CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS FOR ILLUMINATION
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
ROBERTS, of Wells Street, Cripplegate, in the City of London, Miner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Second day of October, in the ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Roberts, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said George Roberts, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said George Roberts, my executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Planta-
tions abroad, and in the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney, Sark, and
Man, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS
FOR ILLUMINATION;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
obliging me, the said George Roberts, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to
cause the same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in
part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
George Roberts, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):-
:-
My Invention of Improvements in the Construction of Lamps for Illumina-
tion may be divided under the following heads:-
First, a novel arrangement of lamp for burning solid blocks or butts of
tallow, which arrangement I term a candle lamp.
Secondly, an improved fountain lamp, in which oil of an inferior quality
may be consumed, and also modifications of burners to be applied to oil lamps.
Thirdly, improvements on the miner's lamp, to increase its security when
exposed to inflammable gases.
Fourthly, improvements in gas burners to obtain a more perfect combustion
of gas; and,
Fifthly, improved arrangements of lamps for burning naptha, turpentine,
and other resinous or volatile oils or spirits.
In Sheet I., Fig. 1 represents my improved candle lamp in partial elevation,
the upper part being removed and shewn at Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a plan view of
Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a cross section taken in the line 1. . 2, of Fig. 3. Fig. 5
is a plan view of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a section taken in the line 3. . 4, of
Fig. 5.
This lamp consists of a central tube a, a, for holding the block of
tallow to be burnt.. The nozzle of the tube a is contracted by the bent
pieces b, b, which prevent the candles from being forced out of the lamp by
the ordinary coiled spring (at bottom), which causes the tallow to rise as the
upper part of the block is consumed. By referring to the sectional view,
Fig. 4, it will be seen that the tube a is soldered or otherwise attached to an
outer tube c, which is itself fastened by a bayonet joint to the pillar d of the
candle lamp on the outside of the tube c; towards its upper end two levers e, e,
carrying on their upper end the clips f, f, are mounted (facing each other),
which clips, by means of a spring pressing each against its respective lever,
are made to embrace the wick of the lamp, as will be more fully explained.
9, g, is a ring passed over the tube a, and provided with spring clips to hold
the lower ends of two flat pieces of plaited cotton which form the wick.
this ring 9 is also attached a rack h, which is put into gear with a pinion i,
baving its bearing in the tube c, and capable of being made to revolve by
turning the button; on the end of its spindle. By this means the cotton wick
may be raised and lowered in a manner similar to that of oil or spirit lamps
To

page_text: and thus the degree of light required may be obtained. The upper end of the
wick is bent into a circle by being confined in the space between two rings k
and (see Fig. 5), and thus completely surrounds the block of tallow. On
referring to the vertical section Fig. 7, the several parts of the lamp will be
seen as put together, and the position of the wick with regard to the block-of
tallow will also be ascertained. The curved clip springs f, f, are intended to
press the wick tightly against the tube a, and prevent the melted tallow which
flows out at the lateral openings formed by the bent pieces b, b, from running
down and clogging the space between the tubes a and c. The advantage
consequent upon the application of these clips is that the wick may be raised
to any required height, and as the flame is increased the tallow will conse-
quently become more quickly fluid, and rise up by capillary attraction to feed the
wick. In the ring k are two lateral openings m, m, by which air is allowed to
pass between the edges of the two pieces of plaited cotton, and rise up in a
continuous current to the inside of the wick. n, n, is a gallery for carrying
the lamp glass, which I prefer to be of the form shewn at Fig. 7. This
gallery is provided with a ring of wood or other non-conducting material o,
and which supports the rings and l, and prevents the heat from the flame
passing down the metal tubes to the block of tallow.
The second part of my Invention, viz., an improved fountain lamp, will be
clearly seen by reference to Figures 8 and 9, Sheet I. of the Drawings,
Fig. 8 being a vertical section, and Fig. 9 a plan view of the same. A is the
chamber for receiving the oil, and B is the pillar of the lamp. C is a flexible
bag placed within the pillar B, and resting on the top of the chamber A. The
upper part of the bag is provided with a weight, which is suspended at certain
periods by a rack d in gear with a pinion E, having its bearing in the side of the
pillar of the lamp. This rack D is steadied in its upward and downward
course by its back being made to slide in a vertical V groove, standing out.
from the inner face of the pillar B at the bottom of the bag. C is an opening
into the oil chamber A, but covered over with oiled silk, or other substance
which will admit of air passing through it. In the upper part of the bag C is
a small valve opening inwards, through which air is drawn to fill the bag, and
an opening is made in the weight before mentioned to allow the air to pass to
the valve. In order to fill the lamp with oil the nut 1 is removed from the
chamber A; and the pinion E, by means of the button 2 on its spindle 3, is
made to wind up the rack and cause the elastic bag to draw in air until it
is expanded to its full extent. The spindle of the pinion E is then pushed
forwards in order that a pin on its surface may enter a slot in the bearing of
the spindle, and prevent the rack from descending, which it would otherwise

page_text: By this
do by reason of the weight at its lower end, and force out the air just drawn
into the flexible bag C. The oil is then poured into the chamber A, and the
nut 1 replaced, after which the pin on the spindle 3 may be drawn out of the
slot. The weight on the bag C being now allowed to descend, it will gradually
press the air in the bag through the opening into the oil chamber.
means the oil, finding no other vent, will be caused to rise up a vertical
tube F, the lower end of which is brought to the bottom of the chamber for
the purpose of conducting up the oil to the burner, and its upper end is in
close connection with a tube G, which leads to the burner. It should be
observed, that the bag must be weighted, according to the size of the burner
and height the oil is intended to be forced up, for too copious or too scanty a
supply of oil to the wick will prevent the efficient burning of the lamp.
*
I will now describe my improved burner. Upon the inner tube a a
vertical rod b, intended to receive a deflector, is soldered. This rod b must be
brought into the centre of the tube a, as is well understood. Over this
tube a a ring c, for carrying the cotton, slides, and to it a rack d is attached,
which is raised and depressed by the pinion e, in order to give the desired
height of cotton. f is the outer tube, between which and the tube a the cotton
is placed. The oil passing up the tube g will enter the space between the
tubes a and f and ascend to about the dotted line * whence the capillary
attraction of the cotton will raise it to the point of ignition. a' is a tube,
secured at its lower edge to the inside of the tube a, and f¹ is a similar tube,
attached in like manner to the outside of the tube f. The object of these
supplementary tubes a' and f¹ is to receive the oil which may run over from
the wick, and pass it through the ring of holes made in the tubes f and a for
that purpose again to its proper channel. Figs. 10 and 11 represent in
vertical section a modification of the above-described burner, more particularly
applicable to sine umbra lamps. In this instance the inner tube a is made
higher than the others, and instead of the tube f rising to the height of the
tube a, as in the former arrangement, a ring g is placed above it, so that the
upper edge of this ring is brought to a level with the tube a, and allows a
current of air to pass between it and the cotton. This ring 9 is supported by
a non-conducting tube h, which rests on the gallery of the lamp, and being
situated close to the flame takes up a great portion of the heat therefrom.
As the ring is insulated by the non-conducting tube h the heat cannot pass
down to the oil chamber, but will be carried off by the current of air before
mentioned. i is a cone placed above the ring g for guiding a current of air
to the flame. Figures 12 and 13 represent in vertical section and plan views
a mode of applying a wick made of bamboo cane or coarse porous wood to

page_text: oil and spirit lamps. This substance is made hollow and placed between two
tubes in a manner similar to ordinary wicks. At their upper end these tubes
are connected together by a flat ring of metal pierced with small holes like an
Argand gas burner. The cane or wood is attached at bottom to a ring by
pins, and is raised and lowered by a rack which carries that ring. When a
light is applied to the burner, the oil or spirit, which has passed by capillary
attraction up the cane or other porous wood, will become ignited, and flame
through the small holes at the top of the burner. By this adaptation a lasting
wick is obtained, and an economy in the burning of lamps effected.
The third part of my Invention, viz., improvements in the miner's lamp,
will be seen by reference to Figures 1 and 2, Sheet II. Fig. 1 represents the
lamp in vertical section, and Fig. 2 is a cross section, taken in the line 1. . 2,
of Fig. 1. a is the reservoir for holding the oil, and b is a nut carrying the
wick tube. The reservoir is filled by removing the nut b, as is usual. c, c, is a
metal gallery screwed to the top of the reservoir, and into it are screwed the
rods d, d, by which the lamp is suspended, and also the rods e, e, which support
the ordinary cylinder of wire gauze f, f. 9, 9, is a cylinder of glass resting on
the gallery, and on its upper edge it carries a flange of metal which supports
three flat rings of wire gauze h, placed one above the other, as shewn in the
Drawing. These rings are further sustained and kept in their place by the
metal rings i, i, on the tube k, which is itself supported by the rods e, e, above
the flame, and forms the chimney of the lamp. 1, 1, is a dome of wire gauze
supported by the glass tube, and is intended to cut off the direct action of the
atmosphere from the lamp. It will now be seen that a great additional
security is obtained over the ordinary miner's lamp, for by my improvement
the air which feeds the flame will pass first through the wire dome l, thence
through the three thicknesses of wire gauze h, until it arrives at the ordinary
cylinder of gauze, which is in close proximity to the flame. By my improved
arrangement of lamp, I am therefore enabled, without diminishing the
quantity of available light, to interpose any given number of thicknesses of
wire gauze between the outer atmosphere and the space in the lamp where
combustion is effected. The centre opening of the gallery is surrounded by
a raised portion or flange, which will prevent any oil which may ooze out of
the air hole in the nut b, when the lamp is tipped on one side, from creeping
up the gauze cylinder f and becoming ignited.
In Sheet II. the improved arrangements of gas burners which constitute the
fourth head of my Invention are also shewn. Fig. 3 is a plan view, and
Fig. 4 a vertical section, of one of these improved arrangements.
a is the
gallery for carrying the glass chimney and globe. It is connected by arms to

page_text: the gas tube b, the upper end of which enters the Argand burner c. The
space between the gallery and the burner is covered in by a metal cone d,
pierced around its middle with small holes. On the under side of the gallery
a small rod e, bent to a right angle, is fastened, and projects upwards through
the centre of the burner. This rod is intended to receive a deflector f, as
shewn in the Drawing. In addition to the vertical orifices of the burner there
are horizontal orifices pierced through the inner surface of the burner. The
air in passing up to the flame will be divided; a part, flowing outward through
the small holes in the cone, will be guided to the outside of the flame by the
glass chimney, and the remainder will be made to impinge upon different
heights of the flame by the peculiar construction of deflector f. Fig. 5
represents a mode of adapting two cones, or what are technically termed cones,
to an Argand gas burner. a and b shew the cones, which are made fast to the
burner c by pins d, d. The inner cone a is formed like a trumpet mouth, and
the cone 6 has an inclination inwards or in the opposite direction to the cone a.
By placing the cones in that position with regard to each other shewn in the
Drawing, a circular space or opening, of larger diameter than the ring of holes
in the burner, is made for the issue of the gas and two separate streams of
atmospheric air, one of which rises between the cone a and the burner, and the
other between the cone 6 and the burner. The larger stream, however, rising
between the cone a and the burner, will cause the flame to spread outwards;
but meeting with two other currents of air, viz., one which passes up
between the glass chimney and the cone 6, and one which passes up the
cone a, the flame will be elongated and made to bend inwards, and thus form
a "tulip flame." Fig. 6 shews a modified application of the inner and outer
cones, which in this case are portions of true cones, the inner one being
inverted, in order that its upper edge, with the upper edge of the outer cone,
may form a circular open space above the burner. The upper part of the
burner, it will be seen, is not pierced with holes for the exit of the gas, but is
left open;
the circular space therefore between the upper edges of the cones
must be so narrow as to throttle the gas, and the currents of air coming up
and mingling with the gas, as in the former instance, a more perfect combus-
tion will be attained than by the ordinary gas burners. By the arrangement
at Fig. 7 a similar effect to the above is produced. The cones being placed
below the point of ignition rest on flanges on either side of the burner, and
respectively conduct a current of air to the lateral openings in the burner,
where the gas and atmospheric air mingle and issue out at the top of the
burner to be consumed.
The fifth part of my Invention consists in certain improved arrangements

page_text: of lamps for burning naptha, turpentine, and other resinous or volatile oils or
spirits. These arrangements are shewn in various views in Sheet III. Fig. 1
is a front view, and Fig. 2 a sectional elevation, of one of my new constructions
of spirit lamps. One peculiarity in these arrangements is, that I am enabled
to introduce a much greater length of cotton than has heretofore been used in
vase lamps, or those lamps which have the reservoir in close proximity to the
burner. Another improvement, which is also applied to the different construe-
tions of lamps shewn in Sheet III., is my improved deflector, by which I am
enabled to obtain a clear flame of great length, similar to that produced by an
Argand gas burner, and that with a perfect, or nearly perfect, combustion of
the common or inferior qualities of spirit or volatile oil. On referring to
Figures 1 and 2, which I will now describe, it will be seen that the spindle a,
which carries the pinion and nut for raising the cotton, is placed below the
vase or receiver A, which contains the spirit to be consumed. By this means
the wickholder b can be made to carry a wick about two thirds the length of
the central tube B, and the rack c of the wickholder being consequently
lengthened, provision is made for its lower end to descend into the cup c,
where a small tube, attached to the lower end of the receiver A, is placed to
receive it. To the inside of the tube B a rod d is attached, which rises up
the centre of the tube and carries a deflector e on its upper end. f and g
are two cones made of wedgewood or other non-conducting material, and sup-
ported by the gallery h. A cotton wick passes up between the tube B and the
cone f; and between the cones f and g a current of air is admitted to the
burner through a ring of holes pierced in the gallery for that purpose. A
second ring of holes, as shewn in the Drawings, is made, in order to bring a
current of air to the bottom edge of the glass chimney and keep it cool while
the lamp is burning. The deflector, it will be seen, is provided with two steps
1 and 2 on its under side, the lower one being smaller in diameter than the
other. The object of these steps is to resist the upward progress of the current
of air which ascends the tube B and throw it off on to the flame. When the
wick is raised a short distance above the tube B, the lower step 2 will have a
much more powerful action on the flame than the upper step 1, for or on the
wick being raised to a level with the step 2 the current of air will be deflected
almost at right angles, and drive the flame off the upper edge of the cotton, and
produce a short but brilliant flame; but if a greater light is required, the cotton
may be raised until its upper end comes to a line intermediate between the
steps 1 and 2; a similar effect of driving the flame off the wick will then be
obtained by the deflecting of the air from the step 1, and thus a long, bright,
and steady flame will be produced without black smuts being thrown out from.

page_text: the chimney, as is generally the case with spirit lamps after burning a short
time at their full height of flame.
Figure 3 represents, in vertical section, another of my improved spirit lamps.
In this lamp the non-conducting cones are not used, but a current of air is
passed up between the cotton and the outer tube i, i. This tube is screwed
on to the upper part of the vase or reservoir A, and is pierced with holes at its
lower end, as shewn at k, k. At the lower end, and on the inside of the
tube i, a conel is attached, which is of just sufficient diameter at top to allow of
the cotton and its holder passing up between the cone and the central tube B.
The diameter of the upper part of the tube i is gradually lessened, as shewn
in the Drawing. When the lamp is burning a current of air will be drawn
through the holes k, k, and be guided upwards to the cone 1; thence it will pass
between the tube i and the cotton until it comes in contact with the flame,
which is driven out by the action of the inner current of air upon the deflector
e, as before described. The current of air which passes up the tube i will
preserve the cotion from the small knobs of carbon, or what are termed
"mushrooms," which are liable to form upon the wick when the lamp has
been burning for two or three hours. m is a deflecting cone, which rests upon
the gallery and conducts a current of air on to the flame. If from any sudden
external draft the currents of air which feed the lamp are forced backwards,
the cone will intercept the air rushing down the tube i, and cause it to make
its exit at the holes k instead of effecting an entrance into the reservoir, which
might cause an explosion. The arrangement of the wickholder, with its rack
and pinion, and also the deflector e, are precisely the same as described with
reference to Fig. 2.
Figure 4 represents, in vertical section, a further modification of my improved
spirit lamp. In this arrangement the cone is employed, but instead of the
tube i and the metal cone m, as in Fig. 3, two non-conducting cones n and o
are used, and consequently a shorter and more compact lamp is produced, the
heat from the burner being cut off from the reservoir A, although a very little
elevated above it. The arrangement and action of the lamp are in other
respects exactly similar to that last described.
At Fig. 5 I have shewn a mode of applying an asbestos wick to spirit or oil
lamps.
a and b are two tubes of varying diameters. The small tube a is
placed within the tube b, and may carry a rod to support a deflector, as shewn.
The tube 6 is pierced with holes at its lower end to allow the spirit or oil to
enter the space between the tubes a and b, and in this place the abestos is
placed. By capillary attraction the spirit or oil will be drawn upwards and
give a continuous supply to the upper part of the wick.

page_text: . At Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, I have shewn different forms of deflectors, which
I find may be employed with great advantage to oil, spirit, and gas lamps gene-
rally. The deflector shewn at Fig. 6 is merely a modified form of that which
has been already described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 7 represents a flat
disc of metal a, to the outer edge of which a curved piece of perforated metal
is attached, thus forming a cap through which the air will pass in small streams
to the flame. Fig. 8 shews a hollow rod a, on the upper end of which a
deflector similar to a trumpet mouth is placed. By the employment of this
deflector two currents of air are simultaneously brought to act in the inside of
the flame. Fig. 9 also shews a trumpet-mouth deflector, which receives a
current of air from a hollow rod to be deflected on to the flame, but in this
instance the mouth is closed with a flat disc, and the sides of the deflector are
pierced with small holes.
Having now described my improvements in the construction of lamps for
illumination, I wish it to be understood that although in the accompanying
Drawings I have shewn several parts of lamps as now ordinarily manufactured,
and have referred to such parts in my description, I lay no claim thereto, but
have shewn and described them in order more fully to make my improvements
understood. But that which I claim, and desire to secure by the above in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, the construction and arrangement of candle lamp as above
described, whereby I am enabled to regulate the flame with as great case as in
an oil lamp.
Secondly, with respect to oil lamps, I claim the general arrangement of
fountain lamp as above described, and particularly the application of the sup-
plemental tubes, which form receivers for the overflow oil, and conduct it again
to the wick; also the modification in which a non-conducting ring is used in
conjunction with the supplementary tubes.
Thirdly, with regard to the miner's lamp, I claim the application of flat
rings of wire gauze whereby I am enabled to increase the safety of such lamps
by interposing any given number of layers or thicknesses of wire gauze
between the flame and the outer atmosphere without obscuring the illuminating
power of the lamp.
Fourthly, as respects the gas burners, I claim the general arrangement
thereof, as above described and shewn in the Drawings, whereby I am enabled
to burn gas with greater economy and produce a brilliant flame.
Fifthly, with respect to my improvements in lamps for burning volatile oils
or spirits, I claim the arrangement herein described, whereby I am enabled to
use a much longer cotton in vase lamps than has heretofore been done. I

page_text: also claim the mode of bringing a current of air up between the outside tube
and the cotton, in order that it may impinge upon the flame; and I likewise
claim the application and use of the cone attached to the interior of the outer
tube, which cone checks any downward current of air to the reservoir, and
thus prevent explosion.
Sixthly, the application of wicks of cane or porous wood, as shewn in
Sheet II., and of asbestos, as shewn in Sheet III.
And lastly, the several forms of deflectors, as exhibited in Sheet III.,
whether made of metal or earthenware.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Roberts, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.