Improvements in Benzine Lamps.
Year: 1896

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by THE ACTIEN-GESELLSCHAFT SCHAEFFER AND
WALKER, of 18 Lindenstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany.]
Improvements in Benzine Lamps.
1, STEPHEN EDWARD GUNYON of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London,
Engineer, 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:---
In those benzine lamps in which the vaporization of the benzine is effected at
normal temperature by means of atmospheric air, the temperature of the benzine is
gradually lowered by the vaporization to such a degree that the supply of vapour
to the flame of the lamp ultimately ceases.
It is absolutely necessary for the production of an uniform flame that the
vaporizing benzine should be maintained at a certain constaut temperature.
Attempts have been made to effect this by conducting heat to the benzine either
by means of a special heating flame, or by thick heated metallic parts such as
tubes for example. These heating means have however proved unsatisfactory partly
on account of the danger of fire caused thereby, and partly because the said metallic
parts only yield up a portion of their heat, and because their conductibility is too.
much dependent upon the atmospheric temperature.
According to the present invention these objections are avoided by causing hot
vapour to act on the air used for vaporizing the benzine; the said hot. vapour
being produced by the heat of the flame of the lamp itself.
The accompanying drawing illustrates, in sectional elevation, a lamp constructed
in accordance with this invention.
The benzine reservoir A is divided into three chambers by the partitions a¹
and a 2; the upper of these chambers, B, is filled with benzine, and is so connected
with the lower chamber D that a constant level of benzine is maintained in the
latter. The middle chamber C, which does not contain benzine, is in communi-
cation with the atmospheric air by means of au open wide tube E, with the lower
chamber D by means of holes e in partition a 2. From an opening in the bottom f
of this chamber D the filling tube g extends upwards through the chamber C to
near the cover h of the chamber B. This tube 9 carries in its inside two tubes i
and k, the first of which, i, opens into the lower part of the chamber B, and the
second of which, k, reaches to the upper end of the tube g. Each of these two
tubes i and k has an opening at the point at which the level of the benzine is to remain
constant in the chamber 1). The tubes g, i, and k are closed at their lower end by
means of the screw cap or plug l.
Inside the air tube E, which passes through the reservoir, are soldered on
to the partition a 2 two concentric tubes r and r', the space between which is
filled with a wick, and is connected by a small tube 2 with the chamber B. The
tuber carries a caps which goes downwards along the tube r, and serves to conduct.
the benzine vapour generated between the two tubes into the lower part of the air
tube E. To the tube is also connected, by means of the valve seat, t, the burner
tube m. Below the valve seat is a tube g which extends through the tube r, and is.
free to move therein; it extends to near the bottom of the chamber D and is provided.
at its inner wall with a wick which bangs down over its upper edge. In this tube q
It contains a
is also an adjustable tube n, which reaches nearly to the burner m².

page_text: wick, and carries a conical valve t, the upper part of which is adapted to gear
with a winder t 2. The tube n opens inside the burner tube m into a chamber o,
and is arranged to slide airtight in the latter. From the chamber o are led two
tubes p through the walls of the burner tube m downwards into the tube E.
The action of the above described lamp is as follows:-
The lamp is first turned upside down, the screw cap or plug I removed, and the
chamber B filled with benzine through the tube g; the screw cap or plug is then
replaced and the lamp returned to its right position; a portion of the benzine
flows from the chamber' B into the chamber D up to the level defined by the
openings in the tubes i and k, and the wick enclosed by the tubes becomes
moistened with the benzine, as does also the overcharging wick of the tube q.
The valve is then raised from its seat & by raising the tube a by means of the
winder 2. If now a flame of any kind is held below the burner m¹ a current of
air is produced in the lamp chimney by the air thus heated. By this means the
outer atmospheric air is forced, as the direct entrance into the chimney is closed,
to make its way, in the direction of the arrows 1, through the tube E, through
the holes e in the partition a 2 above the level of the benzine in the chaiaber D,
between the pipes and q, and through the opened valve seat t to the burner m',
where, in consequence of the benzine vapor taken with it from the chamber D
and from the overhanging wick of the tube g, it takes fire from the flame applied
to the burner m and it burns there as lighting gas. By the flame of the burner m
thus produced the chamber o is heated, and this now generates hot vapor from the
benzine drawn up into it by the wick of the tube n, which vapours pass through
the tubes p into the tube E (see arrows 2), and there mix with the entering
atmospheric air. On entering the chamber D the air thus warmed gives up
its heat to the vaporizing benzine, whereby the vaporability of the latter is
maintained. A further increase of the vaporability of the benzine in the chamber D
is effected by the heat conducted from the burner to the tubes fixed to the
hurner tube, and which heat vaporizes the benzine drawn up by the wick in the
said tubes. The hot benzine vapors produced in this manner are conducted by
the cap a into the tube E (see arrows 3), and they assist in heating the entering
atmospheric air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. A benzine lamp in which an uniform vaporization of the benzine is effected
by heating the atmospheric air which effects the vaporization of the benzine, by
means of hot benzine vapor generated by the heat of the flame of the lamp itself,
substantially as described.
Second. In a benzine lamp of the kind forming the subject of the first claiming
clause hereof, the devices by which benzine is drawn up into a closed chamber o
arranged below the burner, and from which chamber the vapor produced therein is
conducted downwards to the benzine holder, substantially as described.
Third. In a benzine lamp of the kind forming the subject of the first claiming
clause hereof the means whereby the maintenance of an uniform temperature of the
vaporizing benzine is assisted which consist in causing the heat produced by the
burner flame to act on the tubes through which benzine is drawn from
the reservoir, and, which is connected with the burner tube, and in mixing the hot
vapors generated in the said tubes with the atmospheric air which effects the
vaporization of the benzine, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a benzine lamp of the kind forming the subject of the first claiming
clause hereof the devices for effecting the production of the hot vapors for
maintaining the uniform temperature of the vaporizing benzine, and their
transference to the benzine reservoir, which consists of a benzine reservoir divided
into three chambers B, C, D, placed one over the other, the middle one C of
which is in communication with the atmosphere has opening into it the pipes p

page_text: which lead to it the hot benzine vapors generated by the heat of the flame of the
lamp, and contains the tubes and the upper one B of which contains the store of
benzine, which is delivered therefrom to the wick tubes r r through the tuber 2
and to the lower chamber D, by means of the tubes i and k provided with lateral
openings at the level of the benzine; and the wick tubes q and n for raising the-
benzine to enable the lamp to be lighted and for the production of the hot vapors,.
substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of August.
S. E. GUNYON,
115 Cannon Street, London, E.C., Applicant.