Improvements in or relating to Flash Lamps used for Photographic or other Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th D c., 1895-Accepted, 1st Feb, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Flash Lamps used for Photographic
or other Purposes.
I, ALBERT ARGENT ARCHER of 1954 High Street, Kensington in the County
of London, Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has reference to flash lamps such as are used for the purpose of
enabling photographs to be taken by artificial light and in which the flash is obtained
by blowing or injecting magnesium or other suitable powder into the flame of a spirit
or other lamp.
Hitherto it has been usual to charge the powder tube or basin of the lamp with
the required amount of powder by hand after each flash, that is to say after each
exposure in the camera. This mode of charging is very inconvenient, particularly
where a number of flash lamps are required, as for instance when it is required to
light up a banqueting hall or large room.
Now one object of my invention is to effect the charging of the powder tubes of
any required number of lamps automatically and simultaneously by simply pressing
a pneumatic ball or other air propelling device. For this purpose I employ in
connection with the powder tube of every lamp a powder reservoir provided with
a charging device which can be wound up or set, and which when released by the
action of a pneumatic ball, bellows or the like acts so as to deliver the required
amount of powder into the tube through an opening in the side of same.
The
same pneumatic ball, bellows or the like can be connected with the charging
devices of any number of tubes, so that the operator can charge the tubes of any
number of lamps simultaneously from any convenient and prearranged part of the
room. The charging device can be constructed in various ways. According to one
construction a cup or spoon is carried on the end of an arm which can revolve on a
horizontal axis in the powder reservoir. The device having been wound up, the
preumatic ball when acted upon releases it, rotates once on its axis and is then
stopped by a catch. During the rotation the cup first scoops up powder from the
reservoir and then delivers it into the tube, the opening of which may be fitted with
a valve or slide that is opened and shut automatically. Or a series of scoops or
cups can be carried on an endless chain like a dredger, and move to the extent of
one scoop at every action. Or the reservoir may be in the form of a hopper the
outlet of which is closed by a revolving wheel having compartments that become
successively filled from the hopper and then discharge themselves into the powder
tube; this revolving wheel will be wound up as above described and revolve to the
extent of one or more compartments whenever temporarily released by the action of
the pneumatic ball.
Another object of the invention is to make the spirit lamp to be readily ignited
from a small burner just before being required for use, so that it is not kept burning
unnecessarily and proportionately consuming spirit. For this purpose I fit a small
wick by the side of the main or large wick of the lamp, and I cover the main wick
with a cap or other suitable cover, which prevents it from becoming ignited from
the small wick. The small wick is ignited some time before the lamp is required
for use.
When the cap of the large wick is moved away this wick becomes ignitel
from the small flame. The cap is preferably acted upon pneumatically by means

page_text: of a bellows or other air propelling device which may be arranged so as to operate
on the caps of any required number of lamps simultaneously; or the cap may be
acted upon by a string or cord. The large wicks can be extinguished by returning
the caps to position over same by means of the appliances that move them away
from the wicks or by separate appliances. If gas be employed instead of spirit
there will be a small gas jet previously ignited and a by-pass leading therefrom to
the main burner, so that when gas is turned on to the main burner it becomes ignited
from the small jet.
I preferably make the main burner whether for burning spirit or gas of oval or
circular form with two or other number of breaks in the circumference for the
purpose of admitting air for supporting combustion not only from the centre as
usual, but also from the sides.
1007
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in or relating to Flash Lamps used for Photographic
or other Purposes.
I, ALBERT ARGENT ARCHER of 195* High Street, Kensington in the County
of London, Photographer, 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 :-
My invention has reference to flash lamps such as are used for the purpose of
enabling photographs to be taken by artificial light and in which the flash is obtained
by blowing or injecting magnesium or other suitable powder into the flame of a
spirit or other lamp.
Hitherto it has been usual to charge the powder tube or basin of the lamp with
the required amount of powder by hand after each flash, that is to say after each
exposure in the camera. This mode of charging is very inconvenient, particularly
when a number of flash lamps are required, as for instance when it is required to
light up a banqueting hall or large room.
Now one object of my invention is to effect the charging of the powder tubes
of a lamp or of any required number of lamps automatically and in the case of a
number of lamps simultaneously by simply pressing a pneumatic ball or other air
propelling device. For this purpose I employ in connection with the powder tube
of every lamp a powder reservoir provided with a charging device which can be
worked by the action of a pueumatic ball, bellows or the like and acts so as to
deliver the required amount of powder in a regulated and predetermined quantity
into the tube through an opening in the side of same. The same pneumatic ball,
bellows or the like can be connected with the charging devices of any number of
tubes so that the operator can charge the tubes of any number of lamps simul-
taneously from any convenient and pre-arranged part of the room. Or the charging
device can be manipulated by hand or in any other convenient way. The charging
device is preferably constructed as hereinafter described.
Another object of the invention is to make the spirit lamp to be readily ignited
from a small burner just before being required for use so that it is not kept burning
unnecessarily and proportionately consuming spirit. For this purpose I fit a
small wick by the side of the main or large wick of the lamp aud I cover the main
wick with a cap or other suitable cover which prevents it from becoming ignited
from the small wick. The small wick is ignited some time before the lamp is
required for use. When the cap of the large wick is moved away this wick becomes

page_text: ignited from the small flame. The cap is preferably acted upon pneumatically by
means of a bellows or other air propelling device which may be arranged so as to
operate on the caps of any required number of lamps simultaneously; or the cap
may be acted upon by a string or cord. The large wicks can be extinguished
by returning the caps to position over same by means of the appliances that
move them away from the wicks or by separate appliances. If gas be employed
instead of spirit there will be a small gas jet previously ignited and a by-pass leading
therefrom to the main burner, so that when gas is tu ned on to the main burner it
becomes ignited from the small jet.
The manner in which my invention can be carried into effect will be understood
on reference to the accompanying drawings which represent a flash lamp and parts
connected therewith in which my improvements are embodied.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lamp, the box containing the bellows
for working the cap of the main wick being in section on the line 1-1 of
Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a plan of the lamp with the said cap broken away.
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail view showing in elevation the charging device in the powder
reservoir.
Figure 5 is a view illustrating diagrammatically a single flash lamp and the
means for charging the powder tube, blowing the powder into the flame of the lamp,
lifting the cap or cover of the lamp and closing the cap, all pneumatically.
Figure 6 is a view illustrating diagrammatically a number of flash lamps on
the same standard worked simultaneously in the same manner as the single lamp
in Figure 5.
This
a is the spirit reservoir of the lamp, b the burner which is preferably oval as
shown, e the wick, d a perforated plate or gauze sheet to prevent down draft,
e the powder tube, which is preferably bifurcated at the outlet end as shown, its
two mouths or outlets projecting through the perforated plate d. fis an opening
in the upper side of the tube e through which it receives its supply of powder
from the reservoir above as hereinafter described. g is the blast tube connected
with the tube e at one end and with a bellows or other air propelling device h
(Figure 5) at the other end, so that when the bellows is acted upon the powder in
the tube e is blown through this tube into the flame of the lamp as will be well
understood. is the reservoir to which the magnesium or other powder is supplied
through an opening at top fitted with a cover k. The lower part of the reservoir
is of hopper form and has an opening or outlet m fitted with a valve n.
valve is carried by and is adjustable on a vertical rod p which passes through the
top of the reservoir where it is fitted with a spring q; this spring is fitted between
a collar r on a stationary sleeves and a nut t on the rod p and pushes up the rod p
so as to cause the valve n to normally close the outlet m. On the rod p is an
adjustable conical valve u with a sharp edge at bottom. On the stationary sleeve s
is a cone v with an inturned lower edge, between which and the reservoir sides the
powder in the upper part of the reservoir i passes down into the lower inclined
part of the reservoir; the cone v has feet to (see Figure 4) which rest on the
said inclined part and keep it at the proper distance therefrom. Normally the
valve n is closed and the valve u open as seen in full lines in Figure 3; the powder
then passes from the upper part of the reservoir to the inclined lower part.
When however the rod p is lowered together with the valves n and u as seen in
dotted lines in Figure 3, the valve n becomes opened and the valve closed;
consequently the powder in the inclined part 1 of the reservoir passes through the
valve n into the tube e while the valve u shuts off the further supply to the part 1.
On the other hand when the rod p under the action of the spring 9 is lifted together
with the valves n and u, the valve n becomes closed and the valve u opened, so
that the inclined part l'again fills with powder. The amount of powder that
passes into the tube e at every action of the charging device is determined by the
distance or space between the valves n and u and this distance can be regulated as

page_text: required by adjusting the height of the valve u on the rod p or by substituting a
different sized valve for the valve n, or by employing a reservoir in which the
length and diameter of the inclined or hopper part are different. The lowering
of the rod P and valves n and u can be effected by hand but is preferably effected
as follows-On the top of the rod p rests a bent lever having its fulcrum at y ;
the tail of this lever rests on an air bulb z which it normally keeps empty and flat
owing to the action of the spring This air bulb is fitted on one end of an air
tube which has a bellows 22 (Figure 5) or the like at the other end so
that whenever air is forced through the tube 2 by the bellows the bulb
expands, lifts the tail of the lever a and thereby forces down the other end
of the lever; the lever in turn pushes down the rod p and valves n and u; when
pressure is removed from the bellows the spring 9 returns the parts to their normal
position.
g
A is the small wick hereinbefore described by the side of the main wick c.
B is the cap or cover to the main wick which when closed prevents it from
becoming ignited from the wick A. The cap B is hinged to the spirit reservoir a
at C, and the pintle D of its hinge carries two arms E F. G and H are two
bellows in a box J and connected respectively to the two branches KL of a
pneumatic tube M which is fitted with a ball N (Figure 5) or the like at the other
end. When the cap is closed as in Figures 1 and 3 the arm E rests against the
face of the bellows G as seen in Figure 1. When air is forced through the
tube M both bellows G and H expand and the arm E is consequently forced up by
the bellows G into the position seen in dots in Figure 1, and the cap B is
lifted to the position also indicated by dots, whilst the arm F comes against the
face of the bellows H. The next time that air is forced through the tube M
and the bellows G and H expand the arm F is forced by the bellows H from the
position shown in dots to the position shown in full lines, and the cap B is
cousequently closed.
The operation when it is required to use the lamp and the small wick A has been
previously lighted is as follows:-Force air through the tube M so as to lift the
cap B; the wick cat once becomes ignited from the small wick A; force air
through the tube z¹ so as to effect the feed of the tube e from the powder
reservoir; this may be repeated once or oftener according to the amount of
charge required in the tube e; then force air through the blast tube g so that the
powder in the tube e is driven out through the outlets contiguous to the wick cand
mixes with the flame. When the photograph has been taken, the cap B can be
returned to position so as to extinguish the wick c by again forcing air through
the tube M.
Referring now to Figure 6, which illustrates diagrammatically how a number of
flash lamps can be worked simultaneously, O is a standard carrying an upper set
of six flash lamps and also a lower set of six lamps. All the tubes M of the upper
six lamps are carried to one union box P from which a single tube Q leads to an
air propeller R; all the tubes ¹ of the upper six lamps are carried to one union
box S from which a single tube T leads to an air propeller U, and all the tubes g
of the upper six lamps are carried to one union box V from which a single tube W
leads to an air propeller X. The tubes of the lower set of lamps are similarly
connected to union boxes from which single tubes lead to air propellers as indicated
in the figure. In the arrangement illustrated the two sets of lamps are operated
separately but the two sets (or more than two sets if required) can be connected to
the same set of three union boxes such as P S and V.
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 in respect of flash lamps used for photographic or other purposes is:-
1. The combination with the spirit reservoir of a flash lamp and the tube through
which the powder is supplied to the flame of a powder reservoir provided with a
device for charging the said tube with a regulated and predetermined quantity of

page_text: powder this device being worked by the action of a pneumatic ball, bellows or
otherwise, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with the main burner and wick of a flash lamp of a small
supplementary wick, a cap or cover to the main wick and means for opening the
said cap from a distance pneumatically or otherwise substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
3. Means substantially as herein before described whereby a number of flash
lamps can be operated upon simultaneously, whether to charge their powder tubes.
with powder, or to blow the charges through the tubes to the lamp flames, or to open
caps or covers to the main wicks, as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The improved flash lamps, substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of December 1895.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.