The Miller central draught burner

The kerosene lamp, for it to work required a number of components, and all equally as important.  In his range of lamps Edward Miller produced four sizes of gallery (or burner).  Known as the 'zero', 'one', 'two' and 'three' it was wick raising patent and burner size that generally named the lamp.  It is the burner that holds the wick firm and regulates the flame, thus its size dictated the amount of light one gets from each lamp.  The design of the burner is also very important.  It holds the flame and chimney and controls the airflow to the flame.  A well designed burner was essential for a bright, clean burning flame.  Miller had a number of inovations in his burners.  Firstly, they allowed the lamp to be lit without removing either the shade or the chimney - and this was important as it helped prevent costly breakages as often happened when you had to lift on and off a lamp its shade and chimney each time you wished to light it.  Other inovations was the development of a burner with a screw thread, rather than a bayonet fitting.

CHIMNEY           1 1/2"          2"          2 5/8"                     4"                  DIAMETER

Of all of the burner types made by Miller, by far the greatest variation exists to the No. 2 size.  It was this size that proved the most practical for every day use, and therefore the styles, types and variations were extensive.

Throughout the history of the No. 2 burner is was made in two basic forms.  An intricate 3 piece burner and a simpler 2 piece one.  To date I have now identified 14 different styles/patents of the No. 2 burner, some in brass, some nickled brass, totalling over 23 different burners.

Many of the burners are stamped with patent dates, however the habit (perhaps through a change in legislation) of putting the patent dates on the burners seems to have ceased completely by late 1898.  I have dated each burner for when it was introduced into production from their patent dates, the dates known from the lamps on which they are typically found and other available information.  They are estimates.  Further, as burners are interchangeable, a lamp should NOT be dated or even identified as Miller from its burner.

The three piece burner has a separate wick tube, with the chimney holder interlocked with the perforated side piece.  The two piece burner perforated side piece and wick tube become a single piece, with a removable chimney holder.

The three piece burner has a separate wick tube, with the chimney holder interlocked with the perforated side piece.