IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNAL LANTERNS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNAL LANTERNS."-A communication
from abroad by the Universal Signal Light Company, of the City,
County, and State of New York, United States of America.
Sealed the 21st August 1874, and dated the 7th July 1874,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 7th July 1874, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
'
"
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for IMPROVEMENTS.
IN SIGNALS LANTERNS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto.
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letter's
Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has.

page_text: been communicated to me from abroad by The Universal Signal
Light Company, of the City, County, and State of New York, United
States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my
hand and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say) :-
This Invention relates to improvements in signal lanterns for rail-
roads, and consists in securing to the bottom of a common lantern a
chamber or reservoir for holding some volatile oil. In this chamber is
placed a small pump having a hollow piston, the end of which is closed
by the thumb in drawing the gas into the pump barrel. After the
barrel has been filled by blowing through the piston the gas is driven
upwards through two tubes placed one on each side of the lamp burner
where it instantly flashes into a flame a foot or more in height and gives
a signal which can be seen at a long distance.
The accompanying Drawing represents the Invention.
1 represents an ordinary railroad lantern having its cap 2 hinged on,
so that it can be thrown back and leave the top of the lantern open for
the signal flame to flash through. To the bottom of this lantern is
secured a chamber 3 of any desired shape or size for holding any light
volatile oil, which will be held in suspension in the cotton placed in any
suitable holding devices therein. Across the top of this chamber is
placed a pump barrel 4 provided with a valve 5 at its rear end.
Working in this barrel is the piston 6 operated by the hollow piston
rod 7 for the purpose of drawing the gas from the reservoir up through
the pipe 8 into the pump barrel. In drawing this piston outward so as
to suck up the gas the thumb should be pressed over the open end so as
to close it air-tight, and then by applying the mouth to the end and
blowing through the piston all the gas contained in the pump barrel is
blown afterwards through the two tubes 9, which pass up through the
oil lamp, one on each side of the burner. The instant the vapour or gas
leaves the ends of the tubes it ignites from the oil burner and shoots

page_text: upwards through the open top of the lantern in a flame which can be
seen at a long distance.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as new, and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is,―
1st. The combination in a signal lantern of the reservoir provided
with pump barrel, hollow piston, and induction and eduction tubes
with a lamp, as set forth, all arranged and operating for the purpose of
forcing a volume of gas into contact with the flame of the lamp by
applying a blast at the outer end of the hollow piston.
2nd. The combination with the lamp burner of one or more holes
arranged in such relation to the lamp burner that when volatile oil or
gas is forced through said tube or tubes from an independent reservoir
it will be ignited by the flame, substantially as set forth.
3rd. The combination of the lamp of a signal lantern with the
apparatus, substantially as described, for forcing gas or volatile oil
from a source independent of the lamp reservoir into the immediate
proximity of the flame for the purpose of producing a flash-light
signal.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of July,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four.
5 Witness,
HARRY SWALES,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)