Improvements in Hydrocarbon Burners.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1890
VULELE SI BOID LUATION.
Improvements in Hydrocarbon Burners.
I REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of 18 Bucking-
ham Street, Strand W.C. in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, a communication from abroad by Otto Ewert
of 188 Starkweather Avenue and John Andrew Mehling of 674 Superior Street
Manufacturers both of Cleveland, State of Ohio United States of America and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to an improvement in hydrocarbon burners for heating and
it consists in certain features of construction and in combination of parts herein after
described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the burner and
attachments showing also in reduced size and in section, an oil container of the
student lamp variety. Fig. 2 is an elevation in section through the centre of the
burner. Fig. 3 is a plan partly in section taken on line xx Fig. 2.
The burner is of the so called Argand variety the body thereof having outer and
inner walls A and A' the inner wall enclosing a large central opening or duct A³ for
the upward passage of air. Walls A A' are integral at the bottom and above the
baso these walls are separated far enough to provide a wick chamber, to accommodate
the wick F. The wick chamber is in open relation at the bottom thereof with the
bore of nozzles A to which nozzles are attached the feed pipes h the one feed pipe
connecting with the supply tank H and the other feed pipe leading for instance to
another burner. The outer wall is provided with a hollow boss a in the chamber of
which operates the toothed wheel F¹ of ordinary construction for raising and lowering
the wick. This wheel is mounted on a spindle F' and the latter in addition to a
thumbpiece (not shown) for operating the same, has attached a laterally projecting
pin this pin being located in closed proximity to the one end or face of boss a.
The latter is provided with a series of holes a¹ and a staple fi is provided having a
long and short leg as shown, these legs being adapted to enter the holes a', meantime
the prongs passing astride pin thus locking the wickshifting mechanism.
The staple having been adjusted in the different holes so that the wick is at the
proper elevation for burning, if the staple be partially withdrawn so that pin f may
pass by the short leg of the staple, wheel F may then be turned for instance in the
direction to raise the wick for lighting after which the wheel is reversed until pin
engages the long leg of tho staple whereupon the staple is returned to its place for
locking the parts. This stop mechanism will be found very convenient for the reason
that the operator has not to adjust the wick for burning every time that the burner is
lighted. As the wick is wasted away by use the staple from time to time is adjusted
in different holes. For purposes hereinafter mentioned the upper section of wall A is
provided with outwardly projecting vertical ribs or swells a² each of which has a
vertical groove a³, these grooves being preferably V shaped and preferably three in
number, the grooves being arranged equi distant circumferentially. The body of the
burner of which walls A A¹ are the principal members is of cast metal, usually iron,
and to prevent these walls from becoming overheated thereby evaporating the oil in
the wick chamber and possibly charring the wick, we provide these walls with
extension walls B B' of thin sheet metal, that being exposed to the air will not
transmit much heat to the members below. Members B B₁ are so far separated that
they do not come in contact with the wick except near the upper end thereof, where
they approach each other for supporting the wick and above this point walls BR¹
flare away from the wick as shown at bb the flaring sections being perforated to
supply air to any vapour that there may be below the flame and thereby render this

page_text: vapour combustible, otherwise more or less of this vapour might escape unconsumed
and emit disagreeable odours.
The chimney consists of inner and outer perforated tubes C C resting respectively
on the upper ends of the flaring sections of walls B B. Tube C' above the line of
tube C has an imperforate section the latter being preferably closed at the top and
being of such external form, according to the circumstances, as will fill the flame
without changing the natural form of the flame. If the burner is to be used for
heating for instance vessels, the vessel should engage or come in close proximity to
the top end of the member C3 which we call a flame filler, the function of the latter
being simply to fill the flame and thereby prevent jets of current of air from breaking
through the flame, whereby disagrecable odours would be emitted by such disturbance
of the flame.
If member C² wore omitted, the flame by impinging the bottom of the vessel,
would naturally flare out assuming an inverted conical form, and member C² should
be of such external form as to fill the flaine under such conditions without changing
the form of tho flame. In case there was no vessel or article to be heated and the
burner was used for instance for heating a room in the absence of member (the
flame would naturally assume a conical form and under such condition inembor (2
should be shaped accordingly to fill the flame without changing the natural form of
the flame, such modification of members C adapted to such circumstances being
approximately shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. Member C is therofore in no senso a
flaine spreader for the reason aforesaid that it is not intended to and does not spread
or change the form of the flame and on the other hand a flame spreader would not
perform the function of the socalled flame filler C for the reason that better results
accrue where the flame is not interfered with by such internal appliance. The closed
upper end of member C prevents the cold air from passing up through the chimney
and consequently such air supply is forced through the perforations of the inner
tube B¹ where it is wanted to support the combustion and if the upper end of member C
were not closed a diaphragm would have to be inserted lower down to prevent the
upward passage of air through the same.
Heretofore the outer perforated tube was provided at or near the bottom thereof
with a band to which band were attached steadypins, the latter engaging the prongs
of a forked lever, by manipulating which lover the outer tube could bo raised or
lowered. There were several objections to such construction, to wit:-First only
the outer tube could be raised by means of the lever whereas it is desirable to
raise both tubes by such means: Second, the steady pins were easily bent and thereby
rendered inoperative, and third, the band covered numerous perforations of the tube
and hence this band had to be perforated, which together with the necessary fitting
rendered such construction comparatively expensive and in place thereof we provide
as follows.
Tubes C C are separated by wings c usually three in number by means of which
tube C¹ is held in place concentric with the outer tube. Wings cat the bottom extend
more or less under the conical section of tubo C and these wings are shown hooking
over the upper end of tube C. If the wings were attached to the outer tube the inner
tubo would be raised with the outer tube by reason of these wings engaging the
conical section of the inner tube. If the wings were attached to the inner tube, this
tube would be raised by means of the wings hocking over the upper ends of the outer
tube, hence these wings may be attached to either tube whichever is found most
convenient, but in either case there should be slight end play so that the respective
tubes CC in their depressed position will always rest on their respective sents.
D is a metal band preferably of malleable cast iron and having upwardly projecting
integral arms D' preferably three in number the upper extremes of these arms being
rivetted or otherwise secured to tube C near the lower end of the latter. The inner
face of the band is provided with inwardly projecting vertical ribs d. these ribs
corresponding with and being adapted to operate grooves a³ aforesaid thereby serving
as guides for the chimney. These ribs are usually but not necessarily coincident
with arms D¹.

page_text: E is the forked lever pivotally attached to steady pin e the latter being adapted to
fit easily in a vertical hole of lug a' of member A by which arrangement the steady
pin can be lifted from its seat whereby the lever is easily removed for packing,
shipping etc. The prongs E' of this lever are adapted to hear against the under edge
of band D and hence by depressing the free end of this lever the chimney may be
raised for lighting or other purposes.
His an oil container of the student lamp variety and hence need not be described
in detail, this container being located at the proper elevation to bring the fluid line y y
in the burner just above the joint in the body of the burner.
We will remark that in constructing the band and the body of the burner it may be
found advisable to change places with ribs d and grooves a³ that is to say to construct
the grooves on the band and the ribs on the burner.
It is found that when the burner is not in use for any considerable time for instance
overnight the oil of the wick chamber will by capillary attraction find its way along
up the surface of tubes C C and when the burner is afterwards lighted, this oil on the
chimney will produce disagreeable odours, and much smoke until it is burned off. To
remedy this difficulty we provide a poise E³ the same being mounted loosely on lever E
so that the poise may be moved lengthwise the lever. When the poise is near the
fulcrum of the lover, for instance in the position shown in solid lines the chimney
overbalances the poise and consequently the chimney remains in its depressed position
resting upon its seats upon the burner. When the poise is shifted for instance to
the position shown in dotted lines the poise will overbalance the chimney and hold
the latter elevated. When therefore the burner is to stand idle the poise is adjusted
to the near end of the lever thus breaking connection between the chimney and the
body of the burner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is
1. In a hydrocarbon, oil burner, a wick tube of the Argand variety having an
upward extension of thin metal the inner and outer walls of the extension being
separated from the wick except at or near the burning point of the wick substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A wick tube of the Argand variety the same having extension enclosing an air
chamber through which the wick passes without contact with the enclosing walls of
such chamber, the latter being located below and extending to near the burning point
of the wick substantially as set forth.
3. In a hydrocarbon oil burner a wick tube of the Argand variety having an upward
extension, the walls thereof near the upper end being contracted to engage the wick
and above such contraction the walls being flanged or flared away from the wick such
flanges having perforations substantially as set forth.
4. In a hydrocarbon oil burner, a wick tube of the Argand variety having an
upward extension, the inner and outer walls of the extension being separated from the
wick except at or near the burning point of the latter where they aro contracted to
engage the wick, the said tube being perforated at points above the contracted portion
thereof substantially as set forth.
5. In an oil burner of the so-called Argand variety a chimney comprising inner and
outer perforated tubes the inner tube having an imperforate extension the external
form thereof being adapted to fill the flame of the burner without materially changing
the form, that the flame according to the circumstances would assume with such
extension or flame filler omitted substantially as set forth.
6. In an oil burner of the Argand variety a chimney comprising inner and outer
perforated tubes, having wings or intervening members adapted to hold the tubes
concentric with each other, such intervening members being connected with the one
tube and having such engagement with the opposing tube that the inner tube may be
lifted by raising the outer tube substantially as set forth.
7. In a burner of the variety indicated a chimney comprising inner and outer
perforated tubes the inner tube having a reduced lower section of a series of wings

page_text: located between the tubes and fastened to the one tube, such wings being adapted to
embrace the reduced section of the inner tube, whereby the inner tube may be
lifted by raising the outer tube substantially as set forth.
8. In an oil burner of the variety indicated a chimney comprising inner and outer
perforated tubes and having a series of wings located between the tubes and rigidly
connected with the one tube such wings having shoulders located above the outer tube
whereby the wings and the inner tube may be raised by raising the outer tube
substantially as set forth.
9. In combination, burner and chimney substantially as indicated, a band encircling
the body of the burner, such band having upwardly projecting arms rigidly secured to
the chimney, forked lever pivotally connected with the burner, the prongs of such
lever being adapted to engage and elevate the band and connected chimney substan-
tially as set forth.
10. In combination, burner, chimney and band having arms connected with the
chimney substantially as indicated such band and enclosed burner having respectively
mutually engaging vertical grooves and ribs for guiding the band and connected
chimney substantially as set forth.
11. In combination, oil burner for heating the same being of the Argand variety
and constructed substantially as indicated of oil container of the student lamp variety
such container being operatively connected with the wick tube of the burner, such
container being located substantially as shown whereby the fluid line of the burner is
maintained at the desired elevation substantially as set forth.
12. The combination with burner and chimney substantially as indicated of lever
operatively connected with the chimney for raising the latter, a poiso mounted loosely
on the lever and adjustable lengthwise of the latter substantially as set forth.
13. In combination with burner and spindle for moving the wick substantially as
indicated, and a hollow boss in which the spindle is supported said boss having a series
of holes in concentric order with the spindle of mechanism substantially as shown for
stopping and locking the wick shifting mechanism substantially as set forth.
Dated this 17th day of December 1980
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicants.