IM- PROVEMENTS IN HAND, ROOF, AND OTHER RAILWAY LAMPS, PARTS' OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL LAMPS FOR GENERAL
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Westwood, Lamp Manufacturer, of Lichfield
Street, Walsall, in the County of Stafford; for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN HAND, ROOF, AND OTHER RAILWAY LAMPS, PARTS' OF WHICH
ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL LAMPS FOR GENERAL
'
Sealed the 9th January 1857, and dated the 11th July 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Westwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th July 1856.
I, JOHN WESTWOOD, Lamp Manufacturer, of Lichfield Street, Walsall, in
the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of "my said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND, ROOF, AND OTHER RAILWAY: LAMPS, PARTS OF WHICH
ARE: ALSO APPLICABLE, TO CERTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF OIL LAMPS FOR GENERAL
PURPOSES," to be as follows (that is to say):-
Firstly, my improvements relate to that description of hand signal lamps
that are made of a circular form in the body, and my improvements consist
in so constructing such; lamps that the inner body containing the glasses shall
.revolve upon a circular base at the bottom, and the inner and outer body,
instead of being held together by springs at the sides, as heretofore, are
retained by means of the oil chamber at the bottom; and a thumb spring at

page_text: the top, placed between the handle and the body; also in the construction of
the top bandle.
Secondly, my improvements relate to roof lamps that are made of a rect-
angular form, and consists in. forming a door on, the side of the lamp for
receiving or removing the oil reservoir and burner, which is made of a form
suited for sliding in and out in this position, instead of being drawn out from
the top of the lamp. This alteration simplifies the general construction, and
admits of its being more readily cleaned and trimmed..
Thirdly, my improvements apply to the oil chamber and burner of circular
roof lamps, or, in fact, to all lamps where the oil chamber is above the burner,
and consists in fitting a ground plug.into the supply pipe at the top, which will
form a better stopper for excluding the air than the ordinary plan of screwing.
On the side of the stopper near the top is a small projecting pin, which
pin passes down, in the act of applying the plug, through a vertical slot in the
'supply pipe, in which also is formed a circular groove; for the pin to work in,
which prevents the plug from working loose, or. coming out without being
properly turned.. The plan adopted here I also carry out in the burner, for I
attach the cotton. holder to a metallic tube, having a hole in the side cor-
responding with the supply pipe; thus by fitting the tube of the cotton carrier
to the interior of the oil cup, it is evident that by turning the cotton carrier
the supply of oil is cut off or regulated as required, and this principle will
apply to all oil lamps where the supply of oil is placed above the burner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John. Westwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WESTWOOD, Lamp Manufacturer, of Lichfield Street, Walsall, in the County--
of Stafford, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by -Her-Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord.
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Westwood, Her special license that I, the said John Westwood, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John

page_text: Westwood, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 'during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully night 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 HAND, ROOF,
AND OTHER RAILWAY LAMPS, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN
DESCRIPTION OF OIL LAMPS FOR GENERAL PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Westwood, by an instrument in writing,
under my hand and seal, 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 Letter's
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Westwood, 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, that is to say :-
My Invention has for its object the constructing of the description of lamps,
named in the title, in such a way that they shall not be subject to the general
leakage, smoke, and derangement that such lamps are in general liable to, in
addition to which they will be found easier to use and keep in order, for
inasmuch as they will burn without smoke, and never overflow; they will not
require the cleaning so necessary in using other such like lamps made on the
old plan; but as my Invention will be best understood by referring to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, I will at once proceed to describe the same,
reference being had to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say,―
Fig. 1 represents a side view of a hand signal lamp, made according to my
improvements, with the body exhibited in section. The bottom of the lamp
is made with a raised circular pedestal marked a, a, for receiving the oil
reservoir and burner, which is fitted on this by sliding in a groove, secured or
soldered on the top of the pedestal, the corresponding part that slides in this
groove is attached to the bottom of the oil reservoir, and projects both back
and front over the pedestal, the projections being marked b, b; the inner case
or body to which the signal glasses are fixed has a circular opening in its
bottom, extending from to e, the size of the circular pedestal before
described, which pedestal. fits up into this opening and forms an axis, as it
were, for the-inner case to revolve on, the two cases being held together by

page_text: the projections b, b, united to the oil chamber; thus it is evident that the inner
body cannot be removed from the outer one until the oil chamber is with-
drawn, which may be done through the door in the ordinary way, as the ring c.
indicates. This mode of retaining the two bodies together insures perfect and
complete security, and a pleasanter action, as it does away with the necessity
of using the ordinary side springs, and enables me to apply the spring. for
retaining the inner or revolving body in its desired place for indicating the
particular signal required in the position shewn at A, thus enabling the man
who uses it at the same time that, he is holding the lamp by the handle B,
to pull back the spring by applying his thumb to the thumb-bit A, so as 1
to pull the pin d out of the hole (of which there are three) in the top.
rim of the inner case, so that he may readily turn round the inner case by.
means of the top handle C, an operation that requires to be done with facility
and ease, in order that the required signal may be given with promptitude and
precision, which is highly important in some cases. When this lamp is used.
for purposes of light, and no coloured, glass is exhibited, it is usually carried
underhanded by the man on duty, and in that case would be held by the
handle marked C, and as the wire of which the handle has heretofore been
composed is a small substance to be held in the hand, I have applied the
part marked f,-which, for convenience, may be made of tin, and soldered.or
otherwise secured to the wire handle, thus giving a thickness and bulk to this
part, making it more pleasant to the hand.
Figure 2 is a front detached view of the oil chamber, shewing an end view.
of the projecting part marked b; and Figure 3 is a top view of the oil
chamber, and plan of the part b, b. :
:
My second improvement in railway, lamps refers to the description known.
as rectangular lamps, such lamps being generally used to fit down from the.
roof between the divisions of the carriages, so as to light both compartments,
and as such lamps. are difficult 'from, their shape to clean from the top, which
has been the only opening heretofore in such lamps, I construct the sides
into doors, and apply and remove the oil chamber through either of these doors..
Figure 4 represents a vertical side view of a lamp constructed according to
this, my improved mode, representing the door marked D open, and the oil
reservoir and burner partly drawn out; the top of the oil reservoir is made of
a bevil or slanting shape on each side, for the purpose of reflecting the light,
and this shaped reflector is also applied on the inside of the doors marked g
and
9. I do not abandon the chimney to this kind of lamps, which heretofore.
has been connected with the oil reservoir and burner, and was drawn out with

page_text: those parts when such lamps were trimmed and lighted; this, however, is not
necessary in my mode. On the under side of the case that carries the chimney
a top angular reflector is applied; this chimney with the top and side reflector
marked g', as also the position of the oil chamber, is represented in dotted
lines, as partly seen through the outer glass. A top view of the oil reservoir
and burner I have represented in a detached view at Figure 5; and Figure 6
represents a detached side view of the chimney and guide frame to which it is
attached, as also the reflector facing this direction; this part must be applied
to the lamp from the top, the top being made to open in the ordinary way for
this purpose.
"
The third part of my improvement in railway roof lamps, refers to the
description that are usually made of a circular form, and with the oil reservoir-
above the burner; and as my improvements are confined to this part of such
lamps; I have not thought it necessary to draw the lamp, but simply the part
embodying my improvement, which consists in attaching the wick holder to a
metallic cup or plug, which is ground and fitted into its corresponding socket,
which, being turned round; will cut off the connection or flow of oil from the
reservoir above. This principle I also carry out in the stopper to the oil
chamber; instead of tapping and screwing the plug, I grind the stopper and
socket with emery and oil, in the ordinary way in which such plugs are
ground, by which means. I obtain a perfectly air-tight joint, so essential in this
description of lamp.
Figure 7 represents a side view of the oil reservoir, burner, and chimney,
such as are applied to circular roof lamps. Ę is the feed plug, shewn in a
detached view at F, and is, as before observed, simply a ground plug, having
a little projecting pin as at h, which works round in a groove placed in the
same position in the socket, on the top edge of which a small vertical slot
is formed, which allows the pin h, with the plug to pass down; and on the
opposite side to the vertical slot in the socket I recommend to be placed in the
circular groove a small stop pin, so that when the plug is applied and turned,
its course will be regulated and defined by the stop pin, which will indicate
when the plug is firmly secured. G is the socket for the burner, and con-
nected with the oil reservoir by the tube H; and k, k, is a rim connected with
a hollow metallic plug, to which the cotton carrier m is attached. A top view
of this part I have exhibited at Figure 8; and Figure 9. represents a vertical
section of the part marked G, Figure 7. J is a detached side view of the
hollow-plug and cotton carrier; this plug is ground and fitted into the socket G,
and is fitted with a small pin which works round in the corresponding circular,

page_text: groove marked p, p, in the section, in the like manner as described at F, and
should, as in that case, be fitted with a stop or regulating pin. The dotted
circle in the hollow plug at q is in a corresponding position with the supply
pipe, that when the hole q is turned round opposite to the supply pipe (where
it is connected with the socket), it is evident that the oil will readily flow to
feed the cotton or support the flame; but during the process of supplying the
reservoir of such lamps with oil, it is necessary to cut of the connection of the
burner with the supply pipe, so as entirely to prevent the flowing of the oil in
this direction, or air passing in and lodging in it. K is simply a top view of
the part exhibited at Figure 8, with the plug withdrawn, shewing the vertical
slot for the small pin n to pass down. t is simply a small pin formed or fitted
on the top rim of the plug, to indicate when the connection is cut off or on
between the supply pipe and the burner cup.
This principle is not only applicable to the shape and description of lamp
here shewn, but indeed to all lamps where the reservoir for the oil is placed
above the burner and the burner cup made of a circular form, and will be
found a very economic lamp, as, by this means, with ordinary attention, the
great waste, nuisance, and trouble of cleaning consequent on the overflowing
of the oil will be entirely avoided, as well as the common leakage that is con-
stantly going on from the ordinary lamps during the tlay; from the unconsumed
oil left in the reservoir descending and dropping over the burner cup, an 'evil.
that arises from the imperfect mode of stopping out the air from the reservoir,
and which is doubly guarded against by my arrangement; for, even supposing
the plug at the top to be wholly or partially removed, the oil cannot possibly
flow if it is cut off from the supply pipe by the burner plug...
Having thus described the nature of this my Invention and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that I do not
confine myself to the particular shape or dimensions of any portion of the
details herein exhibited, provided the general character and object. of my
improvements are adhered to, as the same may be extensively modified; büt
what I do claim as my Invention is, the retaining of the outer and inner body
together of hand signal lamps, in the manner herein described, thus avoiding
the unpleasant action and use of side springs.
Secondly, I claim the position of the spring A for regulating and denoting
the position of the signals.
Thirdly, I claim the application to the top handles of such lamps of the
part f, by which the means of holding is rendered more agreeable to the hand
of the user, affording him more control over the lamp.

page_text: Fourthly, I claim the general arrangement and mode of constructing
rectangular lamps, as exhibited and described at Figure 4, and in detail at
Figures 5 and 6.
Fifthly, I claim the use of a ground or otherwise fitted plug, as applied to
railway roof and other lamps, for stopping the opening through which the
reservoirs of such lamps are supplied with oil, as also the application to such
lamps of a hollow plug, ground or otherwise, fitted to the oil cup, for cutting
off or regulating the supply of oil to the burners of such lamps, as herein
exhibited and described at Figures 7, 8, and 9.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Westwood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent, Birmingham.
JOHN WESTWOOD. (L.S.)