Improvements in and in connection with Projecting Lanterns.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Projecting Lanterns.
We, WILLIAM CHARLES HUGHES of Brewster House, Mortimer Road,
Kingsland, Manufacturing Optician, and HENRY WOODRUFF of 336 Kingsland
Road, Kingsland, in the County of Middlesex, Brass Finisher 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 :-
The improvements in, and in connection with, projecting lanterns constituting
our invention, consists, Firstly-of an improved shutter or device capable of being
connected to any and every kind of existing oxyhydrogen lanterns, without the
need of any alteration being made to said lantern for the reception thereof, the
purpose of which is to prevent the light that arises from the residual or partial
incandescence that remains in the lime cylinder after the gas has been turned off,
from being projected upon the screen, and lighting up the dissolved picture, to the
detriment of the next or following view. Secondly of an improved slide carrier
or holder, that has for its object a means for compensating any horizontal
irregularities that may exist in the carrier slide of the lantern, and for auto-
matically preventing stray rays of light passing between the said slide and the
carrier. Thirdly-of a method and means of constructing a single biunial or triple
lantern by which a greater space is provided for the escape of heated air than
obtains in such lanterns as hitherto constructed, and Fourthly-of an improved box
or holder for containing a set or sets of slides when not in use, or for holding such
in consecutive order for the convenience of the operator.
In order that our invention and the manner of its operation may be clearly
understood we have appended hereunto two sheets of drawings, in which the same
reference letters are used throughout, when referring to the same or like parts.
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a perspective view of our said drop shutter.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of same showing its position of use relatively to the gas
burner.
Fig. 3 is a view of the ordinary back opening of a lantern, showing the manner
in which the device Fig. 1 is mounted thereat, and connected to the arm of the
dissolving tap. This view also illustrates the position the said device assumes when
not in use, or when the gas is fully turned on.
Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the manner in which the said shutter is brought
into a position of use automatically, by the simple movement of the dissolving tap
arm, when this is operated for turning the gas off.
Fig. 5 Sheet 2 is a top or plan view of a lantern as we prefer to construct it for
affording better ventilation, also showing the position of the shutter therein when
in use.
Fig. 6 is a front elevation of our improved slide holder or carrier, Fig. 7 being a
top edge or plan view of same.
Fig. 8 is an end view of the same as viewed from right to left of Fig. 6.
Fig. 9 is a central vertical section of Fig. 6 showing the left hand half thereof.
Fig. 10 is a view of the right hand portion of Fig. 6, with part of the front plate
broken away.
Figs. 11 and 12 is a vertical longitudinal section and end view respectively, of
our improved box for holding a set or sets of slides, as we prefer to construct it
when made of tin, iron or other metal, Fig. 13 being a part front elevation of a like
box, showing the manner in which we prefer to arrange the fastening of the lid
when the box is made of wood, cardboard, vulcanite or material other than metal.
Referring to our improved shutter illustrated by Fig. 1, we carry our invention

page_text: into effect by the employment of a rod A, rectangular in cross section for the major
part of its length, and which may be of such a length as to suit the particular
lantern to which it is to be applied, and upon this we mount a carrier B, capable of
sliding casily thereon, and upon this we mount loosely a tumbler C, this being
shaped, preferably, substantially as shewn, and provided with a slot a. To the
carrier B is soldered or otherwise fixed an arm D, and to this is connected by the
means of a screw or its equivalent b, a plate E, having a slot 1, by which its height
or distance from A may be adjusted. To E is connected a plate F, provided with
a slot c', by means of which and one or two screws c F may be adjusted upon E so
as to extend or diminish their combined width, and by these means the said shutter
may be lengthened or shortened, or extended or contracted laterally to suit lanterns
of different sizes, in which the distance from the gas jet to the rod A may vary.
A suitable pad of cloth, asbestos or other suitable non resonant substance E¹, would
be screwed, rivetted or otherwise connected to E, (preferably screwed as shewn
by E) to prevent or deaden the sound that would otherwise occur by compact
between the shutter and the metallic inner case of the lantern, when the said
shutter is thrown back out of use.
The end A of the rod A may be borne by the front part of the metallic case of
the lantern as at Fig. 5 or a special bearing provided therefor, the opposite end by
that of a bracket G, screwed or otherwise fixed upon the outer back face of the
lantern as at Figs. 3 and 4, or by any other suitable means. Upon the free end
of A, outside G, we mount an arm II, and fasten the same thereto in the position
desired by the means of a screw H¹, or any suitable equivalent therefor and to the
free end of His pivotally connected one end of an adjustable rod I, the opposite
end of which is similarly connected to one end of an arm K, the opposite end of K
having a hole d (Fig. 2) by means of which K may be slid upon the arm L of the
dissolving tap of the lantern, and adjustably fixed thereon by means of a thumb
nut L' as at Figs. 3 4 and 5.
In Fig. 1 we illustrate the manner in which we prefer to construct the platform
for the gas jet, which differs slightly from those in general use, and it will be
understood by the following explanation that the simple addition of two pins to
such platforms as at present made and used would be all that would be necessary to
render them adaptable for our improved shutter. According to our invention.we
provide a platform M, which we fix to the lantern in the usual way, and in this
slides a plate M' funished with the usual perpendicular pin M" for the reception
of the gas jet M". Upon M we fix a vertical pine and a shorter pin e', the latter
having a sloping surface as shown at Fig. 2, the height of this being but slightly
(if any) in excess of the thickness of C, and through the slot a of which this passes
as shown in Fig. 1 and by means of this, as M' is slid along M for the purpose of
adjusting the distance of the jet to and from the lens, the tumbler C, and with this
the carrier B, and D, E, F, is carried therewith along A, so that whatever may be
the position of the jet, the shutter would always occupy the same position
relatively thereto, and the said position of the shutter with the jet will be under-
stood by reference to Figs. 2, 4 and 5, in the first two figures of which the jet M
is shown in dotted outline, and when it becomes necessary to remove the jet M
and the slide M' from the lantern, as these are withdrawn, the tumbler C, collides
with, and slides up, a sloping bridge piece ƒ fixed upon M' thus elevating C above
and clear of the pin e', which permits M' and M to be withdrawn, leaving C thus
elevated, and when M¹ and .M is again replaced the pin e on M pushes Cofff,
and the slot a engages with e¹ as before.
arm
In Fig. 4 we illustrate the position the said shutter D, E, F occupies when the
L is raised for dissolving the picture and shutting off the gas, which brings the
shutter from its position of idleness as at Fig. 3, and causes this to fall in front of
the now partially incandescent lime cylinder and the orifice of the jet M¹; thereby
shielding the lens from the fading light given off from the cylinder, for the
purposes hereinbefore stated, and fully shewn by Figs. 2, 4 and 5, and when the gas
is again turned on by the lowering of L, the shutter would be thrown back into its

page_text: former position as at Fig. 3, and as this may occur somewhat violently, nence the
object and purpose of the pad E'.
We
The second improvement constituting part of our invention is our improved slide
carrier, shewn by Figs. 6 to 10 Sheet 2, and which we construct as follows.
prefer to provide the front N of brass or other metal, but we may employ any
other suitable material in lieu thereof, and this we screw or otherwise connect to a
wooden frame or back N', a suitable space being left between N and N' for the
downward passage of a slide N, and as this passes down into position it is pressed
close up against N by the combined influence of a spring g on the one side (shewn
in dotted outline in Fig. 6, and fully by the sectional view Fig. 9) and upon the
other side by that of a taper edged vertical plate h, arranged to slide horizontally
against the pressure of the slide N, by means of a slot and screw ', which com-
presses a pair of springs ", the tension of which keep the plate in close contact
with N, and the tapered edge of h forces N close to N, and thus is prevented
the possibility of stray rays of light passing between NH and N. The arrangement
of will be fully understood by reference to Fig. 10, and the sloping surface
of h by Fig. 7.
It may sometimes occur that the surface upon which the lantern stands may not
be horizontally true, which would have the effect of distorting the true perpen-
dicularity of the picture upon the screen, and to compensate this we provide in
the lower surface of N and N' a horizontal recess, in which is placed a preferably
metallic plate O, the upper surface of the ends of which are connected to screws i i¹
which are capable of rotating therein, and pass upwardly therefrom through the
body of the carrier and engage with threaded holes in metallic plates kk', which
may form part of N. Each of said screws has a head m by which it may be
rotated, and a lock nut m³, and by the rotation of either or the end of Ŏ to
which it is connected, may be raised or lowered as desired, so that either end of O
may protrude below N for the levelling of the carrier, as shewn by the dotted lines
in Fig. 6.
We have found in' practice that the air space usually provided in projecting
lanterns between the inner and outer cases, is not of sufficient capacity to keep the
lantern as cool as necessary, and with this in view we reduce the horizontal
dimensions of the inner or metallic case P, and extend the length of the junction
pieces which connect P to the outer or wooden case P¹, and widen the perforated
tube P, and by this means we are enabled, in some cases, to provide a full one
inch space between P and P', which is more than double that provided in the
lanterns hitherto made and used, and by which we find we are enabled to keep the
lantern perfectly cool. Fig. 5 illustrates a lantern constructed upon this
principle.
P
A further improvement constituting part of our invention is an improved box or
holder for a set or sets of slides. We are aware that these have been hitherto
made of rectangular form, of tin or iron, and with vertical partitions for dividing
the slides, but these have been found liable to collapse if pressed cornerwise, and
so break the slides therein. The object of our improvement is to obviate this,
which we attain by constructing a box as follows. Referring to Figs. 11 and 12,
we form the body R and the lid R' of sheet metal, hinged together in the usual
way, and internally provided with vertical partitions t for receiving the slides N,
and to prevent the before mentioned collapse of the box if pressed cornerwise, or
in any direction of its length and width we place inside the bottom of R, a tight
fitting false bottom s, of wood or vulcanite, and the lid R¹ we in like 'manner line
with a similar plate s', either or both of which may be faced with felt, cloth or
other soft material, and by means of these plates the box is prevented from collapse
if pressed, or subjected to a blow. Upon the ends of R externally, we hinge
clips and arranged to fold over and engage with the lid R' as at Figs. 11
and 12, and by means of these the lid is retained in its closed position as shown
by. In Fig. 13 we illustrate the form of clip we prefer to use when R and R'
are of wood, and which may be strengthened by duplicate inner surfaces & s¹ if

page_text: desired, and we may form a space or spaces in the bottom of the lantern for one or
more of such boxes, and by reason of the clips being at the ends, instead of in
the front, and hinged to R instead of R', as hitherto, we find that the box is less
likely to fly open spontaneously if dropped, and generally more convenient for the
purposes required.
We wish it understood that in so far as regards the improvements herein
described and shewn by Figs. 1 to 10 that the same may be duplicated or triplicated
so as to be employed upon biunial or triunial lanterns, and to which the herein
described manner of operation equally applies.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1st. In combination with any size or type of single, biunial, or triple lantern,
in which oxyhydrogen gas is used as an illuminant, the construction and use of the
herein described improvements. connected thereto and operating therewith
substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and shewn by the appended
drawings.
2nd. In combination with an oxyhydrogen projecting lantern, the application
thereto of a device for shadowing the rays of light emitted from the partially
incandescent lime cylinder when the gas is turned off, consisting of an adjustable
shutter E F, with buffer E, mounted upon an arm D, fixed to a carrier B,
arranged to slide upon a rectangular rod A, and carrying a tumbler C, with slot a
engaging with pins e e', upon the slide M' of a jet platform M, provided with a
bridge piece operating for the release of C from e¹ when M' is withdrawn from M.
The manner of mounting the rod A, and connecting thereto an arm H, to which is
pivotally connected one ead of an adjustable rod I, the opposite end to an arm K,
mounted upon, and operated by the movements of the arm L of the dissolving tap
of the lantern, the whole connected and operating substantially as described and
shewn by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In combination with an oxyhydrogen projecting lantern, the construction,
and use therewith of a slide carrier, consisting of plates N N', provided with
spring g and taper edged plate h, with springs ", and arranged to move horizontally
by the means of a slot and screw ', when the slide N¹¹ is inserted. The bottom
plate O, operated vertically by threaded rods ii, to compensate the horizontal
inequalities of the lantern or the carrier stage thereof, substantially as herein
described and shewn by Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 of the appended drawings.
In combination with a projecting lantern, the construction and use of a metallic,
wood or vulcanite box R with lid R¹ hinged to R, and held closed thereto by
clips, hinged to R, as at Figs. 11 and 12 or Fig. 13, and provided internally
with duplicate surfaces s and s¹ of wood or vulcanite, and coated with a soft
material, for the deposit of slides N between partitions t, substantially as and
for the purposes herein described and shewn by Figs. 11, 12 and 13 of the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd dox of A 1000
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants.