IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Coleman Defries, of the Firm of Jonas Defries and
Sons, Houndsditch, in the City of London, Manufacturer, for the Inven-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Coleman Defries at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
December 1862.
I, COLEMAN DEFRIES, of the Firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, Houndsditch,
in the City of London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF
LAMPS," to be as follows:-
My Invention principally regards those lamps terined street lamps, and its
object is to obtain a better light for passengers than is obtainable from street
lamps as at present constructed. Further, my proposed lamp will be less costly
in its original manufacture, and of very trifling expense in repairs. In the
City of London, and elsewhere, it has become the practice to furnish each
lamp with a regulator, and this is placed within the lamp under the burner.
From the bulk of this regulator, and the opacity of the framing or sashes of
the lamp, the light from the burner is considerably obstructed. I propose to
form my lamp of a top and bottom (or upper and lower) frame, connected in
the centre by a pipe which runs from the top of the lamp-post (being secured

page_text: thereto); on the top of this pipe are radii or arms supporting both the lower
frame at its top and the upper frame which rests on said top. The frame in
which the glasses of the lower part of the lamp rest is supported on the capital
of the lamp-post by scroll work. On the capital of the lamp-post I place the
regulator, and as this is usually of less diameter than said capital, and the
burners are to be considerably above it, no light will be intercepted thereby.
Small branches for the burners are let into the pipe which, as aforesaid, passes
through the centre of the lamp. I make channels or grooves, in which I receive
the upper and lower edges of the glass of which I intend to use as many strips
or pieces as the formation of the lamp may render desirable; these I place
in the channels so as to form top, sides, and bottom, or I may make the top
of the lamp in one piece, and of any form. The centre pipe I either make a
reflector, or coat with any material. The top of the lamp rests on the bottom
part, and is to be lifted therefrom when lighting, or it may be hinged to the
framing, and turned back for that purpose. I thus produce a lamp without
any framing or sash bars between the top and bottom of the lower part or
body of the lamp, all being glass, and, with the exception of the narrow framing
(which holds the bottom glass) immediately above the regulator or stop-cock,
no hindrance is given to the light. In case of breakage of any of the glass it
is only necessary to take out the pieces with the fingers, and in the same way
insert a new strip or piece, which drops at once into position, no putty or other
fixing being required, and the glass having room for expansion or contraction
consequent upon atmospheric changes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Coleman Defries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th 2
June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, COLEMAN
DEFRIES, of the Firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, Houndsditch, in the City of
London, Manufacturer, send greeting.
12
T
.109.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters s
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Coleman Defries, Her special licence, that I, the said Coleman
Defries, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the 3
said Coleman Defries, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
30
10.9.127.0 3

page_text: time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OF LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Coleman Defries, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Coleman Defries, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
which forms part of this my Specification, and to the letters of reference
placed on each of the Diagrams respectively. Similar letters serving to denote
similar parts.
.
The object of my Invention is the production of a lamp whether for streets,
portico's, or other localities, in which shall be combined the maximum of
lighting with the minimum of cheapness. The street lamps at present in
general use throw as much light above them, where no light is required, as
horizontally with the burner and downwards, in which directions illumination
is important, inasmuch as the top is of glass, and the body of the lamp is
framed with thick and clumisy upright bars and heavy horizontal framing,
giving but little light to passengers on the pavement of streets, or on vehicles
in the roadways.
a
My Invention gives a lamp superior to all others except that of blown glass,
which, having neither bottom or side framing, is the best as regards giving
out light, but it is necessary in such lamps to introduce the pipe for the burner
either through a hole at the bottom of the glass (as at the Houses of Parlia-
ment) or to bring it over the upper rim, and down the side, thus creating
double shadow. Again, this glass is expensive in first cost, and easily
broken, and considerable expense is incurred in repairing one of such lamps.
A lamp made according to my Invention is open to none of these objections ;
it has no body framing, or in other words, offers no' impediment' to the ray's
of light. It may (as for galleries, piazzas, and other places where it is
desirable to throw the light upwards) have a shadowless top or cover similar
to the body of the lamp. Or the cover may be made of tin, iron, or other

page_text: material, and be of any shape or form, and be painted or enameled in its
interior. I support my lamp body principally by means of the gas pipe.
Whether the lamp be a street lamp as shewn in the Drawing, or a bracket
lamp (the means of support being therefore also the means of lighting) this
pipe runs through the bottom glass of the lamp body upwards till it breaks
into horizontal radii or arms, which pass into a horizontal framing forming
the top of the body of the lamp, so that (except in street lamps where the
scroll above the capital assists) the whole lamp is supported by the centre or
gas pipe.
A further improvement in the street lamp is to place the carburator with
which it has of late become the practice to furnish each lamp, instead of within
the body of the lamp immediately thereunder, and just above the capital of
the pillar or post; thus it is partially hidden from the passengers, and but little
obstructs the downward rays of light, while, when the carburator is placed
within the body of the lamp, the bulk thereof forms an opaque shadow around
the base of the pillar. As regards economy in construction it is obvious that
a lamp manufactured according to my Invention (as herein-after fully described
and illustrated in the Drawings) must be much less costly than those hitherto
used, while the cost of repair from breakage is insignificant, it being only
requisite to take out the broken glass with the fingers, and replace it by a
new strip or strips (the cost of which is very trifling) in the same manner, no
putty or other fixing being required, the glass dropping at once into position,
and having room for expansion or contraction according to the state of the
atmosphere.
My improved lamp is equally adapted for theatres, hotels, public edifices,
railway stations, and other places, and the pieces of glass of which the body of
the lamp is composed may carry the names of the streets, the words post office,
or other, and for surgeries or elsewhere where parti-colored glass is desired,
the lamp may be made with side pieces or front pieces of different colored
glass; and if the place ceases to be a surgery, and the lamp be still required, it
is only requisite to take out the colored glasses with the fingers (as before
directed) and substitute plain glass in their places.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews the lamp (a street lamp) in elevation; Figure 2, the cap or
cover to be used instead of the glass cover shewn at Figure 1; Figure 3, plan
of the top framing of the body of lamp shewing top of gas pipe and radiating
arms; Figure 4 shews the same top framing with grooves or long slots left
therein for the glass; Figure 5 shews bottom framing of the body of the lamp

page_text: with lugs for holding the bottom of the strips of glass in position; Figure 6
represents a piece of glass such as is used when the strips are let in through
the grooves in the top framing; and Figure 7 a strip, with the top corners
cut so as to permit the strips to be pushed upwards into the grooves, and let
down on to the ledge of the lower framing, where they are retained by the
lugs, the cut corners being hidden by the upper framing when the glass is in
position. At Figure 1 the gas pipe a passes (as is usual) from the main pipe
through the interior of the pillar or post 6 (the top of which only is shewn)
through the capital thereof, and is thereon met by the carburator c (where no
carburator is used the pipe passes at once through the stop-cock which
is above the pillar to its full height say at d); from the top of this pipe, which
is bermetically closed, radiate three or more arms e (Figure 3) which serve
to support the framing ƒ (same Figure); in this framing I make grooves or
long slots g (Figure 4), through which the upper edges of the glasses (as at
Figure 7) are passed, and on the inside of the under framing h (which is
partially supported by the scroll work above the capital of the pillar) I place
lugs or projections i for the reception of the lower edges of the strips of glass k;
by which means they are retained in position. Or if I elect to pass the glass
from above through the grooves g, I make only a groove or ledge in the
bottom framing to receive the lower edges of the glass panes. I make
the top or cover of this lamp either with glass as shewn at Figure 1, or of
metal or other material, and in form as shewn at Figure 2. The lower edges
of the strips of glass k are received into or on to ledges formed in the lower
frame of the cover, the top of the strips being passed through grooves made
in a frame under the upper portion of the cover, and let down on to the ledge
aforesaid, the upper frame and the edges of the glass being hidden by the
ornamental foliage as at j, and these top edges may be puttied if required. The
top of the lamp rests on the frame d of the bottom part or body of the lamp,
and is lifted from it when the gas is lit or hinged to the frame, and turned back
for that purpose. When the cover is of glass the upper and lower framing
are connected by a central pipe. I make the gas or centre pipe a reflector
by silvering it, or I coat it with any material. Small branches for the
burners m are let into the pipe a, and these branches may be of any number,
and placed in whatever positions may be found most desirable. The cover
shewn at Figure 2 represents the form of one I use of metal, but I make the
cover of any form, and of any material, and I make it sometimes a reflector
by silvering it inside, or lining it with glazed earthenware if desired.
In making bracket lamps, the construction of the body, and top or cover
of the lamp is the same as described for a street lamp, but the gas pipe is

page_text: connected with the framing (f, Figure 3), and part of said framing, and one
of the arms or radii serve as conduit for the gas. A pipe then descends from
the centre of the radii (or arms) downwards the whole depth of the body, and
from the bottom of said pipe other arms or radii serve to support the bottom
framing of the lamp, which is furnished with ledges or lugs as described in
reference to Figure 1.
Suspended or pendant lamps made according to my Invention need
little description. The gas pipe goes through the cover (which is made at its
top of suitable form for that purpose) and so to the bottom of the body
of the lamp. The radii for the support of the top and bottom framing of the
lamp are made as directed for bracket lamps, but in the case of the pendant
lamp the cover slides on the pipe for the purpose of lighting the burners, and
the stop-cock may be immediately over or under the upper system of radii
or arms.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and means by which
I carry it into practical effect, I desire it to be distinctly understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein given, nor to the form or shape
of the body of the lamp or its cover, as 1 construct my lamps of any form or
shape; nor do I limit myself to any material in the construction of the
cover of the lamp, or to be used for the purpose of making the interior of such
cover a reflector, or for making the centre pipe a a reflector; but that of
which I claim the exclusive use as of the Invention secured to me by the
herein in part recited Letters Patent is, a lamp, the body and cover of which,
(both or either) are composed of strips or panes of glass fitted without side
or vertical framing, the said lamp being constructed essentially as herein-
before described, or set forth and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Coleman Defries, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
COLEMAN DEFRIES. (L.S.)