Improvements in Oil Lamps.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1889-Accepted, 24th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
I HENRY CLIFTON CARVER of 3 Cross Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
Oil Lamps in which the Oil is burnt with the aid of wicks are provided with
barriers placed a little above the upper ends of the wick tubes so as to prevent
the wicks from being elevated beyond the height which is found most appropriate
for the satisfactory working of the Lamps-Means are thus afforded for preventing
the lamps from flaring and smoking and for adjusting the wicks to produce good
flames with ease and certainty (even by unskilled persons) and without giving
occasion for watching the flame in the meantime-The barriers also afford
facility for maintaining the wicks in correct trim-They may be made of refractory
metal or other suitable refractory material and may be either fixed or moveable.
Sometimes they may be formed with air ways for improving the supply of air to
the flames and sometimes they may be constructed so as to modify the shape of
the flames This invention is not applicable for controlling the adjustment of wicks
having so little stiffness that they would be disarranged by being pressed up against
the barriers; but in such cases the barriers may be employed and constructed for
modifying the shape of the flames and for improving the supply of air thereto.
Dated this 18th day of September 1888.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
I HENRY CLIFTON CARVER of 3, Cross Street Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Oil Lamps in which the Oil is burnt with the aid of wicks are provided with
barriers placed a little above the upper ends of the wick tubes so as to prevent
the wicks from being elevated beyond the height which is found most appropriate
for the satisfactory working of the Lamps-Means are thus afforded for preventing
the lamps from flaring and smoking and for adjusting the wicks to produce good
flames with ease and certainty (even by unskilled persons) and without giving
occasion for watching the flame in the meantime The barriers also afford facility
for maintaining the wicks in correct trim-They may be made of brass copper or
other suitable metal and may be either fixed or moveable-This Invention is not
applicable for controlling the adjustment of wicks having so little stiffness that they
would be disarranged by being pressed up against the barriers; nor does it relate
to burners constructed for burning the oil without contact between the flame and
the_wick, as for example, in the case of the burner known as the "Barton" burner.
Various methods of applying this invention are illustrated in the accompanying
drawing, in the different views of which corresponding parts are designated by
corresponding numbers. Figures A. B. are respectively front and end elevations
of an arrangement for a flat wick tube in which the barrier consists of a wire 1.
(made of brass copper or other suitable metal) fixed to the wick tube 2, and
passing over the top of it lengthwise of its mouth so as to limit the protrusion of
the wick 3, above the top of the tube-Figures C. D. are respectively front and
end elevations of another arrangement for a flat wick tube in which the barrier
consists of four wires fixed to the tube transversely to the mouth-The number of

page_text: the wires may be varied at will-Figures E. F. G. are respectively front end and
plan views of an arrangement similar to that in Figures C. D. except that the
wires instead of being fixtures upon the tube are carried by a moveable sleeve 4
which can be secured to or liberated from the wick tube by means of a screw as
shewn a pad being provided as shewn to prevent the point of the screw from
indenting the wick tube-Figures H. K. L. are respectively side, end and plan
views of another arrangement for a flat wick tube in which the barrier consists of
a wire running lengthwise of the mouth carried on a cradle 5. The cradle is
pivotted on pins 6, 6¹ secured in pieces 7, 7' which are clipped on to the wick
tube by a screw and lugs as shewn-When in its normal position (as shewn in
full lines in the drawings) the frame of the Cradle rests on the lugs of the clip
pieces 7 71 and the barrier 1. is then correctly situated for controlling the protrusion
of the wick-When however it is desired to displace the barrier from this position
(as for trimming and changing wicks) this can be done by tilting the cradle as
shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. K—The overhanging part of the cradle is made
heavy enough to cause the cradle to revert to its normal position when it is released
after tilting Figs. M. N. O. are respectively_front, end and plan views of an
arrangement similar to that in Figs. H. K. L. except that the clip pieces are
dispensed with,. that the cradle pivots 66¹ are secured to the wick tube, and that
the cradle is kept in its normal position by a projecting piece 8 which bears against'
a stop pin 9 secured to the wick tube.
In Fig. P. which is a front elevation partly in section, 10 is a dome such as
is commonly employed in flat wick petroleum lamps, 1 is the barrier and 2. the
wick tube The barrier is secured to the dome and consequently when the dome is
taken off the barrier is removed with it and the wick is left unobstructed for
trimming and changing-Fig. Q is another arrangement for a flat wick tube in
which a cradle 5 similar to that in Figs. M. N. O. has its pivots and stop pin
secured to the dome 10 instead of to the wick tube-Fig. R is a sectional elevation
through a circular wick tube, fitted with a barrier 1 consisting of a annular
horizontal wire furnished with branch wires which are secured to the wick tube 2.-
Figs. S. T. are respectively sectional elevation and plan views of another arrange-
ment for a circular wick tube provided with an air deflector dise 12 for producing
a tulip shaped frame.
The lower part of the stem of the disc screws into a holder 13 secured to the
wick tube-The upper part of the stem carries a loose fitting sleeve 11. from which
radiate wires as shewn, holding an annular barrier 1 similar to that in Fig. R.-
Figs. U. W. are respectively sectional elevation and plan views of an alternative type
of barrier applicable to Figs. S. T.-In this case the outer ends of the wires radiating
from the sleeve themselves act as the barrier and the annular wire shewn in
Figs. R. S. T. is dispensed with-Eight radiating wires are shewn in Fig. W. but
this number may be either added to or diminished as may be found desirable-
Figs. X Y. are respectively end and front elevations of another arrangement for a flat
wick tube comprising a cradle for carrying the barrier similar to that shewn in
Figs. H. K. L., except that a spring as shewn is employed to assist in bringing the
cradle back to its normal position after tilting and in retaining it there. In this
arrangement the barrier 1 is shown of curved form, whereas in all the other arrange-
ments for flat wick tubes the barriers are shown straight-It will be evident that the
form of the barriers may be made to suit any shape to which it may be desired to
trim the wicks.
All the arrangements shewn in the drawing are applicable to petroleum oil lamps
such as are commonly employed. Many modifications of these arrangements may be
made to suit petroleum and other oil lamps of various designs provided that the
wicks are stiff enough not to become disarranged when pressed up against the
barriers.
In using lamps fitted in accordance with this invention the correct elevation of the
wicks is secured by pressing them up as far as the barriers will permit. Should the
wicks be unevenly trimmed the badly shaped flames which would ordinarily result are

page_text: in some cases wholly or partly obviated by the effect of the barriers in regulating the
shape of the upper ends of the wicks when they are pressed up against the barriers
and thus the maintenance of the wicks in correct trim is facilitated.
When the barriers are made removeable from the wick tubes as in Figs. E, F, G,
H, K, L, marks may be provided for enabling them to be readjusted correctly, or a
portion of the fittings may be made to stand flush with the top of the wick tubes as
shewn in Figs. H, K, in which the clip-pieces 7, 7¹ are extended upwards for this
purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
In oil lamps, limiting the protrusion of the wicks from the wick tubes, and regulating
the shape of the upper ends of the wicks by means of barriers of suitable form placed
over the upper ends of the wick tubes substantially as described and shewn.
Datal this 18th day of June 1880
HENRY CLIFTON CARVER.