APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING A NUMBER OF OIL LAMPS WITH AIR
Year: 1884

page_text: JOHN HOWARD Ross 66 William St Dublin, Ireland Manufacturers Agent
JOHN MCVEY (Electrition) 16 Aungier St. Dublin, Ireland, do hereby declare the
nature of their invention for APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING A NUMBER OF OIL LAMPS
WITH AIR to be as follows:-
This invention consists in an arrangement whereby any number of oil lamps can
be supplied with the air current necessary for proper combustion, by means of an
air compresser or blower, such as a fan, bellows, air pump, or meter drum as shewn
in drawing, the air current being conducted through tubes to the different lamps as
may be required, passes round the oil cistern, keeping the oil cool, and doing away
with danger of explosion, and unpleasant odour, and by impinging on the flame as
it passes through the burner, produces a pure, white soft light.
A. A. Represents a side section of a cistern to hold water which has a division B. B.
at one end to seperate the water No 1 from the water No 2 and the air chamber N° 3,
and also a division E. E. which seperates water No 2 from air chamber N° 3.
F Represents section of gasometer or air regulator floating in water No 2 and
which is fixed to the rod G. G. which acts as a guide by passing through a hole in
end of bracket H which is fixed to cistern A. A. the other end of rod passing
through a bracket across and fixed to the inside of tube N° 6 at the bottom end,
at the bottom of guide rod is a metal plate K having an india rubber or leather
washer on top, which prevents the gasometer from rising too high by pressing on
the flange J at bottom end of tube N° 6 and thus stopping the currant of air.
C. C. C. Represents an ordinary meter drum having air chambers, and being
immersed in water No 1 so as to sufficiently cover the hole D D D in the side of
drum, and thus prevent the air from escaping; This drum when made to revolve
on its arbour No 4 by means of a train of wheels and weight, or otherwise as
might be found convenient, causes the water to force the air out of the chambers
into and through pipe No 5, one end of which as indicated by the dotted lines goes
through hole D. D. D. in the side of drum, and stands above the water level, the
other end going into the air chamber No 3 so
arrows, passes through air chamber N° 3 and
equalises the pressure and forces it into and
that the air as indicated by the
tube N° 6 into gasometer F. which
through pipes N° 7 and 8 into

page_text: tube No 9 and thence round the oil cisterns Figs. 10 and 11. and out through the
burners, impinging on the flame as it passes, and producing a pure, white, soft
light.
Figs. 10 & 11 Represent sections of oil cisterns or bowls, having wick tubes
screwed into the top, these cisterns or bowls, have an outer case which is made the
same shape, and has a burner to cover wick tube attached, these cases are made
large enough to admit of a free passage of air round the oil cisterns or bowls, and
out through the burners.

page_text: We JOHN HOWARD Ross of 66 William Street in the City and County of
Dublin Ireland Manufacturer's Agent and JOHN MCVEY of 16 Angier Street in the
said City of Dublin Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for "APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING A NUMBER OF OIL LAMPS WITH AIR" and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
By our invention we seek to so supply air to an oil lamp that the common or
rock oil of commerce may be burnt in the same giving a more brilliant steady and
economical light than usual in such lamps or in lamps of equal size using better or
more expensive oils in the ordinary way.
It also provides a means of keeping cool the oil cistern reducing the risk of
explosion and abating unpleasant odours.
We are also enabled to utilize the ordinary gas pipes and fittings of a house for
carrying out our invention.
Our invention therefore consists in supplying the air to the burners at a pressure
by means of a fan, meter drum, bellows, pump or like mechanism for compressing
the same, the air being supplied to the different lamps through tubes and circulated
round the oil cistern before impinging on the flame as hereafter described.
Referring to the accompanying drawings.
We shew in Fig 1 a sectional elevation of our apparatus suitable for carrying our
invention into practice.
Fig 2 is a side elevation of the same.
In these figures we shew an apparatus supplying air to two burners fixed on an
air main, though it will be apparant that other descriptions of pipes may be used
or the gas brackets or chandeliers of a house may have the lamp and oil reservoir
screwed on them and the meter be used to compress air by being driven, the
details necessary to perform our invention being attached thereto or combined
therewith.
A shews a meter drum of any suitable construction capable of forcing air
working in a casing B being supported on journals or spindles as usual, C is the
pipe projecting into the interior of the drum and which passes to a chamber D.
This chamber D has supported or carried by it or connected therewith another
chamber or vessel E in which works a rising-and-falling bell or cylinder F like a
gas holder. A tube or pipe G passes from the chamber D to the chamber or
vessel E and through it passes the rod or tube H supporting the bell or cylinder F
and which rod or tube carries a valve I capable of seating itself on the end of the
tube G or on a seat attached thereto.
J is a bush or bearing to guide and support the rod or tube H carrying the bell
or cylinder F.
Into the chamber or vessel E projects a pipe K which may pass through the
chamber D as shewn or directly out of the chamber or vessel E and which carries
a suitable cock or valve or valves L for controlling the air supply to the pipe or
pipes M, for supplying air to the main N or tubes on which the lamps are fixed or
the gas pipes can be used for the purpose.
The means for supplying air to the lamps is shewn.
O is the oil reservoir which also carries the wick tube or burner P as arranged
for lamps for burning various oils.
Qis a casing enveloping or surrounding the oil reservoir and carrying a wick or
burner cap or air director.

page_text: The reservoir and its casing may be held together by ribs at intervals and the
oil supply tube and screw or plug R passes through the casing into the reservoir.
If desired air may impinge directly on the burner or wick and not circulate all
round the reservoir.
In working the apparatus the meter case B and the chamber or vessel E are
partly filled with water, oil glycerine, or like fluid and the lamps being filled with
oil the wicks or burners are adjusted.
The spindle of the meter drum A is then driven such as by multiplying gear
driven by a weight hanging over a pulley block as is well understood or by a
clockwork or electric motor, or a turbine or power communicated from a steam or
gas engine or other suitable motive power.
.
The weight is perhaps the best adapted for domestic use, the rope or chain
passing over many-grooved pulleys so as not to require very frequent raising or
rewinding.
The cock or valve L being opened the air, compressed by the meter drum A passes
through pipe C to the chamber D and up through the tube or pipe G into the bell or
air holder F. free to rise and fall according to the volume of air contained therein.
The air passes to the pipe K and thence to the tubes or mains supplying the
'lamps, circulating between the oil reservoirs O and their casings Q keeping the oil
cool and thus lessening or abating the risk of explosion and finally impinging on
'the wicks or burners.
Should the air pressure in the bell or air holder F exceed the normal it will rise
and the valve I will shut on the tube G or its seating thus shutting off the supply
of air till equilibrium is again established A fan, bellows, rotary blower, hydrostatic
blower or other air compressor may take the place of the meter drum if desired.
And if necessary to increase the brilliancy of the flame the air may pass over
surfaces saturated with a hydrocarbon or carburetting material such as sponges
saturated with petroleum, benzoline, or like oils and enclosed in a chamber in the
path of the air.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and the manner of performing the same we would have it understood
that we do not claim the construction of the various appliances shewn by us apart
from their combination or use in carrying out our invention but that which we
claim is
Firstly. Forcing or supplying air under pressure to the wicks or burners of oil
lamps, the said air being, supplied through tubes to the same by means of a fan
'meter-drum or other suitable forcer or compressor as and for the purposes described.
Secondly. In apparatus for supplying air under pressure to oil lamps, the
combination of a meter drum, fan or like forcing apparatus with a moveable bell or
'air holder, and regulating valve connected to and in combination with pipes
arranged to supply and direct the air under pressure on to the wicks or burners
substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 1st day of November 1884.