IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LANTERNS, LAMPS, LAMP SHADES, AND REFLECTORS, FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATIONING; CONCENTRATING, OR DIFFUSING
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Whitehead, of Crayford, in the
County of Kent, Draughtsman, and William Whitehead, of the
same place, Block Cutter, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
APPLICABLE TO LANTERNS, LAMPS, LAMP SHADES, AND REFLECTORS, FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Whitehead
and William Whitehead at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 7th October 1853. *
We, FRANCIS WHITEHEAD and WILLIAM WHITEHEAD, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE
TO LAMPS, LAMP SHADES, AND REFLECTORS FOR REFLECTING; CONCENTRATING,
OR DIFFUSING LIGHT," to be as follows:-
The object of our Invention of improvements in lamps, lamp shades,
and reflectors, is to produce an improved surface applicable for reflect-
ing, concentrating, or diffusing natural or artificial light, which surface
will not be so liable to deterioration or damage, either from the action
of the atmosphere or artificial heat to which such surfaces may be
exposed when in use. The surfaces of common reflectors for diffusing

page_text: or reflecting natural light are usually made of highly polished metal
which requires continual cleaning, an operation requiring much labour,
otherwise the reflecting surface soon becomes dull and will no longer act
as a reflector. In some cases the surfaces, reflectors, or shades used
for artificial light are japanned or otherwise prepared of a white colour,
which, however, is exceedingly liable to be damaged by the heat given
off from the light. The present Invention consists in covering the
reflecting surfaces with a white enamel or glaze, or some vitreous
preparation which will adhere to the metal, and will not be liable to
be injuriously acted upon either by the atmosphere or the heat given
off from lamps or burners. The method of enamelling or glazing
metal surfaces for other purposes, such as for lining cooking utensils,
is well known, and the peculiar process for so doing formis no part of
our Invention.
We would observe, that the improved reflecting surfaces above
mentioned are applicable to all purposes where a diffusion of light is
required; and we intend also to coat the internal surfaces of lanterns
with the white enamel or glaze, in order that no part of the light may
be absorbed by the otherwise dark surface.
For street lamps it will be found advantageous to form the upper
part of the lamp or lantern of sheet metal coated in this manner, in
order that the light radiating upwards from the burner may be reflected
towards the ground and diffused in such a manner as to be useful,
whereas a great portion of it now radiates upward and becomes lost.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francis Whitehead and William Whitehead in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,
FRANCIS WHITEHEAD, of Crayford, in the County of Kent, Draughts-
man, and WILLIAM WHITEHEAD, of the same place, Block Cutter, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters, Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of October, in the year

page_text: of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said Francis Whitehead and Willian
Whitehead, Her special license that we, the said Francis Whitehead
and William Whitehead, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Francis Whitehead and William
Whitehead, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
Imake, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO LANTERNS, LAMPS, LAMP SHADES,
AND REFLECTORS FOR REFLECTING, CONCENTRATING, OR DIFFUSING LIGHT,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Francis White-
head and William Whitehead, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Francis Whitehead (on behalf
of myself and of the said William Whitehead), do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to he
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
The object of our Invention of "Improvements applicable to Lan-
terns, Lamps, Lamp Shades, and Reflectors for Reflecting, Concentrat-
ing, or Diffusing Light," is to produce an improved surface applicable
for reflecting, concentrating, or diffusing natural or artificial light, which
surface is intended to be applied to reflectors or shades of various kinds
according to the kind of lamp or burner with which they are to be
used. The improved surface hereafter described will not be so liable

page_text: to deterioration or damage, either from the action of the atmosphere or
artificial heat to which such surfaces may be exposed when in use, as
the surfaces of common reflectors or shades for diffusing or reflecting
natural or artificial light; and which reflectors or shades are usually made
of highly polished metal that requires continual cleaning, an operation
requiring much labor and care, otherwise the reflecting surface soon
becomes dull and will no longer act as a reflector. In some cases the
surfaces of reflectors or shades used for artificial light are japanned or
otherwise prepared of a white color, which, however, is exceedingly
liable to be damaged by the heat given off from the light. The
present Invention consists in covering the reflecting surfaces with a
white enamel or glaze, or some vitreous preparation which will adhere to
the metal, and will not be liable to be injuriously acted upon either by
the atmosphere or the heat given off from lamps or burners, and which
surfaces, when so prepared, can always be kept clean with case by
merely wiping them over with a wet cloth. The method of enamelling
or glazing metal surfaces for other purposes, such as for lining cooking
utensils, is well known, and the peculiar process for so doing-forms no
part of our Invention; and as it is not necessary to make any alteration
in the enamelling process, nor to vary the ingredients or proportions of
the ingredients for the purposes of our Invention, we do not consider
it requisite to give any description thereof, as the persons conversant
with the process of enamelling hollow ware or vessels will have no
difficulty in enamelling or glazing our metallic shades or reflectors.
We would observe that we prefer to make the improved reflecting
surfaces above mentioned of wrought or sheet iron, which may be
fashioned into various form or shapes according to the particular pur-
pose for which the shade or reflector is to be employed.
These improved reflectors are applicable to all purposes where a
diffusion of light is required; and we intend also to coat the internal
surfaces of lanterns with the white enamel or glaze, in order that no
part of the light may be absorbed by the otherwise dark surfaces.
For street lamps it will be found advantageous to form the upper
part of the lamps or lantern of sheet metal coated in this manner in
order that the light radiating upwards from the burner may be reflected

page_text: towards the ground and diffused in such a manner as to be useful.
whereas a great portion of it now radiates upwards and becomes lost.
We would also observe, that although for ordinary purposes we.
propose to use a white enamel as being more calculated to reflect-or
diffuse a pure white light; yet sometimes for particular purposes it may.
be desirable to make the enamel of a slight yellow or of a rose colored
tinge; and occasionally it will be found very desirable for some purposes.
to make the enamel of a light blue color, so that by mixing a bluish.
reflected light with the yellow artificial light the yellow tinge may to a
great.extent be neutralized..
In the accompanying Drawing we have shewn various views of.
burners with our improved reflectors adapted thereto in order to reflect.
the light in the direction where it is required; the burner in some cases.
being constructed and arranged in a peculiar manner, in order to faci-
litate in carrying out this object.
Fig. 1, is a vertical section of a horizontal burner with our improved
reflectors adapted thereto for the purpose of throwing the light down-
wards on to a table or otherwise. Fig. 2, is a plan view of the burner,.
which it will be seen consists of a number of short pipes or tubes
extending radially from the annular gas chamber a.. Immediately
above this burner is placed a fluted reflector b, b, which will not only.
reflect light from the burner, but will also cause any air that may
pass up between the tubes of the burner to be deflected downward
on to the flame, and tend to promote the perfect combustion of the gas.
The burner a, and its deflector b, is covered up by a large conical shade
c, c, the internal surface of which is to be covered with the white or
other colored enamel or glaze before mentioned. By this arrangement
the largest possible amount of light for a given quantity of gas con-
sumed will be thrown downwards where it will be required. As the
upper edge of the deflector b, b, is scollopped out, there will be plenty
of room for the escape of the products of combustion.
Figs 3, and 4, represent a modification of the above. Fig. 3, is
a sectional view of the burner, reflector, and shade complete; and.
Fig. 4, is a plan view of the burner. a, is the burner, which merely
consists of an annular chamber similar to an argand burner, but with

page_text: the holes made round the outside instead of on the top of the burner,
as usual. b, b, is the deflector, which acts in precisely the same manner
as in the former instance; that is, light will be reflected from the glazed
or enamelled surface of the deflector, and the air will enter the trumpet
mouth d, d, which is made of glass, and by its form will cause the air
to pass up through the interior of the burner, and be deflected on to the
flame, as shown by the arrows. In practice we find it extremely
desirable, in order to economize light and gas, to be able to regulate to
a nicety the height of the deflector b. b, above the burner a. This is
effected by cutting a screw on the tubular stem e of the burner, and
adapting thereto a plate f, on which the deflector may be made to
rest, as shewn in the Drawing. It will now be seen that by merely
turning the plate on the tubular stem of the burner the distance
between the burner and deflector may be regulated to a nicety.
Fig. 5, is a side elevation, and Fig. 6, a plan view of another form
of burner, which is merely a modification of the last. The burner
consists of four fish-tail or other jets screwed on to a central stem so
as to burn horizontally.
Figs. 7 and 8, are elevations of two other forms of deflectors,
which may, if preferred, be used in place of those shewn at b, b, in
Figs. 1 and 3.
Fig. 9, is a sectional view of another burner and shade. In this
instance there is only a single jet, either of the fish-tail or bat-wing
kind; and the gas being made to burn in a horizontal direction, as
shewn, the light will be reflected downwards by the glazed sides of the
shade c, c.
This shade is mounted on a hinge joint at g, so that when
required it may be thrown back into the position shewn by dots in the
Figure. The hinge joint g of the shade is secured to a short tube h,
which is screwed at both ends so that it may be attached by one end to
the gas pipe i, while the burner or jet ; may be screwed into the other
end, as shewn. It is evident, therefore, that if it be required an elbow
vertical jet or argand burner may be screwed on to the short pipe h, in
place of the horizontal jet shewn; and by supporting the shade in a
vertical position it may be made to throw the light forward in a hori-
zontal direction.

page_text: For ordinary street lamps it will only be necessary to make the top
panels of the lamp of the glazed or enamelled metal in place of glass,
and therefore it will not be necessary to shew any Drawing thereof.
We would observe, that our Invention is also applicable to what are
usually called "Diurnal reflectors," or other similar contrivances which
are or may be employed for reflecting or diffusing the light of day into
certain situations or places where it could not be otherwise conveniently
obtained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Whitehead, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
FRANCIS WHITEHEAD. (L.S.)