Improvements relating to Hydrocarbon Lamps or Burners and Wicks therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements relating to Hydrocarbon Lamps or Burners and
Wicks therefor.
I, JOSEPHA SCHIELE, Spinster, of 8, Boulevard du Nord, Brussels, in the
Kingdom of Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to hydrocarbon lamps used either for lighting
or heating, in which there is employed a wick which is either incombustible or
but slightly combustible, and a special construction of burner, suitable for employ-
ment of said wick.
Incombustible wicks employed up to the present day have either been composed
of a mineral body which is more or less porous, such as pumice-stone or the like,
employed alone, or of a crystalised mineral body or one in the form of fine needles
or Hexible filaments such as asbestos, incorporated by preference with some com-
bustible support such as cotton. These wicks however have the inconvenience
that the mineral body is easily rubbed away at the upper end of the wick where
it is exposed to the heat of the flame; but a graver inconvenience in the getting
of a regular flame free from sparks and smoke, resides in the fact that these
wicks are naturally irregular in texture and therefore do not possess the uniform
degree of capillarity throughout their various parts. They do not present at
their upper end an equal and smooth surface without asperities or roughness;
such is, for example, obtained with the carbonisation of cotton wick. They are
therefore not adapted to produce a regular flame free from sparks and the like.
The object of my invention is to provide a wick which is incombustible or scarcely
combustible when used in the flame of a petroleum burner, but which shall have
the qualities of capillarity and endurance necessary while also possessing through-
out all its parts a regular texture and a uniform density, presenting a smooth
surface free from asperities adapted to wear equally where the surface is exposed
to the flame and also adapted that this surface may be brought to an equal and
smooth state very easily when required.
Now I have found that the carbon from gas retorts under the various forms of
moulded carbon, drawn carbon or others such as is easily made for various
electric uses answers all the requirements mentioned above. I therefore use
this carbon from gas retorts.
A wick made of this carbon may have a cylindrical form or that of a prism,
solid or hollow or any other form appropriate to the purpose. It is by preference
enclosed in an envelope or casing of a form corresponding to its outside shape
and of which part is movable. In order to prevent danger of explosion of the
lamp, that is to say to prevent the petroleum gas from escaping through the
space which exists between this rigid wick and its envelope, and thus coming in
contact with the flame this envelope is provided at a suitable place with a joint
or packing of asbestos, cotton or other material. This arrangement also prevents
at the same time liquid from flowing out of the lamp, should it be accidentally
overturned. In order to bring to the burner all the liquid contained in the

page_text: reservoir, whatever may be its form, the rigid wick or carbon may be provided
at its lower end with a second wick either combustible or not, of some supple
material, by preference hollow, this second wick being placed around the first
wick and extending in the form of a fringe or the like into every part of the
lower end of the reservoir.
The carbon wick may be arranged in a fixed position or may be adjustable in
direction of its height, but in order that the flame without smoke may be obtained
from this wick especially when employing liquids of different densities, it is
advisable to have a second means of regulation. The latter consists in making
a hood around the top of the wick adjustable in height so as to contract the
inferior part of the flame. The carbon wick absorbs liquid with a rapidity corre-
sponding to its degree of porosity, and the end which projects above the casing
can be lighted with facility by any common means. The flame spreads imme-
diately all round the upper part of the wick and burns in a regular form, owing
to the quality of the surface of the wick. After a certain time of burning, for
example about 400 hours it is convenient to remove the small part of the wick,
which may be called used or worn, and this may be done by means of a fine file.
When by means of this filing from time to time the end which projects above
the wick casing has become too short, or where there is some variation in the
degree of density of the liquid fuel that is being employed, that is to say, when
there are variations in the quantity of gas produced with regard to the volume
of the flame, the latter may be regulated by the displacement above mentioned
of the hood, so that the flame may be free from smoke. This invention is repre-
sented in the annexed drawings which show as an example a section through a
petroleum lamp provided with these improvements. a is the wick made of carbon
from the gas retort in the form of a hollow cylinder. bare rings of asbestos
forming a joint or packing between the rigid wick a and the wick casing c c.
d is the fringe like wick or cotton threaded upon the outside part of the rigid
wick of carbon. e is the movable hood which may be adjusted in the direction of
its height by means of the pinion f and the rack g.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is;-
-
1. In apparatus for lighting or heating by combustible liquids, the employ-
ment of a carbon wick made of gas retort carbon, in order to provide a wick
which becomes worn very slowly, which possesses uniform texture and of which
the surface of combustion may be rendered equal in order' that it may not present
prominences or asperities capable of producing sparks.
2. In apparatus for lighting or heating by combustible liquids, the arrange-
ment between a wick of carbon a a wick casing c c of a joint of asbestos or other
material bib in order to avoid danger of explosion of the apparatus.
3. In apparatus for lighting or heating by combustible liquids the combina-
tion of a rigid wick of gas retort carbon a with a second wick & preferably fringe-
threaded upon the lower extremity of the rigid wick to permit of the absorption
of the whole quantity of liquid by the carbon wick.
4. A lighting or heating burner for the employment of rigid wicks of gas
retort carbon having a hood e arranged so that it may be displaced in a vertical
direction to regulate the volume of flame in proportion to the variation of the
quantity of gas distilled from the hydrocarbons at the end of the carbon wick.
Dated this 15th day of September 1899
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London.