IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS AND IN LAMP WICKB
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Weir, of Castle Dawson, in the County of
Londonderry, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LAMPS AND IN LAMP WICKB."
Scaled the 23rd February 1875, and dated the 16th December 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Weir at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
16th December 1874.
I, JOHN WEIR, of Castle Dawson, in tho County of Londonderry,
Gentleman, do hereby declaro the nature of tho said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS AND IN LAMP WICKS," to be as follows:-
These improvements in lamps relate to those lamps which are used for
burning oils, whether mineral, vegetable, or animal, such as petroleum,
paraffin, colza, or sperm, and in which the receptacle for the oil is some
distance below the level of the wick, as in the case of the moderator
lamp, and consist in a self-acting arrangement by means of which the
oil is raised to the wick without the necessity of winding up the lamp or
any of the usual mechanical contrivances.

page_text: My improved lamp consists of two parts, an upper and a lower onc,
the upper of which two parts is so formed that it will move within the
lower part.
This upper part carries the burner, glass globe, and
chimney. It rests upon the oil contained in the lower part, and is so
weighted and adjusted that the pressure of it upon the oil contained in
the lower part causes the oil to rise to the required level in the burner.
By this arrangement I obtain in a simple and effective manner a regular
and steady supply of oil to the wick as long as there is any oil in the
lamp to be supplied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Weir in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th June 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WEIR, of Castle Dawson, in the County of Londonderry, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Weir, Her special
licence that I, the said John Weir, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Weir, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LAMPS AND IN LAMP WICKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Weir, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that Ị, the said John Weir, do hereby declare tho
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
My improvements in lamps relate to those lamps which are used for.
burning oils, whether mineral, vegetable, or animal, such as petroleum,
paraffin, colza, or sperm, and in which the supply of oil is obtained from
below, as in the case of the moderator lamp. By means of a self-acting
arrangement the oil is raised to the wick without the necessity of winding
up or employing any of the usual mechanical contrivances.
My improved lamp consists of two parts, an upper and a lower one,
3 constructed of tin, sheet.iron, brass, copper, or other suitable metal.
And in order that my Invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the same, reference being
had to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and the figures and letters marked
thereon.
Fig. 1 represents the upper, Fig. 2 the lower part of my improved
lamp. The upper part is so formed and proportioned that it may bo
moved freely within the lower or containing part, Fig. 2. The upper
part carries the burner, glass globe, and chimney. It rests upon the oil
contained in the lower part, and is so weighted and adjusted that its
pressure causes the oil in the said lower part of lamp to rise to the
required height, at a little distance from the burner in the case of the
volatile hydrocarbon oils, or close to the top of wick when the classes of
oils represented by colza or sperm are used.
In Fig. 1 a, a, and b, b, represent the sides of two cylinders contained
one within the other. Both of them are closed at the top d, d; the
inner cylinder only is closed at the bottom end c, e, the annular
space c, c, between the cylinders being thus close at top and open below
to the outside. A small pipe open at both ends passing through the
inner cylinder b, b, is shown at f; it is soldered or attached to the ends
of cylinder b, b. At h is shown a screw cap for closing an opening
through the tuber into the lower part of the cylinder b, b, below the

page_text: "
partition plate 8. When the cylinder is closed by the screw cap it will
form a close vessel, the small tubef passing through but not opening into it.
Fig. 2 represents an outer cylinder i, i, and an inner one j, j, this inner
cylinder being of same height as the cylinders of Fig. 1. Both of them
are closed at the bottom and open at top; k, k, is the annular space
between the cylinders. The cylinders of Fig. 2 are made of such propor-
tions that they will enclose and contain within them the cylinders of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the working parts of the lamp, the upper
part, Fig. 1, being placed within the other, Fig. 2. The letters in Figure
correspond with those in Figures 1 and 2, but for convenience of illus-
tration the letters denoting the different cylinders are placed at the
ends of the respective sides of the same. The cylinders a, a, and b, b,
fit respectively within the cylinders i, i, and j, j, the three annular spaces
or divisions marked No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 will be formed by this arrange-
ment, the sides of the inner cylinders b, b, and j, j, acting as diaphragms
dividing the respective annular spaces c and k. This Figure represents
the lamp when empty and in position for being filled. On pouring in
the oil at the upper end of the tube 9 it descends through the small
pipe finto the cylinder j, j, and ascends through the annular space No. 1
(shown in section at either side). On reaching and passing over the top
of the cylinder j, j, it descends into No. 2, flowing over the surface next
to No. 1. On passing through No. 2 it fills the bottom part of the
annular space k, rising until it closes the lower end of No. 2, and rises
within it for some distance, as shown in Fig. 4 (the shaded portions
representing the oil). When this closing of No. 2 division or compart-
ment takes place the air contained within it and its continuation (the
upper portion of the annular space c) will be confined on all sides (see
Nos. 4 and 5). On continuing to pour in the oil it cannot now rise to
any extent within No. 2 when it reaches it, owing to the presence of the
confined air. The oil will continue to flow into it as before, but the
elastic reaction of the included air, due to the sustained pressure kept up
by the oil poured in at g, will now cause the oil to be discharged from
No. 2 as quickly as it enters it from No. 1. This transference of the
oil will be kept up until the compartment No. 3 is filled, the lamp
being then itself charged.
Fig. 4 represents the working parts of the lamp in section when it is
filled and the upper part, Fig. 1, is raised to its proper height. Fig. 5
represents the position of the parts when the oil in the lamp has been

page_text: darker shaded portions show the oll; the lighter portion, t, also repre-
sents oil, but this oil is confined within the lower part of the close
cylinder b, b; it is introduced and used only for the purpose of weighting
the upper part of the lamp to the necessary extent. Lead weights, shot,
or any other form of weight would answer sufficiently well, but I
find the oil to be in every respect suitable and convenient for the
purpose.
The principle on which the oil is raised and sustained at the level m may
be explained as follows:-It will be seen on referring to Fig. 4 or Fig. 5
that the separate pressures of No. 1 and No. 3 columns are by the con-
struction adopted brought into united action against the higher central
column of oil in the tubes f and g. It will be observed that the oil in
No. 3 has no communication with the oil of No. 1 compartment, but it
is evident that the downward pressure of No. 3 column is directly trans-
mitted by the included air, and is by this means added to the pressure
exerted by No. 1 column. This latter column being in direct communi-
cation with the higher central column in tubes ƒ and g it follows that
such central column will be sustained at the-height which will correspond
with the sum of the pressure of Nos. 1 and 3 columns. A hydrostatic
equilibrium will therefore be established, the weight of the upper portion
of lamp forming the necessary counterpoise for keeping the whole in
action. This equilibrium not being affected by the consumption of the oil
nor by the sinking of the upper part of the lamp from a higher to a lower
position, thus in a simple and effective manner I obtain a regular and
steady supply of oil during the time that the lamp is burning, and until
the whole of such supply is exhausted.
In Fig. 4 the height of the oil in the tube 9 is seen to be a little
higher or nearer the top of g than in Fig. 5. This slight rise takes place
as the lamp burns down, and disappears as it rises. This is occasioned
by the oil forming the upper portion of No. 3 column, which as the lamp
descends necessarily falls to the general level, and thus increases the
depth of the liquid over the top of the cylinders, in other words, a com-
parative increase is made in the height of No. 3 column, which in con-
nection with No. 1 will therefore preponderate over the opposing central
column to the extent of the small rise observable in Fig. 5, this being
the measure of the increase in No. 3.

page_text: On refilling the lamp the depth of the oil over the cylinders will
decrease gradually as the upper part of the lamp rises, and this will
continue until the original level is reached at g, such decrease being due
to a portion of the oil over the cylinders flowing into the upper part of
the annular space No. 3 formed as the lamp rises.
In my improved lamp the ordinary burner may be employed. o, o, are
two strong wires connecting the upper and lower circular bands n and p
fitting within g. A strip of metal q acting as a guide is attached to g,
a slit or opening to correspond being made in n. The whole arrangement
inside of 9 may thus be moved up and down, guided by the strip of metal
referred to and shown in Drawing. Provision is made in this way for
pouring in the oil without removal of the burner or its attachments, the
whole being moved upwards and turned slightly to one side, so that the
lower part of n rests on the top of the guide piece q while the lamp is
being filled.
The use of mineral substances as wicks applies to the burning of the
hydrocarbon oils only. Bath brick is the most suitable material of the
different substances I have examined. When cut or shaped to the desired
size it is quite possible to burn the oils in question by means of such
wicks, but there is some complexity of construction. Much care and
nicety is also required in the management, and from the further
experience which I have gained of the material since I prosented my
petition for my said Letters Patent I am led to reject it for ordinary use
in lamps.
It may be stated in reference to the foregoing description that any
number of cylinders greater than two may be employed, and that the
same principle of working will still apply. By introducing additional
cylinders the oil may be raised to a greater height, but there is a practical
limit for any useful purpose. For ordinary lamps I anticipate no
advantage from extending the number of cylinders.
In certain cases I purpose availing myself of the use of mercury, the
great density of which will enable it on duly weighting the upper part of
lamp to raise the oil to the required height without the aid of any second
or supplementary column. The mercury will be contained in the annular
space c and the oil is poured in at 9 in the usual way. It is desirable
when mercury is employed to construct the cylinder a of as thin material
as possible to avoid unnecessary displacement, and in some instances I

page_text: purpose tapering this cylinder slightly from the bottom upwards. The
tin plate must be protected from the action of the mercury by means of
some protective coating. Gutta percha is the substance which I employ.
It is dissolved in mineral naphtha and applied until the necessary coating
is obtained. The solution should be of such consistence that when it is
poured into the slightly warmed cylinders it will readily flow over the
surfaces of same when moved round. When the coating bas dried tho
cylinders may be again slightly warmed, which will cause the gutta
percha to adhere better and to be less liable to injury.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the mode of
working the same or carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described,
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention, but what I claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is the improved lamp, con-
structed substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Weir, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and corrente five