IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LAMPS OR LAMP BODIES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Rolfe, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
66
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH LAMPS OR
LAMP BODIES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Rolfe at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th December 1880.
THOMAS ROLFE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
IN OR CONNECTED WITH LAMPS OR LAMP BODIES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The object of my Invention is to render paraffin, oil, gas, and every other
description of portable lamps safe, so that should they be upset by accident or
otherwise, they will automatically right themselves without spilling the contents,
thereby preventing ignition of surrounding objects, which at present causes such
lamentable loss of life and property.
According to my Invention I effect this object in several ways, but prefer as
hereinafter described, viz., by having the bottom of the lamp or reservoir sufficiently
weighted and of such form that every part of its surface which can come in contact
with a table, floor, or other level surface shall form a fulcrum to the weighted
botton, causing the lamp standard or reservoir to assume its proper and upright
position by the weight in the bottom overbalancing the weight of the superstructure.
The more suitable forms for the weighted bottom, foot stand, or reservoir of my
lamps or standards are globose or elliptical with one flat surface or polygonal.
To render it more secure I sometimes place a pipe reaching part way into the
reservoir of an inverted cone shape, for example, to prevent the spilling of the
contents upon the principle, for example, of the portable safety ink bottle.
Another way of effecting my object is by supporting a reservoir weighted at the
bottom inside the lamp or case to which the burner is attached in the like manner
as the mariner's compass; this reservoir has a hole in the top immediately beneath
the burner to admit of the lamp wick and filling; in this form should the lamp be
upset, the orifice in the reservoir will always remain uppermost, in whatever
position the lamp or case may assume.
Another way is by suspending the weighted lamp as herein before described
within a ring or rings in like manner as the mariner's compass, the outer ring being
pivotted to a pair of wheels forms an axletree, the lamp being so balanced within
the ring that it will remain upright in whatever position the wheels may assume.
I prefer making the wheels of a particular form, viz., the periphery of the wheels
may have one or more flat surfaces to prevent them rolling without considerable
force be applied usually with one flat surface to each wheel, and weighted at that
particular part to keep it downwards when being carried from place to place.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Rolfe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th June
1881.
THOMAS ROLFE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
IN OR CONNECTED WITH LAMPS OR LAMP BODIES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The object of my Invention is to render paraffin, oil, gas, and every other
description of portable lamps safe, so that should they be upset by accident or
otherwise, they will automatically right themselves without spilling the contents
thereby preventing ignition of surrounding objects, which at present causes such
lamentable loss of life and property.
According to my Invention I effect this object in several ways, but prefer as
herein after described, viz., by having the bottom of the lamp or reservoir
sufficiently weighted and of such form that every part of its surface which can
come in contact with a table, floor, or other level surface shall form a fulcrum to
the weighted bottom, causing the lamp standard or reservoir to assume its proper
and upright position by the weight in the bottom over balancing the weight of the
superstructure.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation partly in section of a
lamp constructed according to this part of my Invention; a is the lower or weighted
portion or surface; b, the base thereof; c, c, the body or reservoir which may be of
a globular form as shown; the weighted portion a is heavier than the upper or oil
containing space and burner with its appurtenances, and should the lamp or lamp
body be accidentally overturned as soon as the exterior or convex surface comes in
contact with the adjacent surface, such as a table or floor, the weighted portion
assisted by the convexity of the base will always bring the lamp back to its normal
or vertical position.
The more suitable forms for the weighted bottom, foot, stand, or reservoir of my
lamps or standards are globose or elliptical, with one flat surface, or polygonal.
To render it more secure I sometimes place a pipe d, Fig. 1, reaching part way
into the reservoir, of an inverted cone shape, for example, to prevent the spilling of
the contents, upon the principle, for example, of the portable safety ink bottle,
this internal and (preferably) slightly conical pipe for protecting the exit of the
contents should the lamp be overturned or upset; for facility of cleaning, manu-
facture, or otherwise, this conical funnel may be made to screw into or be
otherwise conveniently secured to the lamp body proper, or to the burner, but the
lamp may be made with or without this conical tube or funnel.
Another way of effecting my object is by supporting a reservoir, weighted at the
bottom, inside the lamp or case, to which the burner is attached in the like manner
as the mariner's compass; this reservoir has a hole in the top, immediately beneath
the burner, to admit of the lamp wick and filling. In this form should the lamp
be upset the orifice in the reservoir will always remain uppermost in whatever
position the lamp or case may assume.
Figure 2 shows in side elevation, partly in section, a lamp body or case con-
structed and fitted in the manner last described. a is the weighted portion of the
lamp body c, the base b of which may be rounded or of any other convenient shape.
d is the oil reservoir, weighted, as shown. g is a ring in which the reservoir & is
supported by pins, gimbals, or pivots c¹ entering therein, and by pivots c², to the
sides of the body or support c, which latter has a weighted portion a at bottom, as
shown. By means of the compass swinging arrangement the oil reservoir always
returns to or keeps in its vertical position, and should the lamp body support c be
overturned, it by means of the weighted portion a returns and brings the lamp to
its normal position.

page_text: Another way is by suspending the weighted lamp, as hereinbefore described,
within a ring or rings in like manner as the mariner's compass. The outer ring
being pivoted to a pair of wheels forms an axletree, the lamp being so balanced
within the ring that it will remain upright in whatever position the wheels may
assume. I prefer making the wheels of a particular form, viz., the periphery of the
wheels may have one or more flat surfaces to prevent them rolling without con-
siderable force be applied, usually with one flat surface to each wheel, and weighted
at that particular part to keep it downwards when being carried from place to
place. Any shape is suitable that can be suspended providing the bottom weight
be sufficient to counterbalance the superstructure.
Figure 3 is a front elevation and Figure 4, a side elevation of a lamp of this
construction. c is the oil reservoir or body of the lamp, and encircled by a hoop g,
as in Fig. 2, and to which the oil reservoir or lamp body is pivoted at c¹. The
sides of the hoop g are secured to wheels that have a lower, or eccentric, or a
weighted portion, which may be of any convenient shape. a is the weighted
portion of the wheels; and b is the flat on the periphery of the said wheels. The
lamp body or oil reservoir c may also be weighted, as shown at b¹. It is not
necessary that the oil reservoir should be of a globular form, as it may be conical,
as shown at Fig. 5, with a convex base having a flat, as shown. The adaptation
of this weight for bringing the lamp to its normal position may be applied to the
base of ordinary gas standards, as shown at Fig. 6, and acting in a manner precisely
similar to those before described.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of this my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is or may be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First. The adaptation of a weight to the base or bodies of lamps or lamp or gas
standards in such manner as to effect the immediate return of the lamp to its
normal or vertical position when it may have been accidentally or otherwise canted
or overturned, substantially as described and illustrated with reference to the
accompanying Drawing.
Second. Encircling and suspending the weighted oil reservoir by a compass
device for ensuring the level of the contents in combination with raising device, all
substantially as described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Rolfe, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
THO. ROLFE. (L.S.)