Kitson Excelite 1923

Discussion in 'Kitson' started by Mackburner, May 26, 2018.

  1. Mackburner

    Mackburner United Kingdom Founder Member Subscriber

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    This is a 1923 to 1925 Kitson Excelite table lamp. They are 300cp kerosene lamps with some interesting features. The generator has a built in pricker which is spring loaded and operated with a small square section brass block. I could not remove the pricker to examine the inner parts. The filler inlet valve is a spring loaded ball type held in with a spike. The air intake tube has a butterfly valve which can almost close off the tube and the upper part of the tube has a sliding cover to allow an air intake directly into the gas stream. The lamp was heavily corroded with verdigris but was otherwise in good condition and it only needed a clean, a new filler cap seal and a repack of the gland with PTFE to enable a burn.
    Kitson-Excelite_14.jpg Kitson-Excelite_13.jpg Kitson-Excelite_12.jpg Kitson-Excelite_07.jpg Kitson-Excelite_11.jpg Kitson-Excelite_05.jpg

    And this is how it came. There is a large lead patch on the fount side which I have left as I assume it is repairing a leak. A bit crude perhaps but part of the lamp's history and besides as the tank doesn't leak and being an idle old git I saved a deal of trouble. ::Neil::

    Kitson-Excelite_01.jpg Kitson-Excelite_10.jpg
     
  2. JEFF JOHNSON

    JEFF JOHNSON United Kingdom Subscriber

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    Last edited: May 26, 2018
  3. phaedrus42

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    A wonderful find, Neil!
     
  4. JEFF JOHNSON

    JEFF JOHNSON United Kingdom Subscriber

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  5. bp4willi

    bp4willi Germany Subscriber

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    Awesome specimen.
    History preserved.
    Great.
    Regs willi
     
  6. Mackburner

    Mackburner United Kingdom Founder Member Subscriber

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    What I need now is a globe. From the pictures I had thought a tulip globe would fit and I have some here but they all fit Tilley and the Kitson requires a a 4 inch fitter which is much bigger than a Tilley. Still it works very well without and I can live with that. ::Neil::
     
  7. JEFF JOHNSON

    JEFF JOHNSON United Kingdom Subscriber

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    Would a cylinder glass or a Mica fit and allow sufficient air flow?.
     
  8. Mackburner

    Mackburner United Kingdom Founder Member Subscriber

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    It might do. The original would have been a tulip shaped globe. The fitter at the top is 4" but the bottom screen is 6". I might try a mica but really the lamp runs fine without and I have never been all that bothered about shades. ::Neil::
     
  9. MYN

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    Great find Neil.
    Awesome..it still works.
     
  10. Mackburner

    Mackburner United Kingdom Founder Member Subscriber

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    It's a Kitson and I have yet to find one that can't be fettled. Mind you this one does have the potential for trouble because it is far more complex than the older types. I was lucky with this one because the pricker mechanism was in good order and the generator was relatively clean. Even so I could not remove the pricker rod and spring from the generator and I suspect that could be a difficulty if the needle was broken. The pricker is described in patent GB213000 although shown in a slightly earlier lamp. ::Neil::

    !!GB213000 part.jpg
     

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