Improvements in Portable Electric Lamps, More Especially Intended for Miners' Use.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1890-Accepted, 18th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Electric Lamps, More Especially Intended
for Miners' Use.
We, THE MINING AND GENERAL ELECTRIC LAMP COMPANY LIMITED of 11 Abchurch
Lane in the City of London DESMOND GERALD FITZ-GERALD of 46 Loughborough
Road Brixton Electrician and ARTHUR HENRY HOUGH of 13 Lausanne Road Peckham
Electrical Engineer both in the County of Surrey do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide a portable electric lamp for miners use
or for other purposes which is strong and compact and more efficient and readily
charged than are those hitherto constructed.
According to this invention the casing of the lamp is made of metal preferably steel
with a lead lining and coating to prevent its being injured by the electrolyte. To
apply the lead the steel after thoroughly cleaning the surface may be heated then
solder be applied and the casing be dipped in molten lead.
The elements and electrolyte are contained in a cell preferably of ebonite and of
such size as to leave a space between it and the metal casing and in this space pieces
or discs of india rubber or other elastic material may be placed so that the cell is
prevented from being injured by any blow which the casing may receive. The casing
is preferably closed by a metal sliding cover lined with wood or the like and secured
by a fastening which may be similar to that used in the Mensler lamp. It also is
provided with a depending piece which when the cover is in place covers and protects
the contact pieces (preferably of lead) which are in the casing and in electrical contact
with the elements for charging purposes.
The various connections from the battery to the lamp are preferably of lead and
carried in an ebonite or like plate inside the front of the metal casing. Where the
connections pass through the metal casing and ebonite the holes in the metal should
be larger than the conducting wires thus preventing short circuiting with the metal
casing. A switch may be provided (and it may be operated similarly to the cover
fastening) to break and complete the lamp circuit and the charging circuit as
required.
The lamp bulb and its protecting glass may be of any suitable shape and there may
if desired be employed a lever which completes the circuit to the lamp when the
protecting glass is in place being supported by it but if the glass breaks the lever
being no longer supported breaks the circuit and extinguishes the lamp in a manuer
known and used in the Urquhart lamp. The elements may be of any suitable shape
but it is preferred they shall consist of a central cylinder of spongy lead and lithanode
covered by a perforated sheet of celluloid or other non-conductor the peroxide elements
being carried by a bridge piece of ebonite or other insulating material passed on to a
stem projecting from the central cylindrical element a lower stem from which rests in
insulated footstep pieces in the bottom of the cell.
The connections from the charging studs aforesaid to the lamp and battery
respectively may be burned together or they may be made by screwing the stem of
the studs and passing the ends of the connections over the screwed stem projecting
inside the battery and then screwing a nut on the stem to clamp the connections. The
openings through the top of the cell for charging with electrolyte and allowing of the
escape of gas preferably consist of a cup or screw piece passed through the top of
the cell and having a perforation of a conical forn with the narrow end upwards to
prevent exit of the liquid but allow of the escape of gas. When the battery is to be
charged the cover is removed and the lamp passed on to a stand so that the afores..id

page_text: lead contact pieces come into contact with the terminals from a dynamo or electric
generator the switch being moved to break the circuit to the incandescene lamp.
Dated the 26th day of February 1890.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co..
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Electric Lamps, More Especially Intended
for Miners' Use.
We THE MINING AND GENERAL ELECTRIC LAMP COMPANY LIMITED of 11 Abchurch
Laue in the City of London DESMOND GERALD FITZ-GERALD of 46. Loughborough
Road Brixton in the County of Surrey Electrician and ARTHUR HENRY HOUGH of
13 Lausanne Road Peckham in the County of Surrey Electrical Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performeil
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object to provide a portable electric lamp for miners use
or for other purposes, which lamp is strong and compact and more efficient and
readily charged than are those as hitherto constructed.
We will refer to the accompanying drawing in explaining this invention the said
drawing representing longitudinal and transverse sections of a lamp made according
to this invention.
According to this invention the casing K. of the lamp is made of a strong material
or metal, preferably steel with a lead lining or coating to prevent its being injured by
the electrolyte. To apply the lead to the steel, the surface of the steel is thoroughly
cleaned and then it is heated and solder is applied and then the casing is dipped in
molten lead. Or an alloy of lead may be used in place of the lead.
The elements and electrolyte are contained in a vessel 1. (constituting a cell or cells)
preferably of vulcanite or ebonite and of such a size as to leave a space m between its
ontside and the inside of the casing K and in this space india rubber or other elastic,
or vielding material may be placed, or secured, as indicated at n so that the cell, or
cells, and their contents, are prevented from being injured by any blow which the
casing K may receive. Only the sides or both the sides and the end opposite that at
which the lamp proper is situated or both ends may be provided with the elastic
arrangements described.
The outer casing K is covered by a lid or cover I preferably of the same material
as the said casing and capable of being slidden into, and from, its place in grooves, or
turned down parts, k, at the upper part of the casing K. This lid or cover I may be
secured by a fastening as at i which may be similar to that used in the Mensler lamp.
The cover I is provided with a depending piece lined with vulcanite, ebonite, or
other insulating material 3 which, when the cover is in place, covers and protects the
charging contact pieces (one of which is shewn at p) which are preferably of lead.
They are secured in the insulating material in the casing as shewn and are in
convenient position for being brought readily into electric contact with the leads from
the appliance for charging the battery.
The various connections from the battery to the lamp are preferably of lead insulated
and those from the switch to the contact pieces pare carried up through the insulating
material p². Where the connections pass through the casing Kand the said vulcanite
or ebonite or other insulating material, the holes in the case, if the case be of metal,
should be larger than the conductors so as to prevent risk of short-circuiting with the
metal of the casing and for the same purpose where connections such as the contacts p
are near to the metal casing a piece of insulating material may be intervened as at
R is a switch attached to the lamp casing to break and complete the lamp circuit and
the charging circuit as desired.
9.
The lamp bulb A and its protecting glass D may be of any suitable shape or
description.

page_text: :
The elements in the cell or cells may also be of any suitable kind for instance they
may consist of a central cylinder of spongy lead and lithanode which may be covered
by a perforated sheet of celluloid or other non-conductor the peroxide elements
being carried by a bridge piece y² of vulcanite, ebonite, or other insulating material
passed onto a stem 2 projecting from the central cylindrical element a lower stem
from which, rests in an insulated footstep piece in the bottom of the cell or they
may be of spongy lead in the form of a plate held by a support of copper but as before
stated we do not limit ourselves to any particular form or construction of elements.
are projections of insulating material and ware dises constituting distance pieces
for keeping the electrodes properly separated. The connections from the charging
studs to the lamp A and battery respectively may be burned together or they may
be made by screwing the stem of the charging studs and passing the ends of the
connections over the screwed stem projecting inside the battery and then screwing a
nut on the stem to clamp the connections. The openings through the top of the cell
or cells for charging it or them with electrolyte and allowing of the escape of gas may
consist of a cup or screw piece 7 passed through the top of the cell and having a
perforation 2 with an inward part of a conical form with the narrow end upwards
to prevent the exit of liquid but allow of the escape of gas. The cup part r at top
may contain a material such as cotton wool.
When the battery is to be charged the switch R is turned so as to break the
contact between the conductors st so that the circuit to the lamp from the battery is
broken the cover I is removed and the lamp is placed on a stand so that the contact
pieces p come into contact with the terminals from the apparatus by which the storing
current is supplied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In portable electric lamps a vessel containing or constituting the cell or cells
enclosed in an outer casing between which casing and the said vessel is interposed
elastic material substantially as hereinbefore explained.
2. In portable electric lamps a vessel containing or constituting the cell or cells
enclosed in an outer steel or metal casing, or steel or metal casing covered with lead
or lead alloy or like protective coating between which vessel and casing elastic material
is interposed substantially as herein before described.
3. In portable electric lamps the combination of a vessel casing and elastic material
as herein before described and claimed with a cover or lid formed to protect the
charging contacts substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
4. In portable electric lamps the means for supporting and retaining in position
the electrodes substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the portable electric
lamp as herein before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Tinted this toch
1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.