IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS FOR SHIPS BINNACLES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Bowman at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1883.
JAMES BOWMAN of Huntly in the County of Aberdeen North Britain Lamp
Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND CONNECTED WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF
LAMPS FOR SHIPS BINNACLES
"
This Invention has reference to a new or improved general construction of lamps
and their fittings for ships binnacles, for the purpose of burning heavy mineral
oils in them, instead of the ordinary high priced "Sperm," "Rape" or "Colza "
Oils at present used, and also for giving a brighter and steadier light than has
heretofore been obtained with such lamps.
The nature and novelty of the Invention consist in the arrangement and com-
bination of the parts of the lamp, and of its fittings to the binnacle, as follows:-
:-
The outer shape and case of the lamp is generally cylindrical, but it might also be
made oval or polygonal in horizontal cross section and preferably parallel vertically,
with a glass window on one side to show the light on the compass card, and a
handle at top.
Thus made, so that each lamp can be easily inserted down from above into a
correspondingly shaped chamber, formed for it one on each side of the top case of
the binnacle; this outer chamber is provided with bottom and hinged top, each
having carefully arranged perforations for ventilation, all wind and water tight
from the outside, but so that the light from each lamp will shine through its
window, and an open recess on the inside of its said retaining chamber down on to
the compass card from both lamps on opposite sides of it. The oil vessel is formed
or fitted at the bottom of the lamp, with a closed in air supplying space above it,
and through which the wick tube passes from the oil chamber below to the
renovable air supplying cap round the wick above, as also the oil filling tube fitted
with a screw stopper above at one side of the wick cap, to prevent the escape of
oil. The upper case consisting of the flame chamber and top is hinged or other-
wise jointed to the oil case below it for the purpose of cleaning and trimming;
and secured by a slip bolt to the top of the oil chamber round the air supply
chamber.

page_text: The top part is fitted with a central conical chimney or tube, leading from the
top of the flame chamber through a closed in air supplying and heating vessel,
somewhat similar to the one below, to the upper part of the exit cap out through
lateral narrow spaces, as in some other forms of ships lamps. The outer circum-
ference of this upper air heating chamber fits close into the top of the case of the
binnacle; and has secured to it by brackets a short cylindrical case round the
outside of, and of the same depth as, the exit cap or top, so as to leave a narrow
annular space for the adinission of air between them at the upper and lower edges.
All the supply air entering this annular space for supporting combustion and
ventilating the lamp, passes in through small holes in the top, and down round and
outside of the exit chimney into the upper air heating vessel. From this upper air
supply and heating chamber, the air passes down through four or other number of
close vertical ducts, formed in the outside of the flame chamber into the lower air
chamber, and then up into the ordinary cap of the burner round the wick. Extending
about two thirds, less or more round, inside the body of the lamp is fixed a vertical
tube with conical top passing partly up through the heated air chamber for the
purpose of sharpening the upward air current, and keeping the lamp cool. The
wick is raised and lowered by a small pinion and rack, as common in other lamps,
by a spindle carried out through a small hole in the side of the lamp with a hand
wheel outside, where a small hole is cut in the outer retaining chamber of the
binnacle for the fingers to turn the wheel and regulate the fame, without removing
the lamp from the binnacle.
These combined arrougemonts of the parts, for heating and applying air to the
lamp, and ventilating it with a free exit of the waste gases and vapours of com-
bustion, enables this improved lamp to burn the said heavy mineral oils with both
a bright and steady flame. And this manner of inserting the lamps within a
chamber in the top of the binnacle secures them simply and efficiently without the
usual locking catches which give trouble, and let the lamps frequently fall out.