Improvements in or relating to Burners for Incandescent Oil Vapour Lamps."
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 4th Dec.,
1897.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"Improvements in or relating to Burners for Incandescent Oil
Vapour Lamps."
I, LEO DURRA, Manufacturer, of 11 Rue Verbist, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved burner for hydro-carbon such as petroleum
etc., lamps which is constructed so as to produce a complete uniform and economical
gasification of the oil and thus produce a steady blue flame giving off a strong heat
and producing no soot and having such a shape that it is adapted to heat with the
desired intensity and uniformity an incandescent body or mantle placed over the
burner in the usual manner.
The characteristic features of this invention are,
1) The special arrangement and combination of baffles or air directors in the path
of the gases entering the chimney, so as to obtain two air-currents of two different
velocities so that the gases are prevented from igniting at the outer circumference
of the wick, while in no way interfering with the formation of the flame at the inner
side of it.
.
2) The combination with the above arrangement of baffle-devices and
air-distributing devices in such manner that at the base of the gas-flame there are
formed two currents of different temperatures and velocities going in opposite
directions, these two main currents being subdivided into a large number of secondary
currents. The result of this arrangement is that the flame assumes a conical shape,
the combustion becomes much quicker and the current of gas or vapour is cut or
divided in such manner that the flame is caused to curve no sharp tongues being
formed in the crown of the flame and thus all humming and smoking is prevented
while at the same time this shape greatly contributes to the mantle being heated in
a uniform manner.
3) The combination with this air-distributing arrangement of a supply of outer
cold air to the base of the flame so as to maintain the parts directly connected with
the lower metallic parts of the burner comparatively cool.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing is a vertical cross section of a burner
according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sketch illustrating the way in which the burner works.
h
The tube a of the burner containing the round wick is surmounted by a cap
closed at the top and open at the bottom. The lateral wall of the cap is provided
with a large number of holes and its lower edge is provided with a ring c the outer
edge of which is arranged just above the outer wall of the wick tube. The wick tube
is surrounded at the top by an air directing device d having the shape of a
conical ring of such height that its upper edge is on the level with or just a
little below the upper end of the wick when the latter is in the normal position
for burning. By means of this cone & there is produced on the outside of the wick
an air-current a (Figs. 1 and 2) having sufficient velocity to prevent the gases from
igniting at the outer side of the wick, while the inner air current y has a smaller

page_text: velocity and does not prevent the production of a flame at the inner side of the
wick.
In the annular space between the cap b and the chimney f is arranged a
perforated tube e preferably slightly conical in shape secured to or resting upon the
bottom of the cone d and extending in height up to the level of the upper edge of
the perforated wall of the cap b. Over this perforated tube e is placed the mantle g
suspended by a hook or equivalent in the usual manner. It will be seen from the
drawing that the bottom of the lamp chimney f is on a level with the upper edge
of the conical ring d that is to say with the bottom of the gas flame. Under the
chimney the gallery is provided with air-holes i through which a strong draught of
cold air takes place. These currents zz not only prevent the flame from passing through
the holes of the perforated tube e but also maintain the lower portion of the cap and the
conical ring d comparatively cool assist combustion and cause the flame to assume a
conical shape. But besides this, owing to the opposite directions of the currents
drawn in through the cap b (the inner currents v (Fig. 2) mixed with gases & hot
air) and through the cap e the flow of gases or the flame is divided so as to "curl" or
curve (see Fig. 2) so that no sharp tongues are formed and the flame spreads softly
and uniformly on the inner surface of the mantle and causes the latter to become
incandescent. Thus smoking and humming which are the usual accompaniment of
'intense flames with white tongues are avoided.
The flame with such tongues would heat only certain portions of the mantle at
the points where the tongues pass through its meshes. In order to increase the
quantity of air destined not only to break up the base of the gas flame but also to
pass over the exterior of the cape and mantle g, it is advisable to make air-holes k
in the bottom of the gallery-through which holes is drawn in a part of the cold air
coming through the holes m n etc., of the lower part of the burner. In order to
facilitate lighting the upper part A A of the burner (comprising the chimney
gallery mantle g cape and conical ring d) can be raised by means of a key C
actuating two levers acting on slide blocks or the like so as to separate and hold the
upper part A above and away from the lower burner part B. After lighting the lamp
the part A is lowered by turning a key in the reverse direction. The part A is
preferably mortised in the part B so that the conical ring d always occupies the
desired position relatively to the wick.
In all these movements the part A is vertically guided by means of any suitable
guides not shown in the drawing.
Owing to the cold air drawn in through and the lower portion of the
perforated tube e the cone d and the bottom of the gallery are kept comparatively
cool and consequently cannnot communicate a dangerous and injurious high
temperature to the lower metallic parts of the burner which is generally the case in
burners with wicks of known construction arranged for vapourisation of petroleum.
In the construction according to the present invention the lower portion of the
burner remains on the contrary quite cool.
By the suitable combination of air currents should a violent exterior current occur
in the place where the lamp is placed it cannot "reverse" the flame. The only
consequence of a too strong current is to make the flame longer, the flame returning
to its normal dimensions as soon as the draught ceases.
Owing to the slightly conical shape of the perforated tube e the mantle may be
easily placed in the desired position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. A burner for incandescent oil lamps characterised by the arrangement of a
conical air directing device surrounding the wick tube and having its upper edge on
a level with the upper end of the wick in combination with a perforated cap as b
arranged over the wick tube, and having a lower flange as o the external diameter
of said flange being the same as that of the wick substantially as described,

page_text: 2. In an incandescent oil lamp burner the combination of the air directing device (d).
and perforated cap 6 with a slightly conical perforated tube e extending upwards
from the bottom of the conical ring d to the upper edge of the perforated wall of the
cap b and holes as i for admitting a cold air supply at the bottom of the flame
substantially as described.
3. In an incandescent oil lamp burner the combination with the cold air inlets i
of air inlets k in the bottom of the gallery through which part of the air admitted
through holes m n of the lower part of the burner is drawn in substantially as
described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete
incandescent oil lamp burner substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.