IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN PART APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGE AND OTHER LAMPS "
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Edward Bladon of Birmingham in the County
of Warwick Lamp Manufacturer and Tin Plate Worker for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN PART APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGE AND OTHER LAMPS
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Edward Bladon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1883.
THOMAS EDWARD BLADON of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Lamp
Manufacturer and Tin Plate Worker "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BICYCLES
AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN PART APPLICABLE TO
CARRIAGE AND OTHER LAMPS
"
My improvements being especially applicable to lamps for bicycles I will describe
them in connection with a bicycle.
In order to suspend or hang the lamp to the axis of the principal or driving
wheel of the bicycle I form the attachment for that purpose in the following
manner On the top of the body of the lamp I fix two brackets. These brackets
consist of short tubular pieces open at their front and having a common axis.
They are situated symmetrically on each side of the middle of the top of the lamp
and have in their inner faces that is the faces which are presented to each other
circular grooves. The front of the lamp carries at its top a tube in which is a
longitudinal slot or cut away portion equal to about one third the circumference
of the tube. The diameter of this tube is equal to the diameter of the circular
grooves in the brackets and the length of the tube is somewhat greater than the
distance between the inner faces of the brackets. The said tube is engaged with
the said brackets by the ends of the former being introduced into the grooves in
the latter. There is thereby formed the joint on which the front of the lamp
turns. When the front of the lamp is raised until it is in a line with the body
the cut away portion of the tube is coincident with the open fronts of the brackets.
When the front of the lamp is in its raised position the lamp can be readily passed
between the spokes of the bicycle wheel and the open side of the attachment being

page_text: presented to the axis of the wheel the attachment can be passed onto the axle.
By now shutting down the front the uncut away portion of the tube is brought
round the axle and the said axle is enclosed between the said uncutaway portion
of the tube and the brackets and the lamp is secured to the axis of the bicycle
wheel. The tubular part of the attachment may have an elastic lining capable
of adjustment by a screw so as to make it fit axes of different diameters which
elastic lining also serves as a spring to open the front of the lamp when its lower
edge is liberated from the spring catch fastening at the bottom of the lamp by
which it is held in its closed position. The parts of the attachment may be inverted
with the same effect.
To facilitate the fixing and replacement of the side light of the lamp I make the
frame in which the glass is held of sheet metal the said frame having four or
other number of small ears or projections on its inner edge. A series of slits or
_piercings equal in number to the said ears is made around the opening in the
side of the lamp and the ears of the frame being passed through the said slits or
piercings are turned back in the inside of the lamp and the frame and glass
thereby fixed in their places. By unbending the ears the frame and glass can be
readily removed.
When the lamp is to be used as a head or side lamp I form the attachment in
the following ways. According to one method of forming the attachment I employ
a steel plate bent into a shape somewhat resembling the letter U one of the arms
or branches being fixed to the bicycle and the other arm having projections on its
opposite edges which on being folded upon the arm form a spring clip in which
a bracket on the lamp is inserted. The end of the arm carrying the lamp is
connected to the other arm by a coiled or other spring having a pin in its axis.
This pin is carried by the fixed arm and its free end passes through the upper end
of the arm carrying the lamp and terminates in a head. Or I fix a dovetail or
undercut slide on the under side of the lamp which takes into a corresponding
recess connected to the bicycle. This connection is effected by the said slide
being pushed home in the said recess and secured by a spring catch fastening.
Or the underside of the lamp may have an oval or angular rod or stem which
takes into a corresponding shaped socket carried by an arm on the bicycle, the
parts being held in place by one or more spring fastenings.
My improvements are applicable to lamps for velocipedes other than bicycles and
the two methods of attachment last described are applicable to carriage lamps and
other lamps such for example as lamps for locomotives.

page_text: "
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Edward Eladon in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 31st July 1883.
THOMAS EDWARD BLADON of Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Lamp
Manufacturer and Tin Plate Worker "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR BICYCLES
AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN PART APPLICABLE TO
CARRIAGE AND OTHER LAMPS."
My improvements being especially applicable to lamps for bicycles I will describe
them in connection with a bicycle. In order to suspend or hang the lamp to the
axle of the principal or driving wheel of the bicycle, I form the attachment for
that purpose in the following manner. On the top of the body of the lamp I fix
two brackets. These brackets consist of short tubular pieces open at their front
and having a common axis. They are situated symmetrically on each side of the
middle of the top of the lamp and have in their inner faces, that is, the faces which
are presented to each other, circular grooves. The front of the lamp carries at its
top a tube in which is a longitudinal slot or cut away portion equal to about one
third the circumference of the tube. The diameter of this tube is equal to the
diameter of the circular grooves in the brackets and the length of the tube is
somewhat greater than the distance between the inner faces of the brackets. The
said tube is engaged with the said brackets by the ends of the former being
introduced into the grooves in the latter. There is thereby formed the joint on
which the front of the lamp turns. When the front of the lamp is raised until it
is in a line with the body the cut away portion of the tube is coincident with the
open fronts of the brackets.
When the front of the lamp is in its raised position, the lamp can be readily
passed between the spokes of the bicycle wheel, and the open side of the attach-
inent being presented to the axle of the wheel the attachment can be passed onto
the axle. By now shutting down the front, the uncut away portion of the tube
is brought round the axle and the said axle is enclosed between the said uncut-
away portion of the tube and the brackets and the lamp is secured to the axle
of the bicycle wheel. The parts of the attachment may be inverted with the
same effect.
To facilitate the fixing and replacement of the side light of the lamp I make the
frame in which the glass is held of sheet metal, the said frame having four or
other number of small ears or projections on its inner edge. A series of slits or
piercings equal in number to the said ears is made around the opening in the side
of the lamp and the ears of the frame being passed through the said slits or
piercings are turned back in the inside of the lamp and the frame and glass
thereby fixed in their places. By unbending the ears the frame and glass can be
readily removed.
When the lamp is to be used as a head or side lamp I form the attachment
by making on the underside of the lamp an oval or angular rod or stem which
takes into a corresponding shaped socket carried by an arm on the bicycle or
velocipede, the parts being held in place by one or more-spring fastenings.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation and Figure 2 in side elevation a bicycle
lamp containing an attachment constructed according to my invention for
suspending or hanging the lamp to the axle of the driving wheel of the bicycle,
the said lamp also containing a side light constructed according to my invention.

page_text: In Figure 1 the front of the lamp is represented closed and in Figure 2 open;
Figure 3 represents a portion of the same view of the lamp as Figure 1 with the
attachment parts in longitudinal vertical section; Figure 4 represents a side
elevation of Figure 3 with the attachment parts in vertical cross section and
Figure 5 represents a plan of the closed lamp; Figure 6 represents in sido
elevation the upper part of the front of the lamp and attachment piece; Figure 7
represents in vertical section one of the brackets and Figure 8 represents the
arrangement for fixing the side light of the lamp.
The same letters indicate the same parts in the several Figures of tho
drawings.
I will first describe the attachment of the lamp.
a is the body of the lamp and b is the front of the lamp. On the top of the
body a two brackets are fixed, one of these brackets being shown separately in
Figure 7. Each bracket consists of a short tubular piece o open at the front c
the said tubular piece c being supported upon the legs c³, by which it is attached
to the top of the lamp as represented in the drawing.
In the inner faces of the tubular pieces a, c of the brackets are circular
grooves d, d. At the top of the front b of the lamp is a tube-e-having in it
a longitudinal slot or cut away portion equal to about one third the eir-
cumference of the said tubo e (see Figures 4 and 6). The diameter of the tube e
is equal to the diameter of the circular grooves ά, d in the tubular pieces o, o
of the brackets and the ends of the said tube e engage in the grooves d d in
tho-manner best seen in the sectional part of Figure 3. By the engagement of
the ends of the tube in the grooves d, d in the tubular pieces co of the
brackets, the said tubo e is capable of motion through part of a circle and the
joint on which the front 6 of the lamp turns is thereby formed.
In connecting the tube e with the brackets c, c one of the brackets is first
attached to the lamp and one end of the tube e is engaged in the said attached
bracket when the other bracket is passed onto the other end of the tube e and
secured to the lamp.
The two brackets after the tube e has been engaged in the grooves d, d are
connected together by the cross rod or tube f which also serves as a stop for
the raised or opened front b of the lamp to bear against and also carries the
adjusting check guards g, g by which the lateral motion of the lamp is
prevented.
In order to connect the lamp to the axle h of the bicycle wheel, the front b
of the lamp is raised into the position represented in Figure 2. In taking this
position the tube e is moved through nearly a semi-circle and its alot or cut away
portion e* is brought opposite or made to coincide with the open front c², c³ of the
brackets as seen in the said Figure 2. The front b of the lamp being thus raised
the lamp can be readily passed between the spokes of the bicycle wheel and the
open sides c³, c³, e³ of the attachment being presented to the axle h of the wheel
can be passed onto the said axle in the manner represented in Figure 2. The
front of the lamp is now shut down, the uncut away part of the tube e is
thereby brought round the axle h and in front of the openings c³ ³ in the
brackets. The axle h is thus enclosed between the uncutaway portion of the
tube e and the brackets c, c and the lamp is attached to the axle as illustrated in
Figures 1, 3, 4 and 5.
The tubular part e of the attachment may be lined with strips of leather as
represented, or may have an elastic lining capable of adjustment by a screw so as
to make it fit axles of different diameters, which elastic lining also serves as a
spring to open the front of the lamp when its lower edge is liberated from the
spring catch fastening at the bottom of the lamp by which it is held in its closed
position, but as the said elastic lining is commonly employed I have not thought it
necessary to represent the same.
The attachment parts c, c², c³ and e, e¹ may be inverted, that is, the head of the
lamp may have connected to it a tube similar to the slotted tube e, e² and the top

page_text: of the front of the lamp be provided with grooved tubular pieces similar to the
parts c, d for engaging with the ends of the fixed tube on the top of the lamp.
I prefer however to arrange the attachment parts in the manner before described
and illustrated in the drawing.
I will now describe the construction of the side light represented in Figures 2
and 8.
The side light consists of a sheet metal frame i in which the glass is held, the
said frame having four ears. k, k on its edges (see Figure 8). Around the
opening in the body a of the lamp at which the side light is applied a series of
slits or piercings m, m is made for receiving the ears k, k on the frame i.
In order to fix the side light to the lamp, the glass is placed in the frame i and
the ears k, k of the said frame in the position shown in the side elevation Figure 8
are passed from the outside of the lamp through the slits or piercings m, m in the
body of the lamp. The ears k, k are then turned back in the inside of the lamp
as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and shown in the inside view of a portion
of the lamp in Figure 8. The frame i and glass of the side light are thereby
securely fixed in their places. By unbending the ears kk the frame i and glass
can be readily removed.
The side light can thus be fixed and replaced with great facility.
The attachment of the bicycle lamp and the construction of the side light herein-
before described may be applied to lamps for velocipedes other than bicycles.
Figures 9 and 10 represent elevations taken at right angles to one another of a
head or side lamp for a tricycle or velocipede provided with an attachment con-
structed according to my invention; Figure 11 represents the attachment parts
in section and Figure 12 represents a plan of the underside of the lamp and
attachment parts.
On the underside of the lamp a I make an oval rod or stem p which takes into
a corresponding shaped socket r carried by the arm r² fixed on the velocipede.
The oval shape of the rod and socket is seen in the plan Figure 12. The rod or
stem is hollow or tubular and to the bottom of it a knob s is fixed by which the
lamp when released may be raised out of the socket r. On the opposite sides of
the oval rod or stem p is a spring catch fastening for fixing the stem in the socket.
Each of the spring catch fastenings consists of a doubled or folded blade spring t
having at its outer end a head or catch t the shoulder of the head or catch
engaging with the end of the socket r in the manner best seen in Figures 11.
and 12.
In order to fix the lamp to the socket r, the oval stem p on the lamp is
introduced into the said socket, the spring catch fastenings t, t2, t t being pressed
back by the inclined sides of their heads bearing against the inside of the socket.
When the oval stem p on the lamp has seated itself in the oval socket the
shoulders of the spring catch fastenings snap under the edge of the said socket r
and fix the lamp securely in its place as seen in the Drawing.
To release the lamp the heads t, 2 of the spring catch fastenings are pressed
towards each other so as to withdraw their shoulders from the edge of the socket T
when the stem may be pushed upwards in the socket by means of the knob 8 and
the lamp withdrawn from the said socket. An angular rod or stem and socket
may be substituted for the oval rod or stem and socket represented in the drawing.
The improvements herein before described and illustrated in Figures 9. 10. 11
and 12 are applicable to carriage lamps and other lamps such for example as lamps
for locomotives.
"
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my invention of
Improvements in lamps for bicycles and other velocipedes which improvements
are in part applicable to carriage and other lamps."
First-The improvements in constructing the attachment by which lamps for
bicycles and other velocipedes are suspended or hung to the axles of the said
bicycles or velocipedes herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4.

page_text: 5. 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings, that is to say, an attachment for the
purpose described, which also constitutes the joint on which the front of the lamp
turns, consisting of the two brackets cc³ ³d fixed upon the top of the lamp and the
longitudinally slotted tubular part e, es fixed at the top of the front of the lamp, the
ends of the said tubular part being engaged with the two brackets, the several
parts of the attachment being constructed combined and acting substantially as
described and illustrated; also the inverting of the parts of the attachment as
herein before described.
Secondly Making the side lights of lamps for bicycles and other velocipedes in
the manner herein before described and illustrated in Figures 2 and 8 of the
accompanying Drawings whereby the fixing and replacing of the side lights is
facilitated.
Thirdly The arrangement or combination of parts herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 9. 10. 11 and 12 of the accompanying Drawings for
attaching head and side lamps to the fixed arms of velocipedes and lamps to the
fixed arms of carriages and other articles; that is to say, the combination of an
-oval or angular rod or stem on the underside of the lamp with an oval or angular
socket on the fixed-arm-in-conjunction with one or more spring catch fastenings
for fixing the rod or stem in its place in the socket..
In witness whereof I the said Thomas Edward Bladon have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty sixth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
THOMAS, EDWARD. BLADON (L.S.)
ון
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT
37 Temple Street
Birmingham
"
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