Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug.,
1897
I, JOHN MEIGGS EWEN, of No. 1129 The Rookery, Chicago, County of Cook,
State of Illinois, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to light distributing devices, such for example as sky-
lights and the like, and has for its object to provide a new and improved device
of this description.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a view of a light diffusing device embodying my invention;
Figure 2 shows a modified form of my device;
Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.
I have illustrated in the drawings a device particularly adapted for skylights
and the like, and which is so constructed that the vertical rays of light are projected
in a certain definite direction, and the rays of light from some other direction are
also projected in a direction substantally parallel to the vertical rays.
In Figure 1, I have shown a series of projections A having the plane surface B
and having the broken or corrugated surface C¹. This surface C¹ is preferably
broken up into prisms and the two surfaces are so positioned with relation to each
other that the vertical light and light from some other direction on passing
therethrough is projected in substantially parallel lines towards some given point.
The ray of light D1 for example, enters the prism and is refracted out through the
surface C¹ by which it is again refracted so as to leave such surface in a substantially
vertical direction. The ray of light E¹ enters the prism A and strikes the surface B
at such an angle as to be reflected by such surface. The ray passes out through the
surface C¹ and is refracted so as to be projected in a direction substantially parallel
to the ray D¹. I have not attempted to show the different modifications by which
the result I attained may be produced, as it is evident of course, that various
constructions may be used for this purpose.
As illustrated in Figure 2 I use a series of projecting prisms A provided with the
surfaces B and C. These surfaces are so positioned with relation to each other
that a vertical ray of light D on entering the prism is refracted and strikes the
surface B, and is then reflected towards the surface C. This ray is refracted on
nassing through the surface C and is projected in a substantially vertical direction.
The ray of light E enters the prism and is refracted as shown. The surface B
is so positioned that the ray E upon striking said surface is again refracted so as
to be projected in a direction substantially parallel to the ray D. It will therefore
be seen that by this construction a larger amount of light may be directed towards
any given point than is the case with the ordinary prismatic glass.
These prisms or projections A may be formed in any desired manner and are
preferably formed so that two or more are connected together, the pieces being
placed in a suitable frame for holding them together.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1: A sky-light prism comprising a body of glass with primary prisms on one
side thereof, each primary prism having on one surface a series of secondary prisms,
the several surfaces related substantially as shown and described and for the purpose
specified.
2: A prism light especially for sky-lights having the body of glass and the
prisms arranged substantially as shown so as to produce the specified result.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.