CYLINDRICAL BURNER OF LAMPS FOR BURNING MINERAL OILS
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Auguste Ferron at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1877.
CHARLES AUGUSTE FERRON, of Saint Denis, France, Architect.
CYLINDRICAL BURNER OF LAMPS FOR BURNING MINERAL OILS."
"AN IMPROVED
This Invention relates to an improved cylindrical burner of lamps for burning
mineral oils, and consists-
Firstly. Of a cylinder piece fixed in the inside air passage of a mineral oil burner
in such a manner that the interior current of air instead of acting upon a large
mass is divided into a smaller volume, at the same time preserving its original
diameter.
Secondly. Of a cap or burner with a double current of air, with interior heating
surface with notches or cells of intense radiation, and at the top part forming a
reflector, concave, spheroidal, or parabolic.
Thirdly. Of two concentric tubes of oval form for mineral oil burners of large
dimensions and with large flames.
Fourthly. Of great space between the wick tubes to obviate friction, one of the
tubes being contracted at top to prevent the oozing or exudation of the oil from
burners of large calibre.
In the employment of round burners for petroleum lamps it has not hitherto been
found practicable to exceed the dimension of about 38 millemetres in diameter
(commonly called "of 14 lignes "). All the attempts hitherto made to exceed this
dimension have proved unavailable, and there does not yet exist in the market
burners of about 43, 45, or 49 millemetres (commonly called "of 16 or 18 lignes ")
burning successfully. Besides this the round burners of other dimensions have the
defect of burning with too long a flame, causing it to taper in consequence of the
employment of narrow glasses or chimnies, or of metal capsules or caps, the diameter
of whose upper part is too narrow or contracted.
The new burner which I have invented can burn with a long flame and with
great intensity of light. There are two concentric tubes, the exterior one of which
is removable and rests upon a bottom, the other serving for the current of air is not
removable. These two tubes are united by means of a V shaped partition piece,
which leaves the necessary passage for the introduction of the air, and the concentric

page_text: tube as well as the bottom piece are fastened upon a plate. A cylindrical piece is
secured in the interior of the air passage and plays an important part in this new
burner. In fact, in burners of a certain diameter the column of air being of too
large a volume does not succeed in getting heated, and the flame is red and smoky,
while by my Invention the air coming out in a smaller volume is more easy to heat,
and as the entry at the bottom is always the same it goes out more violently at tho
top, rendering the flame correspondingly active.
The diameter of this cylinder is proportioned to the exterior current of air in
such a manner that the two currents are almost equilibrated, leaving always a little
more force to the outer current, as will be described hereafter. An outside metal
cap forms a beat chamber and controls a double current of air; the upper diameter
of this cap is equal to the diameter of the concentric tube increased by the thick-
ness of the interior current, but as in this case the mass of air to be heated will be
much more considerable and will also redden the flame, I use a second concentric
cap with notches or undulations. This second capsule rises only a few millimetres
above the burner proper, divides the current of air into two parts, the lower current
of which is almost equal to that of the interior current of air, and that above
intended to produce a great activity. In addition, this piece, being almost in contact
with the flame, must naturally acquire a high temperature. Its undulated form
increases its heating surface, but the air arriving at the flame is not hot enough to
affect its intensity. The interior piece is formed of polished metal in order to have
the greatest possible radiating power; it cannot heat in any way the rest of the
burner, because it is fastened to the exterior cap by means of a number of little
feet at the top and at the bottom.
The concentric cap is nickeled on the outside to reflect the luminous rays; further,
this cap, instead of being terminated by a convex surface, is terminated by a concave,
spheroidal, or parabolic surface, the focus of which is upon the prolongation of the
figure passing through the top plan of the cap so that the reflected rays are parallel
to this line.
Lastly. This cap is fixed upon a moveable gallery furnished with a space for
holding a chimney and a globe. This gallery rests upon a casing fixed to the
bottom which carries a screw thread fitting into a socket or screw joint which
secures it to the bottom of the lamp.
The wick is introduced into the burner upon unscrewing the outer tube by the
aid of two double wheels or pinions fixed upon a support and pressing upon two
springs. Above these pinions a plate is fitted to protect them from the snuff of
the wick.
For burners of large dimensions where the radiating parts of the flame of an
opposite diameter are much extended and for want of heat prevent luminous
intensity, I make the two tubes of the burner of a long oval form, and in this
manner I have succeeded in burning efficaciously in the largest possible dimensions.
'I may give this form to burners of small dimensions destined to be placed in the
focus of a reflector.
For burners of large calibre the concentric tube becomes much heated; it follows
that the petroleum sucked up by the wick finishes by oozing through the dilated
pores of the metal. This occasions loss since the liquid does not serve for combus-
tion; moreover, the wick being overheated dries, its capillary action diminishes, and
the flaine lowers.
In one arrangement the concentric tube is of a diameter so calculated that the
wick has no friction upon its sides. Its upper part is bevilled off to form a guide
to the wick and following the dimensions of the different varieties of burners in
commerce.