Improvements in Illuminating Buoys and Beacons.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oc', 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Illuminating Buoys and Beacons.
1, JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, of 33 Capel Street, Dublin, Lighthouse
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
Hitherto buoys and isolated or partially isolated beacons have generally been
illuminated by compressed gas capable of maintaining the light for a considerable
period of time and when the supply is exhausted a reservoir of compressed gas is
brought alongside by boat and discharged into the empty receiver of the buoy or
beacon, the generation of the gas and its compression being effected at an
establishment on shore, all which make the illumination of the buoy or bencon
expensive and complicated.
My present invention consists in the employment, for the purpose of illuminating
buoys and beacons of belmontine wax or other similar composite mateual encased
In a copper cylinder and supplied with suitable twisted wick. At the end of a
given period of time when a fresh light is requined and before the light existing
in the cylinder or casing is exhausted, the cylinder or casing is removed and it is
replaced by another cylinder or casing charged and ready for use, the interchange
being effected in a few minutes The light, in the case of buoys, is so placed and
so hung upon swivels and gimballs that the motion of the buoy does not injuniously
affect it.
Another part of this invention consists in the adaptation of the plan of lighting
above described to the form of buoy known as the Courtenay automatic signal
buoy so that the buoy may not only emit its peculiar whistling signal but at the
same time emit light for the guidance of the mainer. This adaptation 13 effected
by turning the air tube by which the whistle is sounded at right angles to the
vertical section of the buoy and the tube supporting the light. In the cases of
beacons, signal buoys and ordinary buoys the light is placed in the focus of a
suitable dioptrie refractor and maintained in that position by means of the well
known spiral spring arrangement or by the pressure of water, glycerine or other
fluid, with or without a small quantity of oil Hoating on the surface. If the light 15
desired to be evolving or flashing annular lenses or shades may be used and caused
Lo revolve either by clockwork machinery or by the upward current of heated air
produced by the light itself.
Another part of this invention consists in the application of mineral oil for the
illumination of buoys and beacons. When mineral oil is used a sufficient quantity
of the oil is placed in such position as to afford a continual supply of oil to the
wick and the lamp is of such construction as will prevent the wick becoming
chaired and rendered incapable of giving light for the long period during which
the buoy or beacon may require to be burned without attention.
Dated this 5th day of October 1894.

page_text: Improvements in Illuminating Buoys and Beacons.
I, JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, of 53 Capel Street, Dublin, Lighthouse
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 aud
by the following statement
-
Hitherto buoys and isolated or partially solated beacons have generally been
illuminated by compressed gas capable of maintaining the light for a considerable
period of time and when the supply is exhausted a reservoir of compressed gas is
brought alongside by boat and discharged into the empty receiver of the buoy or
beacon, the generation of the gas and its compression being effected at an establish-
ment on shore, all which make the illumination of the buoy or beacon expensive and
complicated.
My present invention consists in the employme it, for the purpose of illuminating
buoys and beacons, of helmontine wax or other similar composite material made
into the form of a candle, encased in a copper cylinder and supplied with suitable
twisted wick. At the end of a given period of time when a fresh light is required
and before the light existing in the cylinder or casing is exhausted, the cylinder or
casing is removed and it is replaced by another cylinder o casing charged with a
fresh candle and ready for use, the interchange being effected in a few minutes
The light, in the case of buoys, is so placed and so hung upon swivels and gimballs
that the motion of the buoy does not injuriously affect it
Another part of this invention consists in the adaptation of the plan of lighting
above described and the plan of lighting by petroleum hereinafter described to the
form of buoy known as the Countenas automatir signal buoy so that the buoy may
not only emit its peculin whistling signal but at the same time emit light for the
guidance of the mariner. This adaptation is effected by turning the air tube by
which the whistle 13 sounded at 1ight angles to the vertical section of the buoy and
the cylinder or tank supporting the light is inserted into the space thus obtained.
In these cases of beacons, signal buoys and ordinary buoys the light, is placed in
the focus of a suitable dioptric refractor and maintained that position by means
of the well known spiral spring arrangement such as is used in coach lamps, or,
preferably, by the pressure of water, glycerine or other fluid, with or without a
small quantity of oil floating on the surface
Figure 1 shows the arrangement for this purpose It the light is desued to be
revolving or Hasling aunular lenses or shades may be used and caused to revolve
either by clock work machinery or by the upward current of heated an produced
by the light itself. In the accompanying diawing A is the composite candle
C. the cylindrical tank filled with watet, glycerine or other material in which the
Hoat which supports the candle rises, piessing the candle up to the point of
combustion
F. the float by means of which the point of combustion 18 maintained in the
focus of the dioptric or other lenticular apparatus
E. lenticular apparatus.
Another part of this invention consists in the application of mineral oil for the
illumination of buoys and beacons. When mineral oil is used a sufhcient quantity
of the oil is placed in such position as to afford a continual supply of oil to the
wick at the proper level and the lamp is of such construction as will prevent the
wick becoming charred and rendered incapable of giving light for the long period
during which the buoy or beacon may require to be kept lighting without attention.
This is effected by causing the wick to move so as to maintain a changing
surface at the point of combustion and thus prevent such charring of the wick as

page_text: would render it incapable of giving light
this purpose.
Figure 2 shows the arrangement for
A is the fountain which supplies the lamp with a sufficient supply of oil at a
uniform level for the tune during which the lamp is to be maintained It is
constructed on the bird cage fountain principle and has a cock or valve to enable
the oil to be cut off whenever necessary.
B. 18 the lamp receiving the oil from the above fountain as it is required for the
maintenance of the light.
C. is the wick which is passed over a rollor D. and surmounted by a combustion
cone E. and surrounded by lenticular apparatus L, one end of the wick being
conveyed in an oil tight tube F. through the body of the lamp and the other
passing through a tube F with perforations in its sides to admit the oil to the
wick, standing above the level of the oil in the lamp and soldered or secured at
the lower end. G is the tank in which the float H. is placed When the lamp is
brst lighted the float is at the top of this tank & is attached to the wick which has
been passed through the tube F by means of suitable hooks or loops I is the
receive into which the oil from the tank is permitted to drop through a valve or
cock supplied with a cotton core through which, drop by drop, at such speed as may
be necessary, the oil descends into the receiver binging with it the float and the
wick which is attached to it. When at the end of a month or such other period
as may be desired it is necessary to replenish the lamp with oil, the receiver is
emptied and the fountain and tank are filled.
Having now particularly described and ascortained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
clann is
1 The method of lighting buoys and beacons by candles as above described.
2 The method of lighting buoys and beacons by petroleum or other oil as above
described.
3. The adaptation of these methods to the Courtenay automatic signal buoy.
Dated this 21st day of May 1895