AN IMPROVED LAMP
Year: 1830

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
PARKER, of Argyll Street, Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, Bronzist
and Lamp Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His present Majesty King William the Fourth, in and by His
Létters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Twenty-ninth day June last, for Himself, His heir and successors,
did give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Parker, His special licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Saniuel Parker, my exors,
admiors, and assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, or by my
and their deputy or deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I, the said
Samuel Parker, my exors, adññiors, or assigns should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
of ycars therein unexpired, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "AN IMPROVED LAMP;" in which said Letters Patent there is con-
tained a proviso, obliging me, the said Samuel Parker, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereto had,
will more fully appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in, compliance with- the said proviso, I, the said
Samuel Parker, do hereby describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be performed, by the Plan or
Drawing annexed to these Presents, and the following description thereof,
that is to say:-
A, A, the burner (this may be as in common use); B, B, the pipe con-
verting the oil thereto; C, C, the upper oil chamber; D, D, the middle oil
chamber; E, E, the centre tube for descending oil column, open at both ends,
and communicating at top with the chamber C, C, through the aperture Q;
F, F, a tube of a semicircular form, open at bottom to tube E, E, and at top
to chamber C, C; G, G, air tube, open at bottom and open at top to external
air of a semicircular form; H, air communication of a semicircular form; I, I,
air cap; K, K, air tube open at top; L, L, air chamber; M, M, oil cup;
N, small cone and small aperture in centre; 0, Q, rim for holding frame for
globe and chimney; P, P, springs for chimney; Q, aperture in chambers C, C ;
R, seating for stopper; S, S, stopper; T, guiding wire for stopper; U, chimney;
V,globe; W, rack &c. for raising cotton; X, grating to prevent dirt entering
tube E, E; Y, point for regulating top level of oil column. The lamp is
charged thus:-The stopper S, S, is raised, and the oil poured in at the upper
opening of tube E, E; as long as it will receive any it fills the air chambers
K, K, and L, L. The lamp is then reversed, and the oil enters the middle
chamber D, D. On replacing it on its base the oil remains stationary by
means of the air cap I, I. The stopper S, S, is then let fall, and the chamber
C, C, by pouring into the same opening is filled with oil. The stopper S, S,
being raised the lamp is ready for lighting, the management of the cotton, &c.
being the same as in common argand lamps. The lamp being thus prepared
the action takes place thus:-The oil flows out of the chamber C, C, through
the aperture down the tube E, E, into the cup M, M. The oil then as the
action proceeds rises gradually up the tube F, F, as far as it is coloured yellow;
and compresses the air in chamber K, K, and L, L, forcing the air under the
cap I, I, until the oil in chamber D, D,, is compressed equal to the altitude of
the column of oil in tube E, E, and by this pressure raises a column of oil in
tube B, B, and the burner A, A, of an altitude equal to itself; thus
a constant
supply of oil is afforded to the burner, as the light consumes it until all the oil
in chamber C, C, has descended tube Ẹ, E. To command a very constant
level the cil in chamber C, C, is made to flow out of an aperture Q at a level
lower than the aperture Y, and the latter being the highest opening in chamber
C, C, the oil will not rise higher in the tube E, E, than the opening at Y,
because when the oil rises to the point Y the air is prevented entering the

page_text: chamber C, C, to supply the oil's place, and the moment the oil falls below
level Y the air enters at Y, and the oil flows out at Q to the level of Y, thus
preserving the point Y as the upper level of centre or lower column of the oil
fountain. The cup M, M, being always filled with oil preserves constantly the
lower level of the column, so that a constant and equal altitude of column of
oil is always obtained. It is evident, therefore, that a constant level of oil
short of the burning point may be obtained, or by shortening the upper column
B, B, or burner, an equal and constant overflow may be commanded, so as to
afford the lamp a greater or less supply of oil, as may be found desirable. The
overflow entering the tube E, E, becomes again supply, as though it came from
the chamber C, C, an object not hitherto attained, and which is effected without
any loss in the capacities of the chambers or any other inconvenience. The
little cone N, with a small aperture at the bottom of the tube E, E, as to
prevent the concussion of the oil in moving the lamp, and effectually avoids an
overflow of any consequence from this cause.
Having thus described the action and principle of the aero-fountain lamp, it
is only necessary to point out that I do not claim the principle of the fountain
called Hiero's fountain, as my Invention, which is old, nor any particular part
or parts which have been in some way or other used before perhaps; but I
claim as my Invention the combination and arrangement and adaptation of the
various parts as a whole, forming altogether an improved lamp.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-
ninth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight