Improvements in Globes or Glasses for Lamps.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 9th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Globes or Glasses for Lamps.
I, Captain Sir ALFRED JOHN LOFTUS, Phrá Nidesa Jalahide K.C.C.S.
Retired Hydrographer from the Siamese Government Service, of 32 South Road
Handsworth Birmingham do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-.
My invention is applicable to all kinds of lamps to which such globes or glasses
can be applied and is more particularly designed for lamps used for signalling
purposes such for instance as ships' and railway signal lamps, ships' side, masthead,
anchor, and stern lights, telegraphic lamps and the like and can be used with any
kind of illuminant for instance as petroleum, vegetable or other oils, candles, gas,
electricity, lime light or the like and whether the emitted light be required white
or coloured.
According to my invention I so form my said globes or glasses that a horizontal
section thereof is circular and the curve of a vertical section thereof is the same as
that described in the Specifications of my inventions of "Improvements in Lamps
and Reflectors therefor," and "Improvements in Reflectors for Lamps and other
purposes," for which Her Majesty's Letters Patent were granted to me dated
December 12th 1889 No. 20023 and August 19th 1891 No. 14034 respectively.
By making the globes or glasses of the form above mentioned I obtain a reflection
from the inner surface of the glass which reinforces the light emitted directly from
the flame in any given direction so that the lamp seen from a distance appears to
contain a flame or strip of light of greater breadth than the flame itself extending
from near the base of the globe to nearly the top of it and thus the light given by
the lamp is greatly augmented.
In cases where the light is not wanted all round the lamp 1 may increase the
reflecting power of that portion from which light is not required, by silvering the
same or enamelling it, or forming such portion of opal glass or the like, or by other
such means or by the fitting thereto of a metal screen or reflector of the same curve
as the glass.
For ships side-lights I leave 112 degrees of the circumference clear and silver
or otherwise treat as above mentioned the remaining 247 degrees so that this portion
may not allow any of the light to pass through but may reflect the whole of it, or
as much of it as possible.
For masthead lights the globe lamp may be fitted either with or without a lantern
135 degrees of the globe being silvered or the like as before described.
My stern light globes may be fitted in a lantern but are preferably made without
one, and are silvered, opaled or the like for 225 degrees (in accordance with the
regulations) or there may be a moveable metallic screen of such dimensions capable
of being adjusted to any part of the circumference so that when a ship is sighted
coming up astern the back of the screen may be placed inboard so as to throw the
light on the approaching vessel astern. When the vessel has passed and when there
is no vessel in sight astern coming up the screen is to be reversed, turned outward,
and the light is then thrown inboard.
The anchor-light globe is an all round light and the same may be readily converted
into a mast-head or a stern-light by using with it an appropriate reflector.
For the purpose of giving a coloured light either a coloured chimney may be
used within the globe or the globe itself may be made of coloured glass.
My globes may be made by any of the usual processes by which lamp globes are
usually produced, but I prefer more particularly for signal-lamps and for marine
purposes that they be cast in a mould and be of considerable thickness, such for

page_text: instance as a quarter of an inch and so fitted to the frame, lantern or attachments
as to be easily removed and replaced by another in case of breakage.
My globes may be used, according to the kind of burner employed, either with or
without chimneys, and in some cases I make use of chimneys having the part
surrounding the flame made of a curve of the same character, that is to say having
the same properties as the curve of the globe such chimneys being in fact so far as
the bulged portion of them is concerned minature globes as described in this
Specification, and I thereby obtain a double internal reflecting surface riz. one
reflection from the internal surface of the chimney and another from the internal
surface of the globe.
My globes being made in the form of a well curved reflector give a much greater
light and enable the light to be seen at a greater distance than do any globes of
the ordinary forms and for ships' signal-lamps are more powerful than any other
ordinary ship-lights. They are further more particularly suitable for ordinary
sized and small vessels and fishing boats than the lamps now in general use, and the
use of them by such craft will bring the lights of such small vessels more nearly on
a par with the lights of larger ships and thus give them a better chance of being
seen by larger and faster vessels and thus lessen the risks of navigation.
Lamps may be made according to this invention of equal power but at a much
less cost than those now in use.
Dated the 22nd day of October 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Globes or Glasses for Lamps.
I, Captain Sir ALFRED JOHN LOFTUS, Phrá Nidesa Jalahide, K.C.C.S.
Retired Hydrographer, from the Siamese Government Service, of 32 South Road,
Handsworth, Birmingham 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:-
My invention is applicable to all kinds of lamps to which such globes or glasses
can be applied and is more particularly designed for lamps used for signalling
purposes such for instance as ships and railway signal lamps, ships' side, masthead,
anchor and stern lights, telegraphic lamps and the like and can be used with any
kind of illuminant, for instance as petroleum, vegetable, or other oils, candles, gas,
electricity, limelight, or the like, and whether the emitted light be required to be
white or colored.
According to my invention I so form my globes, or glasses, that a horizontal
section thereof is circular and the curve of a vertical section thereof is the same as
that described in the Specifications of my inventions of "Improvements in Lamps
and Reflectors therefor" and "Improvements in Reflectors for Lamps and other
purposes for which Her Majesty's Letters Patent were granted to me dated
December 12th 1889 No. 20023 and August 19th 1891 No. 14034 respectively.
39
By making the globes or glasses of the form above mentioned I obtain a
reflection from the inner surface of the glass which reinforces the light emitted
directly from the fame in any given direction so that the lamp seen from a distance
appears to contain a flame, or strip of light, of greater breadth than the flame
itself extending from near the base of the globe to the top of it and thus the light
given by the lamp is greatly augmented.
In cases where the light is not wanted all round the lamp I may increase the
reflecting power of that portion from which light is not required, by silvering the
same, or enamelling it, or forming such portion of opal glass, or the like, or by
other such means, or by the fitting thereto of a metal screen, or reflector, of the
same curve as the glass.

page_text: For ships side lights I prefer to leave 120 degrees of the circumference clear
and silver or otherwise treat as above mentioned the remaining 240 degrees so that
this portion may not allow any of the light to pass through but reflect the whole of
it, or as much of it as possible.
For mast head lights the globe lamp may be fitted either with or without a
lantern preferably 120 degrees of the globe being silvered, or the like, as before
described.
My stern light globes may be fitted in a lantern but are preferably made without
one, and are silvered, opaled, or the like, for preferably 240 degrees (in accordance
with the regulations) or there may be a moveable metallic screen of such dimensions
capable of being adjusted to any part of the circumference so that when a ship is
sighted coming up astern the back of the screen may be placed inboard so as to throw
the light on the approaching vessel astern. When the vessel has passed and when
there is no vessel in sight astern coming up the screen is to be reversed, turned
outward and the light is then thrown inboard.
The anchor-light globe is an all round light and the same may be readily
converted into a mast-head, or a stern-light, by using with it an appropriate
reflector.
For the purpose of giving a colored light either a colored chimney may be used
within the globe, or the globe itself may be made of coloured glass.
My globes may be made by any of the usual processes by which lamp globes are
usually produced but I prefer more particularly for signal-lamps and for marine
purposes that they be cast in a mould and be of suitable thicknesses such for instance
as one eighth and a quarter of an inch and so fitted to the frame, lantern, or
attachments, as to be easily removed and replaced by another in case of breakage.
I also cast my globes with external prisms or the like to increase the illumination.
My globes may be used according to the kind of burner employed either with or
without chimneys and in some cases I make use of chimneys having the part
surrounding the Hame made of a curve of the same character, that is to say, having
the same properties as the curve of the globe such chimneys being in fact, so far as
the bulged portion of them is concerned, miniature globes, as described in this
Specification, and I thereby obtain a double internal reflecting surface viz. one
reflection from the internal surface of the chimney and another from the internal
surface of the globe.
My globes being made in the form of a well curved reflector give a much greater
light and enable the light to be seen at a greater distance than do any globes of
the ordinary forms and for ships' signal lamps are more powerful than any other
ordinary ship lights. They are further more particularly suitable for ordinary
sized and small vessels and fishing boats than the lamps now in general use and the
use of them by such craft will bring the lights of such small vessels more nearly on
a par with the lights of larger ships and thus give them a better chance of being
seen by larger and faster vessels and thus lessen the risks of navigation.
Lamps may be made according to this invention of equal power but at a much
less cost than those now in use.
In the accompanying sheets of drawings I have illustrated two forms of lamp
embodying my invention and the general arrangement of the parts may
advantageously be employed for most purposes for which my improved globes are
applicable but it will be obvious that my said globes may be mounted in other
fittings than those shewn in the drawings.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation and Fig. 2 a side elevation partly in section of one of
my said lamps.
Fig. 3, is a similar sectional view showing some particulars of the internal
arrangements which are not shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, is a plan of the same lamp.
Fig. 5, is an elevation of a nearly similar lamp but constructed to open below
the glass instead of above it.
Fig. 6, shews the method of setting out the curve set forth in my Specification

page_text: No. 1403 of 1891 as applied to the globes herein described. The letters of
reference in this figure correspond and are to be read in connection with the text of
the said Specification.
"
The same letters of reference indicate the like parts in all the figures except
Fig. 6.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, A is the glass globe a vertical section of which presents a
curve such as is described in one or the other of my hereinbefore recited patents
and as more particularly illustrated as applied to this form of globe in Fig. 6.
B is the oil holder. Cis a short cylinder, or ring of sheet metal which serves to
hold the lower edge of the glass and which is perforated at e, e, to admit a supply
of air. C is an internal cylinder, or ring, serving to protect the flame from the
direct current of air from the said perforations and to direct the current upwards
into the body of the globe. D is a burner of any well known kind; e, e, are wires
forming a frame which serves to protect the globe and to unite the parts above
with the parts below the globe. The top of the lantern is jointed to the wire
frame at and has a spring-catchy, by which it is secured when closed. The cover
comprises an outer case H, with a conical top 4, which is open at the top and is
covered by the conical piece I with outlets for the air between them. J is an
internal cone also open at the top, and is an inverted cone serving to deflect the
upward current of hot air and to prevent the ingress of any sudden gust of wind
from above. The lower edge of the cone J carries a rim which, when the top
is closed, encircles and holds the top edge of the globe. K is a wire handle for
carrying or suspending the lamp.
The lamp above described is an all-round lamp. Fig. 5, represents a similar
lamp, but with half of the globe covered with a metal reflector L made of the
same curve as the globe, or the covered portion of the globe may be silvered,
opalled, or otherwise rendered more fit to reflect the light from the burner, silvering
is generally preferable. In this lamp a strap or handle M is attached to the metal
back of the lamp and the lamp is made to open below instead of above the globe,
the joint being at and the closing spring catch at g'.
I
Fig. 6, is an illustration of the method of setting out the vertical curve of the
globe adapted for these lamps according to the method described in my said
Specification No. 14034 of 1891 and the letters of reference in this figure are to be
understood as indicating the lines and parts referred to in that Specification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. Lamps with glass globes of which a horizontal section is circular and the
curve of a vertical section whereof is substantially as described.
2. Lamps with globes constructed as hereinbefore described and claimed with
part of the globe silvered, opalled, or otherwise treated to increase its reflecting
power substantially as described and set forth.
3. Lamps with globes constructed and arranged as hereinbefore described with a
base and top connected by a light wire frame with wind guards and ventilating
arrangement substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
Dated this Ninth day of August 1893.
ALFRED JOHN LUT
US.