US183057A - Improvement in wick-adjusters for lamps - Google Patents

Description

1v1-TEE ,STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMEs L. HOWARD, MCE. HARTECD, CONNECTICUT, AssIGNoE To JAMEs L. 1 fHowAnDaCo., oE SAME PLACE.

IMPRovEMENT--lN-wIcK-ACJUSTERS FOR LAMPS.

Specicati'ou forming part of Letters PatentNo. 183,057, dated October 10, 1876; application filed september 14, 1876.

Tov all whom it mag/concern Be it known that I, JAMES L. HOWARD, of the city and countyo'fHartford, and State of Connecticut, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Center Lamps for Railroad- Cars, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which my improved lamp is represented by a central section.

The nature of my invention consists in an improvement in that description of device which has a shaft extended down through the body of the oil-reservoir, and on which shaft there is an operating button or thumb-head below the foot of the lamp, by turning which the flame of the lamp may be regulated with out taking the globe or the lamp from their bearings, my said improvement greatly simplifying such adjusting device, and rendering the same more eifective and less liable to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawingsI have shown a central support for a car-lamp reservoir, which may be constructed as follows: A represents a number of bracket-arms fastened to the ceiling of a car, and having their lower ends attached to an annular bearing, B, in and by which the body C of a lamp is supported. The means for securing the lampreservoir C to the said bearings B may be of any suitable construction. The bearing B is at the top provided with a Haring rim, D,

which fits around the lower part e of the glass globe E, and keeps it steady. Above the lamp C is the reflector F, fastened to the ceiling of the car, and provided with a central tube, Gr, into which a spiral spring, H, is inserted. An inner tube, I, is placed into the tube G, so that the said two tubes have the spring H between them. The upper end of the spring H rests against a top ange, g, of the tube G, and the lower end of the said spring rests upon a bottom flange, t', of the movable tube I. The lower end of the tube I is provided with a aring socket,.l, which iits and bears upon the upper part of the glass globe E by means of the spring H, whereby the globe is securely held between its bearings.

The parts described form no part of my invention, the novel features therein being invented and claimed by Frank L. Howard and Charles P. Howard, ot' Hartford, Connecticut, and the description of the said parts is merely for the purpose of illustrating my invention in connection with a center globe-lamp for a car. I therefore do not claim any of the said parts separately nor in combination with my invention.

The reservoir C is provided with a wick tube or tubes, J, and spur-wheels J upona shaft, j, for raising the wick, as shown in the drawings, partly by dotted lines. The horizontal shaft j of one of these wheels is seen in the drawings projecting out beyond its bearings upon the wick-tube, and is at its end provided with a bevel-gear, K. Another bevel-gear, K', on an inclined shaft, k, gears into the bevel-gear K. The said bevel-gears are made ofthe same or about the same size, and they may be made ot' sheet metal stamped into shape between dies, and thus a very cheap wick-adjuster produced. The shaft k is inserted in a tube, L, which is fastened in the reservoir so that its lower opening is concentric withthe foot c ofthe reservoir, and there the shaft k is provided with a button or knob, M, of spherical shape, which, although on an inclined shaft, always presents a central appearance, whereby the symmetry of the lamp is not marred, as would be the case with thumbheads of different shape. The tube L extends above the reservoir, but not quite up to the wheel K', thus making an allowance for lon gigitudinal play for the shaft k, whereby the bevel-wheel K' may be moved into gear with the bevel-wheel K, or out of gear with it, so that the gear K will clear the gear K' when the burner is unscrewed. A spring, l', on the tube L serves to keep the wheel K in gear with its fellow. The friction between the knob M and the lower end of the tube L, caused by the spring l', serves to prevent casual turning of the shaft k.

Operation: 'Ihe lamp is removed from its bearings and the wicks are ignited. The operator, after adjusting the wicks to about the proper height, secures the lamp in its seat, and while the flame is assuming its full proportions, regulates the same by turning the knob M leither back or forward until the flame has assumed its proper dimensions.

In case of Wicks becoming permanently clogged the parts for moving the wicks are, with ordinary lamp-adjusters, in danger of being overstrained and made unt for further use, but with my construction any such. strain range of the wheel K. It is seen that the sep-- aration or connection between the knob M and the spur-Wheels J' may be effected immediately.

I am aware that lamp-wicks fare operated.

by central knobs under the reservoir; but the connections 1n such cases are rigid, and the transmission of motion is exceedingly slow, so

as to rendertheirioperation tedious and slow, and the nicety required lgntthe fit between, the parts is such as to make the adjusters very costly. Such nice fitting of parts is wholly avoided in my adjuster, by reason of the spring l' serving to keep the bevel-wheels in proper geanin g position.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

They combination .of the wheel K, shaft j, carrying spur-wheels, wheel K', the spring l, the tube L, and the shaft 7c, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand in the matter of my application for a patent on a center-lamp for railroad-cars this 31st day of August, 1876.

JAM-ES L.. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

ALBERT L.- BURKE, GEORGE O. BARNES.

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