IMPROVEMENTS IN MINERS' SAFETY LAMPS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Emil Bennett and Isaac Solomon (commonly known
as John Solomon), both of Sheffield, in the County of York, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MINERS' SAFETY LAMPS."
Sealed the 99nd June 1880 and dated the 93rd December 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Emil Bonnett and
Isaac Solomon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd
December 1879.
JOHN EMIL BENNETT and ISAAC SOLOMON (commonly known as JOHN SOLOMON),
both of Sheffield, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MINERS' SAFETY
LAMPS."
These improvements relate to safety lamps as used in collieries and mines.
These improvements consist, firstly, in the employment of a dome with an orifice
placed immediately over the lamp tube or burner and covered with gauze or
otherwise; secondly, in the use of an internal and external cylinder of glass; thirdly,
in the employment of a band or cap fitting on to the top of the two glass cylinders;
fourthly, in feeding the lamp with air from above the two glasses aforesaid (for
instance, from one half to two thirds the height of the lamp) and passing the air
between the two glasses aforesaid, and through the sides of the dome aforesaid, so
that it enters the dome on a level with or below the top of the wick tube or
burner; fifthly, in the employment of a chimney (of metal or otherwise) with a
cap with an orifice near the top for the escape of the air or products of combustion,
the said chimney being placed on the top.of the internal glass cylinder so that in
the event of the breakage of the said internal glass cylinder, the said chimney will
descend on to the dome and extinguish the light; sixthly, in the employment of a
lock of novel construction, as hereinafter specified.
In carrying into effect our improvements a lamp of the following general
construction can be made:-The base of the lamp is the reservoir for oil, and is
fitted with an ordinary wick tube and wick, and to the upper part thereof is
screwed or otherwise secured a brass collar, the oil reservoir having an external
thread and the said collar an internal thread. The dome is screwed into the upper
part of the said collar; the dome has recesses on its upper face into which the

page_text: internal and external glass cylinders are fixed or fitted; on the top of the glass
cylinders is a band or cap of metal having recesses in its under face into which the
upper ends of the glass cylinders are fixed or fitted; from this band or cap to the
collar above the oil reservoir aforesaid are rods or stays to carry the upper part of
the lamp. The chimney aforesaid rests on the inner glass cylinder and passes
through an orifice in the band or cap, and surrounding the said chimney is a gauze
shield or cover. The lamp is surmounted with a dome shaped top which is carried
on rods or stays by the band or cap aforesaid. To the wick tube is fitted a ferrule
and rod (the said rod passing through a chamber in the oil reservoir) at the end of
which is a thumbscrew by which the height of the flame is regulated. The flame
passes through the orifice in the top of the dome and shews about one inch in
height of brilliant light.
The improved locking apparatus consists of a bracket fixed to and hanging from
the collar aforesaid and projecting over the oil reservoir; this bracket has a
horizontal holo through it, and opposite thereto is a holo or recess in the oil
reservoir; the hole in the bracket is square for a part of its length and has fitted
therein a square stud with a round spindle at each end, the back spindle being
screwed and the front spindle being formed to enter the hole in the oil reservoir;
the back spindle has a spring coiled round it which acts on the square part of the
stud and on the bracket to force the front spindle of the stud into the hole or recess
in the oil reservoir when the said hole and spindle are opposite each other; a pin
is fixed to the stud to prevent its being drawn out of the bracket, a screwed key
fitting the screw of the back spindle is employed to draw back the stud. In using
this locking apparatus the oil reservoir (with wick tube) is screwed into the collar
until the hole in the side of the oil reservoir is exactly opposite the front spindle of
the stud in the bracket, when the spring will force the stud into the side of the oil
reservoir by which the lamp will be locked.
In using our improved lamp the oil reservoir is unscrewed and the lamp wick
lighted, the flame is then regulated by the ferrule and rod above described until it
burns clearly.
The advantages we claim for our improved lamp are the following, namely:-
That any kind of vegetable or mineral oils can be burned in it, thus effecting a
great saving.
That in consequence of the lamp being fed with air above the glasses and through
the sides of the dome above described it is impossible for any gas to get into
the lamp without first extinguishing the light, thus making it a perfectly safe
lamp.
That in the event of the oxternal glass cylinder being broken the lamp is safe
and can be used with the inner glass cylinder only.
That in the event of the inner glass cylinder being broken (as well as the external 4
cylinder) the chimney descends on to the dome and extinguishes the light.
That our improved lamp gives a better light than lamps of ordinary
construction.
That this lamp will burn freely when in an inclined position, and when being
jerked or when swinging about.
That it is safe either with or without a gauze round the external cylinder.
That by the employment of two glass cylinders and feeding the lamp with air
from above and between them, any dust entering descends between tho inner and
outer cylinders, and will remain in the bottom of the air space and will not enter
the holes in the side of the dome.
5

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said John Emil Bennett and
Isaac Solomon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st July 1880.
JOHN EMIL BENNETT and ISAAC SOLOMON (commonly known as JOHN SOLOMON),
both of Sheffield, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MINERS' SAFETY
LAMPS."
These improvements relate to safety lamps as used in collieries and mines.
These improvements consist of a combination of the detailed parts as hereinafter
described, that is to say, firstly, in the employment of a metallic dome with an
orifice in the top thereof placed immediately over the wick tube or burner, and
with holes in the sides thereof covered with gauze; secondly, in the use of an
internal and external cylinder of glass; thirdly, in the employment of a metallic
band or cap fitting on to the two glass cylinders through which the air is admitted;
fourthly, in feeding the lamp with air from above the two glasses aforesaid, and
passing the air between the two glasses aforesaid, and through the sides of the dome
aforesaid, so that it enters the dome on a level with or below the top of the wick
tube or burner; fifthly, in the employment of a chimney (of metal or otherwise)
with a cap with an orifice near the top for the escape of the air or products of
combustion, the said chimney being placed on the top of the internal glass cylinder,
so that in the event of the breakage of the said internal glass cylinder the said
chimney will descend on to the dome and extinguish the light.
In carrying into effect our improvements a lamp of the following general
construction can be made which will embody our various details, that is to say:-
The base of the lamp is the reservoir for oil, and is fitted with an ordinary wick
tube and wick, and to the upper part thereof is screwed or otherwise secured a
brass collar, the oil reservoir having an external thread and the said collar an
internal thread. The dome is screwed into the upper part of the said collar, the
dome has recesses on its upper face into which the internal and external glass
cylinders are fixed or fitted; on the top of the glass cylinders is a band or cap of
metal having recosses in its under face into which the upper ends of the glass
cylinders are fixed or fitted; from this band or cap to the collar above the oil
reservoir aforesaid are rods or stays to carry the upper part of the lamp. The
chimney rests on the inner glass cylinder and passes through an orifice in the band
or cap, and surrounding the said chimney is a gauze shield or cover.
The lamp 18
surmounted with a dome shaped top which is carried on rods or stays by the band
or cap aforesaid. The flame passes through the orifice in the top of the dome and
shews a brilliant light.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a lamp showing our improvements.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the dome D as taken through the dotted
line A, B.
A is the oil reservoir; B is the wick tube or burner; C is the collar; D, tho
dome, E, the internal glass cylinder; F, the external glass cylinder; G is the band
or cap; H, H, the rods supporting the band or collar G; J is the chimney; K is
the gauze surrounding the chimney; L is the dome shaped top; M, M, the rods
carrying the dome shaped top.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and specified in what manner it is or may be carried into effect, wo
wish it to be understood that what we claim as novel and original, and secured
to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Improvements in miners' safety lamps by the combination of the principal
detail parts herein-before specified, that is to say, the dome D, external and

page_text: internal glass cylinders E and F, band or cap G, chimney J, gauze K, for the
purpose and in the manner before described and as illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Emil Bennett, on behalf of myself and
the said Isaac Solomon, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty 5
second day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty.
JOHN EMIL BENNETT. (L.B.)