Improvements in Miners' Safety Lamps.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1892-Accepted, 23rd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miners' Safety Lamps.
[, HEINRICH HÜBNER of Hermsdorf, Silesia, Empire of Germany, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in miners' safety lamps, and has for its
purpose to increase the resistant capacity and the safety of the lamp. The resistant
capacity is increased by pressing the oil reservoir from one piece so as to preclude
its leaking. Furthermore the foot ring at the bottom of the reservoir, instead of
being merely shifted on and soldered, as hitherto, is besides fitted at a right angle to
the bottom, whereby it is absolutely prevented from getting loose.
Through the cover of the lamp and through the middle ring and lower ring of
the upper part of the lamp is passed an iron rod adapted to be turned by a crank
provided on the cover. Said rod has at the bottom end a screw thread of 5 milli-
metres pitch, which, by half a revolution of said crank, to the right, is introduced
into a female screw thread provided in the cover of the oil reservoir, whereby the
lamp can be rapidly and securely closed. To prevent unauthorised opening of the
lamp, a hole is provided in the middle of the crank and in the top cover of the lamp
so that the crank can be fixed with a lead or the like.
This
The packing of the lamp chimney is effected by an elastic conic ring of sheet
steel with a number of alternately arranged inner and outer slits or recesses.
sheet steel ring is placed between the oil reservoir and chimney. By screwing the
upper part of the lamp onto the oil reservoir, said elastic ring presses itself firmly
between the chimney and reservoir, whereby an absolute and unchangeable packing
is produced.
To allow the lamp to be lighted commodiously and without danger, an igniting
device is employed, which consists of a casing adapted to be shifted into the interior
of the lamp from below through an upward passage provided in the oil reservoir.
This casing, which fixes itself with its upper part by means of a click spring to the
cover of the reservoir and cannot be taken out again as long as the lamp is closed,
is filled with phosphorous matches, which are placed closely side by side between a
slide adapted to be drawn out and a curved pressing spring.
On the slide being drawn out, said spring shifts the matches on, and one of them
places itself over the drawn-out slide. By now pushing-in the slide, the respective
match is pushed up, and, by passing along two suitably placed springs, is rubbed
and ignited, thereby lighting also the benzine wick of the lamp, which wick is at
the same height with the pushed-up match.
Dated this 14th day of August 1891.
HUELSER & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Miners' Safety Lamps.
I HEINRICH HÜBNER, of Hermsdorf, Silesia, Gentleman, 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 :-
Heretofore, many attempts have been made to produce a locking device for
miners' lamps, which would prevent the possibility of the many occurences whereby
the fire damp in the galleries was fired by the careless opening of lamps effected by
careless hands, in such a manner that without breaking the lock, the lamp could

page_text: not be possibly opened. All these devices however were so complicated, that the
lamps seldom, if ever, came into practical use.
The object of this invention is to provide such a locking, device that will surpass
all others as regards the rapidity with which the lamp furnished therewith, can
be opened or closed, the simplicity and safety of its construction, as well as its
durability.
The device consists (Fig. 1) of an iron rod S t, which is introduced into the lamp
through the upper lid or, cover e and the central ring m, and is screwed in the lower
ring u.
In the upper part of the oil reservoir B, is formed an opening i, through which
the rod extends.
The screw-thread of this iron rod is so arranged that when half a turn is given
thereto by the thumb-piece k, (Figs. 1 and 2) the pin in the rod is withdrawn from
the opening, and the lamp is opened. The crank handle is locked by a plug or:
filling applied to the opening o in the lid or cover of the lamp, so that the crank
handle may not be turned by an unauthorized hand.
A contrivance inserted through the lower bottom of the oil-reservoir B, enables
the lamp to be lighted without requiring to be opened.
Fig. 4 shows the igniting arrangement, which is introduced into the lamp at n
Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 4, this igniting device consists of a shell S wherein
matches are pressed by a spring against one side thereof. Between this side and
the matches, is arranged a carrier t which is prevented from falling out by the said
spring v. The operation is as follows:-
When the carrier t is drawn until it comes below the matches, the latter are
pressed by the spring vagainst the side of the shell, and the carrier being now
pushed upwards, takes a match with it and feeds the latter through the ends of the
springs, whereupon the phosphorus of the match is ignited by friction against
the ends of the said springs, and the lamp is lighted as well, owing to the match.
being at the same height as the wick of the same. The igniting devices hitherto
used were all deficient, as either the matches could only act when the lamp was
shaken in order to cause one of them to reach the desired position, no carrier being
provided or when this was the case, the carrier allowed the match to drop as soon
as the latter was used. According to this invention such contingencies are entirely
obviated by the use of the spring which feeds a match forward. as soon as the
other match is used up, which is a great advantage over igniting devices such as
hitherto used.
The spring (Fig. 4) serves to secure the whole shell of the lamp.
In
All miners' lamps such as found heretofore in commerce, had a chief defect, viz. :-
when the glass used varied in height from 1 to 2 /m the-same was either too loose
or too tight in the lamp. To avoid this defect I arrange between. the glass and the
top of the oil reservoir, a steel ring d (Figs. 1 and 3).
The same is inclined upwardly, resiliently arranged, and furnished with slits s
whereby all glasses whether 1 or 2 m higher or lower, will be likewise firmly fixed
in position, which is a very great advantage.
The slots admit air which is beneficial to the lamp.
The heavy knocking upon stones in the mines causes the feet of safety lamps to
wear very rapidly. According to this invention, the oil reservoir B is formed of a
compressed piece and is jointed with the bottom rim R (Fig. 1) arranged at right
angles to the oil reservoir,, whereas hitherto the feet of such lamps were simply
soldered as well, as the oil reservoir.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I .declare that what .1
claim is :-..
1. In miners' safety lamps, a locking device consisting of an iron rod passing
novably through the lid or cover and through the central and lower ring of the
lanip; and carrying at its upper end a thumb-piece closed by a plug or filling, and a

page_text: screw-thread at its lower end, so that it can be withdrawn with a half a turn from
the opening formed in the oil reservoir below, for the purpose of opening the lamp,
substantially as herein described and shown.
2. In miners safety lamps, the igniting device in which the matches are auto-
matically brought in a proper position to be ignited, substantially as herein described
and shown.
3. In miners' safety lamps, the contrivance whereby the glasses are firmly held in
position by means of a resilient slotted ring, notwithstanding any variation in their
height, substantially as herein described and shown.
4. In miners' safety lamps, the arrangement of a bottom ring fixed at right angles,.
in combination with the oil reservoir made in one piece substantially as herein
described and shown.
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.