IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OILS AND OTHER HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING AN EXCESS OF CARBON
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OILS AND OTHER
HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING AN EXCESS OF CARBON."-A communication from
abroad by William Henry Racey, of the City of Saint Augustine, in the
State of Florida, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd October 1860.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OILS AND
OTHER HYDROCARBONS CONTAINING AN EXCESS OF CARBON," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to supply the flame with the necessary
amount of oxygen to support a perfect combustion with or without the aid of
the usual glass chimney, and at the same time have the flame very persistent,
so that it will not be materially affected while the lamp is being moved
through the air in any direction.

page_text: The peculiar features of novelty in the Invention are the application to
lamps for burning hydrocarbons of a cap, tube, or cone, so arranged with
respect to the illuminating flame as to form a draught tube for the flame.
The draught tube is provided with one or more conductors so placed within it
as effectually to rarefy the air within, and supply the illuminating flame with a
requisite amount of oxygen, the draught tube being connected with any
suitable deflector vessel or flange which will elevate the lower orifice of the
draught tube.
The burner consists of perforated metal plates which are placed above the
wick tube, so that the vapor of the hydrocarbon may ascend therein and pass
out of slots made in the cones or deflectors. One or more curved copper rods
are used in combination with one or more deflecting caps and draught tube,
for the purpose of keeping the space within the deflecting cones hot, and also
to assist in directing the flame.
Another novel feature consists in the employment or use of perforated plates
placed in relation with the cap or dome, the wick tube, and inner deflector in
such manner as will carry the flame up to the slots in the deflector, and at the
same time admit oxygen to the same.
Another improvement is producing an artificial draught to supply the flames
of lamps with oxygen, by means of a fan or its equivalent operated by clock-
work, or other suitable mechanism.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor by the said William Edward
Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th April 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM 2
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign, a
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and 3
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully

page_text: might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING COAL OILS AND OTHER HYDROCARBONS
CONTAINING AN EXCESS OF CARBON," being a communication from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Edward
Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office on or before the Twenty-second day of
April, One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to supply the flame with the necessary
amount of oxygen to support a perfect combustion, with or without the aid of
the usual glass chimney, and at the same time have the flame very persistent,
so that it will not be materially affected while the lamp is being moved
through the air in any direction.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, are vertical sections of lamps constructed according
to this Invention; Figures 1 and 2 being views of the same lamp with their
planes of section crossing each other at right angles; Figures 3 and 4 being
views of another lamp, also having their planes of section crossing each other
at right angles.
In Figures 1 and 2, A represents the cap; B, the wick tube, which is
encompassed by a tube C, of slightly conical form, and extends a short distance
above the upper end of the wick tube. The lower end of the tube C has a
curved flange a attached to or formed on it. This flanch is curved upward all
around the base of the tube, and it is perforated, as shown at b. The cap A
is also provided with a similar flanch c, which is bent or curved upward, the
two flanches being connected at their outer edges entirely around or at certain
points d', and forming the attachment between the tube C and the cap A, and
also forming an annular chamber d all around the base of the tube, the per-
forations 6 with spaces 6 between the points d¹ forming the only communication
between the lower end of the tube C and the external air. On the upper end
of the tube C a cap D is fitted. This cap is of the usual dome shape, and has
a slot e made in its upper end, extending from one side of the cap to the

page_text: other, as shown in Figure 1. Within the cap D a smaller cap E is secured,
the upper part of which approximates in form to the upper part of the cap D,
and it is also provided with a slot f. The upper part of the cap E, however,
is slotted laterally at opposite sides of its slot f, as shown at g, 9, (Figure 2,)
which slots extend nearly if not quite the whole width of the cap. The lower
part of the cap E is of inverted conical form, as shown clearly in both Figures,
and it is attached to the cap D by horizontal plates h, h, which are secured to
a cylinder f¹ fitted within a cylinder g', to which the upper part of the cap E
is attached by plates h¹, the plates h¹, h', being in the same plane with the
slots g, g. Within the lower inverted conical portion of the cap E a burner F
is placed. This burner is of oval form, and is equal in length to the diameter
of the lower part of the cap E, and fits snugly within it. The upper edges i
of the burner are of rounded form, as shown clearly in Figure 1, and its lower
edge is flush with the lower edge of the cap E. The lower edges of the cap E
and the burner F are a trifle above the upper end of the wick tube B, a
space being allowed between, as shown clearly in both Figures 1 and 2.
G, G. represent curved or arched rods, which extend entirely over the slot f of
the smaller cap E, and at a point between the slot f and the slot e of cap D.
The ends of these rods are attached to the plates h¹ of the upper part of the
cap E. The rods G, G, as well as the burner F, are constructed of copper, at
least that would be the preferable material.
It is preferred to perforate the burner F, for reasons herein-after stated.
This burner it will be seen by referring to Figure 1, has its upper part wider
than its lower part, or it may be described as expanding gradually in a
longitudinal direction from its lower to its upper end, and transversely, it
would be preferable to have it gradually contracted from its lower to its upper
end, as shown in Figure 2.
The operation is as follows:-The wick H is lighted at the upper end of
the tube B, and a gas generating flame a* is produced in consequence of an
imperfect supply of oxygen, it being understood that the flame is encompassed
by the burner F, which excludes the requisite supply of oxygen, sufficient
being admitted at the space j to support an imperfect combustion. In conse-
quence of this imperfect combustion hydro-carbonic gas is eliminated and
passed up through the burner F, and is allowed gradually to expand, the said
gas, passing the slots f, e, of the caps E, D, and burning with an illu-
minating flame 6* at the slot e of the cap D. The copper rods G, G, perform
two functions; they, in common with the burner F, have a tendency to spread
or expand the flame, thereby presenting a greater surface of flame to the air;
and they also divide the mass of heated air into parts, so that the same will

page_text: be brought in contact with the flame in a heated state and in different por-
tions, producing at the same time a permanent rarefication and consequent
draught in the tube C, so that the flame will receive a great amount of
oxygen; and the rods also serve to keep the air in a rarefied state. The
burner F also serves to rarefy the air within the caps; and the two caps D, E,
cause the air to impinge against the hydrocarbon gas and flame at different
points. The slots 9, 9, in the smaller cap E also cause a current of air to
impinge against and become incorporated with the gas below the top of the
cap E. The employment or use of the caps D, E, in connection with the
burner F and rods G, G, causes a perfect illuminating flame 6* with a com-
paratively shut tube C, for by the use of the caps, burner, and rods a good
and sufficient draught is obtained through the tube, and the air is made to
impinge in the most advantageous manner against the flame. In order to use
the lamp the wick II is lighted, and a gas generating flame a* eliminates a
hydrocarbon gas, which escapes up through the burner F, slots f, e, and burns
with an illuminating flame 6* at e. When the gas is produced the wick H is
gently raised until the gas is ignited at e, the flame a* producing such result
in consequence of the perforations in the burner F, which aerifies the gas and
permits the flame a* to ignite it. Were the burner F not perforated an auxi-
liary flame or light would be required to ignite the gas at the slot e, and the
aerifying of the gas also increases the power and rarefied development of the
illuminating flame. Hence the advantage of having the burner F perforated.
Figures 3 and 4 show a modification of the Invention. A is a metal
cylinder or tube which is attached to the cap B of a lamp, and provided with
holes or openings a at its lower end. On the upper part of the tube A a cap or
deflector C is placed, the upper end of which is slotted, as shown at 6; D is an
inner deflector, which is secured within the cap C by arms c. This inner
deflector D is of the usual dome form, slotted at its apex, as shown at d; E is
the wick tube, which is secured in the cap B, and extends up within the
tube A and into the lower part of the cone C, terminating just below the
deflector D; F, F, are perforated copper plates, which are attached to the
inner deflector D, and extend upward within the cap or deflector C nearly to
its apex. The plates F are equal in width to the cap C at their lower parts,
and the upper ends of the plates may be curved or rounded to correspond with
the form of the apex of the cap C. At the bases of the perforated plates F, F,
between them and the inner deflector D, there are openings e.
The operation is as follows:-When the wick G within the tube E is lighted
the combustion at the top of the wick is quite imperfect, as the air or draught
in A is obstructed in coming in contact with the flame by the plates F, F, and

page_text: which ascends the wick.
a blue flame is developed, which nearly decomposes the oil or burning material
The gaseous vapor ascends between the plates F, F,
and as air is brought in contact with it at the spaces between the top of the
cap C and the perforated plates F, F, a bluish flame is again developed, as
shown at f, and as the vapor passes through the slots 6 of the cap C and comes
in contact with the external air a brilliant illuminating flame is produced.
The plates F, F, besides restricting the supply of air to the flame or gaseous
vapor within the cap C, also serve to heat the air within the cap, so that it
cannot cool the gaseous vapor, and the plates also serve to render the
illuminating flame persistent. The cap or deflector C, and the inner deflector
D, perform their usual functions, to wit, turning the air on the flame as shewn
by the arrows.
Figure 5 exhibits a further modification of the Invention. In this arrange.
ment a fan is driven by suitable clockwork, and the flame supplied with air
by the rotation of the fan.
A represents a train of wheels actuated by a spring B, precisely the same as
in a watch or clock. A weight might be used instead of a spring, but the latter
would be preferable on account of its portability. The wheels A are connected
with a shaft C on which a fan D is placed, and the fan as well as the gearing
or clock mechanism are placed in a tube E, which communicates with a
burner F of the lamp, and supplies the flame z with air. The tube E may
extend through the body or fountain of the lamp, or be arranged in any suitable
way; various forms, however, and different plans may be devised for carrying
out this feature of the Invention.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of improvements in lamps
for burning coal oils and other hydrocarbons containing an excess of carbon,
and having explained 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,―
1st., the application to lamps, as shown in Figures 1 to 5, of a cap, tube, or
cone so arranged with respect to the illuminating flame as to form a draught
tube for the flame, where the draught tube is provided with one or more con-
ductors so placed within it as effectually to rarefy the air within and supply the
illuminating flame with a requisite amount of oxygen, the said tube being
connected with any suitable deflector, vessel, or flanch which will elevate the
lower orifice of the draught.tube in the manner and for the purpose above
explained.
2nd., the burner and curved rods (one or more) in combination with one or
more deflecting caps and draught tube, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, arranged
for joint operation essentially as described.

page_text: 3rd., the use of the perforated plates placed in relation with the cap, wick
tube, and inner deflector, as shown in Figures 3 and 4 to operate as and for
the purpose specified.
4th., the producing of an artificial draught to supply the flames of lamps
with oxygen by means of a fan or its equivalent, operated by suitable me-
chanism essentially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Ninteenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)