IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING PETROLEUM OR MINERAL OILS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Frederick Oscar Timme, of the Firm of Boseck
and Timme, of Basinghall Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING PETROLEUM OR MINERAL OILS." A
communication from abroad by Gustav Stobwasser, of Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany
Sealed the 27th August 1878, and dated the 26th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Frederick Oscar
Timme at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1878.
HENRY FREDERICK OSCAR TIMME, of the Firm of Boseck and Timme, of
Basinghall Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING
PETROLEUM OR MINERAL OILS." (A communication from abroad by Gustav Stob-
wasser, of Berlin, in the Empire of Germany.)
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
lamps for burning petroleum or mineral oils. For this purpose a petroleum lamp is
provided with a lateral air-tight oil cup or vessel and regulator for burning petro-
leum or other mineral oils without any danger being incurred.
And in order that the novelty of the Invention may be clearly understood, the
following is a description of its application to the well-known "slide lamp," although
the improvements are applicable to other forms of lamps.
The improved arrangement and construction of this lamp, with the view to the
use of petroleum or mineral oil without incurring any danger, consists in the fact
that while preserving the lateral position of the oil vessel above the flame, the level
of the oil within the wick holder, or rather burner, has to be maintained at a
proper distance below the flame, and at the same time the oil vessel has to remain
firmly and hermetically closed, with the sole exception of the discharge orifice.
In order to obtain greater security from danger, the principal point is to regulate
the access of air to the recipient so as to enable the petroleum to flow into the wick
holder or burner. For this purpose the regulator is placed on the waste pipe, which
is destined to carry the petroleum from the reservoir into the wick holder or burner,

page_text: that is to say, on the upper surface near the burner in the rising portion of this
pipe there is a small opening, which is surrounded by a cylinder strongly soldered
in the aforesaid pipe. This cylinder is closed at top by a lid or cover soldered on
to it, but has above a small aperture on the side facing the burner. Two divisions
are soldered inside this cylinder a short distance apart. The lowermost of these
divisions has an aperture on the side facing the burner, whereas the other has it on
the opposite side.
Self-acting closing gear is arranged in the petroleum vessel. In the lower portion
of the reservoir a division is arranged, together with a passage or pipe, and inside
of the latter is fixed a guide with a hole for guiding the valve piston. By means of
the valve, which consists of a flexible disc superposed on a metal disc, which is
fastened to the valve piston, the latter being guided not only in the centre, but also
in the bottom of the nut. of a screw, the partition above the division inside the
reservoir is hermetically shut off from the partition below. This is effected auto-
matically by a spiral spring, and as soon as the screw is taken out of the feeding
aperture in the upper portion of the reservoir, which feeding aperture when screwed in
keeps open the valve piston, and, through it, the spiral spring and the pipe or passage.
The screw is hollow at bottom in order to receive and press down the valve piston,
which does not take place until the screw has descended so far as to have already
cut off the access of the air from the reservoir. The nut of the aforesaid screw
feeding aperture is, as before said, perforated at bottom and on the sides.
With regard to the burner it must be stated that in order to prevent the flame
from finding access into the interior when the wick is being screwed down it is of
cylindrical form, at least, at its upper portion for a short distance, and is kept so
narrow that the space within is perfectly filled up by the wick.
The form of the regulator need not be cylindrical, and if desired it may be so
arranged as to surround the burner.
In order to use the lamp it is necessary first of all to take out the screw of the
reservoir as soon as the wick has been drawn in, and fill the petroleum vessel. This
screw being raised, the spring finds room for expanding, pressing at the same time
the valve against the passage, through which movement the upper portion of the
reservoir is shut off from the regulator and wick holder, and the former may now
be filled without any danger of overflow from the latter. After filling the reservoir
the screw is replaced and well tightened. By the descent of the screw the valve
is lowered down, and the petroleum flows into the wick holder and burner, passing
through the passage and waste pipe, replacing the air contained therein. As soon
as the level has reached the aperture in the regulator through which the access of
air to the reservoir is cut off, the liquid is in a state of rest at an equal height in
both wick holder and regulator.
In proportion to the quantity of petroleum consumed by the flame, and the con-
sequent settling down of the level in the wick holder and regulator, the air finds
access and rises in the waste pipe in the form of small bubbles in the lower portion
of the reservoir, while on the other hand an equal quantity of petroleum flows off
in a downward direction, and again shuts off the air from the aperture to the
cylinder or regulator, until a depression in the petroleum within the regulator is
produced by feeding the flame afresh, and the aperture of the regulator is thus set
free, after which the process is renewed. This takes place at a short interval, so
that a change in the level of the wick holder is hardly perceptible. The air entering
into the lower portion of the reservoir accumulates there until the oil level below
the lower division has descended so far as to enable it to overcome the adhesion of
the fluid column within, and rise to the top, which process is effected at longer
intervals in the form of larger bubbles.
The two divisions arranged within the regulator serve the purpose of preventing
the petroleum from flowing out at the supply pipe, the only place in the regulator
where it could at all happen in case of the lamp being upset.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Frederick Oscar Timme in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th October 1878.
HENRY FREDERICK OSCAR TIMME, of the Firm of Boseck and Timme, of
Basinghall Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING
PETROLEUM OR MINERAL OILS." (A communication from abroad by Gustav Stob-
wasser, of Berlin, in the Empire of Germany.)
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
lamps for burning petroleum or mineral oils. For this purpose a petroleum lamp
is provided with a lateral air-tight oil cup or vessel and regulator for burning
petroleum or other mineral oils without any danger being incurred.
And in order that the novelty of the Invention may be clearly understood, the
following is a description of its application to the well-known "reading lamp," repre-
sented in the Drawings annexed, although the improvements are applicable to other
forms of lamps.
The improved arrangement and construction of this lamp, with a view to the use
of petroleum or mineral oil without incurring any danger, consists in the fact that
while preserving the lateral position of the oil vessel above the flame, the level of
the oil within the wick holder, or rather burner, has to be maintained at a proper
distance (or about 3 inches) below the flame, and at the same time the oil vessel has
to remain firmly and hermetically closed, with the sole exception of the discharge
orifice, so that the access of air to the reservoir regulates the discharge of petroleum
into the wick holder. Thus greater security from danger is obtained by regulating
the access of air to the reservoir, so as to enable the petroleum to flow into the wick
holder or burner. For this purpose, according to these improvements, the regulator is
placed on the pipe C, which serves to conduct the petroleum from the reservoir A
into the wick holder or burner D, that is to say, on the upper surface near the
burner. In the rising portion of this pipe there is a small opening t, of about
4-tenths to 2-tenths of an inch in width, which is surrounded by a cylinder E,
about 16 inches high, and about 0.8 of an inch in diameter, closely soldered in the
aforesaid pipe. This cylinder is closed at top by a lid or cover soldered on to it,
but has above a small aperture e, of about 025 to 05 of an inch in width on the
side facing the burner. Two divisions and 8 are strongly soldered inside this
cylinder a short distance apart, at intervals of about 0-2 of an inch. The lower-
most of these divisions 8 has an aperture on the side facing the burner, whereas the
other division r has it on the opposite side.
Self-acting closing apparatus is arranged in the petroleum vessel as follows:-
In the lower portion of the reservoir A a division F is arranged, together with a
passage or pipe f. Firmly soldered and inside of the latter is fixed a guide h (see
section a, b,) with a hole for guiding the valve piston g. The valve G (which
consists of a flexible disc superposed on a metal disc) is fastened to the valve
piston g, the latter being guided not only in the centre at h, but also in the bottom
of the nut of a screw B. The partition above the division F inside the reservoir A
is hermetically shut off from the partition below. This is effected automatically
by a spiral spring H, and as soon as the screw B is taken out of the feeding
aperture in the upper portion of the reservoir, which feeding aperture when screwed
in keeps open the valve piston g, and, through it, the spiral spring H and the pipe
or passage F. The screw B is hollow at bottom, in order to receive and press down
the valve piston g and open the passage f, which does not take place until the screw
has descended so far as to have already cut off the access of the air from the
reservoir A. The nut of the aforesaid screw feeding aperture is, as before said,
perforated with a number of holes at bottom and on the sides (see section e, f,).
The burner is of the ordinary argand character, with toothed rack pinion and
axis for raising and lowering the wick holder o, and central pipe p with lower
terminal part Q.

page_text: With regard to the burner, it must be stated that in order to prevent the flame
from finding access into the interior when the wick is being screwed down, it is
contracted at its upper part N for a short distance of about 0.2 of an inch, so that
the space within is perfectly filled up by the wick.
The form of the regulator need not be cylindrical, and if desired it may be so
arranged as to surround the burner.
In order to use the lamp it is first necessary to take out the screw B of the
reservoir, as soon as the wick has been drawn in, and fill the petroleum vessel A.
This screw being raised, the spring H finds room for expanding, pressing at the
same time the valve G against the passage f, through which movement the upper
portion of the reservoir A is shut off from the regulator and wick holder, and the
former may now be filled without any danger of overflowing from the latter. After
filling the reservoir the screw B is replaced and well tightened. By the descent of
the screw the valve G is lowered down, and the petroleum flows into the wick
holder and burner, passing through the passage f and pipe C, replacing the air con-
tained therein. As soon as the oil has reached the level of the aperture t in the
regulator, through which the access of the air to the reservoir A is cut off, the liquid
is in a state of rest at an equal height in both wick holder and regulator, that is to
say, about 3.2 inches below the flame.
In proportion to the quantity of petroleum consumed by the flame, and the con-
sequent settling down of the level in the wick holder and regulator, the air finds
access at first through e, r, s, and t, and rises in the conducting pipe C in the form
of small bubbles in the lower portion of the reservoir A, while on the other hand
an equal quantity of petroleum flows off in a downward direction, and again shuts
off the air from the aperture t to the cylinder or regulator until a depression in the
petroleum within the regulator is produced by feeding the flame afresh, and the
aperture of the regulator is thus set free, after which the process is renewed. This
takes place at short intervals, so that a change in the level of the wick holder is
hardly perceptible; the difference amounts only to 025 of an inch. The air entering
into the lower portion of the reservoir A accumulates there until the oil level below
the lower division F has descended so far as to enable it to overcome the pressure
of the fluid column within fand rise to the top, which process is effected at longer
intervals in the form of larger bubbles.
The two divisions r and 8 arranged within the regulator E serve the purpose of
preventing the petroleum from flowing out at the supply pipe e, the only place in
the regulator where it could at all happen in case of the lamp being upset.
The advantages to be derived from the use of this improved construction of lamp
are as follows:-
Absolute security and absence of danger, for this lamp may be upset without
occasioning any other damage beyond breaking the globe and tube, as in consequence
of its particular arrangement and construction only a few drops of .petroleum can
be spilt.
Uniformity of light, because as long as petroleum remains and the pipe C is
intact, the level can never sink below the normal height of about 3 inches.
Facility of trimming, as for the purpose of filling only the screw has to be with-
drawn from the oil vessel, which can be done readily while the lamp is burning.
Having thus described the nature of the Invention communicated to me from
abroad, and the manner of performing or carrying the same into practice, I would
remark that I do not claim any of the parts separately, which are well known and
in common use, but what I claim on behalf of the said Gustav Stobwasser is,-
First. The improved arrangement and construction of lamps for burning petro-
leum or mineral oil, in which the air-tight oil vessel A placed above the flame of the
burner is so arranged as to supply a regulated quantity of oil to the burner through
the conducting pipe C governed by the regulator E, substantially in the manner
herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second. The improved method of opening and closing the passage ƒ for supplying

page_text: oil to the burner D, substantially in the manner herein-before described, and repre-
sented in the Drawings annexed.
Third. The improved arrangement and application of the regulator E to govern
the supply of oil to the burner D by the admission of air from time to time, as
required, acting substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-before
described, and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Frederick Oscar Timme, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
H. F. OSCAR TIMME (L.S.)