Improvements in Miners' Safety and other Lamps.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miners' Safety and other Lamps.
I, CHARLES RICHARDS, of 156 Dalston Lane, Hackney, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates chiefly to miners' safety lamps; some of the improvements
however namely those in the burner are applicable to other lamps.
+
My improved miners' safety lamp is constructed to admit air to the lower part
of the flame as well as to the upper part of the flame.
An important feature of my invention is the provision of an air-shaft, external to
the glass, for conducting the air required for combustion to the lower part of the
flame said air-shaft at the same time forming a screen for the miner's eyes when the
lamp is in use.
Another important feature consists in permanently securing the gauze to the
bonnet ring so that when assembling the parts of the lamp after cleaning
or trimming the same, the gauze cannot by any chance be omitted.
I provide a novel form of burner applicable to the miners' lamp aforesaid and
also to other oil lamps. The burner may be permanently attached to the lamp or
may be made detachable, in which latter case it can be made and sold separately in
a condition to be readily attached to the lamp.
The oil-container is entirely closed and contains the feeding wheel for the wick.
The winding apparatus is thus situated below the removable ring and does not
interfere with the unscrewing of said ring.
The glass shield is removable from the top of the body instead of through the
bottom as has been usual heretofore. This construction is important in that it
allows of the glass being taken out for cleaning purposes without unserewing the
bottom ring and so avoids much of the wear of the screw threads of said ring.
Other improvements according to my invention relate to the gauze and bonnet
fastener, to the locking bolt, and to the provision of a double combustion chamber.
I will now describe my invention more in detail. The closed oil-container is
furnished with a wick tube projecting through the top plate thereof, a vent hole,
and a removable screw or cap to admit of filling the same with oil. The feeding
wheel for the wick is carried by the wick tube; its spindle projects through a
stuffing-box in the side of the container and is fitted. with a milled edged disc.
This winding device being mounted entirely in the oil-container does not interfere
with the removal of the upper parts of the lamp as is the case with other forms of
winding apparatus. The aforesaid oil-container does not spill the oil when in use,
and is therefore very clean.
The burner consists of a deflector having inwardly curved side lips; it is carried
by a supporting open bracket which is connected to a part of the wick tube remote
from the upper end thereof. By this means the deflector is prevented from
becoming overheated as is the case in other burners having.cones which necessitate
a large amount of metal.
The burner is also furnished with two outwardly projecting lips to spread the
flame. This burner may as aforesaid be attached permanently to the oil-container
or it may be made detachable.
The glass cylinder is contained within a frame consisting of upper and lower

page_text: rings joined by pillars. Said frame screws on to the oil-container. The glass is
inserted in and removed from said frame or holder through the top thereof and not
through the bottom as has heretofore been the practice, and hence as before stated
the glass can be taken out without unscrewing the holder from the container; the
screw threads are consequently used less often than heretofore and last much longer.
The glass is held in place within its holder by the flue which is furnished with a
lower ring that screws down on the top of the glass. An asbestos or other jointing
ring is provided on the top and bottom of the glass. The upper and lower rings of
the frame or holder are also connected by an air-shaft which may approximate in
width to about a quarter of the circumference more or less of the holder. Said
air-shaft is preferably enamelled or otherwise furnished with a reflecting or
deflecting surface on its inner face so as to throw out the light better in the
direction required. The air shaft serves as a screen for the miner's eyes when
working. This shaft may be divided into two, three, or more separate shafts.
The gauze is permanently attached to a ring at its lower end which ring is
adapted to screw on the top of the glass holder. It is also furnished with an outer
ring to which the bonnet of the lamp is attached by means of bayonet joints. The
bonnet ring when in place does not fit closely against the upper ring of the glass
holder but leaves a small channel for the passage of the air required for combustion.
The air passes underneath the outer ring then between the two rings above-
mentioned, through the gauze, and into the space immediately above the ring that
supports the flue. Thence the greater portion thereof passes down the air-shaft to
the lower side of the flame; a small portion of the air however passes through a
number of small holes formed in the flue riug to the upper side of the flame and
serves to carry off any gases not properly burnt. The annular space between the
lower end of the flue and the Alue ring serves as a second combustion chamber.
The introduction of the air above the light in the manner above described serves
also to keep the glass cool, and this, in combination with the introduction of the
air below the flame forms an important feature of my invention. The products of
.combustion escape between the upper end of the bonnet and the cap or top plate of
the bonnet.
I prefer to provide a set screw for locking the gauze to the bonnet.
I provide a locking bolt for locking the parts of the lamp together; said bolt
slides in a socket attached to the glass holder frame and when pushed up engages a
pin on the bonnet ring. The lower end of said locking bolt is secured by a screw
lock or rivet in the usual manner to a projection on the oil-container.
Dated this 12th day of June 1894
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
нашр.
I, CHARLES RICHARDS, of 156 Dalston Lane, Hackney, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to miners' safety lamps; some of the improvements,
however, namely those in the burner, are applicable to other lamps.
My improved miners' safety lamp is constructed to admit air above the flame as
well as below the flame, an air-shaft being provided for conducting the air to the
lower end of the glass cylinder below the flame. This air-shaft at the same time
serves to screen the light from the miners' eyes when the lamp is in use.

page_text: In one form of my improved lamp I permanently secure the gauze to the bonnet
ring so that when assembling the parts of the lamp after cleaning or trimming the
same, the gauze cannot by any chance be omitted.
I provide a novel form of a vapor burner to burn paraffin or heavy oils
applicable to miners' lamps and also to other oil lamps. The burner may be
permanently attached to the lamp or may be made detachable, in which latter case
it can be made and sold separately in a condition to be readily applied to a lamp.
The oil-container is entirely closed except for a vent hole and contains the
feeding wheel for lifting the wick. The winding apparatus is thus situated below
the body of the lamp and does not interfere with the unscrewing of the oil-container
from the lamp body.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of one form of my improved lamp.
Figure 2 is a section of the same on the line, a.
Figures 3 and 4 are elevations of two forms of burner, detached.
Figure 5 is a vertical central section of another lamp constructed according to
my invention.
Figure 6 is a section of the same on the line y, y.
Like letters of reference denote the same parts in the several figures.
A is the oil-container; B, B' are upper and lower metal rings rigidly connected
by pillars or rods b, band forming the holder for the glass cylinder C that encloses
the light; D is the burner; E is the chimney; F is the wire gauze; H is the
outer bonnet of the lamp. The ring B screws on to the upper part of the oil-
container A which is suitably prepared, and the upper ring B is screw threaded
and receives a ring K that carries the wire gauze and the bonnet. The closed
cil-container A is furnished with a wick tube projecting through the top plate
thereof, a vent hole, or vent tube to admit air freely, and a removable screw or
cap a to admit of filling the container with oil. The feeding wheel b for the wick
is carried by the wick tube; its spindle & projects through a stuffing-box c in the
side of the container and is fitted with a milled edge disc by which it can be
readily rotated. This winding device being mounted entirely in the oil-container
does not interfere with the removal of the upper parts of the lamp as is the case
with other forms of winding apparatus. The aforesaid oil-container does not
admit of readily spilling the oil when in use and is therefore very clean.
The burner D comprises a deflector having inwardly curved side lips d¹ carried
by a supporting open bracket & (shown in side view in Figure 4) which is
connected to a part of the wick tube remote from the upper end of said tube. By
this means the deflector is prevented from becoming overheated as is the case in
other burners having cones that necessitate a large amount of metal in their
construction. The burner is also furnished with two outwardly projecting lips d³
to spread the flame. This burner may as aforesaid be attached permanently to the
oil-container or it may be made detachable, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
Figure 3 shows a burner to be used in any existing miners' lamp and has a slot d
in the wick tube to admit an instrument for pricking up the wick.
Figure 4 shows a burner to be used in any lamp having a winder shown at b¹ for
the wick.
The glass cylinder C is as above stated contained within the frame or holder
formed by the upper and lower rings B, B' and the pillars b. The glass rests on
an internal shoulder or flange B of the ring B₁ and is inserted in and removed
from the frame or holder through the top thereof and hence as before stated the
glass can be taken out without unscrewing the holder from the oil-container; the
screw threads of the oil-container are consequently used less often than heretofore
and last much longer. The glass is held in place within its holder by the flue or
chimney E which is secured to a ring L that screws down on the top of the glass.
Asbestos or other jointing rings ff are provided at the top and bottom of the
glass. The upper and lower rings B, B₁ of the frame or holder are also connected
by an air-shaft M which may approximate in width to about a quarter of the

page_text: circumference more or less of the holder. The said air-shaft is preferably
enamelled or otherwise furnished with a reflecting or deflecting surface on that
face which is presented to the light so as to throw out the light better in the
direction required. The air shaft as before stated serves to screen the light from
the miners' eyes when working. This shaft may be divided if desired.
The gauze F is permanently attached at its lower end to the ring K that screws
into the ring B. The bonnet H of the lamp is attached to the same ring by
bayonet joints. At h is shown one of the pins that engages with the slot in the
bonnet. K is a shoulder on the ring. K provided to bear on the ring B when the
ring K is screwed home. By this means a narrow space k is ensured between
the rings K and B for the passage of the air required for combustion. The air
passes underneath the ring K then through openings ¹ provided in the ring Kand
enters the space between the gauze and the bonnet. It then passes through the
gauze, and into the space between the gauze and the flue or chimney immediately
above the ring L. Thence the greater portion thereof passes down the air-shaft M
and enters the glass cylinder at the lower end thereof and supports the combustion
a small portion of the air however passes through a number of small holes (N
formed in the flue ring L to the upper side of the flame and serves to carry off any
gases not properly burnt. The annular space between the lower end of the flue
and the ring L serves as a second combustion chamber. The introduction of the
air above the flame in the manner above described serves to keep the glass cool,
and forms, in combination with the introduction of the air below the flame an
important feature of my invention. The products of combustion escape between
the upper end of the bonnet and the cap or top plate O of the bonnet. The
direction of the air currents is shown by the arrows.
;
I prefer to provide a set screw P for locking the bonnet ring to the gauze before
the parts of the lamp are put together.
I provide a locking: bolt R for locking the parts of the lamp together; the said
bolt slides in a socket R' attached to the glass holder or frame and when pushed
up engages a pin on the bonnet ring or the end of the screw P aforesaid and
prevents the unscrewing of the bonnet ring. The lower end of said locking bolt is
secured by a screw lock or rivet.in the usual n
manner to a projection or lug R' on
the oil-container. When this lock or rivet is removed the oil-container can be
unscrewed, and the bolt R can then be drawn down to unlock the bonnet ring,
whereupon all the parts of the lamp can be disconnected.
In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a modified form of lamp in which the air-
shaft M is within the glass cylinder instead of without as in Figures 1 and 2. The
upper end of the said shaft is attached to the flange of the flue or chimney E, and
the lower end hangs free within the glass cylinder. In this construction the
glass cylinder is taken out through the lower ring B' and not through the upper
ring B. For this purpose the flange B2 is made to screw into the ring B¹. The
bonnet His attached directly and permanently to the ring B. The flanges of the
gauze F and flue E are received in a recess in the ring B and are pinched between
said ring and the end of the glass cylinder. In some instances I make the flange
of the flue E to screw into the ring B.
S is a baffle ring within the gauze. The air enters through the holes in the
ring B and through the holes k³ near the lower end of the bonnet, and passes over
the baffle ring S and through the gauze. It then descends and passes through the
holes in the flange of the gauze, the greater portion passing down the air-shaft,
and a smaller portion entering the glass cylinder at its upper end and passing
thence into the flue or chimney in the same manner as above described with
reference to Figures 1. and 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A miners' safety-lamp so constructed that the air required for combustion

page_text: enters the glass cylinder both at the upper and at the lower ends thereof, for the
purpose specified.
2. A miners' safety lamp having an air-shaft or air shafts for conducting the
greater portion of the air required for combustion to the lower end of the glass
cylinder below the flame, and having holes to admit air to the upper end of the
glass cylinder above the flame, substantially as described, and for the purpose
specified.
3. The vapour burner constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2, or to Figure 3, or to Figure 4, fixed to a lamp, or detachable
therefrom.
4. The closed oil-container furnished with a wick-raising device the spindle of
which passes out through a stuffing-box substantially as, and for the purpose,
specified.
5. A miners' safety lamp constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1 and 2, or to Figures 5 and 6.
Dated this 12th day of March 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.