AN IMPROVED LAMP OR LANTERN FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Barnett, residing at Paris, 164, Rue de
Rivoli, late of No. 280, Oxford St., London, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED LAMP OR LANTERN FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER PURPOSES,'
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Barnett at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th August 1862.
I, FREDERIC BARNETT, residing at Paris, 164, Rue de Rivoli, late of
No. 230, Oxford St., London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED LAMP OR LANTERN FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The change of shape and other improvements I propose for street and other
lamps or lanterns have for object a better developement of reflection of gas or
other light, hence an increased illuminating power without additional cost, the
same to be obtained in conjunction with my patent enamelled reflectors (No.
2316, 17th September 1861,) or with other apparatus in lieu thereof. Also
by a regulated current of air to prevent the fluctuation of the flame, either of
gas or of any other illuminating material used in my lamps, hence a more
perfect combustion. Also for an arrangement to light the said lamps withou
a ladder or trap in the bottom of the lamps.

page_text: My street or other lamps for like purposes have a greater diameter in their
upper parts, near the covers or domes C, than have the ordinary ones. From
their greatest diameter they diminish rapidly towards their lower parts at D,
until they are reduced to less than one-third of their largest diameter at their
bases, becoming no larger than that part of the capital of the lamp-post I on
which they are fixed, by which system and form the lower frame will cause
little or no shadow beneath. In the base of the lamp or lantern I fit a glass,
having a neck descending one or more inches F, the neck of which is suffi-
ciently large to pass the pipe supporting the burner and enough air to feed
the flame. This descending neck opposes in a great measure the entry
of the wind by gusts. The cock H is placed beneath the neck between the
lamp or lantern and the lamp-post; the key of the said cock having a pro-
jecting piece of metal sufficiently long to enable the lighter by means of a
stick to turn it off and on from below. In the upper part of the lantern I
place in its largest diameter an enamelled reflector horizontally (C to A) or
otherwise. In these reflectors I have either one or more oval or round holes,
according to the quantity and nature of the burners; these holes are surmounted
by one or more oval or round conical chimnies B, from six to eight inches
high. Thus by means of the limited admission of air by the neck at the base
of the lantern, and the limited exit of rarified air by the chimney or chimnies,
the supply will be regulated, and the air thus admitted at the bottom will pass
immediately through the flame, feeding it in its passage, and thence as indi-
cated by the arrows be drawn directly upward by the updraught established
by the conical chimnies or chimney, taking with it the exhalations and smoke
of the gas or other lighting materials, by which means the flame will be
scarcely disturbed, even in stormy weather, and as a natural consequence the
combustion will be more perfect, and the interior of the lantern remain longer
clean, and as a common result a better light be obtained, both by the
natural and reflected light with the same consumption of gas or other lighting
material.
For the purpose of lighting the gas or other lighting materials from the
footpath without a ladder, the door of my lamp or lantern opens on an hinge
placed on the upper part of the door at C, and that part of the dome or cover
with which when closed it comes in contact. On the lower part of the door, in
the middle of the frame, I have a piece of metal extended that I will call a
bolt; this same shuts into a spring catch fixed solidly in the lower part of the
lantern, so arranged that when the door be pressed to the bolt is held by the
catch, thus keeping the door closed. From this spring catch I have extended

page_text: some few inches a spur, which when pressed back causes the catch to relinquish
its hold on the bolt at the bottom of the door, by which operation the door
liberates itself, and as the door is hung by its hinge in the largest diameter
above the lower part, will immediately fall back in a perpindicular position as
at E, seeking its centre of gravity, leaving an opening ample to pass a lighting
lamp arranged at the end of a pole or staff to be applied to the burner; by
means of this same pole the gas cock H will be opened, regulated, and
closed without the use of a ladder. One side of this staff will be covered
with indian-rubber or stuffed leather; this same part when the door have to
be closed will be pressed against it, so as to force it home to the spring
catch, which as above shown will keep it closed. My improved lamps or
lanterns can be made round, square, or in any other desired shape, and in all
sizes. The catches to hold and liberate the door can be made in various
ways, with or without springs. G is a catch acting by counterpoid without
springs. This catch which I have invented for my own use is very desirable, as
obviating all risk of breaking the glass in the door. The counterpoid h
being below the lantern, when pressed backward by the staff the catch i
will descend and so liberate the door; as soon as the pressure be removed
from h, the catch will recover itself and receive and hold again the door.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Frederic Barnett in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th February 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERIC
BARNETT, residing at Paris, 164, Rue de Rivoli, late of 230, Oxford Street,
London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Frederic Barnett, Her special licence, that I, the said Frederic
Barnett, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Frederic Barnett, my executors, administrators, and 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 might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for

page_text: "AN IMPROVED LAMP OR LANTERN FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER PURPOSES,'
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Frederic Barnett, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederic Barnett, 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 :-
.
The change of form and other improvements. I propose for street and
other lamps or lanterns have for object a better development of reflection of
gas or other light, hence an increased illuminating power without additional
cost, the same to be obtained in conjunction with my patent enamelled
reflectors (No. 2316, 17 September 1861), or with other apparatus in lieu
thereof. Also by a regulated current of air to prevent the fluctuation of the
flame, either of gas or of any other illuminating material used in my lamps,
hence a more perfect combustion. Also for an arrangement to light the
lamps without a ladder or trap in the bottom of the lamps.
My street or other lamps for like purposes have a greater diameter in their
upper parts near the covers or domes C, than have the ordinary ones; from
their greatest diameters they diminish rapidly towards their lower parts
at D, until they are reduced to less than one-third of their largest diameters,
there becoming little or no larger at their bases than the capital of the
columns on which they are fixed, by which system they will cause very
little or no shadows of the lower rings. This diminution of the lower
rings, though desirable, is not indispensable. In the lower ring of
the lantern I fit a glass having a neck F descending one or more inches,
the section or half which glass is presented by F; the passage in this neck
is sufficiently large to pass the feeding pipe supporting the burner, and
enough air for the flame. This descending neck opposes in a great
measure the entry of the wind by gusts. The cock II is planted or placed
beneath the descending neck between the lamp and the lamp-post, the
key of the said cock having a projecting piece of metal sufficiently long
to enable the lighter by means of a stick to turn the gas on and off from
below without the use of a ladder. 1 place in the upper part of the lantern
an enamelled reflector in the largest diameter, C to A, horizontally or

page_text: therwise. In these reflectors I have one or more holes, oval or round,
arge according to the nature of the burners. These holes are surmounted
y one or more round or oval conical chimnies B, from three to eight inches
igh. Thus by means of the limited admission of air by the neck at the
ase of the lantern and the limited exit of rarified air by the chimney above
be burner, the passage of air will be regulated, and the air thus admitted
at the bottom will pass immediately through the flame, feeding it in its
passage as indicated by the arrows, and be thence drawn directly by the up-
Braught established by the conical chimney or chimnies, taking with it the
exhalations and smoke of the gas, by which means the flame will be scarcely
disturbed, even in stormy weather, and as a natural consequence the com-
bustion will be more perfect; thus the interior of the lantern will remain
longer clean, and as a common result a better light will be obtained, both
from the natural and reflected light, with same consumption of gas or other
lighting material.
For the purpose of lighting the gas from the footpath without a ladder,
the door of my lantern opens on a hinge placed on the upper part of the
door and that part of the dome or cover with which when closed it comes in
contact A. On the lower part of the door, in the middle of its frame, I have
a piece of metal fixed and extending downward, which I will call a bolt a;
this same shuts into a spring catch fixed solidly on the lower frame of the
lantern or lamp E, so arranged that when the door be pressed home the
bolt a on the door will be held by the catch at E, thus holding it closed.
From the spring catch E, I have extended a spur some few inches, which
when pressed back will cause the catch E to relinquish its hold on a, by which
operation the door will liberate itself, its hinge being fixed in a larger diameter.
above, thus seeking at once its centre of gravity, leaving an opening ample to
pass a lighting lamp on the end of a pole or staff to be applied to the burner.
With the same apparatus the gas is turned on and off at the cock H without
the use of a ladder. One side of the staff should be covered with india-rubber,
stuffed leather, or other suitable material. By pressing the door with the
part thus arranged it will be forced home to the spring catch E, which, as
before explained, will hold it closed. The catches to hold and liberate the
door can be made in various ways, with or without springs. G is a catch
invented for this use and purpose, acting by balance weight or counterpoise
without spring. The use of this catch is very desirable, as it avoids all risk
of breaking the glasses, and is unlikely to get out of order; it is fixed solidly
underneath the lower ring near the middle of the door. The catch i, forced
upward by the counterpoise h, holds the door closed. To open the door the

page_text: counterpoise his pressed back, by which action the catch i descends and
liberates the door; to close the door there is an extended frame of metal
falling a few inches below it, and this being pressed to the lantern, the catch i
will yield, and descending will rise immediately that the lower part of the door
arrives within the catch. For suspended lanterns there is necessarily no
spray; at the bottom I employ for preference a piece of plate or thick glass K,
in two pieces, of which the one moveable is little more than one-fourth of the
superficial measure; in the middle I have a hollow ball and tube L, made of
glass or any metal, this ball being perforated passes the air immediately under
the burner, and by its nature modifies gusts of wind, answering nearly the
same purpose as the neck F. The smaller part of the two pieces of glass
turns on the tube by being pushed on one side by the extended button or
piece of metal M, and so leaves a sufficient opening to pass the lighting lamp
to the burner in the lantern, which operation being finished the lamp is
withdrawn and the sliding glass again closed by pushing the button M in the
opposite direction; on either side the upright frame of the lantern will
prevent the glass being opened too wide.
There is also another system of lighting the hanging or other lamps from
the bottom where desirable. N is a plate of glass with ventilator or hole in
the centre, this has a trap opening on a hinge O; running along the sides of
the parts cut to open are metal frames, to those on the lifting trap are attached
small springs P to prevent the glass trap breaking when seeking its level after
having been raised with the lighting lamp. My improved lamps or lantern
can be made round or otherwise, and in all sizes with the doors hung
from the top or otherwise, with the reflectors horizontally or otherwise
placed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Barnett, have hereunto set