AN IMPROVEMENT IN LANTERNS
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1888
Specification Accepted, 12th Oct., 1888
1, HARVEY LYSANDER JEWELL, residing at Bangor, in the County of Penobscot,
State of Maine, United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVEMENT IN LANTERNS and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
My invention relates to that class of lanterns in which the globe is carried by a
holder mounted and adapted to be raised or lowered vertically in a main or supporting
frame. Such main frame is ordinarily rigidly attached to the lamp and burner, or to
the supports which carry the latter when such lamp and burner are detachable, and
the vertical movement of the globe holder above referred to affords easy access to the
wick for trimming or lighting the same, or for extinguishing the flame. In lanterns
of this class the globe holder is preferably provided with springs which normally hold
the globe in its raised position, and with a catch by which when desired the globe
holder is maintained in its lowermost position against the stress of said springs, the
latter serving, when the catch is released, to automatically lift said holder with its
globe.
My invention is especially directed to increasing the simplicity of construction,
cheapness, ease of operation, and effectiveness, of lanterns of this general character
and consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter
fully set forth.
In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the
accompanying drawings means for carrying it into effect. In said drawings:
Figure 1 is a front view of a lantern embodying one form of my invention, the
globe holder being shown in its raised position.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same showing the globe holder in its lowermost
position.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3--3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the main portion of the globe holding frame
detached
;

page_text: Figure 5 is a front view of a lantern embodying certain features of my invention,
showing the globe holder depressed.
Figure 6 is a similar view showing the globe holder elevated.
Figure 7 is a front view of a lantern showing a somewhat different arrangement of
the lifting springs.
Figure S is a plan view illustrating the operation of the catch which retains the
globe holder against the stress of the lifting springs.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of a portion of a lantern illustrating the manner of
inserting the globe into the globe-holding frame.
Figure 10 is a plan view illustrating the same operation.
Figure 11 is a perspective view illustrating the mounting of the tilting plate of the
globe holder.
I may state that I prefer to apply my improvements as illustrated in the figures
above described, to what are termed "tubular " lanterns, but it will be understood
that my invention is not limited in its application to lanterns of this class.
Referring more especially' to figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, A indicates the base of the
lantern, B the oil reservoir, the burner, d the side tubes, and D the central draft.
tube. These parts may be of any ordinary and suitable construction.
E is the bail or handle, secured to the top of the main frame which is formed by
the draft tubes and which supports the globe holder hereinafter described. F is the
bell, attached to a sleeve G, which in turn fits and is adapted to slide vertically upon
the central draft tube D. Springs m m secured at their outer ends to the main frame
of the lantern, extending horizontally inwards and connected at their free ends with
the sliding sleeve G or bell F, tend constantly to force said sleeve and the parts carried
thereby upwards. A flat topped push rod J attached at its lower end to the sleeve G
or to the bell, and projecting up above the main frame, serves to depress the bell F,
and the latter is held in its lowermost position by a spring stop-arm K having a
shoulder adapted to engage with a stop-ring or plate o secured to the main frame.
L is a frame which I prefer to form of one piece of metal. It may be made of
stout wire bent into shape, and I have so constructed it, but it may also be made
from a light malleable casting, and this latter is the construction which I have
illustrated in the drawing-sec especially figure 4. The upper end of the frame L is
provided with a means of attachment to the bell F, such as a ring 1 of such contour
as to fit the upper or lower surface of the bell and having holes through which it
may be riveted in place. n is a vertical connecting arm carried by the ring 7. It is
situated at the rear of the globe-frame, is preferably curved as shown to correspond
with the contour of the globe, and carries at its lower end two inwardly extending
supporting brackets. Each of these brackets is provided with a horizontal pivot s.
The pivots are in line with each other and are both substantially in, though a little
forward of, the middle vertical plane of the burner C. t is a strengthening brace
connecting the inner ends of the pivots ss, and forming a seat for the tilting plate.
Both the brackets and the brace are by preference formed in curves concentric
with the globe and burner. M is the tilting plate adapted to fit and retain the lower
end of the globe, which latter is shown at Ŏ. The plate M in its lowermost position,
shown in figure 2, surrounds the burner and is provided as usual with a central
aperture for the same. Spring clips 77 are secured at their upper ends to the top
face of the tilting plate, pass down through slits therein, and are bent to form
bearings for the pivots s. The free ends of the clips are bent upwards as shown
in figures 1 and 2 so as to retain the pivots in place and then downwards at their
extremities as shown at 2 to form angles into which the pivots s will enter freely when
it is desired to put the tilting plate in place. The plate is thus readily attachable and
removable for purposes of cleaning or to facilitate the manipulation of the lamp.
Atii are shown the holding springs for the upper end of the globe, secured at their
rear ends to the bell F and flared at their forward and free ends to facilitate the
introduction of the globe. The springs are double so as to fit both above and below
the head o, of the globe. The engagement by the lower portion of the double
spring i below the bead'o' is important, preventing any vertical jar from causing the

page_text: springs to fly upwards, or the globe downwards, with the result of permitting the
globe to escape from the holder. The pivots are not exactly in the central plane of
the lantern, but, are a little forward of it as shown in figure 2, in order that the globe
may come to the best advantage into position for entering between the flared ends of
the holding springs ii with its bead between the upper and lower parts of the double
springs and in order to give the plate M a backward tendency upon its seat t.
:
To raise the globe and holder so as to obtain access to the burner it is simply
necessary to press with the thumb upon the outer side of spring arm K below the
plate o sufficiently to disengage the shoulder of the former from the said plate.
The lifting springs m which are secured to or engage the globe-holder will
immediately raise the latter, carrying up the globe to the position shown in Fig. 1,
when the lantern may be lighted or extinguished. To depress the globe the thumb or
palm of the hand is applied to the top of the push rod J and the latter forced down
until shoulder passes below and engages automatically with the plate O.
To remove the globe from its holder it is grasped at or near the upper end
and said end pressed outwards towards the opening between the free ends of spring
arms. The latter yield, are forced apart by the globe, and permit the passage of its
upper end.
In the mean time the lower end of the globe remains seated in the
plate M, and said plate turns upon its pivots s to accomodate the swinging outwards
and disengagement of the upper end of the globe already described.
In inserting the globe it is first placed in an inclined position with its lower edge
upon the tilted plate M, and then swung upon pivots s towards the vertical line of the
lantern, the plate M turning with the globe. The bead o¹ enters between the free, and
preferably flared, ends of spring arms i, forces them apart, and is finally clasped and
secured by them as the globe reaches its perpendicular position.
The stop ring or plate o hereinbefore referred to is preferably in the form of a disk
(see Fig. 8) provided with two perforations for the legs of the push rod J. The
laiter is formed of a single piece of wire coiled at the middle to form a flat top as
shown at and having its two ends straight, passed perpendicularly through the
perforations of of the disk o, and soldered or otherwise secured to the sleeve G or to
the bell For to both. The legs being on opposite sides of the draft tube D pressure
is applied evenly to the globe holder in depressing so that it will slide smoothly and
not bind.
The engagement of the legs with plate o also forms a guide which
co-operates with the sliding sleeve G in keeping the globe holder in proper align-
ment. This guiding function of rod J is the more necessary in the structure shown
in Figure 1, as in that form of my invention the globe holder has at its lower end
no engagement with or bearing upon the main lantern frame while it is being raised
or lowered.
The springs m shown in figure 1 may consist of a single piece of wire soldered or
otherwise secured at its middle to the sleeve G, bell F, or other part of the globe-
holder, or, as in the construction shown, said springs may be separate and the inner
end of each engaged with an eye or loop m² secured to the bell or other convenient
part of the globe-holder. When such an engagement between the springs m and
the globe-holder is used said springs may play inwards and outwards through the eyes
as the holder rises or is depressed, thus giving great ease and smoothness of
operation.
The eyes or loops m' are by preference formed by the bent ends of a wire the
middle of which is beneath the bell F and the ends of which pass up through perfora-
tions in the bell on each side of the sleeve G. The loops m¹ thus cannot be detached
by heat and the pull of the springs, as might be the case if they were merely held by
solder. The loops may however be riveted to the bell. By arranging loops m¹
respectively in front of and behind sleeve G, and extending the ends of springs m past
the middle of the lantern, greater length and resilience of spring is obtained
and room is better afforded for the inward and outward play of the springs in the
eves.
Certain features of my invention may however be used with springs of a different
form from that shown in Fig. 1. For instance the parts J, K, o, i, and M, constituting

page_text: the globe holder guide and catch, and the globe clasp. may be used with coiled pull
springs m³ as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, or with coiled push springs m' as illustrated in
Fig. 7, mounted upon side rods of the globe holder and bearing against or con-
necting with ears or guides, which latter are mounted upon the main lantern frame
and enclose said side rods.
The push rod J may have but one leg, as shown in Fig. 7; and tho
pivots for plate M may be formed by the inwardly bent ends of rods k, as shown in
Fig. 11.
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
1. The frame L sustained by its upper end and having the arm n.
2. The frame having the arm n, brackets, and pivots ss.
3. The catch comprising the plate o and spring K, combined with the rod J.
4. The tilting plate M mounted on pivots ss combined with spring arms for clasping
the upper end of the globe, which arms have an opening between their free ends and
are adapted to spring apart to admit the globe as it turns with plate M. into a vertical
position.
5. The double spring arms ii adapted to spring apart at their free ends and clasp
the globe both above and below its bead.
6. The plate M having the spring clips 7 9.
7. The springs m, combined with the eyes or loops m¹ on the globe-holder.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1888.
HARVEY LYSANDER JEWELL.