Improvements in Oil Lamps.
Year: 1888

page_text: ate of Application, 9th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1889-Accepted, 9th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
1, TELFORD MAONEILL, of No. 3 Spring Gardens, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It
My Invention relates to that description of oil lamps in which non-volatile oils are
used, the oil being supplied from a reservoir at or above the level of the burner.
consists mainly in effecting the supply of oil to the lamp from a raised reservoir by
means of a siphon float such as I have described in my Provisional Specification
No. 6881 of 1888, whereby a very uniform supply of oil to the burner is effected, the
one limb of the siphon being made to dip into the oil in the reservoir while the other
limb discharges into a tube leading to the burner. The supply of oil is arranged so
as to be in excess of the quantity consumed by the burner, so that the quantity in
excess overflows the burner and flows into a tube or channel which conducts it into
a receptacle below. This lower receptacle is made readily detachable so that when
full its contents can be poured back into the reservoir above. The supply pipe to
the burner has a stop cock that is closed when the lamp is not in use.
Lamps operating in the above described manner can be constructed in a variety of
ways. Thus according to one arrangement, the vessel for receiving the overflow is
constructed as a separate ornamental vase placed upon a support beneath the burner,
or according to another arrangement it is made to form the pedestal of the lamp,
having a tubular stem rising from it, upon the upper end of which is fixed the
reservoir with siphon float, while at an intermediate point it has branching from it an
arm carrying the burner. The supply tube from the reservoir, into the upper end of
which the one limb of the siphon passes, extends down to the said branch through
which it passes and whence it rises to the wick-tube of the burner. The branch carries
an open cup below the wick tube of the burner, into which the oil overflows, and
whence it is led through the branch, or through a second tube therein, into the
tubular stem of the lamp, in which it descends into the pedestal-reservoir below.
There may be two or more burners upon two or more radial arms either fed from
one common reservoir in the centre or from separate reservoirs.
The tubular stem may be connected in any convenient manner, capable of ready
detachment to the pedestal reservoir; thus it may slide in a tubular socket thereon in
which it is held by a setting screw, so that by adjusting the position of the stem the
height of the lamp can be varied. The burner may also be arranged immediately
over the tubular stem and the reservoir be carried by the tubular arm, or thero may
be two opposite reservoirs carried by two tubular arms, the one reservoir serving to
supply the burner by a siphon float, while the other reservoir merely communicates
with the first one, or the reservoir that supplies the burner may have an annular
reservoir connected to it, surrounding the burner.
In the first described arrangement, the tubular stem may terminate in two or
more branches at top, each of which may carry an arm with burner and oil reservoir,
the overflow of each burner being made to discharge through its branch and stem
into the pedestal reservoir.
Or there may be a group of two or more tubular stems rising from either a single
overflow reservoir or from separate reservoirs, each stem carrying one or more arms
with burners and supply reservoirs.
According to another arrangement, the tubular arm may be made of sufficient
internal capacity to constitute the overflow vessel, being provided with a stop cock
for drawing off the oil. The arm may in this case be arranged to slide up and
down on a solid stem in a similar manner to reading lamps now used, and it may
support the oil reservoir on an extension of the arm beyond the stem.

page_text: For larger pedestal lamps there may be a number of burners carried on radial
arms from a central stem or pillar, the oil reservoirs being arranged upon the said
arms close against the stem, and the overflow vessels may be arranged as more or
less ornamental pendants below the arms next to the stem.
A similar arrangement may also be adopted for suspended or pendant lamps,
the supporting stem being simply made to pass upward to the ceiling instead of
downward.
Although I prefer to effect the supply of oil to the above described lamps by
means of the siphon float apparatus above referred to, yet I in some cases also effect
a uniform supply to the burner by the following arrangement. At any desired level
above the burner is arranged a cup to which the supply tube to the burner is
connected and which has an overflow pipe passing down to the overflow vessel before
described. This cup is fed with oil from any suitable reservoir the supply being so
arranged that the oil always overflows the overflow pipe more or less, so that the
oil level will always be constant in the cup and consequently the supply to the burner
always uniform, although the supply to the cup may vary more or less.
Dated this 9th day of May 1888.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
1, TELFORD MACNEILL of No. 3 Spring Gardens, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to that description of oil lamps in which non-volatile oils are
used, the oil being supplied from a reservoir at or above the level of the burner.
It consists mainly in effecting the supply of oil to the lamp from a raised reservoir
by means of a siphon float such as 1 have described in my Specification No. 6881
of 1888 whereby a very uniform supply of oil to the burner is effected, the one
limb of the siphon being made to dip into the oil in the reservoir while the other
limb discharges into a tube leading to the burner. The supply of oil is arranged
Bo as to be in excess of the quantity consumed by the burner, so that the quantity
in excess overflows the burner and flows into a tube or channel which conducts it into
a receptacle below. This lower receptacle is made readily detachable so that when
full its contents can be poured back into the reservoir above. The supply pipe to the
burner has a stop cock that is closed when the lamp is not in use.
Lamps operating in the above described manner can be constructed in a variety of
ways. Thus according to one arrangement, the vessel for receiving the overflow
is constructed as a separate ornamental vase placed upon a support beneath the
burner, or, according to another arrangement it is made to form the pedestal of the
lamp, having a tubular stem rising from it, upon the upper end of which is fixed
the reservoir with siphon float, while at an intermediate point it has branching from
it an arm carrying the burner. The supply tube from the reservoir into the upper
end of which the one limb of the siphon passes, extends down to the said branch
through which it passes and whence it rises to the wick-tube of the burner. The
branch carries an open cup below the wick tube of the burner, into which the oil over-
flows, and whence it is led through the branch, or through a second tube therein,
into the tubular stem of the lamp, in which it descends into the pedestal reservoir
below.
There may be two or more burners upon two or more radial arms either fed
from one common reservoir in the centre or from separate reservoirs.
The tubular stem may be connected in any convenient manner, capable of ready
detachment to the pedestal reservoir; thus it may slide in a tubular socket thereon

page_text: in which it is held by a setting screw, so that by adjusting the position of the stem
the height of the lamp can be varied. The burner may also be arranged immediately
over the tubular stem and the reservoir to be carried by the tubular arm, or there
may be two opposite reservoirs carried by two tubular arms, the one reservoir
serving to supply the burner by a siphon float, while the other reservoir merely
communicates with the first one, or the reservoir that supplies the burner may have
an annular reservoir connected to it, surrounding the burner.
In the first described arrangement, the tubular stem may terminate in two or
more branches at top, each of which may carry an arm with burner and oil reservoir,
the overflow of each burner being made to discharge through its branches and stem
into the pedestal reservoir.
Or there may be a group of two or more tubular stems rising from either a single
overflow reservoir or from separate reservoirs, each stem carrying one or more arms
with burners and supply reservoirs.
According to another arrangement, the tubular arın may be made of sufficient
internal capacity to constitute the overflow vessel, being provided with a stop cock
for drawing off the oil. The arm may in this case be arranged to slide up and
down on a solid stem in a similar manner to reading lamps now used, and it may
support the oil reservoir on an extension of the arm beyond the stem.
For larger pedestal lamps there may be a number of burners carried on radial
arms from a central stem or pillar, the oil reservoirs being arranged upon the said
arms close against the stem, and the overflow vessels may be arranged as more or less
ornamental pendants below the arms next to the stem.
A similar arrangement may also be adopted for suspended or pendant lamps,
the supporting stem being simply made to pass upward to the ceiling instead of
downward.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews one construction of lamp according
to my above described invention; Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of oil reservoir and
burner detached from the pedestal, to an enlarged scale Fig. 3 shews a sectional plan
of the reservoir, and Figs. 4 and 5 shew part vertical sections taken respectively
on lines and y y Fig. 3; Fig. 6 shows an elevation of the pedestal reservoir,
detached.
The burner A, which may be of any suitable known construction, is carried on
an arm B projecting from a stem C, the upper end of which carries the oil reservoir D
while the lower end is adapted to fit into the pedestal E so as to be readily removeable
therefrom.
From the reservoir D a passage F leads down through the stem C and arm B
and is connected by a tube F¹ to the interior of the burner, so that the oil discharged
from the reservoir passes through this passage and tube into the burner, while the
overflow from the burner descends into a second passage G in the arm B into the
hollow lower end of the stem and passes thence into the hollow pedestal E which
constitutes a second reservoir.
The reservoir D contains a siphon float arrangement constructed and operating in
the same manner as described in the Specification to my before mentioned application
No. 68818 that is to say, a float H, provided with a tube H' sliding upon a central
discharge tube D', carries a siphon I, the suction limb of which is situated in a
perforated or wire gauze straining tube J fixed to the tube D', while the discharge
limb is situated in a tube K, also connected to the tube D', with which it commu-
nicates through an opening K' situated at a certain distance above the closed bottom
of the tube K. From this arrangement it will be seen that at whatever level the oil
may stand in the reservoir D, the floating siphon will always discharge a uniform
quantity of oil into the tube K and thence through opening K' into the channel F,
while at the same time the lower end of the tube K will always remain filled with oil,
so that when, owing to the sinking of the oil level in the reservoir, the siphon float
has descended into the position shewn at Figs. 2 and 4, its discharge orifice will
dip into the oil in the tube K and consequently any farther discharge will be prevented
as soon as the oil in the reservoir has sunk to the same level, the siphon however

page_text: remaining charged with oil, so that as soon as the reservoir is refilled its action will
be started again.
The supply of oil by the siphon is so regulated that this is in excess of the
quantity consumed by the burner, so that the latter is always well supplied with oil,
whereby a uniformly brilliant light is obtained; the surplus oil, as before stated,
passes down into the pedestal reservoir E, and when it has collected herein to a certain
extent, the lamp stem is lifted out, and the oil is either poured directly back into
the reservoir or into another receptacle.
The capacity of the overflow reservoir is made sufficiently large relatively to the
reservoir D as to prevent any risk of its becoming filled while the lamp is in
action.
The discharge of the siphon can be regulated so as to give a greater or smaller
excess over the oil consumed, by providing the float H with one or more removeable
weights L so that by increasing the weight of the siphon by means hereof it can be
immersed to an increased extent, whereby the discharge orifice of the siphon will be
lowered to a greater distance below the oil level in the reservoir and thus an increased
discharge be obtained.
The height of the siphon relatively to the oil level could also be adjusted by a screw
connection to the guide tube.
The passage F is rendered accessible for cleansing purposes, through a stoppered
opening at F, and the passage G may also have an opening G₁ for the same
purpose.
When the lamp is not in use, the discharge of oil from the reservoir is stopped by
.means of a cock M.
.
Fig. 7 to 13 shew variously modified forms of the above described lamp. In the
arrangement at Fig. 7 there are two of the before described reservoirs and burners A
combined with one_pedestal reservoir, E, this being formed with tubular brackets E¹
into which the stems C of the burners fit, and which communicate by a passage at
the lower part with the interior of the reservoir E. Fig. 8 shews the same construction
with three or four reservoirs and lamps. Fig. 9 shews the same construction applied
as a pendant chandelier, in this case the stems of the lamps are carried in sockets E¹
formed on a hollow ring E that communicates by tubes E³ with the lower
reservoir E.
The hollow ring E' may also be made of sufficient capacity to dispense with the
reservoir E.
The accumulated contents of the reservoir E are discharged from time to time
through a cock at E which may be covered by a cap as shewn, for protection, the
cap being so formed that it can only be put on when the cock is in the closed position.
Fig. 10 shews a similar construction of chandelier, in which the ring E is made to
constitute the reservoir, the contents of which are withdrawn by a cock at E'. In
the modification shewn. at Fig. 11 the reservoir E consists of a removeable vessel
suspended from the ring E', each lamp being provided with a bent pipe E' discharging
into the vessel E.
Fig. 12 shows a pedestal lamp in which there is a single siphon reservoir D for
supplying two lamps A, the only difference in construction being that the reservoir
contains two siphons, each of which discharges into a separate supply channel leading
to the burner.
Fig. 13 shews a similar construction to that at Fig. 8 applied as a large pedestal
lamp, the lower reservoir E being formed as a removeable vessel contained in the
lower part of the pedestal, which is formed with a door for access thereto. Figs. 14
and 15, shew other modified forms of the lamp, the burner A being situated over
the pedestal E in Fig. 14, while the reservoir D is on the bracket B; at Fig. 15
the reservoir and burner are each carried by a bracket.
Fig. 16 shews a construction in which the reservoir D is made of annular form,
and is supported above the burner A by two arms B B¹, of which the arm B is made
tubular, and serves to supply the oil to the burner, the floating siphon discharge HI
being situated over this arm, in a recessed part of the reservoir, as shewn in the
→

page_text: sectional part plan at Fig. 17. The projecting guide and exhaust tube D¹ is covered
by a cap D' and a stoppered opening is provided at D³ for filling the reservoir. The
float H, being of extended form, is guided at each end by vertical rods H' fixed to
the reservoir. The overflow of the burner passes from the drip pipe G into the stem C,
which fits into a pedestal as at Fig. 6.
Fig. 18 shews a form of chimney glass N which I have found to answer well
with my improved construction of lamp. It is formed trumpet mouthed at both
ends, being otherwise of equal diameter throughout. It may be conveniently
supported by claws O carried by a gallery P fitting on the burner, one of the claws
being made to spring open for removing the glass and to be kept closed by a screw
as shewn. With this glass may be conveniently used a shade Q, held on the glass
by a coiled wire spring Q¹.
Figs. 19 and 20 shew respectively an elevation and part section of a construction
of the lamp adapted for use on board ship. For this purpose the annular reservoir D
is hung in a gimbal ring R, and carries the burner A by arms B B of which B
forms the passage for the oil supply from the siphon float at I. The burner is
enclosed in a glass globe S; the reservoir -E for receiving the overflow, shewn
detached at Fig. 19, is carried by a bayonet joint fastening in a socket T fixed
to the burner A it is made with a dished top having a central hole through which
the overflow oil enters. Figs. 21 and 22 shew a similar construction of ships lamp,
but in which the glass globe S encloses the entire lamp, which is arranged to he
lifted out of the gimbal ring as shewn. The overflow reservoir E is in this case
fixed to the lamp, the contents being discharged through a cock at E³.
Fig. 23 shews a similar form of suspended lamp, the reservoir and burner being
carried by a suspended frame U, while the glass globe S can be raised and lowered
for gaining access to the lamp, being suspended by chains and balance weights from
pullies on the frame U.
Fig. 24 shews a suspended lamp similar in arrangement to Fig. 19, the
arms B B being however enclosed in the lantern and forming part of the frame.
Figs. 25 to 34 show my invention applied to the lamps of railway carriages.
Figs. 25, 26 and 27 shew respectively a part longitudinal section, a cross section
and a part plan of a railway carriage, in which there is provided at D the siphon float
reservoir for the supply of oil to the lamps A A A, for which purpose the reservoir D
is connected by a pipe V with a distributing reservoir W, which may be constructed
in the same
manner as described in the Specification to my before mentioned
application No. 688188 namely, consisting of a tubular vessel reaching up to the
height of the oil in the roservoir D, into which the oil passes from the pipe V, and
which communicates by a number of separate pipes F with the several lamps A.
These pipes are by preference led down from the distributor to the floor of the
carriage and are carried along the latter to the several partitions, where they rise
again and are connected to the lamps. From the lamps the overflow pipes G are
led down to the floor, and along the latter to the overflow reservoir E placed in
an accessible position on the underframing of the carriage.
The construction of the lamps and the connection of the burner with the supply
and overflow pipes is shewn at Figs. 28 to 34..
Figs. 28, 29 and 30 shew respectively a front view, a vertical section and a sectional
plan of the lamp and Fig. 31 to 34 shew enlarged details.
The oil supply tube a of the burner is screwed into a plate b shewn in section
and plan at Figs. 32 and 34, fixed in a bracket c, which plate has a passage 61
which is connected to the oil supply pipe F, and a passage 63 opening into the
cup which receives the overflow, and is connected to the overflow pipe G.
When the lamp is not burning, the supply of oil is cut off by the cock M. The
raising and lowering of the wick holder is by preference effected by a screw
spindle d situated in an enlargement of the wick tube, as shewn in the sections
Figs. 32 and 33, the wick holder having a threaded lug through which the screw d
passes.

page_text: The lamp has a short glass chimney e opening into a metal continuation e¹ which
is carried through the roof. The glass fis made to open for gaining access to the
lamp, and the burner A can be unscrewed from the plate B when necessary for
repairs, or trimming.
Figs. 35 and 36 shew the construction of burner described at Figs. 28 to 34 applied
to a suspended lantern. The supply reservoir D, containing the siphon float discharge,
and the overflow reservoir E are in this case both made to form part of the lantern
frame; being both of hoxagonal shape. The plate 6 has the lamp burner screwed
into it as previously described, and is supported from the lantern by three arms,
two of which are tubular, the one F serving as oil supply pipe to the burner from
the reservoir D, while the other G, communicating with the cup 6³, serves to
convey the overflow into the reservoir E, which is provided with a cock E' for
emptying its contents.
Figs. 37 and 38 shew the mode of supplying a number of lamps in a building with
oil from one common supply reservoir, in combination with an overflow reservoir
according to my invention.
The siphon float supply reservoir D. is for this purpose arranged in the upper part
of the building, from which reservoir the oil supply is first made to flow into a
distributor such as has been referred to above, from which pipes lead to the several
lamps A A in the lower floors, the pipes F F being for this purpose carried along the
ceilings and walls, as indicated, while other pipes G lead the overflow of the lamps
to the overflow reservoir E situated in the basement. Fig. 38 shews by way
of example a bracket lamp supplied with oil from the pipe F, G being the overflow
pipe.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The use for oil lamps of a supply reservoir with siphon float discharge arranged
to supply a larger quantity of oil to the lamp than is required for consumption, in
combination with an overflow reservoir for receiving the excess of oil supplied, the
siphon and discharge tube being so arranged that when the oil has sunk to a certain
level in the supply reservoir, the discharge is automatically stopped without emptying
the siphon, substantially as herein described.
2. In oil lamps, an oil reservoir D with siphon float discharge communicating with
a burner A by means of an arm B and stem C containing a supply passage F leading
from the supply reservoir, and an overflow passage G leading to an overflow
reservoir E forming a pedestal to the lamp or contained in such pedestal sub-
stantially as herein described, with reference to Figs. 1 to 8, 12, 13, 14, 15, & 16 of
the drawings.
3. In pendant oil lamps, an oil reservoir D with siphon float discharge, in com-
bination with burners A carried on a suspended frame that contains or carries the
overflow reservoir E, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 7 to 11
of the drawings.
Dated this 8th day of March 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.