AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR SECURING PANES OF GLASS, MORE ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR STREET LAMPS OR LANTERNS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Edward Keen, of Red Lion Court, Fleet
Street, Commission Agent, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE
OF AND MEANS FOR SECURING PANES OF GLASS, MORE ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR
STREET LAMPS OR LANTERNS."
Scaled the 9th October 1869, and dated the 18th May 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Edward Keen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th May 1869.
I, RICHARD EDWARD KEEN, of Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, Com-
mission Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND MEANS FOR SECURING PANES OF GLASS, MORE
ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR STREET LAMPS OR LANTERNS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to a peculiar method of framing panes or sheets
of glass without the use of putty, and is more especially designed for the
lanterns of street or out-door gas lamps or burners, and other lights
where the glass is exposed to sudden changes of temperature and is
consequently liable to frequent fracture.
In applying my Invention to such a lantern I construct a metal frame
which is composed of an upper and lower band united by bars at the
corners of the lantern. The panes or sheets of glass are placed upon

page_text: the outside of these corner bars and are then secured by metal bars or
clips of a V-shaped, or concavo-convex sectional form. These clips extend
from the top to the bottom of each pane, and are secured to the upper
and lower bands of the frame by means of sockets, screws, pins, or other
devices which will hold them firmly but will also allow them to be
readily removed when desired. The bottom of the frame is provided
with a fillet to receive the lower edge of the panes of glass, and I
prefer that this fillet should be perforated at the bottom to permit
the escape of any water that might be caught therein. By thus
securing the panes or slicets of glass within or between strips or bars
of metal without putty or other adhesive substance they are held with
sufficient firmness to prevent any vibration or displacement in their
frames, while at the same time the said frames permit them to freely
expand and contract under the sudden changes of temperature to which
they are exposed.
I prefer to provide the lantern with a door at the side in the usual
manner, but it is not absolutely necessary to do so, as by removing the
clips which hold it either one of the panes may be readily taken out.
When a door is employed I may secure the glass thereof by means
of the clips herein-before described, or I may construct the frame of
the said door with grooves or fillets to receive the pane of glass. The
top of the lantern which is preferably of the ordinary sloping form is
also provided with a frame having corner pieces or bars, over which
the panes of glass are placed, the said panes being secured by metal
V-shaped or concavo-convex clips, as above described. This part of the
lantern is also provided with a perforated fillet to receive the lower
edge of the panes. The top of the lantern is provided with a chimney
or outlet, aperture or number of apertures, and to prevent the entrance.
of strong currents of air, which in ordinary street lanterns produce the
unpleasant flickering or wavering of the light, I protect the said
aperture or apertures by a guard which prevents the direct entrance
of the air to the interior of the lantern. The bottom of the lantern
may be provided with a hinged door which is readily opened to allow
the lamp or burner to be lighted. The said door may be formed of
perforated metal to admit the air freely at the bottom of the lantern.
If desired, however, this door may be made without any perforations or
other means for admitting the air which will find access to the flame
throughout the framing, and it will be found that in this respect my

page_text: improved lantern is greatly superior to those hitherto used, as there is
an abundant supply of oxygen to the flame without any draught or
current in any direction, consequently the flame is brilliant and steady,
and is not liable to be extinguished by the wind, while at the same time
free egress is provided for the products of combustion, so that there is no
deposit of smoke upon the glass or other portions of the lantern.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Richard Edward Keen in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 17th November 1869..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
EDWARD KEEN, of Red Lion Court, Flect Street, Commission Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS -Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Richard Edward Keen, Her special
licence that I, the said Richard Edward Keen, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Richard Edward Keen,
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 MODE OF AND MEANS FOR SECURING PANES OF GLASS, MORE ESPECIALLY
DESIGNED FOR STREET LAMPS OR LANTERNS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Richard Edward Keen, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument 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 per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Edward Keen, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing, forming a part of this my Specification:-
My Invention relates to a peculiar method of framing panes or sheets
of glass without the use of putty, and is more especially designed for the
lauterns of street or outdoor gas lamps or burners and other lights where
the glass is exposed to sudden changes of temperature and is consequently
liable to frequent fracture.
In applying my Invention to such a lantern I construct a metal frame
which is composed of an upper and lower band united by bars at the
corners of the lantern. The panes or sheets of glass are placed upon the
outside of these corner bars and are then secured by metal bars or clips
of a V-shaped or concavo-convex sectional form. These clips extend
from the top to the bottom of each pane and are secured to the upper
and lower bands of the frume by means of sockets, screws, pins, or other
devices which will hold them firmly but will also allow them to be
readily removed when desired. The bottom of the frame is provided
with a fillet to receive the lower edge of the panes of glass, and I prefer
that this fillet should be perforated at the bottom to permit the escape
of any water that might be caught therein. By thus securing the panes
or sheets of glass within or between strips or bars of metal without putty
or other adhesive substance they are held with suflicicut firmness to
prevent any vibration or displacement in their frames, while at the same
time the said frames permit them to freely expand and contract under
the sudden changes of temperature to which they are exposed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a lantern constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1; Figure 3
is a section on the line y, y, Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front view of one of
the clips detached; Figure 5 is a section on the line,, Figure 4;
Figure 6 illustrates the application of my Invention to a small forcing
frame or "haud light," such as is commonly used for horticultural
purposes; Figures 7 and 8 are sections on the line x, x', and y', y'.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing; Figures
2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 are drawn to an enlarged scale.
A is the metal frame, which consists of the upper and lower bands a, b,
united by bars c; d, d, are the metal bars or clips which secure the

page_text: panes or sheets e in the frame; ff, are the sockets wherein the ends
of the said clips are inserted'; y is the fillet having the perforations g'.
I prefer to provide the lantern with a door at the side in the usual
manner, but it is not absolutely necessary to do so as by removing
the clips & which hold it either one of the panes e may be readily taken
out.
When a door is employed I may secure the glass thereof by means of
clips similar to the clips & hercin-before described, or I may construct
the frame of the said door with grooves or fillets to receive the pane of
glass. The top of the lantern which is preferably of the ordinary sloping
form is also provided with a frame A' having corner pieces or bars a³
over which the panes of glass are placed, the said panes being secured
by metal V-shaped or concavo-convex clips d, as above described. This
part of the lantern is also provided with a perforated fillet i to receive
the lower edge of the panes. The top of the lantern is provided with a
chimney or outlet aperture j, or number of apertures, and to prevent the
entrance of strong currents of air which in ordinary street lanterns
produce the unpleasant flickering or wavering of the light I protect the
said aperture or apertures by a guard which prevents the direct
entrance of the air to the interior of the lantern. The bottom of the
lantern may be provided with a hinged door which is readily opened to
allow the lamp or burner to be lighted. The said door may be formed
of perforated metal to admit the air freely at the bottom of the lantern.
If desired however this door may be made without any perforations or
other means for admitting the air which will find access to the flame
throughout the framing, and it will be found that in this respect my
improved lantern is greatly superior to those hitherto used as there is
an abundant supply of oxygen to the flame without any draught or
current in any direction, consequently the flame is brilliant and steady
and is not liable to be extinguished by the wind, while at the same time
free egress is provided for the products of combustion, so that there is
no deposit of smoke upon the glass or other portions of the lantern.
My Invention is also very advantageously applied to forcing frames
for gardeners, either such as are ordinarily termed "hand lights" or
large forcing frames. In the small frame or "hand light," illustrated
in Figures 6, 7, and 8, the clips d are fitted to enter the sockets f which
are formed at the upper and lower corners of the frame A. In this
medification of my Invention no fillet is necessary, although if it is

page_text: desired to give to these frames a more finished appearance they may
be constructed with a fillet, as shewn in Figure 1. By constructing these
forcing frames in this manner they are greatly improved, as perfect
ventilation is obtained without impairing the forcing properties of the
frames. They are also rendered greatly more durable as the liability to
frequent fracture of the panes of glass by the expansion or contraction
thereof is obviated, while if the panes or sheets of glass should be
accidentally broken they may be readily removed and replaced by other
panes or sheets without delay.
A further advantage also gained by the use of my Invention is that
when these frames are not in use the glass can be taken out and the
glass and metal part of the frame may be packed away separately and
in a much smaller compass than if the glass is left in the frames.
My Invention may also be applied to conservatorics, .fernerics, and
to other structures and articles consisting entirely or partially of framed
sheets or panes of glass.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and shewn how the
same may be convenicutly and advantageously carried into practice, I
claim securing panes or sheets of glass in the frames of lanterns and
other structures or articles without putty or other adhesive substance
by means of metal bars or clips constructed and applied substantially as
herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Edward Keen, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Fifteenth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
ninc.
RICHARD EDWARD KEEN. (L.S.)
Witness,
H. J. GEDGE,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London.