IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC Trown
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Fleeming Jenkin, of No. 5, Fittis Row, Edinburgh,
Professor of Civil Engineering in the University of Edinburgh, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC
Trown"
Sealed the 27th July 1869, and dated the 8th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Fleeming Jenkin
at the Office of the Coinmissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th February 1869.
I, FLEEMING JENKIN, of No. 5, Fittis Row, Edinburgh, Professor of Civil
Engineering in the University of Edinburgh, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC
LIGHT," to be as follows:-
This Invention is especially applicable to beacons and buoys, which
by, its use may be conveniently lighted by a voltaic battery: placed on
shore and communicating with the buoy or beacon. by a submarine cable."
The light is produced by a rapid succession of sparks due to successive

page_text: charges and discharges of a condenser charged directly from a voltaic battery
without the intervention of any induction coil. When my Invention is used
for this purpose the condenser is on the beacon, and the battery on shore
is connected with a terminal on the beacon by a submarine cable or aerial
wire. The condenser is charged and discharged by a tongue or contact
maker moving backwards and forwards between the battery terminal and
an earth terminal.
A somewhat similar plan has been adopted with a Ruhmdeorff induction
coil, but the new apparatus dispensing with the induction coil is less
likely to get out of order and converts a considerably larger proportion
of the energy of the battery into light. The motion of the tongue may
be produced by clockwork driven by a spring, which might be wound
up in some cases by the motion of the buoy or beacon as self-winding
watches are wound. The motion of the tongue might also be produced
by currents sent from shore through a second wire, which would move
the tongue by an electro-magnet as the tongue of a relay is moved in
the usual Morse instruments; the tongue might also be moved by the
motion of the buoy in some cases, and the tongue might also be worked
in a manner analogous to the trembleur of the ordinary bells. In order
to prevent the contacts where the sparks pass from wearing away too
rapidly the contact pieces may be made to revolve slowly so
distribute the action over a large surface. This motion may also be
produced by the motion of the buoy or beacon when floating. I apply
the charges and discharges of a similar condenser to the production
of the electric light for other purposes.
When the Invention is in connection with buoys or beacons it is not
essential that the condenser and contact maker should be on the buoy
or beacon, as the spark can be sent through a considerable length even
of a submerged cable. The spark may also be made to spring across
a partial vacuum.
2
3
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Fleeming Jenkin in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 7th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FLEEMING
JENKIN, of No. 5, Fittis Row, Edinburgh, Professor of Civil Engineering
in the University of Edinburgh, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Fleeming Jenkin, Her special licence that
I, the said Fleeming Jenkin, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Fleeming Jenkin, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR PRODUCING ELECTRIC LIGHT," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Fleeming Jenkin, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Fleeming Jenkin, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention is especially applicable to beacons and buoys, which
by its use may be conveniently lighted by a voltaic battery placed on
shore and communicating with the buoy or beacon by a submarine cable.
The light is produced by a rapid succession of sparks due to successive
charges and discharges of a condenser charged directly from a voltaic
battery without the intervention of any induction coil.
When my
Invention is used for this purpose the condenser is on the beacon, and
the battery on shore is connected with a terminal on the beacon by a
submarine cable or aerial wire. The condenser is charged and discharged
by a tongue or contact maker moving backwards and forwards between
the battery terminal and an earth terminal.
A somewhat similar plan has been adopted with a Rhumkorff
induction coil, but the new apparatus dispensing with the induction coil
is less likely to get out of order and converts a considerably larger
proportion of the energy of the battery into light. The motion of the

page_text: tongue may be produced by clockwork driven by a spring, which might
be wound up in some cases by the motion of the buoy or beacon as
self-winding watches are wound. The motion of the tongue might also
be produced by currents sent from shore through a second wire, which
would move the tongue by an electro-magnet as the tongue of a relay
is moved in the usual Morse instruments; the tongue might also be
moved by the motion of the buoy in some cases, and the tongue might also
be worked in a manner analogous to the trembleur of the ordinary bells-
In order to prevent the contacts where the sparks pass from wearing away
too rapidly the contact pieces may be made to revolve slowly so as to
distribute the action over a large surface. This motion may also be
produced by the motion of the buoy or beacon when floating. I apply
the charges and discharges of a simple condenser to the production of
the electric light for other purposes.
When the Invention is in connection with buoys or beacons it is not
essential that the condenser and contact maker should be on the buoy or
beacon, as the spark can be sent through a considerable length even of
a submerged cable. The spark may also be made to spring across a
partial vacuum.
In witness whereof, I, the said Fleeming Jenkin, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of July, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
FLEEMING JENKIN. (L.S.)