Improved Method of Lighting Miners' Lamps while Locked.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application; 10th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 19th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Lighting Miners' Lamps while Locked.
I, HENRY. ELSOM, 64 Old Buildings, Bulwell, Nottinghamshire, Collier, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention has for its object an improved method of lighting miners'
lamps while locked.
For this purpose I provide the oil reservoir of miners' lamps with an additional
vertical tube which passes through it upon the opposite side of the wick tube to that
of the tube for the trimming wire; in the additional vertical tube is placed a wire
which is free to slide vertically therein; the lower end of the wire is either bent at a
right angle to itself or it is provided with a milled disc by means of which the wire
may be moved up or down or partly revolved. The upper end of the vertical wire
within the lamp glass carries a cross bar or bars each end of which is perforated to
receive the end of a Congreve or other match capable of being ignited by friction.
The side of the wick tube nearest the cross bar is either roughened or a roughened
plate is secured to the same.
When the light in a locked lamp is extinguished by an explosion of gas or by
concussion through the lamp falling it may be relighted by turning one of the match
ends onto the rough surface and moving it up and down until ignited.
By such means an extinguished locked lamp may be relighted three or more times
without unlocking the same, thus obviating the necessity for the miner to go to the
bottom of the pit shaft to have his lamp unlocked and relit.
Dated this vih day of December 1889.
Dated this 4th day of Dacomber 100HI
HENRY ELSOM.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.,
Improved Method of Lighting Miners' Lamps while Looked.
I, HENRY ELSOм of 64 Bulwell Old Buildings, Nottingham, Miner, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The invention has for its object improvements in miners' safety lamps, whereby in
the event of their being extinguished by an explosion of gas, or by concussion
through falling, or from any other cause, they may be relighted several times without
unlocking the lamp, thereby obviating the necessity heretofore existing, for the;
miner to go to the lamp room to have his lamp unlocked and relit.
.
:
For this purpose I provide the lamp with a vertical tube passing through the oil
reservoir in a similar manner to that through, which the wick trimmer passes, and on
the opposite side of the lamp, and 1 pass through such tube, a rod provided at its
upper end with lighting. means which can be ignited by friction against a suitable
surface on the wick tube or other convenient place. The said rod is provided at its
lower end with a crank or with a disc, by which it can be rotated and moved up and
down.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a
vertical section of a miners' safety lamp, Figure 2, is a plan of the lower part thereof

page_text: with my improvements applied thereto, and Figure 3 is a side elevation of the
upper end of the igniter holder, showing two short matches wedged therein.
a is the oil reservoir, which is screwed to the ring b carrying the upper parts of
the lamp, and is locked thereto in any ordinary manner. c is a tube which is fixed
at the top and bottom of the oil reservoir, and forms a passage therethrough for
the rod or wire d' of the wick trimmer d, which is constructed and operated in the
well known manner. e is a tube which passes through the oil reservoir a, on the
opposite side to the wick trimmer tube c, and is fixed at the top and bottom of said
reservoir; through this tube e is fixed a wire or rod f, which is free to slide
vertically; the lower end of the wire or rod fis either bent at a right angle to
itself, as shown at f¹, or it is provided with a milled or other disc or head piece, by
which the wire or rod f may be partially rotated and moved up and down when
required. To the upper end of this wire or rod f, I attach any suitable arrangement
of lighting means, whereby, when the light in the lamp is extinguished from any
cause, the wick may be relit by the aid of the lighting means within the lamp, carried
by the rod or wire f, which latter is operated by means of the part f1 at its lower
end and exterior of the lamp. The lighting means shown in the drawing is only
given as an illustration; it is however simple and capable of easy management. It
consists of a double ended socket or holder f2, in which short Congreve or other
matches capable of being ignited by friction are fixed, which project a short distance
from the socket or holder f2, and which when required, can be turned one at a time
towards the roughened plate or surface o secured to the side of the wick tube h or
in other convenient position, and caused to ignite by friction against such roughened
surface. In relighting a lamp by this means, the lamp is tilted so as to bring the
wick over the match or lighter; the latter is turned towards the roughened surface
and is moved up and down until ignited. In the drawing the socket or holder f³ is
shown formed to receive only two matches, but if desired it may be formed with three
or more sockets to receive as many matches.
g
The reservoir of the lamp is provided with a projecting cylindrical or other shaped
foot to enable the wire or rod f normally to rest with the socket or holder f' below
the flame in the comparatively cool part of the lamp, thereby preventing accidental
ignition of the lighting means.
The foot i also protects both rods or wires d', f from injury.
When employing a socket or holder ƒ provided with more than two matches, it
may be advisable to fix thereto a guard plate or shield between adjacent matches to
prevent the flame of one match from accidentally igniting an adjacent match.
I would here remark that I do not confine myself to the precise arrangement of
lighting means attached to the upper end of the wire or rod f, as such may be
varied without departing from the peculiar character of my invention.
By the aid of my invention a miner is enabled to relight a lamp without unlocking
the latter, and without the use of any independent lighting means, and consequently
without infringing the rules applying to miners safety lamps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-.
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
:
1. In miners' safety lamps, a lighting arrangement consisting of a tube, in
addition to the wick trimmer tube, passing through the body of the reservoir, a
wire or rod passing through said additional tube, fitted at its lower end with a
gripping piece, and at its upper end with suitable lighting means, capable of ignition
by friction against a friction surface within the lamp, substantially as herein shown
and described and for the purpose stated.
2. In miners' safety lamps, a lighting arrangement consisting of a tube passing
through the reservoir and fixed to the top and bottom thereof, a wire or rod passing
through such tube, a gripping piece at the lower end of such wire or rod, a socket or
:

page_text: holder at its upper end to carry short matches, and a friction surface within the lamp,
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose of enabling a lamp to
be relit without unlocking the same, and without the use of any external or
independent lighting means.
Dated us 1 day of march 1
HENRY ELSOM.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.