IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS FOR STREET AND OTHER LAMPS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Heavens, of Hindon Street, Pimlico, in
the County of Middlesex, for an invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS
FOR STREET AND OTHER LAMPS,"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Heavens at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th June 1882.
WILLIAM EDWARD HEAVENS, of Hindon Street, Pimlico in the County of
Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS FOR STREET AND OTHER LAMPS
"
My invention relates to improvements in lanterns for street and other lamps and
is chiefly designed to provide means whereby such lanterns may be packed in a
very small compass for transport and in such a manner that the risk of breakage
will be considerably reduced and the cost of packing and freight will be
diminished.
Lanterns of the class to which my invention refers are ordinarily made with a
frame of metal and sheets or pieces of glass, the latter being secured to the frame by
putty or other plastic material which dries and holds the glass rigidly within the
frame. These frames in most cases occupy a considerable space, and, from the
nature of their construction, cannot be taken to pieces or reduced in volume for
the purpose of transport, consequently the cost of the latter and the risk of damage
are serious items, particularly in cases where the lanterns have to be sent abroad,
or for any long distance.
According to my invention I entirely overcome this objection by making the
lantern in sections, as hereinafter described, which can be put together and taken
apart with very great facility, and which, when stored or packed for travelling,
will occupy an exceedingly small space.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide as many sections or pieces
of glass as may be desired to form the sides of the lantern, which sections may be
of any desired dimensions and shape according to the dimensions and shape which it is
desired to give to the complete lantern. Around the edges of each section of glass I
provide a band of folded metal such as tin, sheet copper or brass, which band forms a
complete metallic border around the glass upon the outer side of which border I
[Pins C21

page_text: secure a bead of the same or similar metal which may be half round, square, or of
other sectional form. This bead, not only increases the strength of the whole
structure but also imparts to the same a desirable finished appearance. Supposing
I am constructing a lantern with four segments (one of which is to form the door)
I provide upon the upper metallic border of three of the same two swivelling
button-attachments designed to secure the said segments to a ring or cap herein-
after described, and to the lower end of each segment I attach a strap or lug having
an aperture at its free end. The fourth section which is to form the door, is
provided with a bead on both edges, and instead of having the aforesaid swivel
attachments at its upper end is provided centrally with the half of a hinged joint,
the other half of this joint being affixed to the aforesaid cap. A pin being passed
through these two parts of the hinge unites them so that the door may be opened
and closed but may be readily removed from the cap when desirable. At the lower
end of this door-section there is a spring-catch which clips upon a bottom plate.
The button swivel attachment consists of a small knob or button working upon a
cranked pin. I provide a cap which may be annular, square, or of other form to
suit the shape of lantern of which it is to form part. This cap is designed to
surround and hold together the upper part of the various sections. It has, at its
lower end, a cone-shaped flange in which there are perforations so made that they
will receive the ends of the aforesaid swivel attachments so that the glass sections
and the cap are held firmly together. The sections being thus arranged the straps
or lugs upon the lower edges of the same come together in such a manner that the
apertures in their free ends coincide. A screw-threaded pin is then passed through
the aperture thus provided, and into a bottom plate, so that all the sections are
thus firmly and rigidly united at their lower parts and the lantern is complete.
It will be readily understood from the above description that the sections made in
the manner above indicated, may be put together or taken asunder with the
greatest facility and that by reason of the nature of the fastening devices they will
be held together with the utmost rigidity, when united.
Instead of the button swivel attachment I may employ any other suitable
device for securing the sections to the cap, such for instance as screws, or loops and
pins.
My said invention may be employed for lanterns having any number of sides,
whatever may be their form

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Edward Heavens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th December 1882.
WILLIAM EDWARD HEAVENS, of Hindon Street Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LANTERNS FOR STREET AND OTHER LAMPS."
My invention relates to improvements in lanterns for street and other lamps, and
its chief object is to construct the said lanterns in such a manner that they can be
packed in a very small compass for transport and so that the risk of breakage will
be considerably reduced and the cost of packing and freight will be diminished.
Lanterns of the class to which my invention refers are ordinarily made with a
frame of metal and sheets or pieces of glass, the latter being secured to the frame
by putty or other plastic material which dries and holds the glass rigidly within
the frame. These frames, in most cases, occupy a considerable space, and from the
nature of their construction, cannot be taken to pieces or reduced in bulk for the
purpose of transport, consequently the cost of the latter is considerable and there is
great risk of damage to the lanterns, particularly in cases where they have to
be sent abroad or for any long distance. Lanterns have also been made of two
semi-spherical parts united by means of pins, but these occupy considerable space
and are liable to breakage in transportation.
According to my invention I entirely overcome these objections by making the
lantern, as hereinafter described, in sections which can be put together and taken
apart with very great facility and which, when stored or packed for travelling, will
occupy an exceedingly small space, the sections corresponding in shape and
dimensions.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide as many sections or pieces
of glass, each surrounded by a metal border, as may be desired to form the sides of
the lantern, which sections may be of any desired dimensions and shape according
to the dimensions and shape which it is desired to give to the complete lantern.
In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a lantern constructed in
accordance with my invention and having four sections, one of which forms the
door.
Figure 1 represents a central vertical section thereof
Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a plan and a central vertical section, drawn to
an enlarged scale, showing the devices for securing the lower ends of the several
sections.
Figures 4 and 5 are detached views, also drawn to an enlarged scale, shewing
one of the devices for securing the upper ends of the said sections.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the drawing
a a represent the fixed sections or segments, and al represents the section or segment
which serves as the door of the lantern; each of the sections has around its edges &
metallic border, and to the upper edge of each fixed section are secured two devices or
swivel attachments c designed to secure the said sections to the ring or cap d. Each
of the devices c consists of a bent rod c' upon which an oblong head is fitted so that
it can be rotated upon the said rod. The ring or cap d is made with a flange d¹ having
apertures through which these heads are passed, the latter are then turned so as to
secure the said sections to the ring or cap d as will be readily understood by
referring to Figures 4 and 5. Two of the sections a have a bead b' secured to one
of their edges to cover the joint between it and the adjacent section. To the lower
end of each of the sections a I attach a strap or lug e having an aperture at its
free end. The fourth section a¹ which serves as the door is provided with a bead b³

page_text: on two of its edges to cover the joints between them and the adjacent sections,
and, instead of having the aforesaid swivel attachments at its upper end, it is
secured to the ring or cap d by means of a hinged joint f; a pin is passed through
the two parts of the hinge and unites them so that the door can be opened and
closed and can be readily removed from the cap when desirable. At the lower
end of this door-section a' there is a spring-catch g which clasps the bottom
plate hand holds the door in its closed position.
The cap d (which may be annular, square or of other form to suit the shape of
the lantern of which it is to form a part) is designed to surround and hold together
the upper parts of the several sections. When the heads of the aforesaid swivel
attachments are passed through the apertures in the flange and turned so that
the glass sections and the cap are held firmly together, the straps or lugs e upon
the lower edges of the same come together, the bottom plate h, which is also
provided with an aperture, is then placed upon the straps or lugs e the studs or
projections h¹ upon the plate h causing the said straps or lugs to overlap one
another in such a manner that the apertures in their free ends, and the aperture in
the plate h, coincide; a screw-threaded pin i is then passed through the said
apertures and is secured below by means of the nut k so that all the sections are
thus firmly and rigidly united at their lower parts and the lantern is complete.
It will be readily understood from the above description that the sections made
in the manner above indicated can be put together or taken apart with the greatest
facility and that by reason of the nature of the fastening devices, they will be held
together with the utmost rigidity when united. It will also be seen that the said
sections will fit one within another when detached so that they can be made to
occupy very little space
The sections may be secured to the said ring or cap in various manners, and any
suitable device may be employed for holding the door in its closed position
Instead of the swivel attachments or devices c I sometimes employ screws, or
loops and pins.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I Claim :-
First A lantern composed of sections connected to each other and to a ring or
cap, and capable of being detached, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Second. The device for securing the said sections to the ring or cap, which device
consists of a bent rod attached to the upper part of either of the said sections and
provided with a head capable of being rotated upon the said rod and adapted to
enter an aperture in the said ring or cap, substantially as set forth
Third. The combination of parts comprising the lugs attached to the said sections,
the plate h, the screw-threaded pin and the nut, the said pin being adapted to pass
through apertures in the said lugs and plate to hold the said sections rigidly
together, all substantially as set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said William Edward Heavens have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Eighth day of December in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
WILLIAM EDWARD HEAVENS (LS.)