Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application (in the United Kingdom), 19th Aug., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1887
Complete Specification Accepted, 19th Sept., 1888
We, JAMES ANDREW BLANKLEY Tin Worker and CHARLES HUSTON TALLMAN
Manufacturer both of Bellaire in the County of Belmont and State of Ohio, in the
United States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :--
The invention relates to means for automatically raising and retaining in a raised
position the globes and globe supports of lanterns, so as to give convenient access to
the lamp, and has for its purpose such a construction of the raising and retaining
devices as will insure economy in production, durability in wear, efficiency in use, and
capacity for adaptation with globes of different lengths. The novelty therein consists
in the peculiar construction, arrangement and combination of the principal operative
parts, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.
For the better understanding of the invention reference should be had to the
accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of the complete lantern, showing in dotted lines the globe
in a raised position Figure 2 a vertical section of the top, showing the spring-catch in
position Figure 3, a separate view of the spring catch; Figure 4 a vertical partial
section of the globe, its support and side tubes, showing the lifting springs in position
when the globe is in place, and in dotted lines showing the globe and its support as
raised Figure 5 a separate view of the globe support: Figure 6 a broken section of
the globe support, exhibiting a friction-roller in the same.

page_text: Similar leiters denote corresponding parts in each figure.
As the invention is most conveniently adapted for tubular lanterns of the well known
types, it will be explained by reference to such a lantern.
A denotes the globe, B the globe support, CC the side tubes, D the centre tube, and
E the canopy or bell, vertically movable upon the centre tube D. Curved springs G. G
preferably made of clock spring steel, with their upper ends bent at an angle, are firmly
secured opposite each other to the inner sides of the side tubes by inserting the bent
ends through proper slots a, a, in such tubes and afterward firmly securing the upper
portions of such parts of such springs as are outside of such tubes to the same,
preferably by soldering, although rings or bands or equivalent means may be used. It
is not however desired to limit the invention in this particular to springs made of
clock-steel, or having their upper ends bent at an angle or secured to the side tubes by
insertion of such bent ends into slots in said tubes, as other kinds of springs may be
employed and secured directly to the side tubes, without inserting their ends through
slots in the same, without departing from the spirit of the invention. When thus
secured, the free portions of such springs extend downward in line of the tubes bending
inwardly at their bottoms b, b, and passing through proper slots c, c, on each side of
the globe support B.
It is obvious that instead of the slots c, c, in the globe-support proper notches in the
outer edges, or loops or staples secured to such outer edges, may be employed, the
only essentials being a support and guides. on three sides for the springs G. G. To
avoid friction of these springs in said slots c, c, friction rollers d, d are placed in or
directly above such slots, conveniently pivotted in parts of the metal, which may be
turned up at the ends of the slots c, c, in making them; but these rollers are not
indispensable.
The spring-catch His composed preferably of flat spring-brass, bent back upon
itself and placed with the bend downward wholly within the centre tube D, preferably
at right angles to the side tubes, and the upper end of one of its arms is bent outward
a little and passed through a slot in the side of the centre tube, where it is secured by
soldering from the outside, or in any other suitable way. On this fixed arm of said
spring-catch, and near the bend f, is a stud h, which may be a separate piece secured
to said spring-catch, or, preferably, it is an outward bend of the same, and this stud
passes through a suitable opening i in the wall of the centre tube. The other or free
arm g of this spring-catch passes out through the wall of the centre tube, preferably
through the top of it on one side, and at its upper end is provided with a finger piece j
which may be a separate piece properly secured, but preferably is made by an outward
bend, slightly widened, of such free arm.
When the lamp is in its normal condition ready for use, the side springs pass through
the slots in the globe support, bending inwardly under the same and exerting a constant
pressure inwardly and upwardly by reason of their curves, which pressure is resisted
by the stud of the spring-catch. When the finger piece of the spring catch is raised
the same movement draws back the bend of the spring and withdraws the stud from
engagement with its slot, and the pressure of the side springs throws up the globe
support and the globe giving free access to the lamp for any of the usual purposes.
When it is desired to restore the globe to its normal position, this may be done by
pressing downward with the fingers upon the outer edges of the bell, which is always
sufficiently cool.
The advantages arising from the use of the flat clock-spring steel side springs are,
their durability, their long maintenance of elasticity, their adaptability to be firmly
secured, as described and their more perfect and larger bearing in the slots in the
globe support, by means of which the same is raised strongly, rapidly and evenly. In
this action of raising the friction rollers in such slots have an important effect.
The advantages of the spring catch consist in its durability, cheapness and
simplicity by reason of which it is not likely to get out of order, and by reason of its
being placed on the inside of the tube the lantern is more sightly and at the same time
the spring is better protected.
It will be observed on inspection that the side springs are adapted for various lengths

page_text: of globes, operating well with all, and that both the side springs and the latch may be
applied to any of the known types of tubular lanterns, and it is believed that they may
be applied to various types of single globe lanterns by the use of mechanical skill
alone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The tubular lantern having its globe and canopy or bell vertically movable, and
provided with the spring catch secured to one side of the centre tube and bent down
within the same and having a detent stud and a thumb-piece extending through the
walls of such tube, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The tubular lantern having the vertically moveable globe support and provided
with flat springs secured to the side tubes and with free ends passing through or under
the globe support substantially as hereinbefore described.
11
3003
JAMES A. BLANKLEY.
CHARLES H. TALLMAN.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.