AN IMPROVED LAMP
Year: 1820

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, SAMUEL
PARKER, of Argyll Street, in the County of Middlesex, Bronzist, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth
did, by His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifteenth
day of June, in the first year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the
said Samuel Parker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, His especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Samuel
Parker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
my Invention of "AN IMPROVED LAMP," within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in such manner as to me, the said Samuel
Parker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should in our discretion
seem meet; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso, that if I, the
said Samuel Parker, should not particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same
to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within two calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent,
that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages what-
thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void, as
in and by the said recited Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had, may
more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Samuel Parker, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the Drawing hereunto annexed, and
the following description thereof (that is to say):
The objects of my Invention are, to do away as much as possible the shadow
projecting from the ring reservoir for the supply of oil to the French lamps with
cylindrical wicks, to diffuse the light from the flame of the lamp around and
above the lamp as equally and agreeably as possible, and to direct a portion
of the brightest light downwards when desireable, either for the purpose of
reading by it, or for illuminating the dinner table, sideboard, &c. My methods
of accomplishing these desireable objects will be fully understood by a reference
to the Drawing which, as aforesaid, accompanies this Specification, and the
following description thereof:-
A is the upper part of the spiral burner of the lamp. B, the glass holder,
by turning which the wick is raised or lowered as usual. C, the French
glass chimney. D), a point taken in the middle of the flame E, E, E, E,
dotted lines, radiating from that point, and when extended forming the
boundary lines which determine the conical shapes given to the upper and
lower surfaces of the ring reservoir F, F, F, F, (shewn in section) and its
position or situation with regard to the flame and burner, so that as little
shadow as may be is cast around that reservoir. G, G, is a metallic conical
reflector (also shewn in section) which is fixed upon the neck of the glass
chimney C by means of three slender metallic springs, two of which are
shewn at H, I, which are attached by their middle parts to the reflector G, G,
and touch the glass chimney at their ends only, so as to support and adjust the
situation of the reflector G, G, upon the chimney. This reflector directs a
portion of the brightest. light downwards when required, as before described.
In order, however, to equalize and soften the light, and to disperse what little
shadow is projected from the ring reservoir, I place upon it a vase-shaped
frosted glass cover I, I, (shewn in section) having an orifice J, J, below
large enough to permit it to be passed over the reflector G, G, and another
above surrounding the glass chimney. K, K, are the metal pipes or tubes
which conduct the oil from the reservoir F, F, to the burner A, and also
either support the reservoir upon the burner or the burner from the reservoir,
as may be required. L is the short-screwed neck or orifice, and its stopple,
which is to be unscrewed, in order to supply the reservoir with oil. I can also
occasionally surround two or more burners with one ring reservoir, having
separate divisions in it for the supply of each burner.

page_text: I do not mean hereby to claim as my Invention the spiral burner and glass
holder, the French chimney, the frosted glass cover, the ring reservoir, or the
conical reflector, such being already in use; but I do hereby claim, as my
Inventions, the particular figures I give to the upper and lower surfaces of the
ring reservoir, and its position or situation with regard to the flame and
burner, as before described; the fixing of the metallic conical reflector upon
the neck of the glass chimney in the manner described; the inclosing of that
reflector within the frosted-glass cover, and the vase shape given to that cover,
and whereby I produce the beneficial effects before inentioned. I am well
aware that ring reservoirs, with their under sides conically shaped, are already
in use, but I believe they were never before formed on my principles, nor
posited in the manner above described, and without which the beneficial
effects herein stated will not take place.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Parker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
I do not mean hereby to claim as my Invention the spiral burner and glass
holder, the French chimney, the frosted glass cover, the ring reservoir, or the
conical reflector, such being already in use; but I do hereby claim, as my
Inventions, the particular figures I give to the upper and lower surfaces of the
ring reservoir, and its position or situation with regard to the flame and
burner, as before described; the fixing of the metallic conical reflector upon
the neck of the glass chimney in the manner described; the inclosing of that
reflector within the frosted-glass cover, and the vase shape given to that cover,
and whereby I produce the beneficial effects before inentioned. I am well
aware that ring reservoirs, with their under sides conically shaped, are already
in use, but I believe they were never before formed on my principles, nor
posited in the manner above described, and without which the beneficial
effects herein stated will not take place.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Parker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and twenty.
SAMUEL (L.S.), PARKER.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fifteenth day of August, in the
first year of the reign of His Majesty King George the Fourth, the said
Samuel Parker came before our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and
acknowledged the Instrument aforesaid, and all and every thing therein con-
tained and specified, in form above written. And also the Instrument