IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTS OR STANDARDS FOR GAS LAMPS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTS OR STANDARDS
FOR GAS LAMPS." -A communication from abroad by John W.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 23rd August 1869.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office,'
No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN POSTS
OR STANDARDS FOR GAS LAMPS," a communication, to be as follows:-
The nature of the said Invention consists in casting the lamp post
with a closed bottom, and having an opening at a proper height into
which is secured the service pipe, while the top of the post is provided
with a plug, short pipe, and stop-cock.
By constructing the post with all the openings in the base closed and
made perfectly gas-tight the base is converted into a condensing chamber.
The plug or stopper in the top of the post is preferably of cast iron, and

page_text: is secured by lead or otherwise in the post. This stopper is drilled and
tapped to receive the short peice of pipe to which the burner cock and
burner is attached. The base of the post is drilled above the closed
bottom to receive the service pipe proceeding from the street main. This
service pipe is made in two pieces, and connected near the base of the
post with a running thimble or other union or connection. By this
means the ten or more feet of gas pipe usually employed inside the post
are saved. The large gas space inside the lamp post prevents the freezing
of the gas and consequent obstruction of the delivery in the coldest
weather. The dust, dirt, and condensation of moisture or impurities fall
to the bottom without obstructing the entrace of gas at the opening, its
passage to the burner, and exit at the same. The lamp posts are more
durable, because oxidation can take place only on the exterior. The
said lamp posts may be cast with the bottom closed, or a sleeve or
short pipe or other suitable connection may be secured to the bottom.
An ordinary lamp post may be fitted with a closed bottom in this
manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd February 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, South-
ampton Buildings, London, Consulting Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 "In-
PROVEMENTS IN POSTS OR STANDARDS FOR GAS LAMPS," a communication to

page_text: me from abroad by John W
Graham, of Chillicothe, Ohio, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
5 particularly describe and ascertain 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 William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification :-
The lamp post is cast with a closed bottom, and has an opening at a
proper height, into which is secured the service pipe, while the top of
the post is provided with a plug, short pipe, and stop-cock.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved post with the lamp
attached, and showing the base service pipe and main; Figure 2 is a
vertical sectional view of the said post showing the closed bottom, and
the opening into which the service pipe is secured; Figure 3 is a
sectional view of the lower section or base with closed bottom, which
may be attached to either old or new posts; Figure 4 is the plug drawn
to an enlarged scale, which is secured in the top of the lamp post, and
is provided with a short piece of gas pipe and a stop-cock, to which the
burner is attached, as shown in Figure 1. Like letters indicate the same
parts throughout the Drawing.
A is the post or standard; a is the closed base or bottom; b is the
opening into which the service pipe c is secured. By constructing the
post with the base closed and made perfectly gas-tight the base is con-
verted into a condensing chamber. The top of the post, as shewn in
Figure 2, is fitted with the cast-iron plug or stopper d, which is
secured by lead or otherwise in the post. This stopper is drilled and
tapped to receive the short piece of pipe e to which the burner cock and
burner are attached. The base a of the post is drilled above the closed
bottom to receive the service pipe c proceeding from the street main f;

page_text: this service pipe may be made in two pieces, and connected near the
base of the post with a running thimble or other union or connection.
By this method of construction the ten or more feet of gas pipe usually
employed inside the post are saved; the large gas space inside the
lamp post prevents the freezing of the gas and consequent obstruction
of the delivery in the coldest weather. The dust, dirt, and condensed
moisture and impurities fall to the bottom without obstructing the
entrance of gas at the opening, its passage to the burner, and exit at the
same, so that the brilliancy and beauty of the light are unimpaired.
These lamp posts are more durable than ordinary posts, because oxidation
can take place only on the exterior.
The said lamp posts may be cast with the bottom closed or a sleeve
or short pipe, as shewn in Figure 3, or other suitable connection may be
secured to the bottom. An ordinary lamp post may be fitted with a
closed bottom in this manner.
Having thus described the said Invention as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I claim,―
First. The lamp post constructed as described, and provided with the
plug, short pipe, and stop-cock, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Second. The enlarged reservoir with the closed bottom to be attached
to the foot of the lamp post, constructed substantially as specified for
the purposes herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
JAMES TEARE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.
Southampton Buildings,
London.