IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Hinks, of the Firm of James Hinks and Son,
of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Hinks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
May 1863.
I, JAMES HINKS, of the Firm of James Hinks and Son, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements in lamps herein-after explained,
which said improvements are especially applicable to night lights or lamps in
which volatile hydrocarbons are burned, but are also applicable to other lamps
and to lamps in which fixed oils are burned.
For convenience of description I will describe my Invention with reference
to a night light or lamp. I employ a flat wick, which is raised and lowered
in its case in the ordinary way. In conjunction with the said flat wick I use
a deflector, having a circular opening for the flame to pass through instead of
the flat or elliptical opening ordinarily employed; I place the said deflector
considerably higher than usual above the wick case, so that the dip or distance
between the opening in the deflector and the top of the wick case is increased.
I perforate the wind guard with large and numerous perforations, so that
there is a copious supply of air through the wind guard to the under side of
the deflector.

page_text: The advantages obtained by my improvements are, that the length of the
flame remains constant or nearly constant during a long burning of the
lamp. A shorter chimney may be employed than that required in lamps of the
ordinary construction, and the combustion of the oil is so perfect that it burns
without odour.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Hinks in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HINKS, of the Firm of James Hinks and Son, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Ierself, Her beirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said James Hinks, Her special licence that I, the said James
Hinks, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Hinks, 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
LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Hinks,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their bands 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 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 James Hinks, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
My Invention consists of the improvements in lamps herein-after described,
which said improvements are especially applicable to night lights or lamps in
which volatile bydrocarbons are burned, but are also applicable to other
lamps.

page_text: For convenience of description I will describe my Invention with reference
to a night light or lamp. I employ a flat wick, which is raised and lowered
in its case in the ordinary way. In conjunction with the said flat wick I use
a deflector, having a circular opening for the flame to pass through, instead of
the flat or elliptical opening ordinarily employed. I perforate the wind guard
with large and numerous perforations, so that there is a copious supply of air
through the wind guard to the under side of the deflector.
The advantages obtained by the improvements described are, that the
length of the flame remains constant or nearly constant during a long burning
of the lamp. A shorter chimney may be employed than that required in lamps
of the ordinary construction, and the combustion of the oil is so perfect that it
burns without odour..
In some cases I modify my Invention by making the deflector much shorter
than that ordinarily used, the said deflector having a circular opening in it,
and I make the top of the flat wick case level with the top of the said
deflector. The advantages resulting from this modification are, that no
chimney or glass is required, and the lamp burns less oil than lamps of the
ordinary kind. I furnish the axis of the pinion or pinions used for raising or
lowering the wicks of lamps of the kind described and other lamps having flat
wicks with a spring, so as to press the said pinion or pinions into the wick case.
Wicks of different thicknesses can thereby be used in the same wick case, and
the wicks raised or lowered with great ease.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical section, Figure 2 in elevation, and Figure 3
in plan, the burner of a night light or lamp constructed according to my
Invention. a is the flat wick case, and the deflector, having a circular
opening 62 in its middle through which the flame passes. The wind guard c is
perforated with large and numerous holes, so as to supply a copious stream of
air through the said wind guard to the under side of the deflector b.
Figure 4 represents in vertical section, Figure 5 in elevation, and Figure 6
in plan, another burner of a night light or lamp constructed according to my
Invention. In this burner I use a short deflector d, having a circular opening
in its middle, in combination with a flat wick case e, the top of the said wick
case e being level with the top of the opening in the said deflector. The said
deflector d has a conical figure, as represented. No gallery is required to the
burner, as the draft is sufficient for perfect combustion without a chimney
or glass.

page_text: Figure 7 represents in section, and Figure 8 in plan, a burner in which the
axis carrying the pinions for raising or lowering the wick is capable of
adjusting itself to the thickness of the wick used with the burner. 9 is the
pinion axis turning in elliptical openings in the sides of the burner, as seen
in the plan, Figure 8. On that part of the axis g between the pinions i the
free end of a spring bears, and presses the said pinions i with some force
against the wick in the case k, and maintains them in contact with it.
By using the spring wicks of different thicknessos can be used in the
same case, and be raised or lowered therein with great facility. Instead
of the flat spring represented, a helical spring may be used, but I prefer a
flat spring.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein described and represented, as the
same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention; but
I claim as my Invention of improvements in lamps,-
Firstly, the combination of a flat wick case with a deflector having a circular
opening in it, as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 3
of the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly, the combination of a flat wick caso with a deflector having a
circular opening in it, as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 4,
5, and 6 of the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly, pressing the axis carrying the pinion or pinions by which tho
wicks are raised or lowered against tho said wicks by means of a spring,
as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of the accom-
panying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Hinks, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to Georgo Shaw,
Birmingham.
JAMES INKS. (L.S.)