IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET, RAILWAY CARRIAGE, AND OTHER LAMPS OR LANTERNS, AND IN REFLECTORS FOR THE SAME, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Guy Wilson, of the Office for British and Foreign
Patents, 71, Market Street, Manchester, Mechanical Engineer and Patent
Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET, RAILWAY CARRIAGE,
AND OTHER LAMPS OR LANTERNS, AND IN REFLECTORS FOR THE SAME, AND
FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by William
John Brewer, of Bombay, in the Empire of India.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Guy Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th June 1880.
"
· JOHN GUY WILSON, of the Office for British & Foreign Patents, 71, Market
IMPROVEMENTS IN
Street, Manchester, Mechanical Engineer and Patent Agent.
STREET, RAILWAY CARRIAGE, AND OTHER LAMPS OR LANTERNS, AND IN REFLECTORS
A communication from
FOR THE SAME, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
abroad by William John Brewer, of Bombay, in the Empire of India.
As applied, say, to a street lamp, this Invention consists in arranging a series of.
concave reflectors, hereinafter called the main reflector, above the light in a
converging direction towards the light, bearing a space in the centre for the glass
chimney of the gas or other burner to pass through. If used as a double reflector,
the opening through this main reflector is larger so as to allow a greater body of
light to pass through, and the back of such reflecter is in this case formed as a
reflecting surface. Above the main reflector is a similar reflector of smaller
dimensions with an opening through the centre leading to a smoke box or cap.
Round the outside of the lamp and joining the edge of the reflectors before
mentioned are mounted what may be termed curtain reflectors, which may be
either fixed or capable of being adjusted at any angle so as to catch the rays of
light from the reflectors and also from the light itself, and to throw or reflect such
rays down and in any desired direction. Instead of having one or two converging
series of reflectors, as herein described, three or more may be used, one over the
other, but the angle of all the reflectors must be so placed as to act one upon the
other, and such reflectors may be formed of silvered glass, polished metal, or other
suitable material capable of reflecting light. In this manner a lamp is constructed

page_text: in which the upper and lower portions separated by the main reflector form as it
were two distinct lamps, but from a distance the light appears to join and form one
light of intense brilliancy and illuminative power.
This system of reflection is applicable also in the construction of hanging wall,
table, and other domestic lamps, sun lights, billiard lights, carriage lamps, railway
roof lamps, railway signal lamps, ships' lights, and to every kind of lamp or lantern
consuming either gas or any description of oil. This double system of reflector is
also applicable in the construction of back or wall reflectors, in which case the
central portion may be convex and be surrounded by a series of concave segments,
the angles of all reflectors being so placed as to act one upon the other.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said John Guy Wilson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th February 1881.
JOHN GUY WILSON, of the Office for British and Foreign Patents, 71, Market
Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer. and Patent
Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STREET, RAILWAY CARRIAGE, AND OTHER LAMPS OR
LANTERNS, AND IN REFLECTORS FOR THE SAME, AND FOR OTHER SIMILAR
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by William John Brewer, of Bombay,
in the Empire of India.
.
As applied, say, to a street lamp, this Invention consists in arranging a series of
concave reflectors, hereinafter called the main reflector, above the light in a
converging direction towards the light, leaving a space in the centre for the glass
chimney of the gas or other burner to pass through. If used as a double reflector
the opening through this main reflector is larger so as to allow a greater body of
light to pass through, and the back of such reflector is in this case formed as a
reflecting surface. Above the main reflector is a similar reflector of smaller
dimensions with an opening through the centre leading to a smoke box or cap.
Round the outside of the lamp and joining. the edge of the reflectors before
mentioned are mounted what may be termed curtain reflectors, which may be
either fixed or capable of being adjusted at any angle so as to catch the rays of
light from the reflectors and also from the light itself, and to throw or reflect such
rays down in any desired direction. Instead of having one or two converging
series of reflectors, as herein described, three or more may be used one over the
other, but the angle of all the reflectors must be so placed as to act one upon the
other, and such reflectors may be formed of silvered glass, polished metal, or other
suitable material capable of reflecting light. In this manner a lamp is constructed
in which the upper and lower portions separated by the main reflector form as it
were two distinct lamps, but from a distance the light appears to join and form one
light of intense brilliancy and illuminating power. The improvements are equally
applicable to other description of lamps, as hereinafter described.

page_text: And in order that the said Invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a Sheet of Drawings illustrative of
the improvements as applied to various descriptions of lamps, and I will now
proceed to describe the same by reference to the various Figures and letters of
reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 represents a front view of a street lamp having the improved arrangement
of reflectors applied thereto; Fig. 2 represents a front, and Fig. 3 a side view of a
wall lamp fitted with the improved reflectors; Figs. 4 and 5 represent hall lamps
fitted with reflectors in accordance with this Invention; Fig. 6 represents a pillar
lamp, and Fig. 7 a pedestal or table lamp with the improvements applied thereto,
and Fig. 8 represents a sun light shewing another application of the improved
reflectors.
In all the views A represents a series of reflectors, hereinafter called the main
reflectors, which are formed above the light, as illustrated, in a converging direction
towards and surrounding the light, and leaving a space or opening in the centre for
the glass chimney of the gas or other burner to pass through, or which opening in
case of no chimney being used allows the heat and products of combustion from
the naked flame to pass through. If used as a double reflector, as in the case of
Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, the back of the main reflector A is formed as a reflecting
surface, and is indicated by the letter C. Above the main reflector A is also
arranged a similar converging reflector B, of smaller dimensions, with an opening
through the centre leading to a smoke box or cap. Round the outside of the street
and wall lamps, illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and either joining up direct to the
edge of the main reflector A, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, or attached to the
metallic framework of the lamp case, as in Fig. 1, are mounted what are termed
curtain reflectors D, which may be either fixed in position at the desired angle, or
which curtain reflector D may be hinged or otherwise capable of being adjusted at
any angle (say, for instance, by the rods D¹ with hooks taking into one of the series
of holes D2, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3) so as to intercept the rays of light proceeding
from the main reflectors A, and also the rays from the light itself, and so to throw
such rays down and in any desired direction. In the case of the street lamp,
Fig. 1, the intervening space between the edge of the main reflectors A and the
curtain reflectors is filled up with the reflective surface F. Similar curtain
reflectors E are also applied round the upper.converging reflectors B, or at a higher
level than the main reflectors A when the reflectors B are absent, as illustrated in.
Fig. 7.
It will thus be observed that this improved system and combination of reflectors
practically divide the lamp into an upper and lower compartment so as to form as
it were two distinct lamps, whilst from a distance the lights appear to join and
form one light of intense brilliancy and illuminative power. Instead of having
one or two converging series of reflectors, as herein before described and illustrated
on the accompanying Drawing, three or more may be used one over the other, but
the angle of all the reflectors must be so adjusted as that the reflectors act one
upon the other so as to intercept and throw the rays of light in the desired
directions.
In the wall lamp, Figs. 2 and 3, I also illustrate the double system of reflectors
as applied in the construction of back or wall reflectors, in which case the central
portion G is formed convex, and is surrounded by what may be termed a concave
reflector H, which is preferred to be made of a series of concave segments, or pieces
of silvered glass, or other suitable reflecting surface or material. These concave
reflectors intercept the rays of light from the concave reflector G and also from the
light itself and throw them forwards, so materially improving the illuminating
capabilities of the wall lamp. This improved construction of wall reflectors is also
capable of being employed with advantage separate and distinct from the wall
lamp, for instance in conjunction with a naked light or affixed to a gas bracket or
other gas fitting.

page_text: In the sunlight arrangement, represented in Fig. 8, the burners are each
surrounded, as illustrated, by converging reflectors J, and the rays of light reflected
from them are intercepted by the surrounding or annular convex reflectors I, and
by them are deflected downwards, and so improve the illuminating capabilities of
the sun light.
The convex and other reflectors, herein before described, are by preference
formed of silvered glass, either all in one piece or in suitable segments or divisions,
or may be made of polished metal or other suitable material capable of reflecting
light.
Although I have only described the application of the improved system and
combination of reflectors to certain descriptions of. lamps, it will be apparent that,
they are equally applicable to billiard lights, carriage lamps, railway roof lamps,
railway signal lights, ships' lights, candle lamps, and to every kind of lamp or
lantern consuming either gas or any description of oil.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention so communicated to me from abroad, as aforesaid, together with the best
methods with which I am.acquainted for carrying the same into practical effect, I
wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details, relative proportions, or dimensions of the various lamps and reflectors
herein before described and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing, as the same,
may be considerably varied without departing from the Invention, but what- I
claim is,
1st. The improvement in street and other lamps or lanterns, substantially as
herein before described.
2nd. The improved combination and arrangement of reflectors, substantially as
and for the various purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Guy Wilson, have hereunto set my hand
seal, this 9th of February, in the year of our Lord 1881.
JOHN G. WILSON.. (L.S.)