Improvements in Electrical Lighting Devices for Kerosene and other Burners.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th May, 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Lighting Devices for Kerosene
and other Burners.!
I, SVEND MARTIN MEYER, residing at 68, Murray Street, Brooklyn, in the
County of Kings and State of New York, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The subject of this invention is a device for lighting the wick of a kerosene or
other lamp by means of an electric spark.
It is found that in lighting a lamp wick by means of an electric spark, it is
important that the line or direction of the spark should be approximately parallel
with the portion of the wick upon which it acts, that is to say, it is important that
it should be in a direction, as nearly as practicable, parallel with or tangential
to the wick with which it is brought in contact, so that the line of the spark shall
act upon a much greater extent of the wick than would be practicable were it
projected transversely across the wick.
The present improvements relate to means for throwing the spark in a line
approximately coincident with the side of the wick upon which it is brought in
contact; also to means for insuring the sparking at the point where the circuit
is broken; means for preventing the catching of the sparking device in the
fabric of the wick and other details which relate to the convenient application
of the invention to oil lamps, and the detachability of the burner for trimming
or cleansing.
In the accompanying drawings Figura 1 is an elevation of an oil lamp with
the invention applied. Figure 2 is a plan of the same, showing the sparking
springs as in Figure 1 in normal retracted position. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic
representation of the operating parts showing the sparking springs in engagement
and projected against the wick in readiness for producing the spark and showing
in dotted lines the extreme movement of the vibrating contact spring in producing
the spark.
Figure 4 is an elevation, partly in section of a banquet lamp illustrating the
preferred mode of applying the batteries and spark coils in high standing lamps:
also illustrating a modification in the arrangement of the sparking springs, and
a modification in the recoil spring.
Figure 5 is a plan.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the sparking coil, represented in Figure 4. viewed
from another side.
Figure 7 is a plan of the same.

page_text: 1 represents the body, 2 the base, 3 the burner, 4 the wick and 5 the chimney
of a kerosene lamp of common construction. 6 represents a contact spring mounted
at its heel on an insulated conducting wire 7, and adapted to have its free end
projected over or into contact with the wick 4, as shown in Figure 3.
At its extremity this contact spring is formed with a knob or bend S. 9 is a
vibrating contact spring formed at its free end with a knob or hook 10 to engage
with the hook 8 of spring 6 and mounted on a vibrating shaft 11, which is
grounded electrically in the shell of the lamp and is provided with an operating
handle 12, by which it may be turned so as to vibrate the contact spring 9 in a
horizontal plane. Attached to the handle 12 is a spring 13 for retracting the
vibrating contact spring 9 to the normal position shown in Figures 1 and 2 when
the operating handle 12 is released. If preferred, a torsion spring 13 a is applied
to the vibrating shaft 11 as shown in Figure 4, to retract the vibrating spring 9.
The contact spring arms 6 and 9 are so formed and combined that when the
vibrating spring 9 is thrown around towards the wick, it will slide with elastic
pressure over the spring 6 until the knobs or hooks 8 and 10, at the extremities
of the springs are brought into contact. These knobs offer a slight resistance
to the further movement of the spring arm 9 and the curved form of the spring
arm 6, adapts it to be carried by the movement of the spring arm 9 over or into
contact with the wick 4 as indicated in Figure 3.
When the resistance between the knobs 10 and 8 is overcome, the breaking
of the circuit causes an effective spark, which, following the arc of movement of
the extremity 10 of the spring 9 to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3
in a line which intersects or traverses the side of the wick, causes the effective
lighting of the wick. The operating arm 12 being then released, the resilience
of the spring 13 or 13 a throws the spring arm 9 back, underneath the arm 6, to
the normal position shown in Figure 2, the arms 6 and 9 being so formed and
mounted that in the forward movement for causing the spark, the extremity of
the spring arm 9 passes over the spring arm 6, and as the movement progresses,
the arms are mutually deflected, one by the other, and when the end of the
spring arm 9 escapes from the upturned end of the spring arm 6, the latter recoils
upward and the former downward, so that in the return movement the end of
the spring arm passes underneath the spring arm 6, being deflected downward
and on escaping therefrom, again springs upward in readiness for passing above
the spring arm 6 at the next movement as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.
In Figures 4 and 5 is shown as a modification the fixed spring 6 with a down-
turned end 8 and the vibrating spring contact arm 9 passing forward underneath
it, so as to deflect it upward in the action of sparking, and passed back over the
same in its return movement, the effect being the same in either case.
One object of blunting or bending the ends of the contact springs 6 and 9 is to
adapt one to engage with the other, and another object is to prevent their catching
in or injuring the wick.
The wire 7 to which the heel of the spring arm 6 is rigidly attached, is mounted
in the removable burner 3 of the lamp but electrically insulated from the metal
thereof by a tube or plate 14, of rubber or other material, and of any suitable
form.
In order to permit the removal of the lamp burner 3 for trimming or cleansing
while providing a conductor to a source of electricity in the base 2 of the lamp
The conducting wire 7 is connected to a spring plate 15 insulated from the meta
of the lamp burner and adapted, when the burner is applied and turned inte
position, to engage electrically with a metal plate 16 on the shell of the reservoir 1
insulated from the shell by a plate 17 of rubber, mica or other material, and in
permanent electrical connection with the sulated conducting wire 18, which
passes down to one pole of a system of batteries in the base 2 of the lamp. Fo
the purpose of illustration, I have shown a pair of dry battery cells 19, 20 the
first grounded by a wire 21 to the metallic shell of the lamp, said wire connecting

page_text: with the carbon of the battery 19, while a wire 22 may connect from the zinc
of the battery 19 to the carbon of the battery 20, and a wire 23, from the zinc of
the battery 20 to an induction coil 24, to which the conducting wire 18 is
connected as shown. A suitable condenser 25 is, if desired, introduced in the
circuit between the conducting wire 18 and the induction coil 24 or at any other
suitable point in the circuit.
In lamps having a stand 1 of sufficient height, it is preferred to introduce the
spark coil 24 and the removable batteries 19 and 20 within the hollow stem of
the lamp in the manner illustrated in Figure 4. In this illustration the spark
coil 24 is permanently connected through a metal conducting plate 26 with the
insulated wire 18. The battery cell 20, having an insulated covering 20 a, is
slipped into the hollow stand 1 with its carbon core connected through a metal
conducting plate 27 with the base of the spark coil, and the battery cell 19,
which is in electrical connection with the stand or shell 1 of the lamp, is slipped
in with its central core in electrical connection with the external coil of the
battery 20 and is forced up and secured in position by a screw 28, turning in a
nut 29 in the removable cross-bar 30, which is engaged with or detached from an
inturned flange or lugs 31, 31, in the base 2 of the lamp.
The core of the spark coil 24 is preferably made of a cluster of soft iron wires
which become magnetized by the current in the coil, which thus serves as an
induction coil as well as a part of the primary circuit.
The improved arrangement of sparking springs permits the use of a smaller
spark coil of comparatively low resistance. By connecting the ends of the core
by an iron conductor, the sparking effect may be increased; or in lamps of sufficient
size the core can be made of rings, with ends connected and wound with wire.
Figures 8 to 25 represent lamps embodying the same invention and showing
odifications in the manner of electrically connecting the insulated conductors
in the removable lamp burner with the source of electricity in the base of the
lamp. Also in the mode of mounting and operating the sparking points.
Figure 8 is an elevation, partly in section, of an oil lamp and attachments em-
bodying my invention.
Figure 9 is a bottom view of the same.
Figures 10, 11, and 12 are detail views hereinafter more particularly referred
to. Figures 13 and 14 are vertical sections of portions of the burner.
Figures 15 and 19 are detail horizontal sections of the same.
Figure 16 is a bottom view of the burner.
Figures 17 and 18 are detail vertical sections.
Figure 20 is a detail elevation showing a modification hereinafter described.
Figure 21 is a plan of the same.
Referring to Figure 8, 1 represents the body of the lamp, 2 the base, 3 the
burner, 4 the wick and 5 the chimney.
8 represents the fixed sparking point formed of an angular vertical projection
and "grounded" on the shell of the lamp.
9 is a vertical rock shaft carrying the vibrating sparking point 10 mounted
in suitable bearings 11 (Figure 13) and moved in either direction by the lever
or handle 12. In order to insure the completion of the stroke of the lever in
either direction, the said lever works in contact with a doubly inclined track 13
formed of spring wire, the shape of which produces pressure upon the lever as it
approaches its mid stroke and causes it to be thrown to the end of its stroke in
either direction by the resilience of the spring. The batteries 19 and 20 are
removably mounted in the base 2 of the lamp by means of a clip 28 and the
bar 30 formed at its ends with pins or sockets, one of which engages with a stud
or a socket 31 while the other caught by a pin or aperture as the case may
be near the end of an elastic arm 33 secured within the base of the lamp. The
battery 19 is connected at 21 with the shell of the lamp and connected by wire 22
with the battery 20 and this by the wire 23 with the induction coil 24 connected

page_text: by an insulated wire 18 with a hinged arm 17 engaging in a clip 16 which is
mounted in an insulator 16b and connected to an insulated spring arm 15 bearing
upon the vertical rock shaft 9, as shown in the sectional view, Figure 13.
Figure 10 shows a top view of the hinged arm and its clip by which the
connection is made when the burner is placed in position on the lamp reservoir.
Figure 11 shows on a larger scale in elevation the said hinged arm 17 and
in dotted lines a flexible wire 17" which may be substituted for the hinged arm
as illustrated in Figure 12 where 17b represents a terminal socket in the said
flexible wire fitting over an insulated pin 16" mounted in the lamp burner in lieu
of the clip 16 and in like manner connected by the insulated spring arm 15 with
the vibrating sparking point 10.
In the modification shown in Figures 14 to 17 the conductor 18 is fixed in the
frame or lamp body 1, and, when the burner 3 is placed in position, connects
with an insulated ring 14 in the burner as shown in Figure 17, electrically
connected through a spring 14ª (Figure 14) with the vertical rock shaft or
vibrating rod 9 which carries the vibrating sparking point 10 and is vibrated by
the hand lever 12.
Where either of the forms of connection illustrated in Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13
are used, the rock shaft 9 is insulated from the burner by being stepped in an
insulated socket piece 11 as shown in Figure 13. In this instance the vertical
rock shaft 9 is electrically connected with the clip or socket 16 through the
spring 15. In the modification shown in Figures 18 and 19, the vertical rock
shaft is provided with a flat or squared portion 9" against which latter the spring 15b
rests so as to serve also to carry the rock shaft to its full stroke.
In the modification shown in Figures 20 and 21, inclined plates 13ª are
provided, as a substitute for the spring 13, to insure the complete stroke of the
vibrating sparking point 10. The plates 13ª are insulated by plates 13ª of mica
or other material to prevent electrical conduction when the vibrating sparking
point 10 comes in contact with them. In vibrating the sparking point 10 in
either direction it rides over one of the plates 13ª which deflects it upward as it
approaches the fixed sparking point 8 and engages with the protuberant end
thereof, from which it escapes with a sudden movement and is received by the
other inclined insulated plate 13ª so as to carry it to the end of its stroke and
prevent its contact with the metal of the lamp.
In the form of the invention shown in Figures 22 to 25 the insulated electric
coupling 16 is adapted to be connected by an insulated conductor 17 or 17ª
and 18 (Figures 8, 10, 11, 12) with one pole of the battery or induction coil 24.
The said coupling 16, mounted by an insulator 16b in the shell 3 of the burner
makes contact by a spring arm 15 with an annular conductor or band 14 attached
through the medium of an insulating band 14ª with a sleeve 5ª projecting 4
downward from the removable chimney gallery 5. On the insulated conducting
band 14 is a standard 9 projecting upward through a tube 5° of glass or other
insulating material and surrounded by a coiled spring 9" within said tube,
connected to the standard 9 at its lower end and projecting inward horizontally
at its free upper end, so as to form a sparking point 10, having angular elasticity 4
in a horizontal plane.
The chimney gallery 5 is thus capable of free horizontal rotation without
interrupting the electrical connection between the insulated sparking conductor 9,
10, through the medium of the band 14, spring arm 15 and coupling 16 with
the insulated conductor 17, 18, leading to one pole of the battery, the other pole
of which is grounded at 21 in the body of the lamp as already described.
Contact with the insulated sparking point 10 is made by any one of a number
of studs 8 projecting upward from the outer wick tube 4, in position to be engaged
by the elastic sparking point 10 as the chimney gallery is rotated. The sparking
point 10 thus closes the electric circuit through any one of the studs 8. with
which it comes in contact, by a movement concentric with the wick and in
50
55

page_text: close proximity thereto, so that the spark produced by the separation of the
point 10 from the stud 8 is thrown into contact with the wick, effectually iguiting
the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A device for lighting lamps by electricity comprising a suitable lamp body,
a burner separable, therefrom, a source of electricity in the body or base of
the lamp grounded by one pole in the lamp body, an insulated conductor from the
other pole, an igniting device mounted on the removable burner grounded by
one end in the metal of the burner and connected at the other end with an
insulated conductor, insulated contact devices carried by the lamp body and remov-
able burner respectively, and respectively connected to the insulated conductors
therein, so as to form electric connection between the insulated conductors when
the burner is placed in position; and a suitable device for closing the electric
circuit by hand, substantially as set forth.
2. In combination with a lamp burner and suitable source of electricity and
conductors; a pair of sparking points, one or both elastic, connected with the
respective poles of the battery and having relative movement in proximity to the
lamp wick and in a line coincident or nearly so with the adjacent surface of the
wick.
3. The combination of the lamp-body 1, the removable burner 3, a suitable
source of electricity, as 19, 20, 24 and conductor 18, therefrom, in the body of
the lamp, an insulated plate 16, on the body of the lamp, in electrical connection
with the conductor 18, a circuit closing device, as 6, 8, 9, 10, mounted on the
removable burner, and a spring 15 in electrical connection with the circuit
closer and making connection with the insulated plate 16, when the burner is
placed in position, substantially as explained.
4. In a lamp provided with a suitable source of electricity and means for
igniting the burner therefrom; a removable chimney-gallery having a circuit
closing device mounted on the outside shell thereof, substantially as set forth.
5. In a lamp adapted to be ignited by electricity; the combination of a remov-
able chimney-gallery, a circuit closing, device mounted on the outer shell thereof,
and a concealed conductor, passing down from said circuit closing device, within
the outer shell of the burner and connecting with a suitable source of electricity
in the body of the lamp, substantially as explained.
6. In an oil burning lamp, the combination of the burner 3, wick 4, spring
contact-arm 6 mounted on the shell of the burner and bent as shown and described,
and the vibrating contact-arm 9, mounted by a rock shaft 11, on the shell of
the burner and adapted to carry the spring arm 6, into contact with the wick 4,
in its forward movement, as explained.
7. In an oil-burning lamp, the combination of the burner 3, wick 4, spring
contact arm 6, and vibrating contact arm 9, said contact arms having ends
bent substantially as shown and described to prevent wounding the wick, as
explained.
8. The combination of a pair of sparking points, one of them insulated, means for
vibrating one relatively to the other so as to adapt it to engage with and escape
from it, and one or more inclined bearings over which the vibrating device moves
with elastic pressure, so as to automatically separate the contact points with a
sudden movement, as explained.
9. The combination of the fixed contact 8, vibrating contact 10, operating
lever 12, and doubly inclined bearing 13 by which an instantaneous contact
breaking movement is imparted to the vibrating contact as explained.
10. In an electric lighting device for lamps, the combination of a contact piece 8,
inclined insulated bearing surfaces. 13* adjacent thereto and a vibrating contact

page_text: spring 10 sliding up on the bearing surfaces 13" and engaging with the fixed
point 8, as explained.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
Rooms 221-225, Birkbeck Bank Chambers,
Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.