IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LAMPS FOR BURNING HYDROCARBON AND OTHER OILS, AND IN SUPPLYING AIR TO THE SAME
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alban Edward Ragg, of Bebington, in the County of
Chester, Clerk in Holy Orders, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
APPERTAINING TO LAMPS FOR BURNING HYDROCARBON AND OTHER OILS, AND
IN SUPPLYING AIR TO THE SAME."
Sealed the 26th November 1878, and dated the 3rd June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alban Edward Ragg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd June 1878.
ALBAN EDWARD RAGG, of Bebington, in the County of Chester, Clerk in Holy
Orders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LAMPS FOR BURNING HYDRO-
CARBON AND OTHER OILS, AND IN SUPPLYING AIR TO THE SAME."
This Invention consists in a construction of lamp which gives a remarkably
brilliant white light. This is obtained by attention to details in some parts and to
actual new principles in others.
1st. In place of Silber's concentric tube or tubes I place in the centre of the inner
tube of my "argand" wick holder a perforated truncated inverted cone, with a
perforated flange filling the remaining annular area at bottom; it can be divided by
a diaphragm in the centre and slightly improved thereby, but this is not absolutely
needful.
2nd. As an alternate plan I place a tube or cone perforated or otherwise in the
centre, with or without the annular flange. The top of this is preferably on a level
with the top of the wick tube or holder, and the annular space between it and the
wick holder is divided by bars into a series of partitions or holes, through which the
air rushing up impinges against or into the flame and divides it into a similar
number of flamelets, or more strictly speaking, serrates the flame. This causes a

page_text: brilliant whiteness almost to the bottom; the object in either form being to bring a
series of currents of air impinging into the flame near the bottom, and also others
in the centre coming up to feed the flame higher up. For this purpose the top
perforated plate of the tube or cone is larger in area than the tube or cone itself,
and the partitions are usually made by cutting and bending outwards the substance
of the tube itself; by lowering this centre to half an inch or more below the top of
the wick the serrations disappear, but the flame is not so brilliant.
3rd. With argand wicks of, say, an inch and a quarter diameter, I lower the top
of the cap to within about a quarter of an inch of the wick, or in any diameter of
wick, to the point where the color of the flame changes from yellow to white.
4th. In argand lamps it is very difficult to insert the wick into the tube; I
obviate this difficulty by dividing my wick into two portions or halves, each half or
portion entering a flat tube formed at the top to a semicircular or segmental contour
and perfectly flat (and preferably parallel to each other) at the bottom; it will be
found that the insertion of the wick is an easy matter. I so arrange both tubes
that their semicircular or segmental ends abut against each other, so that the flame
shall be a perfect and unbroken circle.
The inlet for supplying air to the inner tube is naturally formed by the upper
curved edges of the wick bolders abutting against each other, thus leaving two
triangular openings on opposite sides for ingress of air.
The wicks can either be raised or lowered by means of the old method of two
toothed wheels revolving in opposite directions and working against the wicks, or
preferably by employing a separate toothed wheel to each wick, so that each half of
the wick may be trimmed separately.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alban Edward Ragg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
December 1878.
ALBAN EDWARD RAGG, of Bebington, in the County of Chester, Clerk in Holy
Orders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LAMPS FOR BURNING HYDRO-
CARBON AND OTHER OILS, AND IN SUPPLYING AIR TO THE SAME."
Figure 1 is an elevation of lamp burner.
Figures 2, 3, and 4, plan, elevation, and vertical section respectively of tube inside
the wick, and of the cone or thimble and diaphragm.
Figure 5, plan.
Figure 6, side elevation of base and wick tubes, showing mode of opening the
hinged construction for filling oil container.
Figure 7, section of lamp.
Figure 8, elevation of alternate plan of double cones with partial section of wick
tubes.
Figure 9, plan of base of lamp seen from below.
My object has been to supply the flame with air currents in such a manner as to
gain greater brilliancy, size of flame, and illuminating power than hitherto produced
in proportion to the oil consumed. This I have obtained by attention to details in
some parts and to actual new principles in others.
First. In the centre of the inner circle or tube of my "argand" wick holder I
fix or support on a column, or hold in its place by means of an annular flange,
perforated or otherwise, a perforated truncated inverted hollow cone, open at the
base, and covered in at the top by a cap, which is either flat, convex, or concave;
this cone can be divided by a diaphragm in the centre and is slightly improved
thereby, but this is not absolutely needful.
Second. As an alternate plan, or preferably addition to this, I place in the inner
circle or tube of my wick holders a tube or cone, perforated or otherwise, with or
without the annular flange. The top of this is at least on a level with the top of
the wick tube or holder, but I prefer to place it nearly three quarters of an inch
above, and the annular space between it and the wick holder I divide by bars or
radial arins into a series of partitions or holes, shown at Figure 2, by which means
I divide the currents of air, which, rushing up, impinge against or into the flame, and
divides it into a similar number of flamlets, or more strictly speaking, serrates the
flame. This, by admitting a supply of air between each serrated portion of the
flame, causes a brilliant whiteness almost to the bottom, while at the same time the
upper cone or thimble supplies air to the top of the flame.
Thirdly. I use a combination of the perforated cones mentioned under heads
"first" and "second" by joining the two cones together at their broadest part, and
placing the flat concave or convex cap on the smaller ends, and dispensing with the
serrated flange mentioned under head “second,” a Drawing of which combination is
shewn in Figure 8 in the Drawings, the second plan in its most improved form
being shown at Figures 2, 3, and 4; each variety is constructed so as to fit into the
lamp mechanism seen in Figure 7. The object in either form of cone or serrated
tube is to bring a series of currents of air impinging into the flame near the
bottom, and also others in the centre coming up to percolate into and feed the flame
higher up.
"
Fourth. With "argand' or cylindrical wicks of, say, an inch and a quarter
diameter, I lower the top of the cap or cone or deflector to within about a quarter
of an inch of the wick, or in any diameter of wick, to the point where the colour
of the flame changes from yellow to white. By this means I prevent the lamp
from smoking, as it is found that raising the wick unduly instead of causing smoke
simply causes the flame to diminish, thereby diminishing or doing away with the

page_text: liability to smoke. I arrange the exact height of the cap or cone by means of a
screw H, Figure 7, an improvement for which among other things I have lately
applied for Letters Patent, No. 4252.
Fifth. In "argand" lamps it is very difficult to insert the wick into the tube; I
obviate this difficulty by dividing my wick into the two portions or halves, each
half or portion entering a nearly or quite flat tube formed at the top to a semi-
circular contour, and flat or but slightly curved at bottom, their axis being vertical;
the inlet for supplying air to the inner tube being naturally formed by the upper
curved edges of the wick holders abutting against each other, thus leaving two
triangular openings on opposite sides for ingress of air, as shewn in Figures 5 and 7,
by the triangular perforations marked S; my chief object in slightly curving the
wick tubes at bottom, as shown, is to get them into a smaller compass of base; it
will be found that the insertion of the wick is an easy matter. I so arrange both
tubes that their semicircular or segmental ends abut against each other, so that
the flame shall be a perfect and unbroken circle; this is better effected and ensured
by affixing to the top of the wick tubes, after they join, a slightly conical con-
tinuation perfectly circular, which causes the selvedges of the wicks to abut close to
each other and cover the partition between the two tubes, thus forming an unbroken
circle. The additional piece is shown at G, Figure 7, and is an improvement also
annlied for in 1959
In order that this my Specification may be understood I have added Drawings of
iny lamp as at present constructed by me, showing not merely the improvements
claimed in this Specification, but also others to be claimed in my Specification,
No. 4252, as I think that it is best to explain my Invention by one of its most
perfect examples.
Like letters relate to like parts in each Figure.
A is the cap; B, cone; C, inverted cone; D, diaphragm; E, central tube fitting
inside wick; F, F, wick tubes; G, continuation of wick tubes, slightly lesser in
diameter than the wick tubes at top; H, screw for raising perforated outer cylinder
and dome, thus allowing the owner to regulate the height of the cap exactly;
I, perforated cylinder admitting air to the flame through annular opening J, and
the perforated plate joining the wick tubes; K, K, apparatus for raising the wicks
simultaneously; L, hinges connecting burner with the body of the lamp; M, base;
N, nipple formed to hold in the lathe and more easily turn the base, and into this
nipple the stem P of the double cone is screwed; R, holes in base for wicks to
ascend into wick tubes; S, triangular inlet for ingress of air to centre of flame.
Having now described my Invention, and the best mode known to me of carrying
it into operation, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim those parts of this
lamp not embraced under my Provisional Protection of the Third day of June, as
these are only added to explain the Invention more fully, and are to be embraced in
my Patent Specification dated the Twenty-fourth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight, but that what I believe to be new and desire to claim
under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The manufacture of lamps with a central perforated cone, tubular chamber,
or other air space within the wick tube circle for supplying the upper portions of
the flame with a series of small separate injected currents.
Second. The manufacture of lamps with a series of rays or divisions projecting
from or approaching close to the wick tube or tubes, so as to separate the impinging
current of air into a series of currents separated by quiescent intervals, thus causing
serrations in the flame, substantially as described.
Third. The mode described of preventing smoke in lamps by adjusting the cap to
that height above the surface of the wick that on the cap being placed in position
the flanie changes from yellow to white.

page_text: Fourth. The manufacture of lamps with circular flame formed of two flat wicks
by gradually curving them from being flat or nearly flat at the base to a cylindrical
contour at top, substantially as described, and so fixed in the base that the aperture
for supplying air to the centre of the flame is naturally formed by the position of
the tubes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alban Edward Ragg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
ALBAN EDWARD RAGG. (L.S.)
Witness,
JOHN O. O'BRIEN,
Clerk to Wm. P. Thompson & Co.,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 323, Holborn, London,
British and International Patent Agents.