IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INEXTINGUISHABLE AND SELF- IGNITING DANGER FLARES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathaniel John Holmes, of the Hall, Primrose Hill Road,
Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF INEXTINGUISHABLE AND SELF-
IGNITING DANGER FLARES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 24th April 1877, and dated the 1st November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathaniel John Holmes at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st November 1876.
NATHANIEL JOHN HOLMES, of the Hall, Primrose Hill Road, Regent's Park, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
INEXTINGUISHABLE AND SELF-IGNITING DANGER FLARES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
In these improvements for the purpose of producing the flare I make use of the
well known properties of the spontaneous combustion of phosphuretted hydrogen
gas or of phosphuret of calcium when brought into contact with water.
According to my present Invention the first of my improvements relates to a
mode of applying these well known properties of phosphuret of calcium to the con-
struction of railway danger signals, which I term railway distress flares. For this
purpose I employ two distinct and independent vessels, usually constructed of
metal, one as a reservoir to contain water, the other as a receptacle for the
chemical ingredients, and furnished with the necessary mechanical parts and ar-
rangements as herein-after described, for the automatic admission of water to the
chemical ingredients and emission of the light to produce the flare.
One of the forms which I employ may be described to consist of a small metal
vessel or reservoir of cylindrical or other suitable form with an open inner chamber.
In the top of the vessel is a screw plug through which the water enters the in-
terior of the reservoir; the vessel also has two air holes, the uses of which will be
herein-after described. A second water-tight moveable hollow screw head is placed
in the centre of the bottom of the inner chamber, a piece of soft metal being
securely soldered over the hollow flanges of the moveable screw head. A strong
metal tube is fixed to the top and bottom plates of the reservoir, and the tube has
perforations for the admission and flow of water; this tube is placed under the
moveable screw head, and acts as a support to withstand downward pressure from a
plunger. The flare is contained in a distinct air-tight cylindrical vessel, and con--

page_text: structed so as to fit into the space of the reservoir. In the interior of this flare
chamber is a tube extending from the bottom of the vessel or case to the top. The
tube has perforations for the admission of water from the tube into the interior of
the case.
Soft metal capsules hermetically seal the top and bottom openings of the
tube, by which arrangement the flare chamber is effectually closed against the
entrance of both air and water. The necessary proportions of chemical ingredient
is contained in the internal space between the tube and the walls of the chamber.
A hard metal plunger or piercing wedge is contained within the tube in connection
with a rod and anvil head. The pointed end of the plunger rests upon a small hard
metal bed soldered to one of the soft metal capsules.
The object of this internal arrangement will now be described. When the flare
is required for use it is dropped by means of rings with which it is provided into
the interior chamber of the reservoir, and by means of a smart blow given to a
punch held in the hand the top soft metal piece or capsule is perforated, and the
blow falling upon the anvil head the piercer is driven forward through the two soft
metal capsules falling into the tube; the water then rushes up the tube and through
the perforations into the interior of the chamber, and the phosphuretted hydrogen
gas evolved, and which rushing out of the upper perforation ignites by contact
with the oxygen of the atmosphere. A small portion of the gas will by pressure
find its way through the holes into the tube into the interior of the water reservoir.
The holes in the upper plate of the reservoir serve as safety vents, and relieve any
undue pressure upon the water reservoir from this cause.
The reservoir and flare may be mounted upon any suitable stand or cradle for
planting securely upon the ground or fixing into any position in which this distress
flare may be required to be used for railway, military, or other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Nathaniel John Holmes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th April
1877.
NATHANIEL JOHN HOLMES, of the Hall, Primrose Hill Road, Regent's Park, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
INEXTINGUISHABLE AND SELF-IGNITING DANGER FLARES FOR RAILWAY AND OTHER
PURPOSES."
In these improvements for the purpose of producing the flare I make use of the
well known properties of the spontaneous combustion of phosphuretted bydrogen gas
or of phosphuret of calcium when brought into contact with water.
According to my present Invention the first of my improvements relates to a
mode of applying these well known properties of phosphuret of calcium to the
construction of railway danger signals, which I term railway distress flares. For
this purpose I employ two distinct and independent vessels, usually constructed of
metal, and one form of which is shown in elevation and section at Fig. 1 and 2.
One of these vessels B is the reservoir for containing water; the other A is the
receptacle for the chemical ingredients, and both arc. furnished with the necessary
mechanical parts and arrangements now to be described for the automatic
adinission of water to the chemical ingredients and emission of the light, to produce
the flare.
The water reservoir B, shown in section Fig. 2, consists of a closed cylindrical
copper vessel with an open inner chamber to receive the case A of the signal.
Upon the top of this reservoir is an air hole u and a screw plug b for filling the
inner receptacle with water. Two open overflow tubes m, m, are inserted through
the sides of the reservoir for the purpose of regulating the supply of water when
admitted into the interior of the signal A. A water-tight moveable hollow screw
head r, r, is placed in the centre of the bottom of the inner chamber, and a piece of

page_text: soft metal s¹ is securely soldered over the hollow flanges of this moveable screw
head. A strong metal tube n, n, is placed under the moveable screw head r, r, and
fixed to the top and bottom plates of the reservoir; the tube has perforations h, h,
for the admission and flow of water, and also acts as a support to withstand down-.
ward pressure from a plunger c¹ contained in the flare case A. The flare is con-
tained in a distinct air-tight cylindrical vessel A, shown also in part elevation Fig. 1,
and in section Fig. 2, and constructed to fit into the inner space of the reservoir B.
In the interior of this flare, Fig. 2, is a tube D, D, extending from the bottom of the
vessel or case to near the top, and fitted with a curved metal shield f, f, soldered to
the top end, sufficient space being left between the shield and the top of the case A
for the passage of the phosphuretted hydrogen gas when evolved by the action of
the water coming into contact with the chemicals E, E, through the perforations in
the tube t, t. The object of this shield is to spread the gas and equalize the pressure
as it escapes from the upper parts; the top of this shield is open to admit the
passing of the plunger c¹, cl. Soft metal capsules s, s, hermetically close the top and
bottom openings, by which arrangement the flare chamber A is effectively closed
against the entrance of both air and water. The necessary proportions of chemical
ingredients E, E, is contained in the external space between the tube D and the walls
of the case A; a hard metal plunger or piercing wedge d, d, is contained within the
tube D in connection with the rod c¹, c', and anvil head c; the wedge d, d, is detached
from the rod c¹, cl, which fits into it; the point of the plunger rests upon a small
hard metal dise soldered to the soft metal capsule 8, 8, closing the bottom of the
tube. The plunger rod is kept in its place in the tube D by the guide piece e, e.
The object of this arrangement will now be described.
When the flare is required for use it is placed by means of the finger rings 1, 1,
into the interior chamber of the reservoir, and by means of a smart blow given to a
punch held in the hand the top soft metal capsules is perforated, and the blow falling
upon the anvil head c the piercer d, d, is driven forward through the two soft
metal capsules 8, 8, and 8¹ falling into the tube n, n, and the water from the
reservoir B enters into the tube D, D, and through the perforations t, t, into contact
with the chemicals E, E; the phosphuretted hydrogen gas then evolved passes
round the shield f, f, and makes its exit through the upper perforation at 8, inflam-
ing upon contact with the oxygen in the atmosphere. Should any portion of the
gas evolved by reason of pressure find its way into the reservoir B by the holes h, h,
in the tube n, n, the vent hole a relieves the pressure.
The reservoir and flare may be mounted upon any suitable stand or cradle for
planting securely upon the ground, or fixing into any position in which this distress'
flare may be required to be used for railway, military, or other purposes.
My second improvement consists in the application of this signal flare with
certain modifications of arrangement now to be described to the construction of
flaming shot or shells for projection from guns or mortars, for the purpose of
illuminating distant objects upon falling into the water. This application is shown
in elevation aud section at Fig. 3 and 4.
In this modification the arrangement of the internal tube for the admission of
the water into the chamber A is as follows-In place of the perforations shown at
t, t, in Fig. 2, a volute tube N, N, is attached to the bottom of the tube D, shown in
plan at Fig. 6, so that the water enters at the bottom of the chamber A, and all
emission of gas and loss of chemical material by pressure through the holes t, t, is
avoided.
The grating w at this end of the tube N prevents any passage of the chemical
ingredient to choke the tube. In this modification the shield f, f, forms a funnel in
direct communication with the bottom capsule 8, so that any wash of water over the
flare passes directly away through the tube D, D, without contact with the chemicals
E, E. The height of the water in the case A, A, is regulated by the outlet hole d
which carries any surplus away down the tube D. The metal guard a, a, is to
prevent the choking up of the outlet hole d. A nozzle b at the top of the case A, A,
carries the upper soft metal capsule 8. The cover B is for the protection of the

page_text: capsule s. The case of the shot or projectile R, R¹, is composed of steel or other
suitable material to withstand concussion, and is formed in two halves R, R, and
R¹, R¹, securely united at r, r, after the shell has received the flare case A, and been
properly adjusted internally with the requisite material to ensure rigidity and
buoyancy. For this purpose I employ in the lower half R', R¹, cross sections
of tough wood W, W, soaked in parafine or other material resistant to the
penetration of water, and in the upper half R, R, a stuffing of compressed cork or
cork and parafine. By such means I obtain perfect rigidity of the external case of
the shell with the necessary amount of buoyancy, and the vertical position of the
shell in the water. The shot previous to being placed into the mortar has the cap
B removed, and the two capsules 8, 8, perforated for the admission of the water.
The iron shoe P prevents injury to the interior arrangement of the shell from the
explosive effects of the charge, and is so adjusted as to fall away from the shell upon
leaving the mortar.
My third improvement consists in the introduction into the interior of the case A
of some slow absorptive material B, B, Fig. 5, such as sawdust, coarse sand, or
powdered graphite surrounding the chemical material E, E, so as to prevent the too
rapid action of the water and evolution of the phosphuretted hydrogen gas. The
use of this slow 'absorptive material is to prolongue the duration of the flare, and
adapt it for purposes where a more continuous but less brilliant light is desired. The
internal arrangement of this flare is similar to that described at Fig. 4, and flares
thus constructed are enabled to withstand the wash of heavy tideways and scour
of strong currents.
What I claim as new and novel in these several improvements are,—
First. The application of the flare for danger signals by the employment of a
distinct water reservoir and instantaneous automatic method of admitting water as
described, so that the flare can be at once replaced as often as required without
delay.
Second. The application of the equilizing pressure shield to secure a steady and
brilliant flare.
Third. The application of the flare to projectiles with the arrangements described
for passing the wash of the sea directly through the interior tube without contact
with the chemical ingredients contained in the chamber.
Fourth. The mode of prolonging the duration of the flare by the introduction of
a slow absorbant material to surround the phosphuret of calcium in place of
allowing direct contact with the water.
NATH J. HOLMES. (L.S.)