IMPROVE- MENTS IN EXTINGUISHERS FOR LAMPS."
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Frederick Lotz and John
Lemon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th February
1880.
"
WILLIAM FREDERICK LOTZ, of Barbican, in the City of London, and JOHN
LEMON, of Camden Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EXTINGUISHERS FOR LAMPS."
Our Invention relates to lamps in which oil or spirit is used, and is designed to
provide improved means for extinguishing the flame without blowing the same or
lowering the wick.
In carrying the said Invention into practice we provide a metal case which is
arranged to fit and slide vertically upon the wick tube, the upper portion of one side
of the said sliding case being a flap or clip designed to close over or upon the wick
when the flame is to be extinguished. This sliding case is somewhat similar to those
heretofore in use for the same purpose, but we construct the flap differently, and
we provide improved means for causing the said case to ascend and descend, and for
ensuring the proper action of the flap.
We will first describe our said Invention as applied to lamps having two wick
tubes and two wicks. In this form of lamp we furnish each of the wick tubes with
one of the said sliding cases, the two said cases being connected by a piece firmly
attached to or forming part of each one. This connecting piece occupies a contral
position between the two wick tubes, which in this class of lamp are placed parallel
to each other. The said connecting piece has a projection extending downward
from its lower face, the said projection being provided with an aperture or slot
within which fits a curved lever whose lower end extends below the ordinary flat
perforated plate, and is attached rigidly to a rod or spindle, a portion of which enters
the cavity beneath this plate; the said spindle and curved arm are situated in planes
at right angles to each other, and the spindle is fixed loosely in bearing pieces so
that it may rotate far enough to impart to the curved lever the required upward
and downward motion to cause the sliding cases to ascend and descend as required.
One end of the rod or spindle extends outside the lamp, and is provided with a
convenient knob or other piece to enable a person to turn the rod to the right or
left hand, according to whether it is desired to raise or lower the sliding cases.
also provide upon the portion of the rod extending outside the lamp an ariu
projecting at right angles to the said rod, this arm having at its free end an eye
We

page_text: or loop to receive a cord or chain; the object of this arm is to provide means for
raising the extinguishers when the lamp is placed in an elevated position.
The aforesaid flaps or clips are each provided at their lower end with a strip
extending across their entire length, and the lower part of each strip projects
outward at a slight angle. A stud or screw is fitted into the upper face of the
aforesaid connecting piece, and projects upward from the same, and a spiral spring
encircles the stud, the lower end of the spring pressing upon the upper face of the
connecting piece, and the upper end of the spring against the lower face of a sliding
plate through which the stud passes. This plate slides vertically upon the stud,
and its two extremities fit beneath the strips at the lower end of the flaps in such
a manner that the upward pressure of the spiral spring upon the plate tends to
cause the flaps to close. The edges of the plate abut against the lower part of
the flaps behind the strip, and aid in opening the flaps when the curved lever com-
mences to operate in a downward direction. When the flame is to be extinguished
the rod is operated in the direction to cause the curved lever to rise, and as soon
as the sliding cases reach a position in which the flaps are not kept open by the
wick-tubes, the pressure of the spiral spring upon the plate above it causes the
plate to press upon the strips, and thus close the flaps and extinguish the flame.
The arrangement of the parts as above described ensures perfect action of the
apparatus under all circumstances; the mechanism is of simple construction, and is
so placed as not to be liable to injury through careless handling on the part of
servants or otherwise:
When our Invention is adapted to lamps having only one wick, the mechanism
will be arranged in the same manner as above described, excepting that as there
will be only one sliding case to be operated, a projection will be used instead of the
aforesaid connecting piece, and the sliding plate will operate on one side only. If
found desirable, however, we may cause the said projection and the sliding plate to
slide upon or in a vertical support placed opposite the single wick tube.
The said Invention may also be applied with obvious modifications to lamps
having more than two wicks.