IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SIGNAL LANTERNS OR LAMPS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Nunn, of 179, Saint George Street, in the
Parish of Saint George's in the East, in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer of Ships' and other Lamps and Signals, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SIGNAL LANTERNS OR LAMPS."
Sealed the 6th November 1863, and dated the 21st May 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Nunn at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st May 1863.
I, WILLIAM NUNN, of 179, Saint George Street, in the Parish of Saint
George's in the East, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer of Ships' and
other Lamps and Signals, do hereby declaro the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SIGNAL LANTERNS OR LAMPS," to be
as follows:-
It consists of an arrangement of lantern or lamp especially adapted to meet
the requirements of fishing vessels and open boats, which, by Article 9 of the
Merchant Shipping Amendment Act of 1862, if they do not carry the side
lights required to be used by other vessels, are required to carry a lantern
having a green slide on the one side and a red slide on the other side, and on
the approach of or to other vessels to exhibit such lantern in sufficient time
to prevent collision, so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side

page_text: nor the red light on the starboard side. By the same clause of the Act
referred to fishing vessels and open boats, when at anchor, must exhibit a
bright white light.
In order to comply with these requirements in a simple and effective
manner I make use of a lantern or lamp of circular or other convenient
form, the shell or cover of which is partly composed, on the one side, of a
green glass, and on the other side of a red glass, through which the light of a
lamp contained within may be seen. These red and green glasses are divided
from each other by a vertical division projecting forward from between them
in such manner as that when the lantern or lamp is fixed or held in a boat or
vessel with the division pointing forward (or in the direction of the boat's
course), the green light shall not be visible from the port sido nor the red
light from the starboard side. The colored glasses are farther provided with
slides moving horizontally, so that when required either one or both of them
may be obscured. The lamp whereby the green and red glasses are illumi-
nated is circular, or partly circular, in horizontal form, its glass or glasses
being cast or otherwise formed so that its or their vertical section shall be
concave within and convex without. Otherwise I make the glass or glasses
double convex in vertical section, thus enabling the illuminating light to be
placed exactly in the proper position as regards its curvature, and avoiding the
loss of light consequent on the light being situated between the foci of the
diametrically opposite sections of the glass or glasses. Glasses of the forms
described may also be made use of with advantage in lanterns employed for
various other purposes than those herein-before specially referred to. It is
also to be remarked that, where preferred, the glass or glasses of the illumi-
nating lamp may be of the plano-convex vertical section in ordinary use.
The illuminating lamp with its glass or glasses of uncolored glass, as
described, is capable of being fixed by a small catch or by catches, so that
when the lantern is held up or suspended, it (the illuminating lamp) shall
throw its light through the colored glasses as described; but when the catch
or catches is or are released, either the casing with its colored glasses shall
drop below the level of the light, which shall, in consequence, be seen without
their intervention, or otherwise the casing and colored glasses may be made
to remain fixed, and the lamp to drop below them. In order to secure the
lamp and casing in their relative positions when the uncolored light is shewn,
I make use of a spring of sufficient power to resist the action of the weight
coming upon it when the lamp is improperly held, but which readily yields
when it is required to have the lamp within the casing. It is obvious that

page_text: the arrangement for shewing the white and colored lights may be reversed;
that is to say, that the white or anchor light may be outside of the colored
glasses, which may be made to move up and down within it; or otherwise,
that the white glass can be made to rise or fall while the colored glasses
remain stationary.
The illuminating lamp I prefer to employ is formed with a flat or segmental
burner, around or about which the wick is placed, and which is hollow or
tubular in form, so as to convey a supply of air to the interior surface of the
wick.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Nunn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th November 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
NUNN, of 179, Saint George Street, in the Parish of Saint George's in the
East, in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer of Ships' and other Lamps
and Signals, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Ilor
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Nunn, Her special licence that I, the said William Nunn, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Nunn, 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, tho
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SIGNAL LANTERNS OR LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Nunn, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to bo
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Nunn, 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 :-
It consists of an arrangement of lantern or lamp especially adapted to meet
the requirements of fishing vessels and opon boats, which, by Article 9 of tho
Merchant Shipping Amendment Act of 1862, if they do not carry the side
lights required to be used by other vessels, are required to carry a lantern
having a green slide on the one side and a red slide on the other side, and on
the approach of or to other vessels to exhibit such lantern in sufficient time
to prevent collision, so that the green light shall not be seen on the port side
nor the red light on the starboard side. By the same clause of the Act
referred to fishing vessels and open boats, when at anchor, must exhibit a
bright white light.
In order to comply with these requirements in a simple and effective
manner I make use of a lantern or lamp of circular or other like convenient
form, the shell or cover of which is partly composed, on the ono side, of a
green glass, and on the other side of a red glass, through which the light of
a lamp contained within may be seen. These red and green glasses are
divided from each other by a vertical division projecting forward from between
them in such manner as that when the lantern or lamp is fixed or held in a
boat or vessel with the division pointing forward (or in the direction of the
boat's course) the green light shall not be visible from the port side, nor the
red light from the starboard side. The colored glasses are further provided
with slides moving horizontally, so that, when required, either one or both of
them may be obscured. The lamp whereby the green and red glasses are
illuminated is circular, or partly circular, in horizontal form, its glass or glasses
being cast or otherwise formed so that its or their vertical section shall be
concave within and convex without. Otherwise I make the glass or glasses
double convex in vertical section, thus enabling the illuminating light to be
placed exactly in the proper position as regards its curvature and avoiding tho
loss of light consequent on the light being situated between the foci of the
diametrically opposite sections of the glass or glasses. Glasses of the forms
described may also be made use of with advantage in lanterns employed for
various other purposes than those herein-before specially referred to. It is
also to be remarked that, where proferred, the glass or glasses of the illumi-
nating lanip may be of the plano-convex vertical section in ordinary use.
The illuminating lamp with its glass or glasses of uncolored glass, as

page_text: described, is capable of being fixed by a small catch or by catches, so that
when the lantern is held up or suspended, it (the illuminating lamp) shall
throw its light through the colored glasses as described; but when the catch
or catches is or are released, either the casing with its colored glasses shall
drop below the level of the light, which shall, in consequence, be seen without
their intervention, or otherwise the casing and colored glasses may be made
to remain fixed and the lamp to drop below them. In order to secure the
lamp and casing in their relative positions when the uncolored light is shewn,
I make use of a spring of sufficient power to resist the action of the weight
coming upon it when the lamp is improperly held, but which readily yields
when it is required to have the lamp within the casing. It is obvious that
the arrangement for showing the white and colored lights may be reversed;
that is to say, that the white or anchor light may be outside of the colored
glasses, which may be made to move up and down within it; or otherwise
that the white glass can be made to rise or fall while the colored glasses
remain stationary.
The illuminating lamp I prefer to employ is formed with a flat or segmental
burner, around or about which the wick is placed, and which is hollow or
tubular in form, so as to convey a supply of air to the interior surface of tho
wick.
The manner in which my Invention may be conveniently carried into effect
will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
Fig. 1 of which represents a horizontal section of a lantern constructed according
thereto when its parts are in position to exhibit the colored lights required to
be shewn by vessels in motion; Fig. 2, a front view of the same; Fig. 3, a
vertical section thereof; and Fig. 4, a side view of the lantern when its parts
are in position to exhibit the uncolored light required to be shewn by vessels
when at anchor. The same parts are marked with the same letters of
reference in all the Figures.
a represents the shell of the lantern, consisting, on the one side, of a red
glass a', and on the other side of a green glass a³, divided from each other
at the front of the lantern by a vertical division 6 projecting forward between
them, and at the back by a non-transparent metallic surface c, which, with
parts of the slides d and d', prevents the colored lights from being seen
directly backward of the lantern. The slides d and d', which are moveable in
a circular groove formed in the metallic casing of the lantern outside of the
colored glasses, when not drawn forward in these grooves for the purpose of
obscuring the light or protecting the colored glasses from accidental injury

page_text: while the lantern is not in use, are constructed to partially overlap each other
at the back of the lamp, as shown, so that when in that position they only
obscure so much of of the circumference of the lantern as is necessary to prevent
the colored lights from being visible directly backward, but are capable, when
drawn forward, of entirely covering and obscuring the colored glasses or lights.
The illuminating lamp e in this case is formed with a glass casing e', circular
in plan, and having its vertical section concave within and convex without.
It thus, when withdrawn from the casing or shell a, as shown at Fig. 4, forms
a complete and perfect anchor light, corresponding in shape and illuminating
power with lamps hitherto made specially for that purpose, and shewing its
light on every side in the same manner. The top and bottom, whereby
the glass or glasses of the inner or uncolored lantern or lamp is or are held in
their places, are secured to each other by light rods 6, which tie them to each
other in the manner usual with anchor lanterns, and by passing easily through
notches formed in the flange f, formed with or attached to the outer shell or
casing a, serve also as guides whereby the uncolored light is guided into and
out of the shell or casing a. When required to be used within the casing or
shell a (and to shew its light through the colored glasses, as required, for
sailing purposes), the uncolored lantern is held in its position by catches a³,
which, on being drawn back, immediately allow the uncolored lantern to be
raised out of the shell or casing a, or otherwise (if the entire lantern bo
suspended by the ring provided for that purpose), allow the shell or casing a
to fall below and to fully expose the uncolored or anchor light.
Fig. 5 represents a vertical section of the improved form of glass which I
purpose in some cases to employ for the inner or anchor light, and which
I believe will be found much more effective for its purpose than either the
plano-convex or concavo-convex vertical section of glass ordinarily employed.
This glass, like the one previously described, is circular in horizontal section,
so as to shew an uninterrupted uncolored light when required all around the
horizon, and is double convex in vertical section, as represented. Glasses
formed as described, and constituting an entire circle horizontally or segments
of a circle of the same vertical section as that described, and parallel or of
equal thickness throughout any one horizontal section thereof, may be used
with advantage for lanterns or lamps for various other purposes.
The forms of wick and burner which I prefer to make use of are shewn at
Figs. 6 and 7, which represent respectively a flat and a segmentally formed
burner intended to be used with tubular wicks similar to those employed for
the ordinary argand burner, like which these burners are provided with a

page_text: passage 9 whereby air is supplied, as in that burner, to the interior surface of
the wick. Otherwise the lantern or lamp may be constructed in such manner
as that the perfect circular anchor lantern or lamp of uncolored glass con-
taining the illuminating light or burner is made, for the colored glasses,
separated from each other at the front by a vertical division, as described (and
having a suitable non-transparent screen and slides or shutters to prevent the
colored lights from being seen at the back), to pass within and be contained
by it, as represented at Fig. 8, which is a vertical section of a lantern or lamp
so constructed when in use, showing the colored lights, as described.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be performed, I wish it to be clearly understood that
I am fully aware that lanterns or lamps have previously been proposed and
constructed for the purpose of either throwing an uncolored light all around,
or otherwise of causing such light to be seen through differently coloured
glasses, as required, I do not, therefore, lay any claim to novelty in respect of
such duplicate capability in the Invention described, but confine myself to the
manner of effecting such duplication whereby it is attained in a more simple,
efficient, and convenient manner than heretofore.
What I claim as new in respect of my said Invention is,―
Firstly, the combination of the anchor or uncolored lantern or lamp in its
complete and perfect form, as ordinarily employed, with a shell or casing
containing coloured glasses through which its light may be shewn when
required, substantially as described.
Secondly, the construction of a lantern or lamp to answer the combined
purposes of anchor and sailing lantern or lamp, in which combined lantern or
lamp the usual uncolored lantern or lamp constituting the anchor light in its
complete and perfect form as usually employed is (when the whole combined
lantern or lamp is required to be made use of for sailing purposes) passed into
or partly into and partly outside of the shell or casing containing the colored
glass or glasses, so that the light contained within such anchor lantern or lamp
may be shewn or displayed through such colored glass or glasses, and that the
entire combined lantern or lamp may, when in that position, occupy a propor-
tionately diminished space, substantially as described.
Thirdly, the use or employment of glasses or lenses double convex, in
vertical section, and constituting an entire or continuous circle or segment or
segments of such circle in plan, and having each horizontal section of such
circle or segment or segments parallel or of equal thickness throughout.
Fourthly, the use or employment of flat and segmental burners having a

page_text: central space whereby air is admitted upward to the inner side of the wick, in
the same manner as, or in a similar manner to, that usual with the ordinary
circular argand burner, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Nunn, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W. LLOYD WISE,
Chandos Chambers,
Adelphi, W.C.
WILLIAM (L.B.) NUNN.