IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AND OTHER LAMPS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles John Davis and John Thomas Cooper Thomas,
⚫ both of Whitefriars Street, Fleet Street, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN RAILWAY AND OTHER LAMPS."
Sealed the 27th October 1877, and dated the 28th August 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles John Davis and
John Thomas Cooper Thomas at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents
on the 28th August 1877.
CHARLES JOHN DAVIS and JOHN THOMAS COOPER THOMAS, both of Whitefriars
Street, Fleet Street. IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY AND OTHER LAMPS."
«
The general object or objects of the improvements set forth in the following
Specification are to secure certain better results in the burning of oils or gas of any
kind, and in the improvements of the lamp or lamps referred to in our Specification,
No. 1795, 28th April 1876.
The specific objects of the improvements are,―
1. To secure greater illuminating power.
2. To prevent waste of oil by overflow or otherwise, and to regulate the flame.
3. To facilitate the filling and trimming of lamps and lanterns, and generally to
improve lamps and lanterns of all kinds, so as to secure the best possible results
from a minimum amount of trouble and cost.
.
We take a burner or oil cup, Figure 1, of any kind having an air passage a
through the centre or otherwise, and over and round such air passage we place a
thimble or wick holder b of larger diameter, leaving a space of about an eighth of
an inch, more or less, between the outside of the air passage and the inside of the
wick holder or thimble; the thimble has a supporting base of larger diameter c,
having grooves cut in its under surface to allow for the flow of oil, or arranged in
any other way to carry out the same object; the object of the thimble or moveable
wick holder being to prevent the overflow of oil, except into the oil cup, as all oil,
passing over the sides of the wick holder, passes back into the oil cup between the
thimble and the air passage.
We also obtain the objects gained by the aforesaid thimble in other ways, one of
which is as follows: In the centre air passage, which is also sometimes the wick

page_text: holder, we fix a cone d (Figure 2), and near its base, but above it, we perforate the
centre air passage or wick holder with holes of any diameter, and thus allows the
oil, which may overflow the top of the air passage or wick holder, to escape back
into the oil cup. In the case of flat wick burners (Figure 3), the means of
obtaining the same object, of preventing the results of overflow, may be made by
modifications of the above-named arrangements.
In some cases we also add to the outside edges of the oil cup lugs or pieces of
metal e¹, which are tapped horizontally or otherwise to receive the pipes which
convey the oil to the burner, and drilled or tapped an orifice e vertically or
otherwise to facilitate the filling the lamp with oil by the method or methods
hereafter mentioned, and also to admit air to the pipes for purposes of cooling or
any other purpose.
To regulate the flame, we pass through the air passage, in the centre of the
burner, a metal tube f (Figure 4), which fits it closely, and by means of a thumb
screw g at the bottom of the metal tube, which forces it up or brings it down, we
have command over the wick, and can reduce or increase the flame.as desired.
To facilitate the filling and trimming of lamps, we intend to use, in some cases, a
syphon, in combination with the lugs or pieces of metal which have been already
mentioned as being placed outside the oil cup.
Over the before-described argand or any suitable burner we place a moveable or
hinged metal cap or cone h, Figure 5, having perforations around its sides, and
an orifice at the top; such orifice i is furnished with a lip or rimj to receive a
glass chimney k of any suitable dimensions and shape, say about two inches in
height. On the top of such chimney k we place a tin or other metal. funnel mor
tube of a suitable shape and diameter to fit cleanly over the top of the glass
chimney k. Such tube or funnel m has an orifice n formed in its top; this tube or
funnel m is kept in position by metal band, stays, or arms o fastened in any suitable
manner to the ordinary metal reflector, which has a suitable orifice in its centre to
receive the glass chimney before described.
At the top of the lantern we fix a metal cone p having an opening 7 at the top,
and over this cone we place a metal cap r having either a domed or square top.
About midway in the inside of this cap we place a suitable metal linings formed
in the shape of a cone, and of a suitable size to permit of its passing a little way
over the top of the cone just described. Such metal lining & is held in position
inside the cap by means of suitable metal stays or supports t. Around the top of
the metal cap a suitable opening or openings u are formed to admit of the escaped
of the heat. The increased illuminating power is derived from the reflection of the
light on the sides of the tin funnel m or tube placed on the glass chimney k, as
before described. The other parts shewn on the Drawing are not new, and there-
fore need no description.
We also claim the right to apply our improvements to lamps and lanterns of
every kind.
Having now described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we no not
limit ourselves to the precise details herein-before described, as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature of our said Invention, we would remark
in conclusion that we claim as our Invention, the improvements in railway and
other lamps, substantially as herein-before described and as illustrated in the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, together with the various other modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles John Davis and John Thomas
Cooper Thomas, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this 28th day of
August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
CHARLES JOHN DAVIS.
(L.S.)
JOHN THOMAS COOPER THOMAS. (L.S.)