IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE LAMPS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Marcius Silber, of No. 49, Whitecross Street, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE
LAMPS"
Sealed the 13th July 1877, and dated the 10th May 1877.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Marcius Silber at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th May 1877.
ALBERT. MARCIUS SILBER, of No. 49, Whitecross Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE LAMPS."
My Invention relates to a construction of oil lamp for the roof of a railway
carriage. In this construction, the nature of which I will presently describe, I
adopt a number of features, several of which have already been applied in lamps,
and it is to be understood that my Invention consists, not in any of those features
taken separately, but in so combining them in one lamp as to obtain greater efficiency
and economy than has been attained in lamps in which one or more of these features
have been applied.
In constructing my improved lamp, I employ an argand wick and wick tube,
which is very short, so that the wicks being cut to suitable length are merely
inserted therein, without any mechanism for adjusting their height. The external
wick tube has several holes pierced through it near its upper end, to permit over-
flow of surplus oil before it reaches the top of the tube; and I prefer to make these
holes in the form of long horizontal slots. The wick tube is fed by a bent oil tube
extending down to it from the oil reservoir above; and I prefer to farther support
the wick tube by another arm, corresponding in shape with the oil tube on the
opposite side.
The oil reservoir is of annular form, situated at the upper part of the lamp. In
order to keep the oil therein cool, I fix the reservoir outside the upper part of the
lamp casing, so that it is exposed to the current of air on the external roof of the
carriage.
"
The reservoir however may be arranged within the upper part of the lamp casing
in an annular chamber, having perforated sides for the passage of a current of air to
keep the reservoir cool.
The glass chimney of the lamp is made with a projecting lip at its upper end,
which lip rests in a ring let into the metal chimney tube above, so that the glass is

page_text: suspended by this lip, and needs at its lower end no gallery or other support, thereby
leaving free access around the wick tube for air to the flame. The lower part of
the glass is narrowed in just above the flame, so as to deflect the air against the
flame, thereby dispensing with a metallic deflecting cone, which is found disadvan-
tageous on account of its heat-conducting power. The upper lip of the glass is
attached to the metal chimney tube by screwing thereto the ring on which it rests,
and this ring lodges on a shoulder formed in the inside of an outer tube that
surrounds the chimney tube, having an annular space between.
On the chimney tube there is a swell or collar fitting the enclosing tube, and
made of such length as to act as a guide, causing the chimney when it is drawn out
or put in to move straight for, sufficient distance to guard against the glass tube
being broken by striking the sides of the enclosing tube.
From the base of the enclosing tube above mentioned a concave reflector extends
across the lamp case to within a short distance of the outer periphery, thus leaving
an annular passage for air all round its edge. At the summit of the casing I
provide a hinged lid, within which I fix a cone having a flat base, with its apex
presented downwards, an annular air passage being left between the edge of the
base and the outer casing of the lid, the top lid of which is level with the cone
base; and over this cone I fix a cover plate at sufficient height above the cone and
casing to leave free passage of air round the whole periphery and across the base of
the conc. Within the lid I also fix an internal conical diaphragm, forming an
annular chamber between it and the outer casing of the lid. I perforate the casing
with numerous holes, permitting circulation of air through this chamber; and over
these holes I fix an external conical diaphragm, open below to act as a wind guard.
I in like manner perforate the upper part of the lamp casing immediately under
the lid, protecting the holes by an external wind guard of like kind.
When the lamp is inserted into the hole provided for it in the roof of the
carriage, it may be covered by a perforated metallic protector in the usual way.
I have above described the construction of lamp with an argand burner; a like
construction is also applicable with a flat-wick burner, the glass chimney being in
that case flattened, so as to present an oval section to suit the form of the wick.
Also, when a flat wick is employed, the overflow slots at the upper end of the wick
tube are unnecessary.
Although I have described the construction of a lamp suitable for the use of a
railway carriage, it is obvious that such lamp might be used in other localities, as, for
example, in the deck of a vessel.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Albert Marcius Silber in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th
November 1877.
"
ALBERT MARCIUS SILBER, of No. 49, Whitecross Street, in the City of London.
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE LAMPS."
My Invention relates to a construction of oil lamp for the roof of a railway
carriage. In this construction, the nature of which I will presently describe, I
adopt a number of features, several of which have already been applied in lamps,
and it is to be understood that my Invention consists, not in any of those features
taken separately, but in so combining them in one lamp as to obtain greater
efficiency and economy than has been attained in lamps in which one or more of
these features have been applied.
In constructing my improved lamp I employ an argand wick and wick tube,
which is very short, so that the wicks being cut to suitable length are merely
inserted therein, without any mechanism for adjusting their height.. The external
wick.tube has several holes pierced through it near its upper end, to permit over-

page_text: flow of surplus oil before it reaches the top of the tube; and I prefer to make these
holes in the form of long horizontal slots. The wick tube is fed by a bent oil tube
extending down to it from. the oil reservoir above; and I prefer to farther support
the wick tube by another arm, corresponding in shape with the oil tube on the
opposite side.
The oil reservoir is of annular form, situated at the upper part of the lamp. In
order to keep the oil therein cool, I fix the reservoir outside the upper part of the
lamp casing, so that it is exposed to the current of air on the external roof of the
carriage.
The reservoir however may be arranged within the upper part of the lamp casing,
in an annular chamber having perforated sides for the passage of air all round the
reservoir to keep it cool.
The glass chimney of the lamp is made with a projecting lip at its upper end,
which lip rests in a ring let into the metal chimney tube above, so that the glass is
suspended by this lip, and needs at its lower end no gallery or other support,
thereby leaving free access around the wick tube for air to the flame, and avoiding
heat-conducting material between the glass and the wick tube. The lower part of
the glass is narrowed in just above the flame, so as to deflect the air against the
flame, thereby dispensing with a metallic deflecting cone, which is found disadvan-
tageous on account of its heat-conducting power. The upper lip of the glass is
attached to the metal chimney tube by screwing thereto the ring on which it rests,
and this ring lodges on a shoulder formed in the inside of an outer tube that
surrounds the chimney tube, leaving an annular space between.
On the chimney tube there is a swell or collar fitting the enclosing tube, and
made of such length as to act as a guide, causing the chimney when it is drawn out
or put in to move straight for sufficient distance to guard against the glass tube
being broken by striking the sides of the enclosing tube.
From the base of enclosing tube above mentioned a concave reflector extends
across the lamp case to within a short distance of the outer periphery, thus leaving
an annular passage for air all round its edge. At the summit of the casing I
provide a hinged lid, within which I fix a cone having a flat base, with its apex
presented downwards, an annular air passage being left between the edge of the base
and the outer casing.of the lid, the top of which is level with the cone base; and
over this cone I fix a cover plate at sufficient height above the cone and casing to
leave free passage of air round the whole periphery and across the base of the cone.
Within the lid I also fix an internal conical diaphragm, forming an annular chamber
between it and the outer casing of the lid. I perforate the casing with numerous
holes permitting circulation of air through this chamber, and over these holes I fix
an external conical diaphragm, open below to act as a wind guard. I in like manner
perforate the upper part of the lamp casing immediately under the lid, protecting
the holes by an external wind guard of like kind.
When the lamp is inserted into the hole provided for it in the roof of the
carriage, it may be covered by a perforated metallic protector in the usual way.
I have above described the construction of lamp with an argand burner; a like
construction is also applicable with a flat-wick burner, the glass chimney being in
that case flattened, so as to present an oval section to suit the form of the wick.
Also, when a flat wick is employed, the overflow slots at the upper end of the wick
tube are unnecessary.
Although I have described the construction of a lamp suitable for the roof of a
railway carriage, it is obvious that such lamp might be used in other localities, as,
for example, in the deck of a vessel.

page_text: through parts of the chimney fittings, with a side view of the glass; these parts
being separated in Fig. 3 to shew how, the glass is put in its place and secured.
A is the oil reservoir of annular form, preferably situated as shewn, above the
carriage roof B, so as to be kept cool. C is the oil tube for supplying the wick in
the short, wick tube D., Near the upper edge of the wick tube are cut several
oblong slots d for overflow of surplus cil. An arm c, corresponding with and
opposite to the oil tube,C, helps to steady the burner. E is the glass having a pro-
jecting lipe at its upper end, by which it is suspended from an inner flange of a
tube F, being held in position by the chimney tube G which is screwed into F.,The
chimney tube G is made with an outer tube or collar g of some depth, which serves
to centre and steady it while it is being screwed into F and in like, manner the
piece of tube F is made of some depth, to centre and steady the chimney while it
is being inserted into the chimney casing H, and to save, the glass E from injury by
striking the sides of the casing when it is introduced. The glass is, narrowed in at
e, so as to deflect against the flame the air that enters by its open mouth below. I
is the reflector; J, the glass basin suspended from the casing K, which has perfora-
tions at k for admission of the air supply; these perforations being shielded by the
wind guard L. The lid M is perforated at m by holes guarded inside by the conical
shell N., An inverted cone is fixed in the lid with its base level with the upper
edge of the lid, and over this is fixed the cap P.
$
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I make no claim to any of
the constructive details of lamp above described, taken separately; but I claim,-
First. The combination in a lamp of a short, wick tube, having rectangular slits
near its upper edge, with a suspended, glass narrowed in above the wick, substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
i
Second. The combination in one lamp of a short wick tube, having rectangular
slits near its upper edge, a suspended glass narrowed in above the wick, and a
chimney provided with a guiding collar or tube, with an oil reservoir, basin casing
and lid, the whole constructed and arranged substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Marcius Silber, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.