Liquid fuel burner safety device employing fuel tank shutoff

An apparatus for preventing flare-up in a liquid fuel burner of the type comprising (a) a liquid fuel removable tank having a shutoff valve which closes when said tank is removed from a fuel chamber and which opens when said tank is inserted in said chamber, (b) a fuel chamber, and (c) a combustion chamber having a wick, where said fuel chamber carries liquid fuel from said removable tank to said wick of said combustion chamber, comprising:

• excess fuel containment means for receiving or holding fuel in which excess fuel i s directed into an excess fuel containment compartment from said fuel chamber if the amount of fuel in said fuel chamber exceeds a predetermined level
• valve closure means for closing said shut off valve in response to said fuel in said fuel chamber exceeding said predetermined level;
• and
• means for removing said excess fuel from said excess fuel containment means.

A method of preventing flare-up in a liquid fuel burner of the type comprising a liquid fuel removable tank, a fuel chamber, and a combustion chamber having a wick, where said fuel chamber carries liquid fuel from said removable tank to said wick of said combustion chamber, comprising the steps of:

• containing excess fuel in said fuel chamber by directing the fuel which exceeds a predetermined level in said fuel chamber into an excess fuel containment compartment;
• directing the flow of said excess fuel in said excess fuel containment compartment into a receptacle in said excess fuel containment compartment;
• and
• activating a valve closure means in response to said flow of said excess fuel into said receptacle.