An Improved Pocket or Railway Reading Lamp.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1893
Complete Specification Left. 11th Oct.. 1893-Accepted. 11th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pocket or Railway Reading Lamp.
I CHARLES WILLIAM SUMMERSKILL, Swan Buildings, Edmund Street
Birmingham Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A hollow cylindrical case-say for example like a sugar loaf-hinged up the
back and opening in halves. To the foot of the wire running through the hinges is
fixed the base or bottom, formed to hold a candle or oil reservoir and so arranged
that when the case is opened the two halves of the case fold backwards leaving the
bottom projecting forwards illustrated by dividing a circle from its centre in 3 equal
parts thus enabling it to stand firmly.
Dated this 20th day of June 1893.
CHARLES WILLIAM SUMMERSKILL.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pocket or Railway Reading Lamp.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM SUMMERSKILL, of Swan Buildings, Edmund Street,
Birmingham Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 consists of an improved pocket or railway reading lamp the parts
of which are constructed arranged and used as hereinafter described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
The said pocket or railway reading lamp consists essentially of a hollow
cylindrical metallic case made of two semi-cylindrical halves enclosing a candle or
oil lamp, the edges of the said halves being connected together at one side of the
cylindrical case by a hinge and the edges at the other side of the cylindrical case
being fastened when the cylindrical case is closed by spring catch fastenings
preferably of the kind hereinafter described. Each of the two halves of the
cylindrical case is so shaped at top that when the cylindrical case is closed by
bringing the two halves together one of its ends is closed by a dome or hemi-
spherical top. The wire of the hinge of the case is made in two parts the inner
ends of which meet near the middle of the case. The lower wire is bent at or near
the open end of the cylindrical case so as to cross the open end of the said case as
a diameter. The said bent or turned in end of the wire supports the spring candle
holder or oil reservoir of the lamp, the open end of the spring candle holder or the
oil lamp projecting into the interior of the cylindrical case. The upper wire of
the hinge projects beyond the hinge at top the projecting part being curved to fit
over the dome of the case when the case is closed, the free end of the said wire
being pointed for the purpose hereinafter described.
When the case is opened the two semi-cylindrical halves turn back until their
convex outer sides come into contact with a loop shaped stop hereinafter described
formed in the lower wire of the hinge, the turned in bottom end of the said lower
wire being thereby kept tangential or nearly so to the said two halves of the case
and fixing the candle holder in an outward position.
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawing represent in front and side
elevation, vertical section and plan respectively my improved pocket or reading
lamn closed.

page_text: وتا
Figure 5 represents a horizontal section of the same taken on the line
Figure 1 and Figure represents the same view as Figure 5 drawn to a larger
scale the candle being removed
Figures 7, 8 and 9 represent in front and side elevation and plan respectively the
said lamp open ready for use;
Figure 10 represents the same view as Figure 7, the candle being removed;
Figure 11 is a horizontal section taken on the line y, y Figure 10 and
Figure 12 represents in vertical section the spring candle holder of the lamp.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
drawing.
a, bare the two semi-cylindrical halves of the case the said halves a, b being
hinged at back to the wires c, d and being secured at front when the case is closed
by the spring or elastic lips or tongues a², 6 formed in one piece with the semi-
cylindrical halves a, b respectively. The top of each half of the cylindrical case is
so shaped that when the said case is closed it has a dome shaped or hemi-spherical
top. The lower wire d of the hinge is curved or bent outwards at d² so as to form
a loop shaped stop for the two halves of the case when opened to abut against as
illustrated in Figure 11. The bottom end of the said wire d is bent at right
angles at the part d³, the said bent or turned in part d³ crossing the lower open end
of the cylindrical case as a diameter (see Figures 6 and 11). The bent end d³ of
the wire d has soldered or otherwise affixed thereto the spring candle holder e (see
the enlarged view Figure 12). The upper end c² of the other wire c of the hinge
is bent into a semi-circular figure and its free end is pointed for the purpose
hereinafter described.
When the lamp is opened as illustrated in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 it may be
placed upon a table or other flat support without fear of being upset, the bottom
edges of the two semi-cylindrical halves a, b of the case and the flat bottom of the
spring candle holder e forming a kind of tripod foot on which the said lamp may
firmly stand. When a table or flat surface cannot be utilized for supporting the
lamp it may be suspended from any convenient part of the dress of the person
using it or from the upholstered part of the railway carriage or other like support
by turning the wire c of the hinge so that its semi-circular part c³ shall occupy the
position represented in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 and engaging its pointed end in the
said dress or support.
In order that the spring or elastic lips or tongues a², 62 may securely hold the
two halves of the case firmly together when closed I make near the edges of the said
halves a, of the case opposed to the said spring lips or tongues a, b, projecting
ribs f, behind which the convex part of the spring lips or tongues a², 63 bearing on
the case a, b engage or catch as represented in Figures 5 and 6.
In order to unfasten the semi-cylindrical halves a, b of the case, pressure in
opposite directions is put on the lips or tongues a³, 2 so as to disengage them from
the ribs f, f. As the halves of the case are opened they turn back until arrested
by the stop d², leaving the candle holder e and candle g, in a forward position with
respect to the two halves of the case as seen in Figures 9 and 11.
The bent end of the wire d instead of carrying a candle holder may carry an
oil reservoir and burner thus converting the candle lamp into an oil lamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
-
An improved pocket or railway reading lamp the parts of which are constructed,
arranged and used substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying diawing; that is to say, a reading lamp consisting essentially of a
cylindrical case having a dome shaped or hemi-spherical top, the cylindrical case
being made of two semi-cylindrical halves hinged at back and secured at front,
when closed, by spring catch fastenings preferably of the kind described and
illustrated, a candle holder or oil lamp being supported in and enclosed by the open

page_text: end of the closed cylindrical case, the said candle holder or oil lamp when the case
is opened being left in a forward or projecting position with respect to the two
halves of the case and forming with the said halves of the case a firm support for
the lamp when in use substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated the Tenth day of October 1893.
CHARLES WILLIAM SUMMERSKILL.