Improvements in or connected with Acetylene Gas Lamps.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Acetylene Gas Lamps.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL BOND, of Crown Works, Booth Street, Handsworth, in
the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in or connected with acetylene
gas lamps and refers more particularly to signalling lamps for military and
other purposes by which I obtain an absolutely dark lamp which does not
become overheated in use and which is so provided with sufficient air for com-
bustion without draught that a perfectly steady light is maintained.
Another part of my improvements refers to the lens and the mode of mount-
ing the same more particularly for use in cycle lamps whereby I obviate the
sudden and extended flash which dazzles the eyes of all those passing an acety-
lene lamp on the road and this I effect without minimising the light on the
ground in front of the rider and which increases the concentration of the light
in the position required while at the same time the light can be seen at a
greater distance away than could that of the extended rays now usual.
A third part of my invention relates to the burner by which I regulate and
steady the flame whatever the variation of the pressure may be thus preventing
any possibility of forking of the flame and at the same time saving a wasteful
expenditure of gas and a consequent cause of heat.
I will first describe my improvements in signalling lamps for military and
other purposes and which refers to the means for forming a thoroughly light
proof casing around the light and which is sufficiently ventilated to allow of
perfect combustion of the gas and freedom from heat in the cover.
In carrying this into effect I provide an inner perforated cup and an outer
casing with an open front and having perforations near the bottom which are
arranged so as not to be opposite the perforations in the cup and both these
are attached to the burner in any suitable manner or by slotting and shaping
the outer casing to fit the angle of the tube of the burner when placed thereon
in which position it may be secured by sliding a ring along the burner tube
on to the covering part of the outer casing.
Within the casing I provide a double tube i.c. one tube within another with
an air space all round and the bottom of the inner tube of which fits onto or
into the aforementioned perforated cup the top of the outer casing finishing
against the outer or intermediate tube.
Holes are formed in the inner and outer tubes opposite the lens and the space
between the two is lined which, fixes the size of stop to lens and prevents any
draught from impinging on the light. A specially arranged dome is attached
to the top of the inner tube for allowing the extracting of the heat fumes to
take place without any emmission of light or a down draught of air on the
flame to effect which I form my dome with outwardly curved sides and having
near the top a dash plate for the light with an aperture in the centre for the
passage of the fumes which then pass through perforations formed in the side
of the top of the dome a second light dash plate being suspended from the top

page_text: slightly below the aperture to prevent any rays of light passing through the
perforations.
By thus having ample space in the dome in combination with the curved
sides any back draught is distributed and lost down the sides of the lamp and
ot allowed to impinge on the flame in the centre.
The lens which has a flat back is parabolic shaped on the front face, is mounted
into a disc front which forms a door to cover the open part of front of outer
casing and between this and the stop I mount the signalling disc which is
attached to a lever attached to a shaft mounted in a tube the other end of the
shaft having the operating lever attached thereto.
By means of this bearing tube any possibility of an emmission of light from
the space in which the disc works passing to the outside is obviated....
In the case of the cycle lamp I use a similar lens to that described for the
signalling lamp and mount it in a disc front in a similar manner and form my
lamp attachment so that in use the lamp is inclined slightly forward at the
top so as to throw the rays from the lens on the road in front by which I obtain
a light which can be seen at great distances away but which upon being passed
at close quarters does not affect the sight or produce any startling or dazzling
impression although the ground for some distance in front is most perfectly
illuminated.
In using a cycle lamp constructed in a similar manner to the signalling lamp
I provide openings on each side for jewel lights in which short tubes are fixed
to form linings to the said openings so as to avoid undue diffusing of the lights
while in the case of signalling lamps I may form an opening at the back which
I cover with a removable cap or door to open for the purpose of obtaining light
at the rear for making notes. In either cycling or signalling lamps I may
arrange the double tube horizontally in which case I form a slot in the bottom
of the inner tube and place it over the burner while at the front end I attach
the stop to lens. At the rear end a disc back is formed having grooved flanges
around the outside of disc into which the outer tube slides. The outer tube
is perforated at the sides and both inner and outer tubes are provided with an
opening for receiving the dome which is similar to that described for the
vertical tubes.
The lens disc is attached to the front end of the outer tube and in signalling
lamps the signalling disc is mounted to work between the stop and the lens as
before described. In the case of the burner I insert a screw plug into the
entrance which plug is pierced with a hole just sufficient to allow the passage
of the exact quantity of gas required to produce the light of the particular
sized burner to which it is applied (which at the same time taking into con-
sideration the possible power of the generator) thereby causes the gas to more
perfectly distribute in the burner between the plug and the point where the
flame occurs and thus ensure a more perfect and steady light which does not
fork.
Improvements in or connected with Acetylene Gas Lamps.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL BOND, of Crown Works, Booth Street, Handsworth, in
the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention has for its object improvements in or connected with acetylene
gas lamps and refers more particularly to signalling lamps for military and
other purposes by which I obtain an absolutely dark lamp which does not
become overheated in use and which is so provided with sufficient air for com-
bustion without draught so that a perfectly steady light is maintained.
Another part of my improvements refers to the lens and the mode of mount-
ing the same- more particularly for use in cycle lamps whereby I obviate the
sudden and extended flash which dazzles the eyes of all those passing an acety-
lene lamp on the road and this I effect without minimising the light on the
ground in front of the rider and which increases the concentration of the light
in the position required while at the same time the light can be seen at a
greater distance away than could that of the extended rays now usual.
A third part of my invention relates to the burner by which I regulate and
steady the flame whatever the variation of the pressure may be thus preventing
any possibility of forking of the flame and at the same time saving a wasteful
expenditure of gas and a consequent cause of heat.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and easily carried into
practise I have appended hereunto two sheets of drawings upon which I have
fully illustrated my improvement together with modifications of the same.
Figure 1 is a vertical section through a signalling lamp with the generator
.shewn in elevation.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of same.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the body part of casing with door removed.
Figure 5 is a view of the double tube when removed from the lamp.
Figure 6 is a vertical section shewing the improvements applied to a cycling
lamp.
Figure 7 is vertical section through Figure 6.
Figure 8 is a sectional plan shewing a modification in the signalling lamp.
Figure 9 is a section through an acetylene burner with my improvement
applied thereto.
I will first describe my improvements in signalling lamps for military and
other purposes and which refers to the means for forming a thoroughly light
proof casing around the light and which is sufficiently ventilated to allow of
perfect combustion of the gas and freedom from heat in the cover.
In carrying this into effect I provide the inner perforated cup E and the outer
casing A with an open front a¹ and having perforations in the bottom so
arranged as not to be opposite the perforations el in the cup E and both these
are attached to the burner support F in any suitable manner such as by slotting
or forming a socket upon the outer casing A to fit the square angle of the
burner support F a fork clip or other support a³ being provided to steady the
casing as required.
Within the casing A I provide the double tube B B¹ ie one tube B within
another B such double tube being arranged with an air space ball round the
bottom of the inner tube B being made to fit onto or into the perforated cup E
the top of the outer casing A finishing against the outer or intermediate tube B¹.
An aperture 63 is formed in both the inner and outer tubes B and B opposite
the lens D and the space between the two tubes is lined at this point thus fixing
the size of stop to lens and preventing any draught from impinging on the
light.
The specially arranged dome H is attached to the top of the inner tube B to
allow of the free extraction of the heat fumes without the slightest emission of
light or a down draught of air direct on the flame to effect which I form the
dome H with outwardly curved sides h¹ and having near the top the dash plate /²

page_text: for stopping the passage of any light with an aperture ³ in the centre for the
passage of the fumes which then pass through the perforations 4 formed in
the side of the top of the dome a second light dash plate 5 being suspended
from the top and which is provided with perforations he arranged slightly below
the perforations by which the passage of any light is effectually prevented
while a series of perforations may be formed in the extreme top if so desired.
By thus having ample space in the dome in combination with the curved
sides any back draught is distributed and lost down the inside of the lamp
and does not impinge on the flame in the centre while a current of cool air
is constantly passing up through the aperture 6 between the tubes B and B¹
thus retaining the whole casing comparatively cool.
The lens D which has a flat back is formed to a true parabolic curve at
the front and is mounted into the disc K which forms a door to cover the
open part al of the front of the casing A and between this and the stop the
signalling disc M is fixed upon the lever m¹ which is attached to the shaft m
mounted in the tube at the other end of the shaft having the operating lever m³
attached thereto while the spring catch s is provided for retaining the signalling
disc either over or clear of the aperture 6. By means of this bearing tube any
possibility of an emission of light from the space in which the disc M works
is obviated. In the signalling lamp the lens is focussed with regard to the
light so as to give a reduced field of light but with increased concentration
by which the light can be seen from a considerably greater distance than
hithertofore.
In the case of the cycle lamp Figure 6 I use a similar lens to that described
for the signalling lamp but reduce the focus with regard to the light so as to
give a more a more extended field and mount it in the recessed disc front P
in such a manner that when the lamp is inclined slightly forward at the top
so as to throw the rays from the lens on to the road in front the lens itself can
be seen at a great distance but upon being passed at close quarters does not
effect the sight or produce any startling or dazzling impression although the
ground for some distance in front is most perfectly illumined and in neither
case is any reflector required with these, lenses. In the cycle lamp the per-
forated double plates or box R takes the place of the perforated cup E and
bottom casing A. In using a cycle lamp constructed in accordance with my
improvement I may dispense with the inner tubes B and B and provide open-
ings in sides of the outer casing for jewel lights which are fixed in short tubes
projecting internally so as to avoid undue diffusion of the light.
In signalling lamps I may arrange the double tube horizontal as shewn by
Figures 7 and 8 in which case I may form a slot 6 in the bottom of the inner
tube B so as to allow of the whole casing being attached to the burner support
while at the front I attach the stop 63 to lens 1. The outer tube which in this
case may form the outer casing is perforated at the side and may be provided
with air openings at the front while both outer casing A and inner tube B are
provided with a lined aperture 65 for attachment of a similar dome H to that
before described. The lens disc or door K is attached to the front of the outer
tube and in signalling the disc M is mounted to work between the stop 3 and
the lens D as before described.
In the case of the burner R I insert the screw plug or plate ¹ into the entrance
the said plug being pierced with a hole less in size than that for those at point 3
and just sufficient to allow the passage of the exact quantity of gas required to
produce the light of the particular sized burner to which it is applied thereby
causing the gas to have a more perfect distribution in the 2 part of the burner
between the plug rl and the point where the flame occurs thus ensuring a
more perfect and steady light which does not fork.
I do not confine myself to the generator T here shewn as it will be obvious
that my improvements may be used with any class of lamp whether of gas or
oil and I do not confine myself to the particular attachment of the casing to

page_text: the lamp which may be effected in various ways also the means for supporting
the lamp whether by handle or cycle support attachment may be modified as
required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st. The improved lamp for signalling or cycling substantially as and for
the purpose herein set forth and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings
2nd. In lamps for signalling an outer casing with an inner and middle tube
forming an intermediate surrounding circulating air space perforated so ag
to provide air for cooling and combustion purposes and at the same time be
absolutely light proof substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.
3rd. In lamps for signalling an outer casing with an inner tube having an
intermediate surrounding circulating air space perforated so as to provide air
for cooling and combustion purposes and at the same time be absolutely light
proof substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.
4th. In lamps for signalling the combination of a dome and top perforated
and arranged with dash plates substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth and illustrated.
5th. In signalling lamps the signalling disc mounted upon a shaft turning.
in an extended tube bearing substantially as and for the purpose herein set
forth and illustrated.
6th. In signalling cycle and other lamps the lens D having a flat back and
parabolic shaped front substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.
7th. In acetylene gas lamps a burner having a plug r¹ at sufficient distance
from the mouth to provide the chamber the said plug being provided
with a supply aperture of less area than that or those at the mouth substan-
tially as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1900.
LEWIS WM. GOOLD,
Agent for Applicant, 5, Corporation Street, Birmingham.