Improvements in Lamps for Burning Oil or Spirits and in Wicks therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 15th Jan., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Burning Oil or Spirits and in Wicks
therefor.
FREDERICK HENRY VARLEY, Engineer, residing at $2 Newington Green Road
London N. WILLIAM DAVID Gooch, Civil Engineer of 2 Victoria Mansions
Westminster, S.W. and FREDERICK BARTLETT LIDSTONE, Land Agent of 58 War-
wick Road, Kensington West all of the county of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
We construct lamps for burning oil or spirit with wicks made of porous
refractory material, such as, the porous artificial stone, made in accordance with
the Patent of Absolon Elijah Webb, dated Nov. 4th, 1885 ; & numbered 13,324,
whereby we obtain greater efficiency in lighting and heating.
This Invention is applicable to the ordinary form of flat flame lamps either single
or multiple, cylindrical or pencil shaped.
In the flat wick lamp we increase the evaporating surface of the flame producing
area by forming in the porous refractory material of the wick, parallel or cross cut
grooves, saw cuts or perforations presenting the appearance of parallel knife-edges,
square based pyramids, cones, cylinders or suitable indentations, and with
cylindrical or pencil shaped wicks, we make the grooves or indentations, concentric
radial tangenteal and symmetrical, the part which is immersed in the oil or spirit
we prefer to make of increased dimensions forming a capillary base so that the
narrower or smaller part-i.e. the wick proper, is amply supplied by the increased
capillary area of the immersed portion of the wick-or we use any of these forms in
conjunction with cotton wicks, sponge, felt or other suitable material, thus obtaining
an increased and more equal service of the combustible fluid to the wick. We make
also, duplex & multiplex wicks, from one piece of porous material the base supplying
the several wicks, or two or more pieces fitted to the lamp burner, or we fit fine
grained stone wicks, into coarse grained or more porous stone bases, according to
the several purposes of heating or lighting for which they are required, and whether
the same be supplied with oil or spirit, either conveyed thro' pipes or ducts from a

page_text: central source of supply to the porous base of the wick, or from subsidiary reservoirs
attached to each burner, or by containers of the simple type. We also, to obtain
the same result as that of increased dimensions of the base, graduate the texture-
density or capillarity of the substance forming the wick and feeders.
These wicks being incombustible and not requiring to be raised or lowered for
adjustment of the flame, except for special purposes enables it to be fixed in the best
position for effective combustion, with fluid-tight joints or held by removable
washers & collars whilst the refractory character of the wick enables us to burn
oil or spirit regeneratively & thus obtain greater intensity of light & heat at the
same time securing protection from risk of explosion. We therefore prefer to fix
these wicks by fluid-tight sockets or washers upon the container, thus preventing
waste by evaporation or accidents from spilling.
In ordinary lamps, when only a small piece of porous stone is employed as a
capping to cotton wicks, we fix the same by a sleeve or tube, which not only serves
to hold the porous stone capping in contact with the cotton wick, but also may be
used to fix the wick into the container, or for lifting & raising it if desirable.
When using fixed wicks, we regulate the size of the flame, by a sliding sleeve or
collar, and we extinguish the light by means of a cap or cover working upon a hinge
or other contrivance.
In the simple form of lamps we dispense with the usual spur-wheel appliances, and
instead use a lever which raises the wick to facilitate lighting, and serves also to
replace it or this can be done by force of a spring or gravity.
Instead of using the artificial stone made under the Patent, No. 13324 A.D. 1885,
already referred to, we may use porous clay or a mixture of clay & magnesia,
or rotten stone rendered refractory or employ natural porous stones such as sand-
stones & pumice stone.
In the positions where the sleeve to carry the wick is spoken of and where for
purposes of regeneration a dome is used with the sleeve such dome or sleeve is
made of a non-conducting heat resisting material preferably not of metal.
Dated this 13th day of March 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Burning Oil or Spirits and in Wicks
therefor.
We, FREDERICK HENRY VARLEY, WILLIAM DAVID GOOCH, and FREDERICK
BARTLETT LIDSTONE, of 2 Victoria Mansions, Victoria Street, London, S.W. Engineers
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:-
We construct lamps for burning oil or spirit with wicks made of porous refractory
material, such as porous artificial stone made in accordance with the Patent of
Absolom Elijah Webb dated November. 4th 1885, numbered 13324, whereby we
obtain greater efficiency in lighting and heating.
This invention is applicable to the ordinary form of flat flame lamps either single
or multiple, cylindrical or pencil shaped.
In the flat wick lamp we increase the evaporating surface of the flame producing
area by piercing in the porous refractory material of the wick, parallel, or cross cut
grooves, saw cuts, or perforations presenting the appearance of parallel knife edges,
square cased pyramids cones, cylinders, or suitable indentations and with cylindrical
or pencil shaped wicks, we make the grooves or indentations concentric radial,
tangential and symmetrical. The part which is immersed in the oil or spirit we
prefer to make of increased dimensions forming a capillary base, so that the narrower
or smaller part i.e. the wick proper, is amply supplied by the increased capillary area
of the immersed portion of the wick, or we use any of these forms in conjunction
with cotton wicks, sponge, felt, or other suitable material, thus obtaining an increased
and more equal service of the combustible fluid to the wick.
We make also, duplex and multiplex wick from one piece of porous material, the
base supplying the several wicks or two or more pieces fitted to the lamp burner,
or we fit fine grained stone wicks into coarse grained or more porous stone bases,
according to the several purposes of heating or lighting for which they are required,
and whether the same be supplied with oil or spirit either conveyed through pipes
or ducts from a central source of supply to the porous base of the wick or from
subsidiary reservoirs attached to each burner, or by containers of the simple type ;
we also, to obtain the same result as that of increased dimensions of the base, graduate
the texture, density or capillarity of the substance forming the wick and feeders, these
wicks being incombustible and not requiring to be raised or lowered for adjustment
of the flame, except for special purposes enable them to be fixed in the best position
for effective combustion with fluid tight joints, or held by removable washers and collars
whilst the refractory character of the wick enables us to burn oil or spirit regeneratively
time securing
and thus obtain greater intensity of light and heat, at the same
protection from risk of explosion. We therefore prefer to fix these wicks by fluid
tight sockets or washers upon the container, thus preventing waste by evaporation
or accidents from spilling.

page_text: In ordinary lamps, when only a small piece of porous stone is employed as a
capping to cotton wicks, we fix the same by a sleeve or tube, which not only holds
the porous stone capping in contact with the cotton wick but also may be used to fix
-the-wick into the container or for lifting and raising it if desirable.
When using fixed wicks we regulate the size of the flame by a sliding sleeve or
collar, and we extinguish the light by means of a cap or cover working upon a hinge
or other contrivance.
In the simple form of lamps, we dispense with the usual spur wheel appliances
and instead, use a lover which raises the wick to facilitate lighting and serves also
to replace it, or this can be done by force of a spring or gravity.
Instead of using the artificial stone made under the Patent No. 13324 of 1885
already referred to, we may use porous clay, or a mixture of clay and magnesia, or
rottenstone rendered refractory, or employ natural porous stones, such as sandstone
and pumice stone.
In the position where the sleeve to carry the wick is spoken of and where for
purposes of regeneration a dome is used with the sleeve, such dome or sleeve is made
of a non-conducting heat resisting material preferably not of metal.
The details of our invention will be understood by reference to the annexed
drawings.
According to the views Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, we make stone or composition
stone wicks A with a longitudinal saw cut or recess in the top edge, as at Figure 1,
or angle grooves, or recesses for a certain distance down from the top edge, as at
Figure 2, so that the flame is, so to speak, broken up from two or more parts of the
wick for the admission of oxygen into the flame and so obtain increase of light. These
stone wicks are preferably provided with holes for the attachment of an ordinary
piece of lamp cotton B as a feeder to the stone wick as at Figure 3, said attachment
being by thread or very fine wire Ċ to keep the cotton B in close contact with the
stone wick A.
Any number of these stone wicks of the same make or of different makes as regards
the grooved top edge may be sown edge to edge on to a broad cotton B. As an
example, Figure 4 shows three of such wicks A sewn to a single cotton. The
wick A may be recessed on one or both sides for the attachment of a finer feeding
cotton strip B and if two of such cottons be attached, as at Figure 5, they would
both act, not only to feed the oil or spirit to the top edges which are in contact with
the base of the wick A but also at the sides of a central depending piece D forming
a continuation of the base, or a separate piece of stone, as at Figure 6, for taking
a side supply or feed from the cottons B, B. In this stone wick, we make the
shoulder at a part just below the flame giving portion, somewhat thicker to
ensure a plentiful supply of oil or spirit to the wick for consumption and increase
and intensity of flame, or the cotton feeding portion may have two lips E, E, for
embracing the lower part of the stone wick, as at Figure 7, the connection being
preferably by a hooked wire first passed through an aperture in the stone wick A
and then curved inwards to penetrate the lips E, E, and enter another aperture in
the base of the stone wick to fix the two parts closely together.
If the stone wick is made sufficiently long to dip into the oil, or if the oil be fed
directly to the base of the wick, as with some kinds of lamps, we increase the thickness
or diameter of the base, as at Figures 8 and 9, so that the upper part of the wicks is
fed by pressure of the flow of oil and by the absorbent character of the wick itself.
The lower part of a. broad base stone wick may be surrounded by a circular cotton
wick B, as at Figure 10, and in the moulding of the wick proper, a strip of asbestos,
or other material may be inserted into the base or thicker portion as an adjunct to the
feeding properties of the cotton wicks B.
According to Figure 11, we show a stone wick A with a broad base and with three
cuts, recesses, or grooves, varying in depths but they may be all of the same depth
and instead of making the wicks from one piece of moulded material, they may be
made in two pieces and held in contact by a metallic base ring F, as at Figure 12, an
opening or chamber being provided at the underside for the reception of a cotton

page_text: feeding strip, or the upper portion of such a wick made in two pieces may be connected
by wire passed through the apertures shown in Figure 13 and cotton feeding wicks
may be attached in the recesses in the base. Instead of the upper parts of the two
pieces of wicks abutting, as at Figure 12, they may be kept apart, as at Figure 14. in
order to produce two flames from the same combined stone wick, in which case, we
prefer to place a ring G at the upper part in addition to the bottom or base ring F
before referred to, that is to say, if the stone wick be of round or oval form at the base
but if it be of oblong or of other shape with corners, the ring or rings F, G, would be
of corresponding shape and if the wick proper is shaped for producing contiguous flat
flames instead of the ring G, two side plates could be rivetted or pinned to hold the two
half wicks in place.
Where the upper part of the wick is hollow and two flames are intended to be
formed, we perforate or form holes H in some part of the wick for the passage of air to
the interior of the flame.
Instead of the two half wicks being secured together in the manner described, a
single wick may be moulded with an opening in the upper part and with side air
supply holes H, H, as at Figure 15, the shoulders 1, I, serving for the wick to sit upon,
or within a wick holder, from which it may take its feed of oil, either directly under
the pressure of flow, or by an affixed cotton for capillary action.
At Figure 16, we have shown four air supply holes but they may be increased, or
decreased as desired.
Figure 17 is an example of a flat wick, with four points, the spaces between being
of rounded formation, so that four distinct jets of flame would appear at the bottom of
the flame but would merge into a single flame for brilliancy.
In some cases we place two wicks side by side, as at Figure 18, within a holder and
supply each wick with oil for producing uniformity of light from the two flames and
said wicks may be plain or have air passages H, H, in them for feeding the space
between the two flames which air becomes rarified in passing through the passages H, H.
or the two wicks may be of such a shape and distance apart that air to feed the inside
of the two flames would pass in between the wicks, as will be understood by reference to
Figure 19, or three wicks may be arranged in a holder or three forms of wicks may be
made with a base common to all of them, as at Figures 20 and 21 and instead of the
grooves or recesses being formed transversely or longitudinally at their upper or flame
portions, such recesses may be formed diagonally, as at Figure 22.
Instead of the air supply being through side apertures or between two or more
adjacent wicks the air supply may be through the centre as indicated by Figures 23
and 24 and said internal aperture may be provided with an internal tube J for
directing the supply of air to the interior of a circular flame, the diameter of the flame
being determined by the shape of the flame portion of the wick. According to
Figures 23 and 24, the flame would be ring shaped but if the wick shown at Figure 25
be provided for a flat flame, the interior of the flame would be supplied with air
through the aperture H into a reservoir K, within which, it would be rarified by the
surrounding heat of the stone wick and be brought into condition for supplying the
interior of the flame in proportion to its requirement.
If a ring flame of large diameter be required, we make a circular stone wick, as at
Figure 26, and we feed the base of the wick with oil or spirit by the attachment of
cottons, or in other convenient manner and we form a hole in the centre of the base,
into which the stem of a button or flame spreader can be placed.
Where the base of the stone wick whether of circular, flat, oval, or other form and
with one or more flame portions is of greater thickness, we propose to enclose it in a
correspondingly shaped casing hermetically sealed from the outer air, so that the flow
of oil or spirit to the base is not interfered with. When circular stone wicks are made
(parallel or tapered) the top or flame end may be plain, corrugated, or formed with
ridges, either radially or concentrically.
If desired, the stone wicks may be flat strips cemented or dropped into a base of the
same or a coarser material from which they take their supply this will be understood
by referring to Figure 27.

page_text: Any of the wicks A with cottons B shown at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 and of
which an enlarged view is shown at Figure 28, can be fitted within a tube Las at
Figure 29, a portion of-which is perforated for the free passage of oil to the cotton
strip B. Such a tube when fitted in a lamp, such as we show at Figures 30 and 31,
can have the tube L raised by the fork M of a lever N engaging the pin P of the
tube L when the lamp has to be lighted and to lower it again under the action of the
spring Q, a fly nut R being set to regulate the distance at which such tube 1 shall be
lowered.
The upper part of the tube 1 is encircled by a sleeve S which can have a separate
movement by the fork T, lever U, and adjustable nut V to regulate the height of flame
from the wick A and when the lever N is operated, such as for lighting, as indicated
at Figure 31, the sleeve by means of the fork M rises with it and it is only when the
height of the flame has to be regulated that the lever U is adjusted.
i
If the lever N is adapted for a single burner, as at Figure 31, only a pair of
forks M, M, engage with the pins P, one on each side of the tube 1. but if for a
duplex burner the lever N has two or double forks, as at Figure 33, so that both
tubes Land wicks A are lifted simultaneously to be lighted by a pressure on the knob
or finger piece W.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what, manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. As one of our improvements in lamps, the construction and employment of stone
wicks with grooves, recesses, or undulations, or openings in their flame portions, or in
their bodies substantially as indicated by examples shown at Figures 1 to 27 of the
annexed drawings, substantially in the manner and for the purpose or purposes
hereinbefore described.
2. Dispensing with the ordinary winding or lifting appliances and substituting
therefore a lever N, or its equivalent, operated in the manner and for the purpose
described with reference to Figures 30, 31, 32, and 33 of the annexed drawings.
3. The lever arrangement, shown at Figures 30 and 31 of the annexed drawings for
operating a sleeve for covering up more or less of the wick and regulating the height
of the flame thereby, substantially as described.
LIG
Tour day vì Decemer 1000.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said F. H. Varley, W. D. Gooch,
and F. B. Lidstone.