CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN HAND LAMPS, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR THE USE OF POLICE CONSTABLES, RAILWAY SERVANTS, AND OTHERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hugh Simpson, Police Inspector, of the Borough of
Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN HAND LAMPS, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR THE USE OF POLICE
CONSTABLES, RAILWAY SERVANTS, AND OTHERS."
ealed the 29th June 1877, and dated the 3rd January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hugh Simpson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd January 1877.
WILLIAM HUGH SIMPSON, Police Inspector, of the Borough of Rochdale, in the
County of Lancaster. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND LAMPS, PARTICULARLY
ADAPTED FOR THE USE OF POLICE CONSTABLES, RAILWAY SERVANTS, AND OTHERS."
This Invention relates to improvements in hand lamps, more especially used by
police constables, railway servants, and others, and consists of the following con-
struction-The oil and wick box is attached to a plate, preferably circular, of
brass or other suitable metal, having a projecting collar with a screw thread cut
in the same, which enables it to be screwed and fastened into a corresponding
female screw, of brass or other metal, attached to the bottom of the interior of the
lamp, thereby obtaining a greater degree of firmness and security than in the lamps
at present in use. When it is required to remove the oil and wick box the said
metal plate is unscrewed. To the top of the oil box I fit a combined screw and
funnel for the purpose of replenishing the same with oil by removing the screw and
the funnel to carry the wick, as in the oil box at present in use; but in order to
guard against the spilling or overflow of the oil from the box, and the consequent
injury to the constable's clothes, I place a raised rim around the outside of the oil.
box, in which a piece of cotton is deposited to absorb such overflow, the same wick
being afterwards used in the oil box for lighting purposes.
I also use an improved circular darkening disc, of tin plate or other suitable metal,
working vertically on a pin fitted at the side of the "bull's eye
" tube in a narrow
vertical semicircular slot or opening, the said disc being furnished with a small
knob or handle for the purpose of raising or lowering the same, and thereby leaving
clear or darkening the "bull's eye" as may be required.
For the use of railway servants with the object of indicating danger or giving
other signals. I fit in a similar manner one or more red or other coloured glass discs,

page_text: in lieu of the metal darkening disc. I further attach to the upper edge of the disc
a projecting rim for the purpose of preventing any glimmer of light being visible
through the slot or opening when the "bull's eye" is darkened.
I provide the body of the lamp with a door to open and shut by sliding vertically,
to facilitate which a catch is fitted to the outside of the same, this door opening
sufficiently for the purpose of access to the interior of the lamp, and for trimming
the wick.
On the exterior of and at the bottom of the lamp frame just without and clear of
its circumference I fix a sheet-metal shield or shields open at the bottom and
closed at the top, rising vertically or in a curved form round or partly round the
outside of the lamp frame, through which shield or shields, by means of one or
more apertures in the lamp frame, the air or draught necessary for the light passes
in an upward direction.
I also attach to the outside of the lamp frame a tempered belt spring for the
purpose of fastening the lamp more securely to the constable's belt than is the case
at present with the ordinary belt fastener. I further provide a metal lamp pricker,
which when not in use is held in a suitable metal guard or mounting fitted to the
exterior of the lamp frame.
"
18
Some of the advantages of this Invention compared with the lamps at present in
use are that the top instead of being moveable for darkening the "bull's eye
fixed, consequently the constable's hand is not liable to be burnt when "dowsing "
or opening the light; the oil box being fixed is safer and more easily removed and
filled; the door sliding vertically instead of working on hinges is easier, quicker,
and safer in operation, and allows of the wick being instantly trimmed; the
darkening disc works much more freely; the belt spring grips the belt more firmly ;
and by means of the lamp or wick pricker the wick is more easily trimmed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Hugh Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
July 1877.
WILLIAM HUGH SIMPSON, Inspector of Police, of Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster. "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND LAMPS, PARTICULARLY ADAPTED
FOR THE USE OF POLICE CONSTABLES, RAILWAY SERVANTS, AND OTHERS."
This Invention relates to improvements in hand lamps, more especially used by
police constables, railway servants, and others, and consists of the following con-
struction: The oil and wick box is attached to a plate, preferably circular, of
brass or other suitable metal, having a projecting collar with a screw thread cut in
the same, which enables it to be screwed and fastened into a corresponding female
screw, of brass or other metal, attached to the bottom of the interior of the lamp,
thereby obtaining a greater degree of firmness and security than in the lamps at
present in use. I furnish the wick tube of the oil box with a vertical slot, and to
trim the wick the oil box is unscrewed a quarter turn, which will bring the slot
opposite the slide door. As the shield rests upon the flange of screw when home
the said flange is perforated with small holes so far as the shield covers the same,
through which perforations the air passes upward through the shield into the lamp.
The top ventilator has at its base a brass male screw, which when put in the lamp
works into a female brass screw. On the under side of the metal flange I place.
three studs or feet, equidistant, to allow the free passage of air through the per-
forations in the said metal flange when the lamp is placed upon a flat surface when
burning. When it is required to remove the oil and wick box the said metal plate
is unscrewed. To the top of the oil box I fit a combined screw and wick tube for
the purpose of replenishing the same with oil by removing the screw and the wick,
tube to carry the wick, as in the oil box at present in use; but in order to guard"
against the spilling or overflow of the oil from the box, and the consequent. injury

page_text: to the constable's clothes, I place a raised rim around the outside of the oil box, in
which a piece of cotton wick is deposited to absorb such overflow, the same wick
being afterwards used in the oil box for lighting purposes.
←
"
I also use an improved circular darkening disc of tin plate or other suitable metal
working vertically on a split pin or screw fitted at the side of the "bull's eye'
tube in a narrow vertical semicircular slot or opening, the said disc being furnished
with a small knob or handle for the purpose of raising or lowering the same, and
thereby leaving clear or darkening the "bull's
"
eye
as may be required.
For the use of railway servants with the object of indicating danger or giving
other signals I fit in a similar manner one or more red or other colored glass discs,
in lieu of the metal darkening disc. I further attách to the upper edge of the disc
a projecting rim for the purpose of preventing any glimmer of light being visible
through the slot or opening when the ""
"bull's eye is darkened.
I provide the body of the lamp with a door to open and shut by sliding vertically,
to facilitate which a catch is fitted to the outside of the
same, this door opening
sufficiently for the purpose of access to the interior of the lamp and for trimming
the wick.
On the exterior of and at the bottom of the lamp frame just without and clear of
its. circumference I fix a sheet-metal shield or shields open at the bottom and closed
at the top, rising vertically or in a curved form round or partly round the outside
of the lamp frame, through which shield or shields, by means of one or more
apertures in the lamp frame, the air or draught necessary for the light passes in an
upward direction.
I also attach to the outside of the lamp frame a tempered belt spring for the
purpose of fastening the lamp more securely to the constable's belt than is the case
at present with the ordinary belt fastener. I further provide a metal lamp pricker,
which when not in use is held in a suitable metal guard or mounting fitted to the
exterior of the lamp frame.
"
Some of the advantages of this Invention compared with the lamps at present in
use are that the top instead of being moveable for darkening the "bull's eye" is
fixed, consequently the constable's hand is not liable to be burned when "dowsing"
or opening the light; the oil box being fixed is safer and more easily removed and
filled; the door sliding vertically instead of working on hinges is easier, quicker,
and safer in operation, and allows of the wick being instantly trimmed; the
darkening disc works much more freely; the belt spring grips the belt more firmly ;
and by means of the lamp or wick pricker the lamp is more easily trimmed.
In order that my Invention may be more readily understood I have annexed
hereto a Sheet of Drawings, in which A shews the darkening disc; B, the sliding
door; C, the steel belt spring; D, the pricker in the place where it is kept when
not in use; E, the shields which cover the feed air holes; F, chamber in oil box,
in which wick is placed to catch overflow oil; G shews the oil box, which screws
into the bottom of the lamp; and H, the perforations in bottom flange of same to
allow of air passing into and through the shields.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed or carried into practical effect, I
would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention and desire to be
secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent, the improvements in
hand lamps for the use of police constables, railway officials, and others, sub-
stantially as above described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for
carrying the same into practice, or any equivalent modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hugh Simpson, have hereunto set
my. hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
W. H. SIMPSON. (L.S.)