Dark Lantern for Police and others, and for Signalling Purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Loft, 46th Nov 1801 Accented 6th Feb. 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Dark Lantern for Police and others, and for Signalling Purposes.
JOHN CHRISTIE and CHARLES CHRISTIE, Sanitary Heating, Lighting, Ven-
tilating and Hydraulic Engineers and Electricians of 14, 3 & 5 Mansell Street
Aldgate London E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A lantern capable of being darkened suitable for the use of policemen and others,
for rapid signalling and other purposes.
The door is hinged so that the signalling mechanism or slide shall be on the door
or front section of the lantern.
The top or head of this lantern is so constructed that the combustion passing out
of the lantern shall dip into an annular groove, the dip being caused by a ridge
descending from the top cap partially entering the groove.
Ventilation is effected through a vertical chamber at back of the lantern, the air
to support combustion entering the body of the lantern from the chamber by means
of circular piercings immediately at back of the oil reservoir, air is also admitted
into the lantern at back passing over the top of chamber.
There is also an arrangement whereby the oil reservoir is to a degree made
unspillable by means of an inverted cone shaped collar descending from the burner
to the centre of the reservoir, resulting, that in whatever position the reservoir may
be placed, the oil cannot spill.
Dand this with Jon of Wahun 1901
CHARLES CHRISTIE.
JOHN CHRISTIE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Dark Lantern for Police and others, and for Signalling Purposes.
We JOHN CHRISTIE and CHARLES CHRISTIE of 1A, 3 & 5 Mansell Street
Aldgate London E. Sanitary, Heating, Lighting Ventilating and Hydraulic
Engineers and Electricians, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object a dark lantern for police & others and for
signalling purposes.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of lantern.
Fig. 2 is the signalling mechanism.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section through lantern.
This lantern is capable of being made instantaneously dark or light suitable for
the use of policemen and others by raising or lowering lever a a Fig. 1, the lantern
being kept at dark or light at the will of the operator by means of the spring b.b. Fig. 2.
The door of the lantern is hinged so that the signalling mechanism, or slide
(Fig. 2) shall be on the door or front section of the lantern.
The top or head of this lantern is so constructed that the combustion passing out
of the lantern shall dip into an annular groove a a Fig. 3, the dip being caused by
a ridge descending from the top cap bb partially entering the groove.
Ventilation is effected through a vertical chamber at back of the lautern
Fig. 3, c. c. the air to support combustion entering the body of the lantern by means
of circular piercings d d Fig. 3 immediately at back of the oil reservoir, air is also
admitted into the lantern at back, passing over the top of chamber e e Fig. 3.
Signalling is effected by raising and lowering lever handle a a Fig. 1, the

page_text: operator maintaining the lever in such a position as to enable him to flash signals
with great rapidity.
There is also an arrangement never before attempted in a lantern of this
description whereby the oil in the reservoir ff. Fig. 3 is made to a degree unspillable
by means of an inverted cone shaped collar descending from the burner to the
centre of the reservoir resulting that in whatever position the reservoir may be
placed, the oil cannot spill.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1 1. Instantaneous action by which the lantern can be brought from light to
dark, and vice versa, by means of raising or lowering lever a a. Fig. 1.
2. By double action of spring bb. Fig. 2 the lantern can be kept at light when
lever a a Fig. 1 is lowered, and kept at dark when the lever is raised, at the will of
the operator.
3. Rapid signalling, by which means instantaneous communication can be made
from one person to another at great distances in time of need, i.e. during military
and naval operations, by police, gamekeepers and others.
4. Prevention of waste of oil caused by the upsetting of oil reservoirs, and
perfect security from explosion.
Dated this 6th day of November 1891.
JOHN CHRISTIE.
CHARLES CHRISTIE.