IMPROVEMENT
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Thurlow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd December 1880.
ALFRED THURLOw, of Atherstone, in the County of Warwick.
IN LAMPS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
My Invention has for its object improvements in lamps, and has reference in
particular to that part of the lamp known as the wick case, and to such lamps in
particular where one or more flat wicks are used.
Hitherto it has been the custom in flat wick lamps to trim the wick slightly
round or convex, for the purpose of producing a convex or round topped flame,
and there is more or less variation caused in the flame of such lamps because it is
practically impossible to always trim the wick exactly right, so that there is a
variation in the flaine and in the light produced, and in the smoke created by such
lamps, and a constant maximum perfection is not always obtained.
My Invention is for the purpose of preventing this variation by producing a
flame always of the same shape, i.e., of that shape which is found to produce the
best results in various forms of lamps.
Instead of cutting the wick convex in shape I make the top of the wick tube
concave, either of a regular or concentric curve, or a parabolic or other curve, but
in either and every case the effect is to produce a convex flame from a wick cut
flat. It will readily be understood that a wick may be cut quite flat without
variation, but to avoid even the risk of any slight variation I generally provide an
outer case or cases, whether there be one or more wick tubes to slide up and over
the wick tubes by a lever, spring, or other convenient device, so that when the
outer case is lifted up to a little above the cone or top of the burner it forms a
guide for the scissors, and it is very easy therefore to cut the wick level to it and
thus ensure an absolutely regular flat shape for the wick.
In other cases I make the top of the burner quite flat instead of curved as at
present, which forms a base and guide for cutting the wick quite flat and square.
In case of lamps requiring to burn without chimneys I make the top of the
wick case convex and cover it with an outer slide so as to regulate the flame.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Thurlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th May 1881.
ALFRED THURLOW, of Atherstone, in the County of Warwick.
IN LAMPS."
"IMPROVEMENTS
My Invention has for its object improvements in lamps, and has reference in
particular to that part of the lamp known as the wick case, and to such lamps in
particular where one or more flat wicks are used.
Hitherto it has been the custom in flat wick lamps to trim the wick slightly
round or convex, for the purpose of producing a convex or round topped flame, and
there is more or less variation caused in the flame of such lamps, because it is
practically impossible to always trim the wick exactly right, so that there is a
variation in the flame and in the light produced, and in the smoke created by such
lamps, and a constant maximum perfection is not always obtained.
My Invention is for the purpose of preventing this variation by producing a
flame always of the same shape, i.e., of that shape which is found to produce the
best results in various forms of lamps.
Instead of cutting the wick convex in shape I make the top of the wick tube
concave, either of a regular or concentric curve, or a parabolic or other curve, but
in either or in every case the effect is to produce a convex flame from a wick cut
flat. It will readily be understood that a wick may be cut quite flat without
variation, but to avoid even the risk of any slight variation I generally provide an
outer case or cases whether there be one or more wick tubes to slide up and over
the wick tubes by a lever, spring, or other convenient device, so that when the outer
case is lifted up to a little above the cone or top of the burner it forms a guide for
the scissors, and it is very easy therefore to cut the wick level to it and thus
ensure an absolutely regular flat shape for the wick. In other cases I make the
top of the burner quite flat instead of curved as at present, which forms a base and
guide for cutting the wick quite flat and square.
In case of lamps requiring to burn without chimneys I make the top of the wick
case convex and cover it with an outer slide so as to regulate the flame.
I will now describe my Invention having respect to the accompanying Sheets of
Drawings:
:-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a burner suitable for burning volatile oils,
such as petroline or petroleum; and is shown with the wick tube A concave, being
formed to the curve of a parabola, which will have the effect of producing a flame
of convex form, but also to the curve of a parabola which I have found to be the
best in practice.
Now as there might be some difficulty in cutting the top of the wick quite
square and flat, I have shown the outside sliding case b which is made to rise
above the burner C, as shown clearly by Figure 2, with the charred wick d, d,
ready to be cut off to the top edge b¹, b¹, of the case b, after which the case b
would be lowered to its normal position as shown in Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are sectional elevations of a modification of my burner, where
the wick tube E is hollowed or made concave to a concentric circle. By this
modification I am enabled to cut the charred wick ff, quite flat, because the top of
the burner H is made flat for the purpose of forming a guide in cutting the wick
off to the line of its top h, h, after which the wick would be lowered down to its
normal position. I have found that the flat top burners answer very well indeed
with my concave wick tubes. Of course the wick tube A with its parabolic curve
may be substituted for the wick tube E, and vice versa, or the burner H may be

page_text: used instead of the burner C, but slight modifications in the following of the tubes
have to be made when the shape of the top of the burner is altered, because when
the burner is flat the wick tube requires less hollowing.
Figure 3 illustrates a wick tube J suitable for burning less volatile oils, such
for instance, as sperm, colza, or benzoline, and it is provided with an outer case k, k,
which fits the wick tube J quite tightly, and is set near the top, thus leaving the
corners,, of the wick exposed to the flame, by which means I am enabled to
burn such oils without a chimney and almost without the slightest smell and with
a clear and beautiful light.
Figure 6 is a modification of the one shown by Figure 3, and would answer the
same purpose very nearly. In this view the outer slide m, m, on the wick case N
is hollowed at the top part m³, m', m', which exposes the corners p, p, of the wick
in a similar manner to the previous Figure.
Figure 7 is another modification showing an arrangement by which I can
make a flame almost of any desired width by forming a series of curves or
corrugations ?, ?, r.
An exceedingly simple modification is shown by Figure 8, which would be very
easily applied to existing lamps. In this instance S is the wick case proper with
its flat tops 8, 8, as is now common in lamps, the hollowing being produced in
the outer case t, t, as shown by t¹, t,t. This outer case is secured to the burner W
by the feathers u, u, or in any other convenient way, so that when the burner is
lifted off with its outer hollowed case the flat topped wick case S remains as a
guide to which the wick may always be cut quite square. I find, too, that in oils,
such, for instance, as paraffin, that the flame produced is better when the outside
wick case is hollowed than when the inner one is hollowed, i.e., it is larger, but the
hollowing in any is a decided improvement.
Figure 9 is a wick case with the outer case t³ hollowed out at its mouth t so as
to produce a wider flame from a small wick case; this as in the previous Figure 8
when lifted off leaves a perfectly flat guide for the scissors to cut the wick flat.
Figure 11 shows another modification which produces a marked effect where the
outer case 5 is raised at its centre to. But various modifications of hollowing
produce various effects upon the flame, and may be suited to the different oils and
other circumstances, such as various shapes of burner tops before mentioned.
Figure 10 is a simple illustration of what may be done without departure from
my Invention.
These improvements are equally applicable to lamps having more than one wick,
which will be readily understood by any practical lamp maker. Figures, 12 to 17
illustrate the principle applied to a duplex lamp. In this case I have shown the
improvement as applied to the top of the extinguisher, thus utilizing the
extinguisher itself, no extra parts being needed, the improvements being effected
by modifications in the shapes of the extinguisher. Figures 14 and 15 illustrate a
duplex lamp with the extinguishers u, u, in the position it would occupy when the
lamp is burning. Figures 16 and 17 show the extinguishers u, u, raised with the
flaps u', u', closed over the wick in the usual way. Figures 12 and 13, show the
extinguishers lowered into such a position that the wick case V becomes a perfect
guide to the scissors for 'cutting the wick flat. It will thus be seen that by
allowing the door u' to close inside the extinguisher and the addition u², u², to the
ends of the extinguisher with the top edge of the side and door slightly hollowed,
I am enabled to produce a broader and better flame. Figure 18 will serve to
illustrate the kind of flame I prefer to produce; Figures 19 and 20, illustrate
another modification of duplex lamps in which the extinguisher serves as a guide
for cutting the wick flat, so that no extra parts are required, and I have simply to
hollow out the wick tube W to the desired shape according to the requirements of
each case.
These burners are also suitable for stoves which burn oil, and are equally an
improvement to them. Figure 7 is a very suitable stove wick, and would burn
heavy oils, but the other forms could be used also,

page_text: Having now described my said Invention of improvements in lamps, I would
have it clearly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact shapes shown
in the Drawings for the various parts, nor to the amount of curve given to the
wick tubes and cases, as these are only illustrative and may be considerably varied
according to the design of the lamp and the various oils to be used, but what I do
claim is,
-
First. The concave or hollowed wick tubes, and as explained and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings Figures 1, 2, 4, and 5.
Second. The wick tubes as shown by Figures 3, 6, and 7, in the accompanying
Drawings, and as set forth herein.
Third. The outer hollowed case t, and as shown by Figure 8.
Fourth. The outer tubes with projecting pieces t, and as shown by Figures 9
and 11.
Fifth. The utilization of extinguishers for the purposes herein set forth, and as
shown by Figures 12 to 22, applicable to both single wick lamps, and to lamps
with more than one wick.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Thurlow, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.