IMPROVEMENTS IN BENZOLINE LAMPS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Dyer, of Sidmouth, Devon, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BENZOLINE LAMPS."
Sealed the 3rd March 1876, and dated the 15th October 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Dyer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th October 1875.
I, JOHN DYER, of Sidmouth, Devon, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BENZOLINE LAMPS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to lamps for burning "benzoline," and is
designed particularly as an improvement upon that class of lamps
wherein a wire netting and cotton or like substance has been employed
to fill the tube of the burner and acted as a regulator or filter, but
ultimately caused fouling and obstruction to the free evaporation and
burning of the oil.
According to one arrangement I leave the tube of the burner entirely
free or unoccupied above the holes, and immediately below the holes.

page_text: within the tube I place a small disc or plug of pummicestone or other
porous material of like nature through which the vapour passes, or the
pummicestone is made to occupy the whole of the interior of the tube of
the burner, and in either case a brilliant light will be produced, but the
first described arrangement is preferred. A pin is passed through and
across the tube in such position that the cotton wick which conducts
the oil cannot come in contact with the flame, and corrosion is thus
prevented and the lamp will not require to be trimmed so frequently.
I also provide a plug or presser" actuated by screw or otherwise, so
that by tightening or "plugging" the wick the supply of oil may be
regulated.
८८
For illuminating buildings or other places by a number of such
lamps I employ branch pipes through which the oil is conducted from a
reservoir by cotton wicks laid in such branch pipes, so that a single
reservoir will supply any number of branch lights.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Dyer in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th April 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DYER, of Sidmouth, Devon, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Dyer, Her special
licence that I, the said John Dyer, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Dyer, 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 BENZOLINE LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said John Dyer, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in

page_text: writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly 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 John Dyer, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to lamps for burning light hydrocarbon oils,
and more especially for the burning of "benzoline," and is designed
particularly as an improvement upon that class of lamps wherein a wire
netting and cotton or like substance has been employed to fill the tube
of the burner and acted as a regulator or filter, but ultimately caused
fouling and obstruction to the free evaporation and burning of the
oil.
According to one arrangement I leave the tube of the burner entirely
free or unoccupied above the holes, and immediately below the holes
within the tube I place a small disc or plug of pummicestone or other
porous material of like nature through which the vapour passes, or the
pummiccstone is made to occupy the whole of the interior of the tube of
the burner, and in either case a brilliant light will be produced, but the
first described arrangement is preferred. A pin is passed through and
across the tube in such position that the cotton wick which conducts the
oil cannot come in contact with the flame, and corrosion is thus
prevented and the lamp will not require to be trimmed so frequently.
I also provide a plug or "presser" actuated by screw or otherwise, so
that by tightening or "pluging "the wick, the supply of oil may be
regulated.
For illuminating buildings or other places by a number of such lamps,
I employ branch pipes through which the oil is conducted from a
reservoir by cotton wicks laid in such branch pipes, so that a single
reservoir will supply any number of branch lights, and when this
arrangement is employed the screw plug or "presser" is particularly
advantageous, and any shaped tube whether flat or round is employed
with a closed top, and holes perforated for escape of gas, but in all cases

page_text: the wick will be placed below the holes to leave same entirely free in
order not to char or burn the cotton.
In some cases wire netting or similar substance is employed in con-
junction with the pummicestone or other porous material, the netted
wire or other substance being placed above or below the holes and
pummicestone, but below is preferable.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Inven-
tion, I claim, the improvements in benzoline lamps, substantially as
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dyer, have hereunto set my ]
hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.