IMPROVEMENTS IN MINERS SAFETY LAMPS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th December 1882.
WILLIAM MORGAN of Ponty-pridd in the County of Glamorgan Sculptor.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MINERS SAFETY LAMPS "
My Invention relates to further improvements in miners safety lamps of the
character described in the Provisional Specification of Letters Patent granted to me
dated the 12th June 1882 N° 2750.
According to the first part of my improvements the air to support combustion is
admitted through the body of the lamp the external holes or air passage being so
protected by a shield or otherwise to prevent any sudden draught or shock from
acting upon or extinguishing the flame of the lamp.
The air passes from the external openings (through perforations with or without
wire gauge) into a chamber from which it passes through perforations and between
two glass cylinders surrounding the flame and from thence passes through wire
gauze into the wick or combustion chamber of the lamp. The air if desired may
pass direct from the inlet to the combustion chamber and wire gauze screens may
be inserted in all the air passages if desired.
Or the air for combustion may be admitted through wire gauze or perforations
above and over the top of the glass cylinder or cylinders.
The products of combustion pass upwards around a central inverted cone or other
suitably shaped dividers mounted within a tube and out through a space at the top
and through one or more caps or screens of fine wire gauze.
The wick holder (fitted with one or more wick tubes) is so arranged that by
unscrewing or removing the lower part of the body of the lamp together with the
wick holder the flame is extinguished by the wick tube descending within an
outer fixed wick tube or passage (or by raising an outer tube) so that should a
miner attempt to open his lamp for any purpose the flame cannot fail to be
extinguished:
When outer wick tubes are used they are held and secured in position by spring
catches or the holder may be otherwise arranged so that it can be readily removed
when required:

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th June
1883.
WILLIAM MORGAN of Ponty-pridd in the County of Glamorgan, Sculptor
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MINERS SAFETY LAMPS"
My Invention relates to further improvements in miners safety lamps of the
character described in the Provisional Specification of Letters Patent granted to me
dated the 12th June 1882 N° 2750.
According to the first part of my improvements the air to support combustion is
admitted through the body of the lamp at A as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings
hereto annexed the external holes or air passages being so protected by a shield B¹
or otherwise to prevent any sudden draught or shock from acting upon or
extinguishing the flame of the lamp.
The air passes from the external openings (through perforations with or without
wire gauze) into a chamber B from which it passes through a perforated screen B
and upwards between two glass cylinders M. N surrounding the flame of the lamp
and from thence passes through wire gauze N' into the wick or combustion
chamber O of the lamp. The air if desired may pass direct from the inlet to the
combustion chamber Ò and wire gauze screens may be inserted in all the..air
passages if desired.
(
Or the air for combustion may be admitted at A* direct through wire gauze or
perforations N¹ above and over the top of the glass cylinder or cylinders M N.
•
J
The products of combustion pass, upwards around a central inverted cone H or
other suitably shaped dividers mounted within a tube I and out through a space
at the top and away through one or more caps or screens of fine wire gauze E F
The wick holder P. fitted with one or more wick tubes QR is so arranged that
by unscrewing or separating, the lower part A of the body of the lamp together
with the wick holder W the flame is extinguished by the inner wick tube
descending within the outer fixed wick tube (or by raising an outer tube as herein-
after described) so that should a miner attempt to open his lamp for any purpose
the flame cannot fail to be extinguished.
The outer wick tubes and holder W are secured in position by spring catches S'
or the wick holder may be otherwise arranged so that it can be readily removed
when required.
Figure 2 shows a vertical section; of a miners safety lamp arranged somewhat
differently to that previously described, but embracing the same general principles
corresponding parts being marked with similar letters of reference.
In this arrangement the air for supporting combustion is admitted at A between
the perforated horizontal surfaces and wire gauze B B through which it passes as
indicated by the arrows into the combustion chamber O.
Atmospheric air is also admitted at A* passing in the direction of the arrows
into the combustion chamber and away through the outlet at the top of the
lamp.
Should the miner attempt to open his lamp by unscrewing and separating the
lower from the upper part the tubes which surround the wicks are caused to rise
above the flames and thereby extinguish them. This is effected by means of the
collar C formed; with curved slots into which pins c' in the wick tube holder c²
enter and as the collar C is held in position by spring catches s the pins chand
wick tube holder c² are caused to rise up in the curved slots and thus extinguish
the flame.

page_text: It will be seen that all the air passages are covered and protected by wire
gauze.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of per-
forming or carrying the same into practice I would remark that I make no claim
to any of the parts separately which are well known and in common use But what
I claim is:-
First, I claim the improved arrangement and construction of miners safety lamps
in which the air for combustion is admitted through passages protected by a shield
and up between two glass cylinders and through wire gauze into the combustion
chamber O the products of combustion being conducted away through wire gauze
screens substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein before described and
represented in Figure 1 of the drawings annexed.
I also claim the improved arrangement and construction of miners lamps in
which the air to support combustion is admitted through wire gauze above the
glass cylinder or cylinders substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described and represented in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings annexed.
Second, I claim the improved arrangement of the wick tubes and holder for
causing the flame of the lamp to be extinguished in case the lamp is opened for any
purpose such wick tubes being arranged to act substantially in the manner and for
the purpose herein before described and represented in Figures 1 and 2 of the
drawings annexed.
Third. I claim the improved arrangement construction and combination of parts
forming the improved miners safety lamps arranged to act substantially in the
manner herein before described and represented in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings
hereto annexed.
In witness whereof I the said William Morgan have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Eleventh day of June in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and sighter three
WILLIAM MORGAN (L.S.)