Today in Wheeling History: April 29--Samuel F. Hawley, inventor and Wheeling resident, granted patent for "Improvement in Burners for Lamps" (1879).
Samuel F. Hawley of Wheeling, West Virginia was an inventor who developed important improvements to lamp burner technology during the late 19th century. His patent No. 214,774, granted on April 29, 1879, focused on creating a more efficient oil lamp that provided steady illumination with reduced flickering. Hawley's innovation featured a clever double-cone design with a specialized air flow system that directed oxygen both to the base of the flame and to the upper portion, ensuring more complete combustion and a brighter, more stable light. The patent document reveals Hawley assigned portions of his rights to W.K. Elson, William H. Robinson, and Thomas Walton, all fellow Wheeling residents, with each receiving one-fourth ownership. His invention came at a significant time when kerosene lamps were essential household items before widespread electrification. While Hawley's improvement might seem modest by today's standards, such incremental innovations in lighting technology were crucial steps that enhanced daily life for countless Americans in the late 19th century and helped establish Wheeling as a center of industrial innovation in West Virginia.
To learn more: Google Patents (https://tinyurl.com/bdhc8jfc), Internet Archive (https://tinyurl.com/35ke5wxy), Google Books (https://tinyurl.com/bdevjpys)
Photo credits: U.S. Patent Office
Samuel F. Hawley of Wheeling, West Virginia was an inventor who developed important improvements to lamp burner technology during the late 19th century. His patent No. 214,774, granted on April 29, 1879, focused on creating a more efficient oil lamp that provided steady illumination with reduced flickering. Hawley's innovation featured a clever double-cone design with a specialized air flow system that directed oxygen both to the base of the flame and to the upper portion, ensuring more complete combustion and a brighter, more stable light. The patent document reveals Hawley assigned portions of his rights to W.K. Elson, William H. Robinson, and Thomas Walton, all fellow Wheeling residents, with each receiving one-fourth ownership. His invention came at a significant time when kerosene lamps were essential household items before widespread electrification. While Hawley's improvement might seem modest by today's standards, such incremental innovations in lighting technology were crucial steps that enhanced daily life for countless Americans in the late 19th century and helped establish Wheeling as a center of industrial innovation in West Virginia.
To learn more: Google Patents (https://tinyurl.com/bdhc8jfc), Internet Archive (https://tinyurl.com/35ke5wxy), Google Books (https://tinyurl.com/bdevjpys)
Photo credits: U.S. Patent Office
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