IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF OBTAINING LIGHT AND HEAT, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF OBTAINING LIGHT AND HEAT, AND IN
APPARATUS FOR THE SAME." A Communication from abroad by Mr. Marin
Joseph Alphonse Mille, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Miner.
Sealed the 17th February 1863, and dated the 1st September 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
September 1862.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVENENTS IN THE MEANS OF OBTAINING LIGHT AND HEAT, AND IN
APPARATUS FOR THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved method of lighting and heating by
It
means of a gaseous vapour, forming the first feature of the Invention.
further consists in an improved arrangement of lighting and heating apparatus
suitable for the combustion of the above-mentioned gas.
The gas is composed of certain volatile matters in the following pro-
portions, viz.:-
Benzine
Camphor in powder
Ether
- 80 parts.
10
"
10
"
Combustion is produced by means of a current of air passed through any
suitable spongy material which has absorbed a sufficient quantity of the
above-mentioned gas. The current of air, on passing through the spongy

page_text: material, carries with it a portion of the mixture, and is necessarily trans-
formed into vapour or gas, as from the volatility of said matters they furnish
an insufficient quantity of vapour for producing a jet of continuous flame. I
obtain this jet of artificial air in the improved lighting apparatus by means of
a small fan placed in the stem or pillar of the lamp, and actuated by clock-
work, or I may dispense with mechanical adjuncts, and cause the combustion
of the gas itself to produce a current of air, which becoming charged with
volatile vapours, escapes in a state of ignition from the burner, and thus
produce a self-acting continuous light.
This improved gas may be employed in ordinary lighting and heating
apparatus: it may also be used for the same purposes in receptacles which
may be adapted to all portable or other articles, such as walking canes,
umbrellas, cigar cases, match boxes, and otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, 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 THE MEANS OF
OBTAINING LIGHT AND HEAT, AND IN APPARATUS FOR THE SAME," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Mr. Marin Joseph Alphonse Mille, of 29,
Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, Miner, upon the condition (amongst others)
that T. the said William Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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

page_text: 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 William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):―
This Invention relates to an improved method of lighting and heating by
means of a gaseous vapour, forming the first feature of the Invention. It
further consists in an improved arrangement of lighting and heating apparatus
suitable for the combustion of the above-mentioned gas.
The gas is composed of certain volatile matters in the following pro-
portions, viz:-
Benzine
Camphor in powder
Ether
80 parts.
10
10 "
Combustion is produced by means of a current of air passed through any
suitable spongy material which has absorbed a sufficient quantity of the
above-mentioned gas. The current of air, on passing through the spongy
material, carries with it a portion of the mixture, and is necessarily trans-
formed into vapour or gas, as from the volatility of said matters they furnish
an insufficient quantity of vapour for producing a jet of continuous flame. I
obtain this artificial current of air in the improved lighting apparatus by
means of a small fan placed in the stem or pillar of the lamp, and actuated by
clockwork, or I may dispense with mechanical adjuncts, and cause the com-
bustion of the gas itself to produce a current of air, which becoming charged
with volatile vapours, escapes in a state of ignition from the burner, and thus
produces a self-acting continuous light.
This improved gas may be employed in ordinary lighting and heating
apparatus; it may also be used for the same purposes in receptacles which
may be adapted to all portable or other articles, such as walking canes,
umbrellas, cigar cases, match boxes, and otherwise.
The Invention thus consists of an improved means for producing the com-
bustion of light hydrocarbons, light coal or petroleum oils, and generally of all
easily vaporizable liquids in order to obtain light and heat, and also for the
production of mechanical power from the gas thus obtained.
The Invention comprises, 1st, the improved method of producing combustion.
which consists in absorbing the vaporizable liquids in a suitable vessel or

page_text: receiver containing spongy or other absorbent matters of mineral, vegetable.
or animal nature, such as pounce, asbestos, coke. sponge. felt, cotton, cloth,
metal gauze, thread, copper wire, or of other kinds: also in effecting, without
the aid of a receiver, gasometer, or other pipes the passage of air through the
matters absorbing the vaporizable liquids, which air, on being charged with
vapour, becomes a combustible gas possessing a luminous or calorific power of
greater or less intensity. The essential feature of this new mode of obtaining
combustion of light oils or of easily vaporizable liquids is, that it is perfectly
free from danger of explosion.
2ndly, the application of gas thus formed (by saturating the spongy or
other absorbent matters which have imbibed the vaporizable liquids with air
supplied either by means of a gazometer and conducting pipes, or such aid)
to heating and lighting purposes, or more generally for the production of light
and heat for any purpose desired in any suitable apparatus, under all the
conditions which may be possible, such as for lustres, lamps, lanterns, night
lamps, walking sticks, all kinds of fixed or portable stoves, gas apparatus, and
otherwise.
3rdly, as regards the mode of introducing air into the receivers, which on
being charged with vapour becomes changed into gas, and the method of
circulating the air in the interior, as also the mode of distributing air so
charged with vapour; these several processes. which are effected by the aid of
mechanical means or physical agents, require neither a gasometer, air reser-
voir, nor pipes outside the receiver, and may be produced without mechanical
aid, or by means of mechanism forming a part of the receiver or conducting
apparatus of the gas to be used for lighting and heating.
4thly, the Invention relates specially to what I term "Mille's lamp," which
may be of any suitable form, and which is made without any reservoir for the
liquid, that is, the liquid is contained or absorbed by the spongy matters in
the interior; further, these lamps have no wicks, so that the combustible liquid
burns not by distillation, but in the form of gas, produced prior to its arrival at
the burner by means of the air saturated with vapour in the interior of the
receiver, taking it up from the surface of the matters absorbing the liquid.
I term these improved lamps Mille's gazo-lamps or gas lamps, from the light
which it gives being producing by the combustion of gas. The lamp is
supplied with light oils, or essences of coal or petroleum, American or other-
wise. which are easily vaporized. having a density of 750 and less, that
of water being 1,000. If the light oil be at a higher density than 750,
and it is not sufficiently volatile, its density may be decreased, and its volatility
increased by adding lighter essences, such as benzine obtained from Boghead,

page_text: or it may be a small proportion of ether, in cases where the liquid may be
had at a very low price.. The light oil not being in a liquid state (and this
forms an essential feature of the gazo-lamp apparatus) it is continuously
absorbed by the spongy body, sponge, for example; thus the oil cannot flow,
and if the lamp should fall, it will not be spilt, or set fire to anything.
Further, with this improved lamp there is no fear of explosion or of fire,
as a receiver containing the spongy body absorbing the oil is nearly filled, and
contains too little air in its interstices to constitute an explosive compound.
This gazo-lamp is the first and only apparatus with which light essences may
be burnt without danger, which has hitherto been impossible for lighting
purposes; it was also unsuitable for use in American lamps, as the capillary
action of the wicks is insufficient to raise the essences. The spongy matters
are not simply placed, but more or less pressed into the receiver in a cylin-
drical casing of metal gauze fitting loosely into said receiver.
For very
large lamps having a large reservoir of light oil, I may divide the cylindrical
casing into several compartments, by the addition of one or several pieces of
metal pieces of gauze placed horizontally therein. The principle of the
apparatus requiring that the sponge should be neither too little nor too much
compressed, and that the air entering at the top of the receiver or casing may
pass freely through the spongy matters, and become charged with vapours of
the volatile oil.
The gas which burns in the gazo-lamp without- wick or other mechanism
passes out at an orifice of a suitable size, and consists of the mixture of air and
vapour formed by the simple passage of the air through the spongy matters
containing the oil. This instant transformation of the light oil into gas by
simple contact with air at the ordinary temperature is an entire novelty only
obtained in the lamp above described. The gaseous mixture of vapour and air
being heavier than the air, it thus flows spontaneously towards the bottom of the
receiver, as in the old oil lamps; and if it is desired that the gas should flow
not only laterally, but toward the top of the receiver suitable mechanism
should be employed such as that used in Carcel and moderator lamps, that is,
to apply a ventilator at the bottom or foot of the gazo-lamp, in order to
determine an ascensional current of air, which becoming charged with vapour
in its passage through the spongy matters, would burn at the top of the
apparatus in the form of a gas jet. The gazo-lamp, when constructed of
larger proportions, may be used for all the purposes of a gas lamp. I may,
for example, place at a great height in a house, or it may be in the open
air, a large receiver containing a cylinder of metal gauze, either with or
without compartments, and capable of absorbing several quarts of light oil in

page_text: order to distribute in various directions through india-rubber or other tubes
the gaseous current created by the passage of air in the receiver. the pressure
of which would be proportionate to the height at which said receiver was
placed. Instead of obtaining pressure in this manner, it will be ordinarily of
greater advantage and convenience to use a gazometer or blower for producing
a current of constant pressure which, in passing through the gazo-lamp,
becomes changed into gas. I may in this manner organize without fire the
lighting of houses, colleges, workshops, and other places by means of gas. It
will be of advantage in many cases to interpose two or three gazo-lamp
apparatus in the current of air in order to obtain a richer gas. For lighting
towns with gas on this improved system, the gazometer is only required to be
supplied with air, which will not infect the soil by the inevitable escapes
which ordinarily take place; it will thus never produce explosions, nor choke
the pipes with tar.
In the annexed Drawings are represented three arrangements of apparatus
of this Invention, serving for the combustion of the improved gas herein
described. Fig. 1 shows a central vertical section of a lamp supplied with a
compressed current of air; Fig. 2 shows an elevation partly in section of a
lamp with two burners supplied with air in a self-acting manner; Fig. 3
shows a section of the handle of a walking stick furnished with a gas-lighting
apparatus of this Invention: while Fig. 4 represents a detail in section of the
cock for the admission of air.
Fig. 1, a, lamp divided into two compartments by the division b; c, me-
chanism placed in the pillar of the lamp a. which is wound up by a key d, and
serving to impart motion to the leaves of the fan e: f. drum or case of fan:
. tube for the passage of the compressed air; h. cock fixed on pipe g for
cutting off or admitting air; i, sponge or other porous matter containing
carburet of hydrogen, or the mixture herein-before specified, supported by a
grating in order that the air may pass through; j. cock for admitting
or cutting off the supply of gas, also serving to regulate the combustion;
k. burner of any suitable form and arrangement; a metal gauze is placed in
its interior in order to prevent explosions taking place.
Fig. 2, a, foot of the apparatus; b. chamber of cylindrical or other form
sliding on the supporting pillar a. and which may be fixed thereto at any
suitable height by means of screws: d. case of wire gauze of similar form to
chamber b, in the interior of which it is placed: this case is filled with
cotton. sponge, pounce. or other matters suitable for absorbing volatile car-
buretted liquids. This gauze chamber d is intended to prevent the flame from
penetrating into the interior: c. cover; g. upper opening for the admission of

page_text: air, which is regulated by a cock h; i, j, burners; k, l, cocks for regulating the
supply of air, which is self-acting.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the parts are represented by the same letters as in Fig. 2.
¡Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be pro-
tected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the improved means of obtaining the combustion of light hydro-
carbons, and generally of all easily.. vaporizable liquids, which consist in
causing them to be absorbed by any suitable spongy or porous matters placed
in a receiver, which matters may be of mineral, animal, or vegetable, and of
organic or inorganic nature, such as. pounce, asbestos, coke, felt, cotton, cloth,
or other matters;. afterwards passing air through said spongy matters con-
taining the vaporizable liquid without the aid either of a reservoir, or it may
be any conducting pipes, which air being charged with vapour, becomes a
combustible gas possessed of lighting and heating powers of greater or less
intensity. I would observe, that this improved mode of effecting combustion
of light oils or easily vaporizable liquids is entirely. exempt from danger of
explosion.
Secondly, I claim the application of gas thus formed by the saturation of
air in the interior of receivers filled with spongy, or other absorbent materials.
containing the vaporizable liquid to lighting and heating purposes in any
suitable manner in all kinds of apparatus, and under all conditions, such as
for lustres, lamps, lanterns, night lamps, walking canes, stoves, either fixed or
portable gas apparatus, and otherwise.
Thirdly, I claim the method of inducing and circulating the air in the
interior of the receivers, which becoming saturated with vapours, is thereby
changed, whether these means of introduction, circulation, and supply be
produced by mechanical means or otherwise, without the aid of a gazometer,
air reservoir, or outer conducting pipes, or by means of apparatus of any
suitable kind forming part of said receiver, lamps, stoves, or other apparatus
for producing the gas to be applied either for lighting, heating, or the pro-
duction of motive power.
Fourthly, I claim the improved lamps, herein-before described and repre-
sented in the Drawing annexed, which may be of any suitable form, and
without reservoir for the liquid (the liquid being absorbed by the spongy
matters contained,) and require no wicks, in such manner that the combustion
of the liquid is obtained, not by distillation, but in the form of gas produced
before reaching the burner by the air which is saturated with the vapours in
the receiver by its contact with the absorbent matters containing the liquid.

page_text: Fifthly, I claim more especially the form and arrangement of vessel
forming the gazo-lamp, and containing an inner vessel, the sides of which are
formed of iron or other metal gauze, and divided into one or several com-
partments, which are entirely filled with spongy bodies intended to absorb the
light essences of benzine, coal, or petroleum in such manner that the air
introduced either spontaneously or mechanically may have free contact with
the surfaces of the spongy materials, and become charged with vapours, which
transform it into a combustible gas, as herein described and represented in the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark. have hereunto set my
hand and seal. this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W. G. E. SWINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane.
London.
ப.)