied in diameter and thickness to almost any extent. Figure 1V is another
modification of my invention by which the reservoir is divided into two parts as in
the former, but instead of the wick chamber going to the bottom of the reservoir
same is provided for on the top or above the level of the oil. The space marked V
in figure IV being the wick chamber, the burning wick is encased in the usual way
between an outer and inner tube and is raised and lowered in the space between the
two tubes marked W, the two ends of the wick spreading out right and left respec-
tively at the curved part V₁ and V2 travels into the space between the upper and
lower plates Vs and Vi.e., along the space marked V. A permanent wick is put round the
lower part of the tube and is brought up through the spaces marked Z, and laid along
the space marked V, the burning or shifting wick being uppermost i.e. the burning
wick and the permanent wick are both in the space V together and are kept in so
close contact with one another that the permanent or bottom wick conveys the oil
to the burning wick, the supply of oil thereby being kept by the two wicks coming
into contact with one another, by this means the spaces marked Z are completely
blocked with the wick passing through them and thereby prevents the spilling of oil
in the event of the lamp being upset and the like. It is obvious that the wick may
be placed in the space V in a variety of different ways, for example, a piece of
circular wick all the diameter of the lamp could be laid into said space or wick
chamber and made to encircle the circular permanent wick, i.e., the two wicks would
rally become one, the vertical wick passing right through the horizontal at the open
circular spaces marked Z, thus the upright bottom wick conveys the oil to the
horizontal or middle wick which conveys it in turn to the upper or burning wick
by means of contact with one another.
The middle wick can be fed also by cotton threads suspended from it either
hanging through small holes in the plate V' or the wick passing through between
the outside diameter of the plate V and the inside of the shell of the oil reservoir
to the bottom of same. The air is supplied to the reservoir by means of an automatic
cut off valve as shewn and described in Figure 1.
Having now described said Invention what I now claim is,
First In having an extinguisher cap as shown in figure II marked R with
recesses R¹ R2 and R3 with or without a loose ring to work in the recess that encases
the wick and for the purpose already described.
Secondly-In having a joint as shewn in figure I and marked P¹ for the purpose
of connecting the upper portion of the extinguisher with the lower portion of same,
and also in having the portion marked P & P³ to telescope one another with spring

page_text: marked P2 and with collar P* and, also in having a corrugated or projecting tube
marked N for projecting through the slots or openings in a column or stand for the
purpose of actuating the extinguisher as already described and set forth.
Thirdly-In having a column or stand with slotted holes or openings for allowing
the projecting parts of the extinguisher to project through as shewn in section in
figure III, the slots or openings being marked T3 and the upright supports of the
lamp or parts of the column T for the purpose already described and set forth.
Fourthly In having a base with a cross bracket as marked in figure I N¹ and N²
respectively for the purpose of an upright rod working in and for the purpose of
steading the extinguisher rod.
Fifthly-In having a feed valve as shewn in figure I with outside casing marked C
with inner tube marked L with spring K with valve J and rod M with feed holes H
and I respectively, with an outside shutter F and spring G and all for the purpose
already described.
Sixthly In having a cap with a projecting arm as shewn in figure I and
marked E for the purpose already described.
Seventhly In having an upright inner tube as shewn in figure I and marked Q
with scolloped ends marked Q for the purpose of being bent over and holding fast
the wick.
Eighthly In having a bell mouthed tube as shewn in figure V for the purpose
already described and set forth.
Lastly In having in combination one or all the respective parts already described
and set forth and for the purpose already mentioned.
April 10th 1890
WILLIAM FRASER.