An Improved Method of Using Phosphorescent Materials.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 16th June, 1896-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Using Phosphorescent Materials.
WILLIAM CULLEN HORNE, Merchant of 2 White Horse Alley, London E.C. and
THOMAS BOLAS, Analytical Chemist, of 60 Grove Park Terrace Chiswick London
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Commercial phosphorescent materials slowly undergo a chemical change when made
up into paints or washes, and consequently deteriorate. In order to completely
protect the material against deteriortion we line or coat the interior of sealed
glass tubes with a melted composition of white wax, paraffin wax or ozokerite
and the phosphorescent powder, and we arrange the tubes over surfaces to be
made luminous. Into a glass tube sealed (by melting) at one end, we place some
of the sulphide of calcium of useful luminosity such as is known in commerce as
Puzey's luminous powder, together with white wax, paraffin wax, ozokerite or other
similar fusibble substance. We now seal (by melting) the open end of the tube,
as to melt the wax or paraffin and
after which we warm the whole tube so
agitate until cold, whereby the materials are mixed and spread as a coating over the
inside of the tube.
Instead of putting the wax or paraffin and the luminous powder separately into
the tube, we sometimes melt them together & put the mixture in the tube. It is
remelted and spread over the inside of the tube after sealing, as above described.
Dated this 21st day of September 1895.
THOMAS BULAD.
WILLIAM CULLEN HORNE.
An Improved Method of Using Phosphorescent Materials.
We WILLIAM CULLEN HORNE, Merchant, of 2 White Horse Alley London E.C.
and THOMAS BOLAS, Analytical Chemist, of 60 Grove Park Terrace, Chiswick 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:-
Into a glass tube, whether a straight tube with parallel sides, a curved angular
or taper tube, a tube fashioned like a thermometer tube, a tube shaped like any
of the various bulbous tubes now sold as Crookes's tubes or those figured in text
books as Geissler's tubes, we place some of the luminous sulphide of calcium, which
is sold commercially as Puzey's luminous powder or other usefully phosphorescent
material. In the same tube we put white wax, paraffin wax, ozokerite or other similar
fusible substance and we seal the tube hermetically, that is by melting the glass.
After this we warm the whole tube so as to melt the wax or waxlike substance,
and agitate until cold or set, whereby the materials are mixed and spread as a
coating over the inside of the tube. Instead of putting the wax or waxlike
material and the luminous or phosphorescent material separately into the tube, we
sometimes melt them together and put this mixture in the tube, after which the

page_text: tubes are sealed and internally coated with the mixture by heating and agitation
as described.
The luminous tubes prepared as described present the phosphorescent material in
its most unalterable form and most perfectly protected from atmospheric or other
deterioration. When exposed to daylight or artificial light, this light is absorbed
and slowly given off in the dark: the tube being thus a beacon or mark visible
in the dark. The silent electric discharge will excite the tube similarly to light,
giving a bright glow while the discharge lasts, and a fainter glow afterwards.
The tubes may be set in path edgings, stairways handles, hand-rails or any object
which it may be wished to indicate in the dark. Set in grooved bricks or concrete
blocks they may serve as guides about docks outbuildings or country roads; and
suitably arranged they may form letters or notices. Grouped so as to form a
continuous surface they may serve as night signals on railways in docks; or as caution
surfaces in general; or as portable safety lamps.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is―
Hermetically sealed glass tubes coated internally with a mixture of wax or
waxlike material and luminous powder substantially as in the manner described.
Dated this Sixteenth day of June 1896.
W. C. HORNE.
THOMAS BOLAS.