Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Lighting Velocipede and other Carriage Lamps.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Lighting Velocipede and
other Carriage Lamps.
We, CHARLES ALBERT MILLER, and FREDERICK JOHN MILLER, trading as
H. Miller and Company of Miller Street, Aston near Birmingham, Manufacturers,
and HENRY PATTMAN TRUEMAN, of St. Georges Terrace, Hockley, Birmingham
aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in means or apparatus, for lighting
velocipede, and ordinary carriage lamps, and consists essentially in the employment
of an attachment, in the form of a match carrier, with a holder, which on being
passed inwardly through a hole in the lamp, impinges upon a striker in its path,
hence a striking of the match, and the lighting of the wick of the lamp, while
the said holder is directed obliquely downwards, and with the match within it
burning alike unto a semi-inverted torch.
In carrying out one form of our invention, we proceed as follows:-
Jointed to the side of the lamp, and preferably below the middle part of it,
a short arm is jointed, with a quadrant shaped match holder, in the form of a tube,
at its other end; and which said tube, which is open at its outer end, is directed
and curved inwardly, alike unto a hollow sector, struck from the radius of the
joint of its carrying arm, and wherein the stem of a match is inserted, leaving the
head naked, and protruding beyond the said open end of the holder as aforesaid.
The holder may be open jointed, so that an unburned match stem may be
removed, by a pointed instrument.
Directed through the side of the lamp, immediately in front of the inner end of
the holder, and above the plane of the lamp burner, is a hole or piercing, to admit
of the match holder passing therethrough, which said holder, when through, semi-
depends or inclines downwards over the lamp burner.
Jointed to the inside of the lamp and in front of the hole or piercing, is a match
striker or a spring striker, which yields in obedience to the pressure exerted upon
it by the head of the match, when the same is forced inwardly by its holder.
The striker consists preferably of a channelled guide, with teeth or serrations
running along its middle, in manner that on the holder being pushed through the
hole in the lamp, the metal of the open end of it, travels up the striker as a guide,
with the head being drawn over the serrations, hence the lighting of the lamp after
the carrier has passed the striker, and comes above the burner, or the wick of the
lamp, in an oblique direction.
By the presenting of the holder, and the match within it, in a semi-depending
position, above and in proximity to the wick of the lamp, the match burns alike
unto a semi-inverted torch, within a tube, which on becoming heated, causes the
wax of the match to liquify, and feed itself to the flaine, by running down
the tube.
We wish it to be particularly understood, that the most important feature of our
invention, consists in presenting the match holder to the wick in a semi-inverted or
inclined position.
The carrier may be disposed to work in a horizontal plane, so as not to interfere
with the side light of the lamp, or it may be made to work above the side light,
and with the holder jointed to the carrier, so that on the said holder passing
inwardly through the side of the lamp, and coming in contact with the striker, and

page_text: a guide, the match is struck, and its path of motion, guided and directed downwards,
in a semi inverted position, and with the protruding and lighted end of the match,
in proximity to the wick.
The carrier may be made in the form of a sliding tube, working inwardly, and
obliquely downwards above the burner part, and with the head of the match
coming in contact with the striker, which is pushed aside or away after striking.
When a spring striker is employed, the same pushes back the carrier, after it has
been slightly removed from its home position. As a modification the holder may
be forced horizontally inwards, and then by a spring or guide movement, made to
take an inclined or semi-depending position, with the lighted end of the match
downwards.
The acting face of the striker, or striker plate, may be removable, for the
replacement of a fresh striker.
By igniting the head of the match, and communicating its heat, by conduction,
through the tube to the wax, the same becomes melted and burned, leaving only dry
fibrous portion of the match.
An important feature of this invention, is that the lamp can be lighted by a
cyclist without dismounting, and without opening the door.
The attachment can be readily applied to existing lamps, if desired.
The application of our invention to other like lamps, differs in no essential
respect from its application to a velocipede lamp, as herein before described.
Dated this 11th day of January 1892
CHARLES ALBERT MILLER,
FREDERICK JOHN MILLER,
HENRY PATTMAN TRUEMAN,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means or Apparatus for Lighting Velocipede and
other Carriage Lamps.
We, CHARLES ALBERT MILLER, and FREDERICK JOHN MILLER, trading as
H. Miller and Company, of Miller Street, Aston, near Birmingham, Manu-
facturers, and HENRY PATTMAN TRUEMAN, of St. Georges Terrace, Hockley,
Birmingham aforesaid, 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 :-
This invention relates to means or apparatus for the lighting of velocipede and
carriage lamps, and consists essentially in the employment of an attachment, in the
form of an inverted match carrier.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in side elevation, a cycle
lamp, provided with lighting means constructed, arranged and working according
to our invention.
In the said view, the means, as hereinafter described, for the holding and carrying
of a match, is shown in a drawn back position, and with the tubular holder part in
section. When in this said position, the match stem can be inserted in the com-
bined holder and carrier, ready for the lighting of a lamp.
Figure 2 represents a front elevation, with the glazing and lower middle part of
the lamp partly in section, showing the match holder and carrier provided with a
match, and also the match carrier and striker located at the back of an aperture in
the side of a lamp, wherethrough the carrier and match inwardly pass for lighting.
Figure 3 shows a like section as Figure 2, but with the carrier pressed into the
interior of the lamp, and the match struck and lighting the wick,

page_text: The striker is shown pressed back by the forward movement of the carrier,
although the normal position of the said striker (as in Figure 2) is within the path
of the said match carrier.
Figure 4 shows also a like section as Figures 2 and 3, with the lamp lighted, and
the match carrier in the act of being withdrawn or pulled back, after the stearine
or wax of the match, has been consumed, leaving behind and within the carrier, the
fibrous filaments of the same, which are withdrawn by the fore part of the striker
impinging against the outwardly extending end, as the carrier retreats at a greater
rate, relative to the rear motion of the striker.
Figure 5 shows how the said filament or cotton of the match is withdrawn, by the
retreating action of a carrier, whilst the filament is being held.
Figure 6 represents separately, an edge view, a plan, and a cross section of the
striker.
The same letters of reference indicate the corresponding parts in the several
figures of the drawing.
a is the body of the lamp, having one side a², pierced with an aperture or
hole, at the back of which is a spring and tumbler striker, jointed at b³,
and of a cross section, having serrations or saw teeth, within the trough.
is a spring, or a coiled spring, with three ends of it bearing respectively
against the striker supporting bracket, and the other end against the striker,
which is alike unto a short arm describing a portion of a circle about the
centre 2, and adapted to normally rest against the back of the aperture a³,
wherethrough the inatch and carrier, as hereinafter described, inwardly pass.
This striker retreats before the carrier, as it is forced inwardly.
c is a match carrier and holder, titted at the end of a short arm c², jointed
at, and held in its backward position by a spring horse shoe shaped clip d.
e is the match, located within the holder of the said carrier, and on the same being
forced through the aperture a, the head is brought into intimate contact with the
serrations, of the striker b, which lies within the path of the said match, on the
same being forced into the interior of the lamp for the lighting of the wick, taking
within the wick casing g, supported by the reservoir h.
The outer end of the carrier is shamfered or inclined at c', so that the fore part
of the striker can impress itself upon the cotton filaments of a burnt match, for
the automatic withdrawal of a burnt match, on the carrier making its retiring
movement.
OPERATION.
Assuming the match carrier to be in the position as represented in Figure 2, a
match is inserted, stem foremost, within the same, and with the commencement of
the head coming adjacent to the extreme end, of the holder, leaving a small naked
part of the match stem between the part c', and the inner edge of the shamfer.
Now take hold of the match carrier, and turn the same upon its joint, towards the
lamp, or in the direction of the arrow, and at the same time forcing the said carrier
through the aperture as, when the head of the match impinges upon the striker,
which lies within its path of motion, hence the striking of the match, the pressing
of the striker from out of the path of the carrier, and the lighting of the lamp, as in
Figure 3, with the said match inverted. The flash from the striking of the head,
heats the metal of the match holder or carrier, and by the conduction of the heat
through the carrier to the match stein, the stearine or wax of the latter becomes
melted or liquified, and by the inverted or depending position of the carrier, the
said melted stearine is fed to the flame of the match, which burus alike unto an
inverted torch, so long as any stearine or wax remains, leaving a dry cotton
filament within the tubular carrier, which filament is removed by the fore part of
the striker pressing against its exposed end, on the match carrier being pulled baek,
as in Figures 4 and 5, hence the extraction of the said match cotton or filament.
It will be understood that the fundamental principles of lighting are dependent

page_text: upon the depending position of the match carrier, or the inverted position of the
match for the burning of it. Thus, the oil burnt within the lamp, being fixed or
non-volatile, it is necessary for a light to be held for some time in contact with a
wick before the same ignites. Therefore, as lighting is dependent upon contact for
a period, lighting could not be effected by a simple flash, which would occur if the
match was presented head upwards, or horizontally, but by inverting the match
within the tubular carrier, the latter becomes immediately heated from the flash by
conduction, and as before stated, the stearine readily becomes liquified, runs down
the tube, and is consumed in contact with the wick.
It will be understood that the initial liquification of the stearine is due to the
flash of the match on striking, while the primary liquification of the stearine, is due
to the heating of the tube caused by the continued burning of the match.
The application of our invention to the lighting of carriage and other lamps,
differs in no essential respect from its application to a cycle lamp, as herein
described.
As a modification, a depending tubular and open ended guide may project
from a side of a lamp, in lieu of a jointed match holder or carrier, and which
guide carries at its bottom, a spring striker, past which the head of a match is
forced, by pressing a match down the guide or tube.
Figure 7 represents the said modification of a depending and tubular open
ended guide with a match carrier tube located and sliding therein, and with the
lower part of the said downwardly inclined guide fitted with a striker.
a is the body of the lamp, a³ is an open ended guide tube, obliquely and
downwardly directed from one side of the said lamp body, and sliding within
the said guide is a match carrier c, in the form of a split tube with a pusher c²,
at its outer end. e is a match whose head extends heyond the said carrier c,
and when pressed home down the guide, the same comes in contact with a spring
striker b.
To light a lamp, insert a match stem forwardly into the carrier tube c, after the
same has been withdrawn from the guide.
Then insert the said carrier and the match, head forward, into the said guide,
when on the same being pushed home, the said head is pushed past the striker, and
the match thereby struck, when the heat of the flame heats the casing and holder
and melts the stearin of the match, which runs down to the flame as before
described with respect to the jointed match carrier arrangement, hence the lighting
of the wick in the burner f.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First In cycle and carriage lamps, lighting the same by striking the match
head downwards, and with the stem enclosed, or partially enclosed, within an inverted
or depending metallic casing, carrier, guide or holder, hence inverted striking and
lighting, substantially as, and for the purpose as described and set forth.
Secondly-In inverted lighting means for cycle and carriage lamps, employing
a quadrant shaped tubular and jointed carrier, adapted to be moved into the interior
of the lamp, and into contact with a match striker, substantially as described and
set forth.
Thirdly-In inverted lighting means for cycle and carriage lamps, the com-
bination with a tubular and jointed carrier and match holder, of a spring match
striker, located within the inside of the aperture made through the side of the lamp,
wherethrough the match carrier inwardly passes, substantially as described and set
forth.
Fourthly-In inverted lighting mechanism of lamps, the means for extracting
or withdrawing the residual cotton of the match after ignition, substantially as
described and set forth.

page_text: Fifthly In the means of lighting of lamps, the combination, arrangement, and
dispositions of the parts, as described and set forth.
Dated this 11th day of October 1892.
CHARLES ALBERT MILLER,
FREDERICK JOHN MILLER,
HENRY PATTMAN TRUEMAN,
By Henry Sterrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.