Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 12th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 10th Mar., 1888
CHAS. E. POSTLETHWAITE.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Petroleum or Paraffin Lamps.
I, CHARLES EUGENE POSTLETHWAITE, of 30, Cawley Road, South Hackney, Oil
Refiner, 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:-
My said invention relates to improvements in the construction of the domes of
petroleum or paraffin lamps, and to the arrangement of domes, so constructed, in con-
nection with mechanism for automatically extinguishing the flame, when the lamp is
subjected to a sudden or violent jerk, or other irregular movement, or, when it is
inclined, beyond a certain angle, from its normal position, such mechanism consisting
of two spring shutters, constructed and arranged as hereinafter described. The dome
is constructed in two parts one of which is attached to the body of the lamp and the
other is detached, and the said extinguishing mechanism is actuated by springs which,
when the lamp is in its ordinary position, are compressed and controlled by the weight
of the detached portion of the dome, but when the latter is moved from its position
the said springs act on the extinguishing mechanism and cause the shutters to close
over the wick. Means for extinguishing the flame at will, without the necessity of
moving the detached portion of the dome, are also, in some cases, fitted to the said
mechanism.
I will now proceed to describe my said invention with reference to the accompany-
ing drawings, in which the same letters indicate like parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1. is a side elevation of a lamp dome constructed in accordance with this
invention, and Figure 2. is a top view of the same. Figures 3. and 4. are respectively
side and end views showing the extinguishing mechanism retained in an open position
by the detached part of the dome; Figure 5. is a plan, with cap of dome removed,
showing the extinguishing mechanism closed. Figure 6. is a side view of the
extinguishing mechanism with a lever arranged in connection therewith by means of
which lever the shutters of the said mechanism can be closed and the flame extinguished
without moving the detached portion of the dome. Figure 7. is a top view of this
invention (with cap or head of dome removed) as applied to an ordinary duplex
burner, the extinguishing mechanism is shown open, and Figures S. and 9. are
respectively side and end views of the sate. In Figures 3., 1., 6., 8. and 9.
the closed position of the extinguishing mechanism is shown in dotted lines and the
dome is shown in section. A. is the body or fixed portion of the dome, and a. the
detached portion, which in this case consists of the head of the dome, hereinafter
termed the cap a." The cap a. is made of such a weight that it will readily control
the springs for actuating the extinguishing shutters, and that it may rest upon the
upper edge of the body A. in a steady manner when not subjected to any shaking or
irregular movement, the inner face of the edge of the cap has a projecting rim a¹
which fits within the upper edge of the body A. A stud fitted to the body A. enters
a recess in the cap a. and prevents any independent revolving movement of the

page_text: laiter. Within the body A. of the dome are two metal shutters b. b., one at each side
of the wick holder c., such shutters have the arms which are respectively hinged
or pivoted on the spindles d. d. on each of the latter is a spring e. one end of each
of such springs is fixed to, or arranged to press against, the frame carrying the
mechanism and the other is fixed to, or arranged to press against, the arm of the
shutter, so that when the shutters are opened by the cap a. being placed in position,
the springs will be compressed, and on the displacement of the cap a. the springs will
extend and move the shutters b. b. over the top of the wick, thereby extinguishing the
flame. Projecting from opposite sides of the two shutters are the pins which
are held down by the projecting rim a', when the cap a. is in position. Figures 10.
11. and 12. are respectively detached top back and side views of the shutters, arms b',
spindles d. and springs e.
In Figure 6. the extinguishing mechanism is shown in combination with the lever g.
by which the shutters can be closed without removing the cap a., in this case, instead
of mounting the pins on the shutiers b. b. they are mounted upon the ends of
levers h. h. which are connected to the springs in a manner similar to that in which the
shutters are attached, as hereinbefore described, and the shutters in this instance are
not connected to the springs. When the cap a. is placed in position the said pins are
depressed and the springs are compressed, the shutters then fall by reason of their own
weight. When the cap a. is displaced, the pins being freed from the weight
thereof, the springs extend and raise the levers h. h. the portions of the latter
catch the arms of the shutters b. b. thereby raising the latter and causing them to close
over the top of the wick holder c. When it is desired to extinguish the flame without
removing the cap a. the outer end of the lever g. is depressed and the arms of the fork
thereof will press against the lower edges of the shutters, and, as the latter are free,
they will be raised and closed over the top of the wick on the reverse movement of
the lever y. the shutters will fall into their former position by reason of their own
weight.
As hereinbefore stated Figures 7., 8. and 9. are views of this invention as applied
to a duplex burner. In these Figures a modified form of shutter is illustrated, but it
will be readily understood that shutters of the form shown in the previous figures can
he employed. c. c. are the wick tubes and at the outer side of each wick tube is a shutter,
which as here illustrated consists of a plate b. pivoted to the arm, at the lower
portion of the plate . is a projection which by coming into contact with the wick
holder prevents the falling back of the plate b. when the extinguishing mechanism is
open. At each side of the plate b. is a projection & which projections in the upward
movement of the shutter, come into contact with the pins c projecting from the sides
of the top of the wick holder, and thereby cause the plate b. to be folded over the
top of the wick. Between the wick holders are two sliding plates with arms,
connected together by the frame ; the shutters, frame & and plates 65 are raised to
extinguish the flames by the levers which carry the pins, the said levers h¹ are
pivoted on the spindles di and are acted upon by the springs e in the same manner as
the levers h. with reference to Figure 6. When the cap a. of the dome is displaced,
the pins on the levers are freed and the latter are raised by the springs e and
coming into contact with the pins s projecting from the frame 6, lift the extinguishing
mechanism whereby the plates . are caused to fold over the tops of the respective wick
holders, as hereinbefore described. is a guide pin for the frame. When the
extinguishing mechanism is arranged to be closed by a lever without removing the
cap a. a lever is connected to the guide pin so as to raise the frame and the
shutters. When shutters, constructed and arranged as those hereinbefore described
in connection with a single wick burner and shown at Figures 3., 4. and 5, are
employed with duplex burners, the shutters, which are not connected with the frame
are raised by the levers carrying the pins, and the centre frame is raised by the
arms of the shutters bearing against the ends of the pins s.
:
The detached portion of the dome is hereinbefore described as consisting of the
whole of the top, but it is not necessary that that should be the case, as a portion only
of the top may be detached and arranged in the required manner as hereinbefore

page_text: described, or, in some cases, I construct the principal part of the dome in the ordinary
manner and make the detached part thereof in the form of a ring which fits over, or
on io, the upper portion of the main body and when in position it depresses the pins
and resis on a ledge. In order that the said ring may act in the required manner on
the pins the latter are prolonged and project through suitable slois or apertures, the
pins being bent, if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is
First. Constructing the domes of petroleum or paraffin lamps in two parts,
substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore described.
And Secondly. In petroleum or paraffin lamps, arranging within the dome, which
is constructed in two paris one of which is fixed to the body of the lamp and the
other is detached, extinguishing mechanism so formed that it is held open when the
detached portion of the dome is in position and is released and free to close when the
said detached portion is displaced, substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore
described.
Dated this Twelfth day of December 1887.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.