Improvements in Machinery and Apparatus for Cleaning Miners' Lamps and other Articles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery and Apparatus for Cleaning Miners'
Lamps and other Articles.
I, CHARLES BELL WALKER of Penny Bridge House near Ulverston in the County
of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Improvements in machinery and apparatus for cleaning miners' lamps and other
articles which are capable of being cleaned and polished by rotary brushes, buffs,
mops, and similar frictional appliances and the machine herein described, may be
driven by electric motor steam, gas, water, or other mechanical power, or by hand or
treadle.
Upon a suitable frame-work is mounted a hollow spindle or shaft, upon which is
fixed a plate-wheel, supported on either side by bearings. The plate-wheel is a
composite structure, designed for a three-fold purpose. In the first place, to serve as
a fly-wheel to give momentum to the machine. Secondly, as a driving wheel, to
receive the transmitted power. And, thirdly, it contains a fan, the current of air
from which, is propelled through the hollow shaft into the lamp gauzes in process
of being brushed, in order to dispel the soot which is detached by the revolving
brushes.
To the ends of the spindle are affixed metal cones of shape and size corresponding
with the lamp gauzes and these cones are furrowed longitudinally with dove-tail
grooves. Into these grooves, the brushes, which consist of strips of wood or other
substance, dove-tailed in conformity with the grooves in the cones aforesaid and set
with bristles or similar material.
The cones can be detached from the spindle and in place thereof, mops, or buffs of
leather, silk, cotton, or the like, can be affixed for cleaning and polishing the lamp
glasses and cases, although, by compounding the machine, the gauzes and glasses may
be cleaned simultaneously.
The foregoing relates to the cleaning of the insides of the gauzes and glasses.
The cleaning of the outsides is accomplished by brushes or mops, mounted in flat or
curved supports, which are brought to bear on the revolving articles, automatically or
at the will of the operator.
As a variation, and in lieu of the cones, tubular brushes, on a foundation of wood,
metal, composition, or other material, are attached to the spindle.
Dated this 27th day of January 1896.
CHARLES BELL WALKER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICAT ON.
Improvements in Machinery and Apparatus for Cleaning Miners'
Lamps and other Articles.
I, CHARLES BELL WALKER, of Penny Bridge House, Ulverston, in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer, 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 is designed to provide apparatus for cleaning the gauzes and

page_text: glasses of miners' safety lamps and other articles which are capable of being cleaned
and polished by rotary brushes buffs mops or similar frictional appliances.
It consists essentially in constructing the apparatus with a hollow shaft to carry
the rotating brushes and mounting on the hollow rotating shaft a fan or air
propeller by which a current of air can be forced or drawn through the brushes when
in operation.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 6. Sectional plan.
In a frame or headstock A. is mounted a hollow spindle or shaft B to carry
rotating brushes C. The hollow spindle is supported in suitable bearings a in
which it is free to rotate and upon it at or near the centre is fixed a fan or air
propeller D in communication with the hollow interior of the shaft and rotating
with it.
The fan or air propeller D is preferably constructed in the form of a plate wheel in
order to serve as a fly wheel to give momentum to the machine as well as to draw or
force a current of air through the interior of the hollow spindle B. It comprises a
central plate d with a number of spiral vanes or blades E attached thereto and
enclosed by outer plates d' which extend nearly to the periphery but providing
an annular aperture e for the passage of the current of air.
In the hollow shaft are cut or formed apertures F through which communication
of the interior with the fan is established and through which the air current passes.
Although I at present prefer this construction of fan or air propeller any other
form of fan or air propeller may be employed which will cause the desired current of
air through the interior of the hollow spindle B.
Each extremity of the hollow spindle B forms a socket for a cone or cone clutch G
corresponding to the lamp gauzes or article to be cleaned. On the end of the cone
clutch G is affixed a brush or a mop buff of leather silk cotton or the like by which
the cleaning is effected. A spring his inserted in the interior of the spindle B at
each end or is otherwise conveniently placed to throw the cone clutch out of gear
when not actually in use. The cones are moved into gear by the lamp gauzes (or
other articles) when placed over the brush to be cleaned.
The brushes C are preferably conical and are tubular to slip on to the end g of the
cone clutch G the bristles being affixed to a foundation or centre piece of wood metal
composition or other suitable material. They are removable so that they can be
replaced by another brush or by a mop buff or the like according to the article under
operation.
For cleaning the exterior of the gauzes glasses or other articles I provide flat or
concave brushes K (or polishers or scrubbers) mounted upon reciprocating brackets
or carriers L. Each bracket or carrier L is pivoted to a couple of links M to give it
a parallel movement. One of the links M is connected to a crank or second link N
pivoted to a sliding rack O which is moved to and fro by a pinion P operated by a
handle R on the end of a spindle S. The two racks O gear with the one pinion P one
on top and the other below so that one movement of the handle raises or lowers
both of the brushes K simultaneously. Affixed to end bracket L is a fork T which
engages with and holds the cone clutches G in gear while the brushes K are in
operation.
In operation the hollow spindle B and the fan D are rapidly rotated and the lamp
gauzes glasses or other articles which are held in the hands of the operator are
passed over the brushes and the cones G are pressed back thereby until the
clutches engage causing the brushes also to rotate. The action of the brushes
detaches or removes the soot or dust from the interior of the articles which is
drawn or carried away by the current of air propelled through the interior of the

page_text: spindle by the fan D. The lamp gauzes or other articles are then left revolving
on the brushes while the handle R is rotated to bring the flat or concave brushes K
into contact with the exterior surface to be cleaned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for cleaning lamp gauzes and other articles constructed with a hollow
spindle carrying rotary brushes at its ends and a fan or air propeller at or near its
centre whereby a current of air is drawn or propelled through the interior substan-
tially as described.
2. In apparatus for cleaning lamps and other articles the combination with a
hollow spindle and fan rotating therewith of rotating brushes carried by cone clutches
on the ends of the spindle which are thrown into and out of gear by the movement
of the operator and flat or concave brushes carried by reciprocating pivoted brackets
which can be raised into and out of contact with the articles placed on the revolving
brushes substantially as described and shown.
3. The improved apparatus for cleaning lamps and other articles constructed.
substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 25th day of November 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.