Improvements in Lanterns.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897.
Improvements in Lanterns.
I, EDWIN M. ROSENBLUTH, residing at 807 North Twenty-fourth Street, in the
City and County of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of
America, Manufacturer, 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: -
My invention relates generally to lanterns for vehicles, but especially to such
lanterns as are used in connection with bicycles.
It is the object of my invention to provide a lantern of a neat and compact
appearance, light in weight, and simple and inexpensive in construction,-
and to equip such lantern with improved means for supplying air to the combus-
tion chamber, with a novel and convenient means for controlling the wick
raising shaft against undue rotation, with a lamp which shall be easy of removal
from the lantern for the purpose of being cleaned or filled,--and, finally, with a
novel and desirable form of lantern-supporting attachment.
These objects I attain by resort to the construction hereinafter fully set forth.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved lamp.
Figure 2 is a transverse vertical central sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the reflector, removed from the lantern
casing.
Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section of the lamp-holding clamp.
Figure 5 is a view in rear elevation of my improved lantern, showing the
supporting clamp as in place thereon.
Figure 6 is a top plan view of my improved lantern-supporting clamp.
Figure 7 is an under plan view of the burner and the air distributing or draft
plate.
Figure 8 is a top plan view of the lamp, showing the lamp-holding clamp as in
place upon it.
Figure 9 is a top plan view of the chimney, the cover plate being supposed
removed.
Figure 10 is an under plan view of the cover plate of the chimney.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the accompanying drawings,
The lantern structure is shown as composed of a combustion chamber A, a lamp
chamber B and a chimney C.
The combustion chamber is provided with a door A, composite of an annular
metal frame supporting a lens, and being connected at one side by a suitable
hinge to the body of the lantern, and adapted to be secured in closed position by
a latch of usual construction which is mounted on the body of the lantern and
engages the opposite side or edge of said door.
C
The side walls of the combustion chamber, and also its rear wall, are formed
with the usual small openings in which are secured in any preferred and usual
manner, coloured lenses or jewels.
The body of the chimney C, is an upwardly extending, outwardly flaring, tubular

page_text: structure, the lower end of which is seated in and secured to the lip of a circular
opening in the top of the combustion chamber, and the upper end of which is
formed with a vertical walled circumferential rim C*.
c¹ are a series of small openings formed in the flaring portion of the chimney,
and care similar openings, formed in the straight rim referred to.
C3 is an imperforate cap provided with a depending curved flange, C, adapted
to seat itself upon the straight rim Cx of the chimney, and to be secured thereon
by a stud C, carried by said rim, said chimney cover C3 being provided with a
corresponding slot C to take over said stud. (See Figures 9 and 10).
Rotation of the cover, after, in its application to the chimney, its slot passes over
the stud, carries the curved flange Cover said stud, the cover being thus
secured to the chimney by a bayonet joint connection.
D is a reflector removably mounted in the combustion chamber. This reflector
is convenienly formed of diametrical proportions corresponding to the transverse
diameter of the combustion chamber, and provided with a rearwardly extending
circumferential flange dx, which flange, making contact with the interior face of
the combustion chamber, supports said reflector in proper position, between the
wick tube and the rear wall of the combustion chamber.
dis an opening in the central portion of the reflector, in line with the light or
lens in the rear wall of the combustion chamber.
a are a series of air openings, disposed in a circular series, in the rear wall of
the combustion chamber, and are a series of openings disposed in a circular
series, formed in the body of the reflector.
As will be understood, air passes or filters from the exterior of the lantern
through the openings at to the space between the rear plate or wall of the lantern
and the reflector, and thence from said space, through the central opening d, and
the circular series of openings, in the reflector, into the combustion chamber.
As will be understood, by simply opening the door of the combustion chamber,
a finger may be inserted in the central opening d of the reflector, and the latter
be thereupon drawn out, the lamp of course being first removed. The reflector
may therefore be very readily cleaned and polished when desired.
The lamp chamber designated B, is shown as 'consisting of a depending tubular
body, the upper edge of which is secured in any preferred number to the lower
portion of the body of the combustion chamber, and which lamp chamber is of
three diameters, successively larger from its top to its bottom, forming the chamber
into a body b, a neck 62, and a throat ba shoulder existing between the
body and the neck, and a shoulder existing between the neck and throat.
E is a wick-opening formed in the floor of the combustion chamber, and within
the area bounded by the upper edge of the lamp chamber.
F is a lamp-retaining and oil-collecting clamp, the same being a saucer-shaped
cap, consisting of a base f, having a circumferential upwardly turned wall fx
provided with an inturned flange fi, embodying openings f2.
-f3 is a flat band spring-secured-to-the floor of the lamp-retaining clamp, the
respective ends of said spring being free and normally extending up from the floor
of the clamp.
fare studs or stops formed on the inner side walls of the lamp-retaining clamp,
said studs being conveniently formed by turning down portons of the flange f
at the points where the openings fin said flange occur.
I is a stud mounted upon the lower portion of the lamp chamber, and shown in.
dotted lines in Figures 4 and 8.
H are a series of subdividing air openings formed in the side wall of the lamp
chamber, just below the shoulder of said chamber, said subdividing air openings.
being shown as four in number, and formed as long slots extending circumferen-
tially of the chamber, so as to divide the lantern into two parts in order that the
heat may not be conducted to the oil chamber.
J is the lamp proper, the same being shown as formed with a body of substanti-

page_text: ally the same diameter as the interior diameter of the body of the lamp chamber,
and provided with an open-topped neck j of less diameter.
The neck of the lamp is of slightly less diameter than the neck 6 of the lamp
casing, so that when the lamp is in position in the lamp. casing, air entering
through the subdividing air openings H may pass up through the annular space
between the neck of the lamp and the neck of the lamp casing.
K is the burner of the lamp, the same comprising a body the lower portion of
which fits and engages with the threaded interior of the neck of the lamp,--with
a wick tube k, and with a wick raising shaft kl.
The wick-raising shaft is, however, in such position with relation to the lower
and threaded portion of the burner K, that when said burner is screwed home
within the neck of the lamp, the wick-raising shaft is directly carried against the
upper edge of the lamp neck and by the frictional contact of the neck of said lamp
with said shaft said shaft is held against undue rotation.
L is what I term a draft plate, the same being an annular plate carried by and
preferably formed as a part of the burner K, and the outer edge of which makes
contact with the neck 62 of the lamp chamber, just below the shoulder 5; the
draft plate is provided with openings or perforations, which may be arranged in
any desired manner,--and through which air may pass in small jets or streams.
I prefer to provide said draft plate with a series of small openings, formed in
its body (see Figure 7), and to form in the outer margin of the plate a series of
serrations, the indentations between which serrations form, when the edge of the
draft plate is in contact with the wall of the chamber, a second series of
perforations.
The diameter of the opening E is less than the diameter of the circular series
of openings in the draft plate, with the result that air passing up through the per-
forations in the draft plate strikes first against the bottom of the combustion
chamber instead of passing directly through said opening E.
As will be understood, from a contemplation of Figure 2, the air entering the
subdividing air openings H, passes up into the annular chamber formed between
said openings and the draft plate, thence passes through the perforations in the
draft plate, and into the second chamber, so to speak, formed between the draft
plate and the bottom wall of the combustion chamber, and then passes from the
said second chamber through the wick tube opening, up into the combustion
chamber.
As will be understood, the currents of air entering through the subdividing air
openings H, are very thoroughly broken up and distributed in passage through
the successive chambers, and openings, and such currents are therefore prevented
from striking and extinguishing the light.
The arrangement described, while preventing the direct contact of strong enter-
ing currents of air with the flame, nevertheless, provides an abundant supply of
air in small numerous and easily flowing streams, the required amount of air being
insured by the provision of openings in sufficient number and of sufficient size.
N, Figure 1, is an opening formed in the neck, and shoulder 4, through which
the wick shaft and its head pass.
The lamp J, with its detachable burner, is removable from the lamp chamber,
through the open bottom of the latter, and, to remove the lamp, the lamp holding -
clamp Fis first detached from the lamp chamber and the lamp is thereupon drawn
downward from the chamber until its wick tube clears the bottom of the latter,
the wick shaft, in its descent, as well as in its subsequent ascent in the replacing
of the lamp, passing through the opening N.
The lamp holding clamp, which is shown in place upon the bottom of the lamp
chamber, in Figures 1, 2, and 5, is removed by rotating said clamp to the left,
until the stud I, comes opposite to the opening f whereupon the said clamp may
be taken off the lamp chamber, the spring f3 operating to throw or force it down-
wardly, thus facilitating its removal.
The removal of the lamp holding clamp exposes the lower end of the lamp,

page_text: which projects below the edge of the lamp chamber, and the said projecting end
of the lamp may be seized and the lamp drawn downward through the chamber.
As the lamp very snugly fits within the lamp chamber, and is self-supporting
therein, it may be necessary to apply slight downward pressure to the wick raising
shaft, to impart to the lamp an initial impulse of descent.
In restoring the lamp to position, it is lifted into the position shown in
Figure 2, the tightness of the fit of its body within the lamp chamber rendering
it normally self-sustaining in position.
The lamp retaining clamp is fitted upon the lower end of the lamp chamber,
and forced upward, the slot f2 passing the stud I, and the clamp is thereupon
rotated until the stop or stud fo makes contact with the stud I.
The spring 3 takes up any looseness in the fit of the several members and
prevents any working loose of the lamp-retaining clamp.
The upper end of the opening N is of such proportions, and so located that when
the lamp is forced upward into final position, the shaft encounters the edge of
the top of said opening and by its contact with the said edge is held against undue
rotation.
As will be understood, the shaft is thus held against rotation, not only by the
edge of the opening N, but also by the edge of the neck j of the lamp J.
As will be understood, when the lamp is removed from the lamp chamber, it
carries its detachable burner with its integral draft plate with it, and the perfora-
tions in said draft plate, which are accessible from all sides, may be very readily
cleaned out when necessary, thus insuring the uniform combustion.
P is a band encircling the throat 3, of the lamp chamber, and provided with a
split bearing ring P¹, provided with an apertured lug P2, and an apertured and
tapped lug P3.
Qis a screw extending through the aperture of the lug P2, and within the
tapped aperture of the lug P³, by the rotation of which screw in one or the other
direction of the bearing proper, is enlarged or diminished in diameter.
S, Figure 6, is a cylindrical shank, of size adapting it to be entered in the bearing
ring P, said shank being provided with a hooked extremity s.
Si is a shorter shank, the inner end of which is hingedly engaged with the body
of the shank S, and the outer end of which terminates in a hook s¹ similar to the
hook of the shank S.
The shank S is conveniently hingedly engaged with the body of the shank S
by having its inner curved end entered loosely in an opening in the body of the
shank S.
The hooks of the shanks are counterparts and of such form as to adapt them to
engage the edges of one member of the steering fork of the bicycle, or other portion
of a vehicle upon which the lantern is mounted.
T is a screw extending through suitable openings formed in both shanks in the
vicinity of their hook-provided ends, and equipped as to its protruding extremity
with a wing nut T', by which the opening and closing movement of the shanks is
controlled.
As will be understood, this lantern supporting clamp may be mounted upon
either of the members of the forked steering bar of a bicycle, or by a suitable
modification of the form of its hooks, be applied to any part of the frame or body
of any kind of a vehicle.
Furthermore, as will be apparent, the lantern when mounted upon said cylin-
drical shank, may, before being secured in its final position by the screwing up
of the screw Q, be set at any desired angle, so that the lens of the lantern door
will be inclined from a vertical position, a matter of considerable convenience.
This cylindrical shank can be instantly applied to either right or left side of
lantern or detached therefrom with great facility.
U, Figure 5, are a series of openings in the throat of a slight trumpet mouth
enlargement A, in the body of the lantern, in a flaring end of which trumpet
mouth enlargement, the door a is mounted.

page_text: These openings permit the entrance of small streams of air to the front portion
of the combustion chamber.
The lamp-retaining clamp F operates to receive and contain any oil which may
in the filling of the lamp be left upon its exterior and crawl downward, as well as
any oil which may escape from the lamp through overflowing, jarring, or
sweating, in any manner.
As will be understood, the air which enters through the subdividing openings H
which extend around the body of the lamp chamber exists for a time in the
annular interspace between the neck of the lamp and the neck of the lamp
chamber, and said air, in conjunction with the draft plate L, operates to very
thoroughly protect the body of the lamp from the heat of the flame in the com-
bustion chamber.
When, in use, my improved lantern is carried at a high rate of speed, the air
currents forced through the air openings, instead of blowing out the flame or
making it unsteady and causing a considerable volume of smoke as is the case in
the use of vehicle lanterns as heretofore constructed,--on the contrary greatly
intensify the light and bring the flame to almost a white colour, producing a more
intense and brilliant light from oils than has heretofore been deemed possible,
and, furthermore, the flame adheres to the wick with such tenacity that it is next
to impossible to jar it out, a matter of great advantage in vehicle lanterns.
At the same time, by the access of air between the combustion chamber and oil
reservoir, and the subdivision of the lantern by the long slits H, heating of the
cil reservoir is prevented, thereby obviating explosions, and the lamp or oil
reservoir, being surrounded by the casing, any oil remaining on the exterior of
the lamp and due to sweating or any other cause, is prevented from coming in
contact with the hands of the user, thus rendering the lantern clean to handle.
As will be understood, the improved lantern supporting clamp or bracket here-
in before described enables the lantern to be carried on either side of the bicycle,
and also enables the lantern to be adjusted at any desired angle in its plane of
rctation upon the cylindrical shank S of said clamp or bracket.
Upon the removal of the cap of the chimney the interior of said chimney is
readily accessible to allow of the removal of soot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is:
1. A vehicle lamp or lantern having a combustion chamber, the rear wall of
which is provided with a lens or jewel, and with a series of small air openings,
and a reflector, mounted within said combustion chamber and extending completely
across the same, said reflector being provided with a light opening of large
diameter, and with a circular series of small air openings, substantially as set
forth.
2. A bicycle lantern having a combustion chamber the rear wall of which is
provided with a lens or jewel and a series of small air openings, in combination
with a reflector mounted within said chamber in the vicinity of said rear wall,
the said reflector being provided with a flange or rim which makes contact with
the circumferential wall of the combustion chamber,-with a central light open-
ing, and with a circumferential series of small openings, substantially as set
forth.
3. In a vehicle lamp or lantern, in combination with a combustion chamber, a
lamp chamber secured to its lower portion, a wick tube opening formed in the
floor of the combustion chamber, a series of air openings formed in the wall of the
lamp chamber above the space therein occupied by the body of the lamp, a draft
plate mounted in the lamp chamber and extending to the wall thereof, and
embodying apertures out of line with said wick tube opening, substantially as
set forth.
4. A lamp or lantern provided with a tapped neck, in combination with a

page_text: burner adapted to engage with the tapped neck, said burner being provided with
a wick tube and a wick shaft, both ends of said shaft projecting beyond the wall
of the burner and said shaft being located in said burner that when the burner is
screwed within the neck of the lamp, both ends of said shaft encounter said neck
whereby said shaft is clamped against undue rotation, substantially as set forth.
5. In a bicycle lamp, in combination with a combustion chamber, a lamp
chamber depending from said combustion chamber, a wick tube opening which
places said chambers in communication, a lamp which so closely fits for a portion
of its length within said lamp chamber, as to be self-supporting therein, and a
series of subdividing air openings formed in the wall of said lamp chamber above
the area in which the lamp closely fits, substantially as set forth.
6. In a bicycle lamp, in combination with a combustion chamber, a lamp
chamber depending from said combustion chamber, a wick tube opening which
places said chambers in communication, a lamp which closely fits for a portion of
its length within said lamp chamber, a series of subdividing air openings formed
in the wall of said lamp chamber above the area in which the lamp closely fits,
and an annular perforated draft plate formed as a rim or flange on the burner,
and disposed between the lamp and the wall of the lamp chamber above said air
openings, substantially as set forth.
7. In a bicycle lamp, in combination with a combustion chamber, a lamp
chamber formed with a neck and a body, depending from said combustion
chamber, and provided with subdividing air openings in its body, a lamp provided
with a burner and a wick tube which latter extends through a wick tube opening
formed in the bottom of the combustion chamber, and an annular draft plate
formed as a rim or flange on the burner, and having air passages, and in contact
as to its margin with the neck of the lamp chamber, substantially as set forth.
8. In a bicycle lamp, in combination with a combustion chamber, a lamp
chamber formed with a neck and a body, depending from said combustion
chamber, and provided with subdivided air openings in its body, a lamp provided
with a burner and a wick tube which latter extends through a wick tube opening
formed in the bottom of the combustion chamber, and an annular draft plate
carried by said burner and having air passages consisting of apertures and
marginal serrations, and in contact as to its margin with the neck of the lamp
chamber, substantially as set forth.
9. In a lantern, in combination with an open bottomed lamp chamber, provided
upon its lever exterior portion with a stud or projection, an oil collecting lamp
retaining clamp consisting of a plate having a rim adapted to enclose the lower
portion of said lamp chamber,which rim embodies a slot adapted to take over
said stud or projection, and a flat spring secured to the said plate,--substantially
as set forth.
10. In combination, a bicycle lantern, and a clamp adapted to be attached to
the frame of a vehicle and to support said lantern, a collar or split ring attached
to one of said devices, and a horizontally extending shaft attached to the other of
said devices, said collar being adapted to be seated upon said shaft, and means for
enlarging and diminishing the size of said collar, to alternately clasp and release
said shaft, the arrangement being such that the lantern may be quickly and easily
shifted to various positions of rotative adjustment, substantially as set forth.
11. A vehicle lamp or lantern provided with a collar or split ring firmly secured
to its body, means for drawing together or apart the ends of said collar to enlarge
or diminish the diameter of the same, a horizontal transversely-extending shaft
upon which said collar is adapted to be seated, and to be locked thereto by draw-
ing together the ends of said collar, said lamp or lantern being thereby adapted
to be secured in various positions of rotative adjustment upon said shaft, and
means for securing said shaft to a vehicle, substantially as set forth.
12. In a bicycle lamp, in combination with a combustion chamber, a lamp
chamber, depending from said combustion chamber, a wick tube opening which
places said chambers in communication, a lamp mounted in said lamp chamber

page_text: and having a wick tube extending through said wick tube opening, an annular
space between the upper portion of the lamp and the lamp chamber, subdividing
air openings formed in said lamp chamber and opening into said annular space,
a draft plate embodying a circular series of perforations and serrations, said draft
plate being disposed between the subdividing air openings and the wick tube
opening and said circular series of openings being of greater diameter than the
wick tube opening, substantially as set forth.
13. In combination, a bracket for a lantern supporting clamp, said bracket
consisting of a shank having a cylindrical body and an extended hook extremity
and a second shank hingedly connected to the shank first named and having a
corresponding hook extremity, and a screw controlling the approach and separa-
tion of said hook extremities, substantially as set forth.
14. A bracket for a lantern supporting clamp, said bracket consisting of a
shank having a cylindrical body and an extended hook extremity, and a second
shank hingedly connected to the shank first named and having a corresponding
hook extremity, and a screw controlling the approach and separation of said hook
extremeties, in combination with a lantern provided with a cylindrical bearing
adapted to be seated upon said cylindrical shank,--substantially as set forth.
15. A bracket or a lantern supporting clamp, said bracket consisting of a shank
having a cylindrical body and an extended hook extremity and a second shank
hingedly connected to the shank first named and having a corresponding hook
extremity, a screw controlling the approach and separation of said hook extremi-
ties, in combination with a lantern provided with a cylindrical bearing adapted
to be seated upon said cylindrical shank, and means for increasing and diminishing
the diameter of said bearing,-substantially set forth.
Dated this 8th day of April, A.D. 1897.
Witnesses:
FREDERICK NORMAN DIXON.
THOMAS KEYS LANCASTER.
EDWIN M. ROSENBLUTH.