Improvements in Flaming Lights used for Marine Purposes and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flaming Lights used for Marine Purposes and
the like.
I, JOHN SMITH COMRIE Civil Engineer of 7 & 8 Great Winchester Street in
the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
--
This invention relates to that class of lights the effect of which is based upon
the chemical action that takes place when certain substances come into contact with
water.
Lights of this class are used for a variety of marine purposes and the like, for
instance in what are known as "Holmes" lights, in life saving apparatus and in
torpedo indicators for which I have obtained Letters Patent No. 19356"
and 9616º¹.
Such lights have hitherto been produced from phosphide of calcium which
though very suitable in other respects yet does not yield a very brilliant flame.
Now according to this invention I increase the luminosity of such lights by
mixing with the phosphide of calcium a suitable proportion of another substance
for instance a suitable compound of calcium sodium or potassium. Some form of
calcium acetate will be applicable but calcium carbide is a particularly suitable
material.
In a light so made the phosphide of calcium provides the flame, the second
material say calcium carbide provides a vapour which when ignited yields a brilliant
and steady light.
Dated this and of Man 1905
BERNHARD DUKES,
226 High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Flaming Lights used for Marine Purposes and
the like.
I, JOHN SMITH COMRIE, Civil Engineer, of 7 & 8 Great Winchester Street
in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to that class of lights the effect of which is based upon
the chemical action that takes place when certain substances come into contact
with water.
Lights of this class are used for a variety of marine purposes, and the like, for
instance in what are known as "Holmes" lights, in life saving apparatus, 'and
in torpedo indicators for which I have obtained Letters Patent No. 19356*
and 96161.
Such lights have hitherto been produced from phosphide of calcium which
though very suitable in other respects does not yield â very brilliant flame.

page_text: Now according to this invention I increase the luminosity of such lights by
mixing with the phosphide of calcium a suitable proportion of another substance;
calcium carbide is a particularly suitable material.
In a light so made the phosphide of calcium provides the flame, the second
material provides a vapour which, when ignited yields a brilliant and steady light.
In some cases I simply mix the materials, but generally speaking I prefer to
enclose the carbide in a beparate chamber so that the same remains separate from
the phosphide, the vapours mingling as they issue.
The carbide chamber is preferably so made that the water, when the light
becomes operative, enters it much more slowly than the chamber containing the
phosphide.
This offers the advantage that the vapour from the carbide is generated at a rate
suitable for combustion by the flame of the phosphide vapour.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
In flaming lights for marine purposes and the like, the use of calcium carbide in
conjunction with calcium phosphide for increasing the luminosity of the light as
herein above set forth.
London 4th of Decembar 1805
BERNHARD DUKES,
226 High Holborn, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.