Powder for Photographic and other Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Powder for Photographic and other Purposes.
I, ALFRED JAMES, of No. 1 Buckingham Palace Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Photographer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to Argand Gas Burners or such as are used for producing
Instantaneous flash of light by the introduction of magnesium powder to the flame of
the gas being utilized for photographie, signalling and other purposes.
Hitherto it has been customary to project the powder through the flames of spirit
lamps horizontally or obliquely, but this manner has the disadvantage that the powder
is only partially consumed and an imperfect or insufficient flash is the result and
further there is the inconvenience and danger of Spirit Lamps which give but small
flammes compared with those given by Argand Gas Burners.
According to my Invention the powder is projected vertically upwards through
the centre of the flame, thus ensuring immediate total combustion and a brilliant
flash.
The lamps I prefer to use consists of an ordinary standard having a horizontal
arm at the end of which is one two or more Argand Burners opening upwards
through the centre of the Burner or Burners is a tube which communicates with
a reservoir which is adapted to contain the requisite charge of powder.
Connected with the reservoir is an india-rubber tube through which a current
of air can be sent for the purpose of ejecting the powder vertically upwards
through the centre of the flame or flames-The Operator can either blow through
the tube with his mouth, or the tube can be provided with a pneumatic bulb or
other device.
The exact arrangement or construction of the different parts is immaterial, the
essential feature of the invention being the method of projecting the powder vertically
upwards through the centre of circular or ring flames as above described-For
use for the purpose of taking photographic portraits the Lamp is inclosed in a
case or Lantern fitted with a front of ground glass or other diffusing media and
cases being fitted with a chimney to convey away Fumes into open air.
32 1 1000
HUGHES, ELI, & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, W.C.

page_text: Powder for Photographic and other Purposes.
I, ALFRED JAMES, of No. 1 Buckingham Palace Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained, in and
by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in lamps for the rapid combustion of
magnesium for photographic and other purposes and has reference to that class of
lamps wherein Argand, Bunsen, and other similar burners may be used for the produc-
tion of a instantaneous flash of light by the introduction of magnesium powder into
the gas flame.
Hitherto such powder has been projected horizontally or obliquely through the
flames of spirit lamps or flat flames, this mode of proceeding however has this defect
that the powder is only partially consumed, some of it passing through the flames
unburnt owing to the smallness of the area of such flames given by the lamps.
Now according to my invention the powder is projected vertically or upwards from
the base of one or more Argand, Bunsen, or other similar gas burners and is projected
straight up through the centre of the solid flame given by these burners such
flames being each 12 inches or more in length, thus the charge of magnesium
powder in a triple burner lamp would have to travel a total length of thirty six
inches of solid Hame before the powder could pass out, thus complete and immediate
combustion of the magnesium powder is ensured yielding an astonishingly powerful
flash of Photographic Light.
Lamps constructed according to my invention may be provided with one or more
Argand, Bunsen, or other similar burners, each burner receiving through a special
pipe the necessary supply of magnesium powder, from a receptacle containing the
same arranged at the back of the lamp as hereinafter more fully set forth.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have shewn the
same in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1. is a front view of my improved
flash lamp provided with three burners and with the reflector removed. Figure 2. is
a plan thereof, Figure 3 is a side elevation of the said lamp carrying the reflector,
drawn at a smaller scale.
My improved lamp consists of an Argand, Bunsen or other similar burner B on the
top and in the central tube of which is mounted a tubular base carrying the pipes p pl p³
conducting the supply of gas to the burners
as shewn in Figure 2. The
upon which is fixed the
extreme pipes p¹ and p² carry each a vertical bent rod
reflector R by means of its tubular sheath s.
At the back of the lamp is arranged the reservoir of metal or other suitable
material from the bottom of which issue three pipes a. a¹ a leading to a circular
disc or flange placed in the centre of each Argand burner which have for object to

page_text: form a solid instead of a hollow flame so as to ensure the complete combustion of the
magnesium powder. The said reservoir O is closed by a stopper S of metal or other
suitable material and contains the requisite charge of powder. At the back of the.
same is arranged a pipe d to which is fixed an india rubber pipe c provided with a
suitable mouth piece, when it is intended that the operator should, himself, blow the
necessary air to eject the powder. Or the pipe c may be provided with a pneumatic
bulb or bellows or the air may be compressed in and released from an air pump
receiver or by other means.
The Argand, Bunsen or other burner is supplied with gas through the pipe f.
When this lamp is brought into operation the reservoir is supplied with its proper
charge of powder and the gas having been lighted the operator seizes the mouth piece
of the india rubber pipe c and blows the powder through the pipes a. a¹ all into the
centre of the respective flames, when the desired flash is produced. Several lamps
such as above described may be connected together in batteries and be flashed simul-
taneously, and lamps constructed according to my invention may be used with great
advantages for flash signalling and stage scenic effects.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim, is:
The improved lamp for producing flashes by the rapid combustion of magnesium
powder arranged, combined and operating substantially as and for the purpose
described.