IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ROOP LAMPS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES
Year: 1855

page_text: In the Matter of a Patent granted to COLEMAN DEFRIES, of the
Firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, Houndsditch, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ROOP LAMPS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," bearing
date the Twentieth day of November, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-five.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to bo
entered by the said Coleman Defries, as such Patentee as aforesaid,
pursuant to the Statutes in that case made and provided.
WHEREAS since the filing of my said Specification I have been advised
that it is doubtful whether the claim made for the use of cast glasses, and also
for the use of concave reflectors in the interior of railway carriages, could be
sustained in a court of law, and as it is my wish to restrict my Invention
solely to the means of fixing the glasses of roof lamps of railway carriages, I,
for these reasons, wish to disclaim, and I do hereby disclaim the following
parts of my said Specification, viz., the words following, "And the glasses of
"such roof lamps have heretofore been made with plain or smooth surfaces
internally and externally, either by blowing or casting, and the consequence
"is, that the light is seen through the glass as a simple flame;" also the
words "my Invention consists of applying to such descriptions of roof lampa.

page_text: otherwise would only illuminate the roof of the carriage. It reflects it down-
wards and distributes it in the body of the carriage.
In witness whereof, I, the said Coleman Defries, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in the One thousand
eight hundred and sixty.
To the Commissioners of Patents.
COLEMAN DEFRIES. (L.S.)
I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-mentioned Coleman
Defries to file in the Great Seal Patent Office, with the Specification to
which the same relates, the above written Disclaimer & Memorandum of
Alteration

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Coleman Defries, of the firm of Jonas Defries and
Sons, Houndsditch, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ROOP
LAMPS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES."
Sealed the 25th April 1856, and dated the 20th November 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Coleman Defries at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 20th.
November 1855.
I, COLEMAN DEFRIES, of the firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, Houndsditch,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Roop LAMPS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES" to be as follows:-
Heretofore in the construction of a roof lamp of a railway carriage there:
has been a glass at the lower part which enters the carriage; this glass is by
its upper edge or rim fixed in a metal frame, and the frame is soldered to the
upper part of the lamp, consequently when a glass is broken the parts have
to be unsoldered and again soldered. And the glasses of such roof lamps have
heretofore been made with plain or smooth surfaces internally and externally;
either by blowing or casting, and the consequence is, that the light is seen
through the glass as a simple flame.

page_text: Now, my Invention consists of applying to such descriptions of roof lamps
glasses which are cast in moulds formed with undulations, with a view to
break up the surface of the glass into numerous prisms, or elevations and
depressions, which will cause the light within to be broken up, and not seen as
a single light; and I fix or place the glass of a roof lamp of a railway carriage
in a ring or frame, which is made readily moveable from the upper part of the
lamp by a spring catch or catches, or by a sliding or moveable bolt or catch;
and on the interior of the carriage a concave reflector is used, through the
centre of which the glass of the roof lamp passes, and thus is the light of the
lamp reflected downwards and distributed in the carriage.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Coleman Defries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th May 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, COLEMAN
DEFRIES, of the firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, Houndsditch, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her.. most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Coleman Defries, Her special licence, that I, the said Coleman
Defries, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I;
the said Coleman Defrics, 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE ROOF LAMPS FOR RAILWAY CARRIAGES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Coleman Defries, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Coleman Defries, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
Heretofore in the construction of a roof lamp of a railway carriage there
has been a glass at the lower part which enters the carriage; this glass is by
its upper edge or rim fixed in a metal frame, and the frame is soldered to the
upper part of the lamp, consequently when a glass is broken the parts have to
be unsoldered and again soldered. And the glasses of such roof lamps have
heretofore been made with plain or smooth surfaces internally and externally,
either by blowing or casting, and the consequence is, that the light is seen
through the glass as a simple flame.
Now, my Invention consists of applying to such descriptions of roof lamps
glasses which are cast in moulds formed with undulations, with a view to break
up the surface of the glass into numerous prisms, or elevations and depressions,
which will cause the light within to be broken up, and not seen as a single
light; and I fix or place the glass of a roof lamp of a railway carriage in a ring
or frame, which is made readily moveable from the upper part of the lamp by
a spring catch or catches, or by a sliding or moveable bolt or catch; and on the
interior of the carriage a concave reflector is used, through the centre of which
the glass of the roof lamp passes, and thus is the light of the lamp reflected
downwards and distributed in the carriage.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annoxed.

page_text: roof of the carriage; it has a circular hole at its centre, through which tho
lamp passes. This reflector is so formed as to intercept the light, which other-
wise would only illuminate the roof of the carriage; it reflects it downwards
and distributes it in the body of the carriage.
In witness whereof, I, the said Coleman Defries, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
COLEMAN DEFRIES. (L.s.)