Improvements in Downwardly Burning Oil Lamps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Downwardly Burning Oil Lamps.
We, JOHN HOWARD Ross, and Ross ATKINS Sunlight Oil Lamp Co. Ltd.
all of Hampton Works, Hockley Hill, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
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 invention relates to the construction of an oil lamp, having an annular wick
presented downwards, producing a flame which curves inwards and ascends a central
chimney, and it has for its object improvements in various details of the lamp,
rendering it more simple, durable and efficient than lamps of the kind hitherto
made.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a central vertical section of a lamp
according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section and Figure 3 is an elevation of the central part
on an enlarged scale.
Figure 4 is a section of the reservoir showing the drip cup.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the spring hinge for the bezel and deflector rings.
Figure 6 is a plan of the burner cap.
Similar letters designate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
From the annular reservoir A several, preferably three, wick tubes A¹ converge
into a conical annulus A, opening downwards, at the mouth of which the wicks
meet each other forming a complete annular wick. The wick passages A', which
are approximately rectangular in section, are pressed up in one or partly in both
of a pair of conical plates k which fit closely together in the spaces between the
wick tubes. At the lower edge of the reservoir A. are supports carrying a conical
reflector A, between the lower edge of which and the reservoir are soft cushions a,
preferably of caoutchouc, to prevent rattling of the reflector. To the reservoir
are attached several, preferably three, removable hangers A' A' having at their
upper ends outwardly turned hooks a² which pass through openings in a plate A'
and engage against shoulders a³. The plate A' has a suitable fastening a for
suspending the lamp.
Secured against the wick tubes A' and the cone in which they are formed and
extending below them there is a slotted rim B to one side of which the deflector
ring B' and the overlapping bezel ring are jointed by one hinge p. The hinge of
the bezel ring B2 has a yielding stop preferably in the form of a spring s, which
prevents the bezel ring, carrying the glass globe, from falling open with a severe
jar when released from the catch D, and prevents the glass from striking the
reservoir or reflector. Secured to projecting flanges of the rim B is a conical
rim B with large openings through it. This is stamped from sheet metal and has
its upper horizontal portion perforated at 6 and extending downward, and
terminating with an inwardly projecting flange which supports the chimney B' and
the moveable open tube B, which has perforations 6' near its upper end and a
removeable conically mouthed deflector lined with fire clay, porcelain or some
such refractory substance. The rims B and B are notched at and k¹
respectively to fit over the pressed or struck up wick passages A' and are secured
together.
A tube C stamped from sheet metal and, at its upper end suiting the shape of
the upper part of B, is secured to B by tongues 63. When the tube B' is
lowered as will hereafter be described, so that its apertures 6' face the passage C¹,
air can enter by the holes 6 and pass through 61 into the chimney. The passage
of air through the holes 6 is controlled by a valve 6 having an arm to which are

page_text: attached chains passing through guide rings 66. The tube C surrounds the tube B³
and is slotted at 67 near its lower end.
A catch D, when pushed inwards, engages in its notch the edges of the bezel
ring B' and the deflector ring B' holding them up, being itself held in position by
a spring. The inner arm of this catch is connected by a link c¹ to a bifurcated
lever D¹ which is suspended by a freely swinging hanger D2. The inner end of
the lever D' has short studs d which pass through slots in the tube C and engage
in holes of the inner movable tube B'. Thus, when the catch D is moved out
to release B and B', the tube B is lifted, as shewn in Figure 2, so that its
perforations are cut off from the air channel C₁ by which air cannot then
enter the chimney. The mouth piece of the tube B is at the same time lifted
above the lower end of the tube Ċ and the mouth of the annular wick tube A².
A sliding bolt E falls into a notch d' in the catch D when it is drawn back and
holds it in that position. The lower end of the bolt E protrudes slightly below
the edge of the rim B so as to be struck by the edge of the deflector ring B¹
when it is raised, the catch D being thus released so that it is urged inwards and
engages the bezel ring, the tube B at the same time descending to the position
in which its aperture 6¹ face the passage C¹.
Upon the mouth of the annular wick tube is fixed a removeable burner cap F
having its mouth fretted as shown at e, or perforated; it carries an annular
burner wick F'. This burner cap F has a conical annulus fitting on the lower
part of the annular wick tube A' and has an outwardly projecting flange e' with
three holes or notches e. Upon the flange el is mounted a movable ring F
having notches e corresponding with e. Three pins G project from the annular
wick tube A; when the burner cap is pushed up, these pins pass through the
notches and but on partly turning the ring F so that its notches e no longer
face e, the burner cap is locked in position with its burner in close contact with
the feed wicks. In thus fixing the burner cap, it is not itself turned, so that
there is no rubbing and abrasion of the surfaces of the feed wicks and burner wick
which are then in contact. The feed wicks are adjusted by the ordinary wick
raisers and, when the burner wick is consumed, it can be easily renewed.
The reservoir A has a filling orifice closed by a screwed stopper H and around
the filling orifice is a drip cup H¹.
In lighting the lamp the catch D is pulled outwards and retained by the
bolt E; the bezel and deflector rings together with the globe carried by the bezel
ring descend, (retarded by the spring s) giving access to the burner. The tube B
being raised the passage C is closed; at the same time the deflector 6' is raised
affording a free and direct passage for the flame and its products up through the
tube B and chimney B, the air draught being thus entirely directed upon the
flame at the burner cap. When the wick is lighted, the globe and the rings B¹
and B are swung up to place, the bolt E being disengaged, the catch D falling
in, and the tube B descending. The passage C¹ is then open and the draught
through it to the chimney is adjusted by the valve 6, the lamp being then in
operative condition.
The slotted rim B and deflector ring B' (which might also be slotted) allow
air to pass to the outer side of the flame; whilst the open rim B' and tube C
allow air to pass to the inner side of the flame. Also air can pass from C through
the slots down to the deflector 6' whence the air is delivered, hot from its
contact with the tube B³, in a thin sheet into the flame. By this arrangement of
air passages, very complete combustion and brilliancy of flame are ensured.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim in respect of an oil lamp having an annular wick is :-
1. The combination of the annular reservoir A with its underside coned and the
conical reflector A' held up to the reservoir with interposed cushions a, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: 2. The combination of the reservoir A, and three or more removeable hangers A¹
hooked to the hanging plate A, substantially as described.
3. In combination with a pair of coned plates stamped to form wick passages A'
and the wick cone A³, the slotted rim B and the conical rim B³ with lateral
5 openings, substantially as described.
4. The combination of the deflector and bezel rings B₁ B' having one hinge p
provided with a retarding springs, and the catch D with its sliding bolt E,
substantially as described.
5. In combination with the rim B³ the apertures b and valve, the tube C
O having slots 6' the internal sliding tube B with its slots and refractory lining,
the studs d, lever D' linked to the catch D, arranged and operating substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
5
6. In combination with the burner cap F the rotatable ring F' the notches e³ ³
and studs G substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 8th day of November 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.