OR IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING KEROSINE AND OTHER LIGHT OR VOLATILE OILS
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Lowe at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 10th September 1876. A communication
from abroad by William Henry Dalton, of Emerald Hill, near Melbourne, in
the Colony of Victoria, Gentleman.
<< AN
WILLIAM LOWE, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Gentleman.
IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING KEROSINE AND OTHER
LIGHT OR VOLATILE OILS."
The said Invention has for its object to prevent the explosions which sometimes
occur in lamps in which kerosine and other light or volatile oils are burned, and
consists of the improvement or improvements herein-after described, whereby the
production of an inflammable or explosive vapour is wholly or in part prevented,
or when formed in small quantity is removed from the lamp without danger of
explosion in lamps for burning light oils as ordinarily constructed the part carrying
the wick case and chimney (which part is commonly called the burner) screws on
to the top of the oil reservoir, the wick holder passing through the bottom of the
said burner into the upper part of the reservoir. In the said bottom of the burner,
vent holes or perforations are also commonly made opening into the upper part of
the reservoir for the purpose of admitting air into the reservoir as the oil burns
away. As there is no circulation of the air thus introduced into the reservoir there
is frequently formed in the upper part of the reservoir an explosive mixture of air
and vapour of the oil, which, on disturbance of the flame by current of air or other-
wise, may be ignited and explode.
In constructing the said lamps according to the said Invention, the said vent
holes or perforations on the bottom of the burner are dispensed with, the only
communication between the interior of the burner and the reservoir being the
wick holder.
In order to effect the required communication between the upper part of the
reservoir and the air external to the lamp, a small curved tube is fixed to the
burner, the upper end of the said tube terminating outside the burner a short
distance above the top of the gallery carrying the lamp glass, and the lower end
opening on the under side of the burner, and when the burner is screwed in its
place on the reservoir into the upper part of the reservoir.
The lower end of the said tube is made to terminate by preference near the

page_text: bottom of the wick holder. By the use of the said tube, air from the exterior of
the lamp is admitted to the upper part of the reservoir, the vapour rising from the
volatile oil passes up the wick holder and the gentle current of air thus established
both clears away the vapour formed and by keeping the wick holder cool prevents
or diminishes the formation of vapour. The tendency to explosion is thus reduced
to a minimum. If throught desirable, the greater part of the tube may pass through
the burner, but whatever arrangement of the tube is adopted, its upper end should
terminate outside the gallery and its lower end on the under side of the burner.
Instead of one tube two tubes on opposite sides of the burner may be employed.