CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE SIGNAL LAMPS. FOR RAILWAY. MARINE. AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Strafford, Lamp Maker, of Stratford, in the
County of. Essex, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE
SIGNAL LAMPS. FOR RAILWAY. MARINE. AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 22nd July 1856, and dated the 24th January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Strafford at the,
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
January 1856.
I, JOHN STRAFFORD, Lamp Maker, of.Stratford, in the County of Essex, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
PORTABLE SIGNAL LAMPS, FOR RAILWAY, MARINE, AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
My improvements consist in making the plain and coloured glasses for such,
lamps round, and fitting the moveable glass or glasses according to the required
color or colors in a metallic frame or frames, fixed on a centre placed vertically
above the rim of the white or fixed glass, and above which is a shield or screen,
circular or otherwise placed in such a position,. that the frame or frames
containing the coloured may be moved round on the centre before described,
and lay in suitable receptacles behind the screen, to be, there retained by.
springs according to the number of coloured glasses used, which, as required,
may be liberated and turned down over the plain glass, giving the required
signal. This form of lamp enables me to keep the burner low, thereby, making

page_text: it much more agreeable to hold in the hand when used as a hand signal lamp,
as the oil chamber may be brought up each side following the curve of the
fixed glass, thus giving capacity without occupying much room; the reflector
at the back being made the same size as the glass, rests and fits on the curved
top of the oil chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Strafford in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd July 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
STRAFFORD, Lamp Maker, of Stratford, in the County of Essex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Strafford, Her special licence that I, the said John Strafford, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Strafford, my executors, administrators, 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTABLE
SIGNAL LAMPS, FOR RAILWAY, MARINE, AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Strafford, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of my 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
nionths next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Strafford, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) -
My improvements in the description of lamps named in the title, principally
consist in arranging, placing, and fixing the colored glasses, by the aid of which
particular signals are denoted; and from the arrangement of such glasses, the
general form of such lanip will be much improved, and allow of more internal
capacity than is generally obtained in ordinary signal lamps, from which cause

page_text: glass frames F and II, placed in their proper position,, when out of use; behind
the shield B. L is simply a box to protect the spring catch E, by which the
green signal H is retained, and M is a stay secured to the top of the lamp;
and on the inside of the shield, to strengthen and support it; N is the side
door, extending the whole size of the side of the lamp; by which means it is
trimmed, and of course may be placed on either side of the lamp as .con-
venience may suggest; and O is simply an additional handle placed: behind for
holding up the lamp when required to be held in particular positions. :
Figure 3 is a top view of..Figure 1, shewing the stay M and the corre
sponding one on the other side marked.P, as also the spring box L and tlie
corresponding one on the under side'for the catch D..
.. Figure 4 represents in a detached view the forni of the spring stop I, behind
which the wires attached to the knobs J, J, pass when either of the signal
glasses are placed down for use.
Figure 5 represents a detached front view of the reservoir for. the oil, marked
Q, the burner R, the reflector S, the feed pipe T, and the ring loop by which
it is pulled in or out from the lamp, marked U; the reservoir for the oil taking
the form of the reflector behind, and the glass:in front allows the.burner to be
kept low in the lamp, as the reservoir rising up on each side of the liglit
increases its capacity for 'holding the required quantity of oil.
And. Figure 6 is an end view of the last: Figure; shewing an edge view of
the reflector S, and a front view of the ring or loopiU, and in this view L.also
represent the front of. a little. tin drawer marked V, to be used for holding
matches, and being placed here it is entirely out of the way and occupies no
space, as the. reservoir for. holding the oil is obliged to be kept up from the
bottom of the lamp.in order that the air may have free ingress."
I have not thought it necessary to make further drawings, as the only
alteration that would be required to carry out the principles of the lamp here
exhibited, and make it applicable for head and. tail, or marine signal lamps,
would be to fit them with the necessary. straps and requirements for holding
or applying them in the desired position for denoting the required signal,
increasing or diminishing the size in proportion to their position or to the
strength of the light desired.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details as here, represented, or to any particular
size or shape of lamp, or to the number of colors with which the lamp may be
fitted; but what I do claim as my Invention is, the application, to hand or
portable. signal lamps, of a circular shield; placed as represented in the

page_text: Drawings marked B, for protecting and holding the signal glasses when out of
use, as also the circular metal frames, described and shewn in dotted. lines at
F, H, working on an axis as represented at C, and their attendant parts, as
also the shape and form of the oil reservoir and match drawer marked V, as
exhibited in front and end views at Figures 5 and 6, without any regard
to the size thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Strafford, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 14th day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
DAVID YATES.
JOHN STRAFFORD. (L.S.)