IM- PROVEMENTS IN OIL CANS, LAMPS, OR OTHER VESSELS FOR LUBRICATING. AND ILLUMINATING PURPOSES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Joseph Revell, of Dukinfield, in the County of
Chester, Master Plasterer and Decorator, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN OIL CANS, LAMPS, OR OTHER VESSELS FOR LUBRICATING. AND
ILLUMINATING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 30th August 1864, and dated the 7th March 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Revell at. the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
March 1864.
I, JOSEPH REVELL, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Master Plas-
terer and Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL CANS, LAMPS, OR OTHER VESSELS FOR LUBRICATING AND
ILLUMINATING PURPOSES," to be as follows :-
of
This Invention consists in the construction of improved vessels to be used
for delivering oil for lubricating purposes, and where vessels are made to
contain oil for illuminating purposes. The said oil cans or vessels are made
any required shape or material, and my object is to save or economize the
waste oil that trickles down the spouts after the cans or vessels have been
used, or the oil which runs down the outside of the wick tube in lamps. From
the top of the cans or vessels an air tube descends into the interior, which
tube in some cases descends into another tube, which is closed at its lower
end, and is either fixed to the can or vessel, or allowed to play loosely on the
air tube. The object of the said outer tube is to act as a loose syphon, and

page_text: to receive the waste oil that trickles down the air tube. On the said air tube
near the top there is a fixed guard to prevent the oil which returns down the
interior of the spout from passing into the tube which surrounds the air tube.
At the lower end of the spout there is a bent guard, which reaches to or
passes the air tube, the object of which is to prevent air from passing through
the spout to the interior of the can, if the said can should be upset or be on
its side. The spouts in some cases may be made of a spiral form with
advantage. In oil cans where it is desirable to check the flow of oil, I
place the aperture of the air tube where it can be closed with a thumb or
finger of the person using it. The air tube being placed in a horizontal direc-
tion in the interior of the can, and passes from near the back to near the
spout, and the waste oil on the outside of the spout is conducted by an open
tube or passage to the aperture of the air tube. When it is desirable to
check the flow of oil by means of a valve or cut-off in the spout, I act upon
the valve by means of a wire or connecting rod passing through the-air tube.
In the air tube, when desirable, I place a moveable wire for cleaning out
the same.
My improvements in lamps have for their object the saving of oil by
preventing its escape if the lamp should be upset or be in a horizontal posi-
tion; and also saving the oil that trickles down on the outside of the wick
tube; which advantages I obtain by introducing a waste oil tube, similar to
the one described for oil cans. I make the air tube of a spiral or other
convenient shape. The waste oil is conducted from the wick tube by means
of an open tube reaching from near the ignited wick to the air tube. The
aforesaid spiral air tube may also be made large enough to act as a feeding
tube to the lamp, so that the screw or cork will only require removal when a
fresh wick is required, or the lamp requires cleaning.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Revell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th September 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joseph
REVELL, of Dukinfield, in the County of Chester, Master Plasterer and
Decorator, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord 8
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of

page_text: Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Revell, Her special license that I, the said Joseph
Revell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Joseph Revell, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
OIL CANS, LAMPS, OR OTHER VESSELS FOR LUBRICATING AND ILLUMINATING PUR-
POSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Revell,
my executors, or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Revell, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
My improved oil cans are made of any convenient size and shape, and in
the body of the cans I place a return air tube, which reaches from the bottom
of the can to a space higher than the feeding part of the can. The said
return air tube is closed at its lower end, and is either made fast to the can
or is allowed to play loosely in the body of it. The object of the said return air
tube is to receive the ordinary air tube, to which it acts as a return air syphon,
and it receives the waste oil that trickles down the spout and through the
small air tube; and when the can is inverted for use it discharges the waste
oil into the body of the can. When the cans are charged full of oil the return
nir tube is not filled with oil, but remains charged with air, thus securing a
thorough vent for the small air tube, and the two tubes in combination vent
the body of the can, and also convey the waste oil from the spout to the
interior of the can. They also prevent the loss of any oil, if the cans should
be accidentally upset or placed in a horizontal position. In any oil cans where
it is advisable to check the flow of oil by means of a valve, I place the valve
at a point or place where any waste oil from the said valve will find its way to
the air tubes, and so into the body of the can. The spouts in some cases may
be made of a spiral form with advantage. When it is desirable to check the
How of oil by means of a valve or cut-off in the spout, I act upon the valve

page_text: in some cases by means of a spring coiled round a wire or connecting rod
passing through the air tube.
My improvements in lamps consist in the use, when required, of a waste oil
tube or conductor and air tube of a spiral form; the said tube is to supply air
to the body of the lamp, and to convey the waste oil from the wick tube to
the interior of the lamp, and to prevent loss of oil if the lamp should be
accidentally upset. The said spiral tube may in some cases be attached to the
feeding screw with advantage.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the Figures
and letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, in which Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5 represent vertical sections of my improved oil cans; and Figs. 6 and 7 are
vertical sections of my improved lamps. In all the Figures a represents the
oil chamber; b, the air tube; c, the return air tube or syphon; d, the spout;
and e, the feed screw; f, the guard to prevent oil running from the inside of
the spout into the return air tube of syphon.
In Figs. 4 and 5 I shew two modifications of a valve or cut-off for checking
the flow of oil. g represents the valve; h, the rod or wire; i, the spring,
which presses against the plate or knob k, for keeping the valve in its proper
position. For saving the oil that trickles down the outside of-the wick tubes
in lamps, and for preventing loss when accidentally upset, I employ, when
required, a waste oil tube or conductor 1, Fig. 6, which conducts the waste
oil to the spiral air tube m, through which it passes into the oil and wick
chamber a. The tube m being spiral prevents any oil escaping if the lamp
should be on its side or upset.
The advantages of my improvements in oil cans and lamps are that they
effect a great saving in oil and time in the following particulars :-
First, when being fed with oil they cannot be easily overcharged. Secondly,
the arrangement of the combined air tubes equalize the flow of oil from the
spouts, so that the cans are not only thoroughly vented, but deliver the oil at a
uniform flow, which is not the case with oil cans constructed upon the ordinary
method. Thirdly, being thoroughly vented the oil flows down the spout imme-
diately the cans are inverted, thus saving much of the person's time who has
to use them. Fourthly, when the cans or vessels are in use, or immediately
after being used, the waste oil from the spout or the valve in oil cans or from
the wick tube in lamps is conducted back to the interior of the vessels.
Fifthly, if the cans or lamps are accidentally upset or placed in a horizontal.
position, the arrangement of the tubes prevent any loss of oil. Sixthly, the
oil cans are much cleaner to handle. than those commonly in, use, and they
require much less cleaning, and prevent much wasting of oil.

page_text: Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I claim in oil cans,-
First, the use of two air tubes, one within the other, and acting conjointly,
as shewn.
Secondly, the arrangement and use of the space between the upper end of
the return air tube and the bottom aperture of the spout.
Thirdly, the arrangement of the valve in such a position that any leakage
or loss arising from such valve is conveyed through the air tubes to the
interior of the can.
Fourthly, the arrangement or plan of placing the upper air tube, when
desirable, through the spout to the return air tube, and also placing a guide
at the end of it to guide the waste oil from the spout to the aperture of the
said air tube.
Fifthly, the use of a guard when desirable at the bottom end of the spout,
to prevent oil that returns back through the spout from filling or overflowing
the return air tube.
And, sixthly, the use of a tube or tubes of a spiral form, when desirable, for
the spout or air tubes in oil cans, or for the wick tube, air tube, waste oil tube,
or feeding tube in lamps, as all such improvements are herein described or
illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Joseph Revell, have hereunto set my haud
and seal, this Sixth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Joseph Revell, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOSEPH REVELL. (L.S.)