IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thomas Cooper Thomas, of 54, 55, and 56, Minories,
in the County of Middlesex, Assistant to Messieurs Ridsdale and Company,
Lamp Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES."
Sealed the 20th February 1880, and dated the 12th December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thomas Cooper Thomas
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th December 1879.
JOHN THOMAS COOPER THOMAS, of 54, 55, and 56, Minories, in the County of
Middlesex, Assistant to Messieurs Ridsdale and Company, Lamp Manufacturers.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES."
My Invention has for object improvements in burners or apparatus for lighting
and heating purposes, and in part relates to lamps such as described in the
Specification of a former Patent granted to me the 19th day of February 1878,
No. 688.
There is described in the Specification referred to a kind of lamp in which the
flame is enclosed in a chamber I will call the flame containing chamber closed to
the external atmosphere, except at and above the burner; the air for supporting
combustion entering at the upper part of the lamp is caused to pass downward by
tubes, hollow arms, or passages, into an air chamber containing the od well or
chamber and wick holder, and thence to pass into the flame containing chamber
through the burner slot; and the products of combustion escape through an upper
opening in the flame containing chamber by a chimney.
In constructing such lamps according to my present Invention for flat wicks I so
arrange the oil well or chamber in the said air chamber as to hermetically close the
top of the air chamber, whose circumference or annular side or wall surrounding
the oil well or chamber I form with holes, through which air to support combustion
may flow to the burner, such air passing out laterally from the air chamber into an
annular chamber formed by the burner, cap, or cone, which is arranged over the
oil well or chamber, and around the upper part of the perforated air chamber.
The oil well cover is provided with a tube to hold the wick; also the oil well is
furnished with a tube or channel leading from its interior to the outside of the air
chamber to carry off superfluous oil, and admit air to the oil well.

page_text: When applying this part of my Invention in a lamp for round wicks I make the
oil well annular, and provide a screw or twisted piece of metal in the central
air passage of the oil well for regulating and steadying the supply of air to the
flame. This part of my Invention is applicable also to argand or annular gas
burners.
In moderator lamps to cool the burner and obviate corrosion I provide outside
and around the wick tube or oil container a perforated tube, with a perforated cone
or cap
at its top, leaving an air space between this tube and the wick tube or oil
container. To the perforated tube I fix a perforated gallery provided with a tube,
also having an upper cone or lip, and which tube surrounds and forms an air jacket
or space around the upper part of the perforated tube, and from this jacket or space
air passes through the perforations in the base of the cone or cap of the perforated
tube. In the central air tube or passage 1 provide a screw or twisted piece of
metal, such as hereinbefore mentioned for regulating and steadying the draught
In apparatus for lighting or heating where more illuminating or heating power
is required than can be conveniently obtained by a single wick or burner instead
of using compound burners composed of annular wick holders or ring burners
arranged concentrically one within another, as is now usual, I form a ring or rings
made up of separate circular burners, with a cone over each such burner. In flat
wick burners to steady the draught to the flame I form the upper parts of the cones
internally with sides parallel to the width, and this may be done by making the
cones of a flattened form in section; or a round-top cone may be provided with
strips of metal arranged inside it, so as to be parallel to the wick; or the upper
part of the cone may be formed with V shaped or angular sides perforated to throw
currents of air to the flame above the cone.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Thomas Cooper Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th June 1880.
JOHN THOMAS COOPER THOMAS, of 54, 55, and 56, Minories, in the County of
Middlesex, Assistant to Messieurs Ridsdale and Company, Lamp Manufacturers.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND HEATING PURPOSES"
My Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for lighting and
heating purposes, and in part relates to lamps such as described in the
Specification of a former Patent granted to me the 19th day of February 1878,
No. 688.
There is described in the Specification referred to a kind of lamp in which the
flame is enclosed in a chamber I will call the flame-containing chamber, which
chamber is closed to the external atmosphere, except at and above the burner, and
the air for supporting combustion entering at the upper part of the lamp is caused
to pass downward by tubes, hollow arms, or passages into an air chamber containing
the oil well or chamber and wick holder, and thence to pass into the flame-
containing chamber through the burner slot, and the products of combustion escape
through an upper opening in the flame-containing chamber by a chimney.
In constructing such lamps according to my present Invention for flat wicks I so
arrange the oil well or chamber in the said air chamber as to hermetically close the
top of the air chamber; and in the circumference or annular side or wall of the air-
chamber which surrounds the oil-well or chamber I form holes, through which air,
to support combustion, may flow to the burner, such air passing out laterally from
the perforated air-chamber into an annular chamber formed by the burner cap or
cone, which is arranged not only over the oilwell or chamber, but also around the
outside of the upper part of the perforated air chamber, in such manner as to form
the annular chamber just referred to. The oil-well cover is provided with a tube
to hold the wick; also, the oilwell is furnished with a tube or channel leading from
its interior to the outside of the air-chamber to carry off superfluous oil, and admit
air to the oilwell.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Figs. I. and II. of the accompanying
Drawings, where 1 is the oil well or chamber; 2, the tube which supplies it with
oil from the reservoir above; 3, the oilwell cover; 4, the wick-tube or holder;
5, the tube or channel to carry off superfluous oil, and to admit air to the oil well;
6, the air chamber; 7, 7, are the tubes, hollow arms, or passages by which air flows
from the upper part of the lamp into the air-chamber 6 (these tubes may be of
various constructions other than that illustrated); 8 is the removeable bottom of
the air chamber; 9, 9, are holes in the circumference or annular side or wall of the
air chamber (there are such holes at intervals all the way round); 10 is the
annular chamber formed by making the burner cap or cone 11 of larger diameter
than the perforated air chamber 6, and arranging it not only over the oil well or
chamber, but also around the outside of the upper part of the perforated air
chamber, as shewn.
When applying this part of my Invention in a lamp for round wicks, I make the
oil-well 1 annular, as represented in Fig. III. (where parts like or similar to
those in Fig. I. bear the same reference numbers), and I provide a screw or piece
of metal 12 twisted to a spiral form (hereinafter called a screw or spirally twisted
piece of metal), in the central air passage 13 of the oilwell for regulating and
steadying the supply of air to the flame. This part of my Invention is applicable
also to argand or annular gas burners, as indicated in Fig. 1V., where parts like or
similar to those in Fig. III. bear the same reference numbers.
In moderator lamps I provide outside and around the wick tube or oilwell (or
container) a perforated tube with a perforated cone or cap at its top, leaving an air

page_text: space between this tube and the wick tube or oilwell. To the perforated tube I
fix a perforated gallery provided with a tube, which also has an upper cone or lip,
and which tube surrounds and forms an air jacket or space around the upper part
of the perforated tube, and from this jacket or space air passes through the per-
forations in the base of the cone or cap of the perforated tube. In the central air
tube or passage I provide a screw or spirally twisted piece of metal, such as herein-
before mentioned, for regulating and steadying the draught. In burners of large
diameter, three or more screws or spirally twisted pieces of metal may be used.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Fig. V. of the accompanying Drawings,
where 1 is the wick tube, or oil-well, or container; 14 is the perforated tube
(15 being perforations therein), which tube is, as already explained, arranged outside
and around the wick tube, or oil-well, or container 1; 16 is the perforated cone or
cap fitting accurately on the top of the tube 14 (17 being perforations in the said
cone or cap); 18 is the air space between the tube 14 and the wick tube, or oil
well, or container 1; 19 is the perforated gallery (20 being perforations therein);
21 is the tube carried by the gallery, and having an upper cone or lip 22. This
tube 21 it will be seen surrounds the upper part of the perforated tube 14, and
forms around it an air jacket or space 23, from which air passes through the
perforations in the base of the cone or cap 16, as indicated by arrows, 24 is an
ordinary chimney; 12 is the screw or spirally twisted piece of metal, arranged in
the central air tube 13, as and for the purpose already specified. It will be
evident in some cases lamps according to this part of my Invention may be con-
structed without the screw or twisted piece of metal 12.
In apparatus for lighting or heating where more illuminating or heating power
is required than can be conveniently obtained by a single wick or burner, I form
what I call a ring or rings made up of separate annular burners, each with a
screw or spirally twisted piece of metal, such as herein before described, and with a
cone over each such burner, as illustrated in Figs. VI. and VII., and in Figs. VIII.
and IX. In Figs. VI. and VII. what I call the ring is made up of three separate
annular burners 1, 1, 1 (they are in this instance for annular wicks), each of which
burners has a central air passage 13, provided (centrally) with a screw or spirally
twisted piece of metal 12, as and for the purposes hereinbefore described, and is
covered by a cone 11, which, as well as the similar cones of the other burners of
the set or series, is secured to one common plate 25, formed with an annular rim 26.
These annular burners (or wick holders) receive their supply of oil from a reservoir
or reservoirs not shewn, and each is provided with suitable means (as well under-
stood) for adjusting the wick; 27 is a perforated case surrounding the whole; 24
is an ordinary glass chimney. It will be evident more than three annular burners
may be arranged as described. In Figs. VIII. and IX. the ring is composed of
seven annular or argand gas burners provided with screws or spirally twisted
pieces of metal as described, an eighth burner similarly provided being arranged in
the centre; 28 is a gas supply pipe with a branch 29 to the annular chamber 30,
from which each of the burners composing the ring receives its supply of gas;
31 is a branch supply pipe to the central burner; 32 is a tube surrounding the
central burner; 33 is a case surrounding the ring of burners; 34 is a cap sur-
rounding the ring of burners, and provided with a cone 11 for each burner; 35 is
a perforated casing, through which air is admitted into the jacket or air space 36,
formed by and between the tube 32 and the case 33, also through the same
perforations air is admitted into the air space or jacket 37, between the cases 33
and 34. The air space or jacket 38 surrounding the central burner receives its
supply directly from below, as do also the central air passages 13 of the burners
composing the ring; circulation of air is indicated by the arrows.
In flat-wick burners, to steady the draught to the flame, I form the upper parts
of the cones internally with sides parallel to the wick, and this I do by making the
cones of a flattened form in section, as represented in Figs. I. and II., where 11
are the sides parallel to the wick, or in a round topped cone I provide strips of
metal arranged inside it, so as to be parallel to the wick, as represented in Figs. X.

page_text: and XI., where 114, 11ª, are the strips of metal in question, or I form the upper
part of the cone with V-shaped or angular sides perforated to throw currents of
air to the flame above the cone, as represented in Figs. XII. and XIII., where 11b
are the angular sides, and 11° the perforations.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and explained the manner
of carrying it into practical effect, I would have it understood that I do not claim
arranging a number of burners annularly or under one chimney, what I
consider to be novel and original and claim as secured to me under the Letters
Patent hereinbefore first in part recited is,-
1. In a lamp the combination of parts, herein before described with reference to
and illustrated in Figs I. and II of the Drawings.
2. The combination in a lamp of an air chamber (6) surrounding the oilwell (or
the burner), and having perforations (9) through the upper portion of its annular
side or wall, and a cap or cone (11) of larger diameter than the said air chamber,
and so arranged as to form around the said air chamber an annular air chamber (10),
substantially as described.
3. The combination in a lamp of an oilwell or chamber (1), an air-chamber (6),
and a tube or channel leading from the interior of the said oil well or chamber to
the outside of the said air chamber, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before described.
4. The combination with an annular burner, having a central air passage of an
air-supply-regulating-and-steadying screw or spiral (12), or screws or spirals
arranged in such air passage, substantially as herein before described.
5. In a lamp the combination of parts shewn in and described with reference to
Fig III. of the Drawings.
6. In a lamp the combination of parts shewn in and described with rtance to
Fig. IV. of the Drawings.
7. In a lamp the combination of parts shewn in and described with re. "ence to
Fig. V. of the Drawings.
8. In a moderator lamp the combination with the wick tube or oil-w (or
container) of a perforated tube arranged around the same, so as to form n
intervening air space, and provided with a perforated cone or cap at its top, and
with a perforated gallery and an outer surrounding tube, forming around the upper
portion of the said perforated tube an air jacket or space, from which air passes
through the perforations in the base of the cone or cap above the perforated tube,
substantially as described.
9. Constructing the upper parts of the cones or caps of burners, substantially as
herein before described with reference to and illustrated in Figs. I. and II, in
Figs. X. and XI., and in Figs XII. and XIII. respectively.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thomas Cooper Thomas have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
J. T. C. THOMAS. (L.S.)