Improvements in Miners' Safety Lamps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1894-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1894
Improvements in Miners' Safety Lamps.
I, JOHN COOPER, of 46, Warstone Lane, in the City of Birmingham, Manu-
facturing Jeweller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed improvements in miners' safety
lamps. My invention is applicable to miners' safety lamps of all kinds and par-
ticularly to such as have the upper gauze protected by a glass bonnet as described
in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 11757 of A.D. 1889 granted to Lewis
Jenkins.
The first part of my said invention consists of the hereindescribed improved
means for admitting air to the flame through the lower tubular part of the lamp so
as to prevent the light being blown out or otherwise affected when the lamp is used
in places where there are strong air currents. In carrying out this part of my
invention the tubular lower part of the lamp to which the oil vessel is screwed or
otherwise secured is made with one two or more air inlets preferably of circular
Each of these wire
form and each protected by a wire gauze cap fixed thereto.
gauze caps is preferably fixed to a small sheet metal ring which rings are fixed in
the said air inlet holes in the lower part of the lamp. Surrounding the said lower
part of the lamp and resting upon the bottom flange thereof so as to form an
annular air space is a metal ring preferably loose so as to give access to the said
wire gauze over the air holes. This ring is by preference made somewhat deeper
than the air inlet holes so as to extend above and below the same and in this metal
ring there are a number of small air holes preferably arranged in two rows one row
near the top and the other row. near the bottom of the said ring so that the air
entering these small holes in the ring will not impinge directly upon the gauze
covered holes in the lower part of the lamp but will impinge against the lower part
of the lamp and then be carried round to the gauze covered air holes thus breaking
the currents and preventing the flame being affected even when the lamp is held in
a strong air current. The said lower part of the lamp body is by preference made
with an annular groove above the air holes and an annular groove below the air
holes corresponding with the small air holes in the ring so that a strong current
one side of the lanip will pass along the annular grooves and out through the holes
at the other side. The said metal ring is by preference made loose so that it can
le raised for cleaning the wire gauzes over the air inlet holes, or when it is desired
to test for gas above the bottom of the lamp one or more of these air inlet holes
can be closed by the thumb and fingers and cause the air or gas to be drawn down
into the lamp from the top thereof.
The second part of this invention consists of the following improved construction
and arrangement of the parts of the miners' safety lamps whereby the cost of
manufacture is reduced and the internal parts can more readily be removed and
replaced when desired for cleaning or renewal. This part of my said invention I
carry out as follows:-Carried at a certain distance above the lower part of the
lamp by pillars fixed thereto I provide a hollow metal ring of tubular section which
I call the outer ring to the top of which are screwed or otherwise secured five or
inore or less small tubes which are continued right up through the top of the lamp.
These tubes are for the purpose of supporting the top part of the lamp and for
bringing air or gas down into the said tubular metal ring from which the air or gas
can pass through holes formed in the inner part of the ring and through the usual

page_text: upper wire gauze bonnet down to the flame. Within the said outer ring there is
an inner ring preferably made of thin sheet metal and with holes to correspond
with the holes in the outer ring. This inner ring is made with a flange at the top
upon which the upper glass bonnet or metal bonnet rests and with a recessed flange
below in which fits the bottom flange of the wire gauze bonnet and the top of the
lower glass tube which surrounds the flame this glass resting on a ring screwed into
the lower part of the lamp. Thus by removing the oil vessel from the lower part
of the lamp both glasses and the inner ring and wire gauze or wire gauzes can all
be removed through the lower part of the lamp without having to disturb or dis-
connect the upper part thereof. The top part of the lamp through which the said
small tubes pass by preference consists of a top cap and a short distance below
the cap there is a circular plate against which the top of the glass bonnet fits the
said tubes passing through holes in the plate and in the cap and between the plate
and the cap there are threaded small tubular washers to keep the cap and the plate
at the proper distance apart. The products of combustion from the lamp pass up
and through the upper wire gauze bonnet and out through the spaces between the
circular plate and the cap at the top of the lamp. This lamp is always ready for
testing for gas in any part of the roof by simply holding up the lamp when lighted
to the part of the roof to be tested when the gas or air will by the flame be drawn
down into the lamp through the tubes and if there is any gas it will be seen burning
in the inside of the lamp.
Dated this 19th day of October 1893.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miners' Safety Lamps.
1, JOHN COOPER, of 46, Warstone Lane, in the City of Birmingham, Manu-
facturing Jeweller, 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 :-
This invention consists of the herein-described improvements in miners' safety
lamps. My invention is applicable to miners' safety lamps of all kinds and
particularly to such as have the upper gauze protected by a glass bonnet as
described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 11757 of A.D. 1889 granted
to Lewis Jenkins.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a miners' safety lamp embodying my improve-
ments; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same;
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of the upper glass bonnet of the same separately;
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the upper gauze of the same and inner
perforated ring;
Fig. 4 shews the said perforated ring separately;
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the bottom glass of the lamp and
Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the ring which secures the upper glass bonnet
upper gauze and bottom glass in place in the lamp frame as hereinafter described;
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the lamp frame separate from the other
parts;
Fig. 8 shews separately one of the wire gauze caps with its metal ring which
are fixed in the lower part of the lamp as hereinafter described and
Fig. 9 shews in sectional elevation and front elevation a portion of the lower
part of the lamp with one of the wire gauze caps and its ring fixed in place;

page_text: Fig. 10 is an elevation and pian or the ame ring or
said lamp and
Fig. 11 is a front elevation and sectional plan of the air regulating ring of the
same;
Figs. 12 and 13 each shew a plan of the lower part of the lamp to illustrate
slight modifications of my invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures of the drawings.
The first part of my said invention consists of the bereindescribed improved
means for admitting air to the flame through the lower tubular part of the lamp so
as to prevent the light being blown out or otherwise affected when the lamp is used
in places where there are strong air currents. In carrying out this part of my
invention the tubular lower part A of the lamp to which the oil vessel B is screwed
or otherwise secured is made with one two or more air inlets e (in the lamp shewn
on my drawings there are five of these inlets) preferably of circular form as shewn
and each protected by a wire gauze cap d¹ fixed thereto. Each of these wire
gauze caps is by preference fixed to a small sheet metal ring d² see Figs. 7
and 8 which rings d2 are fixed in the said air inlet holes e in the lower part of the
lamp. By an examination of Figs. 7 and 8 it will be seen that the sheet metal
ring d² is closed over and round the wire gauze cap d' forming a flange which fits
in the correspondingly recessed hole c where the ring and wire gauze cap d' are
secured by soldering on the outside. Surrounding the lower part A of the lamp
and resting upon the bottom flange a' of the same so as to form an annular air
space there is a metal baffle ring E, shewn separately by Fig. 10, made loose so as
to turn and so as to be easily removed to give access for cleaning the wire gauze
caps d. This ring E is made somewhat deeper than the air inlet hole c so as to
extend above and below the same and in this metal ring E there is a number of
small air inlet holes e preferably arranged in two rows as shewn one row near the
top and the other row near the bottom of the ring E so that the air entering these
small holes e in the ring E will not impinge directly upon the gauze covered holes c
in the lower part A of the lamp but will impinge against blank parts of the lower
part A and then be carried indirectly to the gauze covered air holes e thus
breaking the air currents and preventing the flame being affected even when the
lamp is held in a strong air current. Or instead of or in addition to the ring E
being made with air holes e there may as shewn in Figs. 12 and 13 be small air
inlet holes or notches a formed in the upper flange a² of the lower part A of the
lamp. When it is desired to test for gas above the bottom of the lamp one or
more of these air inlet holes e' or a³ can be closed as by the thumb and fingers or
by other means and thus cause the air or gas to be drawn down into the lamp from
the top thereof through the small tubes F of the upper part of the lamp herein-
after described. In order to thus close or partly close the air holes e there may be
a sliding metal regulating ring G shewn separately by Fig. 11 arranged to clip the
lower part A of the lamp within the outer ring E; this metal ring G being
perforated with holes g' corresponding with the holes cand this ring G is made
with one or more projections 2 which engage in notches 2 in the outer ring E so
that by turning this outer ring E the inner ring G will also be turned to close or
partly close or open the gauze covered air holes c.
The second part of this invention consists of the following improved construction
and arrangement of the parts of a miners' safety lamp whereby the cost of
manufacture is reduced and the internal parts can more readily be removed and
replaced when desired for cleaning or renewal. This part of my said invention [
carry out as follows:-Carried at a convenient distance above the lower part A of
the lamp by pillars say five in number marked h fixed thereto provide a hollow
metal ring I of tubular section which I call the outer ring and to the top of which
are screwed or otherwise secured five or a greater or smaller number of small
tubes F which are continued right up through the top JJ2 of the lamp. These
tubes F are for the purpose of supporting the top part J J of the lamp and for

page_text: bringing air or gas down into the tubular metal ring I from which the air or gas
will pass through holes ¹ formed in the inner part of the ring I and through the
usual upper wire gauze bonnet K down to the flame. Within this outer ring I
there is an inner ring L shewn separately by Fig. 4* preferably made of thin sheet
metal and with holes to correspond with the holes in the outer ring I. This
inner ring L is made with a flange 12 at the top upon which the upper glass
bonnet M or metal bonnet rests and is also made with a recessed flange below in
which fits the bottom flange k¹ of the wire gauze bonnet K and also the top
of the lower glass tube N which surrounds the flame, this glass resting on the
ring screwed into the lower part A of the lamp. This construction will be
clearly understood from the foregoing description and from an examination of
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 4*, 5, 6 and 7. By first removing the oil vessel B from the lower
part A of the lamp the ring O can be unscrewed and removed and then the lower
glass N, upper wire gauze K, inner ring L, and upper glass M, can all be removed
through the lower part A of the lamp without having to disturb or disconnect the
upper part of the same. The top part J J2 of the lamp through which the small
tubes F pass is by preference formed of a top cap J' and a short distance below
this cap there is a plate J' made with a circular recess j' against which the top of
the glass bonnet M fits, the tubes F passing through corresponding holes in the
plate J2 and in the cap J¹ and between this plate and cap there are threaded
small tubular washers to keep the cap J' and plate J2 at the proper distance
apart.
The various joints between the parts, namely between the plate J³, upper
glass M, inner ring L, lower glass N, and bottom ring O, are made gas tight by
asbestos washers or by other means as will be readily understood so as to prevent
any gas getting to the flame or into the glass bonnet M, when the lamp is lighted,
except through the wire gauze caps d' or upper gauze K.
The products of combustion from the lamp pass up and through the upper wire
gauze bonnet K and out through the space between the circular plate J and the
cap Jat the top of the lamp. For extra security there may be a wire gauze
disc fitting in the recess j' in the plate J2 on the top of the glass bonnet M.
In order to test for gas in any part of the roof the lamp above described has
simply to be lighted and held up to the part of the roof to be tested (the holes c
being closed if desired) when the gas or air will by the flame be drawn down
into the lamp through the tubes F and if there is any gas it will be seen burning
inside the lamp.
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 miners' safety lamp, making the tubular lower part of the same with
small air inlet holes such as c each covered by a wire gauze cap fixed therein,
substantially as described.
2. In a miners' safety lamp provided with wire gauze caps fixed in the air inlet
holes of the tubular lower parts of the lamp as denoted under Claim one, fixing
each of the said wire gauze caps in the air inlet holes by means of a sheet metal
ring such as d² closed around the wire gauze cap and fitting in the air hole
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9 of the
accompanying drawings.
3. In a miners' safety lamp and in combination with the tubular lower part of
the same provided with small air inlet holes such as c each covered by a wire gauze
cap fixed therein, the air baffle ring E arranged round the said air holes so as to
regulate the admission of air thereto and prevent the air impinging directly upon
the said air holes, substantially as described.
4. The herein described improved construction of the frame of a miners' safety
lamp, consisting of the combination of the tubular bottom part A, pillars h,
tubular metal ring I, tubes F and the top part of the lamp, all fixed together and

page_text: arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
5. The herein described improved construction of the frame of a miners' safety
lamp, consisting of the combination of the tubular bottom part A, pillars h,
tubular ring I, tubes F, top part J J2 threaded on tubes F with tubular washers
between them, the parts being fixed together and arranged substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
6. In a miners' safety lamp the combination with the upper wire gauze
bonnet K and glass or other bonnet M surrounding the same, of the tubular
metal ring I, tubes F and inner ring L, all arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn so as to lead the air and gas from outside the top of the lamp
to the lower part of the wire gauze bonnet substantially as set forth.
7. In a miners' safety lamp and in combination with the lamp frame, the wire
gauze bonnet K, the glass or other bonnet M surrounding the same, the inner
perforated metal ring L, the lower glass N and bottom ring O all fitting together
and to the lamp frame in the manner substantially as described so as to be
removable from the open bottom of the lamp frame when the oil vessel has been
removed, substantially as set forth.
8. In a miners' safety lamp and in combination with the upper wire gauze
bonnet K thereof, the employment of the perforated inner ring L substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
9. Miners' safety lamps constructed in the manner substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of July 1894.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.