IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND SIGNAL LAMPS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Defries, of the Firm of J. Defries and Sons, of
No. 147, Houndsditch, in the City of London, Lamp Manufacturer, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND SIGNAL LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Defries at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th March 1880.
HENRY DEFRIES, of the Firm of J. Defries and Sons, of No. 147, Houndsditch,
in the City of London, Lamp Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND SIGNAL
LAMPS."
The object of my Invention is to permit the colored glasses or discs to be easily
raised or lowered by the same hand that holds the lamp.
For this purpose, instead of placing the thumb pieces or catches by which the
said colored glasses or discs are raised and lowered at the side of the lamp as
hitherto, I propose to place them immediately above the handle, fixed at the back
of the lamp, and to connect these colored glasses or discs by their frames with
these thumb pieces or catches by means of rods and links or other suitable con-
nections passing on either side of the lamp.
Thus, in lieu of two hands being required, the one to hold the lamp and the
other to work the signals, the thumb of the hand holding the lamp comes naturally
on to the catches, and the other hand is free to be used for working points or
otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Defries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
September 1880.
Houndsditch,
HENRY DEFRIES, of the Firm of J. Defries and Sons, of No. 147,
in the City of London, Lamp Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND SIGNAL
LAMPS."
The object of my Invention is to permit the colored glasses or discs of hand
signal lamps to be easily raised or lowered by the same hand that holds the
lamp.
For this purpose, instead of placing the thumb pieces or catches by which the
said colored glasses or discs are raised and lowered at the side of the lamp as
hitherto, I place them immediately above the handle fixed at the back of the lamp,
and I connect the colored glasses or discs by their frames with these thumb pieces
or catches by means of rods and links or other suitable connections passing on
either side of the lamp.
Thus, in lieu of two hands being required, the one to hold the lamp and the
other to work the signal, the thumb of the hand holding the lamp comes naturally
on to the catches, and the other hand is free to be used for working points or
performing any operation which may be required.
Upon the accompanying two Sheets of Drawing,-
Figure 1 (Sheet 1) represents a front view or elevation of a lamp embodying
my improvements, the glasses or discs being arranged to be raised from below, as
required.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same, and
Figure 3, a sectional plan.
A indicates the body of the lamp; B, the cap or cover; C, the handle; D, the
lens or glass; E is the red disc; F, hinged joint; G, link; H, curved lever; I, guide
for lever; K, the green disc; L, hinged joint; M, link; N, curved lever; O, guide
for lever; P, pin, upon which the levers H and N are hung; Q, catch for securing
outer ends h, n, of curved levers H, N; R, oil reservoir; S, reflector; T, spring:
catch for cap or cover B.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 (Sheet II.) are similar views showing a modification of the
preceding arrangement, the discs being here lowered from above in lieu of being
raised from below, as in Sheet 1.
•
A being the body of the lamp; B, the cap; C, the handle; D, the glass or lens;
E, the red disc; F is a bearing for the spindle or shaft G; G, cranked spindle or
shaft; H, cranked lever; I, link; K, the green disc; L, L, bearings for spindle or
shaft; M, cranked spindle or shaft. This shaft is cranked, as shown, as to permit
the disc E to be lowered. N, cranked lever; O, link; P, the hinge pin, upon
wbich the levers H aud N are hung; Q, catch for outer end h of lever H; R, catch
for outer end n of lever N; S, oil reservoir; T, reflector; U, catch for cap or
cover B.
The red disc E or the green disc K can readily be raised or lowered by depressing
the outer end h or that n of the levers H, N, the dise being at once secured and
retained in the required position by the action of the spring catch Q or R upon the
one or the other of the aforesaid levers.
It will be evident that the construction and arrangements of the connections
between the levers H and N and the discs E and K may be greatly modified, the
discs being nevertheless actuated substantially as by the two arrangements shown
on the accompanying two Sheets of Drawing.
The single catch or double catch Q, R, may be applied to either lamp, as may
be desired.

page_text: The shape of the lamp, of its handles and other parts, as illustrated on the
Drawings, form no part of this Invention, and may be varied according to require-
ments.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is or may be performed,
I claim as secured to me by the hereiubefore in part recited Letters Patent,—
The use of a hand signal lamp having the levers and catches, by which the discs
are actuated and secured in position, placed at the back of the lamp, so that they
may be operated by the same hand that holds the lamp, substantially as herein-
before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Defries, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.