Improvements in Lamps and Burners for Burning Hydrocarbon Oils for Lighting and Heating.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 10th Aug.,
1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps and Burners for Burning Hydrocarbon Oils
for Lighting and Heating.
I FREDERICK GRANT of 12 Printing House Lane Water Lane in the City of
London Hairdresser do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relating to oil lamps and burners consists essentially in an improved
arrangement of the burner and stand whereby a flame of great brilliancy or lighting
power and free from smoke or smell is obtained and means are provided for auto-
matically extinguishing the flame and preventing escape of the oil when the stand is
lifted or overthrown.
The wick is enclosed in two or more tubes arranged concentrically or one within
the other. The thin space or spaces between these tubes communicates with the
interior of the wick tube through suitable perforations in the latter through which a
certain quantity of oil passes into this space or spaces between the tubes where it
vaporised by the heat and the vapour thus produced being supplied to the base of the
flame imparts great power brilliancy and steadiness thereto.
In the case of lamps with circular wicks I obtain a flame presenting a large illu-
minating surface by means of a deflector in the form of an inverted cup supported a
short distance above the upper end of the wick tube in such a manner that the central
current of air is deflected against the inner side of the flame and the latter is spread
outwards so as to pass in proximity to the lamp glass which is provided with a
contracted part to contract the passage for the supply of air to the exterior of the
flame in the usual way. The lamp glass is expanded above this contracted part in the
shape of a ball or sphere and by means of the inverted cup or deflector the flame is
expanded in the form of a hollow ball or sphere within this enlarged part of the
glass.
To cause the flame of the improved lamp to be automatically extinguished when the
lamp is lifted by the stand or foot or overthrown the oil chamber or reservoir is
provided with a support preferably in the form of a tube capable of sliding in the

page_text: centre of the base or stand of the lamp. The lower end of this support rests upon
the table or other surface upon which the lamp may be placed and sustains the weight
of the oil chamber. The base or stand of the lamp below the oil chamber is con-
nected by rods or their equivalents arranged externally to the oil chamber with a
sleeve or tube capable of sliding upon the wick tube and this sliding tube is provided
at its upper end with a hinged flap or lid acted on by a spring or by a pin on the
wick tube or by other equivalent devices in such a manner that when the sliding tube
is pushed up to a certain extent this flap or lid closes over the top of the wick and
effectually extinguishes the flame.
When the lamp is burning under normal or ordinary conditions with the oil
chamber carried by the support passing through the centre of the foot or base of the
lamp, the said foot or base likewise resting on the table or other surface on which the
lamp is placed, the spring flap or lid or equivalent extinguishing device attached to
the tube sliding on the wick tube is below the top of the latter and consequently does
not interfere in any way with the flame but if the base be lifted from the table or the
lamp tilted over to any side the base slides up the support of the oil reservoir and
pushes up the sliding tube carrying the lid or cover which immediately closes over
the top of the wick and extinguishes the flame before the oil chamber begins to rise.
When the foot or base of the lamp has been lifted a certain distance (and the flame
extinguished) it comes in contact with a shoulder on the support on which it slides
or with the bottom of the oil chamber which then rests upon the base or foot but
when the lamp is set down upon a table or other surface the lower end of the support
carrying the oil chamber first comes in contact with the table and the foot or base
has to slide down this support before it can rest upon the table and being connected
by rods or their equivalents passing up outside the oil chamber with the sliding tube
carrying the flap or lid hereinbefore described this flap or lid is likewise drawn down
and uncovers the end of the wick which can then be relighted if required.
The connection between the sliding tube carrying the flap or lid and the rods or
their equivalents attached to the foot or base of the lamp is made by means of a
suitable arrangement of catches or devices on the principle of a bayonet joint in
order to enable the burner to be disconnected and unscrewed in the usual
way. To
provide for the required movement of the extinguishing device the burner is con-
nected to the oil chamber by a cylindrical part or tube upon which slides a ring
connected to the base and this ring is provided with the catches or other devices
whereby the required connection can be made with the tube sliding on the wick tube
and carrying the flap or lid or other extinguishing device. In place of one flap or
lid for extinguishing the flame two spring flaps or extinguishers may be employed
being formed by a tube sliding on the wick tube and having its sides cut or slotted
so as to form springs which when the tube is pushed up close over and extinguish the
flame. To prevent the sliding support for the oil chamber from turning in the base
or foot of the lamp a screw or pin is placed in the said foot or base and works in a
slot or recess in the side of the support.
The lamp can be lifted and moved if required without extinguishing the flame, to
do this it is simply necessary to lift the lamp by the oil chamber instead of by the foot
or base which then remains suspended by its connection with the ring sliding on the
cylindrical part of the burner.
To prevent the oil in the reservoir from escaping should the lamp be turned over
I fit into the base of the burner next the reservoir a conical or other suitable tube or
tubes in place of the ordinary holes for the passage of air into the reservoir and in
each of these tubes I place a spherical or other suitable valve which when the lamp
is in its proper position for use is so situated as to admit of the passage of air to the
reservoir but which will when the lamp is turned over close the passage through the
tube and thus prevent the oil from flowing out.
In place of these tubes I may provide the burner with relatively large openings
for the admission of air and provide these openings with valves which are closed
automatically by the action of the extinguishing mechanism herein before described
and the lamp may be so arranged that when the extinguishing and valve closing

page_text: mechanism has been brought into operation it is locked by a spring catch (which
may be formed by the pin employed to prevent the support of the oil chamber
turning in the base) which cannot be released except by pressing back a spring or the
like.
It is obvious that burners constructed as bereinbefore described may be employed
for cooking stoves and for heating purposes generally.
The flame which induces the flow of vapourized oil through the thin space or spaces
as aforesaid need not necessarily be a flame from a wick supplied with oil from the
same source for example the flame may be a gas flame and the thin space or spaces be
in communication with a container of hydrocarbon oil.
The thin spaces for the vapour of the oil may be situated in any suitable position
relatively to the flame or wick. For example they may be centrally of a double flat
wick or surrounding the inside or outside (or both) of a circular wick. The thin.
spaces may have a material in them which will by capillary attraction elevate the oil
to within a short distance of the flame to ensure proper vaporization.
Dated this 10th day of September 1887.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps and Burners for Burning Hydrocarbon Oils
for Lighting and Heating.
I FREDERICK GRANT of 12 Printing House Lane Water Lane in the City of London
Hairdresser do hereby doolare 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 :-
This Invention relating to oil lamps and burners consists essentially in an improved
arrangement of the burner and stand whereby a flame of great brilliancy or lighting
power is obtained and means are provided for automatically extinguishing the flame
when the stand is lifted or overthrown.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings Figure 1
of which is a sectional elevation of an oil lamp with a circular or Argand burner
provided with my improvements, and Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the upper
portion of a similar lamp illustrating a modification of a part of my invention.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of a lamp with a flat wick illustrating my invention
applied thereto and Figure 4 illustrates a modification. Referring to Figures 1 and 2
the wick a is enclosed or surrounded on the exterior by two tubes b and c arranged
concentrically or one within the other, with a thin space d between them communi-
cating through perforations e in the inner tubo with the wick a. Through the
perforations e a portion of the oil passes into the space d where it is vaporized by the
heat and the vapour thus produced being supplied to the base of the flame imparts
great brilliancy and steadiness thereto.
At a short distance above the top of the burner is a disc f adjustably carried on a
stem g in the centre of the wick tube h the said disc being situated in the plane of a
contracted portion in the lamp chimney k so as to form a contracted annular
passage through which the flame passes thereby causing the said flame to present a
farge illuminating surface whilst the contracted passage thus provided causes the air
passing through the interior and over the exterior of the wick tube to impinge
closely against the flame whereby a more perfect combustion of the vapors is effected
and consequently a brilliant white flame produced.
To cause the flame of the improved lamp to be automatically extinguished when the
lamp is lifted by the stand or foot o or when the lamp is overthrown the oil chamber
or reservoir. m is provided with a stem n preferably in the form of a tube capable of
sliding in the centre of the base or stand o of the lamp. The lower end of the stem
rests upon the table or other surface upon which the lamp may be placed and sustains
the weight of the oil chamber. The base or stand o of the lamp below the oil chamber
is connected, by rods p or their equivalents arranged externally to the oil chamber m,
to a sleeve or ring 9 capable of sliding upon the body r of the burner, and to this ring
is connected by rods s, passing through the body of the burner, another ring t capable
of sliding on the outer tube c of the burner. The ring t is provided with a number of
springy plates or flaps u arranged to slide on the exterior of the upper end of the
burner and to the said ring t is also connected by a rod v, passing through slots
in the tubes 6 c and h, a tube w capable of sliding in the interior of the wick
tube h.

page_text: When the lamp is burning under normal or ordinary conditions with the stem n
of the oil chamber and the foot or base o of the lamp resting on the table or other
surface on which the lamp is placed the spring flaps or plates u and the tube wo are
below or about level with the top of the wick tube and consequently do not interfere
in any way with the flame but if the lamp be lifted from the table or tilted over the
base slides up the stem n of the oil reservoir and pushes upwards the sliding tube w
and the spring flaps or plates u above the top edge of the wick tube whereupon the
flaps u will spring inwards towards the tube and close over the top of the wick and
thereby extinguish the flame before the oil chamber is raised from the table or resting
place. When the foot or base of the lamp has been raised a certain distance (and the
flame extinguished) it comes in contact with a shoulder on the stem n or with the
bottom of the oil chamber m which is then supported by the base or foot but when
the lamp is set down upon a table or other surface the lower end of the stem n first
comes in contact with the table and the foot or base has to slide down this support
before it can rest upon the table and as this base or foot is connected substantially in
the manner hereinbefore described to the tube to and the flaps u the said flaps and tube
are likewise drawn down so as to uncover the end of the wick which can then be
relighted if required.
The rods s which connect the rings t and q together may be connected to the ring q
by means of any suitable arrangement of catches or devices such for example as by a
bayonet joint, so as to admit of their being readily detached in order to enable the
burner to be unscrewed or disconnected from the oil reservoir in the usual way. To
prevent the stem n from turning in the base or foot o of the lamp a screw or
pin may be passed through the said foot or base to work in a slot or recess in the
said stem.
To lift or carry the lamp without extinguishing the flame it is simply necessary to
do so by the oil chamber instead of by the foot or base which then remains suspended
by the ring y. To prevent the oil in the reservoir from escaping should the lamp be
turned over valves may be provided in the base of the burner next the reservoir
which valves when the lamp is in its proper position for use will admit of the passage
of air to the reservoir but will when the lamp is turned over close the passage through
the tube and thus prevent the oil from flowing out. These valves may be connected
to the extinguishing mechanism so as to be operated thereby to close the passage
through the wick tube when the flame is extinguished.
Instead of employing a contracted chimney in combination with the disc f as
illustrated in Figure 1 for causing the air to impinge on the flame, a metal cone as
shewn at i in Figure 2 may be fitted round the upper part of the burner and a straight
chimney k of usual form be used therewith the disc f being arranged in the upper
end of the cone so as to form a narrow annular space as shown.
In applying my invention to a lamp having a flat wick as shewn in Figure 3, for
example, the internal sliding tube wo in the interior of the wick tube and which acts in
conjunction with the spring plates or flaps u for extinguishing the flame is dispensed
with, and in place of having several spring plates u as in Figures 1 and 2 one flap u
only is required. This flap may be of a springy nature so as to spring over the wick
to extinguish the flame or if desired two spring flaps may be employed arranged on
opposite sides of the wick tube so as to spring over the wick from the opposite sides.
I have illustrated in the drawing a single flap u hinged to a tube t which is fitted to
slide on the exterior of the wick tube the said tube being connected to the base o of
the lamp in a similar manner to the ring t in the arrangement, Figures 1 and 2 and
operating in a like manner. The wick tube h is surrounded by a tube c, a narrow
space being left between the wick tube and the tube c communicating with the interior
of the wick tube through perforations therein as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The parts corresponding to those herein-
before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 are indicated by the same letters of
reference and require no further description.
Figure 4 illustrates an arrangement in which the wick tube his capable of being
raised and lowered in the outer tube c so as to adjust its position with reference to the

page_text: cap i to compensate for the burning away of the upper end of the said wick tube and
to regulate the current of air impinging on the flame.
The raising and lowering of the wick tube is effected by means of a pinion y
carried on a spindle z and gearing in a rack connected to the upper end of the wick
tube, the said rack projecting downwards outside the outer tube c. This sliding wick
tube may be employed for extinguishing the flame when employed in lamps not
provided with the automatic extinguishing device hereinbefore described.
It is obvious that burners constructed as herein before described may be employed
for cooking stoves and for heating purposes generally.
.
The flame which induces the flow of vapourized oil through the thin space or spaces
as aforesaid need not necessarily be a flame from a wick supplied with oil from the
same source, for example the flame may be a gas flame and the thin space or spaces be
in communication with a container of hydro-carbon oil.
The thin spaces for the vapour of the oil may be situated in any suitable position
relatively to the flame or wick. For example they may be centrally of a double flat
wick or duplex burner or surround the inside or outside (or both) of a circular
wick and the thin spaces may have a material in them which will by capillary
attraction elevate the oil to within a short distance of the flame to ensure proper
vapourization.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In lamps for burning hydrocarbon oils a burner having provided in proximity
to the wick tube, a thin space or thin spaces in which oil is vapourized before it reaches
the flame substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2nd. In lamps for burning hydro-carbon oils, a wick tube surrounded on the inner
or outer side or both on the inner and outer sides with a tube or tubes so as to form
narrow spaces, in which oil is vapourised by the heat from the flame substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
3rd. In lamps for burning hydrocarbon oils the employment of discs or buttons
arranged a short distance above the wick tube and in the plane of a contraction
provided in the lamp chimney or in a cap surrounding the wick tube so as to form a
contracted passage to cause the air for supporting combustion to impinge closely upon
the flame and to increase the illuminating surface of the flame substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, of the accompanying
drawings.
4th. In lamps for burning hydrocarbon oils an extinguisher for the flame acting
automatically when the lamp is tilted over or when lifted by the stand or foot of the
lamp the connection of the extinguisher with the stand or foot of the lamp being
outside the oil reservoir substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
5th. In lamps for burning hydrocarbon oils a wick tube capable of being adjusted
in height relatively to the perforated cap through which the flame passes substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described with reference to Figure 4 of the
accompanying drawings.
6th. The general combinations and arrangements of parts constituting improve-
ments in lamps for burning hydrocarbon oils as herein before described and illustrated
respectively in Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure and Figure 4 of the accompanying
drawings.