IMPROVE- MENTS IN POCKET RAILWAY READING LAMPS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Parsons North, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN POCKET RAILWAY READING LAMPS."
Scaled the 25th June 1869, and dated the 14th January 1809.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Parsons North
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 14th January 1869.
I, EDWARD PARSONS NORTH, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POCKET RAILWAY READING LAMPS," to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists of the combinations or arrangements herein.
after described of the parts of pocket railway reading lamps, whereby
simplicity of construction and great portability are secured. I make the
case of the lamp of a cylindrical figure, an opening being made in one
side, through which the light from the candle passes. Upon the said
cylindrical case a close fitting cylindrical covering works, the said
covering having an opening in it of the shape and size of that in the

page_text: cylindrical case. At the bottom of the case is a perforated collar, through
the sides and end of which collar air is admitted to the lamp;
this collar is situated below the bottom of the covering, the said covering
turning upon the collar. Above the collar and in the axis of the case
is a short tube in which the candle tubo slides with considerable friction.
A disk at the bottom of the candle tubo onables it to be raised or
depressed in the lamp case to tho required extent, and also serves as a
foot. The lamp glass is made of a cylindrical figure, and is supported
on flanges carried by the lamp caso. A lid or cover closes the top of
the lamp, and carries a double hook by which the lamp is suspended in
the railway carriago. Between the lamp glass and the back of the
case a reflector is fitted, the said reflector being placed in or removed
from the lamp by a sliding motion. When the lamp is in use the
covering herein-before described is so turned that its opening coincides
with the opening in the cylindrical case of the lamp; the candle tube is
adjusted opposite the said said opening, and the lid at the top of the lamp
is raised. When it is wished to close the lamp and fit it to be carried in
the pocket or portmanteau the cylindrical covering is turned, so that an
unperforated part of it is brought over and made to close the opening in
the lamp case and protect the lamp glass from being broken. The lid
of the lamp is shut down, and the candle tube is raised in the case until
its disk bears against the bottom of the lamp. The lamp now resembles
a tube closed at both ends; it occupies little space, and may be carried
in the pocket or portmanteau without inconvenience and without danger
of breaking the lamp glass. A jointed handle may be fixed to the lamp
so as to allow of the lamp being used as a hand lantern.
Instead of the lamp glass described a piece of talc may be used to
cover the opening in the lamp case, and instead of making the lamp
case and covering cylindrical they may be made elliptical or other
shape in cross section. In this modification the opening in the lamp
case is closed by sliding the covering from off the case, inverting it, and
replacing it on the said case. If desired an external reflector may be
fitted to the lamp.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
.
filed by the said Edward Parsons North in the Great Scal
Patent Office on the 9th July 1809.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
PARSONS NORTH, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of Januury, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-nine, in
the thirty-second year of Her reign, lid, for Herself, Ier heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Parsons North,
Her special licence that I, the said Edward Parsons North, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Parsons North, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to timo
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POCKET BAILWAY
READING LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Edward Parsons North, my executors or administrators, by au
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Edward Parsons North, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of the combinations or arrangements herein.
after described of the parts of pocket railway reading lamps, whereby
simplicity of construction and great portability aro secured. I mako
the case of the lamp of a cylindrical figure, an opening being made in
one side, through which the light from the candle passes. Upon the
said cylindrical case a close fitting cylindrical covoring works, the said

page_text: covering having an opening in it of the shape and size of that in the
cylindrical case. At the bottom of the case is a perforated collar, through
the sides and end of which collar air is admitted to the lamp. This
collar is situated below the bottom of the covering, the said covering
turning upon the collar. A short tube is fixed in the axis of the case
in which the candle tube slides with considerable friction. A disc at
the bottom of the candle tube enables it to be raised or lowered in the
lamp case to the required extent, and also serves as a foot. The lamp
glass is made of a cylindrical figure, and is supported on flanges carried
by the lamp case. A lid or cover closes the top of the lamp and carries
a double hook by which the lamp is suspended in the railway carriage.
Between the lamp glass and the back of the case a reflector is fitted.
When the lamp is in use the close fitting covering herein-before de-
scribed is so turned that its opening coincides with the opening in the
cylindrical case of the lamp; the candle tube is adjusted opposite the
said opening, and the lid at the top of the lamp is raised; the lid, how-
ever, need not be raised when provision is made for the escape of hot
air. When it is wished to close the lamp and fit it to be carried in the
pocket or portmanteau, the cylindrical covering is turned so that an
unperforated part of it is brought over and made to close the opening
in the lamp case and protect the lamp glass from being broken. The
lid of the lamp is shut down, and the candle tube is raised in the case
until its disc bears against the bottom of the lamp. The lamp now
resembles a tube closed at both ends; it occupies little space, and may
be carried in the pocket or portmanteau without inconvenience and
without danger of breaking the lamp glass. A handle may be fixed
to the lamp so as to allow of the lamp being used as a hand lamp or
lantern.
Instead of the lamp glass described a piece of talc may be used to
cover the opening in the lamp case, and instead of making the lamp
case and covering cylindrical they may be made elliptical or other shape
in cross section. In this modification the opening in the lamp case is
closed by sliding the covering from off the case, turning it and replacing
it on the said case. If desired an external reflector may be fitted to the
lamp.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in
which the same is to be performed.

page_text: Figure 1 represents in elevation a pocket railway reading lamp constructed
according to my Invention, the said lamp being closed for carrying in the
pocket or portmanteau; Figure 2 represents in elevation, and Figuro 3 in
vertical section the said lamp open ready for use; Figure 4 represents
the case of the lamp separately. The reading lamp, Figures 1, 2, and 3,-
may also be used as a hand lamp or lantern. The same letters of
reference indicate the same parts.
a is the cylindrical case of the lamp, having an opening 6 in it'
through which the light from the candle passes; c is the cylindrical
covering working closely upon the lamp case a. The said covering c
has an opening d in it of the shape and size of that in the case a. Tho
case a and covering c are connected together, and the covering c at the
same time permitted to rotate upon the case a by the upper part of the
said case being turned into an annular groove e made in the covering c,
as seen in Figure 8. The bottom part of the covering e works against a
shoulder fon the perforated bottom or collar a³ of the case a. Through
this collar air is admitted to the lamp for combustion. In the axis of
the caso a is a short tube packed with leather, in which the candlo
tube slides with considerable friction. A disk at the bottom of the
candle tube enables it to be raised or depressed in the lamp caso a.
The said disk A³ also serves as a foot to support the lamp when in use.
The bottom of the candle tube serves as a receptacle for matches, the said
receptacle being closed by the foot or disk screwing in the bottom of the
candle tube. The candle tube h, h³, is of the ordinary construction, and
constitutes no part of my Invention. is the cylindrical lamp glass sup..
ported by the wire or flange k carried by the case a; is the reflector made
of a semi-cylindrical figure situated at the back of the case a and between
the said case and the lamp glass . The said reflector may be fixed,
permanently to the lamp case or be capable of removal therefrom by a
sliding motion. The closo fitting covering c is provided with a cap or
lid c³, by opening which access can be gained to the candle tube h, lamp
glass i, and reflector 2. The cap or lid of is filled with plaster of Paris,
or other non-conductor of heat. The heated air and products of
combustion escape through lateral openings in the cap or lid c³. At the
back of the close fitting covering e is a jointed handle m, n, of a trough
form, tho part m being jointed to the top of the covering c, and the
other part n being capable of sliding upon the loop or guide bar p on
the said covering c. When the lamp is in use tho covering c is turned
so that its opening d coincides with the opening 6 in the lamp case a,

page_text: and the candle tubo h is withdrawn nearly to the bottom of the caso, as
represented in Figures 2 and 3. The lamp is supported upon the
foot, or when the lamp is to be used as a hand lamp or lantern the
jointed handle m, n, is raised, as represented in Figure 3. When it is
wished to close the lamp the covering c is turned so that an unperforated
part of it is brought over and made to close the opening 6 in the lamp
case a and protect the lamp glass i from being broken; the candle tube h
is raised in the lamp case until its flange h³ bears against the bottom of
the said case, and the handle m, n, is finally drawn down so as to make
it lic flat against the covering c. The lamp now assumes the figure
represented in Figure 1, and is ready to be carried in the pocket or
portmanteau.
Instead of a jointed handle of the kind represented in Figures 1 and 3
a handle of the kind represented in Figure 5 may be applied to the close
fitting covering for enabling the lamp to be used as a hand lamp or
lantorn. The handle marked q* in Figure 5 has a lateral motion on its
joint and is made concavo so that when shut down upon the lamp it lics
flat against the said lamp. In the lamp, Figuro 5, the covering c is
perforated at top, through which perforated top hot air escapes from the
lamp as well as through the cap c³.
Figures 6 and 7 represent elevations of a lamp fitted with an external
reflector. q is the external reflector turning on the joint q' carried by
the covering c. When the lamp is in use the reflector is raised, as
represented in Figure 7, and when the lamp is to be closed for carrying
in the pocket or portmanteau the reflector 9 is shut down upon and
made to fit close against the covering c, as represented in Figure 6.
Figure 8 represents in elevation a pocket reading lamp capable of
being suspended in the railway carriage by means of a hook carried by
the lid or cap of the lamp; Figure 9 is a section of the same without
the close fitting covering; Figure 10 is an elevation of Figure 9 with
the candle tube pushed into the lamp case; Figure 11 is a plan of
Figure 10; Figure 12 is a front elevation of the cap or lid of the lamp,
anl Figure 13 represents the lamp glass separately. The parts of this
lamp are marked with the same letters of reference as corresponding
parts of the lamps represented in Figures 1 to 7 of the Drawings.
In this arrangement of my Invention the close fitting covering c is
secured to the lamp case a by a pin r on the case working in the
groove at the bottom of the covering c, but the arrangement

page_text: represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3 may be employed for securing tho
close fitting covering to the lamp casc. The lamp glass is of a semi-
cylindrical figuro instead of a complete cylinder, as in the previous
arrangement, the edges of the said lamp glass fitting against thô
edges of the reflector 2, as best seen in Figure 11. A picco of tale
may be used in place of the semi-cylindrical lamp glass represented.
The double jointed hook in the cap or lid is turned outwards,
as represented in Figure 8, when the lamp is to be suspended by it.
When the lamp is to be closed the said hook is turned back upon
the inside of the cap, as seen in Figure 12. The lamp, Figures 8, 9, 10,
and 11, capable of being suspended by a hook may be provided with a
cylindrical or tubular lamp glass, as in the lamp Figures 1, 2, and 8,
instead of the semi-cylindrical lamp glass represented.
t
'
Figure 14 represents in elevation, and Figure 15, in plan, a pocket
railway reading lamp in which the close fitting covering is made to
cover and uncover the lamp glass by a sliding motion instead of a rotary
motion, as previously described; Figure 16 represents in clovation, and
Figure 17 in plan, the lamp case.
In this modification the lamp case and close fitting covering w aro
elliptical in cross section. When the lamp is in use the opening in the
covering wo is so situated that it coincides with the opening in the lamp
case . When the lamp is to be closed the covering wo is moved from
off the case by a sliding motion; it is then turned so as to bring the
unperforated side to the front, and is replaced by a sliding motion on tho
lamp caso . The opening in the lamp case is thus closed by the
unperforated side of the covering. The close fitting covering and lamp
case may be connected together by a bayonet joint or other convenient
fastening. The case and close fitting covering of the lamp as last
arranged may be of an angular figuro in cross section instead of tho
elliptical figure represented.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I
do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated,
as the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention; but I claim as my Invention, the improvements in pocket
railway reading lamps herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings, that is to say, the combination with lamps in
which a sliding candle tubo is used of a close fitting covering, which

page_text: said covering by a motion of partial rotation or by a sliding motion
can be made to cover and protect the lamp glass when the lamp is required
to be carried in the pocket or portmanteau, the said close fitting covering
being constructed and the other parts of the lamp being arranged
substantially as described and illustrated.
Also the combination with the said lamps of a jointed or other
handle, whereby they can be used as hand lamps or lanterns.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Parsons North, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
EDWARD PARSONS NORTH. (L.S.)