IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS, CANDLESTICKS, OR CANDELABRA
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LAMPS, CANDLESTICKS, OR CANDELABRA." A communication from abroad by
Rufus Spaulding Merrill, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS, CANDLESTICKS, OR CANDELABRA," A
communication from abroad by Rufus Spaulding Merrill, of Boston, Massachusetts
United States of America.
This Invention relates to portable or hand lamps in contradistinction to lamps
which are fixtures, and it has special reference to the lamp stand, that is to say,
that part of the lamp which supports the oil fount or bowl.
It has been found desirable to combine in one a lamp and a clock or timekeeper,
and to this end this Invention consists of a novel construction of the lamp stand,
whereby it is adapted to contain a clock movement, that is to say, one independent
of the lamp in the sense of being so arranged, that it can bodily be applied to or
removed from the stand as occasion may require.
The stand is formed with a receptacle or chamber adapted to contain the clock
movement, and with an aperture, through which is displayed the clock dial; or in
case the dial is formed on the lamp stand, the aperture need only be sufficiently
large to permit the passage therethrough of the hand arbor of the clock move-
ment.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention the stand is made, preferably, of metal, cast in one
piece, and is formed with an internal receptacle or chamber adapted to contain a
clock or time-keeping movement. At a suitable point in one of the sides of the
chamber is a window or aperture, through which are displayed the hands and the
dial; the said aperture being provided with a hinged glass door.
The clock movement can be applied to or removed from the stand bodily. The
opening, through which the movement is inserted into the receptacle may be formed
at any convenient point in the lamp stand, as, for example, in the bottom of the
stand, and the movement may be held in place by screws which pass through the
stand into the bottom plute of the frame, which supports the working parts of the 1
movement. The upper end of the stand, in this instance, terminates in a socket,
which is used (in case a glass oil fount or bowl is employed to receive the peg of the
bowl, the clock movement is arranged so as to be long and slender) rather than
short and broad. Facility is thus afforded for adapting it to the lamp stein, without
appreciably increasing the thickness of the stem, thus better adapting the device to 1
be used with ordinary hand lamps.
Any convenient arrangement for winding the clock may be adopted, as, for
example, a key may be employed, inserted through the side of the stand, and
screwing on to the winding arbor of the movement.
The Invention is applicable as well to candlesticks and candelabra as to oil 2
lamps.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st
September 1878.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Clentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS, CANDLESTICKS, OR CANDELABRA." A
communication from abroad by Rufus Spaulding Merrill, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America.
The said Invention relates to portable or hand lamps in contradistinction to
lamps which are fixtures, and it has special reference to the lamp stand, that is to
say, that part of the lamp which supports the oil fount or bowl.
It has been found desirable to combine in one a lamp and a clock or timekeeper,
and to this end the said Invention consists of a novel construction of the lamp stand,
whereby it is adapted to contain a clock movement, that is to say, one independent
of the lamp, in the sense of boing so arranged that it can bodily be applied to or
removed from the stand, as occasion may require.
The stand is formed with a receptacle or chamber adapted to contain the clock
movement, and with an aperture through which is displayed the clock dial; or,
in case the dial is formed on the lamp stand, the aperture need only be sufficiently
large to admit of the passage therethrough of the hand arbor of the clock move-
ment.
In the accompanying Drawings, I have represented so much of a lamp as is
necessary for the purpose of enabling others to understand and use the said
Invention.
Figure 1 of the Drawings reprosents a side elevation of the lamp stand, with part
of the oil fount or bowl which surmounts it.
Figure 2 is a vertical central section of the same, with the clock movement
removed.
And Figure 3 is a perspective view of the clock movement detached.
The stand A is made preferably of metal, cast in one piece, and is formed with an
internal receptacle or chamber a, adapted to contain a clock or time-keeping move-
ment, such, for example, as is shewn in Figure 3. At a suitable point in one of the
sides of the chamber is a window or aperture b, through which are displayed the
hands and the dial. This aperture is to be provided with a hinged glass door, as
will be readily understood without further explanation.
The clock movement, shown detached in Figure 3, can be applied to or removed
from the stand bodily. The opening through which the movement is inserted
into the receptacle may be formed at any convenient point in the lamp stand.
In the example illustrated, the movement is inserted into the chainber through
the bottom of the stand, and is held in place by screws, which pass through the
stand into the bottom plate of the frame which supports the working parts of the
movement.
The upper end of the stand, in the example illustrated, terminates in a socket c,
which is used (when a glass oil fount or bowl is employed, as indicated at d) to
receive the peg of the bowl.
The clock movement is arranged so as to be long and slender, rather than short
and broad. It may thus be adapted to the lamp stem without appreciably increasing
the thickness of the stem, thereby facilitating the use of the device with ordinary
hand lamps.
Any convenient arrangement for winding the clock may be adopted. The lamp
shown in the Drawing is for this purpose fitted with a key, which is inserted
through the side of the stand at e, and screws on to the winding arbor of the move-
ment.
It is obvious that the said Invention is applicable to candlesticks and candelabra
as well as to oil lamps.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. A portable or hand lamp, whose stand is formed with an internal receptaclo
or chamber adapted to contain a clock movement, and with an aperture or
opening for displaying the clock dial or for the passage of the hand arbors of the
clock movement, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated by the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. A portable or hand lamp, in which the lamp stand, formed with an
internal receptacle or chamber and dial or hand arbor aperture, as herein set
forth, is combined with an independent clock movement, susceptible of being
bodily fitted into and removed from the said chamber, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Speci-
fication set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of September, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.