THE RADIANT 



37 



borne this out, and three-wicked lamps, giving a light of 80 to 

 90 candles, are of all forms the most popular. Four and even 

 five wicks have since been introduced by different makers, 

 with slight variations in the arrangement of the wicks, some 

 placing four wicks parallel, II 1 1, and others in W form. By 

 these means a light of even 110. candles has been reached, 

 and for some purposes these lamps are useful ; but the heat 

 is intense, and the light does not increase in the proportion 

 of oil burnt. Also, with every wick the difficulty increases of 

 getting the lamp to burn 

 steadily ; and the three - 

 wick is generally pre- 

 ferred, unless the utmost 

 light is really necessary. 

 A three-wick lamp is 

 shown in fig. 23. Mr. 

 Marcy's general plan has 



been practically followed filHJ^Kfflf fBX 1 W JU' B 

 in all, the wicks A (here 

 shown parallel) being 

 placed in the middle of a 

 rather large flame-cham- 

 ber, roughly shaped like a 

 cylinder, with its end 

 to the condenser. A tall 

 chimney (usually made in two lengths) fits on over the open- 

 ing in the top, to ensure a good draught. The ends of the 

 flame chamber are closed by a glass in front and a reflector 

 behind with a coloured sight hole in the centre. Each wick 

 has its own milled head as shown at B, and at the other end 

 of the rectangular cistern beneath is a screw cap for filling 

 with oil. 1 



1 A few alterations in the construction of oil lamps have been made since 

 the above paragraph was written. For details the reader is referred to the 

 appendix at the end of fche book, B. S. W 



*T)3 



FIG. 23. Refulgent Lamp 



