IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1882

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Lucas at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1882.
JOSEPH LUCAS of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
37
My Invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in lamps
ordinarily used with bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes which said lamps are
also applicable to other purposes where it is required to suspend a lamp to a
rotating shaft or axis.
I will describe my invention in connection with a bicycle lamp.
The elastic tubular clip by which the lamp is supported on the axis of the
principal wheel of the bicycle is ordinarily made of a piece of sheet metal having
nearly the figure of a short open jointed tube. The said clip is provided with a
lining of leather the said lining preventing the noise which would be occasioned if
the metal clip were in contact with the rotating axis. The said lining of leather
produces considerable friction and soon wears out.
In constructing the said elastic tubular clip according to my invention.
I make in it a series of symmetrically arranged holes and on the outside of the
clip I fix a series of axes equal in number to the sets of holes.
These axes carry anti-friction rollers the said rollers projecting through the said
holes into the interior of the clip. When the lamp is suspended to the rotating
axis of the bicycle wheel it is supported by the said anti friction rollers and the
friction of the clip upon the rotating axis of the wheel is thereby got rid of. In
order to prevent an undesirable swinging motion in the lamp consequent upon the
reduced friction I fix a strip of leather or other like material near each edge of the
opening in the clip. By means of the ordinary adjusting screw the clip can be
closed with any required degree of tightness after the lamp has been hung on the
axis and the said strips of leather made to press upon the axis to the degree
necessary to produce the required steadiness in the lamp.
In order to facilitate the lighting of the lamp I make an opening in the sido of
the body of the lamp and opposite the wick, the said opening having a slide by
the raising and lowering of which slide the said opening can be opened and closed.
The lighting of the lamp is more conveniently effected at the side than at the
front.

page_text: In order to fit the lamp to burn volatile oils or other combustibles requiring a
large supply of air for their perfect combustion, I make that portion of the back
of the lamp situated behind the reflector and surrounding the disc of ruby coloured
glass at the back of the lamp of perforated sheet zinc or other perforated sheet
metal or of wire gauze.
A copious supply of air to the interior of the lamp is thus
provided for while unsteadiness in the flame is obviated by the motion of the air
being first impeded by passing through the perforated metal or wire gauze and
further impeded by the current striking against the back of the reflector by which
it is deflected and made to enter the body of the lamp at the margin of the
reflector and consequently at a 'distance from the flame.