IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR INCREASING THE LIGHT OR HEAT FROM CARBONIZED ATMOSPHERIC AIR, GAS, OR GASEOUS MIXTURES, BY THE USE OF HYDROCARBONS, OILS, SPIRITS, OR OTHER INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OR ANY MIXTURE THEREOF
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Wilkins, of No. 20, York Buildings,
Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR INCREASING THE LIGHT
OR HEAT FROM CARBONIZED ATMOSPHERIC AIR, GAS, OR GASEOUS MIXTURES,
BY THE USE OF HYDROCARBONS, OILS, SPIRITS, OR OTHER INFLAMMABLE
LIQUIDS OR ANY MIXTURE THEREOF."
Sealed the 11th January 1868, and dated the 12th July 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Wilkins, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th July 1867.
I, FREDERICK WILKINS, of No. 20, York Buildings, Adelphi, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR INCREASING THE
LIGHT OR HEAT FROM CARBONIZED ATMOSPHERIC AIR, GAS, OR GASEOUS MIXTURES,
BY THE USE OF HYDROCARBONS, OILS, SPIRITS, OR OTHER INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OR
ANY MIXTURE THEREOF," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the use of small pipes to convey hydrocarbon,
oils, spirits, or other inflammable liquid, or any mixture thereof, whether
volatile or non-volatile, from a reservoir or holder to suitable burners placed
at any distance from the said reservoir of liquid there to be burned with or

page_text: without wicks as in lamps, and with or without extra heat generated at or by
the said burners or imparted from any other sources, such heat being conducted
to the said liquid (by metallic conductors or otherwise) for converting it into
vapour, for the purpose of being more readily burned either in conjunction
or mixed with carbonized atmospheric air or air otherwise impregnated with
light producing vapour, coal gas, or any gaseous mixture, or alone as in lamps.
When the liquid is used with carbonized air as described in my former
Patents No. 2510 of 1864, and No. 2972 of 1865, or with gas, the heat of
the lights causes the liquid to be converted into vapour, which is then mixed
with the said lights, and is consumed with them, thus considerably increasing
their brilliancy. Where the said liquid is burned by itself in burners at the
end of pipes, the heat required to light them may be imparted by a torch, but
when they are lighted, the heat of such light will communicate through the
burner to the liquid within and cause it to issue from the mouth of the burner
in the form of vapour and be thereby burned and continually support itself
until-all the liquid is consumed. The effect of this arrangement is to produce
a brilliant, steady, pure, and very cheap light.. I regulate the constant and
uniform supply of liquid to all the burners by one or more self-acting floating
valves, ball, cocks, or bird cage fountains in connection with the reservoir, or
pipes leading therefrom. In some cases where carbonized air or gas is used,
an enlarged receptacle or vessel like a small lamp may be connected with the
burner end of each pipe, and in this case also the liquid may be vaporized by
the heat of the light produced or by other means. I use metallic or other
wicks where required; I also apply the "Davy safety system
" to burners
by using perforated metal or fine gauze wire sockets for the reception of the
wicks, this is specially applicable to common lamps and will prevent explosions
when unsuitable oils are used. I also in some cases use air regulating plates
to the burners whether for carbonized air, gas lamps, or candles. The air
regulating plates consist of two similar plates having similar openings in each,
one is fixed, the other may revolve on its centre, so that the perforated parts
of one may be placed so as be partially or wholly closed by being brought
opposite the solid or blank part of the other, these may be placed at the foot
or gallery of argand gas chimneys or at the top whether carbonized air or gas is
used, or whether applied to common oil lamps, and a similar arrangement may
be applied to any variety of glass or chimney enclosing candles or other lights,
the object being to increase or diminish the current of air brought in contact
with the flame to the proper quantity required.
.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
.
by the said Frederick Wilkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th January 1868.
.. TO ALL TO WHOM: THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME; I, FREDERICK,
5 WILKINS, of No. 20, York Buildings,, Adelphi, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters,
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her reign,
O did; for Herself,, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Frederick Wilkins, Her special licence that I, the said Frederick Wilkins;
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as- I, the said.
Frederick Wilkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any.
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
5 during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, чse;.
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OR INCREASING THE LIGHT OR HEAT FROM CARBONIZED,
ATMOSPHERIC AIR, GAS, OR GASEOUS MIXTURES, BY THE USE OF HYDROCARBONS,,
O OILS; SPIRITS, OR OTHER INFLAMMABLE LIQUIDS; OR ANY MIXTURE THEREOF," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederick Wilkins, my
executors or administrators;,by., an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain,
the nature of the said. Invention, and in what manner the same was to be,
5 performed, and. cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said:
Letters Patent..
:
• NOW KNOW YE,. that I, the said Frederick Wilkins, do. hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same. is.
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement':-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for producing
or increasing. light and, heat from carbonized or carburetted. atmospheric air,
gas, or gaseous mixtures, by the use or adaptation of hydrocarbons, oils, spirits,
or any other suitable inflammable liquids, or by any suitable admixture
thereof. I will first describe the manner in which I supply the liquid bydro-
carbon to the 'burners when, it is used in conjunction with carbonized or car-
buretted air or gas, or gaseous mixture as now produced by any known means,

page_text: In these cases I use two sets of pipes; one for supplying the gas or gaseous
mixture, the other for conveying the liquid, both being brought to the same
point and terminating in the same burner or vessel; the gas being thus lighted
the burner becomes hot and causes the liquid to be converted into vapour,
which mixes with the gas in the burner and is burned with it, the heat of the
said burner conducing to convert the liquid into vapour as above stated.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, & 4, represent examples
of this plan, where two pipes terminate in one burner. The way in which
the supply of liquid is maintained is by keeping the burners a little above the
level of the liquid in the holder with which it is connected by pipes. To
prevent it from boiling up into the gas portion of the burner, and to act as a
wick and present greater surface, I employ asbestos, sand, or other similar
divided substance which may be placed in the mouth of the liquid pipe, which
may be of brass or copper, silver, or other suitable metal or platinum.
To prevent melting by over heat, this wick may be of cotton and may extend-
5 or 6 inches down the pipe according to the size of the burner, see Fig. 36.
In some cases the liquid pipe may terminate in a small vessel to hold a
larger quantity of liquid, and this enlarged vessel may be filled with sponge or
other substance-in-the same way as the so-called sponge lamp, and the gas or
carbonized air may pass through the upper part of this vessel on its way to its
burner, see Figs. 5 and 6. The light may be above it or it may be brought
round underneath it, so that its heat may be imparted to the vessel above,
see Fig. 6. In Fig. 5, c is a copper plug to conduct the heat into the liquid
and cause evaporation of the spirit or oil within. When non-volatile or dedd
oils are used and the heat produced is not sufficient to cause them to vaporize,
any ordinary open lamp wick and burner of a paraffin or other lamp may be
brought in contact with a gas burner, so that the gas shall light the oil and
both shall continue to burn together, or the gas being turned off, the oil may
be left to burn alone, thus using the gas only for the purpose of lighting the
oil; this arrangement can also be used with the close heat conducting burners
hereafter described for the use of the volatile hydrocarbons or other inflam-
mable liquids; r is a copper or other metal rod connected with the reservoir
and cock of burner, and by its expansion by heat it acts on the cock and thus
regulates or checks the supply of air or gas to the burner. The rod may be
inside or outside the reservoir. In all these examples, the carbonized air or
gas is supercarbonized.
- Fig. 7 shews the reservoir or holder of the liquid, which may be of iron,
copper, stone, glass, or other material, and the pipes & leading therefrom, and
the way in which they are connected with the gas pipes, and the standard

page_text: burners Fig. 8 and bracket Fig. 9., This reservoir in its simplest form of
application is made very shallow, 2 or 3 inches deep only, and is placed on the
same level as the burners,, that is to say, so that when full the surface of the
liquid will be near the top of the liquid pipe, and when empty it will be near
the bottom of the burner part of such pipe, so that the liquid will always flow,
to the burner as long as there is any in the reservoir. No part of these pipes
must be carried higher than the reservoir (unless special provision is made
for supplying liquid to such pipes by other means).. In all cases the dotted
lines in the burners and reservoirs indicate the level of the liquid.. If the
lights are required in different floors or levels, the reservoir must, be arranged
above those on the highest level, see Fig. 11, and without a vent; and it.
may descend to the required levels by separate pipes, to the floors.below by
receivers as in Figs.. 12 and 18 and birdcage fountains e; the liquid in the
troughs or receivers of each fountain to be on the proper level for the lights
to be supplied from it. This arrangement I call a step, and a similar step is,
required for chandeliers from the ceiling; there must also be an air vent to
the upper part of this reservoir which should be very shallow and wide enough.
to contain all that may be expelled from the holder by expansion of the air
within when nearly empty. This is to prevent overflow at the burner.
.Fig. 10 shews a screw vent plug for Fig. 7, it has.a slot or groove cut;
across the screw threads, or it may be hollow, and a vent hole cut in the side.
so as to be used as a close plug if required. The levels for supplying the
different floors may also be regulated by a floating ball cock to each, or the
level may be maintained by a floating valve constructed as shewn in. Fig. 14.,
This is a double action valve and will stop off the supply either by floating or
sinking; the advantage of which is that it constitutes a feature of safety,
preventing the liquid from running out of the reservoir, even if the pipes.
conveying the liquid to the burners were torn away, the liquid in that case
running, from under the float, and thus falling and stopping the outlet by the
heads of the pin plugs f, f; when all the burners are on the same level they.
may be supplied direct from the reservoir, which must have a vent in this, case,
but if the lights are on different floors or descend to chandeliers, then each
floor and each chandelier must be supplied by the birdcage fountain system,
or by a ball-cock or floating valves admitting the liquid to a shallow receiver
on each floor, the surface of the liquid in this receiver being the working level
for supplying all the lights on that floor; these reservoirs must very shallow,
but of large diameters, and should be charged with the smallest quantity of
lionid necessary to sunnly them.
be

page_text: Fig. 11 shews one form of fountain supplying two receivers on separate
floors, and the pipes d, d, leading thence to the burners. These receivers
must have an air vent g, but the holder in this case must not have one; this
vent may be connected with a small pipe attached to carry off any smell which
may arise to a distance; this is supplemental and is not necessary but may be
used. A main cock h may be fixed to the outlet of holders supplying the
receivers, but there must not be any cock leading from the receivers; there
may be an outlet double-action stop valve to each receiver to prevent over-
flow if the pipes should meet with any accidental breakage similar to Fig. 14,
this is also supplementary. The pipe mouth from bird fountain may descend
30 or 40 feet to its receiver, but not more as it would lose its action. A
padlock or other lock may be fixed to the bung of any reservoir or receiver
so that the liquid within may not be interfered with; this is also supple-
mentary. Where a single direct-action reservoir, as shewn at Fig. 7, is used
it may be raised or lowered a few inches as a means of supplying or with-
drawing the liquid from the burners when not required for use. This may be
done by a lever handle or screw. In this case there must be several fest
of loose pipe connected with it to prevent too sudden a bending backwards or
forwards, or it may be coiled up under the receiver, see Fig. 15, which may
then be raised or lowered without injury to its pipes; this coil should be of
spring brass tube or iron; a similar sort of coil may be used for chandeliers
which are required to slide up and down; the lower end of the helix being
fixed in the cup or lower part of the receiver, the other being joined to the
ordinary supply pipe above connected with the receiver. Portable chandeliers
must have the reservoir in the centre or body thereof; it should not be more
than 8 inches deep, but may be as wide as is consistent with appearances;
these not being connected with the system will require refilling every 5 or 6
flays according to size, see Fig. 16. These may also have an inverted vase
above acting as a birdcage fountain. Standards with branches to be of similar
construction.
The burner for use with spirit alone may be made of brass, copper, silver,
or other suitable metal tube of various sizes, substances, and lengths; Fig. 17
is a thin brass burner -inch diameter and 5 inches long, the upper end being
closed with a screw plug, cap or otherwise, and having from 4 to 12 exceed-
ingly fine holes bored in a line round it half an inch from the top; these, when
supplied with wick as hereafter described, and the proper hydrocarbon liquid,
will give much more light than an ordinary gas burner; larger and smaller
burners with different numbers of holes will produce.a greater or less amount

page_text: of light, the size of these holes must be regulated by the quality of the liquid
used in the burners; a 1-inch tube with from 5 to 6 holes is a good useful
size for general use. This burner may have a cotton, metallic, or other wick
as now used or hereafter described, extending from the bottom to within half
an inch of the light holes. The level of the liquid may be within 1 inch
of the top of the wick, the precise height is comparatively immaterial. All these.
close burners for spirit only may have one or more plates i fixed between the
wicks and the light holes, with one or more pin holes in it to prevent the
liquid boiling up too much; this, is not necessary but may be used in some
cases. Burners of this class may be applied to the sponge lamps or others,
using mixed or unmixed volatile hydrocarbon oils, the said lamps being con--
nected or not with a holder or birdcage fountain. Burners of this class may
be varied by making the light holes in different levels (instead of in a ring), such
holes being bored on a spiral line or otherwise, so that the light from the
whole shall have a fan-like appearance when seen from a distance on the same
level; this will look more like an ordinary flat flame from a gas burner, see
Fig. 18. A small cock may be used in these burners to be placed between
the wick and light holes, but this is not necessary or recommended. Burners
of this sort can have the light reduced by sliding or screwing a tube up over
some of the light holes; this tube must fit the size of the burner and can also
be used as an extinguisher by covering all the holes.
.
.
Fig. 19 is similar to Figs. 17 and 18, but the lower half is sunk within
longer tube as shewn by the dotted lines. Other burners may have the light
holes passing in a line over the crown of the burner as shewn in Fig. 20. This
may be enlarged or flattened as required for the purpose of receiving and
conducting more heat.
.
Fig. 21 is of the fish-tail class, having its holes originating in the bottom
of the groove so that more heat may be absorbed by it from its own flame;
this may also have one or more single jet holes.
Fig. 22 is a bats-wing, the slit being at the bottom of a groove for similar
reasons. Fig. 23 is similar to the last, but has a metal band or ring passing
over the flame to collect the beat and conduct it to the liquid within the
burner.
Another form for reducing the lights consists of a broad ring of brass, copper,
silver, or other metal fitting over the burner and having holes larger than the
light holes, but not on the same centres, so that by turning it round, some of
the light holes will be closed by the blank parts of the ring, and by turning
it further, all the light holes will be closed, thus acting as an extinguisher of
light also if required; this ring may turn on the thread of a screw, and have a

page_text: small handle for convenience, see Fig. 24. The like system applies to the
caps and plugs before mentioned.
Figs 23, 28, shew burners with enlarged heads of funnel and ring form.
All the burners may be roughened at the sides for igniting matches thereon.
A simple tube, Fig. 25, with one end closed, may be the best extinguisher;
this should be made of thick metal so as to extract the heat from the burner
quickly and prevent the generation of more vapour. An outer tube or half
tube reaching from the foot of the burner nearly to the light holes will also
act as a shield against cold draughts; it may be made of brass, silver, or other
metal, or of some non-conductor of heat, and being raised a little, will extin-
guish the lights. The burner being made slightly larger above the light holes
so as to jamb it up, until by cooling, the burner shrinks, and it will full to its
original place. A sponge saturated with cold water or other cold body applied
to these burners will instantly extinguish them; this relates to the close
burners for spirit alone. Small burners can be lighted with a common
match or taper, but the larger one-will-light-more quickly-by a taper or-heat-
producing torch; this may consist of an ordinary wax taper, rather large,
and with its wick impregnated with nitre or other material producing great heat,
or it may have its end dipped in methylated spirits of wine or other inflam
mable materials, when used for lighting. A Bunsen tube may be added to
any taper or torch to increase its heat, see Fig. 26.
Figs. 27 and 28 shew light reducers or extinguishers of tubing for burners
of the class Fig. 18.
.
Fig. 29 is a burner of the argand class, the light holes pointing upwards;
the combustion may be rendered more perfect, if required, by the use of a
chimney; they may be made of two tubes together, the inner tube of the wick
holder to stand up higher than the outer part of the wick holder or burner,
so as to receive heat from the side of each of the jets of flame; the outer tube
being joined to the inner one and the holes bored as shewn, the wick
(if a wick is required) being placed between or within the two tubes; this
burner is for spirits. I may also apply to this burner an interior tube
lining or shield k, of non-conducting material, such as talc, in order to
prevent the cooling effect of the draught of air passing within the burner,
see Fig. 80.
Common lamp burners intended for use where paraffine or other oils are
used in pipes on this system may be simply fixed to the ends of the pipes
instead of being fixed in lamps. To open burners of this class I add a flat
tubular, or other shaped socket closed at the bottom to receive the burner
part of the wick; this may have very fine perforations to allow the oil or

page_text: spirit to penetrate to the wick within, but too small for flame to pass through,"
thus constituting a safety system against explosions where unsuitable oils are"
used; this is specially suitable for common paraffine lamps and is comparatively.
needless in my system (see Fig. 31) there being no possibility of explosion; this
wick case or socket may be made of fine wire gauze for the like purpose, the
socket may extend to the bottom of ordinary lamps. When close or other
burners are applied to lamps, there must also be a vent, the biril fountain may
be applied to sponge lamps for spirits in conjunction with the close' burner's, .
such as shewn in Figs. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, and safety wick sockets.
'or'
Lamps for ships, trains, or carriages, should be suspended on universal
joints, and have a long pendulum, the centre of the burner mouth to be in the'
centre of the universal joint. Where the liquid is conveyed through pipes
subject to motion, such pipes may be nearly filled with cotton, sponge, or
other like material to break or obstruct the waves of motion, which may
otherwise affect the light; the wicks for these burners may be of cotton,
asbestos, or any textile fabrics formed into a roll; I also form artificial wicks"
of sand, ground pumice stone, brick dust, copper filings, ground glass,
burned powdered flint, or other granular material, capable of absorbing liquids by
capillary attraction, these may be supported on perforated plates, wire gauze,
sponge, or other material, placed at the foot and other parts of the burner.
I also use metallic wicks of thin sheet brass, copper, silver, platinum, or other
suitable metal; wire or wire gauze, folded, wound, or coiled round, so as to
produce capillary attraction as shewn in Figs. 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, these are more
suited to the open mouth burners of common lamps. In Fig. 17 a shews a
cotton wick, it may be made by winding cotton on a thin strip of tin from end'
to end, the ends being forked to receive it, this may then be bound round
Jightly with wire, the upper end being slightly smaller to prevent its fitting too
tightly against the sides of the burners, and there may be a loop at the top for'
a handle so as to permit of removing an old wick, and putting on a new
one with greater convenience. The upper end may be enclosed in a tube
perforated or not to protect it from too great heat. The air regulating plates
consist of two plates placed close together, having similar openings in each,
Fig. 87; one is fixed, the other revolves on its centre (or may slide) so that
the perforated part of one may come against the solid part of the other; in
order partially or entirely to close the opening, these plates may be placed at'
the foot (or gallery) of argand burner chimneys, or at the top, whether
carbonized air or gas is used; they are also applicable to the chimneys of
common lamps, and every sort of light which can be enclosed in 'glass,"
including common candles, the object being to increase or diminish the current

page_text: of air brought in contact with the flame so as to produce the most perfect light
or heat as required.
Glass chimnies may also be used with the close burners as well as argand
burners, and all other lights; these chimnies I raise above the burners, so as
to affect the upper part of the flame chiefly by the current of air drawn up
the chimney; the effect of this is twofold; 1st, to increase the combustion
'preventing tendency to smoke; and, 2ndly, to cause steadiness in the light;
the bottom of it may be 1, 2, or 3 inches higher than the mouth of the burner;
see Fig. 88, this will depend on the nature of the material burned, and the
effect of the burner, and the nature of the light or heat required. This
system is applicable to carbonized air, gas, lamps, and candles, the size and
height being adjusted so as to increase or decrease the combustion as the case
may require; these chimnies may slide or be otherwise attached to a ventilating
tube.or pipe, by which the products of combustion will be carried out of the
house (see Fig. 38 ) shewing that the chimney may slide up or down in the
mouth of the ventilating pipe- or otherwise, the pipe mouth Z, being made
expansive by a few slits, or fitted to screw up and down.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark that I do not limit
myself to the precise form or configuration of apparatus described and shewn,
as the same may be varied or modified without departing from the general
principles on which the Invention is based, but what I claim and desire to be
secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent are as follows:-
The use of pipes in conjunction with and leading from a reservoir to burners
of any kind now in use in different parts of a building for use with volatile
hydrocarbons or oils, and also for use with dead oils or spirits to be used with
carbonized air, gas, or gaseous mixtures, combined with use of sponges,
dampers, regulating plates or otherwise as described, and also the same
applications to burners as herein specified.
The mode of regulating the level of the liquid in conjunction or combination
with the pipes conveying the liquid to the burners by the shallow holders, by
the floating valve, or ball cock, supplying one or more receivers as described.
The metallic wicks, wire, cotton, sand, and other granular material for
wicks as previously described; the Davy safety system of wick, sockets or
cases; the air regulating plates; the chimnies suspended above the level of
the burner mouths.
The ventilating tube on which the chimney is made to slide up and down,
the various burners as described; the use of close burners with sponge lamps
and unmixed spirit with or without fountains.

page_text: The double action valve to prevent escape of liquid from the reservoir or
receiver in case of breakage of pipes.
The various shields as described for preventing the effect of cold draught
on burners, the extinguishers, and light regulators.
The super-carburetters for air light, as described.
The application of sponge or fibrous material in pipes for use in ships,
trains, and other such purposes.
The lifting coil, or helix, for reservoir and chandeliers as described.
The application of the Bunsen burner principle in combination with a torch
or taper.
The taps to burners as described.
The light reducing slide tubes on burners perforated with holes.
The expanding rod of copper to regulate the supply of carbonized air
or gas to the burner as shewn in Fig. 6, also applicable to Fig. 5 com-
bining carbonized air or gas burners with spirit in close burners of the class
shewn in Fig. 6.
And the general arrangement and combination of apparatus constituting the
improvements as stated in the title hereof, substantially as and for the purposes
herein specified and shewn.
witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Wilkins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
ALEX. M. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross,
London.
F. WILKINS. (L.B.)