IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDROCARBON LIGHTING APPARATUS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND SIGNALS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting En-
gineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDROCARBON LIGHTING
APPARATUS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND SIGNALS."-A.commu-
nication from abroad by Myron Hopkins Strong, Thomas Barbour,
Charles Cunningham Connor, and Robert Barbour, all of the City
and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 17th January 1871, and dated the 23rd November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 23rd November 1870.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,"
Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN HYDROCARBON

page_text: LIGHTING APPARATUS, CHIEPLY DESIGNED FOR LOCOMOTIVES AND SIGNALS,'
communication, to be as follows:-
"
a
This Invention is especially adapted to the head lights of locomotive
engines, but may be used clsewhere, as the entire apparatus can be
placed within a case containing the reflector and lamp.
The main feature of these improvements is the use of the draught
from the flame in the lamp chimney as a means for drawing in atmo-
sphere to commingle with the hydrocarbon vapors, the said vapors being
generated by heat derived from the products of combustion escaping
from the chimney.
To effect these objects a vessel is provided containing volatile liquid
hydrocarbon, such as gasoline, and the liquid runs, as required, into a
retort that is heated by the products of combustion passing from the
top of the lamp chimney into a jacket surrounding such retort. From
this retort a tube for vapor passes away to the lamp burner, a regulating
valve or cock being provided; between the said cock and the burner is a
descending tube that is provided with openings for admitting air. The
gasoline vapor issues into this tube through deflecting wings that give
the same a whirl or spiral movement to mix the air and vapor; the
gasoline vapors being heavier than the air do not escape, but pass
down this tube and thence to the burner, the draught of the lamp
chimney aiding in drawing the vapors to be burned into the burner.
The burner itself is of any desired character; an argand ring is pre-
ferable. Below the burner air is admitted to the flame in only the
proper proportion through a perforated casing. The top of the glass
chimney is received in a spring or yielding ring cap at the bottom of the
jacket that extends to the evaporating retort.
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th May 1871.
66
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the International Patent Office," Southampton
Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special
licence that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert'
Lake, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 HYDROCARBON LIGHTING APPARATUS, CHIEPLY DESIGNED FOR
LOCOMOTIVES AND SIGNALS," a communication to me from abroad by Myron
Hopkins Strong, Thomas Barbour, Charles Cunningham Connor, and
Robert Barbour, all of the City and State of New York, United States
of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
'
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by.
the following statement, reference being made to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to.
say):-
This Invention is especially adapted to the head lights of locomotive
engines, but may be used elsewhere, as the entire apparatus can be
placed within a case containing the reflector and lamp.
The main feature of this improvement relates.to the use of the draught
from the flame in the lamp chimney as a means for drawing in atmo-
sphere to commingle with the hydrocarbon vapors, said vapors being
generated by heat derived from the products of combustion escaping
from the chimney

page_text: To effect these objects a vessel is provided containing volatile liquid
hydrocarbon, such as gasoline, and the liquid runs, as required, into a
retort that is heated by the products of combustion passing from the
top of the lamp chimney into a jacket surrounding such retort From
this retort a tube for vapor passes away to the lamp burner, a regulating
cock or valve being provided, and between the said cock and the
burner is a descending tube that is provided with openings for admitting.
air. The gasoline vapor issues into this tube through deflecting wings
that give the same a whirl or spiral movement to mix the air and vapor,
and the gasoline vapors being heavier than the air do not escape, but
pass down this tube and thence to the burner, the draft of the lamp
chimney aiding in drawing the vapors to be burned into the burner...
The burner itself is of any desired character; an argand ring is pre-
ferable. Below the burner air is admitted to the flame in only the
proper proportion through a perforated casing. The top of the glass
chimney is received in a spring or yielding ring cap at the bottom of
the jacket that extends to the evaporating retort.
In the Drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the lantern case,.
reflector, and chimney.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the generator and air mixer, and Fig. 4
is a horizontal section at the line x, x; the two latter Figures are drawn
to an enlarged scale.
.
The casing a is of any desired size or shape, and contains the
reflector 6 and other parts of the apparatus. It is preferred that a
bottom board be made use of to carry the parts, so that they can be all
slid out at the side for lighting the burner, filling, &c. The gasoline
is contained in a vessel d that may be filled at the screw cap e, or
otherwise, and from this the gasoline or other liquid hydrocarbon flows
through the hollow arm f to the cylinder g, in which the hydrocarbon
is evaporated by the heat of said cylinder g. The lamp burner h with its
chimney i is below the casing or jacket k that extends to and surrounds
the upper part of the cylinder g, so that the same is heated by the
escaping products of combustion to a temperature sufficient to vaporize
any liquid hydrocarbon, such as naptha or similar products of petroleum.
The products of combustion escape from the bottom of this jacket k, or
in any other convenient manner. Within the cylinder g is a tube open

page_text: for the reception of the vapor at the upper end, and a screw valve at l
upon a stem that is packed or passes through a tube and provided with
a button m is employed to regulate the quantity of bydrocarbon vapor
passing into the mixing chamber n, from which the pipe p leads to the
burner. An air tuber descends into the mixing chamber n, and is
provided with slots for the air to pass through. The lip 2 over the
orifice through which the vapor issues gives a spiral movement to the
gasoline vapors, causing them to commingle with the atmosphere
passing in by the tube r, and this mixture is made still more thorough
by the fluids passing through the inclined apertures in the diaphragm
ats. The vapors of liquid hydrocarbon being generally heavier than,
the air there is no liability to escape by the tube r, and the suction
produced by the action of the flame in the chimney causes a downward
flow through the tube p of the vapors and air in the proper mixture for
combustion. The cup with the syphon overflow u is provided for
receiving any condensation of liquid hydrocarbon, and allowing it to
drop away into any suitable vessel; or in the case of a locomotive head
light, to run away. The foraminous casing to at the bottom of the
chimney has only the proper number of holes to supply air to support
combustion perfectly, and the upper end of this casing wo is made conical
so that the chimney i may set tightly therein, and a cap y above the
chimney i is provided with a stud 6, against which the spring 7 acts so
as to keep the glass chimney firmly in place and prevent its working
loose, and this cap y can be raised with the chimney for lighting the
lamp, or when the said chimney is to be removed.
What is claimed and to be secured by Letters Patent is,―
First. The mode herein specified of vaporizing gasoline or other liquid
hydrocarbon by the heat passing away from the lamp chimney, sub-
stantially as set forth.
Second. The mode herein specified of supplying hydrocarbon vapor
and atmosphere to a burner by the action of the chimney draft, substan-
tially as set forth.
Third. The mixing chamber n, constructed substantially as set forth
for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The chimney i and casing or jacket k, in combination with
the vaporizing cylinder g, tube and valve 1, substantially as set forth.
Fifth. The evaporator g, mixer n, regulating valve 1, and heating

page_text: Sixth. The cap e. and spring. 7, in combination with the glass,
chimney i and perforated casing w, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
In witness whereof; I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto.
set my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of May, in the year.
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
E. C. JACKSON.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.):