Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Electrically Lighting Miners' Safety Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1895-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Electrically
Lighting Miners' Safety Lamps.
I, JOHN PEEL, of North House, Victoria Road, Morley, near Leeds, Electrical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to light miners' safety lamps by electricity, so as
to do away with what is technically known as "sparking."
According to my invention I employ an ordinary battery, dynamo, or other
source of producing electricity, a condenser composed of alternate layers of paper
and tin foil, an induction coil, and a cylindrical contact or commutator composed
of sections of brass or other conducting material, and alternate sections of vulcanite
or other insulating material.
The said cylindrical contact is revolved by hand in contact with a spring or
brush which is connected to the primary circuit, and the other end of the primary
circuit is connected to the carbon pole of the battery, the other pole of the battery
is connected to the commutator or cylindrical contact as aforesaid. Wires are
also joined up to the lamps, one to the lamp base and the other to the insulator
pin which points towards the wick or tube top of the lamp.
The whole is enclosed in a suitable box.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicant.
Improvements in the Method of and in Apparatus for Electrically
Lighting Miners' Safety Lamps.
1, JOHN PEEL, of North House, Victoria Road, Morley, near Leeds, Electrical
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 :-
The object of my invention is to light miners' safety lamps by electricity so as
to do away with what is technically known as "sparking
and thereby prevent
injury to the contacts where the circuit or current is broken or completed.
According to my invention I employ an ordinary battery, dynamo, or other
source of producing electricity, a coudenser composed of alternate layers of tin
foil and paper, and induction coil or a proper transformer, and a cylindrical
contact breaker or commutator, composed of sections of brass or other conducting
material, and alternate sections of vulcanite or other insulating material. The said
cylindrical contact breaker is revolved by hand and is in contact with a spring or
brush which is connected to the primary circuit of the induction coil or transformer,
and the other end of the primary circuit is connected to the carbon pole of the
battery, the other pole of the battery is connected to the commutator or cylindrical
contact breaker, as aforesaid.

page_text: The secondary circuit of the induction coil or transformer is joined up to the
miners lamp, one end being connected to the metal base of the lamp the other
end is connected to the insulated pin which points towards the wick or tube ton
of the lamp.
The whole is enclosed in a suitable case or box.
of the lamp.
The whole is enclosed in a suitable case or box.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. is a front elevation of my invention with part of case removed showing
inside.
Fig. 2, is a side view of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a sectional elevation of modification of my invention.
Fig. 4, is a sectional elevation of further modification of my invention.
Fig., is a front view of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6, is a sectional view of base of lamp showing insulated pin or conductor.
Fig. 7, is a diagrammatic view showing special winding of dynamo, according
to my invention.
Fig. 8, is an end view showing chain mechanism for driving dynamo in lieu of
gear wheels.
In carrying out my invention, see Figs. 1, 2 and 6, A. is a miners lamp the base A¹
of which has passing through it a pin or conductor B, enclosed by an insulating
tube C which is itself enclosed by a metal tube D, the point or top end of the
said pin or conductor B points to the lamp wick E and metal tube top of the lamp.
In order to light the lamp with safety where gas is to be found, the lamp A
is placed in the recess or cavity F in the top of the box or case G enclosing the
lighting apparatus. This recess or cavity F has within it insulator rings H, of
india-rubber or other suitable material so as to make an air-tight joint when the
lamp is pressed and held down by a spring and lever arrangement which consists
of a pillar or upright J (secured to the top of the case or box G) which has a hand
lever J', the end J2 of which presses upon the top of lamp for the purpose before
mentioned. J is a steel spring which presses the lever upon the lamp and
compresses the rubber rings while the lamp is being lit. By pressing down
the handle at the end of the lever the lamp can be released.
Passing or projecting through the cavity or recess F are the pins K abutting
against springs L secured at their fixed ends to the case or box G. These springs
are joined by wires M to the secondary circuit of the induction coil or transformer
with "Wagner" hammer and condenser which are as ordinary, and are shown
at N.
Secured to the bottom of the case or box G is a dynamo O (joined up to the
induction coil, or transformer with its "Wagner" hammer and condenser) which
is of the Siemens H or shuttle armature type.
The magnets of the dynamo bave a special winding for this purpose, in order
to prevent the electro magnets being short circuited or cut out by the induction
coil or transformer, the winding is shown in Fig. 7, and consists of a thick wire of
low resistance, the ends of which are connected direct up to the brushes or collectors
of the dynamo. The induction coil or transformer is connected to the brushes of
the dynamo by the wires 1 and 1. The spindle P of the armature carries a
pinion R which gears with spur wheel upon a shaft T journalled in the side
frames U. The said shaft T carries a pinion V which gears with a spur wheel W
upon the shaft X which is also journalled in the side frames U. One end of the
shaft carries a handle Y for operating the dynamo.
The action is as follows:
On motion being given to the armature, through the handle Y and gearing
aforesaid, a curent of electricity is generated which passes through the primary
circuit of the induction coil, or transforiner, attracts the hammer or armature on
the spring, breaking circuit and causing a spark or sparks to flash from the
conductor or pin B to the lamp wiek tube top, the sparks lighting the wick E.

page_text: In the modification shown in Fig. 3. The dynamo may be of the ring or drum
type. The magnet coils are wound in the manner before described. The armature
of the dynamo is driven in the same manner as described with reference to Figs. 1
and 2, and the brushes are joined up to an induction coil, or transformer shown
at N.
The said induction coil is also joined up to a cylindrical contact breaker N'
(carried on the shaft X) which is composed of a brass disc or other conducting
material having sections N2 of vulcanite or other insulating material. The action
of this arrangement is substantially the same as that described with reference to
Fig. 1 and 2. The cylindrical contact breaker N' completing and breaking the
circuit as required for lighting purposes.
In this case the use of what is called a "Wagner" hammer
and a much stronger current can be sent through the induction coil, or transformer,
dispensed with,
such a current as would soon burn away the platinum contacts of an ordinary
spring and hammer contact breaker, or "Wagner" hammer and prevent the
hammer working. By using the cylindrical contact breaker a much stronger
current can be used without any fear of injuring the contacts, as the brush pressing
upon the commutator keeps a clean contact between the brush and commutator and
is always ready for work when required, also by using a stronger current the lamp
can be lit sooner and more effectually.
In the modification shown in Fig. 4 and 5.
An accumulator or storage battery B¹ is used the poles of which are joined up
to the induction coil or transformer N. The ends of the secondary circuit of the
induction coil, or transformer, are joined up to the springs L, L, by the wires M.
In this case the cylindrical contact breaker N1 is carried by a partition B2 and
works against a spring or brush B3 which is insulated from the partition B2 and
joined up to a switch B. The spring portion B of the said switch is joined to
the transformer, or induction coil, by wire B and the cylindrical contact breaker N¹
is joined to the induction coil, or transformer, by wire N³.
The action is substantially the same as those previously described.
the drawings the circuit is broken, and when it is desired to complete the circuit
As shown in
for lighting the lamp, the cylindrical contact breaker is revolved and the conducting
part brought against the spring or brush B³, the switch B is also operated by hand
so as to bring the contact-piece B' between the spring B5 and the frame, by which
the circuit is fully completed and the lamp lighted.
Instead of using gear wheels as aforesaid I may drive the armature spindle P by
means of chains P chain wheels P² and pinions P³, also the magnets in the dynamo
may be steel ones (permanent magnets).
Z is a foundation plate for the dynamo, made of zinc so as to be non-magnetic.
By the use of my invention miners safety lamps can be lighted without unlocking
the lamps, and they can be lighted without fear of causing an explosion in mines
where gas is to be found, also they can be quickly lighted on the pit bank with
absolute certainty.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
laim is :-
:-
1. A method of electrically lighting miners' safety lamps by causing a spark or
parks to pass from the metallic end of an insulated conductor B, and light the
vick E, such as shown and described.
2. The combination with the lamp base A', of a conductor B having a metallic
nd projecting to about the wick E, and insulated from the lamp base by a tube D
f non-conducting material, with a metal tube C fixed in the lamp base for receiving
he conductor B, and insulator tube D, substantially as shown and described.
3. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners' safety lamps, the construction of
be cavity or recess F, in the case or box G, for receiving the lamp base, and
rovided with insulating rings H, such as shown and described.

page_text: 4. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners' safety lamps, the combination
with the cavity or recess F, (in the case or box G) having insulating rings of
indiarubber H, of pins K and springs L for completing the circuit between the
lamp base and the electric generator, substantially as shown and described.
5. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners' safety lamps, the combination of
a dynamo having the coils on the electro-magnets wound with thick wire and
connected as before described, to prevent the coils of the magnets from being short
circuited or cut out by being connected to an induction coil, or transformer,
substantially as set forth.
6. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners' safety lamps, the combination of
a cylindrical and revolvable contact breaker constructed with alternate sections of
insulating and conducting materials, substantially as shown and described.
7. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners' safety lamps, the combination of
the pillar or upright J, hand lever J', and spring J³, operating as and for the
purposes shown and described.
8. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners' safety lamps, the combination of
the cylindrical contact breaker N with an induction coil or transformer, substantially
as shown and described.
9. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners' safety lamps, the combination of
pinion P³ upon the armature shaft or spindle P, chain wheels P' and pinion P³ with
the shafts T and X and chains P' as and for the purposes shown and described.
10. The combination of parts, forming my invention for electrically lighting
miners' safety lamps, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1895.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicant.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent to the Applicant.