IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL AND SPIRIT LAMPS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PRODUCING LIGHT THEREIN, PARTS OF WHICH
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Watkins, of 14, Lower Belgrave Place,
Pimlico, London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL AND SPIRIT
LAMPS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PRODUCING LIGHT THEREIN, PARTS OF WHICH
Sealed the 15th August 1862, and dated the 18th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Watkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
February 1862.
I, RICHARD WATKINS; of 14, Lower Belgrave Place, Pimlico, London, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL AND
SPIRIT LAMPS, AND IN THE MEANS OF PRODUCING LIGHT THEREIN, PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO LAMPS GENERALLY," to be as follows (that is to
say):
My Invention relates to lamps of all kinds, and consists of improvements
in the burners, moveable and other parts thereof, and in the mode of fitting
the same, and in certain admixtures to be used therein, and in varying the
proportions of the component parts of the said admixture, and adapting the
same to various sized burners and apertures for varying and increasing the
degree of light, as required.
The object of the said improvements is, first, to increase the light and
economize the consumption of the oil, spirit, or liquid used; and, secondly,. to.
simplify the moveable parts of lamps so as to render them capable of being

page_text: more readily fitted together and detached, and less liable to derangement and
injury when in use.
The first part of my Invention relates more particularly to that class of
lamps in which the light is produced from the combustion of the gas or vapour
raised or generated by heat applied to volatile oils or spirits, or compounds
adapted for that purpose; and the second part of the said Invention is appli-
cable to the loose or moveable parts of lamps generally. For increasing the
light in lamps of the first-mentioned class I use tubes of larger diameter and
with larger perforations than have hitherto been found practicable.
Hitherto in lamps of this class I believe it has not been found practicable
to use tubes of greater diameter than of an inch with apertures of about the
size of a No. 12 needle, but by my improved combination tubes of ", " 1"
inch or more, with proportionately larger apertures, can be used, and a greater
number of jets and increased volume of light obtained at nearly the same
proportionate consumption of liquid, or an equal volume of light with a less
proportionate consumption of liquid.
The compositions I have discovered consists of a mixture of mineral and
vegetable oil, spirit, or extract, compounded in proportions varying according
to the size of the aperture, and although I have succeeded in obtaining the
desired result I have yet to ascertain the exact proportions of the liquids,
which consist of distilled oil of turpentine and spirit of coal tar, deodorized or
not, and in nearly equal proportions. In giving these ingredients I should
state that more extended trials now being made may still further improve the
character and effect of the liquid to be used, and which will be described more
particularly, should it be necessary, in my Complete Specification, the above
being the ingredients I am at present using. An ordinary vessel or reservoir,
either stopped or open, may be used for containing the conipounds, and the
improved tubes may be inserted therein in the usual way.
In my improved lamps, however, I fix a collar or flange upon the tube so
as to balance it and maintain it in a vertical position upon the neck of the
opening through which it is inserted into the liquid and to hold it clear of the
bottom of the reservoir or vessel in which the same is contained, instead of
letting the tube rest upon the bottom in the usual way. And instead of the
screw glass holder for the globe, which is also now made open under the same,
I make the male and female parts to fit together upon the telescopic principle, 3
tolerably tight, but at the same time capable of being separated one from the
other by a slight twist or direct straight pull, and I make the glass holder
(instead of being open) with a perforated plate, or form it with a perforated
sole. 1 found by experiment that the light was improved by the interposition

page_text: of this plate or perforated sole by its distributing or dividing the flow of the
air to the light, and I intend this improvement to be applied to all globe
holders in which the light, either from vapour or otherwise, is generated. I
found another result of this improvement was to keep the light uniform and
steady.
For large table or hall lamps and chandeliers, in place of making the
reservoir or vessel containing the liquid the holder of the tube, I use a vase or
other form of holder for the liquid, and carry out a branch or branches, and
insert the tube or tubes therein, so as to form a branch, table, or standard lamp,
ball lamps, or chandeliers, and make the top of the vase or standard to hold
flowers, natural or artificial, or other ornaments suitable for tables, sideboards,
or other like articles of furniture, so as to make these lamps objects of ornament
or utility when not burning or otherwise in use, and capable of being suspended
or otherwise placed, when necessary. By this compound I have been enabled
to produce a two-hole night light, the increased size of the aperture giving a
larger jet of light, increases the heat, and is thus sufficient to generate the gas
or vapour in the tube and maintain the light, a result which, with the ordinary
compound and aperture could not, I believe, be, obtained.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Watkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th August, 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
WATKINS, of 14, Lower Belgrave Place, Pimlico, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Richard Watkins, Her special licence that I, the said Richard
Watkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Richard Watkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and 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 Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN OIL
AND. SPIRIT LAMPS, AND IN THE MODE OF PRODUCING LIGHT THEREIN," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Richard Watkins, my executors or

page_text: administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, 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 säid Richard Watkins, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention relates in part to lamps of all kinds, and in part and more
particularly to that class of lamps in which the light is produced from the gas, or
vapour evolved, generated, or raised from and by the the application of caloric,
or heat to volatile oils, spirits, compounds, or liquids suitable for the purpose,
and consists in improvements in the form and construction, and the mode of
fitting the burners moveable, and other parts of lamps, and in admixing and
compounding in the various specific proportions, the oils, spirits, or liquids, to
be used therein.
The object of the said improvements applicable to lamps generally, is, to
make them more perfect by simplifying the forms of the moveable parts, and
thus render them capable of being more readily and easily fitted together and
detached, and less liable to derangement or injury when in use, thereby in-
creasing both their efficiency and durability, and the object of the improve-
ments in the burners and other parts of lamps of the class to which my
said Invention refers as above mentioned, is to increase the number of
jets and the volume of light of each jet from each single aperture, and
the object of varying the component parts of the specific compounds (No.
1, 2, and 3, respectively herein-after mentioned), is to adapt the same to
produce the various degrees of light and volume of jet in cach lamp, and
to admit of the necessary increase in the size of the aperture according to
the light required. In lamps of the latter class, as hitherto constructed, it is
believed that it has not been found practicable to obtain a clear bright light
with tubular burners, having a greater diameter than about 3 of an inch, nor
when the gas or vapour is a simple space with apertures larger than N°.
Birmingham wire guage.
By the improvements of my said Invention, tubular burners of almost any
diameter from,.,aud 1 inch and upwards, may be used, and a clear bright
jet of light of proportionately increased volume with apertures also propor-
tionately increased equal to N°. Birmingham wire guage. The enlargement
of the tubular burners affords the means of also increasing the number of

page_text: apertures and of also increasing the air space between the jets, as well as the
increased volume in each jet, consequent therefrom; whereas in the tubular
burners of the same diameter hitherto used not only the size of the aperture
but the number of the jets and air spaces as well as the volume of light is
necessarily restricted.
By the compounds hitherto used it is also believed, that it has not been
found practicable to increase the illuminating power of these lamps or to increase
the volume of light without their emitting a considerable quantity of smoke or
opake vapour, (the burnt air of one jet reducing the flame in another. By
the improved compounds No. 1, 2, and 3, herein specified, this evil is effectually
remedied. The volatile oils or spirits I use, and which I have hitherto found
the best for the purpose, are mineral and vegetable extracts or napthas. Com-
pound No. 1 is composed of two parts of mineral, and seven parts of vegetable
extract, and is to be used with apertures of the size of N°. Birminghani
wire guage and which I use in No. 1 class lamp. Compound No. 2 is
composed of two parts of mineral, and five parts of vegetable extract, and is to
be used with apertures of the size of N°. Birmingham wire guage, and
which I use in No. 2 class lamp. Compound No. 3 is composed of two parts
of mineral, and 3 parts of vegetable, and is to be used with apertures of the
size of No. Birmingham wire guage, and which I uso in No. 3 class lamp
and the night lights herein-after mentioned. I am aware that these liquids
have been before used compounded in certain proportions, but not as herein
specified, in which specified varied and proportions only the desired results in
cach enumerated class of lamps can be attained.
In carrying the improvements of my said Invention into effect in the
moveable parts of lamps generally, as well as in those constructed according
to my said Invention, I first dispense with all screw fittings, and in lieu thereof
form the male and female parts upon the telescopic principle to fit together
tolerably tight, but at the same time capable of being detached one from the
other by a slight twist or direct straight pull, the outer and inner surfaces of
the male and female parts however may be slightly conical and straight or
curved in the direction of the axes. I also make the globe or glass holders
moveable upon this principle, and instead of forming the globes with a straight
verticle or inclined flange to fit within the ring or cylinder fence, I form a
horizontal flange in the globe or glass holder, outside of the vertical fence and
pass the globe or glass over it loosely so as to rest on the flange outside. I'
form the vertical flange in curved sections, curving outwards in the centre of
its height, but inclining inwards at the top to receive the edge of the globe or
glass, the flange sections yield as the globe is pressed down and spread again

page_text: The Drawing accompanying this Specification is drawn to a geometrical
scale, and the various parts of the lamps are drawn the full size to which they
are made for the trade. In order to render this Specification more complete,
I have shewn at Figure 1 a sectional elevation of a vapour lamp of the
size and construction hitherto adopted. Figure 2 shews the globe and gl
holder of a vapour lamp in plan, the same letters in both Figures refer to
the same parts. a, a is a hollow vessel containing the liquid at the top of
which is a metal collar c to which a glass holder d is screwed, and through
both of which in the centro is a hole to receive the tubular burner c, c, herein
before referred to; e is the globe near the top of the tube, (which is closed by
a screw plug) are a number of small holes 1, 1, 1, and in the interior of this,
tube up to the 2, 2, a cotton wick is inserted, the lamp is then ready for
lighting, which is done by warming the upper part of the tube by the flame
of any suitable height, and when the tube is made sufficiently hot a partial
vacuum is formed above the cotton, and the vapour ascends and ignites at the
small apertures from which jets of light will continue to burn as long as the
vapour is supplied from the oil or spirit in the vessel below. The lamp is
drawn to the full size upon which they have hitherto been found capable
of acting, baving described which I will now proceed to explain the improved
forms shewn by the other illustrations upon the Drawing.
Figure 3 shews the top of one of my improved lamps of class No. 1. a is a
tube dipping into the liquid in a suitable vessel in the body of the lamp below;
ban enlarged head closed at the top and perforated as shewn at 1, 1, 1; c, c,
is an improved holder with a spring fence c', and an ornamental rising tube
c; d, is the globe or glass, Figure 4, shews the mode of perforating the sole
plate. Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, respectively shew the different

page_text: sized burners I use with the number of apertures marked thereon. Figure 11
also shews a lengthening tube a, dipping into the spirit b, b, which is
supposed to be in a vessel below in the body of the lamp, the lower part of
the tubular burner c fits into the enlargement of the tube a air-tight, and a
stop-cock or valve at d cuts off the air from descending as a vacuum is
formed in the head of the burner e, by the application of heat, the liquid
ascends in the tube a and into which the tubular burner ascends. The
valve d will allow the vapour to pass up, but prevents the air from passing
downwards, the pressure of the atmosphere on the surface of the liquid b, b,
causes it to ascend in the tube a and keeps it full while the lamp is burning.
Figure 12 is a two-hole light night light with the improved burner and gobe
holder. In forming a table or hall lamp, or chandelier, in place of making
the reservoir or vessel containing the liquid, the holder of the tube, I use a
vase or other form of holder, and carry out a branch or branches and insert
the tube or tubes therein, and make the top of the vase or standard to hold
flowers, or make it otherwise ornamental for the sideboard, &c., when not
This principle of carrying out a branch or branches is applicable for
bracket lamps, and they may thus be made with a joint or joints to fold back
against the wall when not in use.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Watkins, have hereunto set my
hand this Eighteenth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-two.
RICHARD WATKINS. (L.B.)