Improvements in Lamps for Bicycles and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 4th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps for Bicycles and the like.
I, EDWARD LAMBRICK WILLIAMS, of 84 Market Street Chicago, in the County
of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 object of my invention is to produce a serviceable and compact bicycle lamp
from materials which are easily workable and adapted to be economically wrought
into such forms as to secure great strength as well as lightness and to provide a flame
chamber having curved interior surfaces over which the air currents pass without
being deflected upon the flame so as to extinguish the 'same.
Another object of my invention is to provide an air inlet arranged behind the wick
tube and having an adjustable wind shield or guard by means of which the size
of the air inlet may be so regulated as to admit the necessary volume of air to
support combustion and to prevent strong drafts of air which would extinguish
the flame.
A further object of my invention is to provide a bicycle lamp in which explosive
fluids, such as benzine, may be safely used, and this is accomplished by interposing
between the body of the fluid and the flame a mass of absorbent material which will
prevent splashing of the liquid.
Another object of my invention to to provide means for 'conveniently attaching the
lamp to a bicycle so that it may be adjusted in a horizontal plane to various angular
positions.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lamp with its attaching bracket, showing a broken
section of a tubular frame 'member.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the ventilator cap or dome omitted in
order to show the adjustable wind guard or shield the latter being shown in two
positions by 'the full and dotted lines respectively.
Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional elevation through the lamp showing the bracket
applied to one of the members of 'the front fork the latter shown broken away.
Fig. 4 is a sectional plan showing the lamp turned at right angles to the
supporting member of the frame.
In the drawings, A represents the body of the lamp, which is globular or spherical
in form and is produced most economically by forming a single sheet of metal over a
split or sectional chuck. The body may be given the completed or final form by the
operation of spinning and the chuck may be removed through the front opening to
which the lens B is fitted.
The spherical body is provided with a top opening to which the ventilator cap or
dome C is applied, and it may also have a bottom opening to which the ventilator
sheil D is applied. An annular flanged diaphragm E may be fitted in the plane of said
opening and such diaphragm is provided with an aperture e, through which the wick
tube F may project. The aperture as shown is a flattened ellipse, its major portion
being between the wick tube or centre of the diaphragm and the back of the lamp.
The ventilator shell D may have a depending exteriorly threaded collar G secured
thereto. The reservoir H has 'a central tube I threaded on its interior towards its
upper end and perforated below the threads as seen at i. A perforated diaphragm J
is arranged transversely of the reservoir and the space above the diaphragm J and the

page_text: lower portion of the tube G are packed with an absorbent material, such as cotton,
indicated at K.
A filling opening is formed in the side of the reservoir and is covered by a cap L,
the diaphragm transecting the mouth of said opening so that in the operation of filling
the reservoir the fluid will permeate the absorbent material above the diaphragm as
well as fill the space below said diaphragm.
The adjustable wind shield or guard is preferably constructed of two seini-circular
discs or wings M pivoted upon the diaphragm E and notched on their proximate sides
to embrace the wick tube F. In Fig. 2 the adjustable plates are shown open to their
widest extent by the full lines, the dotted lines showing the closed position, and in
Fig. 4 they are shown by the full lines in the closed position, the dotted lines
indicating their open position. By adjusting these wind shields or guards to the
various positions within their range of movement, the quantity of air entering can be
conveniently regulated. It is important also to locate the major portion of the inlet
opening e back of the wick tube because in travelling against a head wind the air
current if permitted to enter in front of the wick tube would be deflected back over
the flame and would be more likely to extinguish it.
The parts N, O, are the usual parallel bracket-arms, and these are connected by the
vertical bar P, which is provided with a ball Q forming one member of a universal
joint, the other member of which is provided by the clamping yoke R having at its
bend curved pockets to embrace the ball. The extremities of the yoke arms are bent
so as to embrace the frame member to which it is desired to attach the lamp.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, these yoke arms are applied to a cylindrical tubular
member S, while in Figs. 3 and 4, they are shown applied to an elliptical member T.
For the purpose of securing the clamping members upon the bicycle frame so as to
frictionally support the lamp, any convenient means of binding the yoke members
together may be employed. have shown for this purpose the tightening screw U.
The ventilator dome C and the ring D are provided respectively with apertures
for the escape and admission of air. The wick tube F is arranged centrally of the
flame chamber and the air upon entering the flame chamber meets no angles or
plane surfaces which would tend to deflect it over or across the flame. On the
contrary, the interior walls of the flame chamber are curved, thus permitting the
air to pass up freely without deflection.
The
It will also be observed that the diameter of the flame chamber is equal to its
vertical height, thus affording room for a large volume of air and providing for
the passage of the air currents without liability of extinguishing the flame.
making of the body of the lamp of a single sheet of metal in the manner and form
shown makes it very light but strong, and the location and arrangement of the air
inlet openings together with the adjustable wind shield or guards affords means for
perfectly regulating the supply of air and making the lamp serviceable in a gale
without danger of extinguishing the flame.
The lamp is provided with the usual accessories such as the curved reflector V, and
the side glasses W.
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 is:
1. A bicycle lamp having its body or flame chamber composed of a single sheet
of metal wrought into hollow spherical form and provided with an opening in its
top for the escape of the vitiated air, an opening in its bottom for the burner or
wick tube, a front opening of less diameter than the body having a glass fitted
thereto and a burner arranged in the vertical axis of the flame chamber with air
inlet openings below the flames and the interior of the flame chamber having curved
surfaces over which the air currents may pass without deflection upon the flame,
substantially as described.
2. A bicycle lamp having a hollow spherical body formed of a single sheet of
metal and providing a flame chamber whose transverse and vertical diameters, are

page_text: equal and having an opening in its body, a burner arranged in said opening and in
the vertical axis of the flame chamber, air inlet openings arranged concentrically to
the burner and below the flame and an outlet for the vitiated air at the top of the
chamber, substantially as described.
3. In a bicycle lamp a wind guard therefor in the form of a diaphragm between the
air inlet openings and the flame chamber and closing the space in front of the wick
tube with an opening in the rear of said tube, substantially as described.
4. In a bicycle lamp, a wind guard consisting of a plate arranged horizontally
across the base of the flame chamber and surrounding the wick tube, imperforate in
front of the wick tube and having an opening in the rear thereof, substantially as
described.
5. In a bicycle lamp, having a flame chamber with curved walls, a wick tube
arranged axially of said chamber and projecting upwardly therein and a wind guard
consisting of a diaphragm arranged at the base of the flame chamber and above the
air inlet, imperforate in front of the wick tube and having an opening extending at
the sides and in the rear of said wick tube, substantially as described.
6. A wind guard for a bicycle lamp, consisting of a metal plate or diaphragm
adapted to close the opening in front of the wick tube and having an aperture in the
rear thereof and adjustable wings or plates adapted to be moved to cover or uncover
said opening, substantially as described.
7. A clamp for bicycle lamps, consisting of a single plate of sheet metal doubled
upon itself to provide arms and having at its bend seats or depressions forming
members of a universal joint and the extremities of said arms being adapted to
clasp a part of the bicycle frame and means for flexing the said arms whereby to
secure the clamp to the lamp and to the bicycle, substantially as described.
8. The combination with a bicycle lamp bracket having a ball formed upon one
member thereof and a clamp formed in a single piece of sheet metal doubled upon
itself and provided at the bend with seats or depressions to embrace said ball, the
extremities of the members being adapted to engage a fixed part of the bicycle,
and a tightening screw for flexing the members between their ends whereby to
secure the joint members in any desired angular position and at the same time secure
the clamp to the frame of the bicycle, substantially as described.
Dated this 4th day of February 1896
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.