Improvements in Wick-locking Devices for Oil Lamps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb.
1000
Complete Specification Left. 2nd Oct.. 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 2nd Oct.. 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wick-locking Devices for Oil Lamps.
We, FARNELL MILNER, of 28, Falinge Road, Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Tin Plate Worker, and JOHN CAVANAGH, of 14, Blenheim Street,
Rochdale, aforesaid, Warper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
This invention is intended to be an improvement on all existing arrange-
ments for holding the wick in every kind of lamp where wick is used.
The suggested improvement is to prevent the wick from dropping down the
tube into the oil cup which is a very common occurence in the ordinary lamp.
We claim our invention to be specially useful for such as bicycle, cart, carriage,
hand lamps, etc., which are subject to great vibration in travelling about;
the said vibration causing the wick to slip down the tube thus making an
inferior light or no light at all.
The method we wish to patent to prevent this is as follows:-
In the button which is fastened on to the end of the wick winder we propose
to cut teeth or serrations. We shall then fix a spring at a convenient place on
the lamp so as to gear into the teeth of the button. This we contend will pre-
vent the wick from slipping down when once it has been fixed. We could of
course vary the means of doing this such as for instance by a small rack inside
the lamp with catch.
It is the principle we wish to patent as it can be done many ways.
JOHN CAVANAGH,
FARNELL MILNER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Wick-locking Devices for Oil Lamps.
We, FARNELL MILNER, of 28, Falinge Road, Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Tin Plate Worker, and Joux CAVANAGHI, of 14, Blenheim Street,
Rochdale, aforesaid, Warper, 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 and accompanying drawings.
Our said invention relates to oil lamps and has for its object to provide means
for securely locking the wick in such lamps so as to prevent the same falling
down into the oil reservoir.
The invention may be applied to various types of oil lamps, in which a wick
is used, but is particularly applicable to oil lamps used on wagons, carriages,
velocipedes, locomotives, traction-engines and the like, which are subjected to
considerable vibration, such vibration causing the wick to gradually slip down
so that unless constant care is bestowed the light is ultimately extinguished.
Under a suitable method of carrying our invention into effect we propose
to form or provide the wick-winder spindle, or a part carried thereby, with teeth
or serrations with which engage a spring or pawl so that the wick-winder spindle
is at times prevented from revolving and the wick thereby locked in an
adjusted position.

page_text: In order that our invention may be clearly understood we have attached hereto
a sheet of illustrative drawings to which we shall refer throughout the following
description.
In the said drawings,
Fig. 1 shows a front view of a lurry or wagon lamp with our invention
applied.
Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a detached detail view.
Fig. 4 shows a modification of our invention.
Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4, the wick-winder spindle being shown in
section.
In constructing a wick-locking device according to our invention and as shown
in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, we form the button a of the wick-winding spindle with
teeth or serrations a' with which engage a projecting tooth or part c¹ of the
spring c. The spring
e is rivetted, soldered, or otherwise suitably secured to
the body of the lamp A, and is so arranged as to normally engage one or other
of the serrations or teeth formed on the button a whereby movement of the
button and consequently the wick d is prevented. When it is desired to raise
or lower the wick the spring c is forced back by pressing on the push c³ until
the part clears the teeth of the button a whereupon the wick-winder spindle
may be revolved and the adjustment of the wick effected.
Upon removing the finger from the push the tooth c is again pressed into
engagement with the serrated button a and the wick securely locked in its
adjusted position.
Figs. 4 and 5 show a modified method of effecting our object such method being
particularly suitable for use in lamps the wick winding spindle of which does
not project outside the lamp.
In this case, we fix upon the wick-winding spindle a ratchet wheel or
notched disc o with which engages a pawl or catch f pivotted at f' such pawl
preventing the backward revolution of the spindle b.
In this case the wick d may be raised by revolving the button a to the right
the spindle & being locked in position immediately winding ceases so that it is
impossible for the wick to fall.
When it is required to lower the wick, the pawl or catch f may be disengaged
from the ratchet wheel e by acting on the end f, upward movement of the
pawl being limited by the stop g.
By means of our invention, we are enabled to readily lock the wick in an
adjusted position, so that it is impossible for the same to become displaced, or
to fall down into the oil reservoir and be extinguished.
Although we have described our invention particularly with reference to
vehicle lamps, which are subjected to great vibration, it will be obvious that
the invention is not confined thereto but may be applied to oil lamps of other
and various types.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
-
In oil lamps of the indicated nature, locking the wick-winding spindle, so
as to maintain and prevent the fall of the wick, in the manner and substantially
as described.
Dated this 30th day of September 1899.