CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS: IN THE-PRODUCTION OF ARTIFI CIAL LIGHT; AND IN' BURNERS, LAMPS, AND CANDLESTICKS
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
CLARK, of 447, West Strand, Lamp Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing datë at
Westminster, the Seventh day of June, in the tenth year of Her reign; did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Richard Clark, Her especial licence; full power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said Richard Clark; my exécutors, administrators, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said Richard Clark, my executórs; administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with; and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein" mentioned,: should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise; and vend, within England; Wales,
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in' all Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, and' in the Islands of Jersey; Guernsey, Alderney, Sark,. and
Man; my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS: IN THE-PRODUCTION OF ARTIFI
CIAL LIGHT; AND IN' BURNERS, LAMPS, AND CANDLESTICKS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso obliging me; the said Richard Clark, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and
ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in' Her Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months' next and immediately after
the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent; as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appcar.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Richard Clark, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had to
the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon
(that is to say):-
.
"My Improvements in the Production of Artificial Light, and in Burners,
Lamps, and Candlesticks," refer to certain improved arrangements and con-
structions of apparatus, whereby the economic consumption of gas, oil, and
fats may be effected for the purposes of illumination.
The first part of my Invention refers to improvements in gas burners, and
consists, firstly, in conducting an annular current of air to the exterior and
interior surfaces of the flame of argand gas burners, whereby a more perfect
combustion of gas will be produced than by the burners now in use; secondly, in
reducing the amount of shadow thrown down by the burner and glass holder;
thirdly, in a novel construction of ring burner, whereby the exit of the
gas is impeded by an inner cylinder; and, fourthly, in a peculiar construction
of gas jets.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 represents one of my
improved gas burners in sectional elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan view of
the same. a, a, is the argand burner, pierced with holes as usual for the
exit of the gas to be consumed, and b, b, is the gallery or ring for holding the
glass chimney placed concentric with the burner, and supported by vertical
arms c, c, which rise from a cross piece d attached to the stem e of the burner.
f is a vertical rod fixed on the centre of the double crutch of the burner, for
the purpose of carrying the deflectors g, h, both of which are concentric with
the burner. The deflector 9 is by preference made of glass or other trans-
parent medium, as no shadow is thereby produced, but for ordinary purposes
metal may be used. It will now be understood, that when the burner is
lighted, and the chimney is placed on the gallery, the rush of air to the exterior
of the flame will come in an annular form, as there is no perforated plate or
sustaining arms to the galley by which the upward current would be impeded,
as is the case with the gas burners at present in use. The use of the lower
deflector g is to cause the infringement of an annular current of air on the
interior surface of the frame, and thus to lift as it were the flame from the
burner before it is acted upon by the deflection of the air caused by the ordi-
nary deflector h, which produces the expansion of the flame.
At Figures 3 and 4 a modification of the above-described burner is shewn

page_text: in vertical and plan views. This burner is intended to reduce to a consider-
able extent the amount of shadow thrown down, and therefore a single crutch
only is used. The gallery b, b, may be cut away at the parts marked × × α,
a sufficient support being still allowed for the glass chimney. One deflector
only in this case is employed, as shewn at Figure 3, the object being to obtain
a cylindrical flame. This deflector should be composed of a transparent
medium. By this arrangement of burner a similar or analagous effect in the
consumption of the gas (by the exterior and interior annular currents of air
impinging on the flame) is produced.
My novel construction of ring burner, whereby a resistance is given to the
exit of the gas, will be seen in vertical section at Figure 5. The burner con-
sists of an interior and exterior cone a and b, attached together at their lower
edge by a ring C. This ring is supported in the ordinary way by crutches d, d,
which convey the gas to the space between the cones. Before the gas enters
this space it meets with a stoppage in its upward current by a shelving piece
or ring cap e, which is fixed over the ring c, and is pierced laterally with holes
for the passage of the gas. Attached to the upper part of the ring cap e is a
vertical cylindrical partition f. for dividing the gas into two streams. This
partition divides the space between the cones a and b into two vertical com-
partments, and it rises to near about a level with the upper edges of the cones.
When therefore the gas issues out to be consumed it will flow in two annular
streams crossing each other at an angle. Attached to the crutches are arms
g, g, which at the upper ends carry a ring supporting the glass holder.
My improved gas jet is shewn at Figure 6; it consists of a tube a, the
upper end of which is provided with a boss or overhanging part 6. Imme-
diately below this part 6 the tube is pierced with sets of holes, that is, three
or more consecutively, then a space sufficiently large for another hole, and
then a following set of like number, and so on round the tube. By this form
of burner or jet I am enabled to produce a flame somewhat resembling a lilly,
as shewn at Figure 6*, the space left between each set of holes allowing of a
current of air entering the flame, and dividing it as shown.
At Figure 7 I have shewn an improved batswing burner in section. The
novelty consists in drilling two holes parallel to each other in a solid piece of
metal, up to within a certain distance of the end of that piece of metal which
is to form the burner, the continuation of the holes is then formed by drilling
holes obliquely from a common starting point to meet the vertical holes. By
these means I produce two upward currents of gas crossing each other at the
point of ignition, and thus obtain great illuminating powers, and also a strong

page_text: and enduring burner. It will be obvious that, when required, this mode of
piercing may be adapted to a solid thick disc of metal, and thus a ring of
batwing jets may be produced.
The second part of my Invention refers to improvements in oil lamps, and
consists, firstly, in certain modes of preventing the inconvenience of leakage in
lamps, the wicks of which are regulated by a rack and pinion.
One of these modes is shewn as applied to a lamp at Figure 7, but it will
be better better understood by inspecting the detached sectional view.
Figure 8 a is a conical tube attached to and projecting at right angles
from the main tube A of the lamp. This conical tube forms a seat for the
cone b, which carries at its inner end the pinion c, and at its outer end a knob
or handle for turning it round. d is a conical cap attached to the cone 6 or its
stem, and intended to fit over the tube a. Leather or other suitable packing
is introduced between the inner end of the cap d and the tube A, and also
between the end of the conical tube a and the top of the cap d. e is a short
tube brazed on to the tube A, and concentric with the parts before mentioned.
This tube e is tapped on its inner face to receive the thread of a cap f, which
secures the whole of the parts to the main tube A of the lamp. It will thus
be seen, that, by means of the cap d, any oil which may have passed between
the cone and its seat will be turned back again. If then an opening is made
in the lower part of the outer tube e, such oil will drop down, and a corre-
sponding opening being made in the oil cup, the oil will be received therein
instead of its flowing down the pillar of the lamp.
The other mode, shewn at Figures 9 and 10, embrace the same principle,
viz., a return of the oil, and its eventual escape at a given opening, in order
that it may be received by the oil cup of the lamp.
At Figure 9 packing is applied between the objecting shoulder of the
cone 6 and the screw cap f, which in this instance is made to embrace the
stem of the knob or handle for turning the pinion c. A passage is provided
between the tube a and the outer cap cap f, by filing away flat the thread on
the lower part of the tube a, which is attached to the main tube A of the
lamp, and thus the exit of the escape oil is effected.
b
At Figure 10 of the cap f is screwed to the threaded end of the tube a,
and between this cap and the shoulder of the cone 6 packing is placed. The
escape oil in this instance must be through the central opening in the
capf, for the admission of the stem of the handle, and, therefore, to effect the
return of the oil, an outer cap g is provided, which is secured in its place
flush with the tube A by a collar h on the stem of the handle, the collar itself

page_text: being secured by a pin, as shewn in the Drawing. An opening is made in
the under part of the cap g, near the tube A, to allow the escape oil to drop
into the oil cup as before stated.
At Figure 7✶ the outer tube of the burner is shewn in section, for the
purpose of representing the form of its upper edge. In order to prevent the
overflow oil from flowing from the wick down the exterior of the tube a 'lip
or flange is made on its interior circumference, whereby the overflow oil is
returned into the lamp.
Another improvement in oil lamps consists in the application thereto of a
cylinder of glass below the burner, which glass is ornamented in any required
way, and is serrated or made uneven on its upper edge to allow of the free
passage of air to the flame. The object of this cylinder of glass is to hide the
unsightly appearance of the upper part of the tube when discolored by the
action of the overflow oil upon the brass. The cylinder is supported by a
gallery i, as shewn at Figure 7, and attached to the gallery and k, k, arms
which stand up on the exterior of the cylinder for the purpose of supporting.
a ring a little above that cylinder. The ordinary glass chimney rests upon
the edge of the glass cylinder, and is kept in its place by being embraced by
the ring . In some cases I apply the glass cylinder to the lamp when the
ordinary chimney gallery is used.
My improvements in oil lamps also refer to an improved construction of
fountain lamp, which is intended to effect a uniform supply of oil to the
wick.
In Sheet II. of the Drawings, Figure 1 represents the fountain lamp in
sectional elevation. A, A, is the outer cylindrical casing of the lamp, and B
is an inner case affixed by pins or otherwise to the lower part thereof, and
forming the chamber for the oil. C is a vertical tube working in a stuffing
box in the top of the case B, and carrying at its lower end a piston D, with
cup leather packing. A circular recess is formed in the centre of this piston,
and a similar recess is made in the bottom of the casing A, for the purpose
of receiving a spiral spring E, which gives an upward impulse to the piston D.
At the upper end of the tube C a rack F is attached, which rack, by means
of a pinion G and knob H, is intended to depress the piston. From the upper
part of the oil chamber B a tube I rises, and is secured to a cross perforated:
partition a at the top of the cylindrical casing A. Within thus tube a tube b,
closed at bottom, is suspended. This tube is in connection with the burner,
and encloses the rack c, which is attached to the cotton holder, and regulates
the height of the cotton. The bottom of the recess in the casing A is formed
by a cap, which, when unscrewed, will allow the spring to be easily removed.

page_text: I will now explain the action of the fountain lamp. When the lamp is to
be filled with oil the piston D is at its highest position; the oil is poured in
at the top of the casing A, through the perforated partition a, and it falls
down between the casing A and B, filling up the space between the piston
and the bottom part of the casing A; the air that before filled that space will
escape up the tube C, an opening being made in its upper part for that pur-
pose. The piston D is now depressed by means of the rack and pinion F
and G, whereby the spring E will be collapsed, and the oil will force its way
past the leather packing to fill up the vacuum on the upper side of the piston.
As soon as the downward pressure given to the rack is removed the spring E
will, by its elastic property, have a tendency to expand, and thus force up the
piston, the upward motion of which will cause a column of oil to rise up the
tube I until it arrives near its upper end; but its upper end is closed by the
partition a fitting over it, and allowing merely spaco sufficient for the free
vertical motions of the tube b. An opening is therefore made in the tube 61
(which, as before stated, encloses the rack for moving the cotton) to allow of
the entrance of the oil into that tube, and of its passage to the wick. d is
a small open tube inserted in the partition a, for the purpose of conducting air
from the casing A while the oil is flowing therein.
The last part of my Invention, which relates to candle lamps, will be seen in
Sheet II. of the Drawings; Figure 2 being a partial sectional elevation of my
improved candle lamp, and Figure 3 a section of the lower part. One im-
provement which I effect is, compressing the spring, and holding it in a
depressed position while the candle is being inserted in its place. A is the
tube for containing the candle. B is the sliding candle holder provided with
a cup at its upper end. Within this cup is a smaller cup a, which is slotted
at its sides, and forms the seat or socket for the candle. When the candle has
burnt to its socket the wicks will fall into the cup a, and all the grease in that and
its adjacent cup will be consumed. The tube A is slotted for nearly the whole
of its length, and in the candle holder B a hole 6 is made to receive a pin
or stud projecting from a detached handle. When this handle is applied to
the holder it is drawn down to the bottom of the tube A, and the spring is
depressed. The pin of the handle is then thrust into a hole on the opposite
side of the tube, to keep the spring compressed while the candle is being put
in its place, but instead thereof I sometimes attach a screw c to the bottom
of the tube A, which screw is made to enter a female screw formed in a stud
at the lower end of the candle holder, and thus keep the spring in a depressed
position; the spring is of course let free when the candle is to be lighted.
C, C, is a moveable grease cup which surrounds the upper end of the tube A,

page_text: and hangs upon its upper edge. This cup C catches any grease which may
flow from the consumed candle over the cone D. The cone D is attached to
an outer cone E, pierced with air holes, as shown, and this cone is secured in
its place by a bayonet joint. The cone D holds the candle in the tube, and
resists the upward pressure of the spring, as will be well understood.
At Figure 4 another method of holding the spring down is shewn. At the
bottom of the candle holder B a pair of spring clips 9, 9, is attached. These
clips have naturally a tendency to spread, but at their lower ends they are
provided with wedge-shaped pieces, which, when the candle holder is
depressed, are driven against the sides of a conical hole h at the bottom of
the tube A, and are thereby pressed inwards. The downward motion of the
holder B being still continued, the ends of the clips will pass through the
hole h, and they will then spring open, and, by means of shoulders, with which
they are provided, hold tight against the edge of the conical hole. The candle
may then be placed in the tube, and when it is to be lighted the clips are
pressed together by the finger and thumb; the spiral spring will then instantly
force up the candle and draw the shoulders of the clips through the conical
hole h.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood, that under the above in part recited
Letters Patent I claim,-
First, as respects my improvements in gas burners, the construction and
arrangement of parts, as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, Sheet I.
whereby I am enabled to produce an undivided annular current of air, both
within and without the flame, for the purpose of producing the efficient com-
bustion of the gas.
I also claim the construction of burner shewn at Figures 3 and 4, Sheet 1,
whereby an efficient combustion of the gas is obtained, while at the same
time the shadow from the burner is in great part destroyed. Under this head
of the Invention I claim particularly the employment of a deflector below the
burner for the purpose herein-before described.
I further claim the application of the parts, or other analagous parts,
enclosed within cones, as shewn at Figure 5, Sheet I. of the Drawings, for the
purpose of dividing the supply of gas to the burner into two annular currents;
in order that when leaving the burner (to be consumed) the currents may
impinge upon each other as above explained.
As respects the jets, I claim the mode of piercing jet tubes in sets of holes,
as before described, an intermediate space being left between each set of holes

page_text: to: admit. streams of air, which will divide the flame; as shewn at Figures 6
and 6, Sheet 1.
And I. likewise claim the mode of. piercing. the batwing burner; as described
and shewn at Figure 7*.
Under the second head of the Invention I claim the several improvements
before described with reference to Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, in Sheet 1 of the
accompanying Drawings.
And I also claim the peculiar arrangement of the parts in the fountain
lamp for forcing up and conducting the oil to the wick, as shewn at Figure-1,
Sheet. II. of the: Drawings.
And with respect to candle lamps,. I claim the modes herein-before described,
of retaining the spring in a compressed. state while the candle is--being placed
in.its tube: And. also the application. of the parts-for guiding; catching, and
retaining the. melted: fat, as described.with reference to Figures 2,. 3, and 4,
Sheet. II. of: the Drawings...
In witness whereof; I, the said Richard Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
RICHARD (L.B.) CLARK.
Taken and acknowledged by Richard
Clark (party hereto), at 66, Chan-
cery Lane, in the County of Middle-
sex, this Seventh day of December,
One thousand eight hundred and
forty-seven, in the presence of us,
"J. W. MOFFATT,
"FRED. WALKDEN,
Clerks to Messrs. Newton & Son,.
Patent Agents,.
66 Chencom Lon