Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Electrically Lighting Miners' Safety Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Electrically
Lighting Miners' Safety Lamps.
We, WILLIAM ACKROYD of Birkenshaw, Colliery Proprietor, and WILLIAM
BEST, of Morley, Engineer, both near Leeds in the County of York, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to construct apparatus whereby minera safety
lamps may be lighted in a safer and more expeditious manner than heretofore,
and this without the necessity of employing expensive electrical generating
machinery.
According to our invention we provide a box or case, which is suitably divided
into three compartments. In the first of these compartments we place a "Grove"
or other strong battery, which is capable of producing a powerful current, such
compartment being provided with a lid for giving access to the interior, for the
purpose of replenishing or otherwise attending to the battery. In the second
compartment we provide an induction coil, which is fitted with a hammer and
condenser of the ordinary description, for the purpose of producing a strong induced
current. The hammer and parts which are liable to sparking, are covered in by
wire gauze or by air-tight metal covers, so as to prevent the said sparks coming
iuto contact with the external air. The third compartment is of or about the size
of a miners safety lamp, and is provided with a door for the purpose of giving
access to the interior. A spring conductor is situated within a suitable ring, at the
base of the compartment, and a second conductor also provided with a spring
movement, is attached to the side or upper end of the said compartment. An
electric switch, which may be boxed in by gauze or by other means, is actuated by
the opening and closing of the door, and the latter may have a glass inserted therein
for the purpose of viewing the interior.
A miners safety lamp is provided with a conductor, which passes through the
base and is insulated therefrom, the said conductor projecting into the combustion
chamber of the lamp, with its terminal or end situated at a suitable distance above
and to the side of the upper surface or edge of the wick tube.
When it is required to light a miners safety lamp with apparatus constructed as
above described, the door of the third compartment is opened and the lamp is placed
in the ring within same, thereby ensuring the contact of the spring conductor with
the insulated conductor in the lamp. The placing of the lamp in the said position
also brings the second spring conductor into contact with the frame of the said
lamp. The door is now closed, which actuates the switch and completes the
circuit, the current passing from the battery, through the coil and condenser, then
by way of the lower spring conductor, up through the projecting conductor in the
lamp, from the point at which it passes to the wick tube of the lamp, and thence
by way of the lamp frame and second spring conductor, back to the battery.
The current in passing from the projecting conductor to the upper surface of the
wick tube, creates a shower of sparks between the two points, which effectively
lights the wick of the lamp, the said light being at once seen through the glass in
the door. The opening of the door for the purpose of removing the lamp, actuates
the switch and cuts off the current.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatus for Electrically
Lighting Miners' Safety Lamps.
We, WILLIAM ACKROYD, of Birkenshaw, Colliery Proprietor, and WILLIAM
BEST, of Morley, Engineer, both near Leeds, in the County of York, du 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:-
The object of our invention is to construct apparatus whereby miners safety
lamps may be lighted in a safer and more expeditious manner than heretofore,.
and this without the necessity of employing expensive electrical generating
machinery.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood we will proceed to describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters refer
to like parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section shewing arrangement of electrical apparatus with
lamp in position, and Fig. 2 ie a vertical section of a portion of a lamp, all constructed
in accordance with our invention.
According to our invention, we provide a box or case A, which is divided into
three compartments B, C and D. In the department B we place a strong
battery E which is capable of producing a powerful current of electricity, and in
the compartment C we provide an induction coil F, which is fitted with a hammer G
and condenser II of the ordinary description, for the purpose of producing a strong
induced current. The hammer G is covered with a gauze or other protector J, so
as to prevent sparks formed at the said hammer from coming into contact with the
outside air, and other parts where sparks are likely to be generated may be similarly
protected if required. The compartments B and C are provided with a lid K, for
the purpose of giving access to the battery or the coil when desired. The com-
partment D, which is of a suitable size to receive a miner's lamp, is provided with
door for the purpose of giving access to the interior, and a non-conducting ring M
having an elastic ring M, is situated in the base of the compartment D for the
purpose of receiving the miners safety lamp which is required to be lit. A spring
conductor N is fitted within the ring M, anil a second conductor P is provided at
the upper part of the compartment D. R is an electric switch, for the purpose of
connecting and disconnecting wires S and T, and the latter when connected
together cause an electric current to pass from the battery E to the coil F, V being
the return wire to the battery E. W and X are wires which conduct the induced
current to the conductors N and P. a is the frame of the lamp, and b is a
conducting spindle which passes by way of an insulated tube d through the lamp
The spindle b is provided with a pointer which is situated at such a
distance from the wick tube h, that on the passage of an induced current from the
pointer fan electric flame is generated between the said pointer and the wick tube.
The insulated tube d is provided with a flange k in order to prevent the electric
current passing from the spindle to the lamp bottom e and thus causing an
external spark.
bottom e.
When it is desired to light a lamp with apparatus constructed according to our
invention, the lamp is placed in the ring M thus depressing the conductor N, and
the conductor P is adjusted and brought into contact with upper part of the lamp
frame a. The placing of the lamp in the above described position ensures the
effective contact of the conductors N and P respectively with the spindle 6 and
frame a, and on the switch R being actuated the circuit is completed in the coil F,
and an induced current is caused to pass through the conductor N up the spindle
to the pointer f, from which the said current passes to the wick tube h in an electric

page_text: flame which offectually ignites the wick of the lamp. The current returns to the
coil F by way of the lamp bottom e, frame a, conductor P, and wire X. If desired
the switch may be actuated by the opening and closing of the door, and a glass
front may be fitted to the said door for the purpose of viewing the lamp when the
door is closed,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for electrically lighting miners safety lamps, the spindle b,.
pointer, and insulated tube d, whereby through the medium of an induced current
an electric flame is caused to pass between the pointer and wick tube k, thereby
effectually igniting the wick of the lamp, substantially as set forth.
2. In apparatns for electrically lighting miners safety lamps, the conductor b,.
insulated tube d, pointer f, wick tube h, and conductors N and P, in combination
with an electric generator or container and an induction coil, and a condenser and
contact breaker, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination of the box A, induction coil F, hammer G, condenser H,
gauze J, wires S and T, switch R, wires W and X, wire V, and conductors N
and P, together with suitable apparatus attached to the lamp whereby the wick of
the latter may be lighted, substantially as set forth.
4. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of the various parts
forming our invention for improvements in or connected with apparatus for
electrically lighting miners safety lamps, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth together with any mere modification or modifications thereof.
1000
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.