Improvements in Miners' Electric Safety Lamps.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dec, 1886
Complete Left, 9th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 9th Dec., 188
RESERV
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miners' Electric Safety Lamps.
SYDNEY FERRIS WALKER Electrical Engineer 195 Lever Road
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Cardiff do
In my invention I use a Primary Galvanic Battery in connection with an
Incandescent Lamp, the whole being made in a portable form. I form the Battery of
one or more Galvanic Cells, according to the amount of light required and the form
of lamp used. I construct each cell as follows:-I take an outer containing vessel
made wholly of Carbon or of any metal, and inside this cell, I place a cell or
diaphragm of porous earthenware or other suitable material; I suspend within the
Porous Cell my positive or generating element which may be of zinc, iron or any
other substance which will form with the substance of which the outer containing
vessel is composed, a galvanic cell, immerse the zinc or other substance within the
Porous Cell in dilute Sulphuric Acid or any other suitable Electrolyte, and I place
in the space outside the Porous Cell within the outer containing vessel a suitable
Oxidant such as Bichromate of Potash, Nitric Acid or any other substance, proper to
the combination & that will neutralize the Hydrogen gas. If I use only one cell in
connection with my lamp, I make it of a cylindrical or square or any other suitable
form. If I use two or more cells, I make them of such a form that when placed
together they take the same form that the single Cell would have. Thus if I use
two Cells, I may make them semi-cylindrical; if three or more of such a form that
their section through their shortest dimension is a sector of a circle; or I may, if
there are two Cells, make them oblong, so that when placed together, they form a
square; or if there are four Cells, I may make them square in section and of such
dimensions that when placed together they build up into the form of a larger square.
Or I may make the Cells of any convenient form such that when put together, they
shall build up into another convenient form easily rendered portable. place the
Cells, whether they be one, two or more, within an outer containing vessel, which
may be of metal, ebonite, or any other suitable material, taking the precaution to insulate

page_text: the Cells from each other, and from the outer containing vessel if the latter be a
conductor; & to provide that there shall be no possibility of the liquids in the Cells
escaping. I fit to the outer containing vessel, a cover, which may be of metal,
ebonite or any other suitable material, and to this cover I attach an Incandescent
Lamp of suitable power, held in a proper socket, the connections to the same passing
through the cover, and being so arranged that on putting the cover in its place, the
whole of the connections of the lamp to the Cells, and of the Cells to each other, are
made simultaneously, so that should the cover be removed by accident or design, the
Electric current is immediately broken and the light goes out; suitable springs or
other arrangements being provided therefor.
I protect the Incandescent Lamp above referred to, and guard against any sparks;
first, by using a lamp with plate connections to the filament & holding the lamp
firmly in a metal collar on the top of the cover fitted with proper connecting pieces;
and I also protect the lamp by means of a stout outer glass held in the said brass
collar by suitable means and I may fill the space between the outer glass and that of
the lamp with water, an inert gas such as Carbonic Acid or any other suitable
substance which will not support combustion.
I also provide suitable locking arrangement, so that the cover of the lamp shall
not be removed except in the lamp room; and a convenient handle for the miner to
carry the whole by.
I also provide between the cover and the Cells, an India Rubber pad or other
suitable substance, so that when screwed down, it shall prevent the egress of the
liquids should the lamp be inverted.
I may also place the Incandescent Lamp with its connections either at the bottom,
under the outer containing vessel, or on one side of it. In either case, I provide
that the final connections may be made by putting on the cover of the outer
containing vessel.
In some cases I provide a switch inside the outer containing vessel turned by a
suitable handle outside, to turn the light in or out, & I may also in certain cases, as
in lamps for deputies, firemen &c., who are required to test for gas, add a testing
apparatus which may be a platinum wire within a wire guaze and heated by a portion
or the whole of the lamp current; this being controlled by a suitable switch attached
to any convenient part of the body of the lamp.
In some cases I dispense with the porous diaphragm in the Galvanic Cells using
only one liquid in which is immersed the generating plate.
Dated this 8th day of December 1886.

page_text: Improvements in Miners' Electric Safety Lamps.
SYDNEY FERRIS WALKER, Electrical Engineer 195 Severn Road, Cardiff
Glamorgan, 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 :-
In my invention I
use a primary galvanic battery, in connection with an
Incandescent Lamp, the whole being made in a portable form. I form the battery of
one or more galvanic cells, according to the amount of light required, and the form
of lamp used. I construct each cell, as follows. I take an outer containing vessel,
made wholly of carbon, or of any metal, and inside this carbon cell, or metal cell, Í
place a cell or diaphragm of porous earthenware, or other suitable material; within
this porous cell, I suspend my positive, or generating, element, which may be of
zinc, iron, or any other substance, which will form with the substance of which the
outer containing vessel is composed, a galvanic cell. I immerse the zinc, or other
substance, within the porous cell, in dilute sulphuric acid, or any other suitable
electrolyte; and I place in the space outside the porous cell, within the outer
containing cell, a suitable oxidant such as Bi-chromate of Potash, Nitric acid, or any
other substance proper to the combination and that will neutralize the Hydrogen
Gas. If I use only one cell in connection with my lamp, I make it of a cylindrical,
square, or any other suitable form. If I use two or more cells, I make them of such
a form that when placed together they take the same form that the single cell would
have. Thus if I use two cells, I may make them semi-cylindrical; if three or more,
of such a form, that their section through their shortest dimension is a sector of a
circle. Or I may, if there are two or three cells, make them oblong, so that when
placed together they form a square; or if there are four cells, 1 may make them
square in section, and of such dimensions, that when placed together they build up
into the form of a larger square. Or, I may make the cells of any convenient form,
such that when put together, they shall build up into any other convenient form,
easily rendered portable.
I place the cells, whether they be one, two, or more, within an outer containing
vessel, which may be of Metal, Ebonite, or any suitable material, taking the
precaution to insulate the cells from each other & from the outer containing vessel
if the latter be a conductor, and also provide that there shall be no possibility of the
liquids in the cells escaping.
I fit to the outer containing vessel, a cover which may be of metal, ebonite, or
other suitable substance. In some cases I affix the incandescent lamp to this cover,
as follows-
In the centre of the cover I fix a flange or collar, with a bayonet joint, rising from
it, and in the circular space enclosed by this collar, I arrange two springs or plunger
connecting pieces, insulated from each other and from the cover.
I use an

page_text: incandescent lamp with terminal connections known as bottom caps; that is, the
ends of the filament are connected to two brass plates beneath the lamp, when the
lamp is affixed to the cover, these brass plates make connection with the springs or
plungers below, and the incandescent lamp is held in place, by the bayonet joint, &
a projecting pin on the base of the lamp. Outside the incandescent lamp, I fix a
glass shade or cover, made with a flange, and held in place by another flange on the
cover, made air tight by means of another washer. I may fill this space between
the incandescent lamp & the projecting glass, with water or an inert gas. The
said plungers or springs have connecting wires under the cover, which may be
attached to springs which make connection with the springs connected with the
cells, as will be described.
In other cases I affix the incandescent lamp to the bottom of the containing case,
in a similar manner to that described above; or I may affix it on one side. In either
case I may provide that the final connection which causes the current to pass through
the incandescent lamp shall be made by placing the cover before described on the
containing vessel.
To effect this, I bring the connections from the incandescent lamp, and from the
cells up to suitable springs or connecting pieces, above the rubber pad before mentioned,
and I arrange that when the cover is off, the tension of these springs holds them out
of contact with each other, but that when subject to sufficient pressure from above, as
by putting the cover in place, they come into contact with each other, and allow the
current to pass.
I arrange that in the cover before mentioned, is another rubber or other suitable
pad which being pressed down upon the pad which closes the cells excludes the
surrounding air at the same time that contact is made.
I also provide between the cover and the cells an Indiarubber pad, or other suitable
substance, so that when screwed down it shall, prevent the egress of the liquids
should the lamp be inverted. I may also place the incandescent lamp, with its
connections either at the bottom, or, under the outer containing vessel.
a
In some cases I provide a switch, inside the outer containing vessel, turned by
suitable handle outside, to turn the lamp on or out; and I may also, in certain cases,
as in the lamp for deputies, firemen, &c., who are required to test for gas, add a
testing apparatus, which may be a platinum wire within a wire gauze and heated by
a portion, or the whole of the lamp current, this being controlled by a suitable
switch attached to any convenient part of the body of the lamp.
In some cases I dispense with the porous diaphragm in the galvanic cells, using
only one liquid in which is immersed the generating plate.
I also provide suitable locking arrangement, so that the cover of the lamp shall not
be removed except in the lamp room, and a handle for the miner to carry it by.
When I place the lamp on one side of the containing vessel, I fix it by suitable
means in the focus of a parabolic reflector; and 1 close the aperture of the reflector
by a lens, arranged to throw a horizontal beam when the lamp is held in a vertical
position. In order that the incandescent lamp may be protected from accidental
damage, I hold the reflector, lens & lamp within a strong casing attached to the case
containing the battery. This case may be of brass or any other suitable material.
The figure shows the battery lamp, reflector & lens, complete, with the lamp on the
side of the vessel, and with a section showing the arrangement of the cells when two
are used.
a is the positive element, of zinc or other metal; b is the inner solution; c the
porous cell d the outer solution; e the carbon or metal cell; f the outside
containing vessel; g the lens; the reflector; the stopper of india rubber, or other
suitable material; k is the incandescent lamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. I claim the arrangement of a primary battery within en ontex containing soccol

page_text: the outer containing vessels of the cells themselves forming one element of the
galvanic couple, and the said vessels forming sections of a cylinder or other
convenient form, substancially as described.
2. The arrangement of the Incandescent lamp fitted to the cover, with an outer
protecting glass, substancially as described.
3. The arrangement for completing the connections between the lamp and the cells at
the same time excluding the surrounding atmosphere by causing the force exerted in
placing the cover of the containing vessel in its place, to overcome the tention of
springs placed for the purpose of making connections, substancially as described.
4. The arrangement of lamp, reflector & lens as described.