Improvements in the Lighting of Streets and the like by Incandescent Electric Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Lighting of Streets and the like by
Incandescent Electric Lamps.
We, ROBERT CORNELIUS QUIN, of 18, Hamilton Road, Brighton, Electrical
Engineer, and HENRY REASON, of 111 and 112 Gloucester Road, Brighton, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to the lighting of streets by incandescent electric lamps.
Many attempts have been made to light streets and such like open spaces by means
of incandescent electric lamps but up to now these attempts have been only partially
successful, and the use of incandescent lamps for this purpose has not become
general. The principal objections which have been raised against such use appear
to be firstly the bad distribution of light and consequent small illumination of spaces
intermediate of the lamps and secondly the damage arising from the damp and rain
in exposed situations working in through the joints and spoiling the insulation.
According to our invention we provide in each lantern or lamp two or more
incandescent lamps and between the said lamps we place curved or suitably formed
reflectors back to back which reflect the rays in a horizontal and downward
direction. The reflectors are preferably arranged in such a manner as to form a
solid of somewhat pyramidal shape suspended from the top of the lantern. The
mounting for the lamps comprises a cap adapted to make a tight joint with the top
of the post, a box containing the switch, and a head extending into the lantern to
which head the lamp sockets are secured. We protect the cables and the switch
contacts from water by making the aforesaid cap, switch-box and head either of one
casting, or of parts secured together by watertight joints, the only loose portion being
the cover of the switch-box which is secured with a packing washer between itself
and the box. The spindle of the switch which projects through the said washer
is packed by a suitable gland, and is provided with a suitable cross arm by means of
which the switch can be operated from below.
We prefer to secure the reflector to the top of the lantern in the following
manner, that is to say, the whole or the upper portions of the sides of the reflector
are hinged and provided with a spring or springs which tend to press the said
sides or portions thereof outward thus enlarging the base of the pyramid. In the
upper part of the lantern we provide an internal bead groove or other suitable
arrangement into engagement with which the base of the reflector can readily be
brought by pressing in the sides. The reflector is then held by its base when the
pressure is relieved. By this means the reflector can be very readily inserted or
removed without the necessity of taking off the top of the lantern.
We sometimes support the reflector by sockets and standards or other suitable
means mounted on the head to which the lamps are attached.
Our improved means for lighting can at small expense be readily applied to
existing street gas lamps in which case we simply remove the gas pipe and insert
in lieu thereof our cap with switch and lamps attached.
Dated this 13th day of December 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
31, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in the Lighting of Streets and the like by
Incandescent, Electric Lamps.
We, ROBERT CORNELIUS QUIN, of 18, Hamilton Road, Brighton, Electrical'
Engineer, and HENRY REASON, of 111 and 112 Gloucester Road, Brighton, Engineer,
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:
Our invention relates to the lighting of streets by incandescent electric lamps.
Many attempts have. been made to light streets and such like open spaces by
means of incandescent electric lamps but up to now these attempts have been only
partially successful, and the use of incandescent lamps for this purpose has not
become general. The principal. objections which have been raised against such use
appear to be firstly the bad distribution of light and consequent small illumination
of spaces intermediate of the lamps and secondly the damage arising from the
damp and rain in exposed situations working in through the joints and spoiling the
insulation.
According to our invention we provide in each lantern two or more incandescent
lamps and between the said. lamps we place curved or suitably formed reflectors
back to back which reflect the rays horizontally or downwards, or in other. useful
directions. The mounting for the lamps comprises a cap adapted to make a joint
with the top. of. the post,. a box containing the switch and a head extending into
the lantern to which head the lamp sockets are secured. The cables and contacts
are protected from water by making the parts of the mounting either in one piece or
of pieces secured together with watertight joints.
In order that. our invention may be clearly understood we will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is an elevation partly sectional of a street lamp fitted with our improved
devices.
.
Figure 2. is a vertical section of the mounting for the lamps drawn to an
enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is an elevation shewing an alternative method of supporting the
reflector.
Figure 4 is a section on the line x-x-Figure 2.
A. is the top portion of the lamp post, B, B. the lamps, C the switch handle,
D the reflector, and E. the framework of the lantern which may be of any suitable
pattern.
Referring more particularly to Figure 2 the mounting for the lamps comprises
a. cap F, adapted, to be secured to the top of the post A which cap has screwed
into it. a pipe F on, the top of which is the switch box (said switch-box being
screwed, to or formed in one piece with said pipe. Screwed into the top of the
switch-box is a pipe G which is branched at. the top as shewn and on which the
two lamps B, B are carried in any suitable manner.
The parts F, F, C', G. may be made in one piece if desired or if made. in
separate parts must be connected by water tight joints. to prevent.the entrance of
moisture.
The leads from the two lamps pass down the tube G: to the switch terminals
and from the other side of the switch the leads. pass. down the. tube F and post A
to the mains. The switch may be of any suitable description the movable part being
carried on a spindle C which passes through a stuffing box C in the removable
cover C of the switch box. A packing washer C is provided between the cover
and the box.

page_text: As shewn in Figure 1 one of the sides D¹ of the reflector D is hinged at D'
to the remaining portion of the reflector and a spring D³ is provided to press the said
side outward.
The lantern is provided with a bead E' with which the two sides of the reflector D
engage as shewn thereby supporting said reflector in position. By pressing the
sides of the reflector together they can be readily disengaged from the bead and the
reflector removed. We do not confine ourselves to the exact details shewn as
modifications may be introduced which fall within the scope of our invention. For
example, both the curved sides of the reflector or the upper portions only of either
or both of them may be moveable relatively to the other and smaller sides, or the
reflector may be held by its smaller sides if desired. Also instead of a bead, a
groove or recess may be provided in the frame of the lantern with which the upper
portions of the sides can engage.
We sometimes support the reflector by arms H mounted on the top of the pipe G
as shewn in Figure 3.
We prefer to provide the reflector with outwardly convex roof having projecting
eaves as shewn at D* in Figure 3 in order to prevent rain from entering the reflector..
If this occurs, the reflector may become full of water which overflows, running
down the sides and thereby spoiling the reflecting surface and also dropping on the
lamps and causing them to become loose in their sockets.
In order to prevent the weight of the leads passing down the post A from
injuring the terminals we prefer to support the said leads by a clamp in the pipe F¹
a simple form of which is shewn in Figure 4. I is a movable part having two
vertical V-shaped slots and I' is a bolt screwed through a boss formed on the pipe
and adapted to press the part I towards the opposite side of the pipe so as to
tightly clamp the leads in the V-shaped slots as shewn.
We preferably also seal the top of the pipe with wax or other suitable insulating
material, as shewn at 1, Figure 2, in order to prevent the entrance of moisture from
the lamp-post to the switch box. Such sealing is especially desirable with certain
descriptions of cable, which although not hygroscopic in the ordinary sense, become
seriously impaired by moisture creeping between the wire and insulation from the
place where the wire is bared to connect to the switch terminals.
Our improved means for lighting can at small expense be readily applied to
existing street gas lamps, in which cases we simply remove the gas pipe and insert
in lieu thereof, our cap with mounting and lamps attached as before described.
Instead of using two lamps in each lantern we may provide three or more, the
top of the mounting being suitably formed to receive said lamps and the reflector
having a number of sides equal to the number of lamps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The improvements in lamps for lighting streets substantially as described.
2. A watertight mounting for incandescent lamps adapted to be secured on the top
of an ordinary lamp-post either with or without arms for supporting the reflector
substantially as described.
3. In a street lamp a reflector constructed substantially as described with reference
to Figure 1 or to Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings for the purpose specified.
To
1800
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicants.