Improvements in Indicators for Electric Light Switches.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Lef, 8th June, 1889-Accepted, 10th Aug., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Indicators for Electric Light Switches.
WILLIAM TOWLE Manager of the Midland Railway Co.'s Hotel Dept. of the
Midland Grand Hotel, St. Pancras, London, and WILLIAM EDWARD LANGDON,
Electrical Engineer, Midland Railway, Derby do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In the combination of the article or composition known as Luminous paint with
the electrical switches or commutators employed in rooms or other parts of Hotels,
Houses, &c., so that the said Luminous paint shall indicate the position of the said
switch or commutator, and in the arrangement of the said Luminous paint Indicator
in such a manner that it may be exposed to the light rays of the room or other place
in which it is fixed, or may, if desired by the occupant of the room be averted, or
turned aside so as not to be visible at night or in the darkness.
To this end we employ a suitable form of Indicator having a glass face beneath
which is arranged the Luminous paint. This Indicator we fix in a position con-
tiguous to the electrical switch and we arrange it so that its face-that is the luminous
part may be, if necessary, turned during the day in the direction from which the
strongest light is obtained, and again so that at night or during darkness it may be
in such direction as the occupant of the room may desire. This we effect by hinging
the indicator or fixing it upon a centre, so that it may be turned up or down, or
to the right or left as may be desired.
L1000
WILLIAM TOWLE.
WILLIAM EDWARD LANGDON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Indicators for Electric Light Switches.
We, WILLIAM TOWLE Hotel Manager of the Midland Grand Hotel St. Pancras
London, and WILLIAM EDWARD LANGDON, Electrical Engineer, Midland Railway
Derby, 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 :-
In the combination of the article or composition known as luminous paint, with
the electrical switches or commutators employed in rooms or other parts of Hotels,
Houses, etc., so that the said luminous paint shall indicate the position of the said
switch or commutator. And in the arrangement of the said luminous paint indicator
in such a manner that it may be exposed to the light rays of the room or other place
in which it is fixed, or may, if desired by the occupant of the room, be averted or
turned aside, so as not to be visible at night or in the darkness.
To this end we employ a suitable form of indicator, having a glass face beneath
which is arranged the luminous paint. This indicator we fix in a position contiguous
to the electrical switch, and we arrange it so that its face,--that is the luminous
part may be, if necessary, turned during the day in the direction from which the
strongest light is obtained, and again so that at night or during darkness, it may be
in such direction as the occupant of the room may desire. This we effect by hinging
the indicator or fixing it upon a centre, so that it may be turned up or down or to
the right or left as may be desired.
To this end we make use of luminous paint under such ways, and by means of such
devices, in an illuminated Indicator for indicating the position of electrical switches, so
as to provide a ready means of finding the same in the dark, as may be found suitable

page_text: and available, as for instance-In a position contiguous to and adjoining the position
in which the electrical switch is fixed, we place a piece of transparent material, glass
by preference, served over with luminous paint, and where necessary for the purpose
of exposing it to the daylight rays of the room or position in which it is placed, we
hinge the said material by placing it in a frame or otherwise, so that it may be turned
towards the light rays during the daytime, and in any other required direction at
night or during the darker hours, so as to be visible to the occupant of the room or
not as may be desired.
We also avail ourselves where such is possible of the constructive arrangement of
the electrical switches for the same purpose. Thus, where an insulated handle is
employed for the switch, we make use of glass, serving the inside of the said glass
handle with the said luminous paint. In the smaller form of switches we employ a
glass cover A A, Fig. 1, for the switch which we render illuminant by the application
of the said luminous paint to the inside of the same. Or as in Fig. II, we surround
the switch wholly as represented by B B in the figure, or partially if desired, by a
material illuminated in the same manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim as our invention is :-
The application of luminous paint for the purpose of indicating the position of
electric light switches in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein set
forth.
Dated this 7th day of June 1980.
WILLIAM EDWARD LANGDON.
WILLIAM TOWLE.