A New System of Lighthouse Illumination.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 15th Apr.. 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New System of Lighthouse Illumination.
I, JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, Lighthouse Engineer of 33 Capel Street
Dublin, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
In Letters Patent granted to me 1160/1879 and 2247/1891 for improvements in
the illumination of lighthouses, gas burners are described having variable powers
applicable according as the state of the atmosphere in clear or foggy weather
renders it necessary. But whereas the gas for these burners or lamps requires to
be manufactured at the lighthouse, and in certain places difficult of access or where
there is not much room, such as outlying rocks and also light ships it is difficult to
erect ordinary gas making apparatus, my present invention provides that for such
places or for any others where a great light is required, comparable to the gas lights
now in use in lighthouses and superior to any light obtainable from oil, lights of
such well known types as those called the "Lucigene lamp," the "Comet lamp,"
the "Wells lamp" &c. &c. in which the ordinary petroleum or paraffin or similar
oils of commerce or crude paraffin or petroleum or similar oils, heated vapourised
and burned as gas in the manner peculiar to those lamps, constitute the illuminating
agent, may be used; and consists in a method of applying such lights for lighthouse
purposes so that they may be increased or diminished in illuminating power
according to the state of the atmosphere whether in clear or foggy weather. By
the use of sliding joints or ground in swivel connections or by flexible joints
connected or unconnected with guides or rails, I enlarge or diminish or contract the
diameter or height of the flame and I increase or diminish the intensity thereof to
suit the focal requirements of the lenticular apparatus and the varying states of the
atmosphere. I do this either with the flame of one lamp or a combination of flames
from several lamps as may be best suited to the circumstances of the case and the
lenticular apparatus whether for fixed, revolving or intermittent lights. I also
intensify the illuminating power of these lights by combining with their flames
lycopodium, naphthaline, magnesium, strontium or other chemical agent for varying
the colour or power of the light and I do this by blowing them in a state of powder
into the flame by means of a current of air.
Dated this 30th day of May 1892.
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New System of Lighthouse Illumination.
I, JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, Lighthouse Engineer, of 33 Capel Street
Dublin 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 :-
In Letters Patent granted to me 1160/1879 and 2247/1891 for improvements in
the illumination of lighthouses, gas burners are described having variable powers
applicable according as the state of the atmosphere in clear or foggy weather
renders it necessary.
But whereas the gas for these burners or lamps requires to
be manufactured at the lighthouse, and in certain places difficult of access, or where
there is not much room, such as outlying rocks, and also lightships, it is difficult to
erect ordinary gas making apparatus, my present invention provides that for such
places or for any others where a great light is required, comparable to the gas
lights now in use in lighthouses, and superior to any light obtainable from oil, lights
[Price Rd 1

page_text: of such well known types as those called the "Lucigene lamp," the "Comet lamp,
the "Wells lamp "&c. in which the ordinary petroleum or paraffin or similar oils
of commerce or crude paraffin or petroleum or similar oils, heated, vapourised and
burned as gas in the manner peculiar to those lamps, constitute the illuminating
agent, may be used; and consists in a method of applying such lights for lighthouse
purposes so that they may be increased or diminished in illuminating power
according to the state of the atmosphere, whether in clear or foggy weather. By
the use of sliding joints or ground in swivel connections or by flexible joints
connected or unconnected with guides or rails, I enlarge or diminish or contract the
diameter or height of the flame and I increase or diminish the intensity thereof to
suit the focal requirements of the lenticular apparatus and the varying states of the
atmosphere. I do this either with the flame of one lamp or a combination of flames
from several lamps as may be best suited to the circumstances of the case and the
lenticular apparatus, whether for fixed, revolving or intermittent lights, see
Figure 1 in accompanying drawing;-plan and elevation of 3 lamps combined, in
which a a² a3 are lamps supported on tubular pillars d' d² d³, connected to flexible
tubes ³, and by these tubes to the reservoir containing the oil. By means of
these flexible tubes or sliding joints, Fig. 2, or ground in swivel joints, Fig. 3,
which may be made so that the supply of oil may be stopped when they are turned
back, or by means of a combination of these joints or of these joints and tubes, I
move the lamps about, connected or unconnected with guides or rails or slots c', c², c³,
so that the flame from one lamp only or the combined flames of two or more lamps
may be used; and in the case of the combined flames I enlarge or diminish the
resultant flame in width and height by bringing the lamps together or moving them
apart.
I intensify the illuminating power of these lights by combining with their flames
lycopodium, naphthaline, magnesium, strontium or other chemical agent for varying
the colour or power of the light. Fig. 4 shows an arrangement suitable for this
purpose. The vessel k is supplied with the chemical agent above mentioned in the
form of powder through the screw f and a current of air, introduced by the tube g.
blows the powder through the nozzle h. into such part of the flame as may be
considered most desirable.
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 use for lighthouses of portable gas lamps as above described.
2. The enlargement, diminution or contraction of the flames of such lamps to
meet the requirements of the weather as above described.
3. The increasing of the intensity or altering of the colour of these flames by the
introduction into them of the ingredients above described.
1
Dated this 1st day of March 1893.
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM.