IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMP BURNERS AND WICKS
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Sinclair Fairfax, of No. 2, Laurence Pountney
Hill, London, E.C., in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMP BURNERS AND WICKS." A communi-
cation from abroad by William Painter, of Baltimore, Maryland, United
States of North America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Sinclair Fairfax at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th September 1881.
JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of No. 2, Laurence Pountney Hill, London, E.C.,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMP
BURNERS AND WICKS." A communication from abroad by William Painter, of
Baltimore, Maryland, United States of North America.
These improvements embrace a new form of burner and a new mode of operating
the wick in lamps used for illuminating and heating purposes.-
The objects of this Invention are to dispense with much of the labour and
unpleasantness involved in trimming the wick and regulating the flame, and the
effect is to produce more perfect construction, greater economy in wicks and
chimneys, less danger of explosion, less odour, more easily extinguished, with other
attendant advantages.
In all the common or heretofore known forms of burners, the charring of the
wick necessitates constant trimming, the burner would smoke when the wick was
turned too high, the flame was generally very uneven, and the chimney due to
unequal heating was apt to crack.
My Invention consists broadly, first, in a burner having a wick to be adapted to
receive a double thickness of the wick and project it in the form of an abrupt loop
to a fixed and definite distance above the tube (the said loop being the burning
point) in combination with a wick moving mechanism; second, in a burner having

page_text: a wick tube provided with a partition plate for sustaining the loop of the wick
in combination with means for changing the burning point; third, in a burner
having a wick tube adapted as described to project and sustain an abrupt loop of
the wick, and provided with mechanism whereby the wick is automatically
moved forward, presenting a new burning point every time the burner is lighted;
fourth, in so constructing the wick tube and arranging the wick as to afford con-
tinually an ample supply of oil through both branches of the wick to the flame,
whereby the destructive burning of the wick is prevented; fifth, in certain specific
features of construction; and sixtb, in an endless lateral burning wick as herein
described, adapted to the said burner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursurance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Joseph Sinclair Fairfax in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th March 1882.
JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of No. 2, Laurence Pountry Hill, London, E.C.,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMP
BURNERS AND WICKS." A communication from abroad by William Painter, of
Baltimore, Maryland, United States of North America.
These improvements embrace a new form of burner and a new mode of operating
the wick in lamps used for illuminating and heating purposes.
The objects of this Invention are to dispense with much of the labor and
unpleasantness involved in trimming the wick and regulating the flame, and the
effect is to produce more perfect combustion, greater economy in wicks and
chimneys, less danger of explosion, less odor, more easily extinguished, with other
attendant advantages. These features will be more particularly described herein-
after with reference to the accompanying Drawings forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a central vertical sectional view of the device.
Figure 2. is a horizontal sectional view of the wick tube, its enclosing sleeve and
the partition plate.
Figure 3 is a plan view of a mode of joining the ends of an ordinary straight
wick.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the wick tubes, sleeve, and hook.
Figure 5 is a similar view at right angles to the last.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the partition plates, and
Figures 7, 8, 9, and 10, are central sectional views of modified forms of the
device.
In all the common or herebefore known forms of burners, the charring of the
wick necessitates constant trimming, the burner would smoke when the wick was
too high, the flame was generally very uneven, and the chimney, due to unequal
heating, was apt to crack.
In the burner about to be described the wick requires no trimming, is utilized
throughout its entire length, is automatically moved forward, thus exposing a new
burning point every time the wick is lighted, does not become shorter by use, and
a brilliant symmetrical flame of maximum size is always attainable without the
exercise of care or skill. Furthermore, the burner is of such construction that
smoking is impossible, as the wick cannot be raised too high, and in the necessary
forward movement of the wick it is drawn, not pushed, through the wick tube,
avoiding the possibility of jamming. The wick moreover cannot be drawn down
into the lamp, and liability of explosion is thereby diminshed.
As incident to these advantages the labour of cleaning the burner and chimney
is greatly lessened. the chimney is less liable to be broken by uneven heating, the
flame remains full and brilliant as long as the oil lasts, the combustion is more
perfect than in the ordinary burner, and there is little or no offensive odor.
My Invention consists broadly, first, in a burner having a wick tube adapted to
receive a double thickness of the wick and project it in the form of an abrupt look
to a fixed and definite distance above the tube (the said wick being the burning
point), in combination with a wick moving mechanism; second, in a burner having
a. wick tube provided with a partition plate for sustaining the loop of the wick, in
combination with means for changing the burning point; third, in a burner having
a wick tube adapted as described to project and sustain an abrupt loop of the wick,
and provided with mechanism whereby the wick is automatically moved forward,.
presenting a new burning point every time the burner is lighted; fourth, in so
constructing the wick tube and arranging the wick as to afford continually an

page_text: :
ample supply of oil through both branches of the wick to the flame, whereby the
destructive burning of the wick is prevented; fifth, in certain specific features of
construction; and sixth, in an endless lateral burning wick as herein described,
adapted to the said burner.
In the Drawings, A is the cone; B, the air distributing plate, and C, the screw
piece for attachment to the lamp, all of ordinary form; E is the wick tube having
lateral grooves e, in which slide the projections o. of the partition 'plate F. The
grooves terminate near the bottom of the wick tube, as shown in Figure 5, forming
shoulders upon which the projections o rest, determining the distance to which the
partition plate and consequently the loop of the wick, shall project above the
tube.
The top of the partition plate F is folded over as at f, forming a smooth edge
over which the wick is drawn; D is a sleeve enclosing and sliding upon the wick
tube, and provided with grooves d which register with similar ones on the tube E.
To the sleeve D is pivotted through its lateral arms n a hook G, which is
provided with spurs m that enter, slots bin the wick tube and engage with the
wick. The hook G is curved in the arc of a circle about its pivots, and has a
number of perforations g with which the teeth of the wheel H engage.
. The. wick I may be moven in the form of an endless band, or else formed by
uniting the ends of a piece of ordinary wicking by sewing, or in any convenient
manner. A simple device for this purpose is shewn in Figure 3, and consists of a
narrow plate J of sheet metal having tangs j. The ends of the wick are made to
slightly overlap, as shown at i, Figure 1; the tangs are bent at right angles to the
plate J, thrust through the parts of the wick on either side of the joint, and bent
over or clinched on the opposite side. The end tangs are folded over the edges of
the wick. The wick tube E is extended upwards at either side, forming semi-
circular ears e, e, that enclose and support the sides of the projecting loop, and
exclude the flame from the edges of the wick.
In operation the wick is inserted by thrusting a loop. of the same. downward
through the wick tube by means of the plate F, which is made long enough to
cause the wick to pass out at the bottom of the tube, when the projecting part may
be drawn down until the wick lies closely over the folded end of the plate, and
between the ears e, e, as shown in Figures 1 and 4. Upon turning the wheel H. in
the direction of the-arrow by means of an ordinary button on its shaft, the hook G
is tilted upward until the spurs m are withdrawn from the wick, and its upper
edge comes in contact with the sleeve D. Further upward rotation of the hook
being thus prevented, a continued movement of the wheel causes the sleeve D to
slide upward, enclosing the projecting loop of the wick, regulating the flame, or
diminishing it to such a degree as to be readily extinguished.
When the burner is to be relighted the wheel H is turned in the opposite
direction, tilting the hook downward and causing its spurs to enter the slots and
engage with the wick. When the spurs have entered the wick as far as they will
go, further motion of the wheel causes the hook and with it the sleeve to descend,
drawing the wick over the top of the plate F, bringing a new burning point into
position, and at the same time exposing the wick for relighting.
i
In this way the wick is gradually and automatically fed around, never burning
twice in the same place until it has completed its circuit.
The wick moving mechanism described is in its action similar to the four motion
feed common in sewing machines, and effects the necessary forward movement of.
the wick without materially disturbing or roughening the charred surface upon
which it acts. Moreover the feed is only possible in one direction, so that the
charred portion of the wick is constantly advanced and carried out of the way, but
cannot be retracted.
Inasmuch as the maximum exposed or burning portion of the wick is determined
and cannot be exceeded, the burner cannot be made to smoke, and as the portion
referred to is always of uniform shape, the flame is necessarily always symmetrical
in form.

page_text: One of the salient features of my Invention consists in the lateral burning wick
fed by the immersion of both its branches in the oil, the tubes being arranged to
conduct them into the reservoir. A most important result is thereby attained, the
oil is fed to the flame from both directions, and so liberally that the wick is kept
comparatively cool, and its burning almost entirely prevented. This result is
conduced to by the constant contact of the burning portion of the wick with the
rounded end of the partition plate, which carries off a considerable portion of the
heat, and the burner is so constructed that the flame may be regulated and
the wick fed forward without at any time separating it from the partition plato or
loop sustaining device.
The wick is made to project from the enclosing tube in the form of an abrupt
loop or curve, in order to expose a substantially vertical burning surface on either
side, a feature of great importance, as it permits an upward vertical draft to the
flame much in the same manner as in an ordinary end-burning wick.
The lihiting of the exposed or burning portion of the wick secures a peculiar
advantage over all forms of burners heretofore known, in that the wick can.at
once be exposed to its maximum on lighting the burner, and this exposure, while
being the maximum is not sufficient to permit it to smoke, whereby no necessity'
arises for regulating the flame after lighting, as in the case with ordinary burners.
As a result of the means I employ for preventing the destructive burning of the
wick, it is found in practice to be charred to such a slight degree that it may be
fed around, and be used a number of times if desired, and when it finally becomes
somewhat roughened due to the burning through of the outermost strands, it may
be reversed so as to bring its other face outward and its use continued.
An especial advantage attending the use of an endless lateral burning wick is
that it does not become shortened by use, and hence always reaches to the bottom
of the reservoir, even when the oil is quite low a flame of large size is produced,
resulting from the ample supply of oil by both branches of the wick.
While the foregoing is a description of what I consider the best form of burner'
and wick embodying my Invention, several modifications of them differing
from those already described in structure but not in principle may well bo'
mentioned.
Instead of the removable partition plate F, I may employ a fixed or removable"
pin, connecting the ears e, e, for sustaining the loop, or in some cases the partition
plate may be made integral with the wick tubes; or the latter may consist of two
tubes placed nearly or quite in contact; the removable partition plate may be
tnserted from below instead of from above, but the construction and arrangement
first described are obviously preferable, by reason of their simplicity and the facility
afforded for inserting the wick.
One of the important features of my Invention consisting as it does in feeding
the exposed portion of a lateral burning wick by the capillarity of both branches,
it is clear that the ends of the wick need not of necessity be joined, nor need both
ends or either of them be actually immersed in the oil, as a permanent wick
attached to the lower end of the wick tube may be used, for example, to feed the
movable wick, such a modification is shown in Figure 7, the permanent wick I
being attached to the lower end of the wick tube, the doubled or looped wick
having its ends disconnected.
As a substitute for the hook G for feeding the wick I may use the device shown
in Figure 8, in which pare tangs either fixed or pivotted to the outer sleeve, which
in this case is stationary and projects inward and downward through slots in the
inner inovable wick tube E; this latter tube is raised or lowered to regulate or
extinguish the flame by the wheel P, its downward movement being limited by a
suitable stop. As the wick tube is raised and with it the wick, in lighting the
latter the tangs catch in the wick and cause it to be drawn over the end of the *
partition plate, as will be readily understood.
Another form of automatic feeding device is shown in Figure 10, depending for
its operation upon the fact that the chimney is removed to light the-burner. In

page_text: this case a lever works through a slot in the plate B, and is pivotted at t to a
spring & attached to the plate B on the opposite side of the wick tube. On the
lower end of the lever are spurs S¹ that engage with the wick and draw it down.
When the chimney is removed to light the wick the spring s lifts this lever into
the position shown on the Drawing, and when the chimney is replaced the lever at
first tilts downward causing its spurs to engage with the wick; as the chimney is
pressed down into position B the lever moves bodily downward, thus giving a
forward movement to the wick. In this form of burner the frame is regulated
independently by a sliding sleeve and ratchet wheel as shown.
Other forms of devices for moving the wick forward automatically in the sense
that they operate incidentally upon the performance of some other act of
comparitively frequent occurence in the use of the burner will suggest themselves.
For instance, the act of screwing the burner upon the lamp may be made through
suitable mechanism to move forward the wick and bring a new burning point into
position. I find, however, that the conjoint action of the flame-regulating and
wick moving devices as first described gives the best results.
Now while it is desirable that the construction and operation of the burner be
such that the wick is automatically moved forward during some operation
preliminary to lighting it, in order to prevent the wick from being burned.too long
in one position and thus destroyed, it is clear that the wick moving mechanism
may be independent instead of automatic, the 'burner still retaining most of the
essential features of the Invention. One form of device of this kind is shown in
Figure 9, in which Q is a wheel for drawing the wick over the partition plate to
expose a new burning point, and P another wheel for operating the sliding sleeve D
to regulate the flame.
This form of device, however, while embodying most of the features of my
Invention does not retain the important one of determining the distance to which
the wick may possibly be raised, as by the reverse rotation of the wheel Q the loop
of the wick would be lifted. It is obvious, however, that means for preventing the
reverse rotation might be added, such as a pawl for instance, engaging with the teeth
of the wheel.
Ι
Other forms of devices wherein the forward movement of the wick depends upon
volition to the end of the part of the user of the burner will suggest themselves.
may also say that other forms of wick-moving and flame regulating devices are
obvious, and that the details of construction and arrangement may be much varied
while still conforming to the essential features;_but_the_form-first-shown-and-
described is considered the best embodiment of the Invention.
I am aware that it has been proposed to burn wicks on the side before, but the
arrangement is such that the wick would speedily burn in two, especially with one
side of the wick out of the oil; and to meet this difficulty wire has been introduced
into the wick. Moreover, in regulating the flame the wick is lifted-from its
supporting point, thereby rendering it more liable to destructive burning. I am
also aware that a plate has been used for introducing the wick into the tube from
below, but it will be seen that I do not claim these features.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I desire it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details herein described or delineated but what I believe to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,-
1. In a lamp burner a wick tube adapted as described to receive a double
thickness of wick and project it in the form of an abrupt loop, and provided with
means for moving the wick and for sustaining the said loop at a fixed and definite
maximum distance above the tube, whereby that flame is limited and smoking
prevented, substantially as described.
2. In a lamp burner a wick tube adapted to receive a doubled wick and having
sides substantially parallel throughout their length, whereby the exposed loop or
burning point is caused to project abruptly from the enclosing tube so that the

page_text: flame shall receive the air currents in a substantially vertical direction, in
combination with mechanism for moving the wick, substantially as described.
3. In a lamp burner, a wick tube adapted to receive a loop or doubled thickness
of wick, in combination with mechanism for automatically moving the wick
forward, whereby a new burning point is brought into position, substantially as
described.
4. In a lamp burner, the combination of a wick enclosing tube or tubes, a doubled
or looped wick, a wick supporting device and mechanism for automatically moving
the wick forward, whereby a new burning point is brought into position,
substantially as described.
5. In a lamp burner, adapted for a lateral-burning wick, the combination of the
flame-regulating device with the wick-moving mechanism, whereby the movement
of the flame-regulating device for alternately extinguishing and relighting the
burner shall automatically cause a forward movement of the wick, substantially as
described.
6. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, the sliding sleeve for
regulating the flame carrying the wick moving mechanism, the parts being so
arranged as that the sleeve may be moved upward to reduce or extinguish the flame
and in its descent move the wick forward, bringing a new burning point into
position and at the same time exposing the wick for lighting, substantially as
described.
7. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, a wick moving
mechanism arranged intermediate to the propelling shaft and flame regulating
device, whereby the engagement or disengagement of said wick moving mechanism
with the wick is effected before the flame regulating device is moved in either
direction, and the roughening of the wick surface is prevented, substantially
as described.
8. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, a flame regulating
device adapted to partially or wholly enclose the projecting loop or burning
portion of the wick, and movable with respect to the loop-sustaining device, whereby
the flame may be regulated without raising or separating the wick from the loop
sustaining device, substantially as described.
9. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral-burning wick, the combination
of the partition plate for sustaining the loop in a fixed relation to the enclosing
tube, and the sliding sleeve for regulating the flame, the parts being so arranged
that the exposed or burning portion of the wick shall be limited in extent, to
prevent smoking, and the regulation or extinguishment of the flame effected,
substantially as described.
10. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral-burning wick, a tube or tubes arranged
to conduct both branches of the doubled wick through the base of the .burner and
into the oil reservoir, in combination with means for changing the burning point
of the wick, whereby both of its branches may be utilized in conducting oil to the
flame, and the wick burned progressively, substantially as described.
11. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, a wick tube arranged
to conduct both branches of the wick into the oil reservoir, and mechanism adapted
to feed the wick in one direction only, whereby a new burning point is brought
into position, and excessive charring prevented, substantially as described.
12. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral-burning wick, a wick tube having
sides substantially parallel throughout their entire length, a partition plate, and
mechanism for drawing the wick longitudinally over the end of said plate, substan-
tially as described.
13. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, a single wick enclosing
tube having sides substantially parallel throughout their entire length, in combina-
tion with a partition plate or loop sustaining device, and means for automatically
moving the wick, substantially as described.
14. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, the combination of the

page_text: wick tube, wick moving mechanism, and removable partition plate, substantially as
described.
15. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, a removable partition
plate, and means for sustaining it centrally in the wick tube, substantially as
described.
16. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, a wick tube or tubes
enclosing a double thickness of wick, and a sliding sleeve arranged to surround the
projecting loop for regulating the flame, substantially as described.
17. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, the sliding sleeve
carrying the pivotted hook actuated by the ratchet wheel, substantially as
described.
18. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning. wick, the combination of
the wick-enclosing and loop-sustaining parts with reciprocating wick, moving
mechanism, whereby a limited forward movement of the wick is effected, substan-
tially as described.
I
19. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, the combination of
the wick tube, enclosing sleeve and removable partition plate, substantially as
described.
20. In a lamp. burner adapted for a lateral burning wick, the, wick: tube:
having sides substantially parallel throughout their entire length, and side ears
projecting above the end of said tube for sustaining and protecting the, edges of
the wick at the loop or burning point, substantially as described.
21. In a lamp burner adapted for a lateral burning wick with, moving mechanism
arranged to be. operated by the. lamp chimney, whereby the act of placing the
chimney on the burner shall cause the forward movement of the ink, substantially
as described.
22. In a lamp burner an endless lateral burning wick in combination with;
means for projecting a loop of the same from.its enclosing tube, and for changing
the position of said loop, substantially as described.
23. An endless lateral burning wick consisting of a strip of ordinary wicking,
or other suitable material having its ends joined by a tanged clasp. or other:
suitable means, or woven, knitted, or felted so as not to require joining, substan-
tially as described.
ין
In witness whereof. I the said Joseph Sinclair -Fairfax hava bereunto set :