IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS FOR BURNING COAL OIL, PETROLEUM, AND OTHER HYDROCARBON FLUIDS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Addison Phillips, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin,
United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS FOR BURNING COAL OIL,
PETROLEUM, AND OTHER HYDROCARBON FLUIDS."-A communication from
abroad by William Westlake, of Chicago, Illinois, United States of
America
Sealed the 27th April 1866, and dated the 1st November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Addison Phillips
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st November 1865.
I, EDWIN ADDISON PHILLIPS, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of
America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS FOR BURNING COAL OIL,
PETROLEUM, AND OTHER HYDROCARBON FLUIDS," a communication, to be as
follows:-
My said improvements relate to the construction of lanterns for burning
coal oil, kerosene, petroleum, and other hydrocarbon liquids for use on
railways, ships, and other exposed situations. The light in which lantern

page_text: will burn steadily, without smoking, and without being extinguished or
otherwise affected by shaking or other violent motion.
My improved lanterns consist chiefly of three distinct parts, namely,
the base or bottom, in which is placed the lamp; the globe or glass surrounding
the lamp; and the guard, to which is fastened the handle for carrying the
lantern.
The base or bottom is formed of brass, tin, or other suitable metal, and is
of such a shape that the lantern will stand firmly when set down thereon. The
oil pot is formed in the base and of such a size as to hold conveniently the
required quantity of oil to be consumed by the burner, which is placed on
the cover of the said oil pot in such a manner as to admit of its easy removal
when necessary. Inside the base two spring catches are fixed, the ends of
which project through the sides of the said base and hold that and the guard
firmly together. When it is required to remove this guard for cleaning or
other purposes, these catches are depressed or drawn in by the thumb and
finger, thereby releasing the guard, which can then readily be lifted up and
removed, and when this is done the globe can be removed also without
difficulty. The guard is formed of two or more rings of wire of suitable
strength, to which are attached upright bars of the same wire extending from
the bottom ring to a perforated dome or cap of brass, tin, or other metal
which rests on the open top of the globe. These wire bars instead of being
soldered to the said dome or cap are made to pass through from side to side
thereof, each bar extending down and forming two sides of the guard. By
this method of securing the wires to the cap of the guard all danger of their
becoming loose from the melting of the solder is avoided. The rings and
uprights of which the guard is composed are also fastened together in a peculiar
inanner. Instead of being merely soldered where they cross each other, the
said rings are passed through clips or eyes of brass, tin, or other metal, which
are brazed, soldered, or otherwise firmly united to the uprights, the clips at
the bottom ring being provided with long sockets into which the ends of the
upright wires are inserted and secured. The handle by which the lantern is
carried is formed of stout wire bent round into the required shape and hooked
at its extremities to take into two holes formed in the dome or cap of the
guard. The base of the lantern is perforated with two rows of holes for the
admission of air, one row of which is on the under side of the said base. This
method of taking in the air prevents the light of the lantern being affected
from any sudden or violent motion which would cause the said light to be
extinguished if both rows of holes were above the base. A band or hoop of
metal is formed on the base above the oil pot for supporting the lower end of

page_text: the globe, the said end being made to fit inside the said hoop sufficiently. tight
to prevent its shaking or rattling, and yet allow of its easy removal when
required. An opening is made in this hoop, and a corresponding recess is
formed in the bottom of the globe. This opening and recess are formed to
allow of the lighting of the; burner, and are closed when required by a sliding
door attached to the band. Through this opening also the end of the
regulating screw extends, and by means of this screw the wick of the said
burner can be raised or lowered as desired without removing the globe or
guard. A finely perforated plate of tin or other metal is placed on the top
of the oil pot round the foot of the burner, which has the effect of equalizing
the current of air, and thereby causes the flame to burn with great steadiness
and brilliancy.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin Addison Phillips in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 1st May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWIN
ADDISON PHILLIPS, of Milwaukee, Winconsin, United States of America, now
of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her.
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Edwin Addison Phillips, Her special licence that I, the said Edwin
Addison Phillips, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Edwin Addison Phillips, 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
LANTERNS FOR BURNING COAL OIL, PETROLEUM AND OTHER HYDROCARBON FLUIDS,"
a communication, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Edwin Addison Phillips, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
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

page_text: 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 Edwin Addison Phillips, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described 'and' ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet: of
Drawings making a part of this Specification.
My said improvements relate to the construction of lanterns for burning
coal oil, kerosene, petroleum, and other hydrocarbon liquids for use on rail-
ways, on board ships, and in other exposed situations, the light in which
lanterns will burn steadily, without smoking, and without being extinguished or
otherwise affected by shaking or other violent motion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of the top of a lantern; Figure 2 is a section on the
line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan of the base; and Figure 4 is an
exterior elevation of the said lantern. Like letters refer to corresponding
parts in each of the Figures. My improved lantern consists chiefly of three
distinct parts, viz., the base or bottom A containing the lamp B, the globe or
glass C surrounding the said lamp, and the guard D to which the said handle is
secured. The base or bottom A is formed of brass, tin, or other suitable
metal, and is of such a shape that the lantern will stand firmly when set down'
thereon. The oil pot F is fixed or formed in the base A, and is of such a
capacity as to hold conveniently the required quantity of oil to supply the
burner G. The said burner is placed on the cover of the oil pot Fin such a
manner as to be easily removed therefrom when necessary. Inside the
base A two spring catches a are fixed, the ends of which project through the
apertures 6 formed in the sides of the said base. These spring catches hold
the latter and the guard D firmly together. When it is necessary to remove
the guard D to clean the lantern or for other purposes the catches a are
depressed or drawn in by the pressure of the thumb and finger. The guard D
is thereby released from the catches a and can readily be lifted up and
removed from the base A, and when this is done the globe or glass C can also
be removed without difficulty. A metal band or hoop A' is formed upon the
base or bottom A for supporting the lower end of the globe or glass C. The
Baid end is made to fit inside the hoop A¹ sufficiently tight to prevent shaking
or ratting, but not too tight to allow it to be easily removed when necessary.
Air is supplied to the burner through two rows of holes or perforations c, one
row of the said holes being formed in the hoop A¹, and the other row on the

page_text: under side of the base, as represented in Figure 2. This method of admitting.
the air prevents the light of the lantern being affected by any sudden or violent
motion which would cause the said light to be extinguished if both rows of the
holes c were above the base A. An opening a¹ is made in the hoop A¹, and
a corresponding recess C¹ is formed in the bottom of the globe or glass C. This
opening and recess are formed to allow access to the burner G in lighting the
lantern, the said opening being closed when required by the sliding door A*.
Through the opening a¹ also the regulating screw H extends, and by means of
this screw the wick of the burner can be raised or lowered as desired without
removing the globe C or guard D from the base A.
The guard D is formed of two or more rings d of wire of suitable strength,
to which are attached upright bars d' of the same wire, these latter extend
from the base A of the lantern to a perforated dome or cap I of brass, tin, or
other metal which rests upon the open top of the globe or glass C. The bars d³,
instead of being soldered to the dome or cap I, are made to pass through from
side to side thereof, each bar extending up from the base A through the cap I,
and down again on the other side of the globe C to the base A. By this
method of securing the wires d¹ to the cap I, instead of soldering them to the
said cap all danger of the wires becoming loose and detached from the melting
of the solder is avoided. The said wires are also secured to the wire rings d
in a peculiar. manner to prevent their becoming loosened by the effect of the
heat. Instead of merely soldering the wires d and d³ together where they cross
each other, the wire rings d are passed through clips or eyes e of brass, tin, or
other metal. These clips are brazed, or soldered, or otherwise firmly united to
the uprights d, the clips at the bottom ring being provided with long sockets
e into which the ends of the uprights d' are inserted and secured.
The handle E by which the lantern is held and carried is formed of stout
wire bent round into the required shape at its extremities, which are hooked
into the holes f formed in the dome or cap I. A finely perforated plate J of
tin or other suitable metal is placed on top of the oil pot F round the foot of
the burner G, which has the effect of equalizing the current of air supplied to
the said burner. The flame is thereby caused to burn with great steadiness
and brilliancy.
The flame of the lantern can be easily lighted or extinguished through the
opening a without removing either the globe C or the guard D from the base
or bottom A. The height of the wick can also be conveniently adjusted by
means of the regulating screw H projecting through the said opening. The
globe C being secured in the ring A without plaster of paris or other cement
can be readily removed for cleaning or other purposes, and if broken can be

page_text: replaced without difficulty. After the lantern is lighted it should be allowed
to stand still for a few moments to let the burner become thoroughly heated.
Lanterns constructed in the manner herein described will give a great light
without smoking, and cannot be extinguished by shaking, swinging, or sudden
and violent draughts of wind.
Having thus fully described my said improvements, and shown how the same
may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein set forth and
illustrated, but I claim,-
First, the construction of the base or bottom A containing the lamp B,
and provided with the hoop A¹ for supporting the globe or glass C, substantially
as herein set forth.
Second, the holes or perforations c in the base A and hoop A', for the
purpose and arranged substantially as described.
Third, the manner of securing the globe or glass C to enable it to be easily
removed when required, substantially as set forth.
Fourth, the construction of the guard D and method of securing it to the
cap or dome I and to the base A for the purpose and substantially in the
manner set forth.
Fifth, the combination of the aperture a¹, the recess c¹ in the globe, and
the sliding door A2, for the purpose and substantially as described.
Sixth, the perforated plate J to equalize the admission of air to the burner
constructed and arranged substantially as set forth.
Seventh, a lantern for burning coal oil or other hydrocarbon fluids
constructed substantially in the manner herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Addison Phillips, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of May, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-six.
EDWIN ADDISON PHILLIPS. (L.S.)
Witness,
GEORGE HAZELTINE,
"International Patent Office,"
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.