AN IMPROVED LAMP OR SIGNAL FOR CALLING CABS OR OTHER VEHICLES BY DAY AND NIGHT
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Wilson, of Pall Mall, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LAMP OR
SIGNAL FOR CALLING CABS OR OTHER VEHICLES BY DAY AND NIGHT."
Sealed the 20th October 1865, and dated the 21st April 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Wilson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st April 1865.
I, EDWARD WILSON, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED LAMP
OR SIGNAL FOR CALLING CABS OR OTHER VEHICLES BY DAY AND NIGHT," to be as
follows:-
The object of my Invention is to afford a ready and convenient means of
calling cabs and other vehicles by day and night, whereby servants and others,
but particularly female servants, need not be sent out in stormy weather or
cold nights to get a cab, or to stand shivering in the gap of a hall door trying
to catch one as it passes.
The Invention consists in the employment of a lamp or signal constructed
in the following manner :-I form a metal frame of an oblong shape, the
sides of which are composed of glass, talc, or other transparent material,
while both ends are of metal, one of which is hinged to act as a door. The
base of the lamp is made of metal, by preference perforated, and on its inner

page_text: side it carries a tapering guide, on or in which a holder for the reception of
oil or other liquid capable of burning and affording light is free to slide. To
the outer sides of the base plate I attach wires, which are bent into a circular
form and grasp each corner in order to afford a firm support for the lamp
when set on a stand or other resting place. I prefer wires for the sake of
lightness, but plates may be used. The upper part of the frame of the lamp
carries a canopy with a handle on the top and hooks on each side, the latter
being used for suspending the lamp as hereafter described. The glass or tale
sides of the lamp are colored differently, say red on one side and green on
the other. On the canopy over the red color I write "Hansom cab," and
paint a large H on the red glass. On the other side of the canopy and over
the green color I write "Four-wheel cab," and paint a large C on the green
glass. Now to use the lamp or signal during the day, and supposing I
require a "Hansom cab," I suspend the lamp in a conspicuous position by
means of the hooks attached to the canopy, with the side having the red glass
and letter H visible from the street or road; the driver of an empty cab
passing by and seeing the signal will stop. At night I suspend the signal in
a similar manner with the lamp [inside lighted. If I require a four-wheel
cab "I simply expose the other side of the signal to view.
Although I have for the sake of clearness stated that I use a red color to
denote that I desire a "Hansom cab" and a green color for a "four-wheel
cab, yet it is evident that these colors may be reversed if found desirable.
For example, a green color might be used to show that a "Hansom cab'
was required, and a red for a "four-wheel cab," or other colors may be
employed. I wish it also to be understood that although I prefer to place
the letters H and C on the glasses as herein-before described yet in some
cases it may be found desirable to omit them altogether without in any way
departing from my Invention, which essentially consists in the employment of
a lamp or signal constructed and. acting substantially in manner and for the
purposes herein-before described.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors; give and grant unto me, the
said Edward Wilson, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Wilson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Edward Wilson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "AN IM-
PROVED LAMP OR SIGNAL FOR CALLING CABS OR OTHER VEHICLES BY DAY AND NIGHT,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Wilson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what 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 immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Wilson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is
to say:-
The object of my Invention is to afford a ready and convenient means of
calling cabs and other vehicles by day and night, whereby servants and others,
but particularly female servants, need not be sent out in stormy weather or
cold nights to get a cab, or to stand shivering in the gap of a hall door trying
to catch a cab as it passes.
The Invention consists in the employment of a lamp or signal constructed
in the following manner:-I form a metal frame of an oblong shape, the
sides of which are composed of glass, tale, or other transparent material,
while both ends are of metal, one of which is hinged to act as a door. The
base of the lamp is made of metal, by preference perforated, and on its inner
side it carries a tapering guide, on or in which a holder for the reception of
oil or other liquid capable of burning and affording light or supporting a
candle, is free to slide. To the outer sides of the base plate I attach wires,
which are bent into a circular form and grasp each corner in order to afford a

page_text: firm-support for the lamp when set on a stand or other resting place. I
prefer wires for the sake of lightness, but plates may be used. The upper
part of the frame of the lamp carries a canopy with a handle on the top and
hooks on each side, the latter being used for suspending the lamp as hereafter
described. The glass or talc sides of the lamp are colored differently, say,
red on one side and green on the other. On the canopy over the red color I
write "Hansom cab," and paint a large H on the red glass. On the other
side of the canopy and over the green color I write "four-wheel cab," and
paint a large C on the glass.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a view of one side, and Figure 21
is a view of the other side of a lamp or signal constructed according to my
Invention; Figure 3 is a view in plan; and Figure 4 is a longitudinal section
of the same.
Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the
Figures.
a is the glass on one side of the frame b, colored green, and bearing the
letter C, indicating as shewn by the words "four-wheel cab" written above,
that this is the side to be exhibited to call a "four wheel"; d is the glass on
the other side, colored red, and bearing the letter H, indicating, as shewn by
the words "Hansom cab" written above, that this is the side to be exhibited
to call a "Hansom "; e is the holder for oil or other burning liquid; f is the
door of the lamp hinged to the end as shewn; g is the metal canopy, and h is
a handle connected thereto for carrying the lamp; i, i, are hooks, by pre-
ference two on each side, as shewn, for suspending the lamp from a door,
window sash, or other place, and k, k, are wires or frames at the base for
supporting the lamp when placed on a table or other support. Now to use
the lamp or signal during the day, and supposing I require a "Hansom cab"
I suspend the lamp in a conspicuous position by means of the hooks attached
to the canopy, with the side having the red glass d and letter H visible from
the street or road, the driver of an empty cab passing by and seeing the
signal will stop. At night I suspend the signal in a similar manner with
the lamp or candle inside lighted. If I require a "four-wheel cab" I simply
expose the other side of the signal to view.
Although I have for the sake of clearness stated that I use a red color to
denote that I desire a "Hansom cab," and a green color for a "four-wheel
cab, yet it is evident that these colors may be reversed if found desirable; for
example a green color might be used to shew that a "Hansom cab" was
required, and a red for a "four-wheel cab," or other colors may be employed.
I wish it also to be understood that although I prefer to place the letters H

page_text: and C on the glasses as herein-before described, yet in cases it may be found
desirable to omit them altogether without in any way departing from my
Invention.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the employment
of a lamp or signal constructed and acting substantially in manner and for
the purposes herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-five.
Witnesses,
WILLIAM A. TIDDY,
EDWP. G. BREWER.
EDWP. WILSON. (L.S.)