Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 15th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 18th Oct., 1887.
1 CORNELIUS CRASTIN, of 185 Hornsey Road, in the county of Middlesex, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to my invention I apply to the top of the lamp wick a small piece of
metal, porcelain or other material of about the same size and shape as that of the cross
section of the lamp wick.
This piece of metal, porcelain or other suitable material (which I hereinafter
denominate the wick piece) would thus, in the case of a flat wick, be of a nearly
rectangular shape and in the case of a circular wick such wick piece would take the
form of an annulus the wick piece being in every case of about the same size and
shape as the top of the wick case or tube.
The wick piece may rest upon and be supported by the top of the wick and may be
attached to the top of the wick by means of points or clips or claws or in any other
suitable manner.
When the wick piece is attached to the top of the wick it serves several
purposes.
Firstly. When it is desired to extinguish the lamp, if the wick be turned down
the wick picce will close the top of the wick case so as to effectually put out the
light.
Secondly. I find that such wick piece operates very effectually to maintain an even
flame and also reduces the carbonisation of the wick. Hence wicks furnished with
such wick pieces will last longer than ordinary wicks and will not so frequently
require trimming.
Thirdly-The wick piece operates, especially with flat wicks, to divide the flame so
as to admit air between the two divided portions of the flame and increase considerably
the illuminating power of the flame.
Fourthly. If the wick piece is made slightly larger than the aperture of the wick
case and is attached to the wick in such a manner as to be securely held the wick piece
operates to prevent the wick being turned down so far as to fall through into the
reservoir.

page_text: When it is not desired to use the wick piece as an extinguisher, the wick piece may
be placed in position at the proper height above the aperture of the wick case or tube
so that the wick may be turned up until it touches the wick piece. It will then operate
as before described to preserve an even flame and to prevent the wick from carbonisation
and to divide the flame.
So far as relates to maintaining an even flame and the prevention of the carbonisa-
tion of the wick the important requisite is that when the lamp is burning the wick
and the wick piece should be very nearly or quite in contact so that the flame emanates
scarcely, if at all, from the top of the wick but proceeds chiefly from the sides of the
wick below the wick piece. So long as the above conditions are maintained, the
precise arrangement of the wick piece is capable of variation and I find that by varying
the form of my wick piece I am enabled to vary the shape of the flame as may be
required.
In some cases I find it advantageous to provide the wick tube with a flange or
projection forming a kind of baffle for the purpose of diverting the upward current of
air from the lower edges of the flame.

page_text: I, CORNELIUS CRASTIN, of 185, Hornsey Road in the county of Middlesex, Engineer,
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:
According to my invention I apply to the top of the lamp-wick a small piece of
metal, porcelain or other material of about the same size and shape as that of the cross
section of the lamp-wick or wick-case or tube.
This piece of metal, porcelain, or other suitable material (which I hereinafter
denominate the wick-piece) would thus, in the case of a flat wick, be of a nearly
rectangular shape and in the case of a circular wick such wick-piece would take the
form of an annulus, the wick-piece being in every case of about the same size and
shape as the top of the wick-case or tube.
The wick-piece may rest upon and be supported by the top of the wick and may be
attached to the top of the wick by means of points or clips or claws or in any other
suitable manner.
When the wick-piece is attached to the top of the wick it serves several
purposes.
Firstly: When it is desired to extinguish the lamp, if the wick be turned down
the wick-piece will close the top of the wick-case so as to effectually put out the
light.
Secondly I find that such wick-piece operates very effectually to maintain an even
flame and also to reduce the carbonisation of the wick. Hence wicks furnished with
such wick-pieces will last longer than ordinary wicks and will not so frequently require
trimming.
Thirdly: The wick piece may be arranged in some cases to operate especially with
flat wicks, to divide the flame so as to admit air between the two divided portions of
the flame and increase considerably the illuminating power of the flame.
Fourthly: If the wick-piece is made slightly larger than the aperture of the wick-
case and is attached to the wick in such a manner as to be securely held the wick-piece
operates to prevent the wick being turned down so far as to fall through into the
reservoir.
When it is not desired to use the wick-piece as an extinguisher the wick-piece may
be placed in position at the proper height above the aperture of the wick-case or tube
so that the wick may be turned up until it touches the wick-piece. It will then operate
as before described to preserve an even flame and to prevent the wick from rapid
carbonisation and to divide the flame.
So far as relates to maintaining an even flame and the prevention of the rapid
carbonization of the wick the important requisite is that when the lamp is burning the

page_text: wick and the wick-piece should be very nearly or quite in contact so that the flame
emanates scarcely, if at all, from the top of the wick but proceeds chiefly from the
sides of the wick below the wick-piece. So long as the above conditions are maintained
the precise arrangement of the wick-piece is capable of variation and I find that by
varying the form of my wick-piece I am enabled to vary the shape of the flame as may
be required.
In some cases I find it advantageous to provide the wick-tube with a flange or
projection forming a kind of baffle for the purpose of diverting. the upward current of
air from the lower edges of the flame.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing the several figures of
which illustrate my invention applied to the wicks of lamps of various kinds as
hereinafter more particularly described. The wick-cases and portions immediately
connected therewith are alone illustrated. The other portions of the lamps may be of
any suitable ordinary construction.
Similar letters in all the figures represent similar or corresponding parts.
Figure 1 is a view half in front elevation and half in vertical section representing
part of a flat lamp-wick and wick-case or tube shewing my wick-piece attached to the
wick so as to extinguish the light when the wick is turned down the wick and wick-
piece being represented in the position they occupy when the light has just been
extinguished.
Figures 2 and 3 are respectively an elevation and an edge view of the same
representing the wick of the lamp raised and ignited.
Figure 4 is a plan view of figure 2.
a represents the lamp-wick and 6 the wick-case of the lamp; c is my wick-piece which
is here shewn made of a plate of metal or non-conducting material.
dd represent the points or pins which may be rivetted or otherwise secured to the
wick-piece c and which pass down between the inside of the wick-tube b and the edges
of the wick a and at their ends d' d' are turned inwards so as to form claws which
enter or engage with the wick. When the wick is raised and lowered by the usual
means the wick-piece c rises and falls therewith and when the wick is ignited the
flame burns all round the part exposed as shewn at figures 2 and 3. When the wick
is turned down into the position in which it is represented at figure 1, the
flame is extinguished as the wick is then entirely closed in at its upper part as
shewn.
I sometimes find it advantageous to arrange the wick-piece as shown in figure 5.
A wick-piece c of the kind shewn in this figure may be conveniently stamped or formed
from a piece of sheet metal which is bent so as to pass downwards at c¹ c¹ outside the
edges of the wick-case b and at its ends the said piece of metal is formed with pro-
jections ee which are bent so as to embrace the wick-case bas shown. It will be seen
from figure 5 how the wick-piece may be arranged to operate so as to divide the flame
and adinit air between the divided portions thereof.
If it be desired to use the wick-piece for extinguishing the light the projections e e
may be allowed to slide over the wick-case and thus serve to guide the wick-piece c
when moving up and down with the wick; when however the wick-piece is not
required to act as an extinguisher but simply as a means of producing an even flame
and preventing the rapid carbonisation of the wick, the wick-piece is secured in the
position shewn at figure 5, by the parts c¹ c' and projections e e being made to tightly
grip the wick-case b, or by means of solder or otherwise.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate my wick-piece applied to a circular wick-case the
wick-piece being similar to that herein before described and represented in figures 1
to 4 except as regards its shape which in this case is of the form of an annulus.
Figure 6 is a view half in elevation and half in section shewing the wick turned
down and extinguished.
Figure 7 is a plan and figure 8 is a vertical section shewing the wick raised and
ignited.
In the arrangement represented in vertical section at figure 9, I have shewn a

page_text: porcelain, steatite or equivalent ring or annulus frivetted or otherwise secured upon
the circular wick-piece c which is advantageously stamped of the shape shewn in plan
at figure 10, out of a metal plate; in this view d d d represent legs and d¹ d¹ d¹ the
points thereof. The legs are bent at the parts marked at figure 10 in dotted lines and
the points d' d' d' inserted into the outside of the wick a which, previously raised for
this purpose, is then lowered, bringing the wick-piece with it as indicated at figure 9.
If desired the legs ddd may be secured by brazing or otherwise to the inner edge of
the wick-piece c so that instead of passing down between the wick a, and the outer
part b of the wick-case, the said legs would pass between the wick and the inner part 61
and the points d' d' d' would then project outwards into the wick a.
In all the preceding examples except that shewn at figure 5 the arrangement is
obviously such as will prevent the wicks from being accidentally turned down too low
in the wick-tubes 6 and falling into the reservoir of the lamp.
Figures 11 and 12 are vertical sections illustrating a circular wick-piece c composed
of porcelain, steatite, or other equivalent material and not secured to the wick but
arranged to rise and fall therewith by being placed on the top of the wick. g represents
a tubular portion integral with the part c; h represents a collar piece provided with
arms ii which are moulded or otherwise secured in the tubular portion g. j represents
a rod on which the collar-piece h can slide and k represents a nut which prevents the
accidental removal of the wick-piece from the lamp. is a plug into which is secured
the lower end of the rod j and m is a socket into which the plug is screwed the lower
part of the socket being perforated to admit of any overflow or surplus oil returning
to the reservoir in the ordinary manner; n is the flange or projection which I secure
to the wick-case 6 for diverting the upward current of air from the lower edges of the
flame, thereby preventing it from becoming too thin for illuminating purposes and
from being blown out.
Figure 13 is a vertical section illustrating how the last described arrangement can
be applied to a lamp of the "Defries" or "Sepulchre" type, the collar-piece / being
in this case sufficiently large to slide on the central air tube o.
The wick-pieces shewn in figures 11, 12 and 13, allow the flame to burn only from
the outer surface of the wick a as will be seen by reference to figures 12 and 13.
Figures 14 and 15 are vertical sections and figure 16 a plan shewing the wick-piece
made so that it allows the flame to burn at both sides the wick-piece being shewn
especially adapted to large-sized lamps.
c represents the circular wick-piece which is composed of porcelain, steatite or like
material and PPP are projections formed on its inner edge; 999 are three wires
which are secured at their upper ends into the wick-piece c, and r is a metal ring
which slides up and down within the inner part of the wick-case and into which
the lower ends of the wires qqq are rivetted or otherwise secured. s is a projection
in the inner part b' of the wick-case to prevent the removal of the wick-piece from
the lamp.
It will be obvious from the foregoing description that the form and arrangement
of the wick-piece admit of variations and that these may be of such a kind
that one or other of the advantages of my invention is secured without the
remainder.
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 lamp having a wick-tube for the reception of a wick and a wick-piece applied
thereto substantially as herein before described.
2. A wick-piece adapted to rest upon the top of a lamp-wick and to be moved up or
down therewith and provided with means for securing its position substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. A wick-piece adapted to be secured in position above the lamp-wick without
moving therewith substantially as hereinbefore described,

page_text: 4. The means hereinbefore described for providing for the extinction of the flame
of the wick when desired.
5. The means herein before described for preventing the wick from being turned so
low as to fall through into the reservoir.
6. The means hereinbefore described for maintaining an even flame and reducing
the carbonization of the wick.
7. A lamp constructed so that the flame from a wick is divided so as to admit air
between the two divided portions of the flame substantially in the manner shewn in
figure 5.
8. The application of the flange or baffle n in the manner and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and illustrated.
9. The special forms of wick-pieces illustrated by the drawings annexed hereto.
10. The special combinations of wick-tubes and wick-pieces illustrated by the
drawings annexed hereto.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.