US373935A - Lamp-wick - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

P. M. LYTLE.

LAMP WICK.

Patented Nov N. PETERS Phnwlnhogmph", waningmn, ma

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

FnLToN M. LTTLE, or BoSToN, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAMP-WlCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,935, dated November 29, 1887.

Application tiled J ani-lary 8,.1`S87. Serial No. 223,760. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern..-

Beit known that I, FELTON M. LYTLE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lamp-Vcks, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improved wick for burning oils which shall be much less combustible than otherwicks, but, by reason of its peculiarities, resemble the ordinary cotton wick as nearly as possible in the manner in which the oil is supplied and consumed at the point of ignition.

It is Well known that the tip of an ordinary cotton wick does not materially consu me after the heat has charred or carbonized its fiber, butserves as anuniniiammable tip to the Wick from which the flame rises; but this carbonized portion, having little stability and firmness, falls away, and, further, the wick must be frequently trimmed from time to time to make an even and steady llame, even for ashort time.

Now, my present invention consists in an improved wick for use in lamps, composed ofI porous carbon,which not only presents a burningsurface for the llame of precisely the same material that is formed naturally inthe use of an ordinary cotton Wick, thus/ making probably the best support for the Haine, butalso one that is Stable and can be used without ma terial consumption, and consequently needs no trimming to keep its dame-supporting surface even and constant.

It further consists in the combination, with an ordinary cotton Wick, of a burning tip of carbon mechanically connected thereto.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view cfa carbon wick embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section ofthe same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 represent `end views, showing different forms. Fig. 6 represents an edge view, showing a carbon tip applied toa :librous wick. Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and ll represent different forms in which the carbon Wick may be formed.

Similar letters of reference inthe several figures indicate the same parts.

In` carrying out my invention I make a Wick, a, of carbon, preferably of the kind that is made porous or spongy and capillarywthat is to say, having numerous small cells so communicating throughout the length of the Wick as to form ducts adapted to convey oil up- Wardly'through the Wick by capillary action. Such porous wick may be formed by grinding crude masses of carbon to a very ne powder, agglomerating the powder by means of a Sirup or other like material into a stiff paste, pressing the paste in a mold or dieinto the form of the Wick, and tinally rendering the molded piece of carbon porous and capillary by submitting it toahigh heat with free access of air.

Any other suitable processof making the carbon porous may be adopted; or, if preferred, the wick -may be cut or sawed from a mass of carbon that has previously been made porous.v

I prefer to supplement or aid the capillary action of the cells in the porous carbon by artiticially forming small longitudinal ducts b b in the wick by small rods or wires placed in the mold or die which forms the plastic carbon wick, said rods or wires being subsequently removed, leaving the uninterrupted longitudinal passage b.

The surfaces of the carbon wick may be provided With narrow grooves c, asin Figs. 4, 5, and 10, operating by increasing the surface to cause the oil to pass up in said surfaces by capillary action, and in this case the Wick may have the straight internal ducts or passages, as in Fig. 4, or may be formed Without them, as in Figs. 5 and 10.

The carbon wick may be ofless length than required to conduct the oil from the reservoir to the bnrner-that is, it may form a practically inconibustible constant tip secured mechanically to a fibrous Wick, fw, as in Fig. 6, the lower end of the carbon being provided with the groove in its lower side, `formed by the lips a a', in which the fibrous wick is mounted and in which it is secured in any suitable manner. In the present instance, however, I employ a two-prongedflfastener, f, similar to an ordinary paper-fastener, inserted through holes formed in the lips ce a', and the ends separated and turned down. I do not desire to be confined, however, to these devices, as the carbon and iibr o s wick may be detachably connected by various other means without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

IOC

The carbon wick may have an enlargement at its lower end to increase the area immersed in the oil, as in Fig. 7.

The carbon wick may be cylindrical, as Shown in Fig. 8, or annular, as in Figs. 9 and l0, for Argand burners.

Fig. l1 shows a form of wick suitable for oil-stoves.

My invention is not limited to porous or spongy carbon, though this is preferred.

The ducts b b maybe formed in solid or nonporous pieces of carbon as the only means of conducting the oil, or both the d nets b and the surface-grooves c may he formed in nouporous carbon Wicks. The use of porous carbon is much to be preferred, however, as the capillary properties of a wick made thereof are much greater than those of a wick of solid or non-porons carbon having artticially-formed ducts I), and the oil also will soak into the tip more, giving a support for the llame.

lit will be seen that a carbon wick is much less destructible kthan other materials, and is not liable to be broken or injured by handling. Moreover, the Wicks can be made very cheaply.

I prefer in usingY porous carbon to cover the sides ofthe wick with varnish or other analogous material to forni an oil-proof coating, o, as in Fig. 3, to prevent the oil from exuding along the sides of the Wick in its upward pas sage.

1. As an improved article of manufacture,

a lamp-iviek of carbon .having ducts or channels for the passage of the oil by capillary action, as set forth.

2. A lamp-wick composed of porous carbon, as set forth..

3. Alampwick composed of carbon having longitudinal duets or channels b b, as set forth.

4. A lamp-wick composed of porous carbon having longitudinal ducts or channels b b, as set forth.

5. The combination, with a carbon tip, of a mechanically-attached fibrous wick, substan tially as described.

G. The combination. with a carbon tip, of a Wick of fibrous material mechanically attached thereto, substantially as described.

7. A wick of porous carbon having an external oil-proof coating, substantially as de scribed.

S. The combination, with a carbon tip having a groove, of a fibrous wick inserted in said groove, and devices for securing the two together, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing,r witnesses, this 5th day of J an nary, 1.887.

A FELTON M. LYTLE.

Witnesses:

3. F. Bnowrt,

D. HliinmsoN.

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