Improvements in Police and like Lanterns, applicable to Cycle Lamps and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Police and like Lanterns, applicable to Cycle
Lamps and the like.
I, WILLIAM WRIGHT, of 170 High Street, Notting Hill, in the County of
Middlesex, Police Constable, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in police and like lanterns, said
improvements being applicable or partly applicable to cycle lamps and the like.
The invention is designed to increase the light thrown by the lantern, and also
to avoid any leakage of the oil through the ventilating apertures at the lower part
thereof, thus preventing soiling of the clothes which frequently happens with the
present construction of police lantern. Further my invention is designed to keep
the top of the lantern cool and to prevent any rays of light from being visible
when the lantern is darkened.
In a lantern constructed according to my invention, the burner is placed close to
the front of the oil reservoir, in lieu of in the centre thereof as hitherto, the object
being to bring it nearer to the lens; this I find increases the light thrown by the
lantern, which is further augmented by the improved arrangement of the lower
ventilating apertures which I shall now describe, said arrangement also preventing
the leakage of oil through the said apertures.
Secured to the bottom of the lantern are two concentric vertical flanges or rings,
the inner flange being higher than the outer flange and serving as a holder for the
oil reservoir which fits therein. In the bottom of the lantern, between these two
vertical flanges, are pierced ventilating apertures, the ventilating apertures usually
formed in the sides of the lantern near the bottom being dispensed with. Around
the upper edge of the said inner flange, or around the oil reservoir itself, there is
formed a downwardly inclined flange which projects over the outer vertical flange,
and serves to direct any oil that may overflow, into the body of the lantern
between the sides thereof and the said outer flange. Leakage of oil through the
ventilating apertures is thus effectually prevented, and a more direct passage of
air through the lantern, and consequently improved ventilation, is secured.
Further, the position of the ventilating apertures, beneath the lantern, prevents
any rays of light from being visible when the lantern is darkened. In order to
keep the top of the lantern cool, and also to prevent the escape of rays of
light from the ventilating apertures thereof, I arrange a horizontal plate having
a central aperture therein, across the lantern body just beneath the said top,.
said plate being preferably lined with asbestos, mica, or other heat resisting
material, and a little distance above the aperture in this plate I dispose a disc of
heat resisting material, such as asbestos faced with mica. This arrangement whilst
not interfering with the free passage of air through the lantern keeps the top
thereof cool and prevents the escape of any rays of light through the ventilating
apertures in said top.
It will be obvious that the above described improvements, or such part of
them as relate to the prevention of leakage of oil from the lautern, and to

page_text: keeping the top thereof cool, may be applied with advantage to cycle and like
lamps.
Dated this 31st day of January 1895.
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Police and like Lanterns, applicable to Cycle
Lamps and the like.
I, WILLIAM WRIGHT of 170 High Street, Notting Hill, in the County of
Middlesex, Police Constable, 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 improvements in police and like lanterns, said
improvements being applicable to cycle and like lamps.
The invention is designed to improve the ventilation, and consequently the
light thrown by the lantern, and further to prevent the leakage of oil and the
escape of rays of light through the ventilating apertures, which latter, according
to my invention, are arranged in the bottom of the lantern as hereinafter
described.
According to my invention I secure upon the bottom of the lantern two con-
centric rims or flanges, the inner rim or flange being preferably somewhat higher
than the outer rin and serving as a holder for the oil reservoir which fits
therein and may be secured in place by the usual bayonet joint catch.
In the
bottom of the lantern, between the said concentric rims or flauges, ventilating
apertures are pierced, the ventilating apertures usually formed round the sides of
the lantern near the bottom being dispensed with. A more direct draught of air
through the lantern is thus obtained and the ventilation thereof and light given
thereby are consequently improved.
Around the upper part of the oil reservoir, or around the upper part of the inner
rim or flange, provide or form a downwardly inclined or bevelled flange which
projects over the outer rim or flange and serves to direct any oil that may overflow
into the body of the lantern between the side thereof and the last mentioned
rim or flange. Leakage of oil through the ventilating apertures is thus effectually
prevented. Furthermore, the said downwardly inclined or bevelled flange forms a
screen between the light and the ventilating apertures and prevents any rays of
light from escaping through the said ventilating apertures, which is very desirable
when the lantern is darkened.
In the accompanying drawings in which similar letters refer to like parts in both
figures
Fig. 1 is a vertical section illustrating the application of my invention to the
body of a lantern.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 1-2 Fig. 1, the oil reservoir being
removed.
a is the lautern body and is the oil reservoir which is surrounded by and fits
within the rim or flange c secured upon the bottom a 1 of the lantern. d is a second
rim or flange, also secured to the bottom of the lantern, which surrounds at a little
distance the inner flange c and which is preferably of somewhat less height than
the last mentioned flauge, as shewn. e are the ventilating apertures provided in
the bottom of the lantern between the rims or flanges c and d, and fis the down-
wardly inclined or bevelled flange, here shewn as surrounding the upper part of

page_text: the oil reservoir, though it might be equally well applied to the upper part of the
rim or flange c.
Since leaving my Provisional Specification I have discovered that certain means
therein described, for keeping the top of the lantern cool and for increasing the
light by placing the burner nearer to the lens, were not novel at the date of my
application, and I therefore omit any further description or mention of them from
this my Complete Specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. In police lanterns, cycle lamps and the like, the combination with an oil
reservoir fitted within a rim or flange secured to the bottom of the lantern, of a
second rim or flange also secured to the bottom of the lantern and disposed around
and at a little distance from the first mentioned rim or flange, ventilating apertures
provided in the bottom of the lantern between the said rims or flanges, and a
downwardly inclined or bevelled flange surrounding the oil reservoir or the inner
rim or flange, substantially as described and illustrated and for the purpose set
forth.
2. In police lanterns, cycle lamps and the like, having ventilating apertures e
formed in the bottom thereof, the combination with the oil reservoir or with the
rim or flange into which the same is fitted of a flange encircling said oil reservoir
or said rim or flange and serving as a screen between the light and the said
ventilating apertures, substantially as described and illustrated.
1000
E. P. ALEXANDER & SON,
Chartered Patent Agents,
19 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.