Improvements in Portable Electric Lamps for use in Mines and Other Places
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Electric Lamps for use in Mines and
Other Places,
SYDNEY FERRIS WALKER, Electrical Engineer, Cardiff Electrical Works,
Severn Road, Cardiff, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
My invention relates to the class of lamps described in my application for Letters
Patent No. 24443, dated December 20th 1895.
I have found it difficult to obtain incandescent lamps to use with the apparatus
described in my said application that will furnish sufficient light at the pressure
obtainable with the single galvanic cell there described. I have therefore arranged
to use two cells where it is required. But as I have also found that it is absolutely
necessary that the cover of the cell, with the Electrodes held upon it, shall be
screwed to the containing vessel of the cell itself, in order that the vessel contain-
ing the cell shall be hermetically closed, I arrange that my two cells shall be
placed one inside the other, the electrodes of the outer cell revolving round the
inner cell in a space provided for them, and I make the two cells of such a form,
by dividing the total available space, that the cubical content of each cell shall be
the same, while leaving the electrodes of the outer cell, free to revolve round the
inner cell.
For this purpose, in one form of my invention I make the inner cell in the form,
partly of a cylinder, and partly of a truncated cone; the outer cell being in the
form of an annular cylinder with a part of a truncated cone attached.
I arrange the whole of the connections between the two cells, and between them
and the lamp, on the cover, so that the operation of putting the cover, with it's
electrodes, and the lamp attached, in it's place, completes the circuit causes
the lamp to glow.
I also find that, in order to hermetically close the cells, it is necessary that all
the spaces in the cover, formed by the arrangement for holding the electrodes,
should be filled up by material of high Electrical resistance that is not easily
attacked by the chemicals used in the battery. I therefore adopt the following
plan. I use a hollow carbon cylinder, with the zinc rod inside. I deposit copper
or other metal in the pores of the upper part of the carbon and to the copper
deposit I solder two flanged metal rings, one on the outside, and one on the inside
of the cylinder, the inside one being arranged to support a disc of ebonite, or other
insulating material. I place two discs of ebonite, inside the metal flanges above
described, one above and one below, and arrange a metal bush to hold them to-
gether, the zinc rod fitting into the metal bush. I now fill in all the spaces left,
with sulphur or any other suitable material and I make the above arrangement
part of the cover of the apparatus.
Dated this 11th day of February 1897

page_text: Improvements in Portable Electric Lamps for use in Mines and
Other Places.
SYDNEY FERRIS WALKER, Electrical Engineer, Cardiff Electrical Works,
Severn Road, Cardiff, 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:
My invention relates to the class of lamps described in my application for Letters
Patent No. 24443, dated December 20th 1895.
I have found it difficult to obtain incandescent Electric lamps to use with the
apparatus described in my said application, that will furnish sufficient light at
the pressure obtainable with the single galvanic cell there described.
I have therefore arranged to use two cells where it is required, until the develop-
ment of the manufacture of the incandescent Electric lamp has progressed.
But, as I have also found it absolutely necessary that the cover of the battery,
with the electrodes held on it, shall be screwed to the containing vessel, in order
that the latter shall be securely closed against the egress of the liquid I have
arranged that my two cells shall be so placed that the Electrodes in the one cell
shall revolve round the other cell, as the cover is screwed down.
In order to effect this, I arrange, either one cell within the other, or one cell
above the other; when place one cell above the other, I provide a passage from
the lower cell, thro' the upper cell to the cover, for the Electrodes of the lower
cell.
Whatever form, or arrangement I make of the two cells, I arrange that the
cubical capacity of each cell, or that portion of each cell that is to contain the
exciting liquid, shall be the same.
The arrangement of the two cells that I prefer consists of a cylinder closed at
one end, having a horizontal annular division, at such a distance above the bottom
of the cylinder, and the annular division having such a radial depth as will pro-
vide on the one hand that the cubical capacity of the annular cylinder above the
division shall be the same as that of the whole of the cylinder below the plane of
the division, and that there shall be room in inner cylindrical space left in the
upper portion of the cylinder for the Electrodes passing to the lower division to
revolve freely round the centre of the whole apparatus.
To the annular division described above, I attach a vertical cylinder which
passes up to the level of the top of the outer cylinder, and so completes the
division between the two cells. I make the outer cylinder, and the inner divisions
of vulcanite, specially prepared with a large proportion of Sulphur, asbestos pre-
pared by being impregnated with paraffin wax, sulphur, or any suitable substance;
or any other material that will resist the chemical action of the acids used in the
battery.
I may construct the two cells of any other form, or on any other arrangement
providing that the form and arrangement fulfil the conditions laid down, viz:-
the provision of equal cubical capacity in that portion of the cells in which the
liquid is placed, and the ability of the electrodes of the outer cell to revolve around
the inner cell.
I may use any form of Electrodes, and any two materials, with any suitable
liquid that will furnish the required pressure and current for the incandescent
lamps at present obtainable; but I prefer to use two Carbon Cylinders, one of
sufficient length to pass down thro' the inner dividing cylinder to the cell below,

page_text: and the other a shorter cylinder of only suflicient length to move freely in the
outer annular cylinder.
In order to provide a free circulation of the liquid to the inner electrode, I drill
a number of holes in that portion of each Carbon Cylinder that is exposed to the
liquid.
I also impregnate the Carbon Cylinders with Sulphur, in order that they may
resist the action of the acids more readily than they otherwise would do.
I place the positive Electrode, which I prefer to be of Zinc, and a solid cylin-
rical form, inside the Carbon cylinder, and hold it in place by the method
described below.
I support the two carbon cylinders, together with the zinc cylinders, or what-
ever may be the form and material of the electrodes, from a disc of insulating
material, preferably of specially prepared vulcanite, which forms part of the cover
of the containing vessel as described in my application above mentioned.
I deposit copper, or other metal, in the pores of the upper ends of the Carbon
Cylinders, and to the copper deposit, I solder metal flanged rings.
I provide also a cylinder of insulating material, in the inside of the upper end
of the Carbon cylinders, securely fastened to the flanged rings, and bushed in the
centre with metal, in which a hole has been drilled, and tapped with a female
thread.
To the upper ends of the zinc rods, I attach a brass wire of sufficient strength
to support the zinc rod when the battery is in use, and of sufficient length to allow
the zinc rods to pass down to the required depth in the liquid.
I make two circular holes in the disc, of insulating material forming the
cover of just sufficient size to allow the Carbon Cylinders to pass thro', and I also
provide a horizontal recess on the upper side of the disc of insulating material,
into which the flanged rings fit.
I provide also substantial metal strips on the upper side of the disc of insulating
material, to make the necessary connections between the two cells, and between the
terminals of the two cells, and the holder of the incandescent lamp.
I arrange that the central metal bush, carrying the zinc rod of the outer cell shall
pass upwards to sufficient height to form connection with the central contact of
the incandescent lamp placed above.
Having fixed the two pairs of Electrodes securely in their places, and the disc
of insulating material in the flanged metal ring, that is to form the outer portion
of the cover of the containing vessel, I fill up the space with an insulating substance
that can be run in, in a liquid, or plastic form, and I force this material by pressure
into all the capillary, or other spaces left by the process of fitung the Electrodes to
the insulating disc.
I use any suitable material for this purpose, one being a mixture of resin,
plaster of paris, or Portland Cement and oil or grease, in various proportions,
according to the work to be done.
One proportion consists of approximately equal qualities of Resin, and either
Plaster of Paris, or Portland Cement, with the addition of a few drops of oil, suffi-
cient to make it run freely.
When the above named plastic cement is thoroughly hardened, and forced into
all the spaces thro' which leakage of liquid might occur, I place a second disc of
insulating material on the top, and secure it firmly to the Hanged metal disc in
such a manner that it tends to maintain the pressure on the plastic material below.
I provide two small holes in the second disc of insulating material, one for the
central contact before described, and the other for a screw which passes down to
make connection between the carbon of the central cell, and the lampholder to be
described.
On this second insulating disc I also place a metal lampholder, consisting of a
flanged tube, the tube being screwed to receive the screw terminal of the incan-
descent lamp.
I provide an incandescent lamp, with a metal cap having a male screw, and a

page_text: central contact, so that when screwed down in its place, in the lampholder described
above, connection is made between the lamp filament and the terminals of the
battery.
I also provide a hollow cylindrical glass to protect, and surounding the incandes-
cent lamp the glass resting in a groove, in the upper surface of the upper disc of
insulating material.
To the flanged metal ring, I also fix vertical metal pillars, which support a
horizontal metal plate, that keeps the protecting glass in position, and that assists
to protect the incandescent lamp, and to the centre of which, I attach a hook, or
a ring of metal, to carry the lamp by.
I place the cylinder of insulating material containing the two cells inside an
outer metal cylinder, provided with a screwed flange, arranged to engage with the
screw of the Hanged ring cover, and I fill the capillary, or other space betwen the
two cylinders with any plastic insulating material that can be worked into place
under pressure, or by heat, as described in my application before mentioned.
I use only a single fluid in the two cells of my battery. I may use any suitable
fluid that will furnish with the Electrodes, the necessary pressure and current for
the time required.
It will be noticed that by the arrangement of the lamp, over the outer zinc rod,
I am enabled to provide an upper protecting metal plate, over the lamp without
unduly confining the light rays.
It must be understood that while I find the above arrangement of the whole
apparatus the best, I do not confine myself to that, but I may use any form that
will conform to the conditions already given.
I sometimes form the half of the glass protecting cylinder nearest the centre
of the apparatus, the part behind the incandescent lamp, into a reflector, so as to
utilise the back rays of light, and to protect those following behind anyone carry-
ing the lamp, from the glare of the light.
In the accompanying drawing,
A is the outer containing metal case.
BBB is the inner cylinder of insulating material, divided into two portions.
CC are the Carbon Cylinders, one shown in section, the other perforated.
Z is one of the zinc rods.
RR is the flanged metal ring holding the composite cover.
I is the lower disc of insulating material, to which the Electrodes are attached.
J is the upper disc of insulating material on which the lamp and protecting
glass are placed.
G is the plastic insulating material between the two discs I and J.
F is a flanged ring attached to one of the Carbon Cylinders.
LL is the tubular lampholder.
X is the incandescent lamp with its screwed terminal, fitting into the lamp
socket.
PP is the protecting lamp glass surrounding the incandescent lamp.
Qis the upper protecting metal plate, above the incandescent lamp.
H is the hook, or ring, attached to the upper protecting metal plate, for carrying
the lamp by.
M is the screw passing down thro' the upper disc of insulting material to make
connection.
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
I claim is:-
1. In a portable Electric lamp, the arrangement of two single fluid galvanic
cells, in such a manner that the electrodes of one can revolve round the other,
substantially as described.
2. The arrangement, substantially as described, for the attachment of the

page_text: · Electrodes to the cover of the vessel, and the prevention of egress of liquid by
the use of a plastic insulating material.
3. In a portable lamp constructed as claimed in Claim I the arrangement.
of the incandescent lamp eccentrically to the containing vessel.
4. In a portable lamp constructed as claimed in Claim I the use of a plastic
insulating material consisting of a mixture of resin, Portland cement, or plaster
of paris, and oil or grease.
5. In a portable lamp constructed as in Claim I the use of a perforated carbon
cylinder in a single fluid battery substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of November 1807