US125096A

US125096A - Improvement in buoy-lights

Info

Publication number: US125096A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1872-03-26
Anticipated expiration: 1889-03-26

Description

LEVA STEVENS Buo'y Light. i

. Patented Mardh 26` AM. Maron/Thomann: ca. Nx/ osso/mn'- marnsf/ PATENT OFFICE LEVI STEVENS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

` IMPROVEMENT IN BUOY-LIGHTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,096, dated March 26, 1872.

SPECIFICATION. To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LEvr STEVENS, `of the city of Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain Improvements in Buoy-Lights, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompa` nying drawing:

y away, showing :its interior 5 and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the burner and a portion of the device for retorting and supplying the gas or vapor to the burner.

The want of some reliable device by which the location of buoys might be indicated or lnade known in dark nights or in foggy, cloudy,

or stormy weather, -has long been felt. To meet this want is the object of this invention.

A tank, A, made out of any suitable material, and of any size or form desired, is used ,for the buoy, and also for holding the material for supplying the burner with its gas or vapor.

` Into the upper end of this tank is inserted a pipe or tube, B, so that its lower end will extend nearly to the bottom of the same. At its upper end is attached, so as to communicate with it, a hollow elliptiealshaped ring, I). From each end of this ring extend downward hollow arms O, which enterand are connected to a body, E. The pipe B, ring D, and arms O are all hollow, and are iilled with fine copper wire, arranged compactly therein. The lower ends of the arms O enter a chamber, a, within the body-E. Above this chamber is another chamber, b, but separated from it by a partition, c. In the partition c is a small opening, which may be partially or entirely closed by means ot' a needle-valve, F, the stem ot' which screws into the body E, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so as to be operated by thumb-piece G, as shown in Fig. l. Over the chamber bis placed the burner H, the upper end of which is made dat and Haring, and so as to throw the flame within and against the ring D. The pipe B is furnished with a stop-cock, I.

In operatin g this device the tank is rst supplied with petroleum, then with bicarbonate of soda, and afterward with some sulpliuric acid. The action of the acid upon the soda produces carbonio-acid gas, which in turn presses upon the petroleum and forces it up through the pipe B. The cock I is now opened and heat is applied to the pipe, ring D, and arms O, which is communicated to the copper wire within them. The wire thus heated retorts or converts the oil into a vapor, which passes into the body E, thence through the opening in the partition c into the chamber b, and thence through a small opening in the upper side of this chamber to the burner. The object ot' the chamber b is to have the vapor supplied to the burner in a steady continuous stream, which would not be the ease if it came directly from the needle-valve opening in the partition O. As the vapor comes from the burner it is lighted, and the heat produced by its combustion keeps t-he copper wire hot, and the process of retortin g the oil and supplying the vapor contin nous.

In each side of the burner are the usual openings for supplying air or oxygen to the flame.

In this way, it will be seen, not only is a buoy provided, but also one that, by means ot' the material within it and the vapor-burner attached to it, is supplied with` a steady and brilliant light whenever desired-a light that, with the ordinary protection, will continue to burn in the roughest weather, and thus fur nish the object so much desired by navigators, an illuminated buoy.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- A buoy-light, consisting of a petroleum-va por burner in combination with a hollow buoy, the former being supplied with petroleum or oil under pressure from the latter, in the manner substantially as herein described.

LEVI STEVENS.

Witnesses H. B. MUNN, J. MGKENNEY.