IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING LIGHT
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Aron, of Rose Street, in the City of London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING LIGHT."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Aron at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd October 1879.
ALBERT ARON, of Rose Street, in the City of London.
FOR OBTAINING LIGHT."
"IMPROVED APPARATUS
This Invention is based upon the fact that certain substances in a more or less
finely divided state, and placed in a glass vessel, when set in motion in vacuo will
give off a certain amount of luminosity, and the object of the Invention is to give
practical effect to this fact.
The substances which I have found the best to serve this purpose are those of a
metallic nature, and they may be used in a fluid state as mercury or in small
globules.
The substance used, whether in a fluid or in a solid globular state, I enclose in
small quantities in suitably shaped vessels or tubes of glass or other suitable
material, in which I may place a series of partial obstructions. A vacuum is then
created in the vessels and they are closed up. One or more of these vessels
I mount by preference in front of a reflector in a framing, to which a reciprocating
or rotary motion may be given by clock work or other suitable means.
The object of this reciprocating or rotary motion is to cause the flow of the fluid
or solid globular substance or material from end to end of the vessels, when the
friction of the material on the surface of the glass or the dividing of the material
by the partial obstructions in the vessels will cause a luminous appearance, which
may be increased or diminished to a certain limit according to the speed at which
the vessels are reciprocated or rotated.
The substance or material in the solid globular form which I prefer to use may
be either silver or gold, but other substances, metallic or otherwise, having
preferably a lustrous appearance, may also be employed.
The form of vessel which I prefer to use is similar to that of an hour glass;
the opening between the two bulbs however being larger and divided up into
several passages. Other means of obstruction, as for instance, bars placed across
the bulbs may be used to increase the dividing up of the substance or material.
The bulbs will be mounted in a suitable framing to which a rotary motion will
be given in any convenient manner.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Albert Aron in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd April
1880.
ALBERT ARON, of Rose Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR OBTAINING LIGHT."
This Invention is based upon the fact that certain substances in a more or less
finely divided state, and placed in a glass vessel, when set in motion in vacuo will
give off a certain amount of luminosity, and the object of the Invention is to give
practical effect to this fact.
The substances which I have found the best to serve this purpose are those of a
metallic nature and they may be used in a fluid state as mercury, or in small
globules.
The metal used, whether in a fluid or in a solid state, I enclose in a suitably
shaped vessel or a tube of glass, in which I place a series of obstructions to the free
flow of the metal. A vacuum is then created in the tube or vessel and it is closed
up. One or more of these vessels I mount by preference in front of a reflector in a
framing to which a reciprocating or rotary motion may be given by clockwork or
other suitable means.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn at Fig. 1 in front elevation, and
Fig. 2 in sectional plan view my improved apparatus for obtaining light; and at
Fig. 3 this apparatus as arranged to be worked by spring power.
A, A, are a number of glass tubes which I mount horizontally in a light
rectangular metal or wooden framework B. In these tubes A I place a series of
partial obstructions C, C, which consist of fine tubes or rods arranged in clusters,
each rod or tube being first slightly twisted, and the whole cluster being afterwards
twisted loosely so as to leave spaces between the tubes or rods through which
the fluid or other substance in passing by its own gravity will be broken up or
divided.
These clusters of tubes or rods C, C, are fixed at either end of the tubes A, and
their diameter will be a little less than the internal diameter of the tubes A.
A small quantity of the mercury or of metal in a granular state D intended to
produce luminosity is placed in the tubes A, and a vacuum having been created
therein in any well known manner, the tubes are closed.
One side of these tubes may be made of opal or other suitable opaque glass to act
as a reflector, or a reflector E may be placed in rear of the framework containing
the set of tubes.
The framework B, B, is carried at the upper end of two vertical rocking
arms F to which reciprocatory motion is communicated by the crank G, which is
driven by an arrangement of clockwork, as shewn at Fig. 3, or by any other
convenient motive power.
A number of these tubes may also be arranged radially or tangentially in a
circular framework to which a slow rotary motion is given by clockwork or other
means.
The object of the reciprocating or rotary motion is to cause the flow of the
mercury or granulated metal from end to end of the vessels, when the friction of
the material on the surface of the glass or the dividing of the metal by the partial
obstruction in the vessels will cause a luminous appearance, which may be increased
or diminished within certain limits, according to the speed at which the vessels are
reciprocated or rotated.
The metals in the granular form which I have found to serve best the purposes
of this Invention are silver, gold, platinum, and aluminium, or other metal covered
with gold, silver, or aluminium, but I prefer the employment of mercury as it gives
the most satisfactory result. The solid metals may be either in the form of small

page_text: globules, say of the size of ordinary pins' heads, or of coarse filings, the object being
that the metal shall have the property of running like sand from end to end of the
tubes, or enclosing vessels on motion being imparted thereto.
At Figures 4, 5, and 6, I have shewn other forms of vessels for containing the
luminous substances. In Fig. 4 the partial obstructions with which the enclosing
tube is fitted consist of a number of small bulbs connected together in a line by
short necks; Fig. 5 represents represents this internal tube as used for containing
the fluid or solid luminous substances; and Fig. 6 shows the partial obstructions in
the form of a helical coil of glass.
Another form of containing vessel which I use is shewn at Fig. 7. It is similar
in shape to that of an hour glass, the opening between the two bulbs however
being larger and divided up into several passages. Other means of obstruction, as
for instance, glass rods placed across the bulbs may be used to increase the dividing
up of the luminous metal.
These bulbs I mount in a suitable framing to which a rotary motion will be
given in any convenient manner.
It will be evident that the shape and arrangement of the tubes and the partial
obstructions are capable of considerable variation, but those forms shewn in the
Drawings have been found to give the desired effect.
I may here observe that the light produced by means of my improved apparatus
may be utilized in a great number of ways. I will only mention tunnels, mines,
store-rooms, cellars, powder magazines, and other places where a light of great
power is not necessary.
The Invention may also be used for illuminating faces of clocks, compasses, or
any other dials. In such a case the tubes or vessels are placed inside the clock or
compass case and in rear of the dial, which may be transparent with the figures on
it painted black, or it may be black or opaque and the figures transparent. In the
first case the figures would appear black on a luminous ground, in the second the
figures would be luminous on a dark ground.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved Apparatus for
Obtaining Light," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish
it to be understood that I do not claim as of my Invention the discovery that
mercury set in motion in vacuo will present a luminous appearance, but what
I claim under the above in part recited Letters Patent is, the means above
described whereby the luminous property derivable from metals moving in vacuo is
rendered available for illuminating purposes, where light by ignition is either
inadmissible or not required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Aron, bave hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
ALBERT ARON. (L.S.)