AN IMPROVED SIGNAL HAND LANTERN
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED SIGNAL HAND LANTERN." -A communication from
abroad by Thomas Alfred Davies, of the City, County, and State of
New-York United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition
and Declaration, on the 17th March 1874, pursuant to the 9th.
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "AN IMPROVED
SIGNAL HAND LANTERN," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto
me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been
communicated to me from abroad by Thomas Alfred Davies, of the City,
County, and State of New York, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do
hereby declare that the following Complete. Specification, under my.

page_text: hand and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to
say):
This Invention relates to an improvement in the class of signal
lanterns, in which a colored glass cylinder is arranged to be vertically
adjusted around the plane, to change the white to a colored light, and
the colored to a white light; and the improvement consists in the
construction of parts with a view of securing compactness and also
efficiency and reliability of operation.
The accompanying Drawing represents a hand lantern provided with
an oil cup and colored shade or cylinder according to this Invention.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts..
.
A is the oil cup or reservoir, which is introduced into and supported in 1
the lantern by means of pins and angular slots, known as the "bayonet
fastening," and the vertical slide a, on the side of the lantern - which
holds one of the pins in place. C, C, are tubes (or other devices which
will serve an equivalent purpose) which pass directly through the oil
cup. D is a movable ring which surrounds the upper section E of the 2
oil cup, and rests on the-top of the lower section when it is down, as seen
in the Drawing; F, F, represents rods or strips of metal, which are
securely attached to the ring D, and pass therefrom down through the
tubes C, C; G is the handle, the arms H, H, of which are composed of
strips of metal of about the size of the rods F, F, so that they will
readily enter the tubes.C, C. These arms are attached to the rods F, F,
by the joint pivots I, I, so that when drawn down, as seen in the
Drawing, the handle G can be turned up against the bottom of the oil
cup, and not extend below the bottom (or base flange) of the lantern.
On the top of the ring D is placed a colored shade or conical cylinder J, a
made of glass or other suitable material, having a narrow flange around
its bottom. The shade is held firmly to the ring by means of lips c, and
the spring d, all of which are attached to the top of the ring D. This
colored conical cylinder surrounds the upper section E of the oil cup and
wick tube, its top being about level with the top of the wick tube when
it is not in use. This colored shade or cylinder is open at the bottom,
but contracted (or drawn in) at the top, so as to leave an opening..of
about one inch round the wick tube, as seen in the Drawing. The
E

page_text: conical colored cylinder J is kept in a central position around the section
E, by means of the spring d and three (more or less) lips c, already
described. Any other suitable means may be employed for this
purpose.
As seen in the Drawing the lantern will show the ordinary white light.
When a colored light is required or a signal is to be made, it is only
necessary to push up the handle G. This raises the colored cylinder to
the position seen in dotted lines. The colored cylinder now surrounds
the flame, and the rays of light are contracted by its curved or con-
tracted top, so that none but colored rays can be thrown laterally in
either direction. The colored cylinder is removed with the oil cup, and
with an oil cup thus constructed can be used as an ordinary hand
lantern. The cylinder J may be of any color that may be desired.
From the above description it will be distinctly understood that the
colored shade is attached to the oil cup by the parts described, and is
taken from the lantern with the oil cup, this being the essential feature
of the Invention.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to
secure by Letters Patent is, a signal hand lantern having a colored
shade or colored conical cylinder, attached to the oil cup by the parts
described, and removed from the lantern with the oil cup, arranged to be
moved vertically, whereby the white light is changed to a colored light,
and the colored to a white light for making signals, substantially as
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
0 Witness,
HENRY W. DEWEY,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.).