Year: 1896

page_text: Date claimed for Patent under Sect. 103 of Act,
being date of first Foreign Application (in 4th May. 1896
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 3rd Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1896-Accented, 20th Mar., 1897
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 3rd Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
I, WILLIAM CLIFFORD HOMAN of 168 Curtis Street, Meriden, in the County
of New Haven, State of Connecticut, United States of America, Master Mechanic
for Edward Miller & Company, do hereby declare 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in lamp burners, and the main object
of my improvement is to provide simple and efficient means to prevent the wick
from falling.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my burner with one of the cap supporting lugs
broken away:
Figure 2 is a reversed plan view of the same with the outer rim of the burner
base broken away.
Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section on the line zz of Fig. 2, some of the
parts being in elevation.
The main portion of my burner may be of any ordinary construction. In the
form in which I have reduced the burner to practice I have formed the burner base
or neck 4 directly on the top 5, of the lamp fount and in one and the same piece
of metal therewith, but this is not essential. I have also applied said burner
for use in a bicycle lantern but it is evident that it may be used in ordinary lamps
or lanterns if desired.
At one side of the burner base or neck 4, I provide the wick raising shaft-
bearing 6, within which the outer end of the wick raising shaft 7 is securely
supported. On the wick raising shaft is a fixed washer or collar that forms a
shoulder 8 for bearing end wise against the inner end of the shaft bearing 6. Said
shaft extends along by the side of an ordinary wick tube 9 and has a bearing at its
inner end in the lug 10, from which lug the end of the wick raising shaft projects.
Said wick raising shaft is also provided with the ordinary wick operating spur
wheels 11, extending through holes in the wick tube in the usual manner. Upon
the inside of the burner base or neck I secure a spring or yielding lug 12, with its
end portion standing directly in front of the inner end of the wick raising shaft.
An adjusting screw 13 extends through a suitable hub or support 14, in the burner
Deck or base, so that the head of said screw may be outside of the burner neck
while its inner end may bear upon the yielding lug 12 at the inside of said neck.
The burner cap 15, having a seat 16 for the lantern body or a lamp chimney, is
supported by suitable lugs 17 in a position sufficiently elevated above the top 5 of

page_text: the lamp fount to permit access to the head of the adjusting screw 13. In order to
prevent too rigid a pressure of the adjusting screw on the wick raising shaft,
I arrange said parts out of alignment with each other, whereby the elasticity of the
yielding lug may be more effective than could. be the case if said screw and shaft
were in longitudinal alignment. An inner diaphragm or cap underneath the neck
or base at the lower end of the wick tube may be employed if desired as indicated
in broken lines at 18, Fig. 3.
In bicycle lanterns, carriage lanterns, lamps for cars, or for use in any position
where the lamp is liable to have the wick drop from its adjusted position by being
shaken or jarred, it is desirable to more securely hold the wick in position than it is
held in an ordinary lamp. It will be seen that by turning the adjusting screw out
or in, greater or less end wise pressure may be given to the wick raising shaft, so
that its shoulder 8 will press against the end of the shaft bearing with more or less
friction as may be desired and insure the wick against accidental dropping, even
under very severe jars.
Having thus particularly described my said invention and the manner of
performing the same, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of
construction shown, but intend to cover all such changes as fairly fall within the
spirit and scope of my invention, especially when the desired function is obtained
by devices which force the wick raising shaft end wise against a shoulder. I claim
as my invention-
1. A lamp burner having a shouldered wick raising shaft and devices for
exerting an end wise pressure on said shaft and forcing the shoulder thereof against
its bearings, substantially as described.
2. A lamp burner having a shouldered wick raising shaft in combination with
the yielding lug bearing against the end of said shaft and the adjusting screw for
bearing on said lug, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clifford Homan, have hereunto set
my hand this 23rd day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and ninety-six.
Witness-
CHAS. E. HOMAN.
WILLIAM CLIFFORD HOMAN.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.