IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Moss Defries, of the Firm of Jonas Defries and
Sons, of Houndsditch, in the City of London, Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION
OF LAMPS."
Sealed the 8th May 1863, and dated the 13th November 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Moss Defries at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th November 1862.
I, Moss DEFRIES, of the Firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, of Houndsditch,
in the City of London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF
LAMPS," to be as follows:-
Instead of making the body and stand of the lamp in one piece, and of the
same material, I propose, in order to obtain (especially as regards paraffine or
coal oil lamps) at a less cost more elegance and easier portability, to construct
my lamp in two parts, of which the upper portions and the burner shall be
manufactured in the ordinary manner, and of the usual material, the pedestal
being made of porcelain, earthenware, or other ceramic material, and the parts
fitted together by spring, catch, screw, or other fastening.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Moss Defries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th May 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Moss
DEFRIES, of the Firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, of Houndsditch, in the City
of London, Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Moss Defries, Her special licence that I, the said Moss
Defries, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Moss Defries, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time 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 THE
MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Moss Defries, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Moss Defries, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 construct an earthenware lamp which
shall be cheap, elegant, and better adapted for exportation and general use
than are such lamps as now ordinarily manufactured.
My lamp is particularly adapted for the use of paraffin oil, though other
oils may be used therewith. I make or construct my lamp in two parts, the
reservoir, and the stand or pedestal, both of which are composed of earthen-
ware, but the upper portion may be made of metal or other material if desired.
I either make my pedestal and reservoir in plain white or of other color, or
gild, or otherwise ornament them. I adapt the upper portion of the lamp,

page_text: that is to say, the earthenware reservoir and fittings to the stand or pedestal
in various ways (some of which are herein-after mentioned), but in all with a
view of replacing either portion of the lamp which may be broken or damaged
by a perfect one; as thus, if many lamps are packed for exportation, it will
probably happen that some of the reservoirs and some of the pedestals are
found broken or imperfect. If the lamp be made of one piece, such breakage
or imperfection destroys its saleable value; but if parts of lamps made
according to my Invention be broken or damaged, the loss is comparatively
small, as,
if the pedestal be broken or damaged, another pedestal is fitted to
the reservoir or upper part of the lamp, and vice versa. The upper portion
of the lamp may be connected with its pedestal by a double screw with
ornamental metal ring, or by a spring catch, or by a bayonet joint, the slot
being hidden by ornamental metal. Or a screw may be tapped on to a plug
at bottom of the reservoir fitting in one tapped in the top of the pedestal, and
forming a socket for the said plug; or the reservoir may be finished at the
bottom as aforesaid, but instead of any metallic fastening or appurtenance,
the plug and screw thereon may both be formed in the matrix or mould, and
of earthenware, the socket within the top of the pedestal being also formed by
the mould, it will then only be necessary to fill the socket with plaster of
Paris or other cement, screw in the plug (and consequently therewith and
thereby the whole of the upper part of the lamp), and the moment the cement
is fully set the lamp appears as of one piece. In case of breakage of either
the upper portion of the lamp or of the pedestal after they shall have been
fitted together, as just stated, it will only be necessary to discharge the cement
(by any of the ordinary methods), take out the broken remnant, and refit
with a new portion. Or the plug and screw may be formed by the mould on
the apex of the pedestal, and the socket within the barrel or bottom of the
reservoir or upper part of the lamp. It will be understood that I do not
confine myself to any particular form of stand or pedestal, but that I make
them of any shape or form that fashion or convenience may dictate; and
although I have described various modes of fitting my reservoir to my
pedestal, I do not confine myself to any or all of the modes described, but use
any other means which I may find better adapted for my purpose.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and means by
which I carry it into effect, I declare to be and I claim as of my Invention,
the combination of an earthenware pedestal or stand with an earthenware
reservoir, each being manufactured in separate parts, forming, when the
reservoir is fitted to the pedestal, and the burner to the reservoir, an improved

page_text: lamp for paraffin and other oils, the whole essentially as herein-before set forth
or described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Moss Defries, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.