Improvements in Appliances for Producing Flashing or Continuous Lights (at pleasure) for Photographic, Scenic, Signal, and other purposes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Producing Flashing or Continuous
Lights (at pleasure) for Photographic, Scenic, Signal, and other
purposes.
I FREDERIC WILLIAM HART of 8 and 9 Kingsland Green London N.E. Manu-
facturer of Scientific Instruments, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
I would here premise that in Patent No. 356, Jan. 9th 1888 there is described by
me in reference to Fig. 3, a chambered plug into which falls the magnesium or other
inflamable powder from the hopper above, and on turning the plug half-way round,
the contents are discharged into a container below, one, two or more charges could be
introduced according to the volume of light required, the volume and power of the
air blast being regulated as set forth by Figs. 4 & 5 of the said Patent.-Now in
the apparatus about to be described, instead of the chambered plug discharging the
powder into a container for holding one or more measured charges; I discharge the
powder direct from a plug, tube or other container, surrounded by a barrel or sleeve
to which is attached a hopper or reservoir of the powder communicating with the
chambered plug tube or other container, or the two fittings may work together over a
port or ports after the manner of the slide valve of a cylinder so that alternate flashes
of light can be given like the discharge from the exhaust tube of an engine or the
hopper can be allowed to remain over one port and thus give forth a continuous
stream of inflamable powder through the aid of air from a fan, bellows or gas bottle
under a regulated pressure. In the case of circular plugs or tubes instead of the plug
or tube turning; the barrel or sleeve with a covered hopper may turn on the plug or
tube; The hopper or sleeve is fitted with means to ascertain when the reservoir of
material is becoming exhausted-In cases where India rubber injection balls or
bottles are used for compressing air for the discharge of the inflamable matter the
valves of the patent No. 356, 1888 are used for the purpose therein set forth.-For
igniting the inflamable matter the pairs of flames are arranged in line thus
one, two or more, with intervals so that there is free access of air or oxygen in all
directions.When gas is employed the burners are disposed on an adjustable frame
also movable on a joint for fixing, so that the light can be directed at any angle from
the horizontal to the vertical position, the hopper and container for the inflamable
material travelling therewith-so that the discharge tube remains always in line with
the igniting burners so as to produce at pleasure innumerable combinations for dot
and dash signals.
=
In combination with a flashing Lamp or Lamps for Photographic Scenic Signal
and other purposes I employ portable reservoirs of inflamable gas for igniting
purposes and where numbers of separate flashes are required simultaneously also
separate chambers of air or oxygen gas each under regulated pressure adjusted to the
number of Lamps and resistance to be overcome.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for Producing Flashing or Continuous
Lights (at pleasure) for Photographic, Scenic, Signal, and other
purposes.
I FREDERIC WILLIAM HART of 8 & 9 Kingsland Green London N.E. Manufacturer
of Scientific Instruments, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
I would here premise that in Patent No. 356 Janry. 9th 1888 there is described by
me and another in reference to Fig. 3, a chambered plug into which falls the
magnesium or other inflammable powder from the hopper above, and on turning the
plug halfway round, the contents is discharged into a container below, one, two or
more charges could be introduced according to the volume of light required, the
volume and power of the air blast being regulated as set forth by Figs. 4 and 5 of
the said Patent.-Now in the apparatus about to be described, instead of the
chambered plug discharging the powder into the container. for holding one or more
measured charges; I discharge the powder direct from the plug; tube or other
container, surrounded by a barrel, slide or sleeve to which is attached a hopper or
reservoir of the powder, communicating with the chambered plug, tube or other
container, or the two fittings may work together over a port or ports after the manner
of the slide of a cylinder so that alternate flashes of light can be given (like the
discharge from the exhaust tube of an engine) or the hopper can be allowed to remain
over one port and thus give forth a continuous stream of inflammable powder through
the aid of air from a fan, bellows or gas bottle under regulated pressure.
In the case of circular plugs or tubes; instead of the plug or tube turning, the
barrel or sleeve with a covered hopper attached may turn on the plug or tube. The
hopper or sleeve is provided with a peep hole for ascertaining when the reservoir of
material is becoming exhausted.
In cases where india rubber injection bales or bottles are used for compressing
air for the discharge of the inflammable matter the valves of the Patent No. 356
1888 are used for the purpose therein set forth.
For igniting the inflammable matter the pair or more of flames are arranged
in line as shown on sheet 1. fig. 1ª, where x, represents two pairs-in plan-of
vertical flat spirit or gas flames, y, two pairs of circular spirit or gas flames
and 2, two pairs of gas burners luminous or atmospheric with their slits or orifices
so disposed that the flames are presented to the ejected powder as flat arrow form
flames with the edges up and down, with this arrangement of intervals there is
free access of air or oxygen in all directions. When gas is employed the burners
are disposed on an adjustable frame, so that the light can be directed at any angle
from the horizontal to the vertical position when using the from Fig. 3, on the
support X Fig. 1b; and to angles from the horizontal to about 30° upwards or
downwards when employing the apparatus Fig. 1; which latter is the special form
devised for Telegraphic Flash signalling.-In carrying my invention out I construct
the various appliances for the objects set out above in the following manner. With
reference to the accompanying three sheets of drawings where, Fig. 1, is a vertical
section and e, is a hopper for holding a supply of flashing material; D, is a screw
down cover through which works a spindle R, carrying vanes or screw blades V, of
slight pitch. The spindle at the top has two toothed wheel w, w, turning freely
thereon in opposite directions but controlled by two pawls attached thereto which
engage with two ratchet wheels r, r, fixed to the spindle as shown in section Fig. 1,
next in plan at Fig. 2, and again in small detail section Fig. 2ª, as shown in gear
with racks T, T. Now on causing the slide G, with hopper to
move in either
direction, the motion of the spindle R, is always in one direction for the screw
blades V, Fig. 1, to accelerate the feed of the flashing or light giving material into
the discharge tube or container.-The lower part of the hopper is a casting as shown
by the shaded diagonal lines, through which passes the tube G, with glands g, g, at

page_text: each end; this tube G, Fig. 1, is soldered or otherwise fixed to the casting; below
the tube G, there are two legs as part of the casting in which are two friction
rollers i, i, between these is the end of a lever L, plan of this is shown in fig. 2,
these legs slide in a slotted bar 7; within the tube G, is a stationary tube a,
(d, d, d) C, and to be known as the container tube from which the flashing powder
is discharged. At d', d, d, are ports for admitting the powder into the container
tube. The space between the ports d', and d, or d, and d¹, is not less than twice
the longitudinal diameter of the port d, and the longitudinal diameter of the
ports d&d each about twice the diameter of d, at the c, end a tube is to be
attached for the continuous supply of air under slight pressure. At the a, end is
the discharge to the igniting flames.
The method of using is as follows:-
The hopper e, is charged with the flashing material either by removing the end
screws or other fixings such as a pivoted screw and nut and slot ends of the rack
piece forming the top of the frame and then unscrewing the cover D, or by charging
through the small screw openings F, or F1, all fittings being replaced, take hold of
the handle S, at one end of the lever L as, shown on the plan fig. 2.-This lever
works on a centre pin H. fig. 2. and the other end between friction rollers i, i, in
the legs as shown in fig. 1, in the guide bar l.-In the position there shown the
powder falls through the opening b, of the hopper and on through the port d, into
the container tube; now on moving the lever L, see fig. 2, to the stop hole s,-
(h, is a hinge to allow the stud or pin on the lever to be raised from out the
stop holes s, s¹)-the slide C, moves to the right and the hopper outlet b, is thea
shut off between d, and d", if air is now turned on at c, the powder is carried
forward in the current and discharged through a, in front of which would be the
igniting flames and a short flash would be produced, the supply of air being
continuous pass the lever to stop at end of the are on the left and back to s,
steadily, during this action a long flash will have been produced, now move the
lever over the centre port to stop s¹, when another short flash will have been
produced; the illustration intended being thus,-short, long and short flash,
corresponding to the letter R, of the Morse-alphabet, and so on for all the other
signals that, that system of "dot and dash" represent.
To produce a long continuous flash (limited to the capacity of the hopper in use
and which may be made in various sizes,) keep the lever moving to and fro over
either of the ports d', or d", the oscillating movement of the lever keeps the
spindle R, and vanes v, in action to assist the feed-it is also understood that any
suitable motive power can be used in place of hand manipulation. It is further to
be understood that I do not confine myself to the use of the particular gear for
actuating the screw blades or vanes in the hopper as it is manifest that other kinds
will accomplish the same purpose in view. If desired the screw openings, F, or F¹,
can serve for attaching a tube from a union with the air supply for conveying
air to top surface of the powder.
Description of form Fig. 3,-where e, e, is a hopper for containing a supply of
flashing material, D, its screw down cover and support for the spindle R, carrying the
screw blades V, a smaller inlet may be used as put to the larger apparatus Fig. 1, and
shown at F, for charging without taking off the cover D; b, is the outlet into the
container d; B, is a barrel or sleeve into which is screwed the hopper e, e; the com-
bination turns on the plug P, into the position shown by the dotted lines below. The
plug P, is made fast to the framework k; p, is a screwed or soldered in part of the
plug introduced for facilitating the boring of the channels through which the flashing
material passes; d, is the container for the flashing charge; c, is the air supply tube
the discharge to the spirit or gas flame igniters.-There is a peep hole in the
barrel B, at the quarter turn to show if the container is properly charged. In this
form of the flashing apparatus the spindle R, only needs to be turned by hand when
the material.does not fall freely, but when it is desired to produce a continuous flame
during the consumption of the entire contents of e, e, then I employ a suitable
mechanical means connected with the top disk of the spindle to keep the same
and
a,

page_text: revolving by hand or otherwise, the hopper being then fixed over the container d,
and a continuous supply of air from c. Now for single flashes the charged hopper is
brought up into the vertical position the spindle moved a turn or two if needed, with
the special powder in use; the container is then charged, the hopper and barrel B, is
then moved round a quarter turn and observation made through the peep hole, if full
up, continue the movement till the hopper is in the position of the dotted lines, now if
it is to be discharged by an India rubber ball or bottle I place the double valve fitting
(for use and description see my Patent 356-1888) on the tube c, and the ball or bottle
is connected with the valves, a sudden pressure is then given to the expanded india
rubber, the air from which ejects the powder from the container and passes it out
through a, into the igniting flame or flames and so produce the desired flash.―This
form of apparatus can be used in battery form for simultaneously flashing a number
at one time by employing the distributor and air chamber described in my
patent 356-1888.
The improved gas flame ignitors for flashing lamps have a row of burners_giving
flat flames z, Fig. 1; white or atmospheric on each of two sides of a frame Fig. 1b,
to which they are set at an angle see Fig 1ª, z, also Fig. 1, 2, and at such a distance
apart that the tips of their flames just touch, forming an arrow-headed shaped series
into which the flashing powder is ejected.
This frame of gas burners is mounted on a stand Fig. 1b. V, is a tubular stem or
pillar in which is a rod that turns freely in it; it can be fixed by means of the set
screw at any angle; the top of this rod is jointed at U, to an arm X, X', there are
two rods fixed thereto on which slide the gas tubes y', carrying the rows of burners Z',
the ends of these tubes are plugged and have set screws y", y", so that they can be
adjusted for distance apart according to the gas supply. At the X¹ end is a tray or
support for carrying the apparatus for ejecting the flashing material and consequently
through the motions provided here described flashing can be done at various angles
upwards or downwards as well as horizontally :-From the centre of the tubes y', y',
there are metal tubes yl, y111, to which are attached flexible tubes, their other ends
are connected with a three way piece Y, on the inlet way is a Bunsen air supply
arrangement to admit air when a mixture of gas and air is desired for blue flames;
below this a flexible tube is attached for the gas supply.
"
When "white or luminous flames are desired 1 use 3 to 8 ft., "fish tail" or "bat
wing" burners and when atmospheric blue-flames are desired then elongated slits,
such as are often employed for glass tube bending.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.―
1st. In reference to flash Lamps, the combination of a hopper and slide with outlet
to travel over one or more ports or inlets to the container for holding the flashing
material; substantially as herein before described, with reference to Fig. 1, 2 & 3.
2nd. In reference to flash Lamps, the combination of a spindle with screw vanes or
blades and a hopper, the said spindle being worked or turned by mechanical means as
Fig. 1, or its equivalent or by hand as in Fig. 3, substantially as herein before
described.
3rd. In reference to flash lamps the combination of a hopper with a barrel or sleeve
to make half revolution on a fixed plug or tube in which is the container for a
charge of flashing material substantially as herein before described with reference to
Fig. 3.
4th. In reference to flash lamps, the combination of pairs of gas flames on an
adjustable stand for igniting the flashing material substantially as herein before
described in reference to Fig. 1ª & 1.
T
1