IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY LAMPS AND CHIMNEYLESS BURNERS FOR LAMPS FOR BURNING PETROLEUM OB VOLATILE OILS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE WHOLLY OR IN PART TO OTHER LAMPS AND BURNERS
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Isaac Blake at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 19th May 1881.
ISAAC BLAKE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY LAMPS AND CHIMNEYLESS BURNERS FOR LAMPS
FOR BURNING PETROLEUM OB VOLATILE OILS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE WHOLLY OR IN PART TO OTHER LAMPS AND BURNERS."
ARE
My Invention relates, first, to the construction of parts of lamps to be used for
lighting railway carriages from the roof.
I make the body of the lamp of the ordinary form and shape. The air for
supporting combustion is admitted underneath the upper brass ring on the outside
of the body, and through the perforations in the case. The inner lining of the body
is closed both at the top and bottom, but is so perforated as to admit sufficient
air for maintaining combustion into the body of the lamp above the reflector, the
air being drawn to the burner through the space between the reflector and its
attachments and the inner lining of the body. By this means the force of the
current of air produced by the rapid motion of the train is broken, and the light
rendered steady. The burner and its attachments are constructed as follows:-A
metal rim of the requisite size is made, and on the top of the said rim a cover is
fixed, the said cover having a conical chimney at its centre, which said chimney
enters the chimney fixed to the head of the lamp. A hollow cylinder is fixed on
the outside of the conical chimney, and underneath the rim described is a reflector
by which the light is thrown downwards. The marginal portions of the reflector
are of the ordinary curvature, but the central portions incline downwards. On the
outside of the rim are fixed three springs to steady the burner when in the lamp.
On the oil vessel is fitted a chimneyless burner for petroleum oil. The vessel and
burner are suspended at a suitable distance underneath the reflector by two
supports, which pass through the reflector and are attached to the cover supporting
the conical chimney.
Instead of the burner for petroleum or volatile oils, a burner for colza or fixed
oil may be used.

page_text: My Invention relates, secondly, to the construction of tricolour lamps. I make
the outer rim of the lamp of a conical shape. To the top I fix a circular saucer
shaped pierced attachment with the convex side downwards, and to its outer edge
I fix a similar shaped pierced attachment with the convex side upwards. Over this is
a blank cover raised a little above the latter. A metal chimney is attached to the
head, the said chimney rising above the top of the conical rim and descending to a
little above the burner. The space between the outer rim and the chimney is
closed at the top or bottom, so that no air can pass upwards from the body of the
lamp except through the chimney.
This arrangement causes a strong draught up the chimney and a bright flame.
The air for supporting combustion is admitted below the burner. The bottom of
the lamp is pierced in the usual way, or has holes cut out which are covered with
finely pierced metal or wire gauze. The platform of the oil vessel is also perforated,
and the bottom of the oil vessel is raised and supported a short distance above the
platform. The sides of the oil vessel are perforated below the level of the bottom
of the vessel to admit air into the body of the lamp. Underneath the perforated
bottom of the lamp is fixed a blank bottom, the space between the said blank
bottom and the true bottom of the lamp forming a chamber open all round. This
arrangement causes the currents of air to be directed horizontally through the
chamber instead of being forced upwards into the lamp, and tends to keep the flame
steady.
My Invention relates, thirdly, to the construction of chimneyless burners. When
lamps burning volatile oils become sufficiently warm to give off inflammable or
nearly inflammable vapour, chimneyless burners of the ordinary construction permit
the said vapour to rise towards the flame, and either to escape into the atmosphere,
causing an unpleasant odour, or to take fire. Chimneyless burners used inside
lamps and lanterns with metal oil vessels are especially subject to this annoyance and
danger in consequence of the increased heat to which to which the oil is exposed. To
prevent this annoyance and danger, I make the burner vapour tight in the following
manner - -The box in which the toothed wheels for winding the wick are placed
is made vapour tight by soldering the joints of the wick tube with the plug that.
fits into the collar, and with the cover over the said wheels. The said cover is also
soldered on its outer edge to the perforated part that supports the cone. A cap is
also fixed to the burner over the end of the pinion, and a small tube is put round
the pinion between the burner and the button of the pinion. One end of the said
tube is fastened to the burner, so that the pinion works tightly inside the fixed
tube.
By these improvements any vapour rising from the volatile oil is prevented from
passing through the burner to the flame or to the atmosphere.
The improved burner described may be used in conjunction with spherical or
bulbous glass chimneys.