Year: 1897

page_text: I, JAMES ASHWORTH, of Chaddesden, in the County of Derby, Mining Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements applicable to safety lamps and is styled
the "Tre-wick" safety lamp. It is applicable in part to all types of safety lamps.
It is designed with the object of getting a brilliant light from petroleum and oils
of that class.
I construct the lamp preferably with a single inlet air tube. The holes or per-
forations by which the air is admitted and also those by which the products of
combustion escape I so place or arrange that the inlet and the outlet openings are
at one side of the circumference of the lamp and air tube. These openings are all
on one face and all face one way with the exception of one or more openings at the
extreme top of the lamp covered by a baffle plate. Auxiliary air inlet holes are
placed preferably at the base of the inlet air tube on the inside only and these
auxiliary air inlets may be provided with a movable or sliding shutter by which
they may be closed when the lamp is used for the detection of fire damp.
The burner I construct with two three or more wicks preferably three and
separate wick tubes tipped with porcelain or pot for each wick. These at the
bottom are placed all in line but are brought together at the top into a circular
or triangular form and a regulating shaft screw or pinion lifts or regulates all
the wicks at one time. To facilitate filling and also to maintain the wicks all at
one height which I consider of importance the wicks may be placed in a frame
moved by one screw which arrangement lifts or adjusts all the wicks at one time
and keeps them at one height.
The air ring and glass supporting ring are constructed with a cylindrical con-
tinuation which extends down to within a short distance of the top of the oil
vessel. This arrangement it is expected will ensure the total extinction of all
flame within the lamp in the event of explosive gas entering it.
One two or more catches or a slide fixed on the lamp standards are arranged
to hold up and secure the chimney and prevent it falling out when the lamp is
taken asunder for cleaning.
A strip or wire of platinum paladium or platinised asbestos or other suitable
metal or material is placed in the interior of the lamp where it can be heated in the
lamp flame and exposed to the air passing through the lamp. This will form a
ready means of detecting fire damp or other explosive gas. If explosive or inflam-
mable gas is present it will be exploded within the lamp and it and the lamp
flame will be extinguished together.
The lock to secure the oil vessel to the frame comprises a sliding bolt or pin

page_text: fitted in a bracket on the side of the oil vessel so as to move or slide vertically.
And the flange of the frame is provided with a number of perforations or notches
so that the bolt may conveniently engage with one of them in the position it is
in when screwed up. The bolt or pin is formed with a head and hole through it
whereby it is locked by means of a lead rivet or other seal to the bracket or other
fixed part of the lamp.
For burning benzolene or other spirit I construct the burner bevelled at or
towards the top with a conical outlet and a slide of similar shape which can be
employed to elongate or reduce the length or height of the burner.
The internal chimney or shield with conical outlet may sometimes be con-
structed without a central opening but with holes in the circumference of a
truncated cone or conical shield such holes being placed about the top of the
gauze.
A shield of talc or mica may be applied on the outside of the glass in wet
mines to protect the lamp glass from fracture by water or very cold air currents.
Some of the improvements are applicable to other types of lamp.
I, JAMES ASHWORTH, of Chaddesden, in the County of Derby, Mining 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 improvements in miners' lamps to be styled the
"Tri-wick" safety lamp though the improvements in part are applicable to other
types of safety lamps and are chiefly designed with the object of obtaining a
brilliant and safe light from light oils and spirits petroleum and oils of that class.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1. Sectional elevation of lamp.
Fig. 2. Plan.
Fig. 3. Vertical section of part showing modified arrangement of burner.
Fig. 3. Plan of same.
Fig. 4. Vertical section of part showing modified arrangement for the admission
. of air to the lamp and spirit vapour burner.
Fig. 4 Plan of same.
Fig. 4. Elevation of inner shield or chimney D).
Fig. 5. Enlarged plan and elevation of lock.
Fig. 6. Modification of same showing means for filling the lamp.
In lamps in which the air is admitted above the glass A I construct the lamp
preferably with a single air tube B which is enlarged to admit a sufficient quantity
of air and also acts as a reflector behind the glass. The holes or perforations e in
the shield C through which the air is admitted to pass to the air tube B and also
through which the products of combustion partially escape I place all at one
side of the hood C at the side of the lamp opposite to that at which the air tube is
placed. Auxiliary air inlet holes 6 are placed preferably at the base of the inlet

page_text: air tube 13 on the inside only and these auxiliary air inlets may be provided with
a moveable or sliding shutter by which they may be closed when the lamp is used
for the detection of fire damp.
The inner shield I may be made square topped with openings d at the side for
the escape of the products of combustion which can pass out through the central
top opening covered by the baffle plate B¹.
In some lamps I admit air below the glass A through a series of holes e Fig. 4
in the frame E through which the air enters to the annular air chamber F. The
holes e are preferably on the same side as the holes in the shield C and may act
as an alternative or in lieu of the inlet holes in the base of the air tube B the
holes would be preferably about one half the circumference and would perform
the same functions as those at the base of the air tube B. In other classes of
lamp the air tube B may be dispensed with and all the air admitted below the
glass through the holes e in which case they may be placed all round the
frame E.
The burner GI construct for three wicks 9 with three separate wick tubes gl
one for each wick and the tubes g¹ may be tipped with porcelain or pot to resist
the action of the flame. The three wick tubes glare at the bottom placed all in
line but are brought together at the top into a circular or triangular form and a
regulating spindle with pinion h and knob h¹ lift or regulate all the wicks gat
one time. To facilitate filling a separate hole with a cover held securely by a
spring or catch is provided and also to maintain the wicks all at one height which
I consider of importance the wicks may be placed in a frame moved by one screw
which arrangement lifts or adjusts all the wicks at one time and keeps them at
one height. In another modification see Fig. 3 the wick tubes gl are placed
vertically and all the wicks g are moved simultaneously by pins k attached
to a frame K moved by a screw operated from the under side of the
lamp.
Four wick tubes may be arranged in a similar manner.
In a vapeur or spirit burner for burning benzoline or other spirit the slides G
of the burner for regulating the length of the flame are raised and lowered
simultaneously instead of the wicks which remain stationary. These are fitted
to the frame and raised by the screw k¹ (see Fig. 4). The slides are preferably
bevelled at or near the top to form a conical outlet.
To the glass supporting ring L or to the inner top edge of air ring M I apply
a baffle plate or deflector N of cylindrical form which extends down to within a
short distance of the top of the oil vessel. This arrangement is intended to ensure
the total extinction of all flame within the lamp in the event of explosive gas
entering it. The baffle plate need not in all cases be in a like position in relation
to the top of the wick tube. It may extend above the top of the burner as in
Fig. 1 but where air is admitted below the glass I prefer the position shown in
Fig. with the top of the baffle plate N either level with or slightly below the
top of the wick tube.
-For-detecting fire damp or other explosive gas I insert above the burner a strip
of wire P with an end p of platinum paladium or platinised asbestos or other
suitable metal or material in the interior of the lamp where it can be heated in
the lamp flame and exposed to the air passing through the lamp. If explosive
or inflammable gas is present it will show its presence by increasing the heat of
the platinum, etcaetera, or be exploded within the lamp and it and the lamp flame
will be extinguished together.
To make very accurate tests for inflammable gas a small portable battery may
be employed to heat the platinum or other metal part of the wire. In this case
a continuous circuit would be formed.
On the lamp standards O Fig. 4 I fix one or two catches or a slide o to hold up
and secure the chimney and prevent it falling out when the lamp is taken asunder
for cleaning.
1

page_text: The lock to secure the oil vessel R to the frame E comprises a sliding bolt or
pin S fitted in a bracket s on the side of the oil vessel so as to move or slide ver-
tically. In the flange of the frame a number of slots or perforations r or notches
are formed so that the bolt S may conveniently engage with one of them in the
position it is in when screwed up. The bolt or pin is formed with a head s¹ and
hole through it whereby it is locked by means of a lead rivet or other seal to the
bracket s or other fixed part of the lamp. This pin may also be locked by
spring and catch operated by a strong magnet instead of by lead plug.
ર
An inlet T for filling the reservoir with spirit or oil is fitted to the side of the
reservoir with the opening under the edge of flange of the frame E the inlet form-
ing part of bracket s. Over the inlet may be fitted a lid t through which the pin
or bolt S passes and secures it at the same time as the lamp is locked by the same
bolt. The inlet cannot be opened while the lamp is locked nor refilled without
taking the lamp asunder as it is under the flange.
The inner shield or chimney D Fig. 4 may be provided with air holes d" at
its base covered by gauze which is intended to be used with lamps taking their
air supply below the glass and it may sometimes be constructed without a central
opening but with holes in the circumference of a truncated cone or conical shield
such holes being placed above the top of the gauze.
A shield of tale or mica may be applied on the outside of the glass in
wet mines to protect the lamp glass from fracture by water or very cold air
currents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A miners' safety lamp constructed with a single air admission tube (such
as B) in conjunction with all the air inlets being placed at one side of the lamp
substantially as described.
2. A burner for miners' safety lamps constructed with three or four wick tubes
(each for a separate wick) arranged in a triangular or circular form at top and
with suitable mechanism for raising all the wicks simultaneously substantially
as described.
3. A burner for miners' safety lamps for burning spirit or vapour constructed
with three or four wick tubes (each for a separate wick) arranged in circular or
triangular form at top and a corresponding number of slides for regulating the
flame of each all fitted to a frame with a screw or other device for raising and
lowering them simultaneously substantially as described.
4. In a miners' safety lamp the combination with the burner of a baffle plate
or deflector (such as N) connected to the glass supporting ring or air ring sub-
stantially as described and shown.
5. In a miners' safety lamp the combination with the burner of a wire tipped
with platinum Paladium platinised asbestos or other suitable metal or material
for detecting fire damp or other explosive gas or compound substantially as
described.
6. In a miners' safety lamp the combination with the internal chimney or
shield of a slide or catch fitted to the standards to prevent the chimney falling out
when the glass is removed substantially as described.
7. In a miners' safety lamp a lock comprising a sliding pin or bolt sliding in
a bracket fitted to the oil reservoir and holes slots or notches cut in the flange of the
frame and a hole in the head of the bolt or pin and in the supporting bracket
whereby the bolt can be locked by means of a lead rivet substantially as described
and shown.
8. In a miners' safety lamp the combination with the reservoir of an inlet affixe {
to the side, a locking bolt which engages with slot or holes in the flange of the
frame, and a lid through which the bolt also passes substantially as described and
shown.

page_text: 9. A miners' safety lamp constructed and arranged substantially as described
and shown with reference to either of the figs. of the drawings.
Dated this 10th day of December 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.