IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS AND LAMPS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
" IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS AND LAMPS." A communication from abroad by
Elias Burgher Requa, of Jersey City, New Jersey, and Ferdinand Fountleroy
Lambert, of the City and State of New York, both in the United States of
America
Sealed the 19th August 1879, and dated the 25th February 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th February 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS AND LAMPS."
[A communication from abroad by Elias Burgher Requa, of Jersey City, New
Jersey, and Ferdinand Fountleroy Lambert, of the City and State of New York,
both in the United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in lanterns and lamps to be used with or
without globes or chimneys, and has for its object to economize material in the
construction of the same, to provide for the better transmission of the light from
the lamp than is the case with lamps of ordinary construction, to facilitate the
cleaning of the interior portions of the body of the lantern, and guard against the
entrance of downward currents at the top of the lantern, to obviate the tendency
of the upper portion of the lantern to become heated, to provide for a copious
supply of air to the flame, to prevent heating of the oil fount and consequent
evolution of explosive gases therein, to adapt the burner for use without a chimney
when desired, and to produce a clear white flame free from odour.
The said Invention comprises a lantern-fount having its wall extended upward
to form a globe-holder, and provided with transparent or translucent windows,
whereby provision is made for diffusion of light from the base of the frame and for
a lateral supply of air to the flame; the combination with a lamp-fount of a tubular
deflector connected with draught passages extending through the lamp-fount, and
two foraminous partitions secured to the top of the lamp-fount, whereby air is
supplied to the flame both on the inside and outside of the deflector; the com-

page_text: bination with the air-passages of a space below the lamp-fount having foraminous
walls, and provided with a hinged perforated bottom having a central aperture, and
provided with a series of foraminous partitions forming chambers communicating
with the upward air-passages, whereby the air is diffused and conducted to the
flame of the lamp; the combination with a lantern-globe and globe-holder of an
upper section consisting of concavo-convex perforated annulus adapted to rest
upon the upper edge of the globe concavo-convex top secured to the annulus, the
two concave portions being face to face, an inner concavo-convex annulus secured
to the perforated annulus, and a series of bent flues leading to a central escape-flue,
whereby all downward currents into the lamp are obviated; a novel construction
of vertical and bent flues for the escape of the production of combustion from the
lantern, and a concavo-convex disc located above the exit opening with its convex
surface downward, and having a downwardly-turned lip, at the inner terminus of
which is an annular row of perforations, through which the products of combustion
are permitted to pass freely upward and escape, thus preventing undue heating of
the upper part of the lantern and scattering of the smoke laterally; the com-
bination in a. lamp-burner of a hollow perforated base, an inner deflector arranged
above said base, and outer deflector arranged above and around said inner deflector
and separated therefrom by an intervening space connected with the interior of the
hollow base, and serving as an air passage whereby a copious supply of air is
delivered to the base and upon the sides of the flame, and a brilliant, steady,
odourless flame is produced; a hollow perforated base constructed for attachment
to a lamp and provided with a wick-tube in combination with a deflector section
hinged upon the perforated base and composed of a hollow frustum, the wall of
which is perforated, an inner deflector or cap arranged upon the top of said per-
forated frustum, and a deflector arranged exterior to and over the perforated
frustum and inner deflector, and separated therefrom by an intervening space for the
purpose above set forth; the combination with a perforated base section provided
with a wick tube of an upper section composed of a perforated base-band, a hollow
perforated frustum surrounding said band, an inner deflector arranged upon the
top of the said frustum and outer deflector sections, surrounding and separated by
a space from said inner deflector, and having flaring skirts arranged above and
separated by a space from the perforated portions of said frustum; the combination
with a feed-wheel chamber and the main wick-tube passing through said chamber
and provided with a wheel opening of a supplementary wick-tube opening into said
chamber, and adapted to support an auxiliary wick which will supply said chamber
with oil, which will flow to the main wick through the wheel opening of the said
main tube and reinforce the supply of oil to the flame.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th August 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS AND LAMPS."
A. communication from abroad by Elias Burgher Requa, of Jersey City, New
Jersey, and Ferdinand Fountleroy Lambert, of the City and State of New York,
both in the United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in lanterns and lamps to be used with or
without globes or chimneys, and has for its object to economise material in the
construction of the same; to provide for the better transmission of the light from
the lamp than is the case with lamps of ordinary construction; to facilitate the
cleaning of the interior portions of the body of the lantern and guard against the
entrance of downward currents at the top of the lantern; to obviate the tendency
of the upper portion of the lantern to become heated; to provide for a copious
supply of air to the flame; to prevent heating of the oil fount, and consequent
evolution of explosive gases therein; to adapt the burner for use without a chimney
when desired, and to produce a clear white flame free from odor, all as hereinafter
particularly set forth.
The said Invention comprises a lantern-fount having its wall extended upward to
form a globe-holder, and provided with transparent or translucent windows, whereby
provision is made for diffusion of light from the base of the frame and for a lateral
supply of air to the flame. It also comprises the combination with a lamp-fount of
a tubular deflector connected with draught-passages extending through the lamp-
fount and two foraminous partitions secured to the top of lamp-fount, whereby air
is supplied to the flame both on the inside and outside of the deflector. Also the
combination with the air-passages of a space below the lamp-fount having for-
aminous walls, and provided with a hinged perforated bottom having a central
aperture, and provided with a series of foraminous partitions forming chambers
communicating with the upward air-passages, whereby the air is diffused and con-
ducted to the flame of the lamp. It also comprises the combination with a lantern-
globe and globe-holder of an upper section consisting of a concavo-convex perforated
annulus adapted to rest upon the upper edge of the globe concavo-convex top
secured to the annulus, the two concave portions being face to face, an inner con-
cavo-convex annulus secured to the perforated annulus, and a series of bent flues
leading to a central escape-flue, whereby all downward currents into the lamp are
obviated. It also comprises a novel construction of vertical and bent flues for the
escape of the products of combustion from the lantern, and a concavo-convex disc
located above the exit opening with its convex surface downward, and having a
downwardly-turned lip, at the inner terminus of which is an annular row of per-
forations, through which the products of combustion are permitted to pass freely
upward and escape, thus preventing undue heating of the upper part of the lantern
and scattering of the smoke laterally. Also the combination in a lamp-burner of
a hollow perforated base, an inner deflector arranged above said base, and an outer
deflector arranged above and around said inner deflector and separated therefrom
by an intervening space connected with the interior of the hollow base and serving
as an air-passage, whereby a copious supply of air is delivered to the base and
upon the sides of the flame, and a brilliant, steady, odorless flame is produced. It
also comprises a hollow perforated base constructed for attachment to a lamp and
provided with a wick-tube in combination with a deflector section hinged upon the
perforated base and composed of a hollow frustum, the wall of which is perforated,
an inner deflector or cap arranged upon the top of said perforated frustum, and a
deflector arranged exterior to and over the perforated frustum and inner deflector,

page_text: of this Invention is as follows:-When the lamp is lighted, the air to support com-
bustion enters at the central aperture in the hinged bottom and through the
apertures in the base. It then passes through the foraminous diffusing-partitions
and passes up through the upwardly-extending air-passages to the interior of the
deflector and the interior of the globe-holder. The heated products of combustion
ascend in the globe and pass out through the bent tubes into the central escape-
flue. The current thus created draws in cold air through the apertures in the
upper section, which mixing with the heated products abstracts a portion of the
heat, thus preventing the upper section from becoming unduly and injuriously
heated.
Referring to Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, when the ratchet or feed wheel chamber Aª
of the burner is screwed to a lamp-fount, as shewn in Figure 7, and the wick
lighted, air is drawn in over the cap a² of this chamber in the direction indicated
by the arrows 1, and passing by the concave bottom 62 of the perforated base,
section B is deflected against the lower portion of the wick-tube C, which extends
upward through a slot b³ in said concave bottom, said slot being so large as to leave
an air passage between its edge and the surface of the burner. Air also flows
inward in the direction of arrows 2 through the perforations of the base section B³,
and in the direction of the arrows 3 through perforations in the band e², which
forms the lower portion of the hinged upper deflector section F. Upon this band e²
sets a hollow conic frustum f, upon the top of which is secured an inner cap-
deflector g, having the usual wick-passage.
Through the wall of the. frustum f, and on opposite portions thereof, below the
sides of the wick-passage of the inner deflector g, are formed groups of perforations,
which permit a portion of the air which has entered the chamber around the burner
to escape therefrom, and this escaping air strikes the skirts k of two outer deflector
sections, which lie at a slight distance above the perforated portions of the wall
of the frustum, the spaces between their outer edges and said frustum being left open.
These outer deflector-sections / cover and are separated by an intervening space from
the sides of the inner deflector g, said space serving as an air-passage through which
the air escaping through the perforations in the frustum f' is deflected directly.
upon the sides of the flame.
At the ends of the wick-passage of the inner deflector g are arranged ear-like
pieces of metal m, having a width about equal to that of the wick-passage, and
inclined upward and outward from near the end edges of said passage. They may
be secured directly to the inner deflector, to the frustum f, or to the outer deflector
sections, their function being to protect the ends of the flame from upward
currents of air.
The top of the wick-tube O³ has a concave crescent shape, as at c, in order that the
intermediate portion of the wick end may be more exposed to the air than the edges.
n indicates a rim secured to the top of the perforated base section for the purpose
of supporting a shade ring, and o is a spring secured to the band e, and having an
inwardly bent tip, which passes through a slot in the rim n, and catches under the
edge of the perforated base section.
The burner just above described is intended for use either with or withont a
chimney. When a chimney is used it may rest upon the rim n.
As the slot or wick-passage of the inner deflector g would be too small for the
passage of all the air which enters the burner-chamber over the ratchet or feed
wheel chamber, and through the perforations of the base section B³ and band e², the
'perforations of the frustum f' are provided, in order that the excess of air may
escape, and meeting the currents of cold air flowing inward under the skirts k of
the deflector sections may be deflected with the cold air currents upon the sides of
the flame.
The greater proportion of oil in all wick tubes goes to the outer edges of the wick,
so that the corners or edges of the flame have heretofore been the most troublesome
to manage, but by making the top of the tube crescent shaped it will be seen that
the edges of the wick are at least exposed to the air, the greater proportion of vapor

page_text: is evolved from the exposed middle portion of the wick when the largest quantity
of air is delivered, and consequently a more active combustion takes place at the
centre of the wick, compensating for the excess, of oil at the edges, and keeping the
flame even and approximately straight at its top edge. The ear-like shields or
guards m contribute to this effect by preventing upward currents of air from striking
the edges of the flame.
1;.
In the form of burner shown the top of the wick-tube is at such a distanco from
the oil-fount that without additional means for carrying the oil upward to or near
the burning point the flame would be apt to diminish in size as the oil level becomes
low in the fount, owing to the decrease of wick surface immersed ; and in order to
overcome this I have arranged the feeder-wick p, p³, on opposite sides of the main
wick q. The lower portion of the main wick-tube is provided with an opening 8,
in order to permit one of these feeder-wicks p to come in contact with the main
wick. This feeder-wick p is shown as passing through a small tube t attached to
the bottom of the screw-nozzle of the feed-wheel chamber, and leading into the said
chamber. The other feeder wick is held in contact with the main wick simply by
having its end bent through a wire loop u attached to the bottom of said
nozzle.
The oil drawn upward by the wick p is delivered and accumulates in the feed-
wheel-chamber until it rises to a level with the opening in the main wick-tube C³,
through which the teeth of the feed-wheel C³ project, and through this opening the
oil flows to the main wick, and reinforces the supply to the flame.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,-
First. A lantern-fount having its wall extended upward to form a globe holder,
and provided with translucent or transparent windows to diffuse light below the
globe-holder, substantially as described.
Second. The lantern-fount having its wall extended upward to form the globe-
holder, and provided with the translucent or transparent windows separated by the :
perforated panels, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.
Third. In combination with a lamp-fount a pyramidal deflector connected with
the draught-passages extending through the body of the lamp, and one or more
foraminous diffusers secured to the top of the lamp-fount directly above one or
more air-passages extending through the said fount, whereby air is supplied to the
flame both inside and outside of the deflector, substantially as and for the
specified.
purposes
Fourth. In combination with the air-passages extending through the lamp-fount
a space below the said fount having foraminous walls, and a hinged bottom
having a central aperture and a series of foraminous partitions forming chambers 4
communicating with the upward air-passages, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Fifth. In combination with the globe and globe-holder of a lantern, an upper
section consisting of a concavo-convex perforated annulus, a concavo-convex per-
forated disc united at its edge to the outer edge of the annulus, an internal concavo-
convex deflector, and a series of bent exit tubes communicating with a central
exit-flue, whereby a current of cold air is established through the upper flue to
prevent heating, substantially as specified.
Sixth. In combination with the central exit flue a concavo-convex disc. located
above the exit flue, having a downwardly turned edge, and provided with perfora- 5
tions near the said edge, whereby the heated products of combustion are permitted
to readily escape, substantially as set forth.
Seventh. The combination with the exit flue E¹ and bent tubes D', D¹, of the
concavo-convex disc located above said exit flue, with its convex surface downward,
and having a downwardly turned lip, at the inner terminus of which is an annular 5
row of perforations, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.
Eighth. The combination in a lamp-burner of a hollow perforated base, an inner

page_text: deflector arranged above the said base, an outer deflector arranged above and around
the said inner deflector, and separated therefrom by an intervening space connected
with the interior of the hollow base, and serving as an air-passage, whereby a
copious supply of air is delivered to the base and upon the sides of the frame, and a
brilliant, steady, odorless flame is produced, substantially as described.
Ninth. The hollow perforated base constructed for attachment to a lamp, and
provided with a wick-tube in combination with the deflector section hinged upon
the perforated base, and composed of the hollow frustum, the wall of which is per-
forated, the inner deflector or cap arranged upon the top of the said perforated
frustum, and a deflector arranged exterior to and over the perforated frustum and
inner deflector, and separated therefrom by an intervening space, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
Tenth. The combination with the perforated base section provided with a wick
tube of the upper section composed of the perforated band, the hollow frustum
having the perforations in its wall, the inner deflector, and the outer deflector
sections having the skirts lying above the perforations in the frustum wall, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Eleventh. The combination of a hollow perforated base provided with a wick-tube
and a deflector section hinged to the said base, and constructed of the perforated
ring, the perforated frustum on the upper edge of the ring, the inner deflector on the
frustum, and two outer deflector sections arranged over the inner deflector and per-
forated frustum, but separated therefrom by an intervening space, substantially as
described.
Twelfth. The combination with the deflector g and perforated frustum of the outer
deflectors 1, having the flaring skirts separated from the frustum by an intervening
space, substantially as described.
Thirteenth. The combination in a lamp burner of the feed-wheel chamber, the
perforated hollow base portion constructed with an elongated slot for the passage of
the wick-tube, and likewise forming an air-passage, said perforated base being sup-
ported at a distance above the feed wheel chamber to allow the passage of air under
the bottom of the perforated base, and through the elongated slot therein along the
wick-tube, substantially as described.
Fourteenth. The combination with the perforated base of the upper section
having the perforated band or lower portion, substantially as described.
Fifteenth. The combination with the feed-wheel-chamber and the main wick-
tube passing through said chamber, and provided with a wheel-opening, of a sup-
plementary wick-tube opening into the said chamber, and adapted to support an
auxiliary wick which will supply the said chamber with oil that will flow to the
main wick through the wheel-opening of the said main tube, substantially as
described, and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto my
hand and seal, this Twenty fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight.hundred and seventy nine.
M PORT TAKE