IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
Year: 1876

page_text: · LETTERS PATENT to James White, of Ridgeway, near Plymouth, in t
County of Devon, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James White at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th January 1876.
JAMES WHITE, of Ridgeway, near Plymouth, in the County of Devon.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS."
My Invention relates to lamps employed for lighting public streets and shop
windows, and for other similar purposes, and has for its object the employment of
oil for the supply of the burners in such a manner that the quantity supplied shall
be automatically regulated according to the consumption, so as to produce a flame
of a constant and uniform size and illuminating effect.
In carrying out my Invention in order to effect this object I provide by
preference on the upper part or back of the lamp (which may be made of any
suitable shape and size) a chamber or reservoir for containing a sufficient quantity
of oil for the supply of the lamp for any given period, and at the lower part of the
lamp I construct a regulating or supply cistern, into which the oil is introduced
from the chamber or reservoir above by a suitable pipe, and whence it is discharged
into the oil chamber proper situate in the body of the lamp by another pipe or
passage for the supply of the burner.
The supply cistern contains a float, which is faced at its end with india-rubber
or other suitable elastic or flexible material, and mounted upon pivots carried by
the conducting pipe from the reservoir or otherwise, and arranged in such a
manner that the india-rubber or other face shall be normally situate opposite to
the open mouth of the conducting pipe and in contact therewith, but that when
the level of the oil descends in proportion to the consumption the float will turn
on its pivots, and by thus withdrawing its face from the mouth of the pipe admit
of the efflux of oil from the conducting pipe into the supply cistern until the level
is restored, when the supply will be cut off by the face of the float being brought
again in contact with the mouth of the pipe..
The conducting pipe may be also fitted with a cock to admit of the supply
being entirely cut off from the pipe when required.
The lamp is provided with an overflow pipe, also with a suitable chimney in
Prias 6d 1

page_text: the centre of the lamp over the burner and with a ventilator on the top of the
lamp. It is also proposed to employ a reflector formed of metal, electro-plated
and covered with a glass face, which is set in perfectly air-tight, with red lead or
other suitable material, so that the silvered face is preserved, the glass only being
exposed and cleaned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James White in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th July 1876.
JAMES WHITE, of Ridgeway, near Plymouth, in the County of Devon. IM-
PROVEMENTS IN LAMPS."
"
The improvements refer more particularly to street lamps, but they may be more
or less applied to other lamps. They consist in furnishing the lamps with a
portable vessel to contain oil, with a ventilating tube, a regulator apparatus, and a
reflector when desired.
The improvements may be performed with the use of an ordinary street lamp,
on the top of which may be placed the portable oil vessel. This vessel may be of
any convenient material and shape best suited to the purpose and pattern of the
lamp, and furnished with a delivery pipe and tap. The oil used may be mineral
or vegetable, according to the burner used. The oil vessel may be made capable of
containing one or more quarts of oil, and made portable and adjustable. The oil
vessel is formed with a passage way through it, and by which the ventilating tube
next to be described may pass.
The ventilating tube may be of any convenient size, form, and shape, bell-
mouthed at its lower end, and capped or furnished with a cowl at its upper end,
and may be passed through the passage-way in the oil vessel above referred to.
The ventilating tube is to be constructed so that there shall be a space between
its outer sides and the inner sides of the passage in the oil vessel so as to allow
the heat to pass without unduly heating the contents of the oil vessel.
.
The regulator apparatus may be made of tin or other convenient material, with
an adjustable cover fashioned box shape, with an inlet pipe from the oil vessel, an
outlet and waste pipe. Within the box is a float working on a pivot; on the float
is a rubber or other elastic portion made to impinge as the float rises against a
prepared metal face attached to the orifice of the oil inlet or supply pipe, and so
prevent more oil from passing from the oil vessel to the regulator than desired;
there is also an outlet or feed pipe from the regulator to the burner, and when the
burner is lighted, and as it consumes the oil from the regulator the float sinks and
allows more oil to enter until the normal level is restored. The regulator is also
furnished with an overflow or waste pipe, and the supply of oil to it may be con-
trolled by a plug or tap arrangement fitted to the bottom of the oil vessel
furnished with a handle or lever passing through and projecting beyond the
outside of the oil vessel.
The reflector may be of the ordinary kind, but when polished it is to be covered
or coated with glass, and thus the necessity for constant repolishing prevented.
Shops and houses may be conveniently lighted by using one oil cistern and one
regulator apparatus for several burners, the cistern being arranged to hold sufficient
quantity for a week's or more supply.
The accompanying Drawings will serve to illustrate a convenient way of
performing my Invention.
In Fig. 1a is a street lamp; b, the oil vessel or cistern; c, the passage way
through it; d, the ventilating tube; e, the regulator; f, supply pipe from oil
cistern to regulator; g, tap with long handle or rod attached as shown; h, an
ordinary burner; p, outlet or feed pipe from regulator to burner; o, overflow pipe.
Fig. 2 and 3 show the regulator apparatus. e is the regulator; f, the supply

page_text: pipe thereto; k is the float; m, the rubber face to same, shown in contact with the
metal bush 8 of the pipe f; n is a pivoted support for float k; p, is outlet and
feed pipe leading to burner; o, waste or overflow pipe.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the mode of performing
the same, I claim the combination of an oil cistern, ventilating tube, and regulating
apparatus applied to street and other lamps when oil is used, substantially in the
manner set forth and described.
In witness whereof I, the said James White; have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this First day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six.
JAMES WHITE. (L.S.)