Improvements in Magnetic Locks, or Apparatus for Opening the Locks of Safety Lamps by Magnets only.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magnetic Locks, or Apparatus for Opening the
Locks of Safety Lamps by Magnets only.
I CHARLES ELLAH STALLYBRASS of 4 Dock Chambers Cardiff in the County
of Glamorgan Merchant 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved method of applying magnetism to the
unlocking of spring locks attached to safety lamps whereby the lamps when once
locked or fastened, which is done automatically by a spring or springs, can be
unlocked or opened only by the application to and contact with the lock, of a
powerful magnet either static or dynamic.
The locking apparatus consists of two parts, contained in two brass bosses or
blocks, which are attached by soldering, brazing or screw rivetting to any safety
lamp in use or to be made. The upper portion containing the bolt of the lock is
attached to the outside of the top half of the body of the lamp, and the lower
portion containing the slot to receive the bolt is attached to the lower half or
oil vessel of the lamp. The lock is self locking and by an arrangement of a
spring or springs acting on the bolt, the latter is kept shot into the slot unless
when drawn back by a magnet. This bolt is made of iron with an iron cross bar
at the upper end and it works vertically in the brass block containing it. The
cross bar is made to fork out into two iron bars, whose ends just penetrate through
holes in the top of the block, to the outside. The ends of the hars are flush with
the top surface of the lower block when the arrangement is locked, and raised up
by the application of a magnet and so raise the bolt and unlock the lamp. These
bars are surrounded by spiral metal springs which press upon the cross bar
continually, and keep down the bolt, the tension of which is capable of being
overcome by a powerful magnet only.
On the removal of the magnet from the lamp or the lamp from the action of
the magnet, the springs immediately press down the bolt and lock the lamp.
If it be found that dust, oil, or other matters penetrate through the holes in the
top of the lower block these may be covered by cylindrical caps made of thin brass,
of just sufficient capacity to receive the projecting ends of the iron bars of the said
fork, when drawn up by the magnet, and they may be soldered on or otherwise
fixed to the brass block. The magnet would act inductively on the iron bars
through these thin brass coverings. Or the lock may be made to consist of the
bolt working vertically with an iron cross bar at the upper end of it. The bar is
pressed down by a curved plate or C spring contained entirely in the hollow space
within the brass block, which, when attached to the lamp, would only have one
aperture, viz. that through, which the bolt projects and through which dust &c.
could not gain access. The magnet would be applied similarly to the top of the
block in this case and acting inductively upon the cross bar within the block. would
raise it together with the bolt and unlock the lamp.
My, invention is essentially an improved locking attachment, capable of being
adapted to any form of miners safety lamp, which, while being arranged to
automatically lock together the two halves of the lamp during, and by the screwing
of the upper half upon the lower in. the usual way, cannot be unlocked, nor the:
upper half separated from the lower, except by the application of a suitably.
powerful magnet, which may be by applying the lamp to a fixed magnet, or a..
magnet to the lamp. ..

page_text: 10 order Luat my invention and the manner of its operation may be fully
understood reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figs. 1 and 2 and plan view and front elevation respectively of the lower half
of the base or oil reservoir, of an ordinary miners safety lamp, while Figs. 3
and 4 are similar views of the upper half of same, and to which my improved safety
lock has been attached.
Fig. 5 is a section of the lower half of my improved lock, taken upon the
line A B of Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a similar section of the upper half of same taken upon the line C D of
Fig. 3.
Fig. 7 is a horizontal section of the said upper half of my improved lock taken
upon the line E F of Fig. 4.
Fig. 8 is au under plan view of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating an alternative method of
constructing the same.
Referring to the drawings A is the lower half and B is the upper half of the base
of the lamp, the latter of which screws upon the former, and when these are
connected together and home tight, 1 screw, solder rivet or otherwise fix upon A a
brass block C, and in like manner upon B, a brass block D.
According to one method of arranging my improved safety lock, the upper
hollow block D is constructed as shewn by Figs. 3, 6, 7 and 8, in the centre of the
lower surface of which an aperture E is provided, which forms a passage for the
locking bolt F, attached to and depending from an iron cross bar or plate G
resting upon the upper surface of the bottom of D, and capable of moving freely
and vertically within D. Upon the upper surface of G are two vertical bolts a
and a¹ also of iron or steel, and may be formed integrally with G, and these extend
upwardly through two holes in the upper surface of D, and terminate flush
therewith, and surrounding these within D are a pair of spiral springs bb',
preferably of non magnetizable metal, the tension of which operates in keeping
the plate G, and the bolts a a¹ and F in their lowest position as at Fig. 6, but
capable of being overcome when the upper surface of D is presented to a powerful
magnet, or a powerful magnet to D, in the direction of the arrow Fig. 6, by the
influence of which the plate G would be raised, and with this the locking bolt F,
and the guide bolts a a', the latter of which may if desired be covered by caps
made of thin brass or other non-magnetic material to keep out dust and dirt,
which may be soldered or otherwise fixed to D, such caps being shewn by dotted
outline in Fig. 6.
In Fig. 9 illustrate an alternative method of arranging the block D and its
accessories. In this method I dispense with the bolts a a' and the spiral springs
surrounding same, and form upon or attach to the iron plate G, one iron guide
.bolt c only, passing through, and stationary within a central bole in the upper
surface of D, to the under surface of which is connected a curved plate or C spring d
the tension of which operates in keeping the plate G in its lowest position with the
locking bolt F protruding as shown, until overcome by a magnet as in the previous
method. The bolt e may be covered by a dust cap as previously described.
Whichever of these methods of constructing the upper block D I may employ,
the lower block C, would have formed in its upper surface a sloping slot H, for
the reception of the taper ended locking bolt F, when B is screwed home
upon A, the right hand side of the upper surface of C, being tapered down at e to
permit F to pass freely thereover during this process of attaching A to B.
It will be easily understood that in screwing B on to A, that at each turn of B, the
bolt F would mount the slope e on C and the slope of the slot H, until B was
screwed home upon A, when the bolt F would finally drop into H, thus locking B
firmly upon A, until the bolt F was again raised, and this being non accessible by
any mechanical means, can only be raised by applying the upper surface of D to
the influence of a powerful magnet, which may be an electro magnet situated at
some recognised place to which all the lamps in ise must be taken before the lamp

page_text: can be unlocked, or some person in authority in the mine may carry a powerful
permanent horse shoe or other magnet, whose services may be called into use when
a lamp needs unlocking to be trimmed or otherwise.
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.
1st. In an improved locking device for automatically locking safety lamps by the
usual operation of closing up the two parts of same, and which can be released only
by the application of magnetic influence, the construction and use of the herein
described apparatus and the application of same to and upon any form of safety
lamp, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and shewn by the
accompanying drawings.
2nd. In an improved locking device for safety lamps, the construction and use
of a hollow brass block D, containing an iron plate G, having a depending tapered
locking bolt F, passing through an aperture E in D, and provided with a pair
of iron or other guide bolts a a¹ extending vertically therefrom through apertures
in the upper surface of D (with or without being provided with dust caps or covers)
and surrounded by spiral springs bb, the whole being screwed or otherwise fixed
upon the upper half B of the base of a safety lamp. A brass block C, having a
tapered surface e, and a tapered slot H, for the reception of the bolt F, the whole
being screwed or otherwise fixed upon the lower half A of the saine safety lamp,
the two parts being connected, combined and operating substantially as and for
the purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In combination with the parts A, B, C, D of the apparatus as set forth in
the preceding claim, the employment of a plate G, locking bolt F, and guide
bolt c, the latter carrying a curved plate or C spring d, operating to keep the
plate G in its lowest position, the whole connected and operating substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of July 1894.
.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.