IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVEMENT AND SHIP-DECK LIGHTS.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas George Webb of the Firm of Thomas Webb
& Sons of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Flint Glass Manufacturers,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVEMENT AND SHIP-DECK LIGHTS.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas George Webb at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th July 1882;
THOMAS GEORGE WEBB of the firm of Thomas Webb & Sons of Manchester in
the County of Lancaster, Flint Glass Manufacturers "IMPROVEMENTS IN PAVEMENT
AND SHIP-DECK LIGHTS
"
This invention relates to improvements in the glass blocks employed for glazing
the cast iron or other framework of pavement and ship-deck lights. Instead of
constructing these with flat reflecting or angular surfaces and approaching the
form of a prism on the underside as heretofore-I construct the underside in the
form of half or a smaller segment of a plano-convex lens-the plane surface being
uppermost and towards the light whilst the convex surface is downwards with the
sectional surface which may be flat or curved, turned towards the apartment or
place requiring to be lighted. The convex surface is by preference cast with and
forms part of the rectangular or other form of plate with which the usual frame-
work is glazed. In this manner the rays of light entering this improved block
and striking the convex lens surface are thus converged and reflected forward
through the sectional surface into the apartment ship's hold or other place to be
lighted.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas George Webb in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th January 1883.
THOMAS GEORGE WEBB of the firm of Thomas Webb and Sons of Manchester
in the County of Lancaster Flint Glass Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PAVEMENT AND SHIP DECK LIGHTS"
This Invention relates to improvements in the glass blocks employed for glazing
the cast iron or other framework of pavement and ship deck lights. Instead of

page_text: constructing these with flat reflecting or angular surfaces and approaching the
form of a prism on the underside as heretofore I construct the underside in the
form of half or a smaller segment of a plano-convex lens-the plane surface being
uppermost and towards the light whilst the convex surface is downwards and
turned towards the apartment or place requiring to be lighted. The convex
surface is by preference cast with and forms part of the rectangular or other form
of plate with which the usual framework is glazed. In this manner the rays of
light entering this improved block and striking the convex lens surface are thus
converged and reflected forward into the apartment ship's hold or other place to be
lighted.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily seen and
understood I have hereunto annaxed a drawing illustrative of my invention and
will now proceed to describe the same with the assistance of the various Figures
and letters of reference marked thereon
Fig 1 is a front view Fig 2 a side view and Fig 3 a plan of one of my improved
glass blocks for pavement or ship deck lights. Fig 4 is a Front view and Fig 5 a
plan of another of my improved glass blocks and Fig 6 is a side sectional view of
Fig 1 across the line a-b.
In all the views A is the glass plate which is designed to fit the corresponding
rebate formed in the frame of the pavement or ship deck light and which although
shewn rectangular in the drawing may be of a circular hexagonal octagonal or
other required form to suit the shape of the recesses or spaces in the framework
required to be glazed. B is the plano-convex lens segment which is moulded in
one piece with the glass plate A and is either constructed with a straight sectional
surface Cat or about at right angles with the plate A as seen in Fig's 1, 2 and 3
or such sectional surface is constructed in the form of a curve D as illustrated in
Figs 4, 5 and 6. This construction of glass blocks possesses good reflecting
properties as by the use of a section of a plano-convex lens as described the rays
of light which enter and pass through the glass plate A are mainly reflected
forward by striking the convex surface whilst other rays are converged and
reflected back upon the sectional surface which in turn reflect, them downwards
and forward into the apartment ship's hold or other place requiring to be lighted.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention together with the best method with which I am acquainted for carrying
the same into practical effect I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise curve or segment shewn upon the drawing as the
same may be considerably varied without departing from my invention but what I
claim as my improvement in Pavement and Ship Deck Lights is :-
Constructing the glass blocks with the underside in the form of a segment of a
plano-convex lens and with a sectional surface substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas George Webb have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Fourth day of January in the year of our Lord One
thousand Eight hundred and Eighty three