Improvements in Automatic Safety Devices or Extinguishers for Oil Lamps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Apr., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Safety Devices or Extinguishers for
Oil Lamps.
I, JAMES STARK, Manufacturer, of Walker House, Toronto, Canada, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
Automatic safety devices or attachments to oil lamps, which serve to extinguish
the flame when the lamp is accidentally tilted or thrown over, have hitherto been
made chiefly for lamps with flat-wick burners. Safety devices for lamps with
round burners have also been made, but, as far as I know, they require a modifi-
cation in the construction of the lamp, and are not, therefore, applicable to
existing lamps.
The present invention has for its object, to provide a simple, cheap, and efficient
safety device, which can be applied to any ordinary round burner without requiring
any skilled labour, or constructive alteration of the lamp.
The new extinguisher is mounted on a narrow ring, having an internal
diameter equal or approximately equal to the external diameter of the
wick-tube (which is usually tapered, so as to form a truncated cone); or
instead of a ring, encircling the wick-tube, I may employ a clip adapted to grasp
the tube at the required height by spring action. The said ring is preferably
tapered, so as to fit the conical surface of the wick-tube, and is provided with a
pair of diametrically opposite studs or trunnions, which serve as pivots for a pair of
moveable metallic caps. The principal part of the extinguisher is a pair of circular
caps or hooks each of which is of a size sufficient to cover the wick and the outer edge
of the wick-tube, and is provided on two diametrically opposite points with parallel
arms extending down along the side of the wick-tube, the said arms being pivoted
at their lower ends to the studs or trunnions mentioned above, and made of such a
length, that when the said arms are vertical and therefore the hood or cap horizontal,
the latter covers the wick all round, but remains a short distance above the same,
thus avoiding actual contact. The cap has preferably a circular outline, and is
arched or bulged to form a calotte which turns its concave side downward toward
the wick.
The two diametrically opposite studs or trunnions mentioned above serve as
pivots for both caps, and the lower extremities of the arms therefore overlap ench
other. The arms of the two caps have the same length, and the caps therefore
nove in the same circle or surface of rotation, so that only one cap can cover the
wick-tube at a time, the other cap occupying its lowest position.
At a suitable point of its circumference, preferably mid-way between the two
arins, each cap may have an extension or foot adapted to limit the downward motion
of the cap by abutting against the side of the wick-tube.
In the normal position of the burner or lamp, the two caps are placed symmetrically
right and left of the wick-tube, in a slightly slanting position, that is to say, so that
the arms make with each other an obtuse angle, which may be nearly 180°, while
the two caps are almost vertical, the highest point of the circumference of each cap
being almost level with the edge of the wick-tube, and the foot of the cap resting
against the side of the wick-tube, thus preventing the cap from assuming a completely
vertical position.
If now the lamp is suddenly tilted to one side or another, that cap, which in the
tilted lamp is uppermost, pivots on the axis of the studs or trunnious attached to
the ring or clip as mentioned above, until the circumference of the cap comes into
contact with the circumference of the opposite cap or until the foot touches the
edge of the wick-tube, at which moment the first cup covers the wick-tube, so as to
extinguish the flame.

page_text: Each cap, together with its pivotal arms, is preferably stamped from a sheet of
brass, and subsequently bent and pressed. The cap may be symmetrical to the
line or diameter which connects its pivotal arms, or the two halves or sides of each
cap may be unsymmetrical, or of inequal weight, so as to disturb its equilibrium
sooner and accelerate its motion, when the lamp is thrown out of its perpendicular 5
position.
Dated 1 do of Ail 1901
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Safety Devices or Extinguishers for
Oil Lamps.
I, JAMES STARK, Manufacturer, of Walker House, Toronto, in the Dominion
of Canada, 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 :-
Attachments to ordinary oil lamps which extinguish the flame when the lamp is
accidentally tilted or thrown over, have hitherto been made for lamps with Hat
wick burners. Safety devices for lamps with round burners have also been made,
but, as far as I know, they require a modification in the construction of the lamp,
and are not, therefore, applicable to existing lamps.
The present invention has for its object, to provide a simple, cheap, and efficient
safety device, which can be applied to any ordinary round burner, without requiring
any skilled labour, or constructive alteration of the lamp.
In the following description, reference will be made to the accompanying
drawings, of which
Figs. 1 and 2 are elevations of a round burner provided with an extinguisher
embodying my invention.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the same.
Figs. 4 and 5 represent modifications.
In Fig. 1 the extinguisher is shown in its normal position, when the lamp is
burning, while Fig. 2 represents the same, after the lamp has been extinguished.
The extinguisher chiefly comprises a pair of moveable caps or hoods A and B of
approximately circular shape, and a ring (or other suitable support mounted on
the wick-tube D.
Each cap is large enough to cover the wick cand the outer edge of the wick
tube D, and is provided with a pair of legs (a or b) extending downward along the
side of the wick tube and supported at their cuds by the said ring in such a
manner, as to allow the caps to turn on an axis perpendicular to that of the
burner.
As the wick tube is usually tapered, the ring C has preferably the shape of a
truncated cone, to fit close ou the wick tube, but instead of an entire ring, I may
employ a clip, adapted to grasp the tube at the required height by spring action.
Or the ring may be made of elastic material, for instance, a coil of wire.
The ring or support is provided with studs or trunnions serving as pivots for
the caps A B, which pivots are preferably placed diametrically opposite each other,
as shown by the drawing, so that one pair of studs servo as pivots for both caps.
Each cap may, however, have a separate pair of pivots.
The length of the legs a, b, and the position of the support C on the wick tube
are chosen in such a manner, that, when either of the caps is in its closing position
(as shown by Fig. 2 for the cap B) it covers the wick all round, without actually
touching the same.
Each cap has preferably a circular outline, and is spherically arched or bulged
to form a calotte which turns its concave side towards the wick.

page_text: At a suitable point of its circumference, preferably mid-way between the two
arms, each cap may have a stop or extension a' or 6' adapted to limit the downward
motion of the cap by abutting against the side of the wick tube.
In the normal position of the burner or lamp represented by Figs. 1 and 3, the
two caps are placed symmetrically right and left of the wick tube, in a slightly
slanting position, that is to say, so that the arms are nearly horizontal and make
with other an obtuse angle, which may be nearly 180°, while the two caps are
almost vertical, the highest point of the circumference of each cap being almost
level with the edge of the wick tube, and the extension of the cap resting against
the side of the wick tube, thus preventing the cap from assuming a completely
vertical position.
If now the lamp is suddenly tilted to one side or another, that cap, which in the
tilted lamp is uppermost, pivots on the axis of the studs or trunnions attached to
the ring C or clip, until the circumference of the cap comes into contact with the
circumference of the opposite cap or until the extension (a¹ or 6') touches the edge
of the wick tube, at which moment the first cap covers the wick tube, so as to
extinguish the flame (Fig. 2).
Each cap, together with its legs, is preferably stamped from a sheet of brass,
and subsequently bent and pressed. The cap may be symmetrical to the line or
diameter which connects its pivotal arms, or the two halves or sides of cach
cap may be of unequal weight, as represented by Fig. 4, so as to disturb its
equilibrium sooner and accelerate its motion, when the lamp is thrown out of its
perpendicular position. For the same purpose, each cap may be provided with a
balance weight g, as illustrated by Fig. 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An automatic extinguisher for round wick oil lamps, comprising in its con-
struction a ring C or equivalent support fitting on the wick tube, and a pair of caps
made of such a shape and size as to cover the wick and provided with legs pivoted
to the said ring or support, the whole being arranged and adapted to operate
substantially as described.
2. In an automatic extinguisher for round wick oil lamps, a pair of unsymmetrical
or partly balanced caps A and B provided with stops or extensions a¹, b¹, and with
5 legs a, b, the said legs being supported at their lower ends and adapted to turn on
an axis perpendicular to that of the burner, substantially as described.
Doted thig 4th day of January 1892.
Dated this 15th day of January 1892.
JAMES STARK,
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.
JAMES STARK,
By Fairfax & Wetter,
433, Strand, London, Agents.