Improvements in Oil Lamps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 27th May, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Lamps.
I CHARLES WALTER VOSPER of New Market Entrance, Barnstaple, Devon,
Engineer 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 new methods for automatically extinguishing lamps and
to do this I make a burner of a design similar to those already in use but instead of
the lamp being extinguished by hand it is so constructed that in the event of its
being turned over from any cause it will extinguish itself. This I do by using a
weight either in the shape of a cone or otherwise and placing it on a ledge near
the upper rim of the lamp this weight will have a sharp point on each side one of
which will rest on the rim of the lamp whilst the other point will be lodged under
a flat piece of metal connected to the lever used in throwing up the extinguishing
tube and will act as a prop to keep the tube in its place whilst the lamp is burning
but if the lamp should be tilted over this weighted prop will fall away and the
tube which will be actuated by a spring will instantly rise into contact with the
flame spreader and lift it to shut off the flame.
The flame spreader may be connected to a rod passing down the centre of the
inner tube of a central draught lamp and by fixing at the bottom end thereof a
flat piece of metal of sufficient size to cover the bottom of the centre tube so that
when the spring raises the extinguisher it will at the same time raise the flame
spreader and its counterpart at the bottom of the lamp and by this means shut off
all the air from the burner.
This flat piece of metal may work direct from the rod centrally arranged in the
air tube or if from the side of the tube the flat piece of metal would be hinged or
the flat piece of metal may be independent of the spreader in which case the hinged
metal piece may be counterbalanced and employed in combination with a
counterbalanced extinguisher tube encircling the air tube, the spreader being a
fixture.
The invention will be understood from the annexed drawings.
Figure 1, sectional elevation of a lamp with the extinguisher tube held in position
while burning by a cone prop between the lamp body and a lever connected to the
tube.
Figure 2, sectional elevation of a lamp representing the cone displaced and the
tube raised as an extinguisher.
Figure 3, sectional elevation of a lamp provided with a counterbalancing
extinguisher tube to act automatically on the lamp being tilted to extinguish the
flame and to readjust itself on the lamp being set upright.
Figure 4, perspective elevation of the extinguisher tube detached.
Figure 5 sectional elevation of lamp with extinguisher tube raised by hand or
to which position it would go if the lamp be tilted; this view also shows the
counterbalance in the lamp body from rods attached to the tube.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 A is the extinguisher tube surrounding the wick
tube B. The extinguisher tube is suspended by a fork of a lever C pivotted at D
to the burner E. The exposed end of the lever C has a spring F put in tension by
the cone prop G which is lodged between small plate H on the lever C and the
lamp body I to keep the flame portion of the burner free but should the prop G
become dislodged from any cause the spring F exerts its pressure to raise the
tube A as at Figure 2 and shut out the flame and access of air thereto.
In these Figures (1 & 2) I show in dotted lines a rod J and a valve plate K
which by being attached to the flame spreader L would be lifted to close the

page_text: central air tube M when the tube A is raised and against which spreader the
tube A comes into contact before the spring F has completed its pull on the
lever C. The valve K may be hinged to the body of the lamp and be operatable
from the spreader L by a rod or otherwise.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4 the cone prop is dispensed with and the extinguisber
tube A is weighted at N to overbalance and put in tension the spring F when the
lamp is upright but when the lamp is upset the spring F overcomes the gravity of
the weight N and moves the extinguisher up and shuts out the flame, the parts
resume their normal positions when the lamp is set upright.
In Figures 3 and 5, I have shown the lower end of a central air tube M with a
flap valve P hinged in a recess in the bottom of the lamp body I said valve P
being in equilibrium with a spring Q so that it acts freely to close the air inlet
should the lamp be upset.
This lamp has a fixed spreader L as also that shown at Figure 5 the extinguisher
tube A having its weight N inside the lamp body instead of in the burner as at
Figure 3. In Figure 5 the weight N is attached by wires R to the extinguisher
tube A.
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 an oil lamp a conical or other prop placed on the upper rim of the lamp
and used as a support under the lever to hold the spring in tension until the lamp
falls over for the weight to drop out of its place and the spring acts to operate the
extinguisher as described and as shown at Figures 1 and 2.
2. An extinguishing tube so constructed that on its being raised to contact
with the spreader will raise the latter sufficiently to draw up the bottom valve by
means of a connecting rod placed on the inside of the tube as shown at Figures 1
and 2 and as described.
3. A round weighted tube A, in combination with the lever C and spring F
constructed in such a manner that when the lamp stands vertically, the tube will
be in its right position to admit of the lamp being lighted, as set forth, and as
shown at Figure 3.
4. The equilibrium valve and spring at the bottom of the central air tube of
an oil lamp, as set forth in the same drawings at letters P, and Q, for the
described.
purpose
11
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Charles Walter Vosper.