IMPROVE- DAD ADRIATAY LIGHT
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Emile Chappuis, of 69, Fleet Street, and
10, Saint Mary Axe, City of London, for the Invention of. "IMPROVE-
DAD ADRIATAY LIGHT"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Paul Emile Chappuis at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
30th October 1855.
I, PAUL EMILE CHAPPUIS, of 69, Fleet St., and 10, St. Mary Axe,
City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS FOR THE DIFFUSION OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT" to be
as follows
My Invention consists of the combination of glass with silvered or polished
metal as a medium for reflecting or diffusing artificial light. Over a disc or
other form of silvered or polished metal I place a shade or cover of glass, which
protects the metal from the action of gas and of the atmosphere, and enhances
the reflective powers of the polished metal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Paul Emile Chappuis in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PAUL
EMILE CHAPPUIS, of 69, Fleet Street, and 10, Saint.. Mary Axe, City of
London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of October, in the. year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
Paul Emile Chappuis, Her special licence that I, the said Paul Emile
Chappuis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Paul Emile Chappuis, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands; and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS FOR THE DIFFUSION OF: ARTIFICIAL LIGHT,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Paul Emile Chappuis,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what: manner the same was to be
performed; and cause' the same to be filed in the Great, SealPatent. Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Paul Emile Chappuis, do, hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
I
This Invention of, improvements in reflectors consists in. combining. glass
with metal coated or plated with, silver, aluminium, platina, or with a white
metal or amalgam of metals, to which a brilliant surface can be imparted by
polishing, so as to render it suitable for reflecting light. The object of these
improvements in constructing or combining reflectors is to prevent the oxidation
of the plated or silvered surface, and this is done by covering the metal with 3
glass, which serves also to increase the reflective power. The combination of
the two surfaces is effected in such a manner as to prevent the atmospheric

page_text: air coming in contact with the metallic surface, at the same time allowing
of the expansion of the metal and glass. In the ordinary plated reflector
the polished metal is much injured by the condensation of moisture upon it's
surface when the burner is first lighted; this moisture rapidly-dries off, but
leaves a dullness upon the metal, which greatly impairs its efficiency as a
reflector. Another defect arises from the continual cleaning and polishing
necessary to keep, the, reflecting surface bright, for even, after the first cleaning
the plated surface is scratched-in-all directions, and is thus speedily worn off,
rendering the whole thing useless. No such objection will apply to the
improved reflectors herein-after described, because the outer surface being of
glass, it is cleaned as readily and as quickly-as an ordinary-gas-glass;-and
is not injured thereby, at the same time the plated surface maintains an
undiminished brilliancy to the last. The method of making these reflectors
is as follows-A disc or plate of metal, which may be either copper, coated
or plated with silver, aluminium, platina, or other metal or combination of
metals, and curved or shaped to the particular form required, is fitted with a
glass surface, moulded or blown, so as to correspond in figure with that
of the metal. A brilliant and even polish having been given to the metal,
and the glass carefully cleaned, the two are placed together and bound at the
edge by a narrow band of tin, or other metal which does not expand at so
low a temperature as the silvered metal and glass. This metal edging is
made sufficiently deep to allow of the expansion of the enclosed reflector, and
before putting it on the edges of the reflector and glass are imbedded in cement
or other suitable composition. The back of the reflector is curved upward, so
as to surround and enclose the edge of the metal binding; the edge of the
copper is then soldered to the metal binding, by which the whole is made proof
against deterioration from atmospheric or gaseous action. These reflectors are
made either with a plane, concave, parabolic, or figured surface, either solid,
or with apertures or indentations; in some cases I combine plain glass with
a corrugated or figured metal reflector, and in others the figured or corrugated.
appearance is given by the glass, which is made of the particular form or figure
desired to be given to the reflector. These figured surfaces are principally
useful for crossing and diffusing the rays of light reflected from gas or oil
burners, the irregularity of the surface causing the rays to be more widely
diffused than is the case in using a plain or concave reflecting surface.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of carrying
the same into practical effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise method of making or manufacturing the improved

page_text: reflectors herein-before described, as the same may be varied without departing
from the Invention; but what I claim, and desire to secure under the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is, the application of plain or figured
glass to a metallic reflector or other similar surface used for reflecting
ártificial light.
In witness whereof, I, the said Paul Emile Chappuis, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
PAUL EMILE CHAPPUIS. (L.S.)