The Testing of Miners' and similar Safety Lamps by the Application of an Explosive Mixture of Gas and Air.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 16.h May, 1889
The Testing of Miners' and similar Safety Lamps by the Application
of an Explosive Mixture of Gas and Air.
WILLIAM PATTERSON 2 East Parade Newcastle upon Tyne Safety Lamp Manu-
facturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I arrange a fan, and cause coal or other gas to enter at one side and the air at
the other and regulate the quantity of both air and gas entering so as to make a
highly explosive mixture, within the fan, by the blades of the fan revolving it draws
in both air and gas and mixes them into each other properly and quickly, and by
the revolving motion of the fan drives into a tube or channel the inflammable mixture
and by the aid of a tube or box, I carry this inflammable mixture round the lighted
Lamp in a way that none of the inflamable mixture is wasted but all is brought to
play upon the inroads into the lighted lamp and if there be a defect in the Gauze of
the Lamp, or should the Lamp be wrongly put together so as to leave an opening
through which flame will pass, by this explosive mixture playing around the Lamp,
it will find out such opening or defect and by the presure of the current caused by
the motion of the fan the Lamp will explode and ignite the surrounding atmosphere
of gas and thus show quickly and truly that the said lamp is defective, and I so
arrange the apparatus that I can at will allow the inflamable current to play upon
the whole lamp or only a portion of the Lamp, by this means it is intended the more
effectually to find out defective Lamps before they enter the workings of the mines
and thus considerably lessen the danger of those lamentable explosions by the aid of
the said fan and machinery connected therewith I clean the Gauze of the lamp and
other parts, and by a novel arrangement of the fan mixing the gas and air and
controlling the same driven by motive power either steam Gas or other Engine,
I make a compact and efficient and novel arrangement and invention for the Testing
of Miners Safety Lamps.

page_text: COMT DIN TITRATION.
The Testing of Miners' and similar Safety Lamps by the Application
of an Explosive Mixture of Gas and Air.
WILLIAM PATTERSON 2 East Parade Newcastle upon Tyne Engineer and Safety
Tamp Manufacturer 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 :-
I arrange a Fan or blower and cause coal gas or other gas to enter at one side
and I regulate the quantity that enters by means of a common cock or valve, having
due regard to the pressure of such gas, and its quality, for explosive purposes.
At the other side of the said Fan or blower there is an opening for the admission
of air just enough to mix with the said gas to make it into a highly inflammable
mixture, and to make this inflammable mixture more quickly and efficiently I cause
the Fan to revolve and mix up and churn the gas and air into a highly explosive
mixture and by the motion of the Fan a pressure or force is made of the said gas
and air, and this is carried or conveyed to the lighted Safety Lamp by means of a
box or Tube, and thus carried or forced all round the said Lamp; and 1 cause the
Lamp if desired to revolve at the same time although I prefer the Lamp to remain
stationary when in the Testing box or testing position, and I do if desired cause the
said mixture to play only upon certain parts of the Lamp at one time or all around
the Lamp and top and bottom as well, so that little if any of the said mixture is
wasted but applied to the purpose of Testing the Safety of the said Safety Lamp, and
thus to find out any defect there may be in the said Safety Lamps, such defect may 2
be in any part of the Lamp and may arise from any cause, but the said defect will
be shown by the ignition of surrounding inflaminable mixture the flame having
passed through the defect or opening in the said Safety Lamp and thus show quickly
and truly that the Lamp is unsafe and ought not to be used as a Safety Lamp I also
affix an arrangement to this said Fan or blower for the more efficient means or
method of cleaning these said Lamps before having them tested and do it in this way,
a belt or spindle is carried from the revolving spindle of the Fan to an upright spindle
which is also revolving and carrying an upright brush, which when the gauze or other
part of the Lamp is brought into contact with it cleanses it 1 also fix a stationary
Brush which is so placed that it cleans and brightens the said ganze as it goes round,
or is carried by the said Brush or brushes, and in connection with this said Fan or
blower is also an arrangement for taking off the said Safety Lamp bottom or oil vessel,
also for taking out the internal parts of the Lamp such as rings and glassholders, and
this is done by pressing the part of the Lamp to be removed on a part of the appliance
which is stationary but by the said pressure brings it into contact with the revolving

page_text: spindle which unscrews the said part of Lamp and stops when the said pressure is
taken off this is done by means of a clutch and spring. There is also a spindle in
connection with this Fan that revolves and carries a mop which cleans the glass of
the said Lamp this arrangement can also be made only to move round by pressure
but I prefer to have it always in motion when the process of cleaning and Testing of
Lamps is going on, and the means used to drive this fan or blower with its connections
for cleaning and trimming Lamps can be done by manual Labour or steam, Gas,
Water or other motive power, and it must be understood that this arrangement or any
part of it can be used together or separately but I claim it as applied to Miners
Safety Lamps as a whole or in part, and to make the whole arrangement better under-
stood herewith enclose drawings of the same and marked 1 and 2 it will also be
readily understood that the box e will be altered to suit the shape of any miners lamp
Eo as to admit the explosive mixture into the lamp to facilitate the efficient testing of
the same.
Fig. 3 is a section of e figs. 1. and 2 showing holes or openings in the inner lining
through which the inflammable mixture passes to surround the lamp the said holes
are placed in such position as to suit the inlet and outlet air ways of the lamp the
inflammable mixture can also be forced around the lamp entering from the top or
bottom or both simultaneously but I prefer to surround the lanp with the inflammable
mixture passing the said mixture into the Box e which said box has openings and
through these openings the inflammable mixture plays upon the sides of the lamp and
thus finds out if there is any defect in the lamp either by broken or misplaced
wires or other openings in the lamp through which flame would pass and thus
endanger. the safety of men's lives, dureing the time the said mixture is passing on
to the Lamp, the lamp may either be stationary or revolving.
Figs. 4 and 5 illusterate modifications of e, fig. 4 shows the elevation of e made in
two halves shown by the dotted line the object of this is, that, the lamp can be
placed in the testing box e from the side of it if desired one half of the testing box
is working on hinges and closed when the lamp is placed in position to be tested.
Fig. 5 illusterates fig. 4 looking at it from the top or bottom when both halves are
closed ready for the inflammable mixture to be sent round the lamp.
These are the parts as spoken of in my specification and shown by the letters
attached thereto.
Fan or blower, a.
Where gas is admitted into ditto b.
Cock or Valve for regulating the quantity admitted c.
Where air is admitted into Fan d.
Box or other arrangement for holding Lamp when being tested in moving or
fixed position e.
Revolving Spindles f
Belt driving Fan and Spindles see letter G.
Brushes on Spindles of letter / H.
Stationary Brush for polishing the gauze of Lamps J.
Cup to take off oil vessel of Lamp automatically K.
Mandril taking out internal parts of Lamp L.
Clutch of ditto M.
Spring to raise mandril L out of gear N.
Mop for cleaning glass of lamp Ů.
Bench or Table on which all is mounted P.
Counter shaft used by way of preference Q.
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
1st. The manner of mixing air and gas.
2nd. The way of admitting any given quantity of each.

page_text: 3rd. The way or
mixture.
manner of surrounding the Lamp with such inflammable
4th. Method of taking Lamp to pieces.
5th. Stationary Brush.
6th. Revolving upright Brushes.
7th. Clutch as shown in K and L.
8th. Spring as used in clutch.
9th Mon as shown by letter J.