Improvements in Automatic Extinguishers for Lamps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Extinguishers for Lamps.
I, FREDRICK AUGUST GODHELP GMELIN, 35 Pyrland Road London, N.
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The said invention consists of the arrangements and combinations hereinafter
described, of the parts of extinguishers for lamps, burning volatile oils; whereby
the flame of a lamp is extinguished, when the lamp is inclined at an angle from the
perpendicular.
The application of the automatic mechanism is to any kind of oil lamps with
reservoirs of metal or any other suitable substance; no matter if it be single flat
wick, duplex or round burners.
The whole of the automatic mechanism is enclosed within the reservoir and
therefore cannot be tampered with.
It consists of a round cylindrical tube with concave rim attached to the bottom;
the said tube with rim is supported in the reservoir by a spiral spring which rests
on the bottom of reservoir, tending to force the tube upwards. To prevent the
tube from rising, when the lamp is in its normal position, I place a ball or balls of
metal or other suitable material on the concave rim, said ball or balls resting
against the tube.
A second concave rim is fixed round the inside of the reservoir in such a position
as to form a continued concave curve with the movable rim, when it is weighted in
position by said ball or balls; so it will be seen that if the lamp is moved a certain
distance from the perpendicular position, the said ball or balls roll off the movable
concave rim on to the fixed concave rim, thus allowing the spiral spring to force
the cylindrical tube upwards
Across the top of cylindrical tube, and as near the centre as convenient; I fix
a cross bar of metal, in which I preferably put a small concave recess, in this
recess, there rests loosely a pin which is fixed to a small frame work containing
slots, said small frame work, is, in the case of the duplex burners placed between
the two wick tubes in the gallery of the lamp burner, and is for the purpose of
moving the extinguishers, "which are small hoods, sector shaped, and are pivoted
on the wick tubes," over the Hame. This is done by the act of the aforesaid,
cylindrical tube being forced upwards, which in its turn, pushes the said pin which
rests on crossbar of metal, upwards; thus moving extinguishers over the flame,
and extinguishes the lamp long before it would reach the floor, if overturned
accidentally. I use a lever fixed on the side of lamp burner for the purpose of
replacing automatic mechanism, in former position; said lever is also used to work
extinguishers independantly of automatic mechanism, while the lamp is in vertical
position.
To avoid wick or wicks getting entangled with mechanism in the reservoir, I
extend the wick tubes downwards, said tube or tubes passing on either side of said
cross bar, through cylindrical tube and so into the oil.
The burner with wicks can be detached from reservoir without any difficulty, for
the purpose of refilling lamp with oil.
In the case of round burners the extinguishing apparatus is formed of any
convenient number of sector shaped flaps, having their pivots fixed on a short
movable tube, said tube sliding over a fixed tube, on which tube there are sinal!
tongs set off, forming springs for the purpose of closing said flaps over the flame;
said apparatus is actuated by the same automatic mechanism as before described.
Dated this Sixteenth day of November 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Extinguishers for Lamps.
I, FREDRICK AUGUST GODHELP GMELIN, 35 Pyrland Road London N.
Mechanical Engineer, 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 said invention consists of the arrangements and combinations hereinafter
described of the parts of extinguishers for lamps burning volatile oils, whereby
the flame of a lamp is extinguished when the lamp is inclined at an angle from the
perpendicular.
The application of the automatic mechanism is to any kind of oil lamps, with
reservoirs of metal or any other suitable substance; no matter if it be single flat
wick, duplex, or round burners.
The whole of the automatic mechanism is enclosed within the reservoir, and
therefore cannot be tampered with.
It consists of a cylindrical tube, with concave rim attached to the bottom. The
said tube with rim is supported in the reservoir by a "spiral" spring, which rests
on the bottom of reservoir tending to force the tube upwards. To prevent the tube
from rising when the lamp is in its normal position, I place a ball or balls of metal,
or other suitable material, on the concave rim, said ball or balls resting against a
fixed outer tube.
A second concave rim is fixed round the inside of the reservoir, in such a position
as to form a continued concave curve with the movable concave rim when it is
weighted in position by said ball or balls.
So it will be seen that if the lamp is moved a certain distance from the
perpendicular position, the said ball or balls roll off the movable concave rim, onto
the fixed concave rim, thus allowing the spiral spring to force the cylindrical tube
upwards.
Across the top of cylindrical tube and as near the centre as convenient, I fix a
crossbar of metal, in which, I preferably put a small concave recess, in this recess
there rests loosely a pin, which is fixed to a small framework containing slots,
said small framework is in the case of the duplex burners placed between the two
wick tubes in the gallery of the lamp burner, and is for the purpose of moving the
extinguishers (which are small hoods, sector shaped, and are pivoted on the wick
tubes,") over the flame.
This is done by the act of the aforesaid cylindrical tube being forced upwards,
which in its turn pushes the said pin, "which rests on cross-bar of metal" upwards,
thus moving extinguishers over the flame, and extinguishes the lamp long before it
would reach the floor if overturned accidentally.
I use a lever fixed on the side of lamp burner for the purpose of replacing
automatic mechanism in former position, said lever may also be used to work
extinguishers independently of automatic mechanism while the lamp is in a vertical
position.
To avoid wick or wicks getting entangled with mechanism in the reservoir, I
extend the wick tubes downwards, said tube or tubes passing on either side of said
cross-bar, through cylindrical tube, and so into the oil.
The burner with its wicks can be detached from reservoir without any difficulty
for the purpose of refilling lamp with oil.
In the case of round burners, the extinguishing apparatus is formed of any
convenient number of sector shaped flaps, having their pivots fixed on a short
movable tube, sliding over a fixed tube, on which tube there are small tongues set
off, forming springs for the purpose of closing said flaps over the flame.
Said apparatus is actuated by the same automatic mechanism as before
described.

page_text: In order that my said invention may be more clearly understood, reference is to
be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification, in which
Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through burner and reservoir of a lamp with
duplex burner given as an example.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the floor of burner chamber shewing the wick tubes A, A,
and centre block B of the framework, which governs the movement of the
extinguishing hoods.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a round wick burner, shewing the application of the
second part of my invention, adapted thereto.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of a round burner, shewing the flaps closed over wick
tube.
Fig. 5 is a partial section on line C, C, of Fig. 3.
Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
In reference to Fig. 1, D is the cylindrical tube with concave rim E attached,
F, F, are the balls at rest on the concave rim E and against the fixed tube G which
is their position when the lamp is vertical and alight.
When the lamp is inclined at an angle from the perpendicular the balls F, F,
leave the movable rim E, and roll onto the fixed rim H, into one of the positions
shewn at F, and F", dependent upon the direction of inclination of the lamp.
The concave rim E, now being at liberty, the cylindrical tube D is forced
upwards by means of the rod J, which is actuated by the spring K, the rod J is
fixed to the cylindrical tube at L on the cross bar and is kept in position at lower
end by a guide, which in this instance is represented by a pin M attached to the
bottom of reservoir.
It is obvious that this guide is a detail of manufacture, and may be modified to
suit the requirements of non-metallic reservoirs.
The pin N which rests on the cross bar "and which may be recessed to receive
it," works in the sleeve O, and has attached at its upper end the block B which
carries the two plates forming the framework P, and which governs the action of
the hoods.
Qis the lever in ordinary use for extinguishing lamp by hand, the end of this
lever is slotted and works loosely on pin at R and is made to serve the double
purpose of a hand extinguisher, and as a means of depressing the cylindrical tube D,
thus allowing the balls to return to their former position on the movable rim E.
It will thus be seen that the hand extinguisher is quite independent of the automatic
mechanism.
The upper part of the action i.e. above the cross bar L. being quite independent
allows of perfect freedom of detachment of burner body from reservoir for purpose
of replenishing and cleaning lamp.
In reference to Fig. 3, I there employ any convenient number of sector shape
flaps S "in this instance six in number," each of which are hinged or pivotted
between the lugs V, V₁, etc. cut and projected out, at intervals from a short
movable tube T, in this instance as an example, shown as being hinged by means of
a pin at the points U, U¹, etc. as shown in Fig. 4.
On the same tube T, but midway between each pair of lugs V, V₁ etc., small
tongues Ware cut vertically, and pushed out from tube T, to form springs which
are for the purpose of exercising pressure on innerside of the tail end of the flaps S,
at the point X.
The movable tube T slides upon a fixed inner tube Y. The aforesaid movable
tube T has at its lower end a flange Z, to the underside of which is attached two
rods A', and A" which in turn are connected to the plate B₁ Fig. 5, at the
points B, B, said plate being extended out to C', to form the hand extinguishing
bar.
The centre projection C" on B' which is passed through side of wick tube, and is
affixed to the inner sliding tube D³, and pin N, which pin rests upon crossbar L, as
in Fig. 1.
On the release of the automatic mechanism as previously described in Fig. 1,

page_text: the pin Fig. 3, is forced upwards, by its action raising in conjunction the sliding
tube D', plate B', and rods A', and A¹¹, and, by their attachment to the flange Z,
the outer tube T, until sufficiently high to allow the springs to exercise their action
at point X, so forcing the flaps over the wick tube, at the same time meeting the
inner tube D', thus completely closing in the wick tube.
It will be seen that in this arrangement as in Fig. 1 the hand extinguisher may
be used independent of, and also for replacing the automatic mechanism, which is
done in this instance by depressing the bar C, thus bringing the extinguishing
mechanism out of action into position shewn by the dotted lines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In a device for automatically extinguishing lamps burning volatile oils; the
combination with the movable concave rim, of the fixed concave rim, the rolling
ball or balls, and spring actuator, and contained within the reservoir or oil
chamber; and arranged substantially and in the manner herein-before described.
2nd. The combination with the weight governed inner or movable rim, of the
cylindrical tube siiding in the fixed tube, and actuated on release by means of a
spring, all contained within the reservoir substantially and in the manner herein-
before described.
3rd. The combination with the aforesaid automatic mechanism, of the independent
hand controlled extinguishing mechanism, and the utilisation of hand lever as a
means to reset the automatic mechanism, substantially and in the manner herein-
before described.
4th. The adaption of the aforesaid automatic mechanism contained within the
reservoir, to lamps having Argand burners.
5th. In a device for automatically extinguishing lamps having Argand burners;
the combination of the hand bar C, the plate B', and the pin with the inner sliding
tube D', the outer sliding tube T and the fixed tube Y.
6th. The combination with the sliding tube T, of the spring actuated extin-
guishing flaps V, V₁, etc. and the inner sliding tube D' arranged substantially and
in the manner hereinbefore described.
7th. In a device for automatically extinguishing lamps having Argand burners,
the combination with the reservoir contained mechanism, of the mechanism
contained within the burner body, and which can be used independently as a hand
controlled extinguisher, substantially and in the manner herein before described.
8th. In a device for automatically extinguishing lamps burning volatile oils, and
having Argand, single, or multiple burners; the combinations and arrangements of
the burner body contained mechanism, with the automatically controlled mechanism
contained within the oil reservoir arranged substantially in the manner and for the
purpose hereinbefore described, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Thirteenth day of August 1892.
FREDERICK AUGUST GODHELP GMELIN.