Lamps and Oil Stoves.
Year: 1887

page_text: Lamps and Oil Stoves.
I, JOSEPH JOHN GILKS, of High Street, Harpenden, in the County of Herts,
Ironmonger 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 :-
The wick-winder of an ordinary lamp burner is composed of a thumb piece and
wire, the wire forming an axle, on which is fastened, one or more small spurwheels, the
points of which play on the wick through slots made in the wick tube. This wick-
winder is held rigidly in position by metal attachments, and is fitted to the wick tube,
at such a distance from the wick, as to allow of the estimated amount of pressure of
the spur-wheels on the wick. Now the thickness, of the wick as ordinarily sold, differs
considerably, and if the winder, be set or adjusted to a thin wick, it will be too tight,
to work well on a thick one, and if set for a thick wick, it will not raise a thin one.
Moreover in course of use and wear, slackness gradually occurs, and the winder ceases
to act. More burners are probably discarded from this slackness, than from any other
cause, and many dangerous accidents have arisen from it. For, owing to this slackness
it sometimes happens that the lighted wick subsides into the oil container, and ignites
the explosive vapour in that chamber, thereby causing, what are well known, in the
case of mineral oil lamps, as explosions. My Invention will remedy this serious defect
in the present lamp burners, and greatly increase both their safety and convenience.
In principle, my Invention consists in holding the wick-winder, in the ends of a
forked support, which support is adjustable, and is regulated by means, of a small set
screw, the end of which has a thumb piece, which is accessible from the outside of the
burner. As regards flat and solid-wick round burners, I proceed as follows; In place
of the usual round bearing, I place each end of the wire axle of the wick-winder, in a
small horizontal slot, so as to allow it the required amount of play. I then attach the
bent support, or bow of the regulator, which may, if preferred, be a steel spring, and
which is of the form of a semi-circle or semi-square, or any other suitable shape, to
each end of the winder axle.
This bow or support, has a slot, or aperture at each end, through one of which, each
end of the winder axle passes.

page_text: In or near the centre of the bow or loop, is a hole through which a pin forming the
end of a small thumb-screw or set screw passes, this pin is shouldered on one side, and
rivetted or otherwise fastened, loosely on the other, and it passes through a small nut,
in the burner in such a way, that when turned to left or right, it draws back or propels
the bow, and thus applies or relieves the pressure on the wick-winder. Instead of this
set-screw and nut, a small spring might be employed to apply pressure to the bow, but
I prefer the screw as, admitting of the better regulation of the pressure, and being less
likely to get out of order.
The foregoing method is also applicable to the burners of oil stoves, but when the
burner exceeds say 3 inches in length, the bow of the regulator, may when preferred;
have three or four arms instead of two, so as to apply the pressure uniformly along the
length of the wick-winder. Also for stoves of this kind, instead of the bow, with its
single set screw, there may be, two separate set-screws, one at each end, working in
lugs fixed on the oil container, or some other suitable part of the lamp, so as to bear
direct on the axle of the wick-winder, and apply the required pressure. These set-
screws would terminate in small swivel eyes, which clip round the axle. In the case
of double-wick or duplex" burners, the bow or loop of the regulator is prolonged,
and each side is furnished with two apertures at the proper distance apart, so as to
apply or remove the pressure simultaneously to both wick-winders. My Invention is
of great utility, and special value in the case of Lamps, used in carriages or on
Railways where the vibration imparts to the wick a constant tendency to drop.
In the accompanying drawings
::
:-
Fig. 1. shews one form of my pressure regulator detached from the burner.
Fig. 2. shews a paraffin lamp burner, with one of the slots for the end of the wick-
winder as required for my regulator.
Fig. 3. shews my regulator applied to a round-wick burner.
Fig. 4. shews a plan of a flat-wick burner with my regulator attached.
Fig. 5. shews a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 6. shews a stove burner with a regulator worked by a double set-screw.
Fig. 7. shews the mode of attaching my regulator to a duplex burner.
A. is the bow or support of the regulator which is attached to the wick-winder.
B. is the set-screw, which moves it to and fro.
C. is the nut in which B works.
D. is the thumb-hit or milled end of B.
E. is the axle of the wick-winder.
F. F. are the spur-wheels on E.
G. is the slot in which E works.
Having now particularly described and ascertained, the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is,
1. A method of regulating and adjusting the pressure of the wick-winder, in the
burners of lamps and oil stoves substantially as herein explained and set forth.
2. The use of a bow or loop, operated by a set-screw or spring to tighten or slacken
the wick-winders, of lamp and stove burners, and thus ensure the proper action of the
wick, as herein explained and set forth.
3. The use of two or more set-screws with swivel ends, and of nuts or lugs for the
Having now particularly described and ascertained, the nature of my said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is,
1. A method of regulating and adjusting the pressure of the wick-winder, in the
burners of lamps and oil stoves substantially as herein explained and set forth.
2. The use of a bow or loop, operated by a set-screw or spring to tighten or slacken
the wick-winders, of lamp and stove burners, and thus ensure the proper action of the
wick, as herein explained and set forth.
3. The use of two or more set-screws with swivel ends, and of nuts or lugs for the
same, for large burners, as fierem explained and set forth.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C.,
Patent Agent.