IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE LAMPS, AND IN THE MEANS OF SUPPLYING ILLUMINATING C&G FITTED INTO "
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Sugg, of Vincent Street, in the City
of Westminster, Gas Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
RAILWAY CARRIAGE LAMPS, AND IN THE MEANS OF SUPPLYING ILLUMINATING
C&G FITTED INTO "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Sugg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st May 1880.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster, Gas
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN Railway Carriage LAMPS, AND IN THE MEANS
OF SUPPLYING ILLUMINATING GAS THERETO.
This Invention relates to improvements in railway carriage lamps in which
illuminating gas is burned, the objects being, first, to give steadiness to the flame,
and, secondly, to simplify the construction of the joint which connects the gas
supply pipes with the lamp.
Experience has shewn that when a train is travelling at a rapid pace or is met
by gusts of wind there is such a rush of air into the lamp as will create a partial
vacuum in parts of the lamps, and thereby produce great unsteadiness in the flame.
To avoid this I now propose to admit the air for supporting combustion through
tubes of any required number and capacity, which pass through the cylindrical
wall of the lamp and have both their outer and inner ends bent downwards.
Thus, while forming channels for the admission of air, they will prevent both the
direct and indirect action of external currents of air which may beat upon or
rapidly pass by the lamp. The lamp will in its general character be like those at
present in use, that is to say, it will have a glass bowl forming a closed bottom to
the lamp, and carried by a cylindrical frame pendent from the roof of the carriage.
Within this frame will hang a metal cylinder, to the top of which is hinged a
conical cap piece which closes the lamp at top. In the sides of this cap piece
openings are made for the escape of the gases of combustion, and set concentrically
around this cone are two baffle cylinders, under or over which the gases of
combustion have to pass on their passage to the open air. A baffle plate fitted
inside the cap piece and below the openings in its sides will serve to prevent any
down draft from affecting the light.

page_text: An external dome shaped cover fits over the lamp, leaving openings at its base
for the escape of the gases of combustion.
Through the upper part of the cylinder which carries the hinged cap piece the
pipe for supplying gas to the burner is passed, and at about the same level the bent
air tubes before mentioned are inserted in the walls of the cylinder, the inner ends
of the tubes leading down to and through an annular support for a conical reflector.
This reflector I prefer to make of what is known as "albutrine or white glass," and
over this I place a chimney of the same material which tapers towards its upper
end, and when used with a flat. flame burner is preferably flattened at its upper end
to correspond with a cross section of the flat flame.
In all cases, whatever the form of the burner employed, I propose to apply
thereto what I designate as a flash, burner, that is, a constantly burning jet supplied
with gas from a special pipe, and serving to light up the burner at those points in
the journey where an artificial light is required, as when passing in the day time
through long tunnels.
The pipe for supplying gas to the flash burner will conveniently enter the lamp
through the pipe which supplies gas to the burner proper.
When employing an argand burner in my improved lamp I replace the chimney
which is fitted to the reflector by an ordinary argand burner chimney set in a
gallery, as usual. In this case the flash burner will be situate in the centre of the
argand burner, but, when flat flame burners are used the flash burner will be at the
side, thereof.
In some cases I fit the lamp with my well known "Christiania" burner with its
white glass globe, and I then remove the reflector and the chimney above described.
The gas supply pipes for the lamps I connect together by means of a hollow plug,
which is common to both and is formed solid at its centre, thus dividing into two
parts the central passage in the plug. On either side of this division an annular
groove is turned in the plug, and these grooves are respectively brought into
connection with the central passages. Fitting over this plug is a sleeve which is
capable of turning thereon, and cast with this sleeve are two necks corresponding
in position with the annular grooves of the plug. These necks are intended to
receive respectively the ends of the gas pipes which lead into the lamp, and thus
the two pipes will be free to turn on one and the same joint when the 'lamp is
lifted out of or returned to its place.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Thomas Sugg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
November 1880.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster, Gas
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE LAMPS, AND IN THE MEANS
OF SUPPLYING ILLUMINATING GAS THERETO."
This Invention relates to improvements in railway carriage lamps in which
illuminating gas is burned, the objects being, first, to give steadiness to the flame,
and secondly, to simplify the construction of the joint which connects the gas
supply pipes with the lamp.
Experience has shewn that when a train is travelling at a rapid pace, or is met
by gusts of wind, there is such a rush of air into the lamp as will create a partial
vacuum in parts of the lamp, and thereby produce great unsteadiness in the flame.
To avoid this I now propose to admit the air for supporting combustion through
tubes of any required number and capacity, which pass through the cylindrical
wall of the lamp, and have both their outer and inner ends bent downwards.
Thus while forming channels for the admission of air they will prevent both the
direct and indirect action of external currents of air which may beat upon or
rapidly pass by the lamp.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a
railway carriage gas lamp constructed according to my Invention, it being fitted
with a flat flame burner and what is known as a flash burner, and Fig. 2 is a
sectional plan view of this lamp taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1.
The lamp, it will be seen, is in its general character like those at present in use,
that is to say, it has a glass bowl A forming a closed bottom to the lamp, and
carried by a cylindrical frame or case B pendent from the roof of the carriage.
Within this frame B hangs a metal cylinder C, to the top of which is hinged a cap
piece or cover D which closes the lamp at top.
Fitting in the bottom part of this cover is a coned with an opening at top, above
which is placed a baffle plate d. Set above this baffle plate is an inner cone d³
which is pierced with holes to allow of the passage through it of the gases of
combustion, which rise through the centre of the cone & and pass round the edges
of the baffle plate to the cone d³.
Set around this cone is a short vertical cylinder d³ which is open at both ends,
and surrounding it is an external cylinder forming a portion of the cover D.
Fitted to the upper end of this cylindrical portion of the cover is a shield, which is
so fixed as to provide an annular opening for the escape of the gases of combustion
over the top edge of the cylindrical portion of the cover; thus a zigzag passage is
provided for the escape of the gases of combustion, while all tendency to indraught
through the cover is avoided.
Through the upper part of the cylinder C which carries the hinged' cap piece,
the pipes E, E*, for supplying gas to the burners are passed, and at about the same
level bent air tubes F, F, are inserted in the walls of the cylinder. The inner ends
of the tubes F terminate in flanges which serve to support a conical reflector G
composed of porcelain or other suitable material, and the outer bent down ends I
close by preference with wire gauze. The reflector G I attach by screws to a metal
plate H, which is formed with feet to rest upon the flanges of the air tubes F.
Mounted upon this metal plate H is a conical chimney I of cast iron, which is made
fast to the plate by the screws which attach the reflector thereto passing through
the flange of the chimney.

page_text: K is a flat flame burner attached to the pendent pipe E, and cast with it is a
nozzle K for the flash burner. Connecting with this nozzle is a second supply
pipe E*, which will maintain a constant supply to the flash burner whether the
supply in the pipe E be on or off.
From the foregoing it will be seen that whatever may be the direction of the
wind the supply of air to support combustion will be completely controlled by its
being drawn down through the pipes F to the burner, and thus a steady flame will
be maintained in the lamp.
It will be understood that in all cases, whatever the form of the burner employed,
propose to apply thereto a flash burner that is constantly burning yet supplied
with gas from a special pipe, and serving to light up the burner at those points in
the journey where an artificial light is required, as when passing in the day time
through long tunnels.
Fig. 3 shews in side elevation, and Fig. 4 in sectional plan view taken in the
line 3, 4, of Fig. 3, a railway carriage lamp fitted with an argand burner. In this
case it will be seen that I replace the chimney which is fitted to the reflector by
an ordinary argand burner chimney set in a gallery as usual, and I place the flash
burner in the centre of the argand burner instead of, as in the first example, at the
side thereof.
In Sheet II. of the accompanying Drawings Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the
line 1, 2, of Fig. 6 of another kind of railway lamp fitted with my improvements;
and Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same taken on the line 3, 4; of Fig. 5. A is the
glass; B, the case; C, the cover; D, the reflector; which rests upon the glass A and
carries on its upper side a perforated cylinder d. On the top of this cylinder rests a
plate d which carries a chimney d². Surrounding this chimney is a short cylinder d³,
which is supported by a coiled spring d' attached thereto and to the plate d¹.
Secured to the upper end of the cylinder d³ is a convex plate d³, the edges of which
extend to the sides of the cover, and above the plate is a cone ds which serves to
convey the gases of combustion into the top of the cover. The object of this
arrangement is to hold the reflector securely against the glass and prevent rattling,
as the cover when it is closed down will press upon the edges of the plate d³, which
in turn will compress the coiled spring d', and thus apply pressure upon the back
of the reflector through the plate d¹ and cylinder d.
The gas is supplied to the burner, which in the Figure is an argand burner with
a glass chimney, by the pipes E, E*, in the manner before explained.
The air is supplied to the burner through large and small pipes F, F* (sec.
Figs: & 6) fixed inside the casing B of the lamp. The air is drawn in at the
upper ends of the tubes, and passes from the small tubes F* at once into the lamp.
From the large tubes F the air 'passes through openings f into an annular
recess outside the lamp casing, from whence it passes through the small openings f
into the lamp. The annular recess is formed by cutting a groove, or rebate round
the edge of the lamp hole in the roof of the carriage.
In Fig. 7 I have shewn in elevation a railway lamp constructed as above described
and fitted with my well known "Christiania" burner, with its white glass globe.
In this case I am enabled to dispense with the reflector D, and all the parts
from d to dº.
When using the "Christiania" burner with a lamp constructed according to
Fig. 1, Sheet I., I dispense with the reflector G, plate H, and chimney I, the other
parts remaining the same.
I will now describe the second head of my Invention, which relates as above
stated to a novel construction of joint for supplying gas to the lamp; Fig. 8,
Sheet II., is a horizontal section of my improved gas joint, which is also illustrated
in Sheet I. at Figures 1 and 2.
.The gas supply pipes E, E*, I connect to the pipes L, L, which run along the
roofs of the carriages by means of a sleeve M, which works on, a hollow, plug M
,

page_text: forming part of a cranked tubular coupled piece N. The main supply pipe L is
attached to the tubular piece N, and the pipe L* to the end of the hollow plug M*.
This hollow plug is formed solid at its centre, thus dividing into two parts the
central passage in the plug. On either side of this division an annular groove is
turned in the plug. These grooves n, n*, are respectively brought into connection
with the central passages of the plug, and with necks in the sleeve M into which
the pipes E, E, are attached. This sleeve is free to turn on the plug like a hinged
joint, and thus the two pipes will be free to move on one and the same joint when
the lamp is lifted out of or returned to its place in the carriage.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Railway
Carriage Lamps, and in the Means of Supplying Illuminating Gas thereto," and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood
that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I claim,-
First. The means above described for controlling the supply of air to railway
carriage gas lamps, and securing a steady flame therein.
Secondly. The construction of gas joint above described for supplying two
streams of gas simultaneously to the gas burners of railway carriage lamps.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Sugg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Nineteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM T. SUGG. (LS.)