IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL LAMPS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Chamberlain of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Manufacturer and George Hookham of Birmingham aforesaid
Manufacturer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL LAMPS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Chamberlain and
George Hookham at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
29th March 1883.
ARTHUR CHAMBERLAIN of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manu-
facturer and GEORGE HOOKHAM of Birmingham aforesaid Manufacturer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL LAMPS
11
Our invention has reference principally to chimneyless lamps for burning light
or volatile oils but is also applicable to lamps having chimneys and to lamps for
burning heavy or fixed oils as hereinafter explained.
We will describe our, invention in connection with chimneyless lamp for
burning volatile oil.
In the said lamps a fan or blowing apparatus is employed to supply to the
flame the current of air necessary for the effectual combustion of the oil which
current of air in lamps having chimneys is supplied by the draught created by the
chimney. We construct and arrange the parts of the said fan or blowing apparatus
and the parts connected therewith in the following manner.
In constructing the fan we mount a light circular disc upon a vertical axis to
which rotary motion is communicated by a coiled spring a train of toothed wheels
a worm wheel and worm as is well understood. On the underside of the circular
disc we fix preferably two series of vanes of thin sheet metal. One series of
vanes extends from the edge of the disc to near the centre and the other series
which alternates with the former extends from the edge of the disc about one
third the length of the radius of the disc. These alternating vanes are situated
equi distantly and are slightly curved their concave sides being turned in the
direction in which the fan rotates. This fan is situated immediately over a
horizontal annular disc the inner diameter of which is somewhat less and the outer
diameter somewhat greater than that of the fan.

page_text: By the rotation of this fan a current of air is drawn through the annular disc
and delivered by the fan in the form of a horizontal current radiating from the
centre of the fan's rotation. This current is delivered into the space between the
case of the lamp and the oil reservoir and ascending to the top of the reservoir is
deflected by the conical top of the casing and made to converge upon the flame and
effect perfect combustion therein.
Fans constructed according to our invention produce an efficient draught at a
lower speed and with less expenditure of power than the fans ordinarily employed
and are noiseless in action.
In order to prevent or diminish the shadow which is cast downwards by the
metallic slotted dome through which the flame rises we make the said dome
partly of metal and partly of glass the cylindrical part being of glass and the
summit or slotted part of metal. Immediately below the metallic summit of the
dome and within the glass cylinder we fix a metallic reflector on the inclined sides
of which the light which is radiated from the flame downwards falls and is reflected
nearly horizontally.
Fans of the kind hereinbefore described may be used with lamps having chimneys
globes or shades for diffusing the light or for protecting the flame from draught and
combined with mechanism for raising the oil may be used in lamps for burning
heavy or fixed oils.
The construction of dome herein, before described with reference to a slotted
dome such as is used in lamps for burning light oils may be applied to domes or
deflectors used with lamps for burning heavy or fixed oils the form of the summit
of the dome and that of the reflector being so modified as to suit them to the
tubular or argand wicks commonly used in lamps burning heavy oils.
,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Chamberlain and George Hookham in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st September 1883.
ARTHUR CHAMBERLAIN of Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, and GEORGE HOOKHAM of Birmingham aforesaid Manufacturer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL LAMPS
"3
Our invention has reference principally to chimney-less lamps for burning light.
or volatile oils but is also applicable to lamps having chimneys and to lamps
for burning heavy or fixed oils as hereinafter explained.
L
We will describe our invention in connection with a chimney-less lamp for
burning volatile oil.
In the said lamps a fan or blowing apparatus is employed to supply to the
flame the current of air necessary for the effectual combustion of the oil which
current of air in lamps having chimneys is supplied by the draught created by the.
chimney. We construct and arrange the parts of the said fan or blowing apparatus
and the parts connected therewith in the following manner.
In constructing the fan we mount a light circular disc upon a vertical axis to'
which rotary motion is communicated by a coiled spring, a train of toothed wheels,
a worm wheel and worn as is well understood. On the underside of the circular
disc we fix preferably two series of vanes of thin sheet metal. One series of vanes.
extends from the edge of the disc to near the centre and the other series, which
alternates with the former, extends from the edge of the disc about one third the
length of the radius of the disc. These alternating vanes are situated equi
distantly and are slightly curved, their concave sides being turned in the direction
in which the fan rotates. This fan is situated immediately over a horizontal
annular disc the inner diameter of which is somewhat less and the .outer diameter'
greater than that of the fan.
By the rotation of this fan a current of air is drawn through the annular disc'
and delivered by the fan in the form of a horizontal current radiating from the.
centre of the fan's rotation. This current is delivered into the space between the
case of the lamp and the oil reservoir and ascending to the top of the reservoir is
deflected by the conical top of the casing and made to converge upon the flame and
effect perfect combustion therein.
Fans constructed according to our invention produce an efficient draught at a
lower speed and with less expenditure of power than the fans ordinarily employed
and are noiseless in action.
In order to prevent or diminish the shadow which is cast downwards by the
metallic slotted done through which the flame rises, we make the said dome partly.
of metal and partly of glass the cylindrical part being of glass and the summit or
slotted part of metal. Immediately below the metallic summit of the dome and
within the glass cylinder, we fix a metallic reflector on the inclined sides of which
the light which is radiated from the flame downwards falls and is reflected nearly
horizontally.
Fans of the kind hereinbefore described may be used with lamps having.
chimneys, globes or shades for diffusing the light, or for protecting the Hame from
draught and combined with mechanism for raising the oil may be used in lamps
for burning heavy or fixed oils.
The construction of dome hereinbefore described with reference to a slotted
dome, such as is used in lamps for burning light oils, may be applied to domes
or deflectors used with lamps for burning heavy or fixed oils, the form of the

page_text: summit of the dome and that of the reflector being so modified as to suit them
to the tubular or argand wicks commonly used in lamps burning heavy oils
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing
the manner in which our invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in vertical section a chimneyless lamp for burning light or
volatile oil containing a fan or blowing apparatus and other parts constructed
according to our invention; Figure 2 represents in side elevation and Figure 3
in plan of underside, the fan or blowing apparatus and actuating mechanism
detached from the lamp, the said Figures 2 and 3 being drawn of the full size;
Figure 4 represents a lamp partly in elevation and partly in section with which
a dome or deflector constructed according to our invention is combined, Figures 5
and 6 represent parts of the dome or deflector detached.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing
We will first describe the fan or blowing apparatus and parts connected
with it.
•
a is the case of the lamp and b is the oil reservoir. Supported in the case of
the lamp by the lugs and screws at c² is a box c containing the coiled spring by
which the fan is actuated. Upon the top of the said box c the gearing mechanism
and the fan are supported; d is the vertical axis of the fan made into a worm
with which the worm wheel g gears, the said worm wheel being driven by the
The said
train of toothed wheels represented and the coiled spring in the box c.
coiled spring, worm wheel and train of toothed wheels constitute no part of our
invention. The key for winding up the coiled or actuating spring in the box c
is not represented in the Drawing but the said key is of the kind commonly
employed for that purpose. The axis d of the fan has a bearing at its lower end
in the plate and at top in the cross plate g².
The fan or blowing apparatus consists of a circular disc h fixed on the upper
end of the vertical axis d. On the underside of the said disc h are two series of
vanes made of sheet metal, one series being marked i and the other series c. The
vanes extend from the edge of the disc to near the centre of the disc and the
other vanes kc, which alternate with the vanes i, extend from the edge of the disc
to about one third the radius of the disc h as will be understood by an examination
of the plan of the underside of the fan Figure 3. It will also be seen by an
examination of the said Figure 3 that the alternating vanes i, k are situated
equi-distantly and are slightly curved, the concave sides of the vanes being turned
in the direction in which the fan rotates as indicated by the arrow.
The fan may
be furnished with more than two series of vanes of different lengths.
Z is a ring or horizontal annular disc (shown detached in Figure 3A) over which
ring or annular disc the fan is situated, the outer diameter of the said ring / being
somewhat greater than that of the fan (see the section Figure 1). The lower edges
of the marginal portions of the two series of vanes i, le work nearly in contact with
the upper face of the ring or annular disc l.
On the rotation of the fan in the direction of the arrow Figure 3 a current of
air from the perforated lower part of the case of the lamp is drawn through the
ring or annular disc and is delivered by the fan in the form of a horizontal
current radiating from the centre of the fan's rotation. The current of air thus
produced by the fan is delivered into the space or passage m between the case a
of the lamp and the oil reservoir 6 and ascending to the top of the reservoir is
deflected by the conical top n of the casing and made to converge upon the flame
and effect perfect combustion of the said flame as indicated by the arrows in
Figure 1.
Although the arrangement of vanes described and represented we have found
most efficient in practice yet other arrangements of vanes may be employed with
nearly the same effect. For example instead of alternating vanes of different
lengths, vanes of the same length may be employed and instead of curved vanes,
straight or uncurved vanes may be employed the essential feature of this part of

page_text: our invention being the arrangement of vanes on the underside of a light
horizontal disc rotating over a horizontal ring or annular disc so as to draw
air vertically through the said annular disc and deliver it as a horizontal radiating
current.
We will now describe our improved slotted dome or deflector represented in
section in Figure 4 and the two parts separately detached from the lamp in
Figures 5 and 6. The slotted dome or deflector consists of the cylindrical lower
part p made of glass and the summit or slotted part q made of metal. Immediately
below the metallic slotted part q of the dome and within the glass cylinder pis a
metallic reflector 7 having inclined sides the said inclined reflector being fixed
to the base of the slotted dome part q at 8, 8 as seen in Figure 6. The inclined
reflector is open at top and fits upon the top of the case t of the burner as seen
in Figure 4.
The glass part of the dome or deflector is represented separately in elevation and
plan in Figure 5 and the metal part of the dome together with the inclined reflector
is represented in side and end elevation in Figure 6.
By means of the glass cylindrical part b of the slotted dome or deflector the
shadow cast down by the ordinary metallic slotted dome is prevented or diminished
and by means of the inclined reflector the light which is radiated from the flame
downwards is reflected nearly horizontally.
Having now described the nature of our invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed We wish it to be understood that We claim as our invention
of "Improvements in oil lamps
"
First The fan or blowing apparatus for supplying a current of air to the flame
of an oil lamp herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing;
that is to say, a fan or blowing apparatus consisting of a light rotating horizontal
circular disc having vanes on its underside the said rotating disc and vanes working
over an annular disc or ring so as to deliver a horizontal radiating current of air
substantially as described and illustrated, whether the said fan or blowing apparatus
be used in lamps burning light or volatile oils or in lamps burning fixed or
heavy oils.
Secondly-The construction of the slotted dome or deflector herein before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing for lamps burning either
light or heavy oils; that is to say, making the lower part of the dome or deflector
of glass and the summit or slotted upper part of metal and combining therewith
a reflector of the kind described and illustrated, whereby the shadow cast
downwards by domes or deflectors of the ordinary kind is prevented or
diminished.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur Chamberlain have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twentieth-day of September in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.