IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
Year: 1884

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DIECIFICATION.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of the London & Liverpool Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS," and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This improvement relates more especially to the class known as argand lamps
having circular wicks, burning kerosine oil.
Referring to the drawing.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved lamp in which many parts are
vertically and centrally sectioned, and other parts broken away for the purpose of
uncovering interior parts and devices. Figure 2 is a side elevation of some of the
parts of the lamp, viewed in a direction at right angles to that in which figure 1 is
seen or as indicated by arrow z in the latter figure.
Figure 3 is a horizontal or transverse section of some of the parts of the lamp,
the left half of which figure being a view of a section upon the dotted line a¹ in
figure 1 viewed as indicated by arrow a and the right half of said figure 3 a view
upon the dotted line i¹ of figure 1 viewed as indicated by arrow y.
Figure 4 shows more plainly the relation of some of the parts immediately above
the oil fount, the section being taken on the horizontal dotted line z' in figure 1
and viewed as indicated by arrow z².
All the figures are drawn to a scale the full size of the lamp, and are herein below
fully specified and claimed.
Referring to the parts of the lamp, A is an oil fount of any common or suitable
form, holding the oil d, B is the chimney b is the wick (in two parts) reaching
down into the oil and held between the outer vertical wick tube a and inner
concentric tube c in substantially the usual manner. D is the usual air chamber
fitted to the mouth f of the oil fount, by means of a screw thread e in the usual
manner, and serves to support all of the parts of the lamp above the oil fount.
C is an ornamental band or case, of usual form, made to telescope to a short distance
within the upper open end of the air chamber D and by means of an internal
ledge n form a support for the chimney The outer wick tube a is secured to the
case C by means of a horizontal flange i, J is an A shaped piece or hollow vertical
wedge, resting at the four corners of its base upon the lower, inner part of the air
chamber D leaving segmental spaces k k down through which the parts of the wick

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extend into the oil below. This wedge supports, at its base, the usual pinion h and
shaft for regulating the wick, and equally divides the lower part of the inner wick c
as shown. Tapering or conical aprons connecting with the respective lower ends
of the bifurcated tube c extend downward to points near the base of the wedge,
which serve as guides for the upward moving wicks, and also afford means, by
which the said tube and wedge are firmly united.
The walls of the tube c are parallel or cylindrical, and a wick-lifter with plates p
curved to fit the walls, having barbs o to catch the wick, is made to slide vertically
along, said walls by means of a cross bar, t spanning the interior of the tube with
its ends projecting through vertical slits formed in the sides of the tube. The
rack is secured to the cross bar, connects with the pinion, and by these means
the wick is vertically adjusted within the tube. An external band u is supplied to
the upper end of the tube c of an equal thickness with that of the plates p so to
meet and support the inner surface of the wick.
A circular inverted cup-shaped part F, rises from within the inner wick tube at
some distance above the tops of the wick tubes, within the annular flame.
This
cup or core forins an upward continuation of the inner air passage for the flame,
and is perforated on all sides to permit the ascending volume of air to be impinged
against the inner surface of the cylindrical flame at all. points to augment the
supply of oxygen to the flame to enhance combustion. This perforated core is less
in diameter than the inner wick tube so as not to touch the flame. It enters a
short distance within the top. of said tube and rests upon a ledges within the
same.
The parts or edges of the tube c and aprons / contiguous to the sides o¹ o¹ of the
wedge, are bent inward, as shown at a¹ a¹ so as to form, with the said sides o¹ o'
channels into which the edges d' of the wicks are turned as the latter, inserted from
below, are urged upward toward the top of the tubes. The wedge is made broad
so that the edges of the sides o¹ o¹ near the base of the wedge, come nearly in
contact with the inner surface of the outer wick tube, by means of which the edges
of the two parts of the wick are kept separated or apart and not permitted to close
and cover the triangular open ends of the wedge and thus prevent the free inrush
of air to the interior of the flaine, as above stated. The horizontal base of the
wedge separates, somewhat widely, the two parts of the wick within the lower
part of the air chamber D and the edges of the wicks are not permitted to join
only as they pass above the upper edge of the wedge, as above stated, where, at
the upper end of the wick tubes, they unite closely and form a continuous circular
wick for the flame. When the parts of the wick are inserted through the openings
kk on account of the size and shape of the latter, they are given a longitudinal
curve, concaved inward, and the grooves a¹ a¹ above described, form spaces in
which to receive the edges of the wicks thus affording room for the wicks, when,
on account of the wedge, they are not permitted to fill the whole space between the
outer and inner wick tubes.
Air, entering the perforations c¹ through the case C moves upward within the
chimney, as indicated by arrows 8 to supply the outer surface of the cylindrical
flame, while that entering the perforations v' through the chamber D passes in at
the sides of the wedge g as indicated by the arrows u thence up into the core F
above the wick and out through the perforations to supply the inner surface of the
flame as above stated. The sides o¹ o' of the wedge are not continuous from base
to edge, but are largely cut away within the tube and aprons so as to form a
liberal opening for the ascending air within the tube and to the interior of the
flame.
When the parts of the wick are introduced into the lamp the outer tube is
removed and the. lifter depressed to its lowest position by means of the thumb-
wheel The wicks are then drawn through the openings k k respectively and
their ends brought even with the upper end of the tubes, after which the outer
tube is replaced.
When, from raising the wick during the use of the lamp, the lifter has reached

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the upper limit of its vertical movement, the outer tube is removed, the parts of
the wick bent back away from the barbs of the lifter and the latter carried to its
lowest position, as before; the 'wicks and outer tube then being replaced.
Having now described this invention as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent I claim.
First In an argand lamp the combination of the divided inner wick tube v
wedge g and aprons or guides ll for the upward moving wick, the edges of the
divided portion of said tube and the aprons contiguous to the sides o' o' of the
wedge having their edges turned inward to form, with said sides o¹ o¹ channels a¹² a¹
in which to turn the edges of the wicks as the latter are moved upward, substan-
tially shown and set forth.
Second-The inner wick tube of an argand lamp provided with slits v in
combination with a lifting device for the wick, consisting of a cross bar t placed
diametrically across the tube with its ends passing out through the said slits vand
rigidly connected with toothed sliding plates p upon the outside of said tube,
substantially as described.
Third In an argand lamp the combination of the divided inner wick tube c
open wedge g with sides oo to separate the wick for the purpose of securing an
air passage to the interior of the flame, and a perforated core F within the flame
forming an extension to the inner wick tube and serving to more perfectly supply
the interior of the flame with air, by causing the latter to flow in horizontal jets,
against the flame, substantially as shown and described.
.