Improvements in Cycle and like Lamps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
.
Improvements in Cycle and like Lamps.
I, HENRY BETRAND CLARKE, of Suite 1410 Marquette Building, City of Chicago,
County of Cook, State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of my 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 relates to lamps and I have particularly shown it in a form
especially adapted for use on bicycles and at the forward end of a vehicle. It. is
illustrated in this application of the invention in the drawings hereto attached,
wherein
Figure 1 is a side view of the complete lamp,
Figure 2 a section through the body of the lamp, with parts broken away where
not necessary to exhibit or illustrate those portions which I desire especially to set
forth, and
Figure 3 is a section through the body of the lamp, the lower part being omitted
and showing a preferred form of valve for admitting the water to the carbide.
.. Like parts are indicated by the same letter in all the figures.
A is the reflector, B the lens of the illuminated portion of the lamp. C is. the
body thereof, preferably cylindrical, provided with the ventilated apertures D at the
bottom and the side colored lens E. There may be one of these on each side. This
portion of the lamp also has the perforated chimney F, which contains the burner G,
connected with the pipe H, which may be controlled by the valve J. K are pivoted
arms, the socket M, controlled by the thumb screw N, whereby the generating
portion of the lamp may be elastically and flexibly supported, for example, on the
bicycle frame. O is the exterior preferably cylindrical body and P the lower
generating portion of the lamp. The part P may be shaped as indicated, or of course
any other desired shape, and is preferably screw threaded at P into the upper
portion O. The upper portion O is provided with the lower diaphragm R and with
the pipe S, which passes entirely through the portion O and is provided with the valve
seat S, the valve seat S2, the upper screw threaded plug S3 and the upper secondary
plug S¹, from which projects the rod S, having the valve S. S7 is a needle valve
on the arm S8. S are perforations in the pipe S above the diaphragm R and below
the diaphragm T, which is provided with the perforations T 1 T. V is a pipe which
extends from the lower gas chamber Y in the receptacle P to the upper part of the
body O and thence connects with the exterior pipe H, and W is the upper gas
chamber above the diaphragm T and into which opens the pipe X, which also leads
to the pipe H.
Of course, the essential features of my lamp are contained in or associated with
the generating parts. The devices for suspending the lamp and also the illuminated
portions of the lamp may be varied at will. Moreover the particular form, shape
and proportions of the several features of the generating apparatus might be varied
without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Referring to Figure 3, which shows a preferred construction, the valve H2 is
connected to a lever H3 pivoted at H', the end of said lever being connected to the
rod H³ which extends through the lamp and is provided at the top with a nut H*.
The rod H° extends through a cylindrical part or tube H' and has connected with it

page_text: a piston H³ working in said tube. A spring H³ is back of said piston and normally
tending to force it in a direction which opens the valve H2 and admits the water into
the lower apartment. The tube H' communicates with the lower apartment where
the gas is generated so that the pressure of such gas acts upon the piston H³.
A trough H is located so as to receive the water as it passes through the opening
controlled by the valve H2, said trough conducting the water away from the sides of
the vessel so that it will fall directly upon the gas forming material. The upper gas
cbamber W in Figure 3 is entirely disconnected from the water chamber, there being
a passage way through such water chamber to allow the water to be admitted to the
water chamber. The pipe V connects the two gas chambers. In Figures 1 and 2
the openings T¹ in the diaphragm T may be omitted, such construction being
preferable. In Figure 3 I prefer to provide the water chamber with a vent so that
the water may easily flow through the opening controlled by the valve H².
The water in the water-chamber is permitted to pass through the valve into the
carbide chamber when the pressure in the carbide chamber falls below the
predetermined proper pressure, the water then coming down accelerates the formation
of the gas and when the pressure has reached the fixed amount, the valve is seated.
This applies to the construction shown in Figure 2. In Figure 3 the operation is
somewhat different, a piston being worked against the spring to control the position
of the valve.
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. In a lamp the combination of a carbide chamber at the bottom of the lamp,
with a water chamber above the same, a separating diaphragm, a passage there-
through, a valve therein to control the passage, said valve responsive in its position
to variations in the difference between the water pressure of the water chamber on
one side and the gas pressure of the carbide chamber on the other side, so as to open
the valve when the gas pressure is below a predetermined value and close it when
it is open.
2. In a lamp the combination of a carbide chamber, at the bottom of the lamp,
with a water chamber above the same, a separating diaphragm, a passage there-
through, a spring actuated upwardly seating valve to separate the two and arranged
so that the weight of water in the water chamber when it overcomes the pressure
of gas in the carbide chamber will open the valve slightly and admit water to the
carbide chamber.
3. In a lamp the combination of a carbide chamber with a water chamber, a pipe
leading from the carbide chamber through the water chamber to the top, a plug to
close the pipe at the top, a valve to control it at the bottom, and a valve within the
pipe, and a second plug in the first plug with a valve stem thereon, whereby the
second valve in the pipe may be closed by operating the second plug.
4. A bicycle lamp substantially as shown and described and having the essential
features of construction set forth.
Dh: 10th 1
CT
1807