AN IMPROVED LAMP
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Parkinson Capp, of the American and
European Patent Offices, 67, Gracechurch Street, London, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED LAMP."
Sealed the 2nd May 1856, and dated the 14th February 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Parkinson Capp
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
14th February 1856.
I, THOMAS PARKINSON CAPP, of the American & European Patent Offices,
67, Gracechurch Street, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED LAMP," to be as follows:-
I make my improved lamp of metal or other suitable material or materials.
In the base of the lamp I place a spiral or other spring, which acts against the
bottom of a movable cylinder or oil chamber, which moves vertically, and is
guided by an outer cylinder, which fits loosely around it. To the base of the
lamp is attached by removable pins a gallows, consisting of two uprights and
a cross piece of metal. Through the cross piece & firmly attached to it
passes the tube, which carries the oil to the wick or burner, & which I shall
call the supply tube. This tube at its lower end passes through a piston
which fits accurately the oil chamber or cylinder. The tube & piston are
firmly united, & the piston is thus held in a fixed position. Through the
piston an orifice is made, which is closed by a valve on the under side, opening.

page_text: downwards. The lower end of the supply, tube opens into a small metallic
box, which opens into the oil chamber by an orifice in the top of the said box,
closed by a valve opening downwards.
The operation of my improved lamp is as follows:-The oil cylinder being
filled with oil, is forced down upon the spring in the base of the lamp as far as
it will go. This may be done by a rack & pinion, or by simply pressing upon
two thumb pieces on the top of the oil cylinder. During the descent of the oil
cylinder the valve in the piston opens downwards, & allows the oil to pass into
the lower part of the oil cylinder, while the valve in the metallic box closes, to
prevent the entrance of air. When the spring begins to act against the oil
cylinder and force it to rise, the valve in the piston closes, by the effort of the
oil to escape, and the oil is forced up through the metallic box and supply tube
to the burner. The quantity of oil supplied to the burner may be regulated
by inserting a wire in the supply tube in a well-known mode. In forcing the
oil cylinder down again to renew the action, the valve in the metallic box
closes by the effort of the oil, to descend, & thus prevents air from entering
the oil chamber, and keeps the supply tube constantly full of oil..
The advantages of this lamp are, simplicity of construction, the ease with
which it can be taken apart for cleaning or repair, and the entire prevention of
the entrance of air into the oil chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Eetters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Parkinson Capp in the Great Seal. Patent Office
. on the 14th August 1856..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I THOMAS
PARKINSON CAPP, of the: American and European Patent Offices, 67, Grace-
church Street, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent. Majesty Queen Victoria; by Her Letter's
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord. One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, givé and grant unto
me, the said Thomas Parkinson Capp, Her special licence that 'I, the said
Thomas Parkinson. Capp, my executors, 'administrators, and assigns, or
such other's as I, the said Thomas Parkinson Capp, my exécutors, admi-
mistrators, 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

page_text: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED LAMP," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Parkinson Capp, 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 Thomas Parkinson Capp, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, in which, Figure 1 is a vertical section of my improved lamp,
shewing the inner and outer cylinders, piston, valves, supply tube, spring,
thumb piece, and cross piece. Figure 2 shews a form of valve that may in
some cases be inserted in the supply tube to prevent air and oil from descending
it. Figure 3 shews the top of the inside cylinder, with thumb piece for
pressing the cylinder down. This top may, however, be dispensed with if
preferred. Figure 4 shews.a valve in the bottom of the inside.cylinder.
In these Drawings A, A, represents the base of the lamp; B, the spring
¡C, the inner cylinder; D, D, the outer cylinder; E, the supply tube through
which oil passes to the burners.; F, the piston; G, the valve in piston F,
opening downwards; H, a metallic box, forming the lower, end of the supply
tube; 1, a valve in box H, opening downward; J, J, thumb pieces for
pressing down cylinder C; K, a valve in the bottom of cylinder C, opening
upwards; L, L, cross piece, attached by removable pins or otherwise to the
outer cylinder, and,supporting the supply tube, burner, &c.
I,make my improved lamp of metal or other suitable material. or materials.
In the base A, J place a spring B, which acts against the bottom of the
movable inner cylinder or oil chamber C. This cylinder moves vertically, and
is supported and guided by an outer cylinder D, which fits. around it. To
further aid in guiding the movement, of the cylinder C, I, sometimes employ
uprights placed inside cylinder D, and attached to it, and having a cross
piece at, top, which combination I have called a "gallows" iu.my Provisional
Specification, but it is not always necessary, and I have not shewn,it in the
Drawings. The burner occupies the ordinary position, and is attached to
the lamp in any convenient mode, such mode forming no part of my Invention.

page_text: In the Drawing the burner and its appurtenances are shewn as attached to the
cross piece L, L. I do not confine myself to any particular form of burner or
any definite number, my Invention being applicable to.lamps with wicks of any
form and any number of burners. From the burner. descends the supply
tube E, through which the oil passes to the wick. This tube at its lower end
passes through the piston F, which fits accurately the oil cylinder C. The
tube E is attached at its upper end to the cross piece L, and is firmly
united at its lower end to the piston F, which is thus held in a fixed 'position
relatively to the other parts of the lamp. Through the piston F an orifice is
made, which is closed by a valve G on the under side, opening downwards.
The lower end of supply tube E opens into a small metallic box H, which
opens into cylinder C by an orifice on the top of the said box, closed by valve I,
opening downwards. In the bottom of cylinder C, I place a valve or valves
opening upwards, as shewn at K, Figure 4.
Instead of the metallic box H, I sometimes prefer simply to enlarge the end
of the supply tube E, as shewn in Figure 2, and insert a valve therein opening
upwards. The cylinder C.may be forced down by means of one or more thumb
pieces J, by a rack and pinion, cylinder and chain, or any other suitable means.
The three mentioned I have tried with success.
The operation of my improved lamp is as follows:-Both outer and inner
cylinders being filled with oil, the inner cylinder C is forced down upon the
spring B as far as it will go. During the descent the valve K opens and
admits oil from the outer to the inner cylinder. The valve G also opens and
allows the oil to pass into the lower part of cylinder C, while valve I closes to
prevent the descent of oil and entrance of air through supply tube E. When
the spring B begins to act against cylinder C and force it to rise, the valves G
and K close by the effort of the oil to escape, and the oil is forced up through
valve I, which opens to let it pass, and through tube E to the burner. The
quantity of oil supplied to the burner is regulated by a wire inserted in the
supply tube in a well-known mode. In forcing cylinder C down again to
renew the action, valve K opens to admit a fresh supply of oil from the outer
cylinder, and valve I closes by the effort of the oil to descend, and thus
prevents air from entering chamber C, and keeps the supply tube E constantly
full of oil.
The advantages of this lamp are, simplicity of construction, the ease with
which it can be taken apart for cleaning or repair, & the prevention of air
from passing down the supply tube, whereby said tube is kept full of oil, and
the lanp always ready to be lighted.

page_text: Having now fully described my Invention, and the mode of constructing and
operating the same, what I claim under the above in part recited Letters
Patent is as follows:-
First, I claim generally a lamp constructed with a fixed piston and moveable
oil chamber substantially as described, in combination with a system of valves
for regulating the action of the oil, constructed and operating substantially in
the manner herein specified.
And I claim particularly the metallic box H with its valve, and the valve K
in the bottom of cylinder C, constructed and operating substantially as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Parkinson Capp, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
5 Witness,
THOMAS PARKINSON CAPP. (L.S.)
CHA F. STANSBURY,
67, Gracechurch Street.