Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 17th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 19th July, 1887.
I, RONALD AUGUSTUS SCOTT, of 331, King Street, Hammersmith, in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
My invention has reference to apparatus such as is employed for projecting a
strong and concentrated beam of light on to distant objects, especially in connection
with naval and military operations.
One part of my invention has for object to obviate loss of light such as occurs
through absorption and dispersion. by the necessarily thick glass heretofore usually
employed to support and protect the reflecting medium in apparatus of this kind.
To this end I construct a compound reflector that comprises a glass having the form
of a portion of a hollow sphere, and which is made much thinner than the glasses
ordinarily employed, its purpose being to give form to the reflector and to protect
it from the action of the atmosphere and hot pieces of carbon from the electric arc.
The metallic reflecting medium, (which may be silver, such as ordinarily employed,)
is placed upon the back or convex side of the glass, and at the back is protected by
suitable waterproof material. With the glass and reflecting medium Í employ a
backing so arranged as to support the same and enable the glass to withstand the
concussion arising from the firing of heavy guns. Such a backing may be constructed
of steel, or other strong metal, with a recess or concavity, and with a rim or
cylindrical portion that will enter the lantern. Such a backing forms a shallow cup,
into which is placed a pad of suitable material, such as thick felt; over this is placed
a thick layer of plastic material capable of taking the exact form of the back of
the reflecting medium. Plaster of Paris is suitable. The waterproof back of the
reflecting medium is thus caused to fit accurately against a truly formed bed, and the
arrangement is such as to provide a firm backing with sufficient elasticity to enable
the glass to withstand concussion, and to prevent injury to the same, arising from
expansion and contraction due to variations in temperature.

page_text: Another part of my invention has reference to means for moving and controlling
the lantern for directing a beam of light. Heretofore it has been usual to effect
this by hand, which necessitates the presence of operators in close proximity to the
apparatus. As the lantern is necessarily a prominent object, it follows that, in
the presence of an enemy, the position of the operators is one of great danger, and the
directing of the beam of light would consequently be liable to involve much sacrifice
of life. To obviate this, according to my invention I provide means whereby the
apparatus can be worked from any convenient point of observation at a distance,
(for instance, from the conning-tower of a vessel,) where the operator may be under
cover, and his position unknown to an enemy, the arrangement being such never-
theless that the apparatus may be worked by hand if desired. For this purpose the
mechanism for turning the lantern about a horizontal axis, and the mechanism for
turning it about a vertical axis, are each arranged in connection with a motor, the
arrangement being such that the starting, stopping, and reversing of each motor may
be effected from the conning-tower or other point of observation. According to one
arrangement electric motors are employed, the electric circuit in connection with each
motor being caused to pass through the conning-tower or chamber in which the
operator is stationed, and being there provided with suitable switching apparatus
as well understood.
11 1
2
1
1000
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Projecting a Beam of Light.
I, RONALD AUGUSTUS SCOTT of 331 King Street, Hammersmith, in the County
of Middlesex, Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention has reference to apparatus such as is employed for projecting a
strong and concentrated beam of light on to distant objects, especially in connection
with naval and military operations.
One part of my invention has for object to obviate loss of light such as occurs
through absorption and dispersion by the necessarily thick glass heretofore usually
employed to support and protect the reflecting medium in apparatus of this kind.
To this end I construct a compound reflector that comprises a glass having the form
of a portion of a hollow sphere or of a parabola and which is made much thinner than
the glasses ordinarily employed, its purpose being to give form to the reflector and
to protect it from the action of the atmosphere and hot pieces of carbon from the
electric arc. The metallic reflecting medium, (which may be silver, such as ordinarily
employed,) is placed upon the back or convex side of the glass, and at the back
may be protected by suitable waterproof material. With the glass and reflecting
medium I employ a backing so arranged as to support the same and enable the
glass to withstand the concussion arising from the firing of heavy guns. Such
a backing may be constructed of steel, or other strong metal with a recess or
concavity and with a rim or cylindrical portion that will enter the lantern. Such
a backing forms a shallow cup into which is placed a pad of suitable material, such
as thick felt; over this is placed a thick layer of plastic material capable of taking
the exact form of the back of the reflecting medium. This material may be made of
a mixture of Plaster of Paris, Dextrine and Asbestos or other material capable of
withstanding high temperatures, and having about the same degree of expansibility
as glass; it may be placed direct upon the back of the usual silver reflecting medium
or on a thin non adhesive coating applied to such medium and suitable for the
particular temperature to which it will be exposed. The waterproof back of the
reflecting medium is thus caused to fit accurately against a truly formed bed, and
the arrangement is such as to provide a firm backing with sufficient elasticity to
enable the glass to withstand concussion and to prevent injury to the same, arising
from expansion and contraction due to variations in temperature.
Another part of my invention has reference to means for moving and controlling
the lantern for directing a beam of light. Heretofore it has been usual to effect
this by hand, which necessitates the presence of operators in close proximity to the
apparatus. As the lantern is necessarily a prominent object, it follows that, in
the presence of an enemy, the position of the operators is one of great danger, and the

page_text: directing of the beam of light would consequently be liable to involve much sacrifice
of life. To obviate this, according to my invention I provide means whereby the
apparatus can be worked from any convenient point of observation at a distance,
(for instance, from the conning-tower of a vessel,) where the operator may be under
cover, and his position unknown to an enemy, the arrangement being such
nevertheless that the apparatus may be worked by hand if desired. For this purpose
the mechanism for turning the lantern about a horizontal axis, and the mechanism
for turning it about a vertical axis, may be each arranged in connection with a motor,
the arrangement being such that the starting, stopping, and reversing of each motor
may be effected from the conning-tower or other point of observation. According
to one arrangement electric motors are employed, the electric circuit in connection
with each motor being caused to pass through the conning-tower or chamber in
which the operator is stationed, and being there provided with suitable switching
apparatus as well understood.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a compound reflector according to this invention for
use in a projector lantern. Fig. 2 shows in elevation a projector lantern, and
apparatus according to this invention for moving and controlling the same for
directing a beam of light; it also shows in section, a hollow base or stand that
carries the lantern and encloses part of the said apparatus.
Referring to Fig. 1, 1 is a mirror consisting of a thin glass having the form of
a portion of a sphere and coated on its back or convex side with a suitable metallic
reflecting medium which may be protected by waterproof material or not as desired.
2 is a backing of metal made in the form of a shallow cup and provided with a rim
or cylindrical portion 3 to enter the lantern. 4 is a pad or layer of suitable material
such as felt, placed within the cup-like backing. 5 is a layer of material such as that
hereinbefore described against which the mirror is caused to take an accurate seat when
the material is in a plastic state. By this construction the glass is provided with
a firm backing having sufficient elasticity to enable it to withstand concussion and
variations in temperature without injury.
In Fig. 2, 6 is a projector lantern, that may be of ordinary construction, pivotted
to two arms (of which only part of one can be seen in the drawings) fixed to the
cover 8 of the hollow stand 9. The cover 8 is loose and arranged so that it
may be
freely revolved on the stand 9 as hereinafter described. 10 is an electric motor, and
11 a shaft driven thereby. 12 is a worm fixed to the shaft and gearing with a worm
wheel 13 on a vertical shaft 14. 15 is a bevil wheel on the shaft 14 and gearing with
a second bevil wheel 16 on a transverse shaft 17. The bearing that supports the left
hand end of the shaft 17 is carried by a curved bracket 17* arranged to clear the
vertical shaft 14. 18 is a worm fixed to the shaft 17 and gearing with a worm wheel 19
that is loosely mounted on another vertical shaft 20. 21 is a spur wheel arranged
to rotate freely on this shaft 20; it is arranged eccentrically to, and gears with, the
internal teeth of a wheel 21* secured to the underside of the cover 8. Any other
convenient means of connecting the cover 8 to the wheel 21 so that the cover shall
partake of the rotary motion of such wheel may be employed in lieu of the wheel 21*.
22 is a bevil wheel secured to the upper end of the shaft 20 and engaging with the
teeth of a circular bevil rack 23 carried by the projector lantern 6. 24 is one part
of a clutch coupling arranged to slide on the shaft 20 but keyed by a feather so as
to revolve therewith; it is operated so as to be engaged with or disengaged from
the other part 25 of the clutch, which is secured to the worm wheel 19, by a lever 26
one arm of which forms an armature to an electro-magnet 27. 28 is a toothed wheel
fitted to slide on the shaft 14 but so as to revolve therewith, and when raised, to gear
with the wheel 21. The wheel 28 is raised or lowered for engaging it with or for
disengaging it from the wheel 21 by means of a lever 29. One arm of this lever
engages with a groove in the boss of the wheel 28, and its other arm forms an
armature to an electro-magnet 30. The electro magnets 27 and 30 are placed in
electric circuits that may be opened or closed by switches from any convenient and
safe position. The part 24 of the clutch and the wheel 28 are normally held out
of gear with the clutch part 25 and wheel 21 respectively, by springs not shown.

page_text: A rib or projection 31 on the underside of the cover 8, is arranged to bear on
anti-friction rollers 32 carried at the top of the stand; by this means the cover and
attached lantern are readily turned. The eletric motor 10 may derive its current
from the same circuit as that which supplies the electric lamp used in the lantern and is
preferably allowed to run continuously whilst such lamp is in circuit. It should be
provided with a switch for altering its direction of motion. With apparatus such
as hereinbefore described a horizontal turning movement may be imparted to the
lantern 6 by closing the circuit of the electro magnet 30 which causes the wheel 28,
constantly driven by the motor, to engage with the wheel 21 and rotate the cover 8;
by breaking such circuit the wheel 28 is lowered and the motion of the cover stopped.
By completing the circuit of the electro magnet 27, the part 24 of the clutch will
be engaged with the part 25 and the shaft 20 thereby caused to revolve with the
constantly driven worm wheel 19. This causes the bevil wheel 22 to turn the
rack 23 and lantern 6 in a vertical plane, the direction of turning depending upon
the direction in which the motor 10 is driven.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In apparatus for projecting a beam of light a silvered glass mounted on a layer
of elastic material applied to a rigid base substantially as described.
2. Apparatus for projecting a beam of light comprising a projector lantern and
adjusting mechanism such that the position of the said lantern can be adjusted and
controlled by an operator at a distance therefrom substantially in the manner
hereinabove described.
3. A projector lantern controlled by an electric motor substantially in the manner
described for the purpose specified.
4. My apparatus substantially as described and illustrated for projecting a beam
of light.