Certain Improvements in Oil Lamps.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 26th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in Oil Lamps.
We, GEORGE HENRY MIDDLETON, of 69, Oliver Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, WILLIAM PITT, of 162, Scholefield Street, in the
said city, Engineer, and JOHN JOSIAH TAYLOR, of 13, Weston Street,
Bloomsbury, in the said city, Lard Refiner, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to all kinds of lamps for burning hydrocarbons and
particularly to those lamps which are used for domestic purposes. It is well known
that hydrocarbon lamps are liable to explode either when the lamp is upset, or
when the wick is or the wicks are turned down too low, or when the metal parts of
the lamp have become overheated, all of which defects we overcome by this
invention as herein described.
We will describe this invention as applied to an ordinary table lamp which is
made with a single wick tube but it is to be understood that our invention can be
similarly applied to lamps which are made with two or more wick tubes and that
such wick tube or wick tubes may either be flat, round, annular, crescent shaped or
of other form.
Now in carrying out this invention we make the wick tube in two parts namely
an upper part and a lower part. The lower part of the wick tube is fixed to the
lower part of the gallery or lamp frame where the wick winder is, and the upper
part of the wick tube is fixed to the upper portion of the gallery or lamp frame
which we make separate and loose from the lower part and carries the chimney.
when a chimney is used. This upper part of the gallery or lamp frame stands upon
and fits very loosely in a circular or other recess on the top of the lower part of
the gallery so that if the lamp be shaken somewhat roughly or upset this upper
part of the gallery or lamp frame with the upper part of the wick tube will fall.on
one side and in so falling the upper part of the wick tube will move up the wick
and wipe out the light thus effectually preventing any possibility of an explosion
through the lamp being upset. There are or may be one or more small chains or
links or other contrivances to form stops.to prevent the upper part of the lamp
frame or gallery falling too far in any direction. In order to ensure the upper part
of the lamp frame or gallery being placed in its exact position so that the upper
part of the wick tube will match the lower part of the wick tube there is. a
projection at or near the base of the upper part of the gallery or lamp frame
which takes into a corresponding notch in the lower part of the gallery or lamp
frame.
By the tube being divided into two parts as stated above, and the upper part not
quite touching the lower part, the upper part only of the wick tube becomes heated
and as this does not touch the lower part of the wick tube the heat is not conveyed
thereto, consequently as the lower part of the wick tube and the lower part of
the gallery or lamp frame always keep cool it is impossible for an explosion to be
caused through the lamp being overheated.
When our invention applied to a lamp in which there are two or more wicks
we find that if desired only one of the wicks may be burning and there will be no
smell or vapour from the other wicks because the lower part of the wick tube
cannot become overheated.

page_text: As the lower part of the wick tube is always cool the lamp can be extinguished
by winding the wick down into the lamp tube without any risk of an explosion
thus a special extinguisher is not required.
We make the upper part of the lamp frame or gallery with perforations to
admit air to assist in keeping the said upper part cool and to assist in supporting
combustion.
Dated this 26th day of April 1894.
Certain Improvements in Oil Lamps.
We, GEORGE HENRY MIDDLETON, of 69, Oliver Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, WILLIAM PITT, of 152, Scholefield Street, in the
said city, Engineer, and JOHN JOSIAH TAYLOR, of 13, Weston Street,
Bloomsbury, in the said city, Lard Refiner, 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 :-
This invention has reference to all kinds of lamps for burning hydrocarbons and
particularly to those lamps which are used for domestic purposes. It is well known
that hydrocarbon lamps are liable to explode either when the lamp is upset or
when the wick is or the wicks are turned down too low or when the metal parts of
the lamp have, become overheated all of which defects we overcome by this
invention as herein described.
We will describe this invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a single wick domestic lamp constructed
according to this. invention;
Fig. 2 shews how the said lamp is automatically extinguished upon the lamp
being tilted to one side or upset ;
Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation of a portion of the said lamp without the
oil reservoir and chimney and shewing the upper and lower part of the wick tube
and lamp frame separated;
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a double wick lamp constructed according to
this invention and
Fig. 5 shews how the lamp Fig. 4 is automatically extinguished when tilted to
one side or upset.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the figures of the drawings.
We will first describe this invention as applied to an ordinary domestic lamp
which is made with a single wick tube (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3) but it is to be under-
stood that this invention can be similarly applied to lamps which are made with
two or more wick tubes (Figs. 4 and 5) and that such wick tube or wick tubes may
either be flat, round, annular, crescent shaped or of other form.
In carrying out this invention we make the wick tube in two parts namely an
upper part A and a lower part B which are separate from and do not touch each
other. The lower part B of the wick tube is fixed in the lower part C of the
gallery or lamp frame where the wick winder D is situated, and the upper part A of
the wick tube is fixed in the upper portion E of the gallery or lamp frame which
according to this invention we make separate and loose from the lower part C this
upper part E carrying the chimney F when a chimney is used. This upper part E
of the gallery or lamp frame is not hinged or secured by any catch to the lower
part C of the gallery but stands upon and fits very loosely in a circular or other

page_text: recess con the top of the lower part C of the gallery the exact position of the
upper part E being determined by any convenient means as by the projecting side
pin e (see Fig. 3) fixed on the upper part E which takes into a notch c² in the rim c
of the lower part C. If the lamp be shaken somewhat roughly or tilted on one side.
or upset as shewn in Fig. 2 this upper part E of the gallery or lamp frame and the
upper part A of the wick tube will fall towards any one side as shewn in Fig. 2
and in so falling the upper part A of the wick tube will move up the wick (as.
shewn and wipe out the light thus effectually preventing any possibility of an
explosion through the lamp being upset. The small chains HH' connect the
upper part E and the lower part C of the lamp together and thus form stops to
prevent the upper part E of the lamp frame or gallery falling too far in any
direction. Or instead of these chains H'H' metal links or other contrivances.
may be used for the same purpose. The upper part A of the wick tube is as
shewn so arranged as not to touch the lower part B of the same so that when the
lamp is lighted only the upper part A of the wick tube will become heated but as
this does not touch the lower part B of the wick tube the heat is not conveyed
thereto, consequently the lower part B of the wick tube and the lower part Ċ of
the lamp frame or gallery always keep cool and thus it is impossible for an explosion
to be caused through the lamp being overheated. Moreover as the lower part B
of the wick tube is always cool the lamp can be extinguished by winding the
wick G down into the wick tube without risk of an explosion thus a special
extinguisher is not required.
The upper part E of the lamp frame or gallery is made with perforations at e
to admit air to assist in keeping the said upper part cool and to assist in supporting
combustion.
The upper part A of the wick tube may be of any ordinary kind viz.: of flat
rectangular form, or round, or angular, or crescent shaped or of other form, but so
as to instantly extinguish the flame and also prevent any smoking or smell when
the lamp is tilted as aforesaid or when the wick G is wound down in extinguishing
the lamp we prefer to make the upper part of the wick tube A in the manner
which is well known and as shewn by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 where it will be seen that
the upper part of one of the wider sides of the wick tube A is made in the form
of a loose flap or shutter I which at each side and at or near the bottom is hinged
to the wick tube A at and is made with a weighted arm ³ arranged so as to
turn the flap or shutter I upon its side pins and close the upper edge of the
flap or shutter I against the opposite side of the wick tube A when the wick is wound
down to extinguish the lamp or when the wick tube A is moved along the wick G
as when the lamp is tilted as shewn in Fig. 2 thus instantly extinguishing the
flame and preventing the wick froin smoking. Instead of the flap or shutter I
being provided with a counterweighted arm for the purpose of closing the flap
or shutter I as above described we. may employ as shewn in the "duplex" lamp
hereinafter described (see Figs. 4 and 5) a light spring ; to act upon the flap or
shutter I to close the same as stated above.
This invention is applied to a duplex lamp that is a lamp made for two wicks
marked respectively G'G' (see Figs. 4 and 5) similarly as above described with
reference to a lamp made with a single wick tube except that in the duplex lamp
we find that instead of the chains H Hit is more convenient to employ a single
chain or link H situated between the two wicks G' G' the lower part of the link H*
being fixed to the lower part of the lamp gallery or framework and sliding through
a bole k in the upper part E of the gallery or framework but it is to be understood
that instead of this link H' for forming a stop any other convenient means may be
employed. Also that instead of the flaps or shutters I of the wick tubes being
arranged to be closed by the spring ; they may be arranged to be closed by a
counter-weighted arm such as or the said wick tubes may be plain in the ordinary
way without any shutters I.
We wish it to be understood that we make no claim in respect of the flaps or
shutters I for extinguishing the flame when the wick is being wound down.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In domestic. lamps and other lamps for burning hydrocarbons, making the
upper part of the wick tube or wick tubes and the upper part of the lamp frame
or gallery separate from the lower part thereof and so arranged that upon the lamp
being tilted to one side or upset the said upper part of the wick tube or wick tubes
and the upper part of the lamp frame or gallery will fall towards one side and
the upper part of the wick tube or upper parts of the wick tubes will thereby be
caused to move up the wick or wicks and wipe out the light, suitable stops being
provided to prevent the said upper part of the lamp and wick tube falling over too
far, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. In a hydrocarbon lamp such as denoted under Claim 1, the combination of the
upper part of the lamp frame or gallery fixed to the upper part of the wick tube
and resting in a recess c¹ of the lower part C of the lamp and connected to the
latter by chains H'H' or by the link or chain H to prevent the said upper part
falling over too far as set forth when tilted or upset.
Dated this 25th day of January 1895.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.