An Improved Argand Lamp Burner.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1888
Specification Accepted, 30th Nov., 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Argand Lamp Burner.
We PETER JOSEPH FOULON, Machinist, of 286 Seventh Avenue, in the City,
County and State of New York, United States of America, and GEORGE BUTLER
CONSTANTINE, Merchant, of 11 Jefferson Avenue, in the City of Brooklyn, County of
Kings, State of New York, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of this Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates especially to that class of argand lamp burners in which a
combined spreader and extinguisher is arranged above the wick space or tubes upon
a central vertically movable rod, and in which two wicks, one a burning wick and the
other a feeding wick, are arranged upon a single carrier.
The novel features of our invention are hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in
the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1. represents a vertical central section of the burner.
Figure 2. represents a horizontal section thereof.
Figure 3. represents a side view of the wick carrier detached.
Figure 4. represents a side view of a spirally threaded disc and its connections.
Figure 5. represents a face view thereof.
Figure 6. represents a face view of an air distributor.
Figure 7. represents a like view of a stop arm.
Figure 8. represents a horizontal section of the inner wick tube with the wick ring
hereon.
Figure 9. represents à longitudinal section of a tie band.
Figure 10. represents a top view of a portion of the wick carrier.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.
The letter A indicates the open shell of the burner perforated in the usual manner
or the admission of air and B the usual cone and chimney gallery fitted into the
apper edge of the shell. Within and concentric with the shell A. are two wick
ubes C, D connected together by transverse air tubes E, through which the air
ntering the shell has access to the inner tube, ascending through the inner tube as
well as around the outer tube, to the flame. The outer tube C is preferably made in

page_text: sections of gradually decreasing diameters, as shown in fig. 1. Upon the inner
tube D is arranged the wick carrier F, with a burning wick G usually cylindrical
extending upwardly and a feeding wick G usually composed of threads or filaments,
extending downwardly therefrom, as hereinafter more fully described, and above the
wick tubes is arranged the spreader and extinguisher H upon the usual central rod H³.
To the lower end of the spreader rod H' is connected a vertical slide 1, which is fitted
into a guide centrally of the inner tube D. both the slide and its guide being
preferably made of square tubular form.
Extending upwardly into the tubular guide J is a vertical bar or standard K which
is united to the wick carrier F at the lower end and provided with a vertical row of
teeth to form a rack K¹. The slide I of the spreader also is provided with a vertical
row of teeth to form a rack I corresponding in position with said rack K' of the
carrier bar and into each of said racks imeshes a spiral, thread N¹ or O¹ on one of the
faces of an operating disc N. or O. in such a manner that when said discs are
rotated, the slide 1 together with the spreader rod and spreader, or the carrier
bar K together with the wick carrier are raised or lowered, as the case may be, the
motion thereof being positive in both directions; and inasmuch as the disc threads
also act as stops, the spreader and wick carrier are also thereby firmly supported in
the position to which they may be adjusted. The discs N. O. are mounted on
horizontal shafts N2, 02 which extend outward therefrom to the outside of the
burner through one of the transverse air tubes E and shell A, one within the
other, the outer shaft being tubular, and each of which is provided with a
finger button outside the burner for turning it together with the proper disc. The
plane of the discs N. O. is parallel to that of the racks K' I-the azes of the discs
and shafts being at right angles to, said plane and each of the racks has a vertical
slot K1 (see fig. 1 and 3) for clearing the inner shaft in the motion of the racks,
said shaft passing through the slots. Said disc shafts N2, 02, have their bearings in
the tubular guide J and shell A and the outer or tubular shaft is preferably made in
sections with the contiguous edges of the sections toothed as shown in fig. 4, to inter-
.lock like a clutch, the inner or main shaft being provided at the outer end with a
screw nut N3 to bear against the adjacent finger button and thereby hold the sections
in interlocked position.
The wick carrier F is composed of an upper or wick ring F and of arms F" which
project downwardly from said ring and, are connected together below the transverse
tubes E, by a bridge F3 which is the part to which the vertical rack or carrier bar K
is united.
The upper edge of the wick ring F¹ is bent or folded upon itself to form a bead F
into which the upper end of the feeding wick G¹ is inserted, said end being usually
enlarged in the manufacture of the wick, so that the latter is firmly secured to the
carrier by that means, and from said bead portions of the edge of the wick ring are
bent outward forming teeth F to engage the burning wick.
Said burning wick G is fitted on the wick-ring Fi to overlap the feeding wick G¹,
it being drawn thereon from an upward direction, and a tie band Q is wound on the
overlapping portion, thereby holding the burning wick in superficial contact with the
feeding wick. so that a very effective supply of oil to the burning wick is maintained.
The tie band Q may be provided with inwardly projecting barbs Q (see fig. 9) for
engaging the wick and also with a hook and slot Q2 Q3 for locking it in the desired
position.
-
To the lower portion of the tubular guide J or to any other suitable portion of the
burner, is attached a depending arm R, the lower end of which has a pin R¹ connected
with said bridge F3 of the wick carrier in such a manner that said arm constitutes a
stop to limit the upward motion of the carrier, thereby regulating the upper position
of the burning wick G, which is a desideratum inasmuch as sail wick should not be
raised in use, above the top of the wick-tube, to insure a proper flame. In order to
accommodate the stop arm R to the decreasing length of the burning wick G, as it is
consumed, said arm is made adjustable in relation to the wick carrier, as for example
by providing the arm with a vertical slot S (best seen in fig. 7) through which extends

page_text: a screw rod S on the inner end of which is fitted, a non rotating nut S² so that
the arm may be secured in the desired position by turning the rod in the proper
direction for tightening the nut. In practice the nut S is first loosened to free the
stop arm R the wick carrier is then raised for bringing the burning wick G to the
desired point, the arm being at the same time displaced by contact with the pin R¹;
the nut is then re-tightened to fasten the arm and retain it in the proper position
relative to the wick carrier.
The screw rod S extends outward through one of the transverse air tubes E and
shell A. and is provided with a finger button outside the burner.
In the upper end of the inner wick-tube D is fitted an air distributer or strainer T
of wire gauze or other suitable material, which is connected with the spreader H. or
its rod, to share the motion thereof, so that a greater or lesser portion of said
distributor is exposed above the tube according to the position of the spreader, or in
other words, the air distributor is automatically adjusted to the varying space between
the top of said inner tube and the spreader and by entirely occupying that space
serves to distribute the inner current of air just before it strikes the flame with a
tendency to prevent flickering. Said air distributor T has a lower cylindrical portion
to fit the wick tube D while its upper portion is tapering or in form of a truncated
cone, as shown, causing it to gradually recede from the flame, and by this construction,
the inner current of air passing through the distributor is caused to take an inclined
direction towards the flame, thereby producing a superior effect.
The connection of the distributor T with the spreader H may be effected by
attaching it to the bottom of the spreader, as to a circular flange, or it may rest by
its upper edge upon a shoulder of the spreader-rod between said shoulder and the
spreader.
The pin R connecting the wick carrier to the stop arm R is fitted into a second
slot S3 formed in the lower part of said arm, in such a manner that when the wick-
carrier is moved either 'upward or downward, it is arrested by the pin contacting with
the ends of said slot and hence by properly graduating the slot, it serves to regulate
both the upper and lower position of the wick-carrier and wick, the effect being to
provide for both a fixed burning point and fixed extinguishing point, which may be
adjusted by suitably adjusting the stop arm.
On the upper end of the inner wick tube D is fitted a ring which is held in
position by a shoulder formed in said tube next below the lower edge of said ring
and by a flange formed on the upper end of the tube next above the upper edge of
the ring. The inner diameter of the ring is slightly greater than the portion of the
wick-tube D on which it is fitted, so that a space or chamber is left between the ring
and tube for the effective circulation of air, which tends to decrease the heat con-
ducting property of the tube.
Into each of the transverse air tubes E connecting the inner and outer wick-
tubes C, D is. fitted a diaphragme, one or more, of wire gauze or other similar material,
to form a strainer or distributor for the air passing through the transverse tubes to
the inner wick-tube, this diaphragm being held in place by friction. Said arrange-
ment of the air distributors e in the transverse air tubes or passages has the effect of
reducing the pressure of the air entering the inner tube D and to admit only a fixed
quantity of air to said tube thereby producing a steady flame.
The rack bar K of the wick carrier, is left free on its upper part or end and in
order to guide or support said end thereof an arm is secured to the upper part of the
slide 1 of the spreader, to thence extend downwardly in rear of said rack bar, the
guide arm having flanges on the edges to embrace both edges of the rack bar as more
clearly shown in fig. 3. In the example shown the spreader operating disc N is
movable lengthwise of its shaft and when it is so arranged the arm may also act as
an abutment therefor to hold it in gear with the spreader rack.
In the exterior of the inner wick-tube D are struck up longitudinal grooves d (see
fig. 8) and in the upper portion or ring of the wick carrier are struck up spurs d'
which project inwardly therefrom into said grooves and work therein, thereby guiding
the wick-carrier in vertical direction and preventing it from turning.

page_text: A screw collar V is united to the base A' of the burner shell, and said base is
perforated with a circular row of holes as shown, at a point within the screw collar,
the latter being left entirely solid, so that a portion of the air entering the shell
is admitted to the fount of the lamp through said holes of the base, for cooling
the oil.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. In an argand burner, the combination with the inner and outer tubes and a
spreader and extinguisher surmounting said tubes, of a rack firmly connected with
said spreader, a rotating disc having one of its faces provided with a spiral thread to
mesh into said rack, a horizontal shaft carrying said disc, and a finger button on said
shaft outside the burner, the whole adapted to operate substantially as herein described,
for the purpose set forth.
2nd. In an argand burner, the combination with the inner and outer tubes and a
wick carrier fitted on the inner tube, of a rack firmly connected with said carrier, a
rotating disc having one of its faces provided with a spiral thread to mesh into said
rack, a horizontal shaft carrying said disc, and a finger button on said shaft outside
the burner, the whole adapted to operate substantially as herein described, for the
purpose set forth.
3rd. In an argand burner, the combination with the inner and outer tubes, of a
spreader and extinguisher' surmounting said tubes, a wick carrier fitted on the inner
tube, two racks firmly connected with said spreader and carrier, respectively, rotating
discs each having one of its faces provided with a spiral thread to mesh into one
of said racks and independent disc shafts both having a finger button outside the
burner, the whole adapted to operate substantially as herein described for the purpose
set forth.
ces
4th. In an argand burner, the combination with the inner and outer tubes and
with the spreader and extinguisher and wick carrier, of the racks connected with
said spreader and carrier, respectively, the rotating dises each having one of its
provided with a spiral thread to mesh into one of said racks, and the disc s....fts
arranged one within the other and both constructed with a finger button to be
operated independently of each other, substantially as herein described, for the purpose
set forth.
5th. In an argand burner, a wick carrier having an upper ring provided with a
bead and with outwardly projecting teeth, substantially as herein described, for the
purpose set forth.
6th. In an argand burner, the combination with the inner and outer tubes, the
wick carrier fitted on the inner tube, and the carrier operating devices, of an adjustable
stop attached to a fixed portion of the burner to engage with said carrier in its upw
imotion, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth.
7th. In and argand burner, the combination with the wick carrier, of a stop
posed of a slotted arm, a screw rod extending through the slot of said arm, and a non
rotating nut upon said rod, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set
forth.
Sth. In an argand burner, the combination of a stop arın having two vertical slots,
a screw rod fitted into one of said slots, a non-rotating nut upon said rod and a
wick carrier having a stop pin fitted into the other of said slots, substantially as herein
described, for the purpose set forth.
9th. In an argand burner, the combination with the inner and outer tubes, the
vertically movable spreader and extinguisher and the spreader operating devices, of an
air distributor fitted into the inner tube and connected to the spreader to move
therewith, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth."
10th. In an argand burner, the combination with the inner and outer tubes and
the vertically movable spreader and extinguisher and its operating devices, of an air
distributor having a lower cylindrical portion fitted into the inner tube and an upper

page_text: tapering portion firmly connected to the spreader, substantially as herein described, for
the purpose set forth.
11th. In an argand burner, the combination of a wick carrier having an upper ring
provided with a bead for holding a feeding wick, and a tie band for holding a burning
wick in superficial contact with said feeding wick, substantially as herein described,
for the purpose set forth.
12th. In an argand burner, the combination with a wick tube, of a ring fitted thereon
with an air space or chamber between said tube and the ring, substantially as herein
described, for the purpose set forth.
13th. In an argand burner, the combination of a wick tube having a flange on the
upper end and a shoulder below said end, of a ring fitted loosely on said tube between
said flange and shoulder, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set
forth.
14th. In an argand burner, the combination with the open perforated shell, the
inner and outer tubes and the transverse tubes connecting the same, of air distributors
fitted into said transverse tubes, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set
forth
15th. In an argand burner, the combination with a wick carrier having an attached
rack which is left free on the upper end, of a spreader and extinguisher also having
an attached rack, and an arm secured to said spreader-rack to form a guide or support
for the wick-rack, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth.
16th. In an argand burner, the combination of an inner tube having exterior
longitudinal grooves, and a wick carrier having inwardly projecting spurs to work in
said grooves, substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth.
17th. In an argand burner, the combination with a solid screw collar, of a shell
having its base united to said collar and perforated at a point within the collar,
substantially as herein described, for the purpose set forth.
1000