IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO LIGHTING APPARATUS AND METHODS OF AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING PARTS OF THE SAME
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Robert Lake at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January 1882. [A communi-
cation from abroad by Joseph Stokes Williams of Riverton, New Jersey,.
United States of America.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings London, "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO LIGHTING
APPARATUS AND METHODS OF AND MEANS FOR MANUFACTURING PARTS OF THE
SAME." [A communication from abroad by Joseph Stokes Williams of Riverton,
New Jersey, United States of America.
My Invention relates to the utilization of flame and heat for the development of
light and comprises various improvements hereinafter specified.
Firstly, I employ apparatus and means to regulate or control, confine, direct,
divide, or subdivide the flame so as to obtain more perfect combustion of the
solids, liquids, or gases and so to utilize the flame and heat obtained therefrom,
within or outside of a chamber, chimney, or flue; or at their place of exit for the
developement of light.
Secondly, I construct apparatus and employ means to prevent the escape of or
confine, the heat from the flame of the gas or other burner, candle, or other
apparatus for consuming or burning solids, fluids, or gases until there shall be
a perfect combustion of the material or gas with the air introduced, and arrange
in suitable position or part of such apparatus a thermo-candle or series of the
same I sometimes employ means for subdividing the flame into jets so as to
better distribute the light.
Thirdly. prefer to arrange my thermo-candle for the development of light
within a space or chamber which does not prevent the diffusion of the light,
I preferably employ for this purpose a transparent tube, globe, or other suitably
shaped apparatus.
Fourthly. I prefer to proportion the inlet for the admission of air into the
chamber proportionately to the flame or the capacity of the burner or in
proportion to the supply of gas, or the supply of flame-producing material. I
preferably arrange that the inlet for the air shall be at, or near, or below, the base
of the chamber or near or below the base of flame or at the sides thereof.

page_text: Fifthly, In my thermo-candle I employ material compounds or alloys mounted
upon or composing a suitably formed device or apparatus with or without a
transparent globe or covering so that such form apparatus or device can be
supported in contact with or within the flame from a candle, gas-burner or lighting
apparatus. Such supported form is either composed of a material compound or
alloy which will become incandescent from the heat and flame; or such form is
coated or impregnated with such material.
Sixthly, I prefer to provide my thermo-light apparatus or candle with a series of
small apertures and arrange them at the side of the burner or flame or within the
flame so that the air will become heated during its entrance to the chamber or
flame. I prefer also to give these apertures, a conical form and to arrange them
at an angle to the flame; by this means the air is directed into the flame at or
near the top of the burner and thereby thoroughly mixed with the gas. I can
arrange for the introduction of the air into the gas supply upon or before its escape
from the mouth of the burner.
Seventhly, I so construct my apparatus that the heated gases or products of the
combustion pass off by an outlet or a series of them. Such outlets or apertures
are preferably so proportioned and arranged relatively to the flame and combustion
which takes place within the chamber that the outlets can perform an important
part in governing the extent or height of the flame.
It will be understood that by suitable arrangement of inlets for the introduction
of air and a suitably proportioned outlet that the combustion must be the most
perfect and the flame is prevented from flickering. I sometimes combine the gas
cock with the air inlet apertures so that the introduction of air will be proportioned
to the supply of gas or other combustible material.
Eighthly. I apply my thermo-candles or lighting apparatus to stoves furnaces
tops of chimneys gas stoves or other heating apparatus and to all uses for which
light is needed; a large thermo candle or a series thereof may be arranged at the
top of chimneys from which flame and heat proceeds.
Ninthly. I employ my thermo candles with the ordinary gas conductors or
pipes and regulate the supply of gas to the same by means of a cock push button
slide or valve.
Tenthly. I sometimes provide the chamber or support for my thermo-candle so
that the same may raised or lowered or adjusted into or from the flame; for
instance such apparatus can be clamped to the candle or gas-burner; or it may be
suspended by a wire or connection which affords the means for raising and
lowering the same as may be desired; for instance suppose a large thermo-candle
should be placed at the top of a chimney of an industrial works it could be
removed from the flame or regulated thereon so as to provide the best result, or
the thermo-candle can be applied over a gas burner or supported within a flame
between flames or at the side of same by simply mounting the candle upon springs
which will press against the sides of the chamber or chimney or support; such
apparatus can be adjusted at will or the base support can be arranged so as to
provide for its adjustinent.
In my thermo light apparatus I prefer to construct the chamber in conformity
with the peculiar kind of burner with which I may wish or need to combine or
apply my apparatus.
"
For instance when I employ a gas-burner such as is usually called a "jet burner
I prefer to construct the chamber so as to provide a space to correspond with the
extent and shape of the flame so that the fame will not be directed against the
sides of the chamber, and furthermore so that there need not be excess of space
around the flame other than to prevent the breakage of the walls or sides of the
chamber. About or above the flame or above the widest part I prefer to narrow
down the chamber to a small aperture or outlet at or near the top.
Eleventhly. In my thermo-light apparatus I arrange that the size of the aperture
will be dependent upon the light needed, or upon the use to which the apparatus
will be applied. I sometimes arrange or employ a detachable piece, ball, valve,

page_text: or cock at the outlet so as to increase or diminish the size of this aperture
at will.
Twelfthly. I construct my thermo-candle with an extension or part at its base
for attachment to the base burner, candle, or lamp with which it will be used or to
which it is applied; for instance, in applying such apparatus to an ordinary candle,
an aperture is provided for the insertion or entrance of the wick of the said candle
within the cavity or chamber, or through the base support. I provide an extension
which projects downwards and below the part of the apparatus which rests upon the
candle. These extensions lap the sides of the candle and afford the means to prevent
the unwished for displacement of the apparatus; as the candle is burned away,
the apparatus maintains its relative position to the flame by simply descending as
the consumption of the material progresses; or instead of such apparatus descending
the candle may be forced upward by a spring or weight against the apparatus
which remains stationary; in such case the apparatus is attached to the base or
socket in which the candle is enclosed. This arrangement is well suited for railway
lamps, lanterns or the like and can be used as a pocket lamp etc. It will be under-
stood that the thermo-candle can be suspended in the flame from the top of the
chamber or otherwise or can be so formed as to rest upon or against the sides of
the chamber or support.
Thirteenthly. In applying my thermo-candle apparatus to a gas burner or other
form of lamp the arrangement is preferably such that the base will fit into a
socket or around the base of the burner or around into or against some provided
support. The said apparatus can be adapted to any form of burner or series of
burners or jets.
Fourteenthly. In or with my thermo-candle I provide for the admission of air
preferably in close proximity to the burner, by this means the air becomes heated
before it comes in contact with the flame or mixed with the gas.
Fifteenthly. In my thermo-candle I sometimes arrange or provide in the burner
itself one or more apertures preferably conical. These apertures provide the inlets
for the air which as it passes becomes more or less heated before it comes in contact
with the gas; furthermore this arrangement provides for a thorough mixture of the
gas and air.
Sixteenthly. In my thermo-candle the apertures are preferably proportioned to
the amount of gas to be consumed by the burner. These apertures can be regulated
by the gas cock. I mount upon the socket or supporting device a form which is
composed of or supports material which is capable of greatly increasing the
illuminating power of the candle lamp or gas light.
Seventeenthly. In my thermo-candle I preferably enclose encase or surround the
light-increasing medium with transparent globes chimney or chambers in order to
secure greater economy by avoiding the loss of heat and furthermore to protect
and keep the flame steady and without flickering.
Eighteenthly. I build up or form the light-emitting portions of my thermo candle
or lamp by the deposition of metal or metal alloys upon an earthy material or
compound such as zirconia, gypsum, lime, fire-clay, asbestos or other comparatively
indestructible material or compound.
Nineteenthly. I form or build up the light emitting portions of my thermo-candle
by depositing metal or metal alloys apon graphite carbon or the like.
Twentiethly. I form the light emitting portions of the thermo-candle by the
deposition of metal or metal alloys upon or with metal or metal alloys.
Twenty-firstly. I construct or form the light-emitting portions of the thermo
candle by the deposition of metal or metal alloys upon filaments strings threads or
pieces of cotton silk, paper, flax, hemp, piassava, wood or other vegetable or other
material or fibre.
Twenty-secondly. I construct or forn the light-emitting portion of the thermo
candle by the deposition of highly refractory metals or alloys upon a base or form
composed of other materials.

page_text: Twenty-thirdly. I construct form build up or support the light emitting portion
of the thermo candle of metals alloyed by deposition.
Twenty-fourthly. I form the light emitting portion of the thermo candle of highly
refractory metals or alloys deposited as coverings or coatings upon comparatively
indestructible materials or compounds.
Twenty-fifthly. I construct or form the light-emitting portions of the thermo-
candle of metal, metals or alloys by covering, coating or impregnating fibre, thread,
filaments, carbon, graphite earthy substance or compound of any earthy or mineral
substance or compound of either or both or any compound of vegetable substance
with earthy or mineral substance or both.
Twenty-sixthly. I form or build up the light-emitting portion of the thermo-
candle from liquid graphite or graphite solution upon a comparatively indestructible
material.
I can use India or China ink or any other form of graphite or carbon in solution,
and such solution can be compounded with metallic solution; the form may be
coated or impregnated with such compound solution or may be otherwise applied;
the base for the solutions can be such as Zirconia, fire-clay, brick-clay or the like or
vegetable material or fibre, or can be deposited upon metallic cement or base or
upon asbestos or the like; a graphite or other base can form the groundwork for
the deposition of metals or metal alloys or can form the ground work with which
a metal metals or metal alloys can be united or alloyed. The thin sheets, ribbons,
ribs sections or filaments so formed will constitute the portion of the thermo-candle
from which light is emitted and such distribution of the material constituting the
thermo-candle provides for and ensures a great surface from which the light is
emitted with a minimum amount of material.
Twenty-seventhly. I construct or form a portion of the thermo-candle from
which light is emitted of iridium, platinum, manganese or the alloys of either or
any of the same with each other or the alloy of either all or any other metal or
metals, the required shape being imparted to such refractory metal or alloy by
means of moulds or forms heated to a high degree.
Twenty-eighthly. I construct and shape the portion of my thermo-candle from
which light is emitted of highly refractory metal metals or alloys between rolls or
stamps or dies while such metal metals or alloys are heated to a high temperature
by an electric current.
Twenty-ninthly In constructing the thermo-candle I distribute or form highly
refractory metal or metal alloy in infinitesimally thin sheets, ribs lines sections
filaments, ribbons gauzes or pieces, such being mounted upon or connected or
arranged with a socket-plug or support for attachment to or placement with the
lamp candle burner or chamber. The thin sheets, ribbons ribs sections, or filaments
constitute the portion of the thermo-candle from which light is emitted such thermo-
candle may have any preferred form or shape and may be connected with the
support in any preferred manner. I obtain by this construction great economy in
the consumption of material for the developinent of the light and by such distri-
bution of the metal or other material I obtain the greatest amount of light possible
from a given quantity of metal or material and obtain a metallic thermo-candle
which is durable and easily applied. It will also be understood that by the deposi-
tion of the metals such thermo-candle can be composed of a highly refractory
metal, metals or metal alloys with such section or quantity and of such quality as
would be impossible to obtain by other methods; furthermore the highly refractory
or comparatively indestructible materials or metals can support oxides of magnesium
calcium or other mediums to increase the light.
Thirtiethly. I form or build up the light emitting portion of the thermo-candle
by impregnating filaments or threads with a carbon or graphite solution or a
compound of carbon and metallic solution such solutions leaving the solid portions
remaining upon the filament fibre asbestos or other form which gives shape to or
support for the light-emitting portion of the thermo-light for instance I may
employ a piece or ribbon of gauze composed of very fine thread or of very

page_text: fine section the portions of which will become impregnated by the solution
employed.
Thirty-firstly: I impregnate or coat a gauze of any preferred suitable material as
a base or form for the deposition of metal, metals or metal alloys, and thereby obtain
an extended open surface for the development of the light with a comparatively
small amount of material to be heated.
I also obtain from this construction the important advantage of the development
of light from and through the open net work as the entire fabric consists of a series
of sections or filaments, this net work or sieve-like construction also provide for
confining and subdividing the flame.
I can employ with advantage a mass or series of such net-work having a ball
cone or other shape or form.
Thirty-secondly: I enclose the thermo-candle composed of or partly composed of
highly refractory metal metals or alloys within a transparent chamber which
permits the circulation of air the space or chamber being provided with apertures
as herein before specified.
In such arrangement the loss of heat will be minimized and thereby the expen-
diture of material for the development of light will be diminished.
Thirty-thirdly. I provide a detachable transparent covering or globe for the
thermo-candle so as to permit of cleaning such chainber or globe when necessary
or for the introduction of the thermo-candle; or the check valve stopper or ball
before mentioned can be removed for the same purposes.
Thirty-fourthly; In the thermo-candle I arrange the form for the deposition of
the material upon a form with which the base or support is combined or of which
it forms part.
Thirty-fifthly: I sometimes coat impregnate or alloy the base with the portion of
the thermo-candle from which light is emitted; for this purpose I can advantageously
employ nickel or copper.
For instance in order to so construct a thermo-candle I wind or mount upon a
base consisting of some material with or without affinity for metal the fibre thread
wire filament strip ribbon or the like. I then immerse the same within the bath
until sufficient coating has been deposited.
It will be understood from the previous description that material for a thermo-
candle or lamp can thus be built up or formed upon a base or form of the finest
texture filaments or sections which it is possible to obtain and the base or form
can be made of metallic earthy mineral or vegetable material or any compound of
such materials or substances.
Thirth-sixthly I immerse in a bath of platinum, iridium, ruthenium, manganese
or other material having a high melting point; from which material by the action
of an electric current and with the precaution of keeping the bath sufficiently rich
in metallic solution any thickness desired may be deposited on the surface form or
base of graphite magnesium, zirconia or other material. I can employ an
indestructible base or I may employ a form which only serves the purpose of
supporting the material for giving shape to the deposited material. When
heat is applied the first base or form will be destroyed but the metal, metals, or
alloys will resist the heat and retain the form given thereto. By such process I
obtain a very thin film or deposit of metal which is impracticable by other means
than by deposition.
Thirty-seventhly: I may employ any refractory metal or combination of metals
salts or oxides or both best suited for the development of light and which can be
deposited or alloyed with the base or form. It will be understood that I can by
these processes deposit thin films or coatings of any metal, metals or metal alloys
best suited for the development of the light, I thereby obtain a netallic filament
of any desired quality and of any preferred form or section dependent upon the
metal or metals or the compound employed.
In other words metal possessing the greatest refractory quality can be spread

page_text: :
over a surface, as a mere film in thickness, and can be alloyed with or cover and
coat other materials such as oxides of magnesium, calcium, zirconia, and the like.
Thirty-eighthly I alloy combine permeate and cover or coat the base which gives
form to the conductors with metal or metal alloys by employing solutions of metallic
salts or oxides from which by decomposition and recompositiou I am able to
impregnate alloy or coat the base or form which will give shape or will provide
surface for the deposition of such metallic coating or alloy. In order to prepare
the form for the deposition of the metal (supposing it consists of or is provided
with suitable material which possesses affinity with metal). In some cases I
immerse the portion to be treated in an acidulated bath the strength quality or
kind of which is dependant upon the metal or material to be coated. After
sufficient immersion I dry the same by subjecting it to a temperature of about
150° centigrade. It is then plunged into a boiling solution containing the salts or
oxides (or both) of the metals or alloys with which the piece is to be impregnated or
coated. It will be understood that the most refractory metals can thus be deposited
or alloyed so as to be efficaciously, employed in thermo-light apparatus.
Thirty-ninthly: I employ metallic salts or oxides or both in solution for
coating or both impregnating and coating the fibrous or other piece which serves
as the form; for instance I can first dip the piece of fibre gauze asbestos, muslin,
silk, metal, or other form or piece in salts or oxides of magnesium or other material.
I can employ for this purpose any suitable salt or oxide. The coating thus
obtained can then be coated or alloyed with other metal, metals, or alloys by
immersion in another solution, or through the medium of electricity, or by the
decomposition and recomposition of the salts or oxides of metal. I can employ any
combination of such means and use materials which will be best suited or preferable
for the purpose of my thermo-lighting apparatus.
Fortiethly: I employ in my thermo-candle pulverized or granulated material
compounds or alloys, such as will become incandescent by the heat I either mould
such material into the desired form or support it in small sieves or sieve-like
hoppers; such hopper or support is arranged in any desired position with regard to
the flame and in any preferred manner.
Forty-firstly. In my thermo-candle I provide for the deposit of carbon from the
flame either upon a candle which in turn is consumed or develops light by
incandescence; or I employ a sieve-like piece which will collect the carbon as a
deposit. It will be understood that carbon so collected will develope light by
incandescence and such carbon or carbon deposit can be combined with the metal
or metallic salts or oxides and thereby form the material for a thermo-candle.
Forty-secondly; I construct my thermo-candle with a surrounding chamber of
fine open or net-work and can either employ a transparent material or a metallic
open work for this purpose.
Forty-thirdly: In constructing my thermo candles I employ such materials as
metals or alloys of metals which will resist the heat of the flame or the heat in the.
chamber in which they are placed. I sometimes employ a gauze-like encasement
hopper or grate within which the material is placed and into which it will be
automatically fed as the said material is wasted by heat. The grating hopper or
encasement and the material in contact therewith will become incandescent and all.
will perform a part in the development of light.
I can employ in such an arrangement pulverized granulated or stringy material
or compound for instance a compound of carbon and metallic oxides in the form of
granules or filaments or a compound of asbestos with metallic oxides, the metallic
oxides greatly increases the light emitted.