IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS FOR LAMPS AND HEATERS, AND IN WICKS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Agnew Pope, of Cannon Street, in the City of
London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS FOR LAMPS AND
HEATERS, AND IN WICKS FOR THE SAME." A communication from abroad by
Charles Frederick Albert Hinrichs, of Brooklyn, in the State of New York,
United States of America.
Sealed the 26th February 1878, and dated the 24th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Agnew Pope at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1877.
" IMPROVE-
WILLIAM AGNEW POPE, of Cannon Street, in the City of London.
MENTS IN BURNERS FOR LAMPS AND HEATERS, AND IN WICKS FOR THE SAME." A
communication from abroad by Charles Frederick Albert Hinrichs, of Brooklyn, in
the State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in burners for lamps and heaters, and in
non-combustible mineral wicks for the same.
The mineral wick is made by combining plaster of Paris, asbestos, sugar or
similar saccharine material, and mineral wool, and moistening the same and
moulding the material into the proper form.
In some cases slacked lime or finely ground brick are employed.
The mineral wool is generally moulded into shape, but it may be cut so as to fit
the wick tube, or moulded into such tube.
An ordinary wick of cotton conducts the oil up to the base of the mineral wick,
and a packing of asbestos or mineral wool may intervene between the cotton and
mineral wicks.
The lamp or heater into which such mineral wick is inserted is provided with a
metal wick tube, and also a case outside the wick tube. By raising or lowering the
case relatively to the mineral wick, or the reverse, more or less of the mineral wick
will be exposed, and the flame increased or lessened.

page_text: With argand burners it is preferable to employ a stationary interior air tube and
a stationary exterior case, and to move the wick and tube up and down This is
effected by a screw or by a rack and pinion, and in some cases the cotton wicks
hang separately into the reservoir to allow the air for the central tube of the argand
burner to be brought in laterally between such wicks
With an argand burner fed by a fountain it is often important to prevent the
risk of oil flowing over the top of the case around the wick if the lamp falls or.is
tipped. For this purpose it is proposed to employ a packing of worsted, or similar
fibrous material around the wick tube to fill the space between the same and the
surrounding case to cut off the sudden flow of oil through this space, but allow it to
pass to the wick by capillary attraction.
The usual air distributors, cones, and chimneys are employed with the said wick
and casings when applied to a lamp burner, and when used for heating purposes the
air will mingle with the vapors from the mineral wicks, and produce a perfect com-
bustion with considerable heat and but little light..
With burners used for heating purposes and in large lamp burners it is generally
preferable to use two or more wick tubes united together, so as to be raised or
lowered as aforesaid, with a case surrounding each wick.tube to allow for regulating
the flame by raising or lowering the wick tubes, and in that instance it is best to
introduce air between each pair of wicks, and to draw the flames together as they
pass through a deflector with a single slot, so as to obtain a perfect combustion.
When the wicks are moved down to extinguish the light a metallic cover or cap
is swung across the end of the wick tube to prevent smell escaping
The essential features of the Invention consist of,-
•
First. A stationary air tube having side openings in combination with a mineral
wick and flexible wicks, and metallic tubes or holders, and; means for raising or
lowering the mineral wick tubes' relatively to the air tube and case
Second. Plates upon the movable wick tubes in combination with a'central air
tubo and its lateral openings for fegulating the air passing to the inside of the
flame.
Third. The combination in a burner of two mineral wicks with two wick tubes
adjacent to each other, with an air space between them.
Fourth. The combination in a lamp burner of two mineral wicks, an internal air
tube, a case or sleeve surrounding the upper part of the wick tubes, an air distri-
butor, and a cone or deflector.
Fifth The combination with the two adjacent wick-tubes and wicks of an internal
air tube and sleeve, and a pinion and rack to raise and lower the wick tubes rela-
tively to the central air tube and sleeve, or the converse..
Sixth. In combination with the moveable wick tubes and wicks, hinged fingers
operated so as to extinguish the flame and prevent the escape of odour.
Seventh. The combination with a wick tube containing à mineral wick and fibrous
wick of teeth for holding the fibrous wick in place.
i
Eighth. In an argand burner a metallic holder for the mineral wick composed
of two tubes, the outer one of which is perforated, in combination with the mineral
wick at the upper end and a filling of fibrous material between the tubes.
Ninth. In an argand burner a permanent mineral wick in combination with the
metallic wick holder and means for raising and lowering the wick tubes.
•
Tenth. An argand lamp wick formed of a non-combustible porous ring between
the metallic tubes, in combination with a fibrous packing, also between the said
tubes.
Eleventh. The combination with an argand lamp wick case and air tube of a
packing surrounding the inner cylinder of the wick tube.
Twelfth. The combination with an argand burner having a cylindrical case or
wick tube holder, of a chimney holder provided with a short sleeve at the upper
end connecting with the tube of the argand wick, and a perforated ring guide at

page_text: the lower end of the chimney holder around the case to steady the chimney
holder.
Thirteenth. A non-combustible lamp wick made of the materials and substantially
-in the manner herein-before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Agnew Pope in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
June 1878.
WILLIAM AGNEW POPE, of Cannon Street, in the City of London.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BURNERS FOR LAMPS AND HEATERS, AND IN WICKS FOR THE SAME." A
communication from abroad by Charles Frederick Albert Hinrichs, of Brooklyn, in
the State of New York, United States of America.
The said Invention relates to improvements in mineral wicks for lamps and
heaters, and in lamps and heaters adapted for the said wicks.
The material which is employed for the wick is non-combustible and porous, and
in making the same plaster of Paris, asbestos, sugar, and the material known as
mineral wool is used, which mineral wool is composed of slag from furnaces rendered
fibrous by being blown upon while in a melted state. The asbestos is finely pul-
verised, and the sugar is either dissolved in water or used in the form of molasses.
The materials are mixed together, the sugar-water or molasses serving to moisten
them, and the plastic mass is either moulded and pressed, or placed in the tube or
tubes of the burner, herein-after described.
It is preferred to subject the mineral wick to the action of sufficient heat to dry
the same and burn the saccharine material; or, in some cases, this may be avoided
by substituting porous material, such, for example, as pumicestone, for the asbestos,
in which case water only may be required to moisten the plaster of Paris, but it is
preferable to employ saccharine materials also.
The mineral wick is to be of a size and shape to fit the wick tube, and it is not
consumed, as the ordinary cotton wick.
The lamp adapted to the improved wick is constructed and arranged in the
manner next herein-after described, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, in which,―
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the argand lamp burner; Figure 2 is a sectional
plan of the same taken along the line x, x, (Figure 1).
Figure 3 is an elevation of the wick tubes; and Figure 4 is a section of the body
and interior air tube.
Figure 5 is a section of a burner adapted to a fountain lamp; Figure 6 is a
section of the same taken along the line y, y, (Figure 5); and Figure 7 is an eleva-
tion of the wick and wick holder.
Figure 8 illustrates a modification of the burner shown in Figure 1; and
Figure 9 is a plan of the wick tubes, and Figure 10 is a perspective view of the
same.

page_text: In Figures 1 and 8 the body of the burner is shown with the screw a for attaching
the lamp to the reservoir, and also the air distributor b in the form of a perforated
cup. The central stationary air tube c is fastened at the lower end to the body of
the burner, and openings are provided through the body at each side of the tube c
for the wick tubes e.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3 the wick tubes e are segmental
at their lower part, and extend up and terminate as an annular argand wick cylinder f,
which is of a size to surround the air tube c, and to contain the mineral wick i;
between the outer and inner cylinders of this annular argand wick tube this mineral
wick is supplied with oil by the fibrous wicks g.
In the modification, Figures 8, 9, and 10, two rectangular wick tubes e are
employed, connected to each other by plates w outside the central air tube c, and
the said wick tubes contain the mineral wicks i, to which the oil is supplied by the
fibrous wicks
g.
Upon the lower part of the wick tubes e there are provided teeth 2,2, projecting
inwards and upwards to prevent the fibrous wicks dropping down away from the
mineral wicks.
The wick tube e is also provided with a rack n, with which engages a pinion h
upon a shaft ; the latter carries a button head m for the facility of turning it in
order to raise and lower the wick tube e upon the stationary air tube c, and expose
more or less of the mineral wick, thereby regulating the flame by the height of the
mineral wick above the top of the air tube c.
Screws may be substituted for the rack and pinion if preferred.
When the burner shown in Figures 8 and 9 is used in connection with heating
apparatus numerous pairs of wicks are employed, and the mechanism for raising and
lowering the wicks or their surrounding sleeves are connected so as to operate the
rows or ranges of burners simultaneously.
Lateral openings v are formed in the stationary air tube c, and adjacent to these
are provided cut-off plates w upon the wick tubes; when the wick tubes are drawn
down and the flame lessened, the central supply of air will be reduced by the plates w
partially coming down over the opening v; when the wick tubes are drawn down
to the lowest position, the plates w close the openings v, and prevent air from
. passing into the argand wick, whereby the smell which is usually emitted from
the lamp immediately after the flame has been extinguished is diminished by reasou
of the circulation of air being checked.
In addition to these cut-off plates there are sometimes employed hinged fingers v³,
as shown in Figure 8, which are acted upon by projections 10 on the wick tubes,
and swung over upon the top of the wick tubes; as the said tubes are drawn down
these cut-off plates extinguish the flame, and prevent the escape of odour from the
wicks.
The wick tube may be surrounded by the perforated cone 8, Figure 1, which does
not touch the wick tube, in order that any overflow of oil shall not pass upon the
outside of the cone, and that any oily vapors from outside the wick tube when the
lamp is burning may pass directly into the flame; or the said wick tube may be
provided with the ordinary cone or deflector t, as shown in Figure 8; in this case a
sleeve e³ surrounding the upper part of the wick tubes is employed.
The chimney holder t may be of any desired character.
In some cases the wick tube e and mineral wick i may be stationary, and the
interior air tube o be connected with the exterior case e³ and moved up or down by
the toothed wheel h acting upon teeth or holes in the case e³ in order to increase or
decrease the flame.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 5, 6, and 7 the mineral wicki is at the upper
part of the cylindrical or argand wick tube e¹, which surrounds the stationary
central air tube c¹; and beneath the said mineral wick there is placed a packing of
eithor asbestos or mineral wool, and the outer cylinder of the wick tube is perforated
to allow the oil to pass to this packing. The sleeve and chimney-holder l³ are
connected to the wick tube by lugs on the wick tube entering slots in the sleeve k³,
:

page_text: and by turning the said sleeve the wick tube and wick are raised and lowered by a
pin or screw on the air tube entering a screw thread upon the inner cylinder of the
wick tube, or the converse, as usual in argand burners.
In order to prevent the oil from flowing over the top of the case e² in case the
lamp falls or is tipped, there is provided a packing of porous material, preferably
of worsted or cotton thread, wound upon the lower part of the inner cylinder of the
wick tube.
"
•
The packing fits the interior of the case e² and checks the upward flow of oil,
so as to prevent the oil from running out of the lamp rapidly if the lamp is upset,
and it also prevents the overflow of oil if the lamp is tipped in moving it from one
'place to another.
The sleeve ³ extends down around the case e only the length sufficient for the
slots, which receive the lugs 13 upon the outer wick tube e, and a ring guide is
provided at the lower part of the chimney holder to surround the case e² and steady
the chimney and bolder ² The object of this feature is to lessen the heat conducted
down the case e so as to maintain the lamp cooler. The exterior of the tube c² not
being covered is cooled by the ascending currents of air.
Asbestos, spun glass, clay, and other mineral substances have been used in non-
combustible wicks. By inserting saccharine material and porous substances, such as
pumicestone, the wick is rendered of a uniformly porous character, so as to conduct
the liquid freely to the flame.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I will observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The stationary air tube c having side openings v in combination with the
mineral wick i and the flexible wicks g and their metallic tubes or holders, and the
means for raising or lowering the mineral wick tubes relatively to the air tube and
case, substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The plates w, upon the movable wick tubes in combination with the
central air tube c and its lateral openings v for regulating the air passing to the inside
of the flame, as herein-before described.
Third. The combination in a burner of two mineral wicks with two wick tubes
adjacent to each other, with an air space between them, substantially as hercin-
before described.
Fourth. The combination in a lamp burner of two mineral wicks, an internal air
tube, a case e, an air distributor, and a cone or deflector, substantially as hercin-
before described.
Fifth. The combination with two adjacent wick tubes, and wicks of the internal
air tube, sleeve, and the pinion and rack or screw to raise and lower the wick tubes
relatively to the central air tube and sleeve, or the converse, substantially as herein-
before described.
Sixth. In combination with the movable wick tubes and wicks the hinged
fingers operated substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
Seventh. In combination with a wick -tube containing a mineral wick and a
fibrous wick the teeth 2, 2, for holding the fibrous wick in place, as herein-before
described.
Eighth. In an argand burner the metallic holder for the mineral wick composed
of two tubes, the outer one of which is perforated in combination with the mineral
wick at the upper end, and the filling of fibrous material between the tubes, sub-
stantially as berein-before described.
Ninth. An argand lamp wick formed of the noncombustible porous ring i between
the metallic tubes e in combination with the fibrous packing also between the said
tubes e, substantially as herein-before described.
Tenth. The combination with the argand lamp wick case e² and air tube c of the

page_text: packing & surrounding the inner cylinder of the wick tube e, for the purposes and
substantially as herein-before described.
Eleventh. The combination with an argand burner having a cylindrical case or wick
tube holder e' of the chimney holder provided with a short sleeve k² at the upper end
connecting with the outer tube e of the argand wick, and the perforated ring guide ³ E
at the lower end of the chimney holder around the case e³ to steady the chimney
holder, substantially as herein-before described.
Twelfth. The non-combustible lamp wick, made of the materials and substantially
in the manner herein-before described.
'
In witness whereof, I, the said William Agnew Pope, have hereunto set my 1
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
17M
חסנANNI D
Gol