Improvements in Lamps or Lanterns.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 6th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps or Lanterns.
I, OWEN HUAB DAVIES, of 6, 7 and 8, Bank Buildings, Willesden, in the County
of Middlesex, Draper, and WILLIAM MUDD STILL, of 24, Charles Street, Hatton
Garden, in the County of London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in lamps or lanterns and comprises an
improved construction of lamp or lantern head whereby the lamp is adapted to
burn more steadily than heretofore in exposed positions during windy weather
and so that the upper part of the lamp shall be prevented from becoming over-
heated; an improved gas cock for controlling the supply of gas to several main
and bye pass burners; and to improved means for holding the lamp or lantern
in position so as to prevent it being partly turned round by wind or otherwise.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 shows partly in elevation and partly
in section, and by way of example, a lamp of the kind described in the speci-
fication of a former. patent granted to one of us, viz. the said O. H. Davies,
No. 23361 of 1896 but embodying the present improvements.
1 is the head of the lamp, 2 the globe, 3 the gas supply pipe, 4 main gas
As described in
burners, which may be of any desired kind, and a reflector.
the said former specification, the globe is supported by means of a flange 6 which
is embraced by a hinged two-part rim 7 supported by arms 8 adapted to slide
telescopically in tubes 9 whereby the globe can be drawn downwards to permit
of access being gained to its interior without removing it from the carrying rim 7.
The rim and globe are retained in the normal or upper position by suitable
catches such as thumb pieces 10, of which only one is shown in Fig. 1, each having
a stem 10" depending from and rotatable in a fixed part 10b of the lamp.
For the purpose of rendering the lamp or lantern wind proof and the upper
part or head thereof cool, the said upper part or head is formed with a metal
chimney 11 that tapers towards the top and is surrounded by a metal casing or
tube 12 so arranged that an annular space is formed between it and the chimney.
At its lower part this outer casing or tube 12 is formed with openings 12" adapted
to admit therethrough a portion of the fresh air entering the lamp head through
the ordinary air inlets 13, behind which is an internal conical deflector 13.
The upper part of the chimney 11 is held centrally within the upper part of
the casing or tube 12 by distance pieces 11" connecting the said two parts which
are directly, connected together at the bottom. To the top of the tube 12 is
attached a tubular casing 14 provided with a hood or cowl 14ª and having fixed
thereto an inner conical wind guard or deflector 15 for preventing down-draught
of air or descent of rain that may enter through the outlets 14b.
As will be seen, the arrangement is such that should a draught or gust of
wind produce a sudden inrush of air through the air inlets 13, instead of it all
passing into the globe 2 and producing a down draught, the excess of air escapes
upward through the openings 12" in the tube 12 and through the annular space
surrounding the chimney, the upward movement being aided by the heat of the

page_text: chimney. In this way the amount of fresh air which passes over the conical
deflector 13 and down into the globe is rendered practically uniform and regular.
In lamps and lanterns provided with two or more main gas burners and corre-
sponding bye-pass burners the gas passages leading to the several burners and
the gas cock for controlling the said passages, are, according to this invention,
so constructed and arranged that by partly turning the cock in one direction,
gas can be simultaneously turned on to all the main burners and shut off from
the bye pass burners, and by turning the cock in the reverse direction, the gas
can be simultaneously shut off from the main burners and turned on to the bye
pass burners, the arrangement being such that either the main burners or the
bye pass burners will always be ignited.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 show one construction of such a gas cock with main and bye
pass burners, Fig. 2 being a sectional elevation, Fig. 3 a sectional plan with the
passages to the main burners open and those to the bye pass burners closed, the
section being taken on the line of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 a partial horizontal
section showing the passages to the bye pass burners open and those to the main
burners closed. The main burner unions 19 and bye pass tubes 20 are secured
in a centrally arranged socket 21 that is attached, as by a screw threaded con-
nection 22 to the gas supply pipe 3. The socket 21 is formed with a conical
bore that is in communication with the gas supply pipe 3, and, in the example
shown, with three lateral main gas supply passages 21" leading to the three main
burner unions 19, and with three lateral bye pass passages 21b leading to the
bye pass tubes 20, the several lateral passages being arranged circumferentially
around the socket. The socket is fitted with a correspondingly coned cock or
plug 23 that is made hollow at its upper part and is formed with three elongated
openings 23 spaced circumferentially apart so as to correspond each with one
of the main burner supply passages 21" in the socket, when turned into the posi-
tion shown in Fig. 3, or with one of the bye-pass passages 21 when turned into
the position shown in Fig. 4. Each pair of gas passages 21", 21" in the socket 21,
corresponding to a main burner and its bye pass burner, and the corresponding
elongated opening 23" in the plug 23, may be in the same horizontal plane as in
the arrangement shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4; or they may be arranged diagonally,
as shown with respect to one of the openings 23" in the plug in Fig. 2. Also
instead of a slot 23", a pair of holes arranged near together may be used. The
plug 23 is held to its seat by a nut 24 and is limited in its turning movement,
in the ordinary way, by a pin 26 working between stops formed on the socket 21.
Each of the main burner unions 19 is provided with a separate cock 19", and
the horizontal portion of each of the bye-pass tubes 21b is provided with a regulat-
ing screw 25. The lower end of the plug 23 is formed with an opening 23° of
square or other suitable cross section to receive a correspondingly shaped key.
To admit of the plug being operated, an opening is formed in the bottom of the
globe to admit of the insertion of the key, such opening being normally closed,
as for example in the manner described in the aforesaid former specification, or
by a ball 2
In lamps or lanterns which are employed in situations exposed to the weather,
it frequently happens that the lamps or lanterns are swung round horizontally
by gusts of wind, about the ball and socket joint by which they are usually sus-
pended. To obviate this drawback there is employed, according to this invention,
a device whereby the ball and socket parts of the joint are prevented from rotating
relatively the one to the other but are allowed a suitable amount of rocking or
swinging movement. For this purpose there is combined with the ball and socket,
a holding device that is prevented from rotating by the socket and prevents rota-
tion of the ball and the lamp suspended therefrom.
Figs. 5 and 6 are elevations at right angles to each other showing one con-
struction of holding device according to this invention, the ball and socket with
which it is used being shown dotted. Fig. 1 shows the holding device in posi-
tion on the lamp. The upper or socket part 27 is formed, in the example shown,

page_text: with an octagonal part 28 encircled by a corresponding shaped frame 29, whilst
the lower or ball part 30 is formed with a hexogonal portion 31 around which
is placed a hexagonal frame 32, the two frames being rigidly connected together
by metal strips 33 and made to fit freely upon the respective parts of the joint
so as to allow a suitable amount of swinging movement to take place. The hold-
ing device is suspended in place by screws 34 that project inwardly from the
strips 33 so as to rest upon a shoulder on the socket part 27 after the device
has been placed in position thereon.
The improved lamp hereinbefore described, which is specially suitable for
incandescence gas lighting, may be provided with a reflector 35 secured below
the chimney 11 and formed with several exit holes 35, one above each burner,
or with a single annular exit opening. For incandescence gas-lighting, a
chimney 36 of suitable transparent material, for example glass or mica, may be
supported above the burners and mantles, as by wire clips 37, in order to prevent
the mantles being damaged by air currents passing across them.
The reflector 5, which is or may be of the kind described in the said former
specification, may, as shown, be formed with an opening 5 of any desired contour
closed by a sheet of transparent or translucent material, for example, opal glass.
Such sheet may bear any suitable word or words, and be fitted to slide in guide-
ways on the inner side of the reflector and be fixed in place by bent metal clips 5b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A lamp or lantern of the kind herein referred to, constructed with a central
chimney, a casing or tube provided with air inlet opening and arranged to form
with the chimney an annular space which is closed at the bottom and open at
the top, an outer casing arranged around the lower part of chimney and casing
or tube and provided with air inlets, a conical deflector arranged within the casing
behind the air inlet openings and an upper casing surrounding the upper part
of the chimney, extending above the same and provided with an inner conical
deflector, air exit openings and an external cowl, the arrangement being such
that down draughts are prevented, and excess of air entering the air inlet open-
ings is led upwards through the said annular space, substantially as hereinabove
described with reference to and shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with main and bye-pass burners, of a gas cock constructed
substantially as described and shown and comprising a socket to which the burner
tubes are connected so as to communicate with the interior thereof through suit-
able gas supply passages, and a plug formed with a series of gas exit openings,
the said gas supply passages and exit openings being so relatively arranged that
by suitably operating the plug gas can be turned on to all the main burners and
cut off from the bye-pass burners, or can be turned on to all the bye-pass burner's
and cut off from the main burners, as set forth.
3. The combination with the ball and socket suspending joint of a lamp or
lantern, of a holding device constructed and arranged substantially as hereinabove
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings whereby the movable part of the joint carrying the lamp or lantern is
prevented from turning around its vertical axis, without interfering with its
adaptability to rock or swing in its socket, as set forth.
4. The improved lamp shown in and described with reference to Fig. 1 of the
drawings annexed.