Improvements in Electric Batteries and in the Application thereof to the Lighting of Miners' Safety Lamps.
Year: 1887

page_text: •Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Dec., 1888
Improvements in Electric Batteries and in the Application thereof
to the Lighting of Miners' Safety Lamps.
I, OSMOND YEADON RHODES, of 21 Leopold Street, New Leeds, in the Borough
of Leeds, Yorkshire, Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
The primary object of my invention is the lighting of miners safety lamps by
means of an electric battery, so constructed and arranged that electric sparks would
be confined and not exposed to explosive gases in coal mines; also to make, construct,
protect, and shelter such electric batteries so as to be only under the control of
recognised persons whose duty it is to light the safety lamps and attend to the
batteries.
In constructing, or protecting according to my invention, a battery, it is composed
of the usual carbon and zinc or other suitable elements. The elements of the battery
are enclosed in a suitable box or case, and are so arranged that, on opening the lid of
the said box or case, the cell containing the exciting solution will be raised, or the
elements or electrodes may be lowered into the solution, or otherwise brought into
contact with the exciting solution, the arrangement being such that when the box is
either closed or opened, no electric action takes place, but on the introduction and
turning of a key, a switch operates, which puts the battery into action, thereby making
it available for lighting the miners' safety lamp.
I may also place in connection with the switch a resistance coil, so as to make the
battery suitable for lighting lamps where different powers of current are required.
The terminals of the positive or negative, or both positive and negative, electrodes,
are or may be enclosed in a box or case which has no external openings or connec-
tions, until made by means of the switch under special control, so that the battery
cannot possibly be put into action without the use of the recognised key;
consequently, ignition of coal gas or inflammable matter through carelessness cannot
take place

page_text: The application of my improvements will also apply with great value, where a
secondary or storage battery is used instead of a primary battery for the lighting of
miners safety lamps. And for greater safety, the terminals which make contact with
the poles of the lamp may be placed in two separate cups, filled with liquid,-glycerine
or other liquid of like properties, to cover the terminals, thereby making it practically
impossible to fire gas or inflammable matter by means of a spark.
1007
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
improvements in Electric
Datteries an
to the Lighting of Miners' Safety Lamps.
I, OSMOND YEADON RHODES, of 21 Leopold Street, New Leeds, in the Borough
of Leeds, Yorkshire, Electrician, 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 primary object of my invention is the construction of a peculiar form of
electric battery for the special purpose of lighting miner's safety lamps constructed
according to Blackburn and Mori's Patent dated May 4, 1887, No. 6555.
In constructing a battery according to my invention, such battery is composed of
the usual carbon and zinc or other suitable elements. The battery is enclosed in a
suitable box or case, and so arranged that when the box lid is either opened or closed,
no electric action takes place; but on the introduction and turning of a key a switch
is operated, which puts the battery into action, thereby making it available for lighting
the lamp.
In order that my invention may be better understood, I will now make reference to
the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view
of the protective or safety cover of the battery, Fig. 2 an underneath view
of the said lid, and Fig. 3 a section thereof. a and represent the two terminals,
which are connected by wires to the battery A, and c is a switch, turned by a key
passing through a hole d made in the top of the box lid. The said switch, on being
turned by a key, makes contact between the parts e and f, which completes the electric
circuit, therefore when the base of the lamp is placed upon the parts marked 1, 2, 3,
and the switch of the lamp turned, the wick of the lamp will be ignited.
"
To ensure greater safety, the terminals a and b, which make contact with the poles
of the lamp, may be placed in cups as shewn at h, Fig. 3; these cups may be filled

page_text: with liquid glycerine or other liquid of like properties, so as to cover the terminals,
thereby making it practically impossible to fire gas or other inflammable matter by
means of a spark. To meet these requirements, however, the base of the lamp would
have to be made with feet or projections to enter into the said cups for the purpose
of making contact. In Fig. 4 I have shown the lid of another form of battery, and
in Fig. 5 an underneath view of same. Fig. 6 is section of the box, shewing the
battery and parts connected therewith. In this case h, i, and j are springs, the latter
being a moveable one, which is pushed away by one of the feet on the base of the
lamp, or by the base of such lamp itself, for the purpose of making contact on part 1,
so that when the switch c is operated by the key, the ends of such switch come in
contact with plates m and n, thereby completing the circuit with the battery, but as
soon as the lamp is removed from the lid of the box and the spring j liberated, a spiral
spring o pulls back the lever p, and so breaks contact. It must be understood that
the keys for operating the switches must be removed before the lid of the box can be
shut, and also that the switch must be turned off so as to break all connections with
the battery, so that when the lid of the box is closed, there can no longer by any
possibility be any contact between the poles of the battery.
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
.
Firstly. The arrangement and construction of battery for lighting miners safety
lamps, substantially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. A battery arranged and constructed within a box where contact is made
by the introduction of a key, substantially as described.
Thirdly. In a battery, the use of liquid glycerine or other liquid of like properties
for covering the terminal of the battery, substantially as described.
Dated this 29th day of September 1888.
OSMOND YEADON RHODES.