AN IMPROVED LAMP OR LANTERN FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Frederic Barnett at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th Feb-
ruary 1862.
I, FREDERIC BARNETT, residing at 230, Oxford Street, London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED LAMP OR LANTERN
FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The change of shape and other improvements I propose for street and
other lamps or lanternes, have for object a better developement of reflection
of gas or other light, hence an increased illuminating power without addi-
tional cost, the same to be obtained in conjunction with my Patent enamelled
reflectors, or with other apparatus in lieu thereof. Also by a regulated
current of air to prevent the fluctuation of the flame either of gas or of any
other illuminating material used in my lamps, hence a more perfect com-
bustion. Also for an arrangement to light the said lamps without a ladder
or a trap in the bottom of the lamps. My street or other lamps for like
purposes have a greater diameter in their upper parts near the covers or
domes C than have the ordinary ones. From their greatest diameters they
diminish rapidly towards their lower parts at D until they are reduced to
less than one-third of their largest diameters at their bases, becoming no
larger than that part of the capital of the lamppost I on which they are
fixed, by which system and form the lower frame will cause little or no shadow
beneath. In the base of the lantern I fit a glass having a neck descending

page_text: This neck is sufficiently
enough air to feed the
one or more inches, F presenting the coupe or half.
large to pass the pipe supporting the burner, and
flame. This descending neck opposes in a great measure the entry of the
wind by gusts. The cock H is placed beneath the neck between the lamp
and the lampost. The key of the said cock having a projecting piece of
metal sufficiently long to enable the lighter by means of a stick to turn it
off and on from below. In the upper part of the lantern I place in its
largest diameter an enamel reflector horizontally C to c, or otherwise. In
these reflectors I have either one or more oval or round holes according to
the quantity and nature of the burners. These holes are surmounted by
one or more oval or round conical cheminies B from six to eight inches
high. Thus by means of the limited admission of air from the neck at
the base of the lantern, and the limited exit of rarified air by the chimney
or chimnies, the supply will be regulated, and the air thus admitted at the
bottom will pass immediately thro, feeding the flame in its passage as
indicated by the arrows and thence be drawn directly upward by the
updraught established by the conical chimney or chimnies, taking with it
the exhalations and smoke of the gas, by which means the flame will be
scarcely disturbed even in stormy weather, and as a natural consequence the
combustion will be more perfect and the interior of the lantern remain
longer clean, and as a common result a better light be obtained both by the
natural and reflected light with the same consumption of gas or other
lighting materials. For the purpose of lighting the gas or other lighting
materials from the footpath, without a ladder, the door of my lantern opens
on a hinge placed on the upper part of the door at C, and that part of the
cover or dome with which when closed it, comes in contact. On the lower
part of the door, in the middle of the frame, I have a piece of metal extended
that I will call a bolt; this same shuts into a spring catch fixed solidly
on the lower frame of the lantern, so arranged that when the door be pressed
to, the bolt is held by the catch, thus keeping the door closed. From this
spring catch I have extended a spur some few inches, which, when pressed
back, causes the catch to relinquish its hold on the bolt at the bottom of
the door, by which operation the door liberates itself, and as the door is
hung by its hinge in the largest diameter above, the lower part will imme-
diately fall back in a perpendicular position as at E in seeking its centre
of gravity, leaving an opening ample to pass a lighting lamp arranged at
the end of a pole or staff to be applied to the burner, by means of this same

page_text: pole the gas cock at H will be opened, regulated, and closed without the
use of a ladder. One side of this lighting staff will be covered with indian-
rubber or stuffed leather. This same part when the door have to be closed
will be pressed against it so as to force it home to the spring catch, which,
as above shown, will keep it closed.
My improved lamps or lanternes can be made round, square, or in any
other desired shape, and in all sizes. The catches to hold and liberate
the door can be made in various ways with or without springs; G is a catch
acting by contrepoid without spring. This catch, which I have invented
for this use, is very desirable as obviating the risk of breaking the glass in
the door, the contrepoid h being below the lantern, when pressed back-
ward by the staff the catch i will descend, and so liberate the door, as soon
as the pressure be removed from h the catch will recover itself and receive
and hold again the door.