IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY OR MINERS' LAMPS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Edward Crawley
and Frederick Foster at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 15th July 1862.
We, CHARLES EDWARD CRAWLEY, of 17. Gracechurch Street, in the City of
London, and FREDERICK FOSTER, of 7, Ashley Crescent, City Road, in the
County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY OR MINERS' LAMPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in safety or miners' lamps.
in safety or miners' lamps, various means have been employed for securing
the wire gauze, and preventing its removal by the miner.
Our Invention is applicable more especially to safety or miners' lamps in
which a circular wick and burner are employed. and consists in combining a
locking bolt with the apparatus which raises and lowers the wick to increase,
diminish, or extinguish the light. This bolt serves to lock the wire gauze in its
place, and it is actuated by the same button which serves to regulate the wick.
The same motion which lowers the wick withdraws the bolt, and the parts are
so adjusted that the wick must be depressed sufficiently to extinguish the
flame before the wire gauze is set free to be removed.

page_text: We arrange the parts in the following manner:-The ring or frame of
the gauze chimney or cylinder which surrounds the flame, is so attached
to the lamp that the wick must be moved down into the burner tube
before the wire gauze or chimney can be removed. The ring or frame
of the gauze chimney is fastened to the lamp by means of vertical and
horizontal grooves formed in the exterior surface of the ring acting with
projecting nebs fixed in the lamp, so that when the ring or frame is put
into its place the nebs or projections in the lamp enter the vertical grooves
in the ring or frame; this latter is then pressed down until the nebs or
projections reach the horizontal grooves, when, by turning the ring or frame
partly round, it becomes secured. The wick holder has connected with it an
upright rod or bolt, and the ring or frame, at the lower end of the wire gauze
chimney has on its interior a spring catch, which is formed in such manner
as to allow it to pass the upright rod or bolt connected with the wick holder
when the ring or frame of the gauze chimney is turned partly round in a
direction to fix it to the lamp, but this spring catch will prevent the ring or
frame being turned back again to unfix it, so that the gauze cannot be removed
until the upright rod has been drawn down below the spring catch, which will
at the same time cause the wick holder and the wick to be lowered to a like
extent, and will so bring the upper edge of the wick sufliciently below the top
of the wick tube to extinguish the flame. The wire gauzes at the bottom of
the lamp through which air is admitted to the interior of the flame we secure
by a pin passing vertically through the oil vessel and entering a recess in the
rim of the frame containing the lower gauzes; the head of this pin comes
under the flange of the ring of the upper gauze, so that when this is in its
place and locked both are secured.
In place of or in conjunction with the arrangement above described for
éxtinguishing the flame we sometimes employ a horizontal plate, or, by
preference, two horizontal plates mounted on the upper ends of stems having
springs tending to press them upwards, and when the ring or frame of the wire
gauze chimney is pressed downwards it depresses the springs, which reacting
when the ring or frame is turned partly round, force parts of the arms of the
horizontal plates into recesses formed in the ring or frame, and retain them
there in such manner that when the frame of the gauze chimney is turned
partly round with a view to remove it from the lamp it will cause the two
horizontal plates to make a partial revolution, by which they will be brought
over the top of the wick in such manner as to extinguish the flame.
The arrangements above described may readily be applied to lamps with
solid wicks, but we much prefer to use cylindrical wicks.

page_text: In order to remove the snuff from the wick of the lamp we mount in the
cover of the oil vessel an upright spindle or axis, on the upper end of which is
a horizontal arın, which when the axis is partially rotated is carried over the top
of the wick at the proper level for knocking off the snuff. To give this motion
to the axis and its arm there is another axis passing downwards vertically
through the top of the oil vessel: this has a button at its upper end, by which
it can be partially rotated, and at its lower end a horizontal arm with a pin or
stud at its end, and this enters a slot in an arm at the lower end of the axis of
the snuffer, so that by turning the button before. mentioned the snuffer is made
to pass over the wick. It will be observed that the arrangement is such that
the snuffing apparatus in no way interferes with the separation of the parts of
the lamp for cleaning and trimming.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Edward Crawley and Frederick Foster in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 15th January 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, CHARLES
EDWARD CRAWLEY, of 17. Gracechurch Street, in the City of London, and
FREDERICK FOSTER, of 7. Ashley Crescent, City Road, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of July. in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign.
did. for Herself. ller heirs and successors. give and grant unto us, the said
Charles Edward Crawley and Frederick Foster. Her special licence that we,
the said Charles Edward Crawley and Frederick Foster. our executors.
administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Charles Edward
Crawley and Frederick Foster, our 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SAFETY OR MINERS' LAMPS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that we, the said Charles Edward Crawley and Frederick Foster, our executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals. or under the hand and seal of one of us or them, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Pateni.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Edward Crawley, on behalf
of myself and the said Frederick Foster. 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
thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object improvements in safety or miners' lamps.
In safety or miners' lamps various means have been employed for securing the
wire gauze, and preventing its removal by the miner.
Our Invention is applicable more especially to safety or miners' lamps in
which a circular wick and burner are employed. and consists in combining
locking bolt with the apparatus which raises and lowers the wick to increase,
diminish, or extinguish the light. This bolt serves to lock the wire gauze in
its place, and it is actuated by the same button which serves to regulate the
wick. The same motion which lowers the wick withdraws the bolt, and the
parts are so adjusted that the wick must be depressed sufficiently to extinguish
iho flame before the wire gauze is set free to be removed.
We arrange the parts in the following manner: The ring or frame of the
gauze chimney or cylinder which surrounds the flame is so attached to the
lamp that the wick must be moved down on to the burner tube before the wire
gauze or chimney can be removed. The ring or frame of the gauze chimney
is fastened to the lamp by means of vertical and horizontal grooves formed in
the exterior surface of the ring acting with projecting nebs fixed in the lamp,
so that when the ring or frame is put into its place, the nebs or projections in
the lamp enter the vertical grooves in the ring or frame: this latter is then
pressed down until the nebs or projections reach the horizontal grooves, when.
The wick
by turning the ring or frame partly round, it becomes secured.
holder has connected with it an upright rod or bolt, and the ring or frame at
the lower end of the wire gauze chimney has on its interior a spring catch,
which is formed in such manner as to allow it to pass the upright rod or bolt
connected with the wick holder when the ring or frame of the gauze chimney
is turned partly round in a direction to fix it to the lamp. but this spring
catch will prevent the ring or frame being turned back again to unfix it, so
that the gauze cannot be removed until the upright rod has been drawn down
below the spring catch, which will at the same time cause the wick holder and
the wick to be lowered to a like extent, and will so bring the upper edge of
the wick sufficiently below the top of the wick tube to extinguish the flame.

page_text: he wire gauzes at the bottom of the lamp through which air is admitted to
he interior of the flame we secure by a pin passing vertically through the oil
essel and entering a recess in the rim of the frame containing the lower
auzes: the head of this pin comes under the flange of the ring of the upper
gauze. so that when this is in its place and locked both are secured.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings is a vertical section of the lower part of
safety lamp constructed as above described; Figure 2 is a plan of the same
with the gauze chimney and some parts connected therewith removed.
a. a. is the oil vessel of the lamp. in the centre of which a wick tube bis
c is a ring
fixed this tube is open at the bottom to supply air to the flame.
or foot locking into the bottom of the oil vessel, vertical and horizontal grooves
being formed into the ring or foot at 3 or other convenient number of points.
as is shewn at c', and the bottom of the oil vessel having pins fixed in it at
corresponding points to enter these grooves, so that by putting the ring or foot
into its place and turning it partly round it becomes securely held in its place;
is a pin passing down through a passage in the oil vessel and into a hole in
the ring or foot, thus locking it, so that it cannot be turned to set it free until
the pin is withdrawn: e. e, are wire gauze discs through which the air has to
pass to ascend the wick tube b: f. f. are wire rings to keep the gauze discs
properly separated; c., are perforations in the ring or foot c for the admis-
sion of the air; these are capable of being covered, if desired. by the sliding
ring. c. as otherwise, if the lamp is rapidly lowered through the air. there is a
g is a ferrule
chance of the flame being extinguished by the rush of air past it.
capable of sliding on the tube b; it is roughened and receives upon it the lower
end of the wick. h is a forked piece to which the ferrule g is connected:
through one end of this piece the screw i passes, so that it will be seen that by
turning this screw by means of the milled head at its extremity the piece hand
with it the ferrule g and the wick may be raised and lowered. h' is a bolt
projecting upwards from the forked piece h: it passes through a hole in the
moveable cover of the oil vessel, and serves to lock the ganze chimney 1:
the lower end of this chimney is attached to the small metal ferrule m, and this
fits into the gauze ring or frame. which. for convenience of getting the gauze
in and out for cleaning and renewal. is made in two parts n and n', which,
however. lock together, so that the one cannot turn without the other..
The outer part (a side view of which is shown separately at Figure 3) is
secured into the socket at the top of the oil vessel by vertical and horizontal
grooves in the same manner as the ring or foot c is secured into the bottom
of the same. The inner part n' of the ring or frame (shewn separately in
plan at Figure 4) is furnished with a spring catch n which is so placed that

page_text: when the ring n is turned so as to secure it the spring catch passes the
bolt (it being able to yield when moving in this direction). but it prevents
the gauze frame being turned in the contrary direction so as to free it, and
this cannot be done until the bolt h' has been lowered beneath the catch n³
by turning the screw i. and doing this necessarily extinguishes the flame;
hence the gauze chimney cannot, except by violence, be taken off when it has
once been locked in its place without extinguishing the flame. It will be
remarked that the head of the pin 7 comes under the flange of the gauze
ring, so that this pin cannot be taken out except the gauze chimney be first
removed.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of a part of a safety lamp with an ordinary
solid wick in place of with a hollow or tubular wick like the lamp shown at
Figures 1 and 2: the lamps, however. resemble each other as far as the
application of the locking bolt hand of the spring catch is concerned.
The wick tube b in this instance is fixed to the cover of the oil vessel, and
it receives the wick within it. The lower end of the wick is held in a clip
at the end of the piece h; this clip slides up and down in the tube when the
screw is turned, and it carries the wick with it: the wick tube is slotted to
allow the arm of the piece h to pass. The action of the bolt is exactly as
already described. The wick tube b is shown separately in side view at
Figure 6.
In place of or in conjunction with the arrangement above described for
extinguishing the flame we sometimes employ a horizontal plate, or, by pre-
ference. two horizontal plates mounted on the upper ends of stems having
springs tending to press them upwards, and when the ring or frame of the
wire gauze chimney is pressed downwards it depresses the springs. which
reacting when the ring or frame is turned partly round to lock it, force parts
of the arms of the horizontal plates into recesses formed in the ring
or frame.
and retain them there in such manner that, when the frame of the gauze
chimney is turned parily round with a view to remove it from the lamp, it
will cause the two horizontal plates to make a partial revolution, by which
they will be brought over the top of the wick in such manner as to extin-
guish the flame. A vertical section of a part of a lamp thus arranged is
shown at Figure 7, and a plan thereof at Figure 8. 0. o. are the standards
on which the plates p. p. are mounted, so that they can both turn, and rise
and fall vertically a short distance; q, q, are spiral springs, tending to both
.press the plates up to the top of the standards and to hold them in the posi-
tion as respects the wick in which they are shown in the plan. The gauze
chimney frame n (shown separately in plan in Figure 9) has notches in it

page_text: (one is seen at X), and when it with the gauze is put in its place it presses
down the plates p a short distance, but when the gauze frame is turned round
to secure it the notches N are brought over the tails of the plates p. and the
springs immediately throw them up into the notches, hence, when the frame
is turned in the contrary direction to remove it. the plates p are caused to
rotate partially on the standards o. and they are thus brought over the flame,
which they at once extinguish. In place of retaining the parts together by
horizontal and vertical slots, as above described, they may be made to go
together with screws.
mount in
In order to remove the snuff from the wick of the lamp we
the cover of the oil vessel an upright spindle or axis, on the upper end
of which is a horizontal arm, which, when the axis is partially rotated, is
carried over the top of the wick at the proper level for knocking off the
snuff. To give this motion to the axis and its arm there is another axis
passing downwards vertically through the top of the oil vessel: this has
a button at its upper end, by which it can be partially rotated, and at its
lower end a horizontal arm with a pin or stud at its end, and this enters a
slot in an arm at the lower end of the axis of the snuffer, so that by turning
the button before mentioned the snuffer is made to pass over the wick. It
will be observed that the arrangement is such that the snuffing apparatus in
no way interferes with the separation of the parts of the lamp for cleaning
and trimming. This arrangement is shown in Figure 10. which is a vertical
section of the lower part of a lamp. r is the vertical axis. mounted in the
cover of the oil vessel, and r' its horizontal arm for knocking off the snuff; & is
the other upright axis; it is mounted in the top of the oil vessel, and has at its
upper end the milled head s, by which it can be conveniently turned: s is
the horizontal aim at its lower end, with the stud of pin s' at its extremity;
r is the slotted arm at the lower end of the axis r. into the slot in which the
pinsenters. It will be evident that the arm might be slotted. and that
the arm might carry the pin for entering the slot.
in witness whereof. I. the said Charles Edward Crawley, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
CHARLES EDWP. CRAWLEY. (L.S.)