Improvements in Lamps for Burning Hydro-carbon and other Oils.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Lamps for Burning Hydro-carbon and
other Oils.
I, GEORGE RICHARD POSTLETHWAITE of Park Road Aston Manor near Bir-
minghain in the County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING HYDRO-CARBON
AND OTHER OILS to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to obviate the many failings, and to increase the
utility of paraffin, light hydro-carbon and other oil burning lamps.
It is well known that since the introduction of the present less weighty and
more tenuous hydro-carbons such as mineral oils, that the lamps used for consuming
the same for illuminating purposes have not been improved up to and in the way
that the different nature of these oils require. There were little or no danger or
difficulty attending the use of the thick and heavy oils as formerly used compared
to these of the present day which require to be differently treated in many respects
before the best results can be obtained, and besides which the lamps as pow.
constructed realy add to, rather than diminish the objections to their use; as for
instance; The position of the reservoir for containing the oil being placed so close
to and imediately beneath the burner causes a broad dense shadow round the base
of the lamp which is most objectionable, and in attempting to reduce this shadow
the reservoir is made as small as posible and this of course necessetates more
frequent re filling, and this often happens at a time when the lamp is in use; and
to accomplish the replenishment of the oil it is needfull to put out the light, remove
both globe and chimney, and even to disconect the burner in most cases before the
supply of oil can be put in the reservoir. Then the trouble of replacing these
things, re-trimming and re-lighting up again is very considerable as well as
dangerous as it cannot be done in the dark.
Another great objection is the constant diminution of the light which commences.
soon after lighting up, and continues as the oil decreases by consumption. This
diminution of the light is occasioned by the ever increasing distance between the
surface of the oil in the reservoir and the point of ignition, for as this distance
increases, the flow of oil up the wick decreases, because the height to which the
oil can diffuse itself up the wick is governed by the law of capillery attraction, and
beyond a certain height this is checked by the law of gravitation, or by the weight
of the oil itself, and when this point is reached or exceeded the illumination can

page_text: only be indiffently maintained by frequently winding up the wick which is as
rapidly consumed, and more smoke than light is the result. And in most cases
this must occur before it is known that the oil is exhausted and replenishment
necessary, for as a rule the diminution of the oil cannot be seen unless the reservoir
is of glass and sufficiently transparent, and the use of such materiel as glass or any
similar material is one of the chief elements of danger attending the use of such
lamps, and metal containers or reservoirs are always to be prefered.
The nature and object of my invention is to construct a lamp that will obviate
all the defects as described, and to accomplish this I make a lamp which may be
said to consist externaly of six parts namely;-The working cylinder. The feeder
cup. The capstan piece. The pillow tube. The junction piece and the wick
chamber. And will now proceed to describe each part seperately, and the mode of
construction, which is as follows;―
To
The working cylinder is formed of sheet metal, and its height somewhat exceeds
its diameter. This cylinder constitutes the store reservoir for oil, and also forms
the base part of the lamp, and may therefore be much more capacious than is usual.
It consists of a true cylinder shape body, a flat bottom, and a slightly convex
shaped top in which a central inlet or outlet hole is formed. This hole is surrounded
by a short socket shape neck with an internal screw thread formed therein.
the inside of this cylinder a piston is made to work up and down. It is wound up
by means of a rack and pinion motion which will be presently described, and is forced
down again by means of a spiral spring located between the upper side of the said
piston and the top portion of the cylinder. This piston consists of a central guide
tube of small bore. The lower portion of this tube is screwed up to a shoulder
formed thereon, and is fitted with a screw nut. Two suitably shaped clip plates
fit over this screwed part, and between these clip plates two cup or convex shaped
leathers, intervened with gold beaters skin are secured, with their concave sides
downwards. The outer extremeties of these cupt leathers are made to abut against
the inner circumference of the cylinder with such force as to constitute a sliding joint
sufficiently tight enough as to prevent the return or escape of any oil that may be
beneath it if forced in a downward direction, but if moved in a upward direction,
the elasticity of the leathers by reason of their form and arrangment is such that
the weight of the oil, poured in from above, is sufficient, with the suction created,
to break the contact and impel itself past the leathers to the underneath side. It
will here be seen that the construction of the piston is all important and it may
be stated that the pistons for similar purposes have hitherto been constructed with
only one cup shaped leather, which with the thick heavy animal or vegetable oils
as formerly used in similar lamps were sufficient, but such has never been made to
answer with the mineral oils now in use, as owing to their tenuous nature they
will exude through any arrangment that can be made with a single leather, and
therefore I lay especial claim to the use of two, or even more cupt leathers or any
substitution thereof for the purpose of causing a greater impact to the circumference
or sides of the cylinder, and to the intervening of the said leathers with gold
beaters skin or anything of a similar nature for preventing the exudation of the
oil through the pores of the leathers.
'
In continuation of the internal parts of the cylinder, there is a pair of toothed
racks, coupled rigidly by a circular collar at their bottom ends so as to stand abrest,
and a little distance apart, the central hole in the collar fits freely over the piston
tube, and is so arranged close to the piston as to be able to rotate round the piston
tube, their upper ends as well as that of the piston tube protrudes out through the
neck of the cylinder.
The next is the feeder cup, and is for the purpose of facilitating the filling or
recharging of the lamp or reservoir with oil, and may be of any suitable size or
form, having a central hole through its bottom and terminates with an externaly
screwed nozzle for screwing into the short socket neck at the top of the cylinder as
before described. This central hole in the cup bottom is also screwed internaly to
recieve the capstan piece.

page_text: The capstan piece is composed of a short piece of tube of smaller diameter than
that of the cup, its lower end is somewhat contracted and is then screwed into the
central hole in the cup bottom. The upper portion of this tube forming the
capstan has a internal screw for a short distance and below this is a solid cross
piece to form a support for a spindle or arbor carrying a pair of small pinions.
The cross piece has a central hole for guiding the piston tube and a slot each side
of this to corespond with the distance between the two racks. These racks and
the piston tube are past through these apertures and terminate about half an inch
above when the piston is in its normal position at the bottom of the cylinder or
reservoir. A key or winder is fixed at one end of the spindle or arbor to actuate
the pinions and these gearing into the racks constitute the way in which the piston
is wound up, and it may be here stated that I prefer and claim the advantages of
useing the two racks and pinions working in unison, as by this means the raising
of the piston against the resisting force of the spring acting upon it is more even
and acurately accomplished than is otherwise done by the usual single rack and
pinion, as, the piston tube occupying the central position of the piston a single rack
must be placed out of the center and consequently the side strain in time throws
the piston out of truth and causes the oil to leak past during the downward
stroke.
The pillow tube consists of a short length of tube somewhat smaller in diameter
than the tube forming the body of the capstan, and is screwed at its bottom end to
fit into the top part of the said capstan, and its height is such as when the piston
is fully wound up, the pillow tube fixed, shall stand half an inch above the top
ends of the two racks and the piston tube. The length being so detirmined, a
narrow slot is cut up its whole length excepting a margin of about half an inch at
each end.
The junction piece consists of a solid disc of metal about half inch thick, and is
reduced on one of its sides to fit just slightly into the top end of the pillow tube
and is there secured, this reduced part is termed the underside, and the upper side
is much larger in diameter and is also slightly reduced for a short distance so as to
enter another tube to form the wick chamber.
The wick chamber consists of a much shorter piece of tube than the one called
the pillow tube but is wider in diameter, and is simply secured to the reduced
upper end of the junction piece by solder, so with the tube forming the body, and
the junction piece the bottom, the wick chamber is constructed, but before uniting
the three pieces in one as described the junction piece has a center hole drilld and
tapt through its thickness to recieve what is called a sleeve tube. The diameter of
this sleeve tube is such as will allow the piston tube to telescope inside it. The
upper end screws into the central hole formed through the junction piece, but must
only enter for a short distance, and the lower end of this sleeve tube terminates
with a gland or stuffing box, and when in position this gland fits over the end of
the piston tube projecting above the top of the capstan as before described, and thus
the passage is continued from the underside of the piston to the junction piece. Then
a channel is formed in the body of the junction piece commencing at its center just
above the top of the sleeve tube and in a lateral direction towards the circumference,
and is then continued verticaly to nearly the top of the wick chamber inside, and
as far away from the center as posible, by means of a small tube. There is also a
corresponding tube on the opposite side of the wick chamber which passes back
again directly through the body of the junction piece, and terminates near the
bottom and inside the pillow tube which acts as an outlet or overflow pipe. Now
the burner, which may be of any description is attached to the top of the wick
chamber. The wick or wicks from which depends therein and occupy the middle
of the chamber, the inlet and outlet pipes being placed at the sides for that
purpose.
The action of the lamp is as follows.-The oil is first poured into the feeder cup,
this cup it will be percieved to occupy a position midway between the bottom of
the lamp and the burner, so that the same may be done at any time with safety

page_text: while the lamp is burning and without disturbing any other part. From the
feeder cup it then flows through the neck part into the cylinder reservoir, and
takes its position above the piston and at same time submerges the spiral spring.
The piston is then wound up by rotating the winder which actuates the two
pinions and double rack untill the spring is fully compressed, and during the act of
winding up, the oil has passed the piston and now occupies the space below. On
liberating the winder the spiral spring re-acts upon the piston tending to force it
downwards again, but the resistance of the oil beneath prevents its decent and at
the same time increases the dilatation of the leather portion of the piston and thus
very securely encloses the oil, and its only passage for escape now is up the central
piston tube, through the sleeve tube, along the lateral channel in the junction piece,
up the short supply, or delivery pipe, and then discharges into the wick chamber.
And now the most important object is to keep this wick chamber continuously full,
and at one even height irrespective of consumption, so that the wicks therein may
be always saturated with oil to the same degree, and the surface of this supply to
always remain at the most desirable and uniform distance from the point of
ignition without any deviation, and to assist in the accomplishment of this, the
upward flow of oil to the wick chamber requires regulating as effectualy as posible
which is done as follows:
The flow of oil, however small the bore of the different. tubes forming the
upward passage to the wick chamber might be, would be far to great without some
means of checking it. And the varying force of the spiral spring requires a com-
pensating action of resistance, and for this purpose I construct a regulator rod of
metal. This regulator rod is slightly pointed at its lower end, and the top is
slightly headed. The thickness of this rod is such as to fit the bore of the piston
tube somewhat tightly, and its length is such as to extend, when the headed portion
rests upon the upper end of that part of the sleeve tube already screwed into the
junction piece as before described, down to the underside of the piston when the
same is fully wound up. This rod is passed down the tubes into its position
through the center hole of the junction piece from the inside of the wick chamber,
the hole is then securely closed with a screw plug. The regulator rod now
determines the quantity or flow of oil into the wick chamber by the amount of
space allowed for its passage, and the supply should be somewhat greater than
what is needed for consumption, so as to cause a continuous overflow down the
return pipe back again to the upper part of the cylinder ready again for rewinding.
This overflow will secure the maintainance of the level of the oil, and the circulation
will prevent overheating. And the level being constant there can be no diminution
in the illuminating power of the light, and so long as this is continued there can
be little or no consumption of wick, and consequently no snuffing or trimming
required, as well as the prevention of smoke.
To complete, and make more certain of the before mentioned results it is
desirable to know at all times the amount of oil in the reservoir and in circulation.
This is done by means of an indicator. The body of this indicator is constructed
of a short thick cylinder or collar of metal, made to slide freely up and down the
outside of the sleeve tube fixed inside the pillow tube. The bottom of this collar
rests upon the top ends of the two racks standing above the capstan as before
described. A pin or stud then screws into this collar and projects out through the
long stop formed in the body of the pillow tube, and to the outer end of this pin
or stud, a button, termed the indicator button is attached. This indicator button
when in its normal position rests at the bottom of the said long slot, and at the
same time the piston is resting at the bottom of the reservoir. The object now
attained by this arrangment is that the piston and the indicator button moves
simultaneously the same distance and in the same direction, so that in fully
winding up the piston, after completely charging the cylinder, the indicator button
reaches to the top extremety of the said slot, and from there gradualy falls with
the piston untill in the course of several hours they will both arrive at their normál
positions at the bottom again, when the oil that has overflown from the wick

page_text: chamber may be worked up again by re winding the piston. But it is advisable
that the rewinding or refilling should be done before the lamp may be said to have
run quite down, and so keep up the circulation of oil continuously while the lamp
is required for use.
As the supply of oil becomes exhausted there will be less of course at each
rewinding this will be shown by the indicator button refusing to remain suspended
only in accordance with the amount of oil there is to support the piston, for if
wound higher above the surface of the oil it at once drops down as far as the oil
will alow it, and therefore the amount of oil in reserve, and the time for
re-winding or replenishment is always seen at a glance. This arrangment is a
new feature entirely, and dispences with the necessity of using glass reservoirs
for the sake of their transparancy, besides being most essential in many other
respects.

page_text: Improvements in Lamps for Burning Hydro-carbon and
other Oils.
I, GEORGE RICHARD POSTLETHWAITE of Park Road Aston near Birmingham in
the County of Warwick Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING HYDRO-CARBON AND OTHER OILS,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention, is to obviate the many failings, and also to increase
the utility of lamps for burning hydro carbon and other oils.
It is well known that since the introduction of the present less weighty, and
more tenuous bydro-carbons, such as the mineral oils consumed for illuminating
purposes; that lamps employed for their burning have not been improved in the
way, that the different oils require.
There is little or no danger or difficulty attending the use of the thick and heavy
oils, as formerly used, compared with oils used at the present day, which require
to be differently treated in many respects, before the best results can be obtained
therefrom, and moreover lamps now constructed, really add to, rather than diminish
the objections to their use; namely:-the reservoir for containing the oil is placed
close to, and immediately beneath the burner, thus causing a broad and dense
shadow to be cast around the base of the lamp, which is most objectionable.
To reduce this shadow, the reservoir must be made as small as possible, and this
of course necessitates more frequent filling or charging, which has often to be done
at a time when the lamp is in use-To effect this replenishment of the oil, it is
also needful in most cases to put out the light, and before doing so, remove the
globe and chimney, and even to disconnect the burner before the supply of oil can
be put in the reservoir.
Another great objection is the constant diminution of light which commences
immediately after lighting up, and continues as the oil decreases by consumption--
The diminution of the light is occasioned by the constantly increasing distance
between the oil in the reservoir, and the point of ignition, for as this distance
increases, the flow of oil up the wick decreases, because the height to which the oil
can diffuse itself by capillary attraction up the wick is governed by a fixed law
and beyond a certain height this is checked by the law of gravitation-And when
this said point is reached, the illumination can only be indifferently maintained,
by the frequent winding up of the wick or wicks which is or are rapidly charred;
and with more smoke than light is the result-This must certainly occur before it
is known that the oil is exhausted or lowered.
As a rule the diminution of the oil cannot be seen, unless the reservoir is of
glass or other transparent material, and the use of such material as glass, or any-
thing of a similar nature is one of the chief elements of danger attending the use
of such lamps.
The nature and object of my invention, is the construction of a lamp that shall
obviate all the defects herein referred to; and to accomplish this, I make a lamp
which consists essentially of six parts, namely:-the working cylinder, the feeder

page_text: cup, the capstan piece and the pillar tube, also the junction piece, and the wick
chamber, of which I will describe each part separately.
:
The working cylinder is preferably formed of sheet metal; and of a height some-
what exceeding its diameter; this cylinder constitutes the store reservoir for oil;
and also forms the base for the lamp which is much more capacious than is usually
employed-This store chamber consists of a true cylinder shaped body with a flat
bottom, and a slightly convex shaped top, through which a central inlet or outlet
hole is formed-This hole is surrounded by. a short socket shaped neck, with an
internal screw thread formed therein-To the inside of this cylinder a piston is
made to work which is raised and lowered by means of a rack and pinion motion
which will presently be described; and is forced down again by a spiral spring
located between the upper side of the said piston and the top portion of the
cylinder. This piston consists of a central guide tube of small bore, and at the
lower part of this tube is a metal collar shanked on both sides. The lower shank
is screwed up to a shoulder, and is fitted with screw nuts.
Two suitably shaped clip plates fit over the screwed part, and, between the clip
plates and metal collar aforesaid, two cup or convex shaped leathers intervened
with gold beaters skin, are secured, with their concave sides downwards.
The outer extremities of the said cupped leathers are made to abut against the
inner circumference of the cylinder with such force, as to constitute a sliding joint
sufficiently tight to prevent the return or escape of any oil that may be thereunder,
when forced in a downward direction, but on being moved in the upward direction,
the elasticity of the leathers by reason of their form and construction and the
weight of the oil above, is sufficient with the suction created when working to
break the contact, and force. itself past the leathers to the underside thereof.
It will here be seen that the construction of the leathers forming the piston is
all important, and it may be also stated that a piston for similar purposes bas
heretofore been made with only one cup leather, which answered well for heavy
oils. A single cupped piston has never been made to answer with the mineral oils
now in use, owing to their tenuous or creeping nature they exude or escape through
single leathers; and therefore I lay special claim to the use of two or even more
cupped leathers or any substitution thereof for the purpose of causing a greater
impact to the sides of the cylinder and also to the intervening of the said leathers,
with goldbeaters skin or anything of a similar nature for preventing the exudation
of the oil through or past the body of the piston leathers.
In continuation of the internal parts of the cylinder, there is a pair of toothed
racks coupled rigidly by a circular collar at their bottom ends, so as to stand abreast
and at a little distance apart. The central hole in the collar fits freely over the
piston tube, and is so arranged close to the piston as to be able to rotate round the
said piston tube.
The feeder cup is for the purpose of facilitating the filling or recharging of the
cylinder or reservoir with oil, and may be of any suitable size or form, having a
central hole through its bottom terminating in an externally screwed nozzle, for
screwing into the short socket neck at top of the cylinder.
The capstan piece is composed of a short piece of tubing smaller than that of
the cup, so as to leave an annular space or opening leading into the cylinder. The
racks and the piston tube project through these apertures or openings and terminate
above them. When the piston is in its normal position a key or winder is fixed at
one end of the spindle or arbor for actuating the pinions which gearing into the
two racks, constitute the way in which the piston is wound up. And it may be
here stated that I prefer, and claim the advantages of using the two racks and
two pinions working in unison, as by this means, the piston is raised against the
resisting force of the spring much more accurately than is otherwise. done by the
usual single rack and pinion.
"
The pillar tube consists of a short length of tubing disposed between the
working cylinder and wick chamber; and up the inside of the said pillar, the oil
is forced by means before described.
-
:

page_text: The junction piece consists of a solid disc of metal reduced on its underside to
fit into the top of pillar tube, the upper side of which said piece is of larger
diameter upon the upper side, which fits into and forms the bottom of the wick
chamber.
The wick tube consists of a chamber, wherein the wicks are disposed, which is
supplied with oil from the store or working cylinder, and which said chamber is at
the summit of the pillar and under the burner of the lamp.
The action of the lamp is as follows:-The oil is first poured into the feeder cup,
and as described occupies a central position between the bottom of the lamp and
the burner, so that the filling or charging may be done at any time with safety,
even when the lamp is burning. From the feeder cup the oil then flows through
the neck part, into the cylinder reservoir and fills up the space above the piston,
and at same time submerges the spiral spring. The spring is then wound up by
rotating the winder, which actuates the two pinions; these gear into the two
racks, and so that the piston is raised, and at the same time the spring is being
compressed, and the oil passing the piston occupies the space below. On liberating
the winder the spiral spring reacts upon the piston tending to force it downwards,
but the resistance of the oil beneath prevents its descent, and at the same time
increases the dilation or distension of the edges of the leather portion of the piston,
and thus very securely encloses the oil, and its only escape is up the central
piston tube, and sleeve tube, along the channel in the junction piece, up the short
inlet pipe and discharges itself near the top of the wick chamber, so that the wicks
depending in the wick chamber are always saturated with oil to the same degree,
with the surface of supply always remaining at the same height. To assist in the
accomplishment of this, the upward flow of oil to the wick chamber requires
regulating.
The regulator rod now determines the flow of oil into the wick chamber, by the
amount of space allowed for its passage between the thickness of the rod and the
bore of the tube. The piston tube at the same time is sliding up the regulator rod,
and so impedes the flow of oil in proportion to the pressure, and by these means
the supply of oil to the wick chamber is always constant.
An indicator button is carried by the outer central supply tube, carried by the
piston; so that on the change of position of the piston within the cylinder, the
indicator button is raised and lowered which indicates the exact amount of oil
remaining in the cylinder.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the
manner in which that part relating to my present invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents a section of a portion of a lamp, containing improvements
made according to my invention-Figure 2 shows a section of the piston separately
upon an enlarged scale; and which said piston consists essentially of two thin cup
leathers placed one within the other, with a layer or tissue of goldbeaters' skin
intervening between them. Figure 3 represents the parts of the said piston
separately, and figure 4 shows a plan of the captan winder bracket or bearing,
situated at the summit of the combined working cylinder and store reservoir, and
figure 5 is a side elevation of a portion of rack with pinion.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the Drawing.
a is the working cylinder and oil store chamber of the lamp, and which said
cylinder or chamber is preferably made from sheet metal; and within the inside of
which, the piston works and is raised and lowered, by rack and pinion mechanism
as herein-after described, and which said piston is made up of a series of separate
or detachable parts, consisting of two thin cup leathers b c with a filament or layer
of goldbeaters' skin, or other skin or membranous tissue matter coming between
them.
e is an upper support and clamp plate, for the piston cup leathers to abut
against; this clamp plate is secured and surrounds the wick chamber supply tube f.
g is an underside cup leather support and clamping plate or device, and between
it and the upper one & the cup leather layers are clamped.. h is an affixing and

page_text: tightening nut, screwing upon the screwed peg f'. ii are two racks attached at
their lower ends to the upper side of the piston. These racks engage with, and are
raised and lowered by pinions ;; worked by the turn or handle ³.
By employing a double rack, the piston is always raised in a direct line with the
axis of the cylinder wherein it works, without any tendency to tilt or to pull aside
the piston, as the pull or pressure exerted is perfectly central and direct.
k is a neck at the summit of the working cylinder, and consists of a screwed
cap k² screwing into the neck ³. The cap k³ is provided with holes or passages k*,
through which oil passes to the cylinder from the feed cup surrounding the neck,
or from the overflow of the wick chamber.
Although I have described the cup leather portion of the piston, as being made
up of two thin cups fitting one within the other, yet three or more of the said cups
or layers with membranous layers or filaments between them may be employed if
necessary; and further, the membranous layers may be disposed upon the outside
or upon the inside of the cup leather portion of pistons, whether made up of single,
double or quadruple leathers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First Making that portion of lamp pistons called the cup leather or leathers, of
two or more cups, parts or layers, and interposing between each cup, part or layer,
a filament or layer of goldbeaters' skin, bladder or other like membranous matter,
and also in securing the said segments together, by top and bottom clamping and
supporting plates or parts, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly-Employing two racks and two rack winders, the latter on one axis, for
the raising and lowering of lamp pistons, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this Twenty-eighth day of July 1886.