Improvements in Vapour Burners or Plumbers' Torches.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by HARRY PARKHURST CLARK, of No. 249, Madison
Avenue, New York, in the State of New York, U.S.A., Gentleman.]
Improvements in Vapour Burners or Plumbers' Torches.
1, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Fel. Ch. Inst. P.A., Assoc. M. Inst. C.E.,
practising as Phillips & Leigh, No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the Administrative County of London, Engineer and Patent Agent 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 :-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vapor burners
or plumbers torches adapted for use in connection with hydro-carbon fuel, preferably
naphtha or gasoline, and particularly designed for use in various arts requiring the
application of intense heat to a relatively small surface, as for the burning of
paint, heating and fusing small objects and for soldering and various other purposes
to which the blow-pipe is commonly applied.
The object of the invention is to provide a burner which requires no mechanical
forced draught, which shall give out a steady and constant flame of high
temperature and which is simple in construction and operation, durable and
comparatively inexpensive; and it consists of the construction and combination of
parts disclosed in the following Specification of which the accompanying drawing
forms a part, wherein similar numerals of reference designate like or equivalent
parts wherever found throughout the several views, and in which,
Figure 1, is a side elevation.
Figure 2, a central section.
Figure 3, a detail showing the wick.
Figure 4 a plan view with chimney and hood removed.
Referring to the drawing, reference number 1, designates the reservoir or oil pot
of any desired material which should be capable of resisting considerable internal
pressure, say fifty pounds to the square inch. The top of the reservoir with an
annular depression or cavity 2, and from the center of this cavity rises a nozzle or
extension 3, either formed integrally with or secured to the reservoir, and forming
a wick-holding socket, the top or cover of which is provided with a nipple or gas
jet discharge 4, having an aperture of exceedingly small caliber which communicates
directly with the interior of the reservoir.
Within the reservoir is the wick 5, preferably round in cross section and the
upper end thereof is preferably inclosed in a cap 6, of wire gauze or cloth firmly
secured thereto, the spaces between the wires forming openings or passages for oil
or vapor and the body of the wick is preferably wound with wire 7, to keep the
wick in shape and to control, to an extent, the capillary action thereof and thus
limit the amount of oil or other substance which will pass through the wick to the
point of vaporization as hereinafter described. It will be seen that this wire
wrapping serves simply as a compress, or stricture upon the wick by which its
capillary action is retarded or regulated and it is evident that devices other than a
wire wrapping might be employed with similar results, and it will also be seen
that the wire cap 6, aids in producing the result specified. By this construction
the too free supply of naphtha or other substance at the point of vaporization is
prevented, as is also to a great extent, the overflow thereof, when the device is not
in use, so common is this class of burners. The upper end of the wick with its
wire cap 6 is adapted to fit tightly into the extension 3, so as to fill the latter in
CD017

page_text: such manner that the fuel can reach the opening in the nipple only by means of
capillary action through the witk.
Fitting tightly over the extension 3, is the tube 8, within which is what is known
as the mixing chamber of an ordinary Bunsen burner. The tube 8, is provided
with air ingress openings 9, and the air as it enters through these openings 9,
mingles with the vapor as it escapes from the nozzle 4, and the product is burned
as it escapes from the outer end of the tube 8. The tube 8 is formed of any
desired material capable of resisting high degrees of heat and is preferably curved.
as-shown.
The reservoir is provided with a screw-capped filling orifice 10, and preferably
with a pair of handles 11, and a hood or cover 12. attached to the reservoir by means
of a bayonet joint consisting of locking studs 14 and angular slots 15, and provided
with air openings 13, incloses the tube S, and serves as a shield and draft guard in
windy weather.
The operation is as follows. The reservoir is first wholly or partially filled with
naphtha and the filling aperture closed. The annular cavity 2, is then filled with
naphtha and ignited and the hood or cover 12, placed in position.
The heat generated by the combustion of this free naphtha or other fuel, heats
the nozzle and upper part of the reservoir and volatilizes the naphtha within that
is nearest the nipple, through which the hydro-carbon gas so generated gradually
escapes to the mixing chamber. This gas ultimately ignites through the openings 9,
from the flame outside the tube 8, and combining with the indraught of air from
without issues from the end of the tube as a blue and intensely hot flame. The
naphtha originally placed in the cavity 2, and ignited is intended only to produce
heat for the initial volatilization of the naphtha in the reservoir, these parts being
all formed of heat conducting material, and when burned out need not be renewed
since the heat evolved by the burning jet is ample to generate gas for said jet and
for the internal pressure required to force the gas through the nipple.
The depressed top of the reservoir itself furnishes the simplest and best means
for holding the naphtha or other material to be first burned for the generation of
vapor, but it will, of course, be understood that a vessel might be employed for this
purpose either secured to the tube 8, or entirely detachable, and many other changes
in the construction and combination of parts may be made without departing from
the scope of the invention, and the claims are not limited to the exact construction
and arrangement of parts shown; but
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:
1. The combination with a reservoir provided with a cover having an upward
extension adapted to hold a wick and provided with a vapor discharge opening, of
a wick provided with a compress and held in said extension, substantially as shown
and described.
2. The combination with a reservoir provided with a cover having an upward
extension adapted to hold a wick and provided with a vapor discharge opening, of a
wick provided with a compress and held in said extension and means for heating the
extension and generating vapor, substantially as shown and described.
3.. The combination with a reservoir, the top of which is provided with a wick
holding socket, having a vapor discharge opening, in its top, of a wick held and
secured in said socket, and means for heating the said socket and generating vapor,
substantially as shown and described.
4. The combination with a reservoir, the top of which is provided with a wick
holding socket, having a vapor discharge opening and an oil or naphtha holder
adjacent thereto, of a wick held in and suspended from said socket, substantially as
shown and described.
5. The combination with a reservoir, the top of which is provided with a wick

page_text: holding socket, having a vapor discharge opening, of a wick held and secured in
said socket and a tube surrounding the same and connected therewith, provided
with air ingress openings and means for heating the parts and generating vapor,
substantially as shown and described.
6. The combination with a reservoir, the top of which is provided with a wick
holding socket having a vapor discharge opening, and a cavity adjacent to said
socket, of a wick provided with a compress and held in said socket, and a tube
provided with air ingress opening surrounding the vapor discharge opening,
substantially as shown and described.
7. The combination with a reservoir, the top of which is provided with a wick
holding socket, having a vapor discharge opening, of a wick provided with a
compress, held in said socket, that end of the wick within the socket being inclosed
within a cap, having passages for oil or vapor, substantially as shown and
described.
8. The combination with a reservoir, the top of which is provided with a wick
holding socket, having a vapor discharge opening, of a wick provided with a
compress and held in said socket, substantially as shown and described.
9. The combination with the reservoir of a vapor burner or plumber's
torch, of a wick provided with a compress whereby the capillary action of the wick
is limited.
Dated this 19th day of Avril 1892.
HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH,
Chartered Patent Agent.