Patent GB-189708729-A (GB)
Title: Mechanism for Automatically Operating Beacon Lamps.
Inventor: NELMS ROBERT PERRY
Filed: 1897-04-06
Granted: 1897-06-12
Abstract: 8729. Nelms, R. P. April 6. Lighthouse &c. lamps; signal lamps &c.-A mechanism for automatically lighting and extinguishing the lamp, together with mechanism for cleaning the globe of the lamp, trimming and raising the wick, and maintaining the level of the oil in the reservoir at the proper height with respect to the burner, is shown in the Figures. The driving- shaft of the device is governed by clockwork. The main driving-shaft C carries the gear-wheel C<4>, and is driven by a motor which may take the form of a weight motor, of which a drawing is given in the Specification. The oil reservoir D is connected to the burner b<2> of the lamp by a flexible tube d ; to maintain the proper oil level the reservoir is gradually raised by the shaft C, the upper screw-threaded portion of which engages with a nut D' connected to the reservoir. The discs E and F mounted on the shaft C are connected to each other and the wheel C<4> by standards e, and the upper disc carries a segment plate G. The disc E has on its periphery one or more studs, which, by passing within the loop of the make-and-break device of the electric circuit and depressing the lower member j<2> of the spring, depresses the wire J into the mercury cups I and makes circuit. The wire h extends from one pole of the battery H into one of the cells I, while the wire from the other pole of the battery has an interposed resistance at I<1> and a platinum section at h<1> adjoining the burner. The resistance consists of a cell I', suspended from the nut D<1>, which contains mercury and within which are suspended a metal rod i and a wire h<3> ; so that, when the nut D<1>, and with it the cell I', is raised, the rod i and coil h<3> are more deeply immersed in the mercury, thereby lessening the resistance in the circuit as the battery becomes exhausted by use. The device for extinguishing the lamp consists of the bellows K, from which a tube k extends to the upper end of the burner, and which is operated by a stud k' which projects from the collar K<1> and collapsed by a spring shown in the plan. The devices for trimming and raising the wick consist of a vertical rod L, with a horizontal bend portion journalled in a bracket a<7>. The upper end of the rod is bent and normally lies to one side of the upper end of the wick-tube, while the lower end is in the path of the projections g<1> of the segment plate G and is actuated thereby. The wick is raised by means of a vertical shaft M, having a worm m at its upper end gearing with a worm-wheel n on a transverse shaft provided with the usual spur-wheels which engage with the wick. The lower part of the shaft M has a radial arm m<1> engaged by one or more of the projections g<2> on the segment plate G. The device for cleaning the globe consists of a vertical shaft 0, which has a cross-bar O<1> and depending rods o carrying brushes, and actuated by a pinion o<2> which gear with the wheel C<4>. The shaft C makes one complete revolution every twenty four hours, and its movement is governed by means of a series of wheels p, the smallest of which is provided with a fan P, the rotation of which is stopped by an arm r which is moved out of the way of the fan every hour by the minute-hand of the clock T and allows a partial rotation of the shaft C which is caused to be one twenty-fourth of a revolution by means of the disc F, which is provided with projections f, and the transverse shaft R, which has a depending member r<1> engaging by the said projections.