Improvements in Safety Lamps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Lamps.
We, JOHN DAVIDSON and JOHN TAYLOR, both of Guelph, in the county of
Wellington, Province of Ontario, Insurance Agents, do hereby declare the nature
of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY LAMPS," and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
Our invention relates to improvements in safety lamps, which are provided with a
chamber or receptacle for an extinguishing or non-combustible fluid, and the objects of
our improvements is to provide a lamp, so constructed that in the event of the over-
turning of the lamp by accident the extinguishing fluid would immediately cover the
end of the wick which protrudes from the top of the burner and extinguish the flame,
and by flowing over other articles that might be near, will render them non-com-
bustible.
We attain this object by providing in the bowl, or font of the lamp, a compartment for
holding a quantity of the extinguishing fluid, and extending up around, or inside the
wick tube and to an equal height so as to carry the fluid to the flame in case of
accident.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate our invention.
Fig. 1-is a sectional view of our lamp shewing the oil vessel placed inside of an
outer vessel, the space between the two being for holding the quenching fluid.
Fig. 2 is a top view of the same lamp.
Fig. 3 shews our lamp in a modified form, namely being arranged to hold the
quenching fluid in the inner vessel and the oil in the space around it.
Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse sections on line of two different forms of the
quenching fluid vessel, suitable for the style of lamp shewn in Fig. 3.
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a round burner having a quenching fluid vessel
attached, and
Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the samo on line y y.
In our lamp as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, the oil vessel A is supported in any approved
manner, in the fluid vessel 13; The oil is introduced through the tube c which opens
outward, through the top of the fluid vessel, and is covered by the cap d. The extin-
guishing fluid is poured into the vessel B through an opening in the top, which is
closed over by the cap e. The wick tube is surrounded and joined at its lower end by
the outer case, which rises to a height equal to that of the wick tube and is screwed
into the necks of both the oil vessel and the extinguishing fluid vessel.
Into the space
between the wick tube and the outer case, the extinguishing fluid will flow through
the openings i and out of the lamp when it is turned to one side.
These lamps may be made in any fanciful shapes or designs and sizes and provided
with the ordinary means for ventilation.
In our lamps as shewn in Fig. 3, the wick tube A!, gallery B, condenser O¹, and
feed wheels D¹, are commonly known parts of lamp burners, as heretofore constructed.
The essential element of our invention consists in the vessel E¹, for holding the
quenching fluid, and which is soldered, or otherwise secured to the burner, as shown
in the drawings. For flat wick burners the fluid vessel is formed with a crease, or
recess extending vertically throughout its body, as in Figs. 3 and 4, or it may be
made of two apartments opening into a common head. The object of this recess,"
or openings is to allow a passage for the wick, to the centre of the burner, and into.
the wick tube A¹. That portion of a flat wick tube which extends, above the top-

page_text: of the head, is surrounded by the neck of the quenching fluid vessel. The
longer sides of this neck extend above the wick tube and are turned inward, so
as to turn the fluid over the end of the wick, in case of an upset.
For an " Argand," or, round wick burner the neck of the quenching fluid
vessel is made cylindrical, and forms the inner wall of the wick passage.
and
The body, or lower part of the vessel E' may be made as large as the opening
of the font will allow to pass easily through it. The top end of the neck
that of the outside wall of the wick passage, are made even in height. A
cylindrical tube R having an open funnel shaped bottom 12, and having its upper
end turned outward over the wick, is supported centrally in the wick tube, by the
walls of the air passage M' which are secured to the outer and inner walls of the
wick passage.
The fluid vessel E', in "Argand," lamps, is filled through this tube R¹, but in
flat wick lamps it is poured in through the opening a², which is covered by the
cap 62
A small basket n having a tubular handle, or stem o² is placed in the
tube R¹ and rests upon the funnel 12. This basket is for catching any trimmings
that might drop from the wick and preventing their getting into the quenching
fluid, a float prides upon the surface of the fluid and by the wire q2 which is
attached to it, and which extends up through the stem o³, indicates the quantity
of fluid that is in the vessel fresh air is admitted to the inside of round wicks,
through the air passage M¹ and thus ensures a perfect combustion.
We are aware that there are safety lamps now made and used, in which the oil
vessel is partly surrounded by a film of non-combustible fluid for the purpose of
quenching fire, caused by the upsetting or breaking of the lamp, but so far as we are
aware in all such lamps the vessel containing the non-combustible fluid is so closed up
that the breaking of the vessel is necessary, in order to allow of the escape of the
fluid, whereas in our lamp this vessel is always open at the top.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.―
1. A safety lamp having its oil vessel surrounded by a larger vessel for holding or
containing a non-combustible fluid, extending up around the wick tube of the oil
vessel and being open at its top end, substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a safety lamp the combination of the oil vessel A with its filling tube C, and
cap d and the wick tube G; with the outer, and surrounding vessel B, provided with
a top opening and cap e, and extending upward around the wick tube, and open at its
top end, substantially as described.
3. In an oil lamp, a removable vessel attached to the burner, for holding a quenching
fluid, said vessel extending to the top of the wick tube, and being open at its top end,
substantially as shewn and for the purpose set forth.
4. In an oil lamp, a quenching fluid vessel, attached to a flat wick burner extending
upward around and as high as the top of the wick tube and having its sides bent
inward over the wick tube substantially as shewn and for the purpose set forth.
5. In an oil lamp, having an Argand," or round wick a quenching fluid vessel
attached to the burner, and extending up inside, and to the top of the wick tube,
above which it is turned outward over the top of the wick tube.
6. In an oil lamp the combination of a vessel for holding a quenching fluid, and
which extends to the top of the wick tube; with a cylindrical tube attached to the
walls of the wick tube by the walls of an air passage, and having an open funnel
shaped bottom and a bell mouth top, substantially as shewn and for the purpose set
forth.
7. The combination of the outer wall j³, of the wick tube, the walls of the air
passage M; and the quenching fluid vessel E¹; the tube R' having an open funnel

page_text: shaped bottom, and bell mouth top; with the bracket n²; stem o²; float p²; and its
wire handle g³, substantially as shewn and for the purpose set forth.
In Testimony whereof we have signed in the presence of the undersigned
witnesses at Guelph, aforesaid, this Twentieth day of August, A.D. 1889.
TOUN TIDSON