AN IMPROVED LANTERN
Year: 1873

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LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Henry Cramp, the City and State of
New York, United States of America, now of Willesden, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LANTERN.”
Sealed the 16th December 1873, and dated the 30th June 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Henry Cramp
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th June 1873.
I, ALFRED HENRY CRAMP, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, now of Willesden, in the County. of.
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED LANTERN," to be as follows:-
'
My said Invention relates to a lantern which has a convenient and
elegant form, and is so constructed that its light will always burn
steadily, and will not be extinguished by the movement or agitation of..
the lantern, or by wind, rain, or other atmospheric disturbances.
Morcover the said lantern will form a safe and convenient lamp for
indoor use, as it gives a clear and brilliant light, and if upset its contents
will not spill, ignite, or explode.

page_text: My improved lantern is constructed as follows:-Its base is a vessel
for containing oil or spirit, and forms the body of the lamp; the said
vessel is made of thin sheet brass or other suitable material. It has a
central vertical perforated tube or cylinder and the space between this
central tube and the external shell of the said vessel I fill with sponge,
cotton, or other like absorbent material. In filling the lamp as much
oil or spirit is poured into the central tube as will be absorbed by the
sponge or cotton. The burner is screwed into an aperture at the top of
the said central tube, and the wick should lic in the latter in contact
with the said sponge or cotton from which it is fed. Surrounding the
wick tube there is a cup-shaped piece whose lower portion is perforated
to admit air to the burner. Above this perforated part I place a disc of
finely perforated metal or wire gauze to distribute and warm the air as
it passes up to the flame. The wick tube is provided at the top with a
hood which is inclined inward towards the top of the said tube and :
conducts the air to the flame. Into this cup-shaped piece I insert and
secure the lower end of a glass tube. I prefer to form a coarse spiral or
screw thread on the end of the tube and in the cup-shaped piece for
securing the said tube. The latter is preferably of a taper form
somewhat larger in diameter at its lower end than the part in which it is
screwed. The top of the said glass tube is also formed with a coarse
spiral or thread to receive and hold a metal cap, cylindrical or nearly
so in shape, and which is perforated with rather large holes and is
provided with an inner circular screen of finely perforated metal or wire
gauze. The said cap is furnished with a chain or other convenient :
means for carrying it in the hand or suspending it from a nail or other
support.
When my Invention is to be used indoors as a lamp I remove the
said cap.
The aforesasd oil vessel or base of the lamp is formed to stand
conveniently upon a table, and if desired may be provided with a
handle whereby the lamp can be carried; the wick tube is provided with
the ordinary contrivance for raising and lowering the wick by means of
a thumb piece outside of the lamp or lantern.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Alfred Henry Cramp in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 30th December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
HENRY CRAMP, of the City and State of New York, United States.
of America, now of Willesden, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alfred Henry Cramp,
Her special licence that I, the said Alfred Henry Cramp, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alfred Henry Cramp, my executors, administrators, and assigns;
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
tho
Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED LANTERN," upon t
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Henry Cramp, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alfred Henry Cramp, do hereby.
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom- i
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification.
30
My said Invention relates to a lantern which has a convenient and
elegant form, and is so constructed that its light will always burn
steadily and will not be extinguished by the movement or agitatioh
of, the lantern or by wind, rain, or other atmospheric disturbances...

page_text: Moreover the said lantarn will form a safe and convenient lamp for
indoor use as it gives a clear and brilliant light and if upset its contents
will not spill, ignite, or explode.
The construction of my improved lantern is illustrated in the accom-
(panying Drawing which I will now proceed to describe.
Figure 1 is an exterior clevation of the said lantern; Figure 2. is a
vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 1; like letters indicate the same
parts in both Figures.
a, is a vessel for containing oil or spirit, and which forms the base or
body of the lamp. The said vessel is made of thin sheet brass or other
suitable material. It is packed with sponge, cotton, or other like
absorbent material as shewn at a¹. Or the said vessel may have a
central vertical perforated tube or cylinder of such a size as to leave a
space between the same and the external shell of the said vessel, which
space is filled with the sponge, cotton, or other absorbent material.
In filling the lamp as much oil or spirit should be poured into the
central tube as will be absorbed by the said absorbent material. The
burner b, which includes the wick tube c and other parts connected
therewith, is screwed into an aperture at the top of the vessel a, and the
wick should lie in the latter or in the said central tube in contact with
the said sponge or cotton from which it is fed with the oil. The wick
tube c. is surrounded by a cup shaped piece d which is perforated
either through its under side, or its periphery, or both, to admit air to.
the burner. Above this perforated part inside the cup d I place a disc e
of finely perforated metal or wire gauze to distribute and warm the air
as it passes from the aforesaid perforations up to the flame. I also
place a similar finely perforated screen inside the periphery of the
burner when the same is perforated. The wick tube c is provided at the
top with a hood f which is inclined inward towards the top of the said
tube as shewn, and so conducts the air to the flame as to increase the
brilliancy and purity of the light. I sometimes provide the burner with
a circular cap, dome, or bell-shaped picce provided with an aperture at
the top for the passage of the flame as used in ordinary lamps instead of
using the aforesaid hood. Into the cup-shaped piece d I insert and
secure the lower end of a glass tube g. For the purpose of securing this
tube I form a coarse spiral or screw thread on the end of the tube, and
form a similar screw in the cup-shaped pieced. The glass tube is, usually.

page_text: of a taper form somewhat larger in diameter at its lower end than the
part in which it is screwed, as shown, but when the burner is provided
with the aforesaid ordinary cap or dome it may be advantageous to
make the glass tube cylindrical. The top of the said glass tube is also
formed with a coarse spiral or screw thread to receive and hold a metal
´cap h, cylindrical, or nearly so, in shape, and which is perforated with
rather large holes, and is provided with an inner circular screen i of
finely perforated metal or wire gauze. The said cap h is furnished with
a chain j or other convenient means for carrying the lantern in the
hand or suspending it from a nail or other support.
When my Invention is to be used indoors as a lamp I may remove
the cap / by unscrewing it from the glass tube.
The aforesaid oil vessel a forms a base whercon the lamp stands
firmly, so that it may be placed upon a table or bracket or other
3 convenient support, and if desired the said vessel may be provided
with a handle, whereby the lamp can be conveniently carried about
the house. The wick tube is provided with the ordinary contrivance
for raising and lowering the wick by means of a thumb piece / as
shown.
The said Invention, whether used as a lantern or as an ordinary lamp
is designed more especially for the combustion of petroleum or paraffin
and other hydrocarbon or mineral oils, and it affords the means for
burning these oils cconomically without danger of explosion and
unaccompanied by any unpleasant odour or smoke.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,—
First. A lantern for burning petroleum, paraffin, and other oils, and
which may also be used as a lamp, constructed with a vessel packed
with cotton or other absorbent material for holding the oil, a buruer
secured in the top of the said vessel, a glass tube fitted in the said
burner, and a perforated metal cap or cover on the top of the said glass
tube, substantially as herein set forth.
Second. Forming on the ends of the said glass tube a spiral or screw
thread to fit corresponding screw threads in the burner and cap, and
thereby uniting and securing together the parts of the lantern as herein
set forth.

page_text: Third. In combination with the glass tube of the said lantern the
detachable cap or cover constructed with the outer perforated cylindrical
part and the inner perforated shield, as herein set forth and for the
purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Henry Cramp, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three
ALFRED HENRY CRAMP. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.