IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AND DISTRIBUTING LIGHT
Year: 1839

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GOLDS-
WORTHY GURNEY, of Bude, in the County of Cornwall, Esquire, and FREDERICK
RIXON, of Cockspur Street, Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, sendi
greeting.
$
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her,
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Eighth day of June, in the second year of Her reign, and in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said Golds-
worthy Gurney and Frederick Rixon, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that we, the said Goldsworthy Gurney and Frederick
Rixon, our executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as we, the
said Goldsworthy Gurney and Frederick Rixon, our executors, administrators;;
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and.
at all times during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town
of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPARATUS
FOR PRODUCING AND DISTRIBUTING LIGHT;" in which said Letters Patent
is contained a proviso, obliging us, the said Goldsworthy Gurney and
Frederick Rixon, by an instrument in writing. under our hands and seals, or
under the hand and seal of one of us, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being.
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Goldsworthy Gurney and Frederick Rixon, do hereby declare that the nature
of our said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are particularly described and ascertained in and by the following description
thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
Our Invention of improvements in the apparatus for producing and distri-
buting light is applicable to lamps or burners wherein oil or oleaginous matters
in a liquid state are the materials consumed for producing the illumination;
and our improvements also apply to various kinds of lamps, burners, or lights
wherein the inflammable gas or vapour obtained by the distillation of coal, oil,
resin, asphaltum, or other bituminous, resinous, or oleaginous matters is used
as the material for illumination, such gases or vapours being previously
obtained, and then conveyed to the lamps or burners by pipes from a reservoir
or gasometer, and consist in the first place in improved arrangements and
constructions of conducting pipes or tubes, and cocks and jets, or burners,
whereby we are enabled to introduce into the interior of the flame of such
lamps or burners a stream or jet of pure oxygen gas, the atmosphere
or atmospheric air being carefully excluded therefrom, that is from passing
through the burner or into the interior of the flame. This jet or stream of
pure oxygen is applied or given to the flame for the purpose of producing a
more intense ignition of the carbonaceous matters, and consequently a more
brilliant light than can be obtained where atmospheric air alone, or a mixture
of atmospheric air and inflammable gases, is used to cause combustion.
It may be proper here to remark that we are perfectly well aware that
mixtures of air and inflammable gases have been applied to flame for the
increased production of heat, and in certain cases to produce (in a peculiar
description of lamp) light, which lamps burn the vapour or gas arising from
the liquids contained within themselves; we therefore wish it to be distinctly
understood that our improvements have nothing whatever to do with such
mixtures of atmospheric air and inflammable gases. And we are also aware
that pure oxygen has been applied to hydrogen gas for the purpose of pro-
ducing intense heat for blowpipe purposes; and on lime for producing light;
we therefore desire it to be understood that our Invention only applies to
administering to the flame of oil or gas lamps or burners the jet or stream of
pure oxygen, which of itself is not inflammable, but when applied to the flame
in the manner herein-after described, and at the proper place, will produce
intense or bright and clear light, which is caused by the oxygen or supporter
coming into contact with the combustible bodies or inflammable gases at

page_text: the point of ignition; and therefore, as regards our Invention, this jet or
stream of pure oxygen may be called the source or cause of the extra light
given out; and we have, therefore, in contradistinction to all other lights,
called this "The olio-oxygen or Bude light.""
And, secondly, our improvements consist in the application and use of
peculiar and novel constructions and arrangements of apparatus, whereby
flashing or intermitting lights may be caused or produced and used as signals
for locomotive steam engines or carriages, and steam or other vessels, or other
telegraphic situations where they may be required, such intermitting or flash-
ing lights being caused or brought into operation by the passage of streams
or bubbles of pure oxygen through flame, when used in conjunction therewith,
or of inflammable gases when burnt alone without the jet or stream of pure
oxygen, such bubbles of inflammable gas being ignited by a small stationary
and continuous light, these bubbles of gases being caused by their passing
through an inverted syphon containing liquid, and acting as an bydraulic
valve; or the same effect may be caused by the actuating power of the
machinery or engine, and may therefore be made capable of indicating the
speed the locomotive engine is travelling, by the rapidity or slowness with
which the flashes are repeated. This effect may be produced by any proper
arrangements and mechanism connected with and depending on the revolution
of the wheels, or the strokes of the engines or other moving part of the
machinery, and in the former case by increasing or diminishing the column of
liquid in the inverted syphon, and thus causing a greater or less resistance to
the passage of the gas; and the same effect may also be produced by altering
the capacity of the gas and water. tubes, and thereby causing a quicker
or slower pulsation of the light.
Having thus stated the nature and objects of our Invention, we will
proceed to describe the various improved mechanism or apparatus connected
therewith, referring to the accompanying Drawings the better to illustrate the
same (that is to say) :-
_
Fig. 1 is a side view of one arrangement and construction of conducting
pipes and cocks fitted with a jet burner, as applicable to one modification of
the first part or section of our improvements, that is, as applicable for the
burning of different kinds of inflammable gases; Fig. 2 is a section taken
longitudinally through the pipes, cocks, and burners, to shew the channels
and passages in the interior; Fig. 3. is a side view of another arrange-
ment and construction of the apparatus as applied to another modification
of this first part of our Invention, (that is), as applied to oil lamps;
and: Fig. 4. is a section of the same. a is the pipe or tube through

page_text: c is the
which the inflammable gas or oil is to pass to the burner or jet b.
This pipe may lead from the street main or supply gas pipe, gasometer,
or oil or gas reservoir, or other source, as the case may be.
pipe through which the pure oxygen or non-inflammable gas is to pass or
be conducted to the jet or burner; this pipe may lead from any suitable
apparatus for obtaining the pure oxygen, or from a reservoir containing the
same. The oxygen pipe c is connected by an air-tight joint to the lower part
of the burner or jet b, and passes up the interior thereof, as shewn in the
Drawing, its mouth or exit aperture being on a level or a little below that of
the burner or surrounding flame. Both of the pipes a and c where inflam-
mable gas is used must be furnished with stop-cocks to cut off or supply the
two distinct gases. These cocks may be placed separately on the pipes
a and c, or they may be constructed as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, that is, with
one plug d serving for both pipes, they being connected by. air-tight joints to
the separate channels a" and e*, in the piece of metal e, e. The plug. d has
two apertures ƒ and g bored through it, which are opposite.and answer to the
channels a* and c*; the bore of these apertures should be somewhat smaller
than that of the passages a* and c, to allow for wear in the parts or
tightening down the plug. It is desirable that the apertures ƒ and g should
be so arranged that the oxygen may be let on a little before the inflammable
gas, and also shut off a little after it. This is readily done by making the
apertures for the inflammable gas a little smaller than the other.
It is requisite, in order to carry this part of our improvements into. proper
effect, that the two streams or jets of inflammable gas and pure oxygen or the
supporter should flow in proper proportions one to the other; therefore the
pipes or channels a and c must be furnished with regulating cocks or set screw
plugs, by which their capacity or the passage of the gases through them shall
be determined. These regulating cocks or plugs may be placed in any cou-
venient part of the pipes a and c, but I prefer them to be placed as shewn in
the Drawing, that is, in the piece e, the screw plug i being for.regulating the
capacity of the channel a and the plug k for the pipe c. By screwing the ends
more or less passage
of these plugs into or out of the channels, there will be
for the gases, and the flow thereof to the burners will thereby, be regulated.to
the required proportions; so as to produce the desired. effect. Figures 3 and 4
are representations of this part of our Invention as applied to the burner. of, a
lamp wherein oil in the fluid state is consumed for. illumination, Figure 3
being a side view, and Figure 4 a section, taken vertically through the same.
a is the pipe or tube leading from the oil reservoir of the lamp to the circular
channel within the burner b, which in this instance is made like a common

page_text: Argand burner, excepting that the bottom part is closed so that no atmospheric
air can pass up the interior. The burner is furnished with a cotton and means
of adjusting its height, together with a gallery to hold a glass chimney, as
usual. c is the pipe for the passage of the pure oxygen from the reservoir to
the flame; it is passed through the side of the burner by an air-tight joint, and
extends upwards within the burner, as shewn in the Drawing. The oxygen
pipe is furnished with a regulator plug or stop-cock at k, and also with the
other cock at d, for the purpose of giving the supply of oxygen to the lamp
when it is once lighted, and cutting off the same when it is to be put out. lis
a moveable cup screwed air-tight to the bottom of the burner, and serves for
the purpose of stopping up the end of the middle channel and receiving any
deposit from the oil or flame. Figure 5 shews a section of the pipes and the
cutting-off and supply cocks d, which in this instance have their plugs separate
from one, another, but are turned simultaneously by one handle, the end of one
of the plugs being keyed or countersunk into a mortice in the other, so that
they must move together, although they may be set up or tightened separately,
as may be required.
The second part of our Invention will be illustrated by Figures 6, 7, 8,
9, and 10, which are different views of some modifications of our improved
apparatus for producing flashing or intermitting lights for signal purposes;
these Figures will serve to explain this part of our Invention. There are two
ways of obtaining or producing this effect; the one is by the simple action of
bubbles or globules of gases passing through liquids, that is, of inflammable
gas when this alone is used to cause the light, and also of the pure oxygen
when the flame of other matters is used in conjunction therewith, the bubbles
of either the inflammable or non-inflammable gases passing from the supply
pipe through an inverted syphon or chamber containing a column of liquid,
which acting as an hydraulic valve (the column being displaced before the
bubble can pass) interrupts the passage of the gases through the pipe, and
produces pulsation at the burner. The other method is to obtain the same
effect by mechanical means, by alternately exposing and hiding of nearly
shutting out the light. The effect of this mechanical operation may be
obtained by placing a revolving or moving shade around the flame of the
lamp, which shade shall hide the light except at a part desired, say all but
through an aperture in the side of the shade, this aperture being furnished
with a reflector to throw the light to a distance; and as the shade and reflector
revolve around the flame it will have the appearance or. effect of a flashing or
intermitting light to any person placed. before or behind it; or, the same
effect may be produced by alternately opening and shutting the door of a

page_text: darkened lanthorn containing the light. Another arrangement of mechanism
for producing the same effect is by means of a supply and cutting-off cock or
valve placed in the gas pipe when the inflammable gases are used alone, or the
oxygen when used with the flame of other bodies, which cock is to be
alternately opened and closed by some suitable connection with the machinery,
and by thus alternately supplying to and cutting off the inflammable gas or the
oxygen, as the case may be, from the flame, produce a flashing interrupted or
intermitting light. When the inflammable gas is used for this purpose there
'must be a small continuous flame in such position that the bubbles of in-
flammable gas as they come in contact with it will catch fire, and the flashing
light thereby be produced; and when pure oxygen is used, the flame of the oil
or other matters being kept continually alight, its intensity will be increased or
diminished as the oxygen is supplied thereto or cut off therefrom. Figure 6
is a sectional diagram, which will suffice to explain one arrangement and con-
struction of apparatus whereby the method of causing the intermitting or
flashing light by interrupting the passage of the gas or oxygen from the
reservoir to the burner or flame by means of a column of fluid being placed in
its way. Let a be the gas pipe which is connected air-tight to the closed
chamber or well b, containing a given quantity of water or oil; the pipe a is
carried down to near the bottom of the chamber, where its end is turned up
and opens into the inner tube c, which serves as a guide for the bubbles as
'they arise, and determines the time of pulsation (or passage of the bubbles) by
its area, or the same may be determined by the weight of the column of fluid.
d is the pipe for conducting the oxygen or inflammable gas from the
chamber to the burner. It will be evident that if the pressure of gas
in the reservoir is properly regulated according to the height of the. column
of water in the chamber 6 (or vice versa), the gases will only be able to escape
from the pipe a through the chamber to the burner in bubbles, or only at
intervals whenever the pressure of the gases has overcome the weight of the
column of water, and forced it out of the pipe a into the chamber b, thus
allowing the escape of the gases to the burner only at intervals.
e is a pipe
furnished with a funnel and stop-cock by which liquid can be introduced into
the chamber b; and f is a pipe and cock whereby it can be withdrawn.
Fig. 7 shews another diagram of a different modification of a similar kind of
apparatus in which this effect will be produced. The same letters being
marked on corresponding parts to Fig. 6, no further description will be
'necessary. This interruption of the flow of the gases can be obtained by
several other modifications of apparatus wherein water or oil is opposed to the
direct or continuous flow of the gases, the fluid having to be displaced out of

page_text: the way by the force of the gas before it can pass, the water or oil returning
after each portion of gas has effected its escape; therefore it will not be
necessary for us to describe all such modifications of the simple apparatus, but
we will proceed to describe one or two modifications or arrangements and con-
structions of the mechanical means to be employed to produce this effect.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a modification of apparatus consisting of a
revolving shade or reflector placed around the flame of the lamp, which will
prevent the transmission of light excepting through the face thereof, and as
this reflector turns around the stationary light it will throw the rays of light in
different directions, and being enclosed in a dark lantern with only one face or
part open, will have the appearance of an interrupted or flashing light to any
person stationed before or behind it. A is the jet or burner, which is fixed
to any convenient situation, and is furnished with all the requisite pipes
and tubes for oil or gasses, as described above. B is the hood or reflector
fastened to the tube c, which surrounds the burner and rests on a shoulder or
ledge upon it; rotary motion is to be given to this tube and reflector by any
convenient mechanism connected with the machinery, as by a band passed
from a pulley or any rotary part of the engine or machinery to a pulley G on
the tube C. E is a chimney for carrying off vapour. F is the outline of a
lanthorn for keeping the flame steady, and preventing the action of the air
upon the light. The same effect of flashing or intermitting light may be
produced by alternately opening and closing a door or shutter in a dark
lanthorn enclosing the flame, and may be done by suitable mechanism having
an alternate motion from any part of the machinery. Fig. 9 shews a section
of a lamp and apparatus whereby the intermitting or flashing is produced in a
stationary lanthorn and continuous light, but in which the supply cock of the
oxygen pipe is alternately opened and closed, whereby the intensity of the
flame is increased or diminished as the admission of the oxygen is allowed to
or cut off from the flame. This Figure shews a vertical section taken through
an oil lamp A adapted for this purpose, and is furnished with a moveable
reservoir of oil B and cotton wick burner C, in the ordinary manner. c is the
pipe or channel for the pure oxygen, leading from the reservoir to the top of
the burner and into the interior of the flame. The part of this pipe between
the lamp and the cock d may be made either of metal or flexible material, as
circumstances may require; d is the supply and cutting-off cock or valve,
which in this instance is intended to have a rotary or interrupted rotary
motion given to it through the pulley G on its plug; but a common slide valve
or cock, alternately opening and closing by means of a reciprocating or
alternating motion obtained from the machinery, may be placed in the same

page_text: situation and will produce the same effect. The lamp or lanthorn A may be
fixed in any required position, and when flexible tubes c are used may be made
to take on and off its fittings when required. The seat or bed of the cock or
valve d is to be fixed in any convenient situation on the locomotive engine or
vessel, and a rotary or alternating rotary motion given to it by means of
a band or strap passed to the pulley G from any revolving part of the
machinery, or by a toothed rack connected with and actuated by any part of
the machinery which has a regular alternating or reciprocating motion; or,
the same effect may be produced by an excentric connected by means of a rod
to a crank on the plug d, all of which modifications or arrangements are so
well understood it is not necessary for us to describe them. Fig. 10 shews a
section of an arrangement and construction of apparatus in which the common
slide valve is applied to this purpose. a is an air-tight box or chamber
divided into two compartments by the partition b, which has an aperture
through it opening into both chambers covered by the slide valve c, connected
to rods & passed through stuffing boxes in the sides of the chamber a, and
receive the alternating or forward and backward sliding motion from the
machinery in any convenient manner. e is the pipe for the inlet of the
oxygen when the flame of other bodies is used, or that of the inflammable
gases when burnt alone, as the case may be; and f is the exit pipe of the
gases to the burner.
Having now described and ascertained our improvements, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that we do not
intend to confine ourselves to the precise forms or arrangements of con-
struction of apparatus or mechanism herein shewn, as the same may be varied
to suit different circumstances; and that what we claim as our Invention
secured to us by the above in part recited Letters Patent as our "Improve-
ments in Apparatus for Producing and Distributing Light," is, first, the
arrangement and construction of pipes or tubes connected with jets or burners,
and furnished with suitable stop-cocks or valves whereby a jet or stream
of pure oxygen is administered or given to the interior of the flame of either
oil, wick, or inflammable gas lamps; and in the second place we claim as our
improvements in apparatus for producing and distributing light, the improved
arrangement and construction of apparatus or mechanism whereby we are
enabled to produce an intermitting, or interrupting, or flashing light, to be
used as signal lights for railway or telegraphic and naval purposes, either
by passing the inflammable gas in bubbles when it is used in connection with
a small fixed continuous light, or the pure oxygen when used in the interior of
flame obtained from the combustion of other matters, the pressure of the gas

page_text: overcoming a column of fluid, and thereby causing pulsation or passing of
bubbles before it can escape to the burner or flame. And also the improved
apparatus or mechanism whereby we obtain the same effect of interrupting
the passage of the gas, either inflammable or non-inflammable, to the fixed or
continuous flame by alternately opening and closing the valves, cocks, or taps
of the gas pipes, and thereby causing an intermitting or interrupted light; and
also the improved apparatus or mechanism whereby we obtain the same effect
by the revolving or moving shade or reflector around the light, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Goldsworthy Gurney and Frederick
Rixon, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Seventh day of
December, One thousand eight hundred and thirty-nine.