AN IMPROVE MENT IN LAMPS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Crane Wilkins, of Long Acre, in the City of
Westminster, Lighthouse Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVE
MENT IN LAMPS."
Sealed the 7th December 1855, and dated the 21st June 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Crane Wilkins
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st June 1855.
I, WILLIAM CRANE WILKINS, of Long Acre, in the City of Westminster,
Lighthouse Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN LAMPS" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in fitting inside the wick or flame in an argand
burner a silvered or other suitable reflector, in protecting the same by a glass
chimney placed outside of the reflector and inside of the flame, and in keeping
the reflector comparatively cool by allowing an upward current of atmospheric
air to pass both inside thereof and outside, between it and the glass chimney.
The reflecting surface will be kept from being tarnished by the glass chimney
preventing smoke or the products of combustion coming in-contact-with-it,.
while the streams of cool air passing up inside and outside of it will prevent its
becoming so heated as to destroy its reflecting surfaces.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Crane Wilkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st December 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CRANE WILKINS, of Long Acre, in the City of Westminster, Lighthouse
Engineer, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Crane Wilkins, Her special licence that I, the said William
Crane Wilkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said William Crane Wilkins, 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 "AN
IMPROVEMENT IN LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Crane Wilkins, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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 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 Crane Wilkins, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed (that is to say):-
My Invention consists in fitting inside the wick or flame in an argand
burner a silvered or other suitable reflector, in protecting the reflector by a
glass chimney placed outside of the reflector and inside of the flame, and in
keeping the reflector comparatively cool by allowing an upward current of
atmospheric air to pass both inside thereof and outside, between it and the
glass chimney. The reflecting surface will be kept from being tarnished
by the glass chimney, which prevents smoke and the products of combustion
from coming in contact with it, while the streams of cool air passing up
inside and outside of it will prevent its becoming so heated as to destroy its
reflecting surface,

page_text: My Invention is carried into effect by introducing a stand or disc into the
lamp on the inside of the burner, and placing the reflector and its protecting
chimney thereon or fitting it therein, the stand being formed with holes to
admit upward streams of air; or the reflector and its chimney may be fitted in
collars or rings supported by arms fixed to the inside of the burner, or otherwise
supported by or connected to the lamp, but in such manner as to provide for
the passage of upward currents of air within the reflector, and between it and
its chimney. The stand on which the reflector is placed should be so con-
structed as to allow of its being raised or lowered to regulate its height according
to that of the wick, and this may be done by mounting the stand on the end of
a threaded rod, or by regulating screws or otherwise.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed is an external elevation, and Figure 2 a
section, of a lighthouse lamp with one of my reflectors fitted thereto. A, A, is
the burner; B, the reservoir of oil; C, pipe. for supplying oil to the burner; D
is the wick; E, the reflector, made of silvered metal or other suitable material
placed inside the wick, and resting on a metal socket or stand F, which is
perforated with holes a, a, a, a, for the passage of upward currents of air. G is
a glass protecting chimney placed outside of the reflector E, between it and
the wick, and resting on the stand F. The perforations in the stand are
arranged so as to allow of currents of cool air passing both inside the reflector
and 'outside between it and its glass chimney, keeping it comparatively cool and
preventing its reflecting surface from being destroyed. The stand F consists
of a disc or plate with an upright lip all round the edge; it is supported on a
threaded rod g, terminating in a button h, and passing through a nut in a cross
piece i, soldered to the inside of the burner. On turning the button h, the stand
F may be raised and lowered, and the height of the reflector and its chimney
consequently varied to suit the height of the wick or flame. The diameter of
the disc is less than that of the inside of the burner to allow of a current of air
passing between them. H is the outer chimney of the lamp fitting in the
gallery I; K is a waste oil reservoir connected to the bottom of the burner by
the tubes jj; L is a rod connected to the wick holder for raising and lowering.
the wick. Figures 3, 4, and 5 are respectively elevation, plan, and section of
another form of internal reflector and upper part of a lamp burner and
chimneys. A, A, A, is the reflector formed of three concentric circular rings
-of-silvered metal a, a, a, covered and protected by glass rings b, b, b. These
concentric rings rise one above the other, and are of different diameters, the
smallest being inside. In the connections or supports for the inner rings,
apertures are made to allow of air passing both inside and outside of each row

page_text: of rings. B is the protecting chimney to the reflector; C, the perforated
stand; D, the burner; and E, the chimney to the lamp.
I do not limit myself to any precise form of internal reflector, nor do I
confine myself to its employment in oil lamps, as it may be used with advantage
in every lamp fitted with argand burners.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same may be performed, I declare that I claim as my improve-
ment in lamps, the fitting of a reflector protected by a chimney inside the wick
or flame in argand burners in the manner herein-before described and repre-
sented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Crane Wilkins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-five.