Improvements in Means for Advertising and for Illuminating Tunnels and other Dark Places on a Line of Railway, or on a Canal or other Highway.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 8th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 7th June, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFication.
Improvements in Means for Advertising and for Illuminating
Tunnels and other Dark Places on a Line of Railway, or on a
Canal or other Highway.
I, HENRY STOPES of 24ª Southwark Street, in the County of Surrey, Consulting
Maltster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The invention has principally for its object improvements in means for advertising
in tunnels and other dark places on a line of railway, or on a canal or other high-
way, but may also be used simply for illuminating such places when a train or other
vehicle or conveyance is passing through the same.
In carrying my invention into effect, I employ any suitable form of advertising
means, such, for example, as a lamp or lantern, or blocks or bas-reliefs, made to
represent the article desired to be advertised, or I may employ an announcement of
any character; these may be illuminated, either from the interior or the exterior, by
gas, electricity, or other means, which is capable of being turned on or off according
as it is desired to illuminate or darken the same. And in order that such advertise-
ments may be illuminated whenever a train passes the same, I mount at the side of
one of the rails of each line, a lever or other contrivance, which is depressed or
otherwise moved by the wheels of a train or other portion of a conveyance passing
it or in any way communicating therewith.
This lever or other contrivance is connected to a tap, spring, switch, or other means,
so that when the lever or other contrivance is actuated, it causes the light to be
turned fully on, and it is suitably weighted or sprung to cause it to rise after the
train has passed the same, and thereby shut off the light.
Or in the case of long tunnels, or in the event of a short train or single
conveyance passing the operating lever or other contrivance, the latter is provided
with suitable appliances to cause it to shut off the light only after a given lapse
of time.
It is evident that tunnels and other dark places on a line of railway may be
automatically illuminated by means of illuminated advertisements as above described,
or by means of ordinary lighting arrangements.
When using gas as the illuminating agent, the tap or valve used to regulate the
light is provided with a "by-pass," to allow a small quantity of gas to pass at all
times, and thereby prevent the extinction of the flame or flames when the light is
turned down.
11
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Means for Advertising and for Illuminating
Tunnels and other Dark Places on a Line of Railway, or on a
Canal or other Highway. .
I, HENRY STOPES of 24 Southwark Street, in the County of Surrey, Consulting
Maltster, 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 :-
1
The invention has principally for its object improvements in means for advertising
in tunnels and other dark places on a line of railway or on a canal or other highway

page_text: but may also be used simply for illuminating such places when a train or other
vehicle or conveyance is passing through the same.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ any suitable form of advertising
means, such for example, as a lamp or lantern the glazed casing of which has any
desired advertisement thereon, either in the form of letters, words, pictures, portraits,
designs, representations, trade marks, or other indications or announcements, or I may
employ blocks or bas-reliefs, made to represent the article to be advertised or
provided with any other indication, representation or announcement by which the
desired advertisement may be effected or I may employ an advertisement or
announcement of any other character; these various means of advertising may be
illuminated either from the interior or the exterior by gas, electricity or other means
which is capable of being turned on or off according as it is desired to illuminate or
darken the same.
And in order that such advertisements may be illuminated whenever a train, vehicle
or other conveyance is passing the same I mount at the side of one of the rails of
each line of way, or in any convenient position on a line of railway, canal, or other
highway a lever or other contrivance which is depressed or otherwise moved by the
wheels of a train or other portion of a vehicle or conveyance passing it or in any way
communicating therewith.
This lever or other contrivance is connected to a tap, spring switch, or other means
so that when the lever or other contrivance is actuated by a train, vehicle or
conveyance passing it or in any way communicating with it, it causes the gas,
electricity, or other illuminating agent to be turned fully on so as to illuminate
advertisements or a tunnel or other dark place on a line of railway, canal or other
highway and such operating lever or other contrivance is suitably weighted or
sprung to cause it to rise or otherwise resume its normal position after the train
vehicle or conveyance has passed the same and thereby shut off or materially reduce
the light.
Or in the case of long tunnels or in the event of a short train or single vehicle or
conveyance passing the operating lever or other contrivance, the latter or the connec-
tions between the same and the tap, spring switch or other means for turning the
illuminating agent on or off is or are provided with suitable appliances to cause it
or them to shut off or materially reduce the light only after a given lapse of time.
Regulators of the character employed for regulating the flushing of water closets or
urinals or for closing the Venetian slats of furnace doors or any other suitable
regulator may be used for the above purpose.
When employing a lever along a side of railway I preferably adopt such a form
of lever as has heretofore been used for automatically operating a signal or signals
when a train vehicle or conveyance passes the same and I mount it as in such
cases close to a rail in position to be depressed by the flanges of the wheels
passing over it and I preferably weight or spring it so that it will automatically
return to its normal position when a train, vehicle or conveyance has passed the
same.
In carrying my invention into effect long tunnels or other dark places on a line
of railway or on a canal or other highway may be divided into several sections, each
of which will be fitted with its advertisements and with apparatus for turning the
light on and off as above described, so that as a train, vehicle, or conveyance is
passing, through such place each series of advertisements will be illuminated in
succession.
It is evident that tunnels and other dark places on a line of railway, canal or other
highway may be automatically illuminated on the passage of a train, vehicle or
conveyance, by means of illuminated advertisements as above described; or by means
of ordinary lighting arrangements.
"
When using gas as the illuminating agent the tap or valve used to regulate the
light, is provided with a by-pass" to allow a small quantity of gas to pass at all
times and thereby prevent the extinction of the flame or flames when the light is
turned down....

page_text: 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. In means for advertising and for illuminating tunnels and other dark places
on a line of railway or on a canal or other highway, the employment of means
whereby a passing train, vehicle or conveyance causes the light to be turned on and
whereby after the train, vehicle or conveyance has passed, the light is turned off or
down substantially as herein described.
2. The improved means for advertising in tunnels and other dark places on a
line of railway, or on a canal or other highway substantially as herein described.
3. The improved means for illuminating tunnels and other dark places on a line
of railway or on a canal or other highway substantially as herein described.
1000
HENRY STOPES.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.