IMPROVEMENT IN TORCHES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENT IN TORCHES (a com-
munication from Henry Wellington of Brooklyn County of Kings and State of
New York, United States of America, Manufacturer) to be as follows:-
"
This invention has relation to hand torches, burning light hydrocarbons or other
easily vaporizing materials and employed for purposes of burning paint or varnish
for heating ordinary vapor burners before lighting, and for other analogous
purposes in connection with heating and illuminating.
The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and
arrangement of the various parts of the torch, rendering the implement thoroughly
effective for the general purpose of burning or heating, easy and cheap to construct
and assemble for use, strong, durable, and not liable to get out of order.
The main body of the torch is preferably spun, stamped, or otherwise formed of
a single piece of metal, and it is closed at bottom by two bottom pieces, one of which
stiffens the other, so that the bottom is not liable to be blown out by any internal
pressure. The barrel or cylinder of the air pump projects through one side of the
reservoir, and has the lower end of the torch handle secured thereto. The piston
rod passes through a removable cap upon the end of the pump barrel, and is
supplied with a pin or stop, by which it is prevented from projecting out when not
required for use. The inner end of the pump barrel is closed except the perforation
therein which is governed by a valve of simple form, said valve being held normally
seated by a suitable spring.
The pump being submerged, this valve prevents back flow of oil to the pump
barrel, while it permits air to be forced through the perforation. The pump barrel
is secured to the reservoir at the opening through which it is passed. Opposite this
opening is another opening for a metallic shell, which is also secured in the
reservoir wall A second shell enters the first forming an annular space between

page_text: the two, through which the oil from the reservoir is forced to the packing tube and
thence to the burner.
A small tube communicates with the annular space between the shell and is open
at or near the bottom of the reservoir.
Air being forced into the reservoir by the pump, finds its way to the top of the
liquid through a small tube, and by its pressure upon the liquid forces the same to
ascend to the burner.
The piston is made elastic, so that when drawing it back, it will permit air to
pass to the front of it, and thus obviate the use of a piston valve.
The torch handle is tubular, and connected with the reservoir at top by a brace
through which the filling orifice is formed, the same being arranged to be closed by
a suitable plug. The burner is of the class known as vapor burners, and is
mounted upon the packing tube by screwing the latter well up into it.
The office of the packing tube is to support the burner and convey fuel thereto.
The upper part of the packing tube is braced to the reservoir.
To prevent too great spreading of the flame, and in order that the burner may
be used with equal safety and certainty when employing a large or small flame,
the burner is supplied with a projecting piece which is centrally perforated, and
which extends near to the outer end of the surrounding perforated case.
When burning a small flame, all the gas passes through the central perforation,
and produces a narrow pointed flame of intense heating quality.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst P.A of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention (a communication from abroad from Henry Wellington
of Brooklyn, County of Kings, and State of New York United States of America,
Manufacturer) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
These improvements have relation to that class of devices ordinarily known as
torches, and intended to be carried about in the hand, burning light hydrocarbon
or other easily vaporizing material, and employed for purposes of burning paint or
varnish, for heating ordinary vapor burners before lighting, and for other analagous
purposes in connection with heating and illuminating.

page_text: The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the construction and
arrangement of the various parts of the torch, rendering the implement thoroughly
effective for the general purpose of burning or heating, easy and cheap to construct
and assemble for use, strong, durable, and not liable to get out of order.
To accomplish this, the invention involves certain novel and useful peculiarities
of construction, relative arrangements or combinations of parts, details of manu-
facture, and principles of operation, all of which will be herein first fully described,
and then pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification
Figure 1 is a vertical axial section and partial elevation of a torch constructed
and arranged for operation in accordance with this invention, and Figure 2 is a
side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a partial section and plan view showing the burner and its perforated
jacket, the view being taken upon a plane at right angles to that of Figure 1.
Like letters of reference wherever they occur indicate corresponding parts.
A is the reservoir or main body of the torch, the same being preferably spun,
stamped or otherwise formed of a single piece of metal, and it is closed at bottom
by the bottom pieces B and B¹, the former having a narrow groove around its top
into which the lower margin of the reservoir is bent or turned, the joint between
it and the reservoir being soldered or otherwise made oil or liquid tight after the
pump is fixed in place.
The piece B' is fitted into the piece B as shown and soldered in place, thereby
affording a double bottom which is easily made of metal thin enough to be readily
stamped or spun and affording an amply strong bottom well braced against any
internal pressure and not liable to be blown out while the torch is subjected to the
severest use.
C is the barrel or cylinder of the pump projecting through one side of the
reservoir, and having the lower end of the torch-handle secured thereto. The
joint between the pump barrel and reservoir is made liquid tight by use of solder
or otherwise. D is the pump-piston applied upon the piston rod E, said rod being
made to pass loosely through a removable cap upon the end of the pump barrel
and being supplied with a pin or stop as represented at a for the purpose of
locking the piston rod within the barrel when the torch is in use and preventing
said rod from projecting out when not required. The cap F is supplied with a
slot a¹ to permit the passage of pin a.
When the rod is turned in the position shown in Figure 1 it may be drawn on.
By pushing the rod in and giving it a slight turn the pin a will bear against the
inner face of cap F and lock the piston in the barrel. The inner end of the pump
barrel within the reservoir is closed, except the perforation therein which is
governed by a valve b of simple form, and of any suitable material capable of
resisting the chemical action of the liquid employed for fuel, said valve being held
normally seated by a spring d. This constitutes a simple form of valve which is
not liable to get out of order, and which when required after long use or wear may
be easily replaced by a new one, by any person. The pump being submerged, it is
important to prevent any back flow therein of liquid from the reservoir, and at
the same time permit the proper inflow of air to the reservoir under the influence
of the pump piston, and this advantage is perfectly attained by the construction
shown. The pump barrel C is secured to the reservoir at the opening through
which it is passed.
.
Opposite this opening is another opening for a metallic shell G which is also
secured in the reservoir wall.
Another metallic shell Genters G and is so arranged therein as to afford an
annular space or channel c between the two, through which space the oil from the
reservoir is forced to the packing tube and thence to the burner. The inner end
of shell G¹ fits loosely upon the end of the barrel to facilitate coupling therewith.
Upon the outer end of shell G is a removable cap G³, and a projection G³ upon
shell G is tapped for the reception of the lower end of the packing tube H which

page_text: conducts liquid to the burner. To prevent air from being forced out through the
end of shell G, a washer or packing disk f of suitable elastic material is employed
between G and G³, and to prevent escape of oil except into tube H the shells G¹
and G are united at their outer extremities by solder or otherwise as indicated at i.
The spring & abuts at one end against the washer and at the other end is
supplied with a metallic cup g which holds the valve b.
At h is a small tube communicating with the annular space c between G and G¹³,
and opening at or near the bottom of the reservoir.
Air being forced into the reservoir by the pump finds its way to the top of the
liquid in the reservoir through the tube e and by its pressure upon the liquid
forces the same to ascend to the burner through H, all in a manner which will be
readily understood.
The tube e extends near to the top of the reservoir, is closed at top and provided
with a small orifice as at e¹ in which position and under which construction air
can be admitted readily, and oil practically excluded from said tube and the
interior of shell G¹ during any ordinary use of the torch.
The parts O and being adjustable one with respect to the other before being
firmly secured in place, leave the shell A free to conform easily to the contour of
the base and therefore make it easy to locate and attach the said base, whereas in
former constructing, the pump barrel being rigid and affixed to opposite parts of
the shell, frequently left the latter out of true and required that the base piece or
bottom be made to conform to the irregular shape of the shell, which was some-
what difficult and liable to result in the making of a defective joint.
The shell G¹ also operates to sustain the inner end of the pump barrel.
To make the pump simple and effective, and without employing a valve in the
piston, the opening in the cap F is enlarged enough to admit air around the
piston rod. Upon pulling the piston rod outwardly the piston being elastic,
permits the air to pass to the front of the piston, which being forced inwardly
drives the air before it and forces it past the valve b.
I is a light tubular handle connected at the bottom with the pump barrel,
preferably by a threaded joint as shown (afterwards secured by solder) and at top
with a metallic brace K which fits over the upper end of the handle, and which is
secured to the top of the reservoir. Through this brace is the filling orifice closed
by a removable plug as L.
The brace is preferably soldered upon the handle, and also upon the reservoir so
as to make the handle perfectly rigid and immovable.
The pump barrel, the reservoir and handle are thus effectually secured one to
the other.
The screw plug L is made hollow, and contains a packing L¹ of rubber or other
elastic material, the same being arranged to bear upon an annular seat L³. By
screwing the plug L down, a perfectly air tight and oil tight joint is secured.
The packing L¹ may be easily replaced at any time.
The burner is represented at M, the same boing of the class ordinarily known as
vapor burners which class have the peculiarity of converting the liquid fuel into
vapor or gas before burning it.
The conversion is accomplished by heat from the burner, and it is therefore
important that the heat should be conducted easily and quickly to the liquid.
The burner is provided with a neck N and instead of screwing the packing
tube H into the lower mouth of this neck as heretofore, the common practice, the
tube is passed up into the neck, and the burner secured thereon by a thread
formed at the inner extremity of the cavity in the neck as plainly shown. In this
manner the burner is easily located and firmly secured, and the heat from the
burner applied directly to the top of the packing tube instead of being first
compelled to traverse the extent of the neck as in former arrangements.
The packing tube is so called from the fact that it contains wicking or other
packing (not shown in the drawing) and its office is to support the burner and
convey fuel thereto.

page_text: The upper part of the tube H is connected with the reservoir by a brace O and
thus (together with the connections at its lower end) held rigidly in place. The
top of the reservoir is creased as at o and the brace O made to conform to the
shape of the top, so that when soldered or riveted in place, this brace is rigidly
held against any side movement, as well as against any other movement.
P is the needle-screw or valve by which the flow of vapor is regulated. To
prevent too great spreading of the flame and to insure perfect burning and heat
conducting qualities, so that the burner may be used with equal safety and
certainty when employing a large or small flame, the burner M is supplied with a
projecting piece M², the same being centrally perforated and extending near to the
outer end of the surrounding perforated casing M². Guides m m may be employed
to steady the piece M¹ which may be detached if desired.
When burning a large flame, a portion of the gas passes out around M' and
between it and M and a portion directly through the central perforation in M³, the
last named current being concentrated, operating to draw the other towards it and
thus preventing too great spreading. When burning a small flame all the gas
passes through this central perforation and produces a narrow pointed flame of
intense heating quality.
The large flame is employed for burning point or varnish et cetera, and the
smaller for soldering, and similar uses requiring a pointed flame.
While burning the small flame the heat conducting powers of the burner are
sufficient to insure the proper conversion of the oil into gas and immunity against
extinguishment of the flame by gusts of wind or draughts of air. The central jet
of gas also operates, when the large flame is employed to render the same
more steady and less liable to be deflected by currents of air than in ordinary
constructions. The spring & with the valve b can be removed and replaced at any
time by simply unturning cap G' and this without danger of leakage of oil from
the reservoir or in any way interfering with the pump or other parts of the device.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. In a torch of the character herein set forth, the combination with the pump
barrel and the reservoir, of the separate shell secured to the reservoir, mounted
upon the exterior of the pump-barrel, and operating to support the inner end of
the same within the reservoir, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2nd. In a torch of the character herein set forth, the combination with the pump
barrel terminating within the reservoir of the valve applied upon the extremity
of said barrel the spring located within the supporting shell, the supporting
shell and the reservoir, substantially as shown and described.
3rd. In a torch of the character herein set forth the two shells G and G having
the annular space between them for the passage of oil, the said shell G having an
opening within the reservoir, the shell G¹ connected with the end of the pump
and provided with an opening within the reservoir outside of shell G, the parts
combined with the reservoir and packing tube substantially as described.
4th. The combination with the reservoir and pump barrel of the shell G¹
containing the valve and valve spring, the shell G and the removable end cap or
cover applied upon shell G, substantially as shown and described.
5th. The combination of the pump shell G¹ connected to the inner end of the
pump barrel, the valve and the tube leading from the interior of said shell to the
top of the reservoir, substantially as shown and described.
6th. In combination with the shell G secured in the wall of the reservoir the
threaded projection for the reception of the lower end of the packing tube, a
burner, the removable cap, the interior shell, the pump barrel, and the reservoir,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7th. The combination with the burner of the packing tube entering the neck on
said burner and threaded in said neck at the inner extremity of the cavity in the

page_text: neck, the walls of the cavity below the threaded portion being left plain,
substantially as shown and described.
8th. The combination with the projecting shell G the cap piece and the inner
shell, of the packing tube carrying the burner, said tube entering the projection
upon the shell G at its lower end and secured therein, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
9th. In combination with the burner and perforated casing the projecting piece
centrally perforated and arranged within the perforated casing leaving a free space
between it and the casing, substantially as shown, and for the purposes set forth.
10th. In a torch of the character herein set forth, the reservoir, the pump
barrel, the tubular handle, the brace K having the filling orifice therethrough, and
an annular seat formed in said filling orifice, and the bollow. removable plug
containing elastic packing, combined and arranged, substantially as shown and
described.
11th. In a torch of the character herein set forth having the pump barrel and
the adjustable supporting shell secured in the walls of the reservoir, the com-
bination with the reservoir of the bottom composed of two plates. B and B¹
mounted and secured in place, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12th. In a torch of the character herein set forth, the combination with the
reservoir, pump barrel and packing tube leading to the burner, of the two shells G
and G¹, the washer, and the removable cap, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
13th. In combination with the reservoir and the packing tube leading to the
burner, the brace O creased and made to conform to the creased top of the reservoir
and secured upon the top of the reservoir, and upon the packing tube, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
This ... 100R