AN IMPROVED SUBMARINE TELESCOPIC LANTERN
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Clark, of Rathbone Place, and of
53, Chancery Lane, both in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SUBMARINE TELESCOPIC LANTERN."-A
communication from abroad by Henry Thompson, of Mobile, County
of Mobile, State of Alabama, United States of America.
Sealed the 23rd March 1869, and dated the 19th October 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th October 1868.
I, ALEXANDER CLARK, of Rathbone Place, and of 53, Chancery Lane,
both in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED SUBMARINE TELESCOPIC LANTERN,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in submarine lanterns, the
object of which is to provide a more useful lantern than any now
employed for the same purpose.

page_text: It consists in the application to a lantern of an improved means for
supplying air for the support of combustion, and also for the protection
of the lamp.
Also of an improved means for supplying the lamp with gas from a
reservoir above the surface of the water.
Also in the application of a telescopic attachment for the better
observance of the objects to be inspected.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a sectional
elevation of the improved lantern; Figure 2 represents an elevation
with parts broken away; Figure 3 represents a horizontal section on the
line x, x, Figure 1; and Figure 4 represents a detail view. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the lamp, which may be of ordinary construction, and
provided with a hollow glass cylinder B connected to the cap of the
hollow cylinder C by a water-tight joint at d. The cylinder C is
weighted at the bottom, as represented at D, and provided with a
chamber E below the partition E', into which the air necessary for the
support of the flame is introduced from above by the tube F rising up
beside the glass tube B and entering the large protecting tube G above
the said hollow glass cylinder. H represents a corresponding tubo
similarly arranged to be used when gas is used for burning to conduct
the same from the reservoir above. I, I, represent shorter tubes arranged
to convey air from the receiving chamber below to the space around the
exterior of the flue K to cool the same, which without a protecting
circulation of air would become heated to such an extent as to fuse it;
the said tubes F, H, and I at the same time afford protection to the
glass tube and serve to connect the upper and lower metallic portions of
the lantern. The air delivered into the chamber E finds it way through
the perforated partition in the same and the bottom of a cup L wherein
the lamp A is supported, and thence around the lamp up to the concave
disc M, which causes a certain portion of the air to ascend around the
wick tube, while a greater portion is spread out into a circular vertical
current in contact with the interior of the glass tube, thereby keeping
it at as low a temperature as possible. In the case of gas being used I
propose to provide a small meter in the space E, to which the gas
tube H shall be connected, so that the gas shall be delivered to the
burner under a graduated pressure, and if preferred the air may be
passed through a similar meter, or its pressure may be regulated above

page_text: as it is delivered to the air tube by any suitable means. Near the
bottom of the large protecting tube G, I provide an opening through it,
and introduce a glass or other transparent substance O, and attach within
the said tube G and behind the said transparent. substance a smaller
tube P, also having an opening in its side coincident with that in the
tube G, and arrange in the bottom of the said inner tube lenses,
whereby (in combination with telescopic lenses arranged at the top of
the tube P, which is continued to the top or a sufficient distance above
the tube G,) the objects upon which the light from the lantern is
reflected may be inspected through the said tube. In order to prevent
injury to the eye from application to the telescopic tube, I propose
to introduce between the eye glass and the tube a rubber or other
yielding tube Q, as represented in Figure 4. The protecting tube G, as
well as the others, will be made of such length as may be desired and
best adapted to make a portable apparatus of joints suitably connected
to be water-tight when put together, in which form the apparatus will
also serve a good purpose as a sounding pole.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th April 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
CLARK, of Rathbone Place, and of 53, Chancery Lane, both in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Clark, Her special licence
that I, the said Alexander Clark, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Clark, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED

page_text: SUBMARINE TELESCOPIC LANTERN," a communication to me from abroad by
Henry Thompson; of Mobile, County of Mobile, State of Alabama;
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I;
the said Alexander Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):
--
This Invention relates to improvements in submarine lanterns, the
object of which is to provide a more useful lantern than any now
employed for the same purpose.
It consists in the application to a lantern of an improved means for
supplying air for the purpose of combustion, and also for the protection
of the lamp.
Also of an improved means for supplying the lamp with gas from a
reservoir above the surface of the water.
Also in the application of a telescopic attachment for the better
observance of the objects to be inspected.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a sectional
elevation of the improved lantern; Figure 2 represents an elevation
with parts broken away; Figure 3 represents a horizontal section on the
the line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 4 represents a detail view. Similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A represents the lamp, which may be of ordinary construction, and
provided with a hollow glass cylinder B connected to the cap of the
hollow cylinder C by a water-tight joint at d. The cylinder C is
weighted at the bottom, as represented at D, and provided with a
chamber E below the partition E', into which the air necessary for the

page_text: support of the flame is introduced from above by the tube F rising up
beside the glass tube B and entering the large protecting tube G above
the said hollow glass cylinder. H represents a corresponding tube
similarly arranged to be used when gas is used for burning to conduct
the same from the reservoir above. I represents shorter tubes arranged
to convey air from the receiving chamber below to the space around the
exterior of the flue K to cool the same, which without a protecting cir-
culation of air would become heated to such an extent as to fuse it;
the said tubes F, E, and I at the same time afford protection to the
glass tube and serve to connect the upper and lower metallic portions of
the lantern. The air delivered into the chamber E finds its way through
the perforated partition in the same and the bottom of the cup L whereii
the lamp A is supported, and thence around the lamp up to the concave
disc M, which causes a certain portion of the air to ascend around the
wick tube, while a greater portion is spread out into a circular vertical
current in contact with the interior of the glass tube, thereby keeping
it at as low a temperature as possible. In the case of gas being used I
propose to provide a small meter in the space E, to which the gas
tube H shall be connected, so that the gas shall be delivered to the
burner under a graduated pressure, and if preferred the air may be
passed through a tailar meter, or its pressure may be regulated above
as it is delivered to the air tube by any suitable means. Near the
bottom of the large protecting tube G, I provide an opening through it
and introduce a glass or other transparent substance O, and attach
within the said tube G and behind the said transparent substance à
smaller tube P, also having an opening in its side coincident with that
in the tube G, and arrange in the bottom of the said inner tube lenses,
whereby (in combination with telescopic lenses arranged at the top of the
tube P, which is continued to the top or a sufficient distance above the
tube G,) the objects upon which the light from the lantern is reflected
may be inspected through the said tube. In order to prevent injury
to the eye from application to the telescopic tube I propose to
introduce between the eye glass and the tube a rubber or other
yielding tube Q, as represented in Figure 4. The protecting tube G,
as well as the others, will be made of such length as may be desired
and best adapted to make a portable apparatus of joints suitably
connected to be water-tight when put together, in which form the
apparatus will also serve a good purpose as a sounding pole.

page_text: Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,--
1st. The weighted cylinder C having the chamber E in combination
with the lamp A and supply pipes F and H, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
2ndly. The combination with the air-receiving cylinder C and the
flue K of the air pipes I arranged substantially as and for the purpose
described.
3rdly. The air and gas tubes arranged in combination with the upper
and lower metallic portions for strengthening the connection of the
same, substantially as and for the purpose described.
4thly. The combination with a submarine lantern of a telescopic
attachment, substantially as and for the purpose. described.
5thly. The combination with the eye glass and the tube P of an
india-rubber or other yielding section Q, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Clark, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.