CERTAIN NEW IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GLASS AND METAL CHANDELIERS, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR ORNAMENTAL LIGHTING
Year: 1829

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS-
OSLER, of Birmingham, in. the County of Warwick, Chandelier Furniture-
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty. King George the Fourth, by.
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Tenth day of November, in the tenth year of. His reign, did,.
of His especial grace, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Thomas Osler, my exors, admors, and assigns, His especial.
licence that I, the said Thomas Osler, my exors, admors, and assigns, by
myself and themselves, or by my and their deputy or deputies, servants or
agents, or such others as I, the said Thomas Osler, my exors, admors, or assigns,..
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times.
thereafter during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, my Invention of "CERTAIN NEW IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF GLASS AND METAL CHANDELIERS, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR
ORNAMENTAL LIGHTING," within that part of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland called England, the Dominion of Wales and Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed; in which said Letters Patent there is contained a
proviso-obliging.me, the said Thomas Osler, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to
cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had,.
will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: --NOW KNOW-YE-that-in compliance with the-said- proviso, I,-the said
Thomas Osler, do hereby declares that the nature of my said Invention,, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is described and ascertained
as follows (that is to say).:—
My invention-or-improvements consists of a method of combining separate -5
and detached prismatic and other pieces of flint, glass herein after described
in such a manner as to produce various ornamental and refractive forms
and substances not hitherto used, and applying them to the manufacture of
glass and metal chandeliers or other articles employed in ornamental lighting.
The pieces of glass selected for this purpose are either prisms; by which I 1
mean pieces of glass cut into different oblong surfaces, the sides of which are
parallelograms pyramidial, having their respective surfaces convergent towards
a point. I have found those prisms produce the best effect which are: trilateral
and equilateral, by which I mean such as have equilateral triangles, for their
bases, and the same observation will apply to pyramidal pieces. And these 1
separate pieces being cut to the "dimensions required and very laccurately?
polished, are to be arranged, combined, and fastened together by methods
which will be readily understood with the assistance of the annexed Drawings.
"
Having manufactured of procured such pieces of flint glass aseare_before
described, and two of which are shewn in Figures 1 and 2; I next.cut away a 2
small portion from each end, in the manner exhibited in Figures 3 and 4
leaving a small portion on one side as a projection or ledge (see ¨ã‚â; ‹à‚‹α);"
to be fixed into light metallic frames, which purpose will be best completed.
by some strong cementing substance. These frames may be made.of almost
any metal, but for economy and facility of working experience has led me to 2
prefer fine-brass of the best quality, which is afterwards plated with silver,
and preserved from discoloration by sány, transparent and, colorless*.varnish!:
The frames consist of two circular grooves of any required diameter; which,
being carefully turned out with a strap or bar across each (see:b, b, Figures 5
and 6), are united to each other by a hollow or solid rod or pillar from centress
to centre (see c, c, Figure 7), and have, a notch or opening (d, d.) into the
groove of such a size as will easily admit the glass projection or ledge before.
spoken of, and represented at a, a, a, a, in Figures 3 and 4. This aperture
may be out in one or both of the circular grooves; for although one opening
will in general be found quite sufficient. I am not aware of any practical 3
objection to the use of one in each groove When it is intended to apply
one of these combinations as a covering to the reservoir of a lamp, or for the
concealment of anything unsightly, two, three, or more slips of metal fixed at-
each end and at equal distances to the inside of the circular grooves (see e,.,

page_text: Figure 8) are substituted for the central rod or pillar which I use in other
cases. It can be scarcely necessary to observe, that when these circular
grooves are connected by slips or pieces of metal, as is here. shewn, to their
inner surface, that the strap or bar across the centre (see Figures 5 and 6,
b, b,) is also rendered unnecessary. I would here observe, that it is not
essential that openings should be made on either side of the said strap or bar:
(see ff, in the same Figures), but I recommend them on account of the
convenient access' they give to the inside of the cylinder or truncated cone,
for the purpose of cleaning it, and because it is desirable that the whole
should be as light as is consistent with stability. The frames being thus
prepared, the several pieces of glass cut to either of the forms before 'men-
tioned (see a, a, a, a, Figures 3 and 4) are to be successively passed through
the aperture d, Figure 7, within the grooves, and then secured with any
tenacious cement. I have hitherto found no cement more useful or efficacious.
than good plaster of Paris. In this manner it will be at once evident that.
cylinders (see Figure 9 and section), truncated cones (Figure 10 and section)..
inverted truncated cones (Figure 11 and section), as well as any combinations,
of these, and of so great a variety of diameters that it would be difficult to
assign a limit to them, may be easily produced; and by accurately adapting
these forms to others constructed on the same principle, see Figures 12 and.
13) a very considerable degree of length or height is also readily attainable.
An effect almost exactly similar may be obtained by several other methods.
of uniting the pieces of flint glass before mentioned to metallic grooves,
hoops, rings, or plates, all which I have carried into effect and worked to,-
and a part of which I shall enumerate; but after much experience of their
respective facilities or objections, I decidedly prefer the method already.
specified, with one exception, which consists in cutting a groove across the
largest end of the pyramidal pieces, or across either end of the prismatic
pieces (see Figures 14, 15, 16), which groove so cut in the glass is to include
either one side of a metallic groove, as at g, Figure 17, or a part or the whole
of a single metallic ring. (see h, 17), the smaller end being secured in an
inclined groove, the bottom of which is formed by a moveable plate or plates
screwed to its or their position after the prisms are arranged (as is shewn by
a sectional cut line, see i, i, in the same Figure), and the interstices of
both ends being filled with cement, as was stated in the method first
mentioned. In constructing forms of extensive size, or forms having such
an outline as require the pieces of glass to be placed in a position approaching
the horizontal, I prefer this method to that recommended in the construction
of other forms already specified, first, on account of the difficulty of making

page_text: circular metallic grooves of a large size, yet of so light a substance or weight
as would be desirable; and secondly, because the metallic groove or rim,
which it is always better to keep out of sight, is in a considerable degree hidden.
by its inclosure:within the grooves in the glass 'pieces.
At Figure 18.-I-have exhibited a very slight variation from the: method' 5
illustrated by: Figure 17,' shewing, however, no other difference than is>
required by the form of the pyramidal piece employed, the larger end of
which is slightly notched in the manner represented by Figure 16; and the
smaller end cut to a slope, as at Figure 19.
A third method of combining and securing the glass pieces before-men- 1
tioned, and the only one which I employed for several weeks is to cut a deep
notch, triangular, square, circular, or elliptical, in the projection or ledge
· already described (see a, a, a, a, Figures 3 and 4), and fastening them to a
circular or any other metallic substance by a broad-headed 'screw, the head
of which may be of: cut glass (see Figure, 20), or used with the additional 1
ornament of a flower or rosette, also of glass; as in Figure 21, or a hole.
through the projection or ledge may be substituted for the notch (see Figure
22) using. the screw; or screw and rosette, in the same manner..
A fourth-method-of-combining-and-securing-the-pieces-of-glass-before
mentioned, and which I have also 'practised occasionally; is to cut a shallow. 2
groove or notch in the projection or ledge; see Figure 23) of each piece,
and binding the whole series to a circular, or other metallic groove or plate,
with a band of fine catgut or wire, gradually and cautiously tightened so as
to hold the. several pieces of glass in their proper places. I may here also
observe, that though I consider the circular to be far the most convenient 2
and advantageous form for the metallic grooves or plates to which the glass.
pieces are to be affixed, yet it is by no means an indispensable one, inasmuch
as a polygonal groove or plate (see Figure 24), the angles of which correspond
with the pieces of glass to be attached to it, will produce as good' an effect
as a circular one, and. I did in fact work to these polygonal grooves or g
plates for many weeks, but discontinued using them, on finding the circular
ones so much more convenient.
:
A fifth method of combining and fastening the pieces of --glass-before
mentioned, which I have likewise practised, before the use of the aperture
in the grooves (see_d,. Figure 7), and which may-be-effected either-with or s
without the .assistance of the hollow or solid central-pillar (c, c, Figure 7);
or the slips of metal (e, e, Figure 8), is that of inserting the several projections
or ledges of the pieces of glass at the one end into the lower groove, with a
sufficient quantity of cement to enable them to retain their position for a

page_text: short interval, and then placing the upper groove (previously filled with
cement) over them like a cap (see Figure 25), pressing it gently but firmly
downwards, and continuing the pressure till the cement has become hard and
tenacious.
In this manner I have repeatedly constructed cylinders of considerable
strength; but when truncated cones are to be formed in this way the several
pieces require to be supported by a block of proper shape and size on the
inside till the upper groove is securely fixed. I mention this as a method
of accomplishing my object, which in the earlier stages of my Invention I
have repeatedly and successfully had recourse to; but since easier and more
secure means have been devised, I cannot recommend it to other manufac-
turers, either for convenience or stability. The several forms or outlines
herein-before described, or any combinations or varieties of these or of any
part of them, being thus completed, the beauty and richness of their appearance
will certainly be much improved by covering or in any other manner con-
cealing as far as it is practicable the metallic parts which are essential to
their construction. This is to be effected in a great variety of ways, and
especially by inclosing such metallic parts within circles of glass richly cut
to such designs or patterns as individual taste may suggest; but these
are altogether distinct and separate from any thing which I claim as an
invention, and must therefore be left entirely to the discretion of the manu-
facturer.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Osler, have hereunto set my