IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING LAMPS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Cole, of Number 37, Chichester Road Villas,
Kilburn, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanician, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING
LAMPS."
Sealed the 4th May 1877, and dated the 20th February 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Joseph Cole at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 20th February 1877.
JOSEPH COLE, of No. 37, Chichester Road Villas, Kilburn, in the County of
Middlesex, Mechanician. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND MEANS OR AP-
PARATUS FOR EXTINGUISHING LAMPS."
This Invention consists of a mechanical contrivance for extinguishing or putting
out the light or flame of lamps without blowing, and without turning down or
otherwise lowering the cottons or wicks.
The object of the Invention is to prevent or guard against the danger of ignition
and explosion of mineral and other oil and spirit lamps from the flame or burning
part of the wick being blown or brought into closer contact or proximity with the
oil or spirit contained in the bowl, tube, or other receptacle thereof on blowing out,
turning down, or otherwise lowering or attempting to put out the wicks of lighted
or burning lamps.
Another object of the extinguisher is to prevent or diminish the smoke and smell
arising from the wick of a lighted or burning lamp being blown out, turned down,
or otherwise lowered for the purpose of being put out.
The Invention consists of a metal extinguishing case with a mouth or clip at
the upper part thereof, which by means of a steel spring and other apparatus
herein-after described is made to close over the wick when required to extinguish
the flame.
The extinguishing case fits over the wick case or tube of the lamp containing the
wick, and is made to slide or travel up and down the wick case by the appliance of
a rack, pinion, and cog wheel attached thereto (that is to say) on turning the
pinion one way the extinguisher slides or moves up the wick case above the lighted
wick, when the mouth or clip of the extinguisher immediately closes over the wick,
excludes the air, and extinguishes the flame. On turning the pinion the contrary

page_text: way the extinguisher slides or travels down the wick case, the mouth or clip of the
extinguisher opening as it proceeds downwards and leaving the wick free to be
relighted or turned up.
The extinguisher is composed of one or more pieces of flat or sheet brass or any
other metal, the main or fixed part of which forms one side of the extinguisher, the
two ends of the same being turned at the sides and form two angles, and are then
secured to a brass or metal bar at the base, so as to encompass the wick case of the
Jamp; the other side of the extinguisher is moveable, and is made of a separate piece
of flat shaped brass or other metal, and when secured at the lower ends, as next
described, forms a flap, the lower part of which has a pivot or round pin at each end,
which pins or pivots are fitted loosely into holes at the two ends of the lower part
of the case of the extinguisher, so that the flap piece may move freely on the two
pivots as a hinge, whereby such flap may be closed at the top, though kept in a
permanent position at the bottom by the pivot pins, and whilst the lower part of
the flap is thereby secured to the fixed part of the extinguisher, the top part may be
completely closed; but inasmuch as the flap requires a little pressure to close it upon
the opposite side piece of the extinguisher, a steel spring is fitted to the centre part
of the bar before-mentioned at the base of the extinguisher, and, standing up nearly
to the top of the flap and bending towards it, presses the flap piece upon the fixed or
opposite side, and keeps it in that position when above the wick case, thereby
closing itself at the top and excluding the air.
When the extinguisher so formed is slid downwards, the wick case forces the flap
piece back against the spring, opens the extinguisher at the top, and exposes the
wick.
The extinguisher so formed is made to move up and down the wick case, as re-
quired, by means of a brass or metal rack with cogs or notches, which rack is
permanently fixed to the extinguisher on the outside part of the fixed side thereof,
and acted upon by a pinion with a cog wheel at one end, fitting the cogs of the
rack; the other end of the pinion forms a handle or lever for turning the same, by
which means the extinguisher may be raised or lowered at pleasure.
The Invention may be applied to lamps with one, two, or any number of wicks or
burners, also to stove lamps, such as are used for warming or heating rooms, boiling
water, cooking or other purposes, and to any other kind of lamp in which a flat
shaped wick or burner is used.
The Invention is further described by the accompanying Drawings of the
mechanical part of a lamp with two flat shaped wicks or burners.
Figure 1 is a drawing of the safety extinguisher as applied to a lamp with two
burners.
A, A, A, A, A, A, the two wick cases or tubes containing the wicks.
B, B, end view of the extinguishers.
C, C, the flaps or moveable sides (end view).
D, D, metal bars at base of extinguishers.
E, E, the steel springs for pressing the flaps and closing the mouth of the ex-
tinguishers.
F, connecting bar by which the two extinguishers are joined together.
G, the rack.
H, the cog wheel.
J, the pinion by which the cog wheel is turned, and the two extinguishers made
to travel up and down the wick cases.
Figure 2, explains the safety extinguisher as applied to a lamp with one burner.
K, K, K, the wick case or tube containing the wick.
L, end view of the extinguisher.
M, the flap or moveable side.
N, metal bar at base of extinguisher.
O, the steel spring for pressing the flap and closing the mouth of the extinguisher.
P, the rack.
O the cox wheel

page_text: R, the pinion by which the cog wheel is turned, and the extinguisher made to
travel up and down the wick cases.
'
Figure 3 is a section shewing the flat side of the flap piece or moveable part of
the extinguisher with the steel spring.
Figure 4 illustrates the flat side of the main or fixed part of the extinguisher, and
also shews the rack and cog wheel.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Cole, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Nineteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above-named Joseph Cole in the
presence of
JAMES EDELL,
33, King Street, Cheapside,
Solicitor.
JOSEPH COLE. (L.S.)