Improvements in Liquid Hydro-carbon Lamps producing the Bunsen Flame for Heating and Lighting Purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Liquid Hydro-carbon Lamps producing the Bunsen
Flame for Heating and Lighting Purposes.
I, FRANCIS EDWARD SUDDARD, St.-Cloud, Seine-et-Oise, France, Professor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
One or more wicks conduct the liquid hydro-carbon from the receptacle to the
primary flame which, on being partially stifled, generates a gas highly inflammable
when mixed with a due proportion of air. Although I can utilise any wick-
system in which the combustion of the primary flame is incomplete, I proceed to
describe a system applicable to round burners with hollow cylindrical wicks
(intensive central-draught burner, kosmos burner and the like).
My device which is shown in Fig. 1 as applied to an intensive central-draught
burner can with slight modifications be adapted to other systems.
Fig. 1 represents a section through the axis of the chimney C and of the
petroleum receptacle R and of other associated parts.
Fig. 2 represents a plan of the mixer M.
Fig. 3 shows a plan of the ring by which the outer chimney K is attached to
the inner chimney C.
Fig. 4 shows a plan of the iris stop e and its bevel wheels.
Fig. 5 shows the top of the lid D d.
In Fig. 1 R is the receptacle of the petroleum or other suitable hydro-carbon;
through R by means of the cylindrical tube I rises an interior current of air. O is
an opening for pouring in the hydro-carbon, a is a milled head for raising and
lowering the wick W; (the part of the wick-raiser in the interior of the receptacle
is not shown in Fig. 1, as it is well-known). e (Figs. 1 & 4) admits air to I on the
principle of the iris photographic stop. (A cock or slide may be substituted
for e). A is a ring of which a section is shown in Fig. 1; (I do not confine
myself to the shape of A in Fig. 1). The ring A rests on ring i fastened firmly
in tube I.
E is a chimney-holder pierced with air-holes in its lower and slanting part.
In the interior of gas-chimney C is fixed a horizontal arm of wire F on which are
suspended at suitable intervals one or more (one only shown in Fig. 1) mixers
of gas and air M more fully shown in Fig. 2. M can also be pivoted in C, as is
the damper of a stove-pipe. (I do not confine myself to the shape of M shown in
Fig. 2). N is a dome-shaped piece of metallic gauze (or its equivalent) fastened
into C; above N burns the Bunsen flame. Into C are fitted one or more pieces of
metallic gauze n, n¹ which prevent the Bunsen flame from shooting down into C.
D (Figs. 1 and 5) is a lid screwing on to h-part of the chimney-holder E.
The top (of lid) D is shown in Fig. 5; the central portion of D is made of a disc
of metallic gauze pierced at the centre with a small hole m and supported by two
arms y y springing from the rim of D. g is an arm of metal pivoted at j. The
radius of g is equal to the radius of the lid-top D, so that g can swing round
causing studs to cover the hole m. (The section in Fig. 1'cuts the lid d D through

page_text: the line of Fig. 5; consequently the arms y y are not shown in Fig 1). In
the system I am describing the primary flame f generating the inflammable gas
above-mentioned burns nowhere except in the interior of the wick W between
ring A and the lid D d.
The iris stop e and the size and shape of the ring A regulate the amount of air
supplied to f e when turned in the direction indicated by arrow (Fig. 1) cuts
off air from I and extinguishes f. Lid D d keeps flame from igniting on the
top or on the outside of wick W.
Mode of operation: It is preferable to leave 0 open, when lamp burns. If a
Bunsen flame is required for heating purposes, screw lid D d on tube h, and turn
up wick W so as to press the top of W against gauze D. By means of iris stop e
admit at first a little air only into I; through hole m (studs being placed as in
Fig. 5) put a lighted match above A against the interior of the wick W which
will take fire; then immediately cover hole m by means of studs swinging on j.
By means of e gradually admit more air into tube I. Fit C into E, & light the
mixture of gas and air issuing from N.
If an elongated Bunsen flame is required (as for incandescent lighting) fit
ring a round the exterior of the chimney C; let Z a lamp-glass-holder fitting over
the upper part of C be riveted to q. (The disc forming the base of Z is stamped
out or cut out in such a manner as to leave but three (say) narrow arms "
of which all are visible in Fig. 3 and only one in Fig. 1.) In Z fit lamp-glass G.
Thus a fairly tall Bunsen flame is produced; to incandesce, however, still
more satisfactorily the Welsbach or analogous hood H, attach the outer
metal chimney K firmly to z the rim of Z; the junction between rim z and K
should be air-tight. K can be prolonged after the manner of a telescope (Fig. 1).
The arrows indicate the principal entrances of air.
Dated this Eleventh day of October 1897.
Improvements in Liquid Hydro-carbon Lamps producing the Bunsen
Flame for Heating and Lighting Purposes.
I, FRANCIS EDWARD SUDDARD, Saint-Cloud, Seine-et-Oise, France, Professor,
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:
The great success attending the employment of a Welsbach mantle in connec-
tion with gas-lighting has naturally spurred inventors to contrive an incandescent
lamp fed by paraffin or analogous liquid hydro-carbon. Of the numerous genial
attempts made to solve the problem none has been a complete success. Pressure-
lamps seem to be too dangerous and complicated. The method of evaporating
the combustible by means of the heat incandescing the mantle has promised
more than it has performed. Wick-lamps would seem so far to stand the best
chance of success; of these there have been employed three main systems to
which the present invention adds a fourth variety.
The accompanying figure is a vertical section through the geometrical axis
of the lampa section principally bringing out the essential element of the
invention, viz. the vaporiser T, and also indicating how the same is lighted and
employed.
+
The lamp is of the central-draught type, the wick being hollow, and preferably
cylindrical in shape..

page_text: R is the basin containing the liquid combustible employed, I is the tube
admitting the central draught; above I a wick W projects as shown in the figure.
A is a ring firmly driven into the tube I; i is a disc of metallic gauze resting
upon A; D is a solid metal disc whose diameter is somewhat larger than the
outer diameter of the wick W; D can also be made of metallic gauze, but an
unperforated disc such as just mentioned is to be preferred as having no perfora-
tions or meshes liable to be clogged up with soot. D) is placed about one-eighth
of an inch above the upper edge of the wick W. This interval of 1' can be
varied by means of a screw.
A lighted match thrust into the interior of the wick W gasifies the liquid
combustible saturating the wick W; the gas thus produced feeds the hollow
flame f, which produces continually new gas for the maintenance of itself (f);
in other words the flame f produces gas, this gas feeds the flame f; but in order
to bring about this reciprocal action, you must first heat the interior of the wick
with a lighted match or equivalent. The wick W may be lit either from above,
or from below, or from the side, this last being the most practical: through a
funnel U and a corresponding hole cut in the wick W introduce a lighted match;
when the flame touches the part of the wick surrounding the lighting-hole, the
wick takes fire. The flame then spreads to the interior of the wick, and sub-
sequently drops down on to the gauze disc i, because lack of air in the higher
part of T prevents the flame from burning there. The funnel U may remain either
open or closed when the flame is once alight.
The trifling amount of gas not consumed within the vaporiser T escapes through
the interval between the wick and the disc D. The extent of the flame fis
determined by the calibre of the ring A, and its strength by a cock at the lower
end of I. This cock is not shown in the figure.
The gauze
disc i admits air from tube I, and prevents the flame f from shooting
down into tube I.
The vaporiser T is surmounted by a cylindrical tube C into the upper end of
which is inserted a hemispherical burner N made of metallic gauze. The air
entering through the holes g g to which the ventilator L on being rotated admits
more or less air, mixes with the vapour produced on the outside of the wick W,
and this mixture rising to burner N on being lighted sustains a Bunsen flame
whose great power is due to the draught created by the height of the tube C.
This Bunsen Hame is adapted to heating purposes..
To employ the Bunsen flame for lighting purposes, suspend over it a Welsbach
or analogous mantle H and place lamp-glass G as shown in figure.
The mixer-storer M can often be dispensed with; it is in certain cases useful,
in others less so. When the lamp is being lighted, M stands vertical as shown in
the figure, but as soon as the lamp is alight, the mixer assumes a horizontal
position. In fact M closely resembles the damper of a stove. The air and vapour
being both sucked up between the exterior rim of the mixer M and the interior
circumference of the tube C are thoroughly mixed and afterwards stored up, so
to speak, between the upper surface of the mixer M (horizontal) and the
burner N. The tube K, which is concentric with the tube C, serves to create a
draught of air and to direct it on to the mantle H. This air passing, as it does,
between the upper parts of C and K. (the top of K being made preferably of copper)
becomes heated and so increases the brilliancy of the light.
The advantages arising from the invention will be best understood by contrast
with its congeners, which fall as remarked at the outset, under three heads:
(1) Lamps which employ a flame burning on the upper edge of a hollow
cylindrical wick which flame is partially stifled;
(2) Lamps which employ a flame burning on the exterior mantle of a hollow
cylindrical wick;
(3) Lamps which employ a solid wick and an annular flame burning at the
top of the wick.
Now the present invention is distinguished from (3) by the fact that it employs

page_text: a hollow cylindrical wick, and from (1), (2) & (3) by the fact that it employs a
flame burning deep in the interior of the wick, which flame, supported by the
gas it produces in the interior of the wick, vaporises the combustible found on
the outside of the wick.
It is precisely this position of the flame (f) in relation to the wick which effects
an economy of the combustible and produces a vapour eminently suitable to the
maintenance of a Bunsen flame. Lamp (1) consumes, for its maintenance, more
combustible because the gasifying flame extends over a larger surface than the
flame f further it overheats the gas or vapour required to feed the Bunsen flame;
it leaves next to no surface free for the production of vapour, whereas the flame f
gasifies the combustible found on the interior surface of the wick and vaporises
the combustible found on the exterior surface, and that too in far greater quantity
than lamp (1).
Lamp (2) is still more disadvantageous than lamp (1), for extending over a
larger surface, its flame chars the wick, consumes too much combustible for its
maintenance, is difficult to regulate, air getting access to it from all sides, and
produces a gas unsuitable for incandescent lighting, whereas flame f is easy to
regulate and produces a highly suitable vapour.
The gasifying flame of lamp (3) can develop no strength to speak of, because
its wick is solid, so that the incandescent light is very feeble.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) In a liquid hydro-carbon lamp producing the Bunsen flame for heating and
lighting purposes, the employment of a flame burning deep in the interior of the
wick Wutilising for its maintenance not only the air ascending through the
tube I and the disc i but also the combustible found on the inside of the surround-
ing wick W which combustible the flame f itself gasifies, whilst at the same time
it (flame f) vaporises the said combustible found on the outside of the wick W
which vapour after being mixed with air, feeds a Bunsen flame.
(2) In a liquid hydro-carbon lamp producing the Bunsen flame for heating and
lighting purposes the employment in combination of the mechanical contrivances
which ensure the burning of the flame f at a point central with regard to the
surrounding wick W and deep in the interior of the said wick W, to wit: (a) the
disc D & a cock or equivalent at the lower end of the tube I which by their
combined effect so stifle the flame f that it burns of variable height; (B) the
ring A whose calibre so limits the base of the flame f that there arises between
the flame f and the wick W an annular space which prevents the charring of the
wick W, the overheating of the vapour sustaining the Bunsen flame and the
wasteful consumption by the flame f of much combustible; (y) the gauze disc i
(or equivalent) which admits air ascending by the tube I, and prevents the
flame from shooting down the said tube I.
Dated this Ninth day of July 1898.