Improved Apparatus for Automatically Feeding Oil and Spirit Lamps, Oil Stoves, and such like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Automatically Feeding Oil and Spirit
Lamps, Oil Stoves, and such like.
I, HENRY CHRISTY, Sailmaker, 96 Hornby Street, Belfast, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates to an apparatus for automatically feeding oil and spirit
lamps, oil stoves, and such like.
In carrying out my invention I arrange an oil reservoir at a height above the
lamp or stove and from this reservoir I conduct a pipe to a small cistern provided
with a ball or float cock for the admission of oil and a pipe leading to the burner
of the lamp or stove.
The cistern is located on a level with the lamp or stove and supplies oil
automatically thereto by gravitation.
The cistern and oil well of the burner being on the same level it follows that as
fast as the oil at the burner is consumed it is replenished by a fresh supply
from the cistern and the cistern again, in its turn, as the level of the oil therein
falls, is replenished automatically from the overhead reservoir by the opening of
the ball or float cock.
One or more lamps or stoves can be automatically replenished in this manner.
In the case of a house built in flats the oil lamps or stoves on each flat can be
always kept replenished in this manner from a single reservoir located at the roof
from which a pipe communicates with a cistern on each flat for supplying the
burners.
The burners can be simply fitted on a supply pipe or bracket into which the
wicks descend. This is specially advantageous for shop windows where a single
pipe led across or around the window from a supply cistern can be used for
automatically replenishing a set of burners fitted on or connected to it.
Oil can in this manner be supplied to the burners of houses by pipes in the same
way as gas.
My invention gives the following advantages:-
1. There is no necessity for refilling the lamps as they are automatically
supplied.
2. There is no liability of explosion through the accumulation of gas in the
lamps as they are always filled with oil to the required height.
3. No shadows are cast, as in ordinary lamps having oil wells, these wells being
lone away with.
4. The individual lamps can be made much cheaper than at present.
5. The number of burners can be multiplied to any extent.
Dated this 9th day of January 1896.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Automatically Feeding Oil and Spirit
Lamps, Oil Stoves, and such like.
HENRY CHRISTY 96 Hornby Street Belfast Sail and Tentmaker, 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:-
Place one large tank A at an elevation of about one foot above the highest light
desired, and for each flat or landing place one small check tank B on a level with
the lamps. A pipe C leading from the top tank conducts the oil into the check
tanks, and from each check tank a pipe D'conducts the oil into the lamps, all of
which must be on a level with the check tank on each landing.
The check tank allows the oil to flow to one level E all the time, and feeds all
the lamps, so that any number of lamps can be kept burning, so long as the top
tank or reservoir contains oil. A portion of water F in bottom of each tank
receives all sediment and thus purifies the oil. All said tanks may be erected
either inside the house or outside the house, and at any distance from the house
so long as the check tanks are on a level with the lights, and the oil can be forced
by pump or carried by hand up to top tank. In case the tanks are erected outside,
the supply pipes can be brought down and carried under grouud, and elevated
inside the house to desired level, but when erected inside the house, the pipes are
simply taken on a level from each check tank, so that the lamps may be attached
in any part of the building. Any lamp can be connected by a drop pipe, but
lamps can be specially made to suit the apparatus much better than the ordinary
lamps, as a bowl containing one wine-glassful of oil is sufficient to keep the wick
burning, as it is constantly fed by the apparatus, and owing to the small quantity
of oil in bowl, no gas can accumulate, and consequently no explosion can take
place. To such small bowl, any ordinary burner can be fitted.
Oil or spirit stoves can be worked in the same manner as the lamps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A most convenient method for using oil as an illuminator or heater, as is
obvious from the fact that lamps are constantly being fed by the apparatus and
may be kept burning for any period of time desired, and the oil so kept up
gives a moistened wick and so prevents considerably the offensive smell caused by
a crusted wick for lack of oil in the ordinary filled lamps.
2. As each tank is to have a portion of water in bottom, before the oil is put
into it, to receive all sediment from the oil, the oil is thus twice filtered before it
reaches any lamp, and a much steadier and brighter light is obtained.
3. As the oil once put into the top tank has not to be again handled; a great
saving of oil is obtained, and that disagreeable performance of filling lamps which
causes so much dirt and waste, is put an end to.
Dated this 26th day September 1896
HENRY CHRISTY.