James Hinks and Son

(c) Antique Metalware Society

Small extracts can be used with acknowledgements to 'Oldcopper.org' website.

Helpful comments are very welcome.

 

 James Hinks & Son,  91-96 Great Hampton Street & 66 Hockley Street, Birmingham, were established before 1865 as James Hinks and made many oil lamps and similar products. James and Joseph Hinks  patented the duplex burner and the extinguisher lever in 1865. 

hinksThis was much better than the straight single wick burner and the idea was copied by others when the patent expired.  They also invented the idea of using a key to raise the gallery to facilitate lighting the burner without the need  to remove the glass chimney. Joseph had taken over the company in 1839.

 

 

hinks

 Duplex - two flat wicks.  This arrangement was originally patented by Hinks in 1865 to give double the light from a burner with efficient combustion.  This photo shows the two concentric-shaft wick height adjusters on the right, the extinguisher lever on the left and the gallery lifter projecting forwards.  The chimney used with a duplex burner has an enlarged oval section to suit the flame shape.

hinks lift  Showing the gallery lifted to full height by rotation of the lifter lever. This allows the wicks to be lit without the need to remove the glass chimney.  It also shows the leaves of the extinguisher that rise to put out the lamp.

 

 

 

hinks leaves

 This is a Hinks burner with the gallery removed to show the extinguisher leaves.  Here they are operated by a side lever with ring that may be operated by the suspended cone to extinguish the burner if the lamp is accidentally tilted.

 

 

hinks phoenix

 

 Hinks' Phoenix Patent, an interesting single wick design with an internal self-extinguishing ability given by a sphere of steel that works in an internal conical guide and extinguishes the wick if the lamp is upset.

 

 

 

duplex

 

 

 

 

 

hinks 3

 Hinks No2 Triple is a variation on the Duplex burner but why it is called 'Triple' is not obvious.

 

 

 

 

Hinks catalogue

 

 

 

Image from Geffrye Museum object No 219/2003.