IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUM OR COAL OIL INTO GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO LAMPS AND STOVES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the
of the "International Patent
Office," No. 12, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF AND
APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUM OR COAL OIL INTO GAS FOR LIGHTING
AND HEATING, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO
LAMPS AND STOVES." -A communication from abroad by James Rhodes,
of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States.
Sealed the 19th June 1868, and dated the 23rd December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd December 1862.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 12, South-
ampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF
AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUM OR COAL OIL INTO GAS FOR LIGHTING
AND HEATING, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO LAMPS AND
STOVES," a communication from James Rhodes, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United
States, to be as follows:-
The nature of my Invention is disclosed in the following description:―The
reservoir for holding the oil is placed either above the burner or below, as
found most desirable. But when the oil is placed lower than the burner an
elastic diaphragm operated by a spring is employed to force the oil up from

page_text: the reservoir or the body of the lamp through a tube to its upper end, where
the same is formed into vapor. In an aperture at or near this end of the tube
a needle valve is placed. This valve is operated by means of a rod or spindle
passing through the said tube, and terminating in a handle for rotating
the said rod at a convenient distance from the burner. The point of the
needle valve operates in and through the aperture in the tube, thereby pre-
venting the aperture from becoming clogged by condensed matter, which
would otherwise obstruct the passage of the vapor generated within the said
tube. Moving this valve backward and forward opens and closes the aperture,
and thereby regulates the flow of the vapour. To secure perfectly combustible
gas a liberal amount of atmospheric air must be mingled with the vapour before
the same comes to the flame. This gas is made, when the apparatus is applied
to a lamp, either in a chamber above the flame, where it is exposed to a high
degree of heat, and from which chamber it descends to the burner in quantities
sufficient to feed the flame, or the vapour may be mingled with the air before
the vapour reaches the said chamber, and after being sufficiently heated the
gas descends to the burner. When these improvements are applied to a
burner for heating, the vapour passing out of the tube comes in contact with a
heated cap containing rows of apertures on its edge, the central portion being
unbroken. Thus sufficient air becomes mixed with the vapor to change the
same into perfectly combustible gas. The gas is ignited as it passes up
through the apertures in the cap for the purpose of cooking or heating. This
cap is placed directly over the needle valve in the supply tube, and becomes
sufficiently heated by the ignited gas to convert the oil in this tube into vapor,
the same result being also attained in the use of a lamp by the heat of the
burning gas. The vaporization of the oil is at first effected by heating the
upper end of the supply tube by means of burning spirits or other light. While
this gas possesses all the advantages of coal gas, the flame being obtained
without the use of a wick, and through any of the ordinary burners, it may be
produced with little trouble, and in small quantities, if desired, at a moderate
cost
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 12, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said George Haseltine, Her special licence that I, the said
George Haseltine, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Haseltine, 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 THE MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING PETROLEUM
OR COAL OIL INTO GAS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING, THE SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING
ESPECIALLY APPLICABLE TO LAMPS AND STOVES," a communication from abroad
by James Rhodes, of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, upon the condition,
amongst others, that I, the said George Haseltine, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly 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 George, Haseltine, 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:-
The said improvements relate to the mode of manufacturing gas, as it is
required for consumption, by means of heat from the burner, and to the
apparatus employed for the purpose, which forms a part of the lamp or or
stove. The oil or fluid being converted into a combustible vapor or gas in its
passage to the burner, atmospheric air is mingled with it, either in a tube
above the burner, where the tube is exposed to the heat of the flame, and from
whence gas descends to the burner, or below the burner, the gas then being
conducted above the burner for the purpose of heating, from whence it descends
to the burner. Petroleum or coal oil being extremely rich in carbon requires
to be burned under certain precise and carefully arranged conditions, otherwise
a dense smoke is produced accompanied with a highly offensive odor. The
most essential condition for perfect combustion is an appropriate supply of
oxygen in or around the flame. For this purpose coal oil lamps are usually
constructed with chimneys, causing a strong current of air, which is directed

page_text: by a suitable contrivance into the base of the flame. The mixture of atmo-
spheric air with the vapor of petroleum or coal oil affords oxygen in a manner
which would appear to be highly favorable for combustion ; but in this
expedient a difficulty is encountered in the tendency of the vapor, when com-
paratively cold air is brought into contact with it, to condense and deposit
itself upon the inner walls of the pipe or part of the apparatus in which the
operation of mingling is effected. Moreover, a portion of the vapor or gas,
when thus diluted with air, and its temperature reduced far below the point of
ignition, escapes into the unconfined air and passes away from the immediate
region of the flame without being consumed. It will hence be apparent that
in mingling atmospheric air with the vapor of petroleum or coal oil the heat
communicated by the latter to the air should be restored, and it will, moreover,
be obvious that a temperature very much higher than that of vaporization
would render the final combustion of the vapor more complete. For this
purpose I have provided that the mingled air and vapor shall be exposed to an
intense heat while passing from the point at which they unite at the burner,
as will herein-after appear. The foregoing remarks apply to lamps in which
it is not intended to obstruct the flame and prevent the upward radiation of
the heat by a plate or disc suspended over the flame, as the light would be
obstructed thereby. But another part of said Invention relates to a heating
burner or apparatus, in which a plate or disc suspended above the flame is not
inappropriate, and by the employment of which heat is retained in the space
around the flame and a perfect combustion secured without commingling
air with the vapor before the latter escapes from the tube in which it is
generated.
I will now proceed to describe said Invention in connection with the
accompanying Drawings which form a part of this Specification.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a lamp or burning apparatus having an
elevated reservoir from which oil descends through appropriate tubes to a point
where the heat is sufficient to convert it to vapour. A is the reservoir; B, a
downward tube from reservoir; C, a horizontal tube from B; C¹ is an upward
tube terminating at the burner designated D ; e, e, are perforations around the
base of D, through which the mixed and heated vapor and air escape, each
of which supplies gas for a jet of flame. E is a thumbscrew entering the
upright tube C¹, by a screw thread having a valve ƒ formed within the tube
which has its seat at f¹; g is a rod prolonged upward from f, and terminating
in a gas valve at h, from the latter a needle point i extends up and is nicely
adapted to the orifice ¹. The construction of this part of the apparatus is
such that when the oil valve is seated the gas valve is likewise closed, and the

page_text: needle point projects into and through the orifice i². When the thumbscrew E
is rotated downward, valves f and h are opened, and simultaneously therewith
the needle point is withdrawn from the orifice, and the same is left
unobstructed for the passage of vapor; j, j, are openings into the tube C¹,
through which air is admitted to mingle with the vapor of oil as it descends
from orifice. Surrounding the tube C', and fitted thereto by a screw thread
is a short sleeve which in being rotated right, ascends and contracts the
openings j, j, thus controlling the admission of air. Air and vapor mingled
ascends through the interior passage to the upper part of burner D, from
whence the current is deflected downwards in all directions along the inner face
of D to the apertures e, e, through which it escapes in separate jets and is burned.
The heat of the several jets of flame encircling the burner D cause it to be
heated to nearly a red heat. The mingled vapor and air within the burner
and in contact with its inner surface become much heated and are thus pre-
pared for the energetic and complete combustion which takes place when thus
escaping into the open air. The tube C', in which the oil ascends to the
burner is filled with a wick surrounding rod g, and extending up to within a
short distance of the orifice z². In this lamp or apparatus as well as in the one
represented by Figure 2, next to be described, the heat from the burner is
communicated downward to the tube C¹, in the upper end of which
vaporization is effected, and from which the vapor flows out through the
aperture, and meets the air entering through the apertures j, j, before
referred to.
Figure 2 is another apparatus in which the burner and the arrangement for
vaporizing and mingling the air with the vapor is the same as in the one just
described, but in this the petroleum or coal oil is contained in a reservoir A,
situated in the base of the lamp. The bottom of this reservoir consists of an
elastic sheet a, which is capable of being distended downward enlarging the
capacity of the reservoir, or of being contracted inward, diminishing the capacity
of the reservoir; b is a metal plate secured centrally to the under side of a, by
an eye bolt C; B is a sprial spring, one end of which is hooked to eye bolt C,
and the other secured appropriately at a point in the upper part of the reservoir;
C", is a tube or duct for the passage of oil from A, to the upright tube C¹;
D is a stop cock, shown also in Figure 4. Upon the periphery of this cock
an excentric groove d is formed, the office of which will be presently explained.
g is a rod extending up through wick tube C¹ to the orifice i¹, where it
terminates in a needle point i, adapted to said orifice, the lower end of rod g
rests in groove d, and is held down in contact therewith by sprial spring e, as
represented. The arrangement of the several parts last described is such that

page_text: when the stop-cock D is rotated to afford a passage for oil through its trans-
verse aperture into the wick tube above the excentric groove d, permits the
rod g to descend, withdrawing the needle point 2, and allowing the vapor
which may be contained in the upper part of the wick tube to ascend to the
burner. When the lamp requires to be supplied with oil the elastic bottom a
is forced or drawn downward, overcoming the spiral spring B, and oil is
introduced through tube h, which is afterwards closed by a cap. The bottom
may be held in its distended position by a hook taking hold of a bar reaching
across the bottom, as represented, or other convenient means may be employed
when released the elastic spring B is exerted to contract the elastic bottom,
.and force the fluid contained in the reservoir up through duct C", into the wick
tube. A small circular cup P is represented surrounding the wick tube in
cach of the lamps which have been explained. A teaspoonful of alcohol burned
in the cup will suffice to heat the upper part of tube C, and generate
vapor, after which a full supply will be afforded by heat from the burner.
Figure 8 is an illustration of the method of admitting the air above the
burner where it mingles with the vapor, and the two descend to the burner,
as represented by the arrows. In the Figure a represents the wick tube, in
the upper part of which vaporization takes place, heat being communicated
thereto by heater b supported over the flame; c is the needle valve, and d the
aperture through which air is admitted to the tube to mingle with the
vapor.
Figure 3 represents an apparatus for heating. The wick tube in this illus-
tration is placed in a horizontal position, and the arrangements for admitting
the oil and operating the needle valve differ somewhat from those previously
described, but the difference is only the arrangement of parts, and need not be
particularly referred to in this connection. In this apparatus vapor is per-
mitted to escape from the vaporizing chamber into the open space above
without being first mingled with air in au enclosed space. The mode of
combustion here employed is rendered practicable by the use of the heat in
device next to be described, by which the upward current of air is arrested,
and the heat is in a manner retained in the space above the burner, thus
favoring combustion.
The construction and arrangement of the heating device is as follows:-
A is a metal plate, a top view of which is represented by Figure 5; it has a
central chamber in which the needle valve a is contained, operated by an
excentric pin upon the end of rod 6; vapor is generated in this valve chamber
and escapes therefrom upward through the minute orifice c. The plate A
supports three metal standards d, d, d, which support an openwork plate B, a

page_text: top view of which is represented by Figure 6; from triangular corners of this
plate short standards f, f, f, ascend and support a metal plate C, Figure 7.
This plate is perforated at short intervals, except a small circular space imme-
diately above the orifice c. The gas escaping from this orifice, when ignited,
commences to burn a short distance above; the jet of flame extends up
through the open space in the centre of plate B, and impinges against the
metal unperforated space in the plate C, from thence it spreads out in all
directions along the under side of the plate to its outer edge, imparting an
intense heat to the plate. The plate B likewise becomes heated, and the
standards d, d, d, partaking of the same communicate a sufficient amount of
heat downward, together with that which is radiated from above to heat the
plate A and effect the vaporization of the oil which is admitted into the valve
chamber. If but a small amount of heat be required, the central opening in
plate B may be covered by a moveable plate of metal, and a very minute
flame may be maintained, the effect being to arrest the flame and employ its
heat at a point nearer the vaporizing chamber, where its influence is more
immediately communicated thereto for the purpose of causing vaporization.
Having now fully described my said Invention, and various modes of
operating the same, I declare the following to be my several claims,-
First, commingling atmospheric air with the vapor of petroleum or coal oil
in the tube or chamber where the vapor is generated, and afterwards subjecting
the mixed air and vapor to an intense heat in the tube or chamber either in
or above the flame.
Second, elevating the oil to the vaporizing tube or chamber by means of
the flexible sheet or diaphragm and spring, constructed and operated as herein
specified.
Third, the needle point i, when employed for the purpose and substantially
in the manner herein described.
Fourth, the rod g, extending from the gas valve near the burner to a point
beyond the influence of the heat thereof, or where it may be conveniently
operated, in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.
Fifth, the excentric groove d on the stem of the oil cock in combination
with the rod g and spiral spring e or its equivalent.
Sixth, in reference to the device herein described for heating, I do not
claim a heater supported above the flame, when employed for the purpose of
generating vapor, as this is common in hydrocarbon vapor lamps, but I claim
a heater of considerable dimensions consisting of one or more plates, more or
less open, supported above the flame, and in such proximity thereto as to
acquire a high degree of heat, which heat is also retained in or communicated

page_text: to the open space above the burner, thereby favoring the combustion of vapor
or gas as it escapes into the space, while at the same time the heat given off
in the upward direction is employed for useful, domestic, mechanical, or other
purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.S.)