Improvements in or Connected with Oil and Spirit Lamps and in Regulating and Controlling the Supply of Combustible Fluid to them, with Special Reference to the Employment of Porous Stone Incombustible Wicks.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in or Connected with Oil and Spirit Lamps and in
Regulating and Controlling the Supply of Combustible Fluid to
them, with Special Reference to the Employment of Porous
Stone Incombustible Wicks.
**
We, WILLIAM DAVID GOOCH, FREDERICK HENRY VARLEY, and FREDERICK
BARTLETT LIDSTONE, all of 2 Victoria Mansions, Westminster, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
The object of this invention is to secure a regulated supply or equal distribution of
uniform pressure at any required level in order that the wicks shall be constantly and
uniformly fed without the necessity of placing the reservoir immediately underneath
the burner, and also to enable the reservoirs to be removed for refilling without
interfering with the burning of the lamp or lamps alight on the system.
This we
effect as follows:-
:-
In supplying lamps from a central source, to several or by or from separate oil or
spirit containers placed adjacent to or at some distance away from the burners, we
prefer where practicable that a uniform and constant level shall be maintained, to
obtain which, we place régulating or distributory receivers acting under pneumatic
balance so that when the fluid is consumed sufficiently to fall below the regulated
height, air passes into the container and allows of the outflow of the fluid to re-establish
the level.
When several burners are supplied from one common or central container or cistern
the same are by pipes or ducts of small internal diameter, the level of the fluid being
controlled by subsidiary receivers in the same manner; when however, as in the case
of pedestal lamps or candelabra or street lamps the oil or spirit is supplied under
pressure, we control the supply by automatic regulating valves to equalize the pressure
or rate of supply to each of the burners and we use similar devices in the case of
supply from a reservoir at a higher level than the burners.
We prefer to regulate the level at which the oil or spirit is supplied to each
burner by means of a floating valve which when the oil has reached the proper level

page_text: for each of the burners cuts off the supply and although the same may be at different
levels, maintains an equable supply, each burner in. such case being furnished with a
regulating valve, either placed immediately underneath it, or on a level with it. ·
We also use regulating tubes with check valves to control the rate or pressure
of the supply.
When the porous stone wicks are fitted tightly, according to our system, into the
burner sockets so that the combustible fluid cannot pass except by filtration through
the pores of the stone the supply is regulated to the amount required for burning
and when the lamp is to be turned out we stop the supply of the combustible fluid
by a stop cock or cut off valve placed preferably close to the porous stone wick for
that purpose, when the oil contained in the stone will burn until it is exhausted,
leaving the wick perfectly dry and free from combustible fluid.
The fixing of the stone wicks, fashioned out of any suitable natural or artificial
stone, into the burner sockets, necessitates the employment of specially constructed
burners or wick holders and accordingly we construct the same as follows: a socket
with central air tube is employed for argand or circular wicks, into which the stone
ring or tube shaped or conical wick is inserted between the central air tube and the
sides of the socket. A screwed or other suitably fixed packing cover of metal or heat
non-conducting material, serves to fix the stone which is cemented into its place when
fitted, so that there can be no leakage of the oil or spirit by pressure, whilst outside
the socket, we employ a sliding sleeve to regulate the height of the flame and over all
a gallery to carry the glass chimney and air dome is fitted. This gallery is supported
by a cylindrical casing fitting upon the sides of the socket and is made adjustable by
means of a spirally cut groove or grooves and pin or pins working in the same, so
that turning the gallery in either direction raises or lowers the same allowing the
lamp to be lit without removing the chimney or dome.
For flat wick lamps a similar device can be employed in which the glass and dome
with the flame slits can be raised to allow of lighting, but is kept from turning by
means of guide pins or studs while a suitably shaped wick holder is made to fit the
socket with a fluid tight packing.
Dated this 11th day of Anvil 1000
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said W. D. Gooch, F. H. Varley,
and F. B. Lidstone.

page_text: Improvements in or Connected with Oil and Spirit Lamps and in
Regulating and Controlling the Supply of Combustible Fluid to
them, with Special Reference to the Employment of Porous
Stone Incombustible Wicks.
We WILLIAM DAVID GOOCH, FREDERICK HENRY VARLEY, and FREDERICK
BARTLETT LIDSTONE all of 2 Victoria Mansions, Westminster Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to bo
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this invention is to secure a regulated supply or equal distribution
of uniform pressure at any required level in order that the wicks shall be constantly
and uniformly fed without the necessity of placing the reservoir immediately under-
neath the burner, and also to enable the reservoirs to be removed for refilling
without interfering with the burning of the Lamp or Lamps alight on the system.
This we effect as follows and as will be understood by reference to the annexed
drawings.
In supplying lamps from a central source to several or by or from separate oil or
spirit containers A as at Figure 1 placed adjacent to or at some distance away from the
burners we prefer where practicable that an uniform and constant level shall be
maintained to obtain which we place regulating or distributory receivers B acting
under pneumatic balance by the pipe C so that when the oil or spirit is consumed
sufficiently to fall below the regulated height air passes into the receiver B and
allows of the outflow of the oil or spirit to re-establish the level. A pipe D connects
the container A with the receiver B, this having a syphon branch E for leading the
oil or spirit to the burner F, the pneumatic balance being obtained by the difference
between the dip of the air pipe C and that of the syphon leg E.
When several burners are supplied from one common or central container or
cistern A as at Figures 2, 3 and 4 the same are supplied by pipes or ducts G of
small internal diameter the level of the oil or spirit being controlled by subsidiary
receivers such as at Figure 5.
We fit automatic regulating valves Figure 5 to equalize the pressure or rate of
supply to each of the burners and we use similar devices in the case of supply from
a reservoir at a higher level than the burners.
One of our means of regulating is represented at Figure 5 in which the float H
in the cup J rises and falls according to the different levels of the oil or spirit in
the vessel J. If the vessel J is overcharged with oil the float H rises and closes the
valve K thereby regulating the supply to the burner in proportion to the consumption.
The float and valve are adjustable by the spring L and screw nut M.
Figure 6 is a view of a regulator in which the supply is from above the float H
which in this case descends and presses on a lever N and this through the rod P
opens the valve K and allows more oil or spirit to flow into the regulator J the
valve being opened more or less as consumption increases or diminishes according
to number of lamps lighted.
We prefer to regulate the level at which the oil or spirit is supplied to each
burner by means of a floating valve which when the oil has reached the proper
level for each of the burners cuts off the supply and although the same may be at
different levels maintains an equable supply, each burner in such case being furnished

page_text: with a regulating valve, either placed immediately underneath it or on a level with
it. This will be understood by Figure 7 in which oil from a tank or reservoir
enters the bracket Q by the pipe R and as it flows through Q
passes the valve K
so that when the regulating vessel J fills, the float Hrises and closes the valve K
more or less against the inflow the float acting automatically according to the
consumption at the burner or burners, if several be arranged on the branch pipe G.
When the porous stone wicks are fitted tightly, according to our system, into the
burner sockets so that the combustible fluid cannot pass except by filtration through
the pores of the stone the supply is regulated to the amount required for burning
and when the lamp is to be turned out we stop the supply of the combustible fluid
by a stop cock or cut off valve placed preferably close to the porous stone wick for
that purpose, when the oil contained in the stone will burn until it is exhausted,
leaving the wick perfectly dry and free from combustible fluid.
Or as a modification thereof we use the apparatus shown at Figure 8 in which the
regulator J is provided with a lever T and a series of felts or absorbent cloth U
which can be compressed by acting on the screw button V so as to tighten up or
compress the felts U which would raise the bearing plate or the pieces of felt out
of the oil or spirit and so stop the supply through the feeding tube G which may
be in connection with a single burner or with a number of burners.
The fixing of the stone wicks fashioned out of any suitable natural or artificial
stone into the burner Sockets X, Figures 9 and 10 necessitates the employment of
specially constructed burners or wick holders and accordingly we construct the same
as follows. A socket X with central air tube Y is employed for argand or circular
wicks into which the stone ring or tube shaped or conical wick a is inserted between
the central air tube Y and the sides of the socket X. A suitably fitted packing b,
say wool slag, serves to fix the stone a which is cemented into its place when fitted
so that there can be no leakage of the oil or spirit by pressure.
The socket X has a partition c provided with oil holes at right angles to the air
tube Y and when the light has to be put out the screw or stop valve d is caused to
cover holes in the partition the stone wicks a will then burn themselves dry and
clean, there being no carbonaceous matter left on the wick that would interfere with
the relighting or intensity of the flame.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. As our improvements in or connected with oil or spirit lamps the pneumatic
balance arrangement shown at Figure 1 for determining the supply of oil to the
burner, or burners having stone wicks.
2. The float and valve shown at Figures 5, 6 and 7 for regulating the supply to a
burner or burners of oil or spirit lamps whether the tank or reservoir be above or ou
a level with a burner or burners having stone wicks as described.
3. The appliance shown at Figure 8 as a means for cutting off the supply of oil or
spirit to a burner or burners of lamps.
4. The socket X as a stone wick burner support shown at Figures 9 and 10 with a
screw valve e for shutting off the oil supply and allowing the stone wick to dry off as
hereinbefore described.
The 11th day of January 1980
The 11th day of January 1990,
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said W. D. Gooch, F. H. Varley,
and F. B. Lidstone.