Combustion – Fibrous wick type flame holder – Liquid fuel container carries wick guide or support
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-11
2001-06-26
Price, Carl D. (Department: 3744)
Combustion
Fibrous wick type flame holder
Liquid fuel container carries wick guide or support
C431S320000, C431S343000, C248S312100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250912
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to liquid fuel lamps and, more particularly, to an oil lamp including a conventional beverage container in combination with a wick assembly and support stand.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to use oil lamps for both decorative and lighting purposes. Such oil lamps are often used at outdoor venues, particularly where they may be placed around decks or patios. Conventional oil lamps typically include a wick in adsorbing contact with a liquid fuel which burns for providing light. A plurality of these lamps may be arranged in a desired manner to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
While such outdoor oil lamps have become quite popular for entertaining purposes, these lamps are often unnecessarily elaborate and prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, such oil lamps are often bulky or awkward, and generally inconvenient to store.
In apparent recognition of some of the drawbacks of traditional outdoor oil lamps, U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,138 to Walters discloses an apparatus for converting a beverage container into a lamp. While this apparatus has addressed many of the shortcomings of the above-identified conventional oil lamps, it still suffers from certain drawbacks. Initially, it should be noted that the Walters patent is tailored to a beverage container having a removable pull tab, which when removed leaves a sector shaped discharge opening in the top wall of the beverage container. This type of container is generally no longer produced for dispensing beverages. Additionally, the preferred wick holder of the Walters device may be pushed relatively easily through the opening of the container. Finally, the Walters device provides a round wick which typically produces a relatively limited light output.
Accordingly, there is a need for an oil lamp including a wick holder for securely holding a wick within a beverage container opening while providing an improved light output and an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Further, there is a need for a support stand for supporting the oil lamp in an elevated position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a liquid fuel lamp which may be easily converted from a conventional beverage container and which provides a structure for securely holding a wick within the container while providing an improved light output and an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
The liquid fuel lamp of the present invention includes a container having a cylindrical sheet metal wall defining a longitudinal container axis. Opposing top and bottom sheet metal walls are fixed to the cylindrical wall wherein the top wall includes an opening extending substantially outwardly in a radial direction from proximate the longitudinal container axis. The opening is defined by a pair of side edges spaced apart in a substantially perpendicular direction to the radial direction of the opening by a maximum distance d
0
.
A wick assembly is received within the opening in the top wall. The wick assembly includes a tubular metal sleeve having a lower cylindrical portion and an upper tapered portion. The upper tapered portion has a substantially elliptical cross-section having a major diameter d
e
. A substantially planar wick is received within the sleeve and is releasably fixed to the upper tapered portion such that a portion of the wick extends above the upper end of the sleeve. In turn, the upper end of the sleeve extends above the top wall of the container.
In a first preferred embodiment of the invention, the major dimension d
e
of the tapered portion of the sleeve is greater than the maximum distance d
o
of the opening in the top wall. As such, the sleeve deforms the side edges of the opening and the top wall retains the wick assembly in a suspended position. Liquid fuel, preferably lamp oil, is received within the container wherein a lower portion of the wick is received in adsorbing contact within the liquid fuel.
The wick assembly further includes an annular ring having an outer diameter d
r
and coaxially receiving the tubular sleeve. The annular ring is fixed to the upper tapered portion above the opening of the container. The outer diameter d
r
of the annular ring is greater than the maximum distance d
o
between the side edges of the top wall. In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lower surface of the annular ring engages the top wall for providing the primary means of supporting the wick assembly within the container.
The liquid fuel lamp of the present invention further includes a stand for supporting the container. The stand preferably includes a wire helix forming a plurality of successive convolutions for supporting the side wall of the container. A base support is formed integral with the lowermost convolution and engages the bottom wall of the container. A support leg extends vertically downwardly from the base support and may be placed within the ground or a preformed bore for supporting the lamp.
In an alternative embodiment, the stand comprises a clip releasably secured to a vertically extending support rod. The clip includes a support leg extending above, and partially overlapping, a connector. The connector extends between the support leg and a securing leg. The support rod is received within a pair of coaxially aligned apertures formed within the support leg and the connector. The top wall is removably received intermediate the connector and the securing leg.
Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved liquid fuel lamp which is inexpensive and easily assembled by combining household items and components from a kit.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a liquid fuel lamp which is aesthetically pleasing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved liquid fuel lamp including a wick assembly which is securely fixed to the top wall of a conventional beverage container by deformably engaging the side walls of the opening formed in the top wall.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved liquid fuel lamp which provides improved light output.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a liquid fuel lamp having a wick assembly which maintains a substantially planar wick in absorbing contact with liquid fuel stored within a container and which facilitates easy insertion and withdrawal of the wick assembly through an opening in the container.
It is a further object of the invention to provide such a wick assembly which facilitates filling the container with liquid fuel without requiring complete removal of the wick assembly.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a liquid fuel lamp which provides a positive flame line.
It is another object of the invention to provide a liquid fuel lamp including a wick assembly having an annular ring for supporting the wick assembly within the opening of a container and covering such opening.
Other objects and advances of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 31702 (1984-10-01), Brown
patent: D. 317059 (1991-05-01), Menter
patent: D. 387446 (1997-12-01), Bell et al.
patent: 2216886 (1940-10-01), Langelier
patent: 2441242 (1948-05-01), Harkins
patent: 2520818 (1950-08-01), Terry
patent: 2541390 (1951-02-01), Weigand
patent: 2811031 (1957-10-01), Russ, Jr.
patent: 2884216 (1959-04-01), Joecks
patent: 3321938 (1967-05-01), Bureau
patent: 3661351 (1972-05-01), Olsen
patent: 3730379 (1973-05-01), Brown
patent: 3905754 (1975-09-01), Maddestra et al.
patent: 3994672 (1976-11-01), Novak
patent: 4035138 (1977-07-01), Walters
patent: 4494926 (1985-01-01), Riha
patent: 4624633 (1986-11-01), Bandel
patent: 4689727 (1987-08-01), Perkins
patent: 5669767 (1997-09-01), Bureau et al.
patent: 100865 (1937-05-01), None
patent: 10-132215 (1998-05-01), None
patent: 9704272 (1997-02-01), None
Biebel & French LPA
Price Carl D.
Widdowson Enterprise Inc.
LandOfFree
Liquid fuel lamp does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Liquid fuel lamp, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Liquid fuel lamp will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2500682