Improvements in Lanterns.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 7th Apr., 1894
COMPLETE SIMULIATION.
Improvements in Lanterns.
I, CHARLES ARTHUR ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
(which has been communicated to me from abroad by Frank Rhind, Engineer, of
Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States of America, and The Bridgeport Brass
Company, Incorporated, of Bridgeport aforesaid), and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention has for its object to produce a lantern adapted for general use but
more especially for use upon bicycles, carriages and boats, and also for railroad
use; and with this end in view my invention consists in the novel construction
which I will hereinafter describe and then specifically point out in the claims, said
construction being such as to adapt the lantern to the use of kerosine oil.
Heretofore it has been impracticable to use kerosine oil in this class of lanterns
for the reason that the oil in the reservoir quickly became heated to such an extent
as to make explosion possible, and furthermore that when the oil became heated
capillary action was so rapid as to make it impossible to regulate the flame and to
prevent smoking, the oil running up the wick faster than it could be consumed and
running down upon the outer side of the wick tube and causing the flame to flare
up and to smoke. My present lantern is so constructed that the oil in the reservoir
remains at practically a uniform temperature 'capillary action is not excessive, oil
will not run.
down upon
the outer side of the wick tube, smoking is wholly
prevented with reasonable care, and all danger of the lamp taking fire or exploding
is avoided.
:
"
In my improved lantern the oil reservoir is completely exposed to the air, the
deflector being above the reservoir and entirely separated therefrom, the wick tube
is also exposed to the air and is wholly detached from the deflector.
In the accompanying drawing forming part of this Specification
Fig. 1 is an elevation of my novel lantern.
Fig. 2 a section on the line xx in Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3.is a detail view illustrating a modified form of connection between the
body and the reservoir.
1 denotes the reservoir which is provided with a central opening 2 entirely
through it, and 3 a base plate which is attached to the reservoir by connections 4,
these connections being so constructed as to make the points of attachment to the
reservoir as far distant from the points of attachment to the base plate as the con-
struction will permit. It will be seen from Fig. 2 that the base plate and reservoir
are placed at sufficient distance apart to leave an open space between them for the
free circulation of air to keep the parts cool, it being of course apparent that the
air space between the reservoir and the base plate is a non-conductor of heat, and
that while metal is a comparatively good conductor the greater the distance between
the points of attachment of the connections themselves the less heat will be con-
ducted from the base plate to the reservoir. This is especially true in the present
instance where the connections are fully exposed to the air. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have
illustrated a form of connection made from a single piece of sheet metal which is
provided on its under side with lugs 5 for attachment to the reservoir and on its
upper side with lugs-6 for attachment to the base plate. Perforations 7 are formed
in the metal of the connections so that the circulation of air shall not be impeded
to the slightest extent. In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a form of connection made
from pieces of wire suitably curved and provided at one end with lugs 5 by which

page_text: the connections are attached to the reservoir either by heading or otherwise, and
at the other end with lugs 6 by which the connections are attached to the base
plate either by means of screw threads or otherwise. 8 denotes the deflector which
is attached to the base plate in any suitable manner as by screws 9. 10 denotes the
wick tube which lies in a plane oblique to the plane of the lantern, the top of the
wick tube being of course parallel to the plane of the lantern as clearly shown in
Fig. 2. The wick tube in practice extends upward and inward from one side of
the reservoir and is not connected to any portion of the lantern except the
reservoir. This construction permits the reservoir to be provided with the central
opening 2 through which a current of air passes in use which keeps the oil in the
reservoir cool, keeps the base plate and connections 4 cool and leaves almost the
entire wick tube itself exposed to the air thus keeping the wick tube cool also.
This is a very important feature as the wick tube in this class of lanterns as
heretofore constructed is a source of great danger and wholly prevents the use of
light oils as the gas distilled from the oil when heated is highly explosive and in
lanterns as heretofore constructed there is great danger that the flame will run down
the wick tube into the reservoir and cause an explosion. These difficulties are
entirely overcome in my present lantern, the construction of which enables me to
place in compact form a reservoir so constructed as to keep the oil cool, a deflector
and a wick tube which while short enough to prevent charring of the wick is long
enough and sufficiently exposed to the air so that it is kept perfectly cool and all
danger of the flame passing down into the reservoir is avoided. 11 denotes the
wick raiser which lies within the reservoir and the shaft 12 of which lies at a right
angle to the wick tube and of course oblique to the plane of the lantern. 13 denotes
the usual filling orifice provided with a cap 14. 15 denotes the body or case of the
lantern and 16 the top. The case is provided with the usual side lights 17, back of
the deflector with a parabolic reflector 18 back of reflector 18 with openings 26
which admit the necessary air supply to support combustion, and in front of the
deflector with an ordinary lens 19. The body or case may be attached to the
base plate and the top attached to the body in any ordinary or preferred
manner.
a corre-
I preferably however, employ the mode of attachment illustrated in Fig. 1.
Upon one side of the base plate is a pin 20 which is adapted to engage
sponding hole in the body and at the upper end of the body is a pin 21 which is
adapted to engage a corresponding hole in the top. These pins are preferably
placed in the front of the lantern so as to be partially concealed by the lens holder.
Upon the opposite side of the body I place a single spring 22. This spring is
secured to the body at its mid-length in any suitable manner as by a screw 23. and
is provided at each end with a latch 24 one of which engages a flange 25 at the
lower end of the top, the other engaging connections 4 between the base plate and
the reservoir. In Fig. the lower latch is shown as passing into one of the
perforations 7 which may be enlarged for the purpose.
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 :
1. In a signal lantern the combination with the base plate, the deflector and the
reservoir having an opening through it, of a wick tube extending obliquely from
one side of the reservoir and terminating within the deflector.
2. The combination with the reservoir, of a wick tube oblique to the plane of
the reservoir, and a wick raiser within the reservoir and having a shaft extending
upward in a plane at right angles to the wick tube and oblique to the plane of the
reservoir.
3. The combination with the reservoir having an... opening through it and a
deflector detached therefrom, of an exposed wick tube which is secured to the
reservoir, extends upward obliquely from one side thereof and terminates within
the deflector.

page_text: 4. The combination with the reservoir having connections 4 extending upward
therefrom, of a base plate secured to the connections, a deflector and an exposed
wick tube extending obliquely from one side of the reservoir and terminating within
the deflector.
5. The combination with the reservoir, connections 4 and the base plate having
a pin 20, of the body having a hole to receive said pin and a pin 21, the top having
a hole to receive the pin on the body and a spring 22 having latches 24 one of
which engages the top to secure it to the body the other latch engaging the
connections to secure the top and body to the reservoir.
6. In a lantern of the class described the combination with a body and a
reservoir having an air space between them, of metallic connections lying wholly
between said parts and placed below the body, said connections being attached to
said body and reservoir at distances apart greater than the distance between said
body and reservoir.
0
1
1004
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.