IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS AND IN LAMPS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOSEPH WYATT HANCOCK, of Francis Street, Stoneygate Road, Knighton, in
the County of Leicester, Gasfitter, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS AND IN LAMPS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH," to
be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of semaphore signals
to be used for signalling by day and night and also in the construction of lamps to
be employed therewith, such lamps being so constructed as to burn with a steady
and continuous flame of uniform brilliancy without the production of smoke.
The arm of the signal is in the form of a wedge shaped box the face or front
whereof is of the ordinary size and shape, and the inner end of the arm is of
sufficient size to correspond with openings formed in the side of the lamp employed
as hereinafter described. One end of the back of the arm is attached to the outer
end of the face or front of the same and the opposite end extends to the back of the
inner end of the arm. The face of the arm, and, also the back of the same, is made
in the form of a frame in which is fitted a plate of opal glass or other suitable
material, and the remainder of the interior of the arm is lined so as to reflect the
light. The inner end of the arm is open and when in the extended or lowered
position is opposite one of the before mentioned openings in the side of the lamp.
In order to avoid unnecessary strain upon the levers employed for actuating the
said arm by reason of the increased weight of the same, the ends thereof are made
to balance at each side of its turning point. On the lower side of the inner end of
the arm, is a plate which, when the arm is extended, will be in front of the opening,.
in the side of the lamp, which is provided for illuminating the interior of the arm
when it is lowered, and on the upper side of the said end of the arm is a similar
plate for covering the upper opening in the side of the lamp when the arm
is lowered, the inner face of either of the said plates acts as a reflector when
opposite one of the openings in the side of the lamp.
The lamp hereinbefore referred to is made circular with flat back and front
faces the centres of which are provided with bull's eyes for illuminating the colored
signal discs in the ordinary manner. The lamp is entirely closed, with the
exception of the chimney which is provided with a cap, the requisite supply of air
entering the lamp through the chimney. The before mentioned openings in one of
Clemine Rd1

page_text: the sides of the lamp are covered with glass and are so formed as to be respectively
opposite the inner end of the arm when the same is in either of the before
mentioned positions. Burners are so arranged within the said lamp as to illuminate
the interior of the hollow arm and also the bull's eyes in the front and back faces.
Within the lamp is arranged a reflector for the purpose of reflecting the light from
a burner or burners employed for that purpose into the interior of the arm.
Semaphore arms constructed and arranged in connection with lamps as herein-
before described will be found of great advantage in preventing the mistakes which
frequently occur through the color blindness of certain persons and other causes, such
as thick or hazy weather.
Dated this first day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and night faux

page_text: "9-
I, JOSEPH WYATT HANCOCK, of Francis Street, Stoneygate Road, Knighton, in
the County of Leicester, Gasfitter, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGNALS AND IN LAMPS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREWITH,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My said Invention relates to improvements in the construction of semaphore
signals to be used for signalling by day and night, and also in the construction of
lamps to be employed therewith, such lamps being so constructed as to burn with a
steady and continuous flame of uniform brilliancy without the production of
smoke.
The arm of the signal is in the form of a wedge shaped box the face or front
whereof is of the ordinary size and shape, and the inner end of the arm is of
sufficient size to correspond with openings formed in the circumference of a cylin-
drical lamp employed as hereinafter described. The outer ends of the front and
back of the arm are joined whilst the inner ends are separated so as to allow of the
passage of the light into the same. The face of the arm, and, also the back of the
same, are made in the form of frames into which are fitted plates of opal glass or
other suitable material, and the remainder of the interior of the arm is lined so as
to reflect the light. The inner end of the arm is open and when in the extended
or lowered position is opposite one of the before mentioned openings in the
circumference of the lamp. In order to avoid unnecessary strain upon the levers
employed for actuating the said arm by reason of the increased weight of the same,
the ends thereof are, by preference, made to balance, or nearly so, at each side of
its turning point or pivot.
On the lower side of the inner end of the arm, is a plate which, when the
arm is extended, will be in front of the opening, in the circumference of the lamp,
which is provided for illuminating the interior of the arm when it is lowered, and
on the upper side of the said end of the arm is a similar plate for covering the
upper opening in the circumference of the lamp when the arm is lowered, the inner
face of either of the said plates acts as a reflector when opposite one of the
openings in the circumference of the lamp.
The lamp herein before referred to is made cylindrical with flat back and front
faces the centres of which are, when desired, provided with bull's eyes. The lamp
is entirely closed, with the exception of the chimney which is provided with a cap;
the requisite supply of air entering the lamp through the chimney. The before
mentioned openings in the circumference of the lamp are covered with glass, and
are so formed as to be respectively opposite the inner end of the arm when the
same is in either of the before mentioned positions. Burners are so arranged within
the said lamp as to illuminate the interior of the hollow arm and also the bull's
eyes, in the front and back faces. Within the lamp is arranged a reflector for the
purpose of reflecting light from the burner or burners into the interior of the arm.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying drawings from which the
nature of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. Figure 1. is a front
elevation of a semaphore arm, constructed in accordance with this Invention, in a
raised or extended position, the lamp being shown in dotted lines. Figure 2. is a
detached view of the lamp, Figure 3. is a detached view of the wedge shaped arm,
and Figure 4 is a side view of the arm arranged within the upright or support and
shown in a lowered position. The same letters of reference indicate like parts in

page_text: all the Figures. a. is the wedge shaped signal arm, a¹ is the opening in the
circumference of the lamp for illuminating the arm when it is raised or extended,
and c is the plate which is attached to the arm a. for shading or covering the
opening a' when the arm is lowered; b¹ is the opening for illuminating the arm
when in the last mentioned position, and c¹ is the plate for shading or covering the
said opening 6. The arm is so pivoted that the said plates move concentrically
with the circumference of the lamp as will be well understood. The reflector
within the lamp is shown at c³. The employment of a dark margin round
the glass in the face or faces of the arm will increase the density of the light
transmitted.
Semaphore arms constructed and arranged in connection with lamps as herein-
before described will be found of great advantage in preventing the mistakes which
frequently occur through the color blindness of certain persons and other causes,
Buch as, thick or hazy weather, they will also be found suitable for attachment to.
walls or other flat surfaces for advertising and other purposes, whilst their
employment for marine signalling will be exceedingly advantageous.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is :-
First. The construction of a semaphore signal arm of a hollow wedge shape
the front or back or both faces being fitted with glass through which light is
reflected from a lamp opposite the inner end of the arm which end is open,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
And Secondly. The construction of lamps of a cylindrical form with openings in
the circumference for illuminating the interior of hollow signal arms, a suitable
reflector being arranged within the lamp, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this third day of November, One thousand eight hundred and eighty