IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS OF DAYLIGHT
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Hamilton, Engineer, and Frederick Alma
Hamilton, both of 25, Poole Road, in the Parish of Saint John, Hackney, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS
OF DAYLIGHT."
Sealed the 19th March 1878, and dated the 22nd September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Hamilton and
Frederick Alma Hamilton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 22nd September 1877.
FREDERICK HAMILTON, Engineer, and FREDERICK ALMA HAMILTON, both of 25,
Poole Road, in the Parish of St. John, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS OF DAYLIGHT."
The object of our Invention is to provide a better means for transmitting day-
light through floors, ceilings, roofs, walls, or any openings, as occasion may require..
The improvements consist in the use of glasses cast to various forms set in wood
or metal frames. This is proposed to be effected in the manner shewn in the
Drawings deposited herewith.
The top surfaces A, A, A, of the said glasses x, x, x, to be at an angle with the
horizon so as to be at right angles with the inclined falling rays of daylight, thereby
avoiding reflection, the front faces B, B, B, and back faces C, C, C, of the said
glasses x, x, x, to be at different acute angles with the horizon, not alike, nor
one upright as usually made. The front parts a, a', to project under the said wood
or metal frames D, D, D; we particularly claim this, which we call “hooding” or
shading" the said front parts a, a', of the said glasses by means of the said frame
D, D, D, or by any opaque matter on or over the front parts a, a, of the glasses
x, x, x ; by these means we avoid counter reflection, refraction, and the aberration
of the rays of daylight, and so get the whole, or nearly the whole, of the daylight
[Price 6d.]
"C

page_text: as absorbed by the said top surfaces A, A, A, into the said glasses x, x, x, which
daylight is reflected by the said back faces C, C, C, through the aforesaid front faces
B, B, B, to the required position.
In the various uses of reflecting, concentrating, or diffusing the daylight, the
faces B, B, B, and C, C, C, of the glasses x, x, x, may be flat, concave, or convex,
and on plan may be circular, square, or pologonal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Hamilton and Frederick Alma Hamilton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 20th March 1878.
FREDERICK HAMILTON, of 25, Poole Road, in the Parish of Saint John, Hackney,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, and FREDERICK ALMA HAMILTON, of 25,
Poole Road, in the Parish of Saint John, Hackney, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS OF DAYLIGHT."
The object of our Invention is to provide a better means for transmitting day-
light through openings in floors, ceilings, roofs, walls, decks, or any openings, as
occasion may require.
What we
Glass blocks of prism and semi-prism like form on the under side, set in frames,
are commonly used for the purpose of reflecting daylight; the reflecting surfaces
of these glass blocks being alike they only reflect the daylight at one angle, and
they have but comparitively small reflecting surfaces for directing the daylight in
one direction, and to a large extent they have a counter reflection.
propose by our Invention is to more effectively direct the falling rays of daylight
to the position or positions as required for the various apartments, cabins, and other
places by means of glass blocks of a prismoidal form on the under side, the upper
surface to be at, or nearly so, right angles with the approximate line of the falling
rays of daylight, thereby avoiding to a large extent loss of daylight by reflection
from the said upper surface, the backs or reflecting faces of the several glass blocks
to be at various angles, so as to direct and radiate the reflected rays of daylight,
as occasion may require; the front or issuing faces of the several glass blocks to be
at, or nearly so, right angles with the line of the reflected rays of daylight, and
the said front or issuing faces to project under the said frames, which "hoods" or
"shades" the said front or issuing faces; if frames of different form are used this
may be effected by placing an opaque matter over the upper portion of the said
projecting front or issuing faces of the several glass blocks; by these means we get
a reflecting surface so large as to take and so reflect the whole, or nearly the whole,
of the daylight passing through the upper surfaces; it impinges on the said back
or reflecting surfaces, and thence passes directly through the said front or issuing
faces of the several glass blocks without, or nearly so, counter reflection, refraction,
or aberration.
For the various uses of reflecting, concentrating, or diffusing the daylight, the
front or issuing faces and the back or reflecting faces of the several glass blocks may
be flat, concave, or convex, or curved in a vertical or horizontal plane.
The upper surfaces of the several glass blocks may be round, square, polo-
gonal, or other shaped. When the rays of daylight are required to be reflected to a

page_text: great distance we place the aforesaid several glass blocks at a distance apart, with
flat or sections of plano-convex lenses between the several glass blocks, to give space
for and to allow the reflected rays of daylight to pass from the several glass blocks
clear of the proceeding glass blocks.
In order that our Invention may be most fully understood and carried into effect,
we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a plan; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 4 is a front elevation; Fig. 5 is
a back elevation.
Fig. 3 is a section showing the construction of one of the several glass blocks.
D, E, is the approximate line of the rays of daylight; A is the upper surface at,
or nearly so, right angles with the line D, E; the line F, G, is the direction in which
the daylight is reflected; C is the back or reflecting surface; B is the front or
issuing face at, or nearly so, right angles with the line of reflected daylight F, G;
a, a', projects under the frame which "hoods" or "shades" the front or issuing
face B to obtain the angle of the back or reflecting surface C from intersection of
the lines D, E, and F, G, set off equal distances K and L, and draw a line through
these points, which will be the required reflecting angle.
Fig. 6 shews frame D with glass blocks x, the surfaces of which are square.
Fig. 7 is a section of Fig. 6; the frame D is set with several glass blocks x, of a
prismoidal form, for reflecting and radiating the daylight.
Figs. 8 are a plan and section of a plano-convex lense, showing the section or
part Z used, as shewn in Fig. 9.
Figure 9 is a section; the frame D is set with several glass blocks x, , of a prismoidal
form, at a distance apart, with sections of plano-convex lenses Z lenses Z between
the glass blocks; this is used for reflecting daylight to a great distance.
The same letters of reference on the various Figures denote similar parts.
What we claim is the construction of reflectors of daylight, substantially as herein
described and delineated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Alma Hamilton, on behalf of myself
and the said Frederick Hamilton, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
FREDERICK ALMA HAMILTON. (L.B.)