IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING MINERAL OILS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Alexander Rippingille, of Holborn Hill,
in the County of Middlesex, Lamp Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING MINERAL OILS."
Sealed the 28th February 1873, and dated the 2nd September 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Alexander
Rippingille at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 2nd September 1872.
I, EDWARD ALEXANDER RIPPINGILLE, of Holborn Hill, in the County
of Middlesex, Lamp Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING MINERAL OILS,"
to be as follows:-
The improvements relate, firstly, to the application of means to
prevent the failure of the lamp on the breaking of a chimney, more
especially applicable to signal and other outside lamps, where the lamp
For this purpose.
I
proper is placed within an outer casing or lantern.
form the upper part of the chimney of metal or other material not liable
to injury by the heat of the flame, whilst I form the lower part of the
A

page_text: "chimney" of two separate glass cylinders, one inside the other, fitted
between the plate carrying the upper part of the chimney and a plate
over the oil receiver carrying the deflecting cone, such cylinders of glass
having a small space left between them, and being held in position by
suitable flanges, rings, or projections fixed to the plate or cover carrying
the upper part of the chimney, and by flanges, rings, or projections fixed
to the cover over the oil reservoir, said cover having perforations in the
side to admit air. By these means each of the glass cylinders forming
a portion of the "chimney" would act equally as well as the other in
the event of one of such glass cylinders. breaking, and I employ wire or
thin strips of metal so placed that if the inner glass cylinder should
break the pieces of glass will be prevented falling on to the flame.
ordinary flat wick burner be employed I form two slots or openings in
the cover carrying the deflecting cone to allow a current of air to pass
up between each edge of the flame and the glass cylinder. And in order
to prevent the communication of too much heat from the. upper or metal
portion of the chimney to the body of the lamp I fix the wires or other
supports of the upper portion of the chimney in porcelain or other
suitable non-conducting material, or I curve or otherwise extend these
supports so as to increase their length.
"
"
If an
In some cases the glass cylinders forming the lower part of the
chimney pass outside of the supports carrying the upper or metal
part of the "
chimney," in which case I form the outer glass cylinder
with the upper portion turned inwards to fit the lower end of the upper
or metal portion of the chimney.
i,
The Invention relates, secondly; to that class of lamps in which the
casing of the lamp serves as a chimney to create draft, the upper part
and a portion of the sides of such lamp being formed of metal. The
upper part of the lamp is contracted into the form of a chimney, and is
surrounded by a casing communicating with two passages, one on each
side of the lamp, which are continued down to within a short distance of
the bottom of the lamp, and forming when the oil vessel or lamp proper
is placed in position a free communication with the under side of a plate
holding the deflecting cone, thus forming a communication. between the
air space around the chimney and the air space under the plate carrying
the deflecting cone, the casing of the lamp being perforated to admit, air
to such space.
The top of the oil vessel is preferably flat, and the plate
holding the deflecting cone is fixed about three-quarters of an inch above
"

page_text: it, and occupies the entire internal area of the lamp casing. A cap is placed
over the chimney of the usual roof or cone shape, and I place a smaller
perforated inner cap extending over the inner chimney, the edge of such
cap being bent down so as to overlap the top of the inner chimney. By
these means a sudden draft of air will be prevented from blowing the
lamp out, as part of the air will pass between the two caps and out again
into the open air, whilst a part will be conducted down to the air space
under the cone plate and serve to maintain the flame.
.
Thirdly. The Invention relates to improvements in street or roof
lamps, the bottom portion or globe of such lamps being formed of glass,
and the oil vessel being placed around a portion of the lamp as hereto-
fore, and this portion of my Invention has for its object to obviate the
necessity for the use of a glass chimney in such description of lamps.
For this purpose I place in the cover of a roof lamp which is hinged as
usual, a metal chimney' extending several inches above the cover and
also down into the lamp to within three or four inches of the burner,
such chimney being terminated at its lower end with an enamelled or
plated metal concave disc; this disc fits on to a flange running round
the inside of the lamp, and serves to divide the upper from the lower
portion thereof. The tube conveying oil to the burner has a larger tube
surrounding it which conveys air to the burner and is deflected into the
flame by a suitable. cone or other means. Part of the flange is cut away
to admit of the air and oil tubes passing therethrough. The air tube
may be passed through the oil vessel and take its supply mainly from
the outer air, or it may terminate within the air space formed at the
upper part of the lamp. In either case the portion of the air 'tube above
the flange will be perforated to take a portion or all of its supply of air
from such air space. If desired however the flange. may: be dispensed
with, in which case "the air tube would not be perforated within (the
lamp but would take its entire supply of air from the outer atmosphere.
1
.
-
The upper part of the chimney is provided, as previously described,
with two caps and an air space around the chimney communicating with
the air chamber situated above the reflecting concave.disc.
The supply of oil to the burner is regulated by traps at the upper and
lower portion of the oil supply tube, acting upon a column of air in the
vertical portion of such tube, whilst it is further regulated in passing into
the upper trap by a floating syphon.

page_text: :
For street lamps the parts will require to be slightly modified in
form. In place of a flange running round as described for roof lamps a
plate of glass or metal may be used to divide the upper and lower
portions of the lamp from each other, a side door being for convenience
used instead of a hinged cover.
·
Fourthly. The improvements relate to a novel arrangement for
acilitating the use of flat wicks to produce a circular flame. For this
purpose I use a wick holder which is provided with a rack to enable it
to be raised and lowered, as is well understood. This wick holder is
provided with a number of spring clips, which as the wick holder is
rising are pressed inwards by the tube or guide in which the wick holder
slides, and thereby obtain a firm grip of the wick; but when the wick
holder is at its lowest position these spring clips are permitted to spring
outwards and release their hold on the wick to facilitate adjustment
thereof or for the insertion of a new wick. The wick holder consists of
a segmental annular shaped tube, occupying about three-quarters of the
circle, whilst a conical tube at the upper part of the burner contracts the
wick as heretofore and causes it to form a complete circle or argand
wick. The lower end of the wick holder is formed with an opening in
the edge thereof extending a short distance from the lower end, which
opening in conjunction with the usual opening in the lower end of such
wick holder facilitates the insertion of the wick therein from the bottom
or lower end thereof.
The improvements further relate to a mode of preventing the splitting
up of the flame in such lamps by the excessive force of the outer current
of air. For this purpose I form on the aforesaid conical tube a number
of annular or inclined grooves, whereby the outer current of air is
moderated in its passage to the lower part of the flame but is allowed to
flow freely to the upper part.
:
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 3
filed by the said Edward Alexander Rippingille in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st March 1873.

page_text: .
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her-
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the-
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the-
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Alexander Rippingille,
Her special license that I, the said Edward Alexander Rippingille, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Alexander Rippingille, my executors, administrators, and assigns,.
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King--
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BURNING MINERAL OILS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Alexander-
Rippingille, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what.
manner the same was to be performed, and cause ✓✓✓ same to be filed.
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Alexander Rippingille, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner-
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the.
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, similar parts being marked with similar letters of reference in
all the Figures:-
My Invention relates, firstly, to the employment of means to prevent
the failure of the lamp on the breaking of a chimney, and this part of
my Invention, which is represented at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, is more
especially applicable to signal and other outside lamps, where the lamp
proper is placed within an outer casing or lantern, but may also be
employed separately from an outside casing or lantern if desired. For
this purpose
I form the upper part a of the chimney of metal or other
material not liable to injury by the heat of the flame, whilst I form the
lower part of the chimney of two separate glass cylinders b, c, one inside
the other, fitted between the plate a', carrying the upper part a of the-
chimney, and a plate d over the oil reservoir e carrying the deflecting.

page_text: cone, such glass cylinders b, c, having a small space left between them
and being held in position by suitable flanges, rings, or projections a³, a³,
fixed to the plate or cover a¹, and by flanges, rings, or projections d', d,
fixed to or formed on the cover d. The support for the cover a may be
formed, as. shewn at Figure 1, of two conical perforated discs &³, joined
together so as to extend as much as possible the metal connection
between the plate or cover d and the oil reservoir e to prevent the com-
munication of two much heat to the oil reservoir. Or, as shown at
Figure 3, the support d³ may be vertical, but seated on wood or other
non-conducting material e¹ to attain the same end. By these means each"
of the glass cylinders b, c, forming a portion of the "chimney" would
act equally as well as the other in the event of one of such glass cylinders
breaking. In connection with these glass cylinders b, c, I employ wire
or thin strips of metal a², so placed that if the inner glass cylinder 6
should break the pieces of glass will be prevented falling on to the flame:
If an ordinary flat wick burner be employed I form two slotted openings d
in the cover d, carrying the deflecting cone f, see Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4,
to allow a current of air to pass up between each edge of the flame and
the glass cylinder b. And in order to prevent the communication of too
much heat from the upper or metal portion of the chimney to the body
of the lamp I fix the wires or other supports g of the upper portion of
the chimney in porcelain or other suitable non-conducting material g¹, as
shown at Figure 5, or I curve or otherwise extend these supports so as to
increase their length, as shewn at Figures 1 and 3.
In some cases the glass cylinders b, c, pass outside of the supports g;
as shown at Figure 5, in which case I form the outer glass cylinder c
with the upper part turned inwards to fit the lower end of the upper or
metal portion of the chimney.
At Figures 3 and 4 I have shown the extended supports g to be made
of a tubular character to form a communication between the upper part
of the lamp and the air space under the plate d, thereby enabling this
lamp to be carried from place to place apart from the lantern with which
it is intended to be used without danger of being extinguished by a
draught of air, in which case the perforations in the support d³ of the
cover d are closed by a revolving slide or cover, as is well understood;
the air for supporting combustion in this case being drawn from the
upper portion of the lamp through the hollow supports 9 and passing
through the perforated screen d³.

page_text: If desired instead of forming the glass cylinders b, c, each in one
entire piece of a circular form they may be formed in any desired shape,
and of two or more parts, connected together by suitable connections..
The second part of the Invention is shown applied at Figures 6 and 7,
and relates to that class of outside lamps in which the casing of the
lamp serves as a chimney to create draught, the upper part and a portion
of the sides thereof being formed of metal. The upper part a of the
lamp is contracted into the form of a chimney, as in the previous
Figures, and is surrounded with a casing at, thereby forming a space a³,
which communicates with a passage a formed between the double
casing of the lamp, which is continued down to within a short distance
of the bottom of the lamp, and forming when the oil vessel or lamp
proper is placed in position a free communication with the under side of
the plate d, thus forming a communication between the air space a
around the chimney and the air space under the plate d, the casing of
the lamp being perforated at a' and a³ to admit air to the space under
the plate ; a screen a is employed to break the force and direct the
current of the air entering at the perforations at a³. The top of the oil
vessel e is preferably flat, as shown, and the plate d is fixed about three-
quarters of an inch above it, and occupies the entire internal area of the
lamp casing. The plate d is supported from the top of the oil vessel. e
by means of pins e entering wood or other non-conducting pieces de
fixed to the under side of the plate d to prevent the communication of
too much heat to the oil vessel e.
'
It will be seen that when the oil vessel.e or lamp proper is slidden
into position in the casing, and the door a closed, the plate d will
effectually seal the air space above it from that below, and will direct
the air in the required course through the deflecting cone to support
the flame and to effect proper combustion.
A
cap
h of a cone or roof shape is placed over the chimney in a some-
what similar way to that before employed, and I place a smaller per-
forated inner cap i over the inner chimney a, the edge of such cap i
being bent down so as to overlap the top of the inner chimney a, but
leaving a space between them, as shown, a guard j being employed to
limit the amount of air entering betwen the lower edge of the cap h and
the outer chimney a*. I perforate the cap h. at the upper part, in
position as shown, above the line of perforations in the cap i. By these

page_text: means a sudden draft of air will be prevented from blowing the lamp
out; as part of the air will pass between the two caps h and i and out
again into the open air, whilst a part will be conducted down to the air
space under the plate d and serve to maintain the flame.
This part of the Invention is shown applied to other Figures of the
Drawings, but in some cases in a slightly modified form. For instance,
in Figures 1, 3, and 5, the second chimney a' is dispensed with, as such
lamps are intended chiefly to be used inside a lantern, in which case the
lantern case will serve the purpose of the second chimney a*.
The cap h, in Figures 6 and 7, is fixed to the top of the lamp in the
usual way by bayonet catches, not shown. In Figure 1 it is supported
by. bayonet catches acting in combination with a ring fixed to the upper
part of the extended supports g; whilst in Figures 3 and 5 it is fixed to
the upper casing of the lamp, forming in effect only one piece with it.
The third part of the Invention is shown applied at Figure 8 to a
street or roof lamp, the bottom portion or globe of such lamp being
formed of glass, and the oil vessel being placed either around the out-
side of a portion of the lamp, or inside as heretofore. The use of a glass
chimney in such description of lamps is also as heretofore dispensed
with. This part of my Invention relates to an improved mode of
supplying oil to the burners of such and other descriptions of lamps
instead of using the old fountain supply. In the oil vessel k I fix a
tube k¹ which I fill with a large cotton wick k*, the outer portion of
which dips into the oil, and whilst forming a suitable strainer or filter
.also serves by capillary attraction to supply oil to the tube ¹. The
tube is at its lower end connected to a small tube k² which dips into
another tube 13, closed at its lower end and thereby forming a cup or
trap. The tubes k³, k³, are further enclosed in a tube k³, in the lower
end of which is fixed another tube 4, the upper end of which is fixed to
the oil cup or wick chamber ke, into which the lamp wick dips. A
cotton wick is also by preference placed within the tube k³, and dips
into the oil cup ke to serve as a strainer or filter and as a syphon.
The action of the oil supply apparatus is as follows:-The oil drips
through the tube k² into the tube or cup ³ and fills it up; from this
-cup it overflows and passes down the tube k into the lower portion
thereof, until it closes the lower end of the tube k³. The column of air
*within the tube k is thus trapped, and by depressing the oil in the cup

page_text: or trap acts to prevent the oil flowing from the oil vessel k until by
the consumption of oil from the wick chamber the level of oil in the
lower end of the tube falls below the normal level, when by the
pressure of air in the tube
becoming lessened, oil is permitted to again
flow from the oil vessel k and maintain the supply.
At Figure 9 I have shown a section of a wick chamber ko, showing a
modified form of trap with a self-acting means of restoring the pressure
of the column of air in the tube . In this arrangement the lower end
of the tube k dips into a cup , from which the oil overflows into the
wick chamberk, which is divided by a partition extending nearly to
the bottom thereof; thus when the pressure of air in the tube k* becomes
unduly lessened bubbles of air will pass under the partition k until the
needed supply of air is obtained in the tube kt.
At Figure 10 I have shown another modification of my improved oil
supply, in which the tube with its cotton wick is dispensed with. Air
to support combustion is admitted to the cone f by the air tube as
heretofore.
.
The chimney and parts connected therewith or the lamp, shown at
Figure 8, are similar to those shown in Figures 6 and 7, but having a
guard a fixed to the tube or chimney a to prevent the passage of wet
between the inner chimney a and the outer one a*.
In lamps having shallow oil vessels it will not be necessary to employ
a float to carry the cotton wick or syphon k*, and I have therefore not
shown the application of a floating syphon in the Drawings, but such
will be readily understood.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to a novel arrangement of
burner to facilitate the use of flat wicks to produce a circular flame.
This part of my Invention is shown at Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
For this purpose I use a wick holder m which is provided with a rack m¹
to enable it to be raised and lowered, as is well understood. This wick
holder m is provided with a number of spring clips m³, which as the wick
holder m rises are pressed inwards by the tube or guide n in which the
wick holder m slides, and thereby obtain a firm grip of the wick o, but
when the wick holder m is at its lowest position these spring clips m² are
permitted to spring outwards, and release their hold on the wick to
facilitate adjustment thereof or for the insertion of a new wick. My

page_text: f
i
improved wick holder m consists of a segmental annular shaped tube;
occupying about three-quarters of the circle, more or less, whilst a
conical tube p at the upper part of the burner serves to contract the
wick, as heretofore, and cause it to form a complete circle or argand
wick. The lower end of the wick holder is formed with an opening m³ i
in the edge thereof, extending a short distance from the lower end,
which in conjunction with the usual opening in the lower end of the
wick holder facilitates the insertion of the wick therein from the bottom
or lower end thereof.
The improvements further relate to a mode of preventing the splitting 1
up of the flame in lamps having circular or argand burners by the
excessive force of the outer current of air. For this purpose I form on
the aforesaid conical tube p a number of annular or inclined grooves p³,
whereby the outer current of air is moderated in its passage to the lower
part of the flame but is allowed to flow freely to the upper part thereof.
]
I would here remark that in my Provisional Specification I described
the dividing the upper from the lower portion of lamps and the mode of
supplying air to the burner under the third head of improvement as
forming part of my Invention, but since the filing thereof I have
discovered that it is not new to employ such arrangements, for which 2
reason I desire to disclaim and I do hereby disclaim such parts.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,—
First. The employment of two glass cylinders or chimneys b, c, in
combination with an upper metal chimney a, in manner and for the
purpose substantially as herein shown and described
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
in
respect to
Secondly. I claim the use of extended metal connections g, between
the upper and lower portions of lamps, for the purpose of preventing too
much heat being conveyed to the lower portion of the lamp, in manner
substantially as herein shown and described with respect to Figures 1
and 3.
Thirdly. I claim the fixing the connections 9 between the upper and
lower portions of lamps in porcelain or other suitable non-conducting
material g³, in manner and for the purpose substantially as shown and
described in respect to Figure 5.

page_text: Fourthly. I claim the employment of slots or openings d' in the
cover d, in manner and for the purpose substantially as herein shown
and described.
Fifthly. I claim the employment of two caps h, i, in combination with
double chimney a, a', in manner and for the purpose substantially as
herein shown and described.
Sixthly. I claim the mode of constructing the plate d so that when
the oil vessel is slidden into position in the lamp the plate d shall
effectually seal the space above it from that below, in
manner and for
the purpose substantially as shown and described with respect to Figures 6
and 7.
Seventhly. I claim the employment of two traps, one at the top and
the other at the bottom of a column of air, to regulate the supply of oil
to the burner, in manner substantially as shown and described with
respect to Figures 8, 9, and 10.
Eighthly. I claim the novel construction, arrangement, and combina-
tion of the parts of wick holders for circular burners to facilitate the use
of flat wicks to produce circular flames, in manner substantially as shown
and described in respect to Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.
Ninthly. I claim the employment of a number of annular or inclined
grooves p³ in combination with circular burners, in manner and for the
purpose substantially as shown and described with respect to Figures 11,
12, and 14.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Alexander Rippingille, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of
February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-three.
EDWARD ALEXANDER RIPPINGILLE. (L.s.)