ILLUMINATING INSCRIPTIONS FOR ILLUMINATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Day, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Wine and Spirit Merchant, for an Invention of
ILLUMINATING INSCRIPTIONS
FOR
ILLUMINATION."
" IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS
AND DESIGNS,
AND FOR GENERAL
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Day at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th November 1880.
"
GEORGE DAY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Wine and Spirit
Merchant. IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR ILLUMINATING INSCRIPTIONS AND
DESIGNS, AND FOR GENERAL ILLUMINATION."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of lamps in the
manner bereinafter described, whereby inscriptions and designs are highly
illuminated and the efficiency of the lamp for general illumination increased.
Lamps may be made, according to my Invention, either single or double, that is,
they may be made to illuminate one inscription or design, or they may be made to
illuminate two inscriptions or designs to be viewed at opposite sides of the lamp.
They may also be made to illuminate more than two inscriptions or designs.
I will describe my Invention in connection with a lamp illuminating inscriptions
or designs to be viewed at opposite sides of the lamp.
I make the body of the lamp of a framing preferably of metal, and glaze it with
colourless transparent glass as usual. In the interior of the body and near its
middle I fix in the upper and lower parts of the body two pairs of parallel hori-
zontal grooves, to receive the glass or other plates containing the inscriptions or
designs to be illuminated. These grooves are so situated that the plates supported
by them are slightly inclined forwards.
The two plates to be illuminated are situated a short distance apart back to
back, their upper edges being at a greater distance apart than their lower edges.
The end faces of the lamp open on hinges, and the plates to be illuminated are
inserted in the grooves from the open end of the lamp by a sliding motion.

page_text: The flames by which the plates are illuminated are situated either in front of
the plates and near the bottom of the body of the lamp, or at the sides of the plates,
or both, at front and at the sides. By the construction and arrangement described
the inscriptions or designs on the plates are highly illuminated, and the general
illuminating power of the lamp is increased by the reflection of light from the
plates having the inscription or design.
When a lamp of the kind described is fixed in front of a shop in a direction
crossing the foot path the inscription on one side is visible to persons approaching
in one direction, and that on the other side is visible to persons approaching in the
other direction.
When only one illuminated inscription is required, as when the lamp is to be
fixed in front of a shop and parallel therewith, I make the lamp single.
Lamps made according to my Invention are suitable for all places where it is
desired to illuminate one or more inscriptions or designs, and from the facility with
which the plates carrying the inscriptions or designs can be changed they are
especially suited for railway stations, theatres, concert halls, and the like.
Although I prefer to glaze the body of the lamp with colourless glass, yet where
required for any special purpose it may be glazed with coloured glass, and although
I prefer to introduce the plates carrying the inscriptions or designs at the end of
the lamp by a horizontal sliding motion yet they may be introduced through the
top of the lamp by a nearly vertical sliding motion.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Day in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st May
1881.
GEORGE DAY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Wine and Spirit
Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR ILLUMINATING INSCRIPTIONS AND
DESIGNS, AND FOR GENERAL ILLUMINATION."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging the parts of lamps in the
manner herein after described, whereby inscriptions and designs are highly
illuminated and the efficiency of the lamp for general illumination increased.
.
Lamps may be made, according to my Invention, either single or double, that is,
they may be made to illuminate one inscription or design, or they may be made
to illuminate two inscriptions or designs, to be viewed at opposite sides of the
lamp. They may also be made to illuminate more than two inscriptions or
designs.
I will describe my Invention in connection with a lamp illuminating inscriptions
or designs to be viewed at opposite sides of the lamp.
I make the body of the lamp of a framing preferably of metal, and glaze it with
colourless transparent glass as usual. In the interior of the body and near its

page_text: middle I fix in the upper and lower parts of the body two pairs of parallel hori-
zontal grooves to receive the glass or other plates containing the inscriptions or
designs to be illuminated. These grooves are so situated that the plates supported
by them may be slightly inclined forwards. The two plates to be illuminated are
situated a short distance apart back to back, their upper edges being at a greater
distance apart than their lower edges. The end faces of the lamp may either slide
in grooves or open on hinges, and the plates to be illuminated are inserted in the
grooves from the open end of the lamp by a sliding motion.
The flames by which the plates are illuminated are situated either in front of
the plates and near the bottom of the body of the lamp, or at the sides of the plates,
or both at front and at the sides.
By the construction and arrangement described, the inscriptions or designs on
the plates are highly illuminated, and the general illuminating power of the lamp
is increased by the reflection of light from the plates having the inscriptions or
designs.
When a lamp of the kind described is fixed in front of a shop in a direction
crossing the footpath the inscription on one side is visible to persons approaching
in one direction, and that on the other side is visible to persons approaching in the
other direction.
When only one illuminated inscription is required, as when the lamp is to be
fixed in front of a shop parallel therewith, I make the lamp single.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation, Figure 2 in transverse vertical section,
and Figure 3 in plan (with the head removed) a double lamp for illuminating
inscriptions or designs, and for general illumination, the said lamp being constructed
according to my Invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
a, a, is the body of the lamp, made preferably of a metallic framing glazed with
colourless transparent glass. The side glazed frames are marked b, b, and the end
glazed frames are marked c, c. The said glazed frames are fixed in the metal body
of the lamp by sliding them in grooves in the said body, so that they can be
removed for cleaning or other purpose. Or the front glazed frames b, b, may be
permanently fixed to the lamp body, and the end glazed frames c, c, be hinged to
the lamp body.
In the upper part of the interior of the lamp body is a horizontal groove d, and
in the lower part of the said body is a similar groove e.
The said grooves d, e,
receive the opaque glass or other plates f, g, containing the inscriptions or designs
to be illuminated, the said plates when in their places lying back to back. The
said plates f, g, are inserted in the grooves d, e, from the open ends of the lamp by
a sliding motion, the end glazed frames c, c, having been withdrawn from the lamp
frame or turned on their hinges. In Figure 3 the plates containing the inscrip-
tions or designs are shown partly withdrawn from the grooves in which they
slide.
The glass or other plates f, g, containing the inscriptions or designs divide the
body of the lamp into two parts or divisions marked respectively h, i, in Figure 2.
The plate f, forming the back of the division h, is illuminated by flames from the
top and bottom burners k and 1, l, the lower burners 1, 1, being situated at the
bottom of the lamp near its ends, and the third and upper burner / being situated
midway between its ends. The plate g, forming the back of the division i, is
illuminated by the burners k² and 12, 12, at top and bottom, arranged as described
with respect to the burners k, l, l. By means of the flames from the said burners
the inscriptions or designs on the plates f, g, are highly illuminated, and the general
illuminating power of the lamp is increased by the reflection of light from the
plates carrying the inscriptions or designs.
In the Drawing the inscription or design carried by the plate ƒ is represented by

page_text: the letters J, A, and the inscription or design carried by the plate g is represented
by the letter R.
When the double lamp represented is fixed in front of a shop in a direction
crossing the footpath, the inscription on the plate f is visible to persons approaching
in one direction, and the inscription on the plate g is visible to persons approaching
in the other direction. The plates carrying the inscriptions are changed from time
to time, as may be required.
Instead of using a single groove at the top and bottom of the lamp body for
receiving the two plates f, g, carrying the inscriptions or designs, two parallel
grooves may be used at top and bottom, a pair of grooves for each plate, and
the plates may be supported in their grooves in a slightly inclined forward position.
In this case the upper grooves are situated at a greater distance apart than the
lower grooves.
In single lamps, or lamps having only one plate, containing an inscription or
design, the grooves in which the said plate slides are situated at the back of the
body of the lamp, the said plate forming the back of the lamp.
Instead of two plates f, g, in the double lamp, each plate having one inscription
or design upon it, one plate may be employed with an inscription or design upon
each face.
Where three, four, or other number of inscriptions are to be illuminated, they are
arranged in the form of a triangle, or square or other figure, and each inscription is
separately illuminated. Gas or oil flames or other sources of light may be employed
in lamps made according to my Invention.
Lamps made according to my Invention are suitable for all places where it is
desired to illuminate one or more inscriptions or designs, and from the facility with a
which the plates carrying the inscriptions or designs can be changed they are
especially suited for railway stations, theatres, concert halls, and the like.
Although I prefer to glaze the body of the lamp with colourless glass, yet, where
required for any special purpose, it may be glazed with coloured glass, and although
I prefer to introduce the plates carrying the inscriptions or designs at the end of
the lamp by a horizontal sliding motion, yet they may be introduced through the
top of the lamp by a nearly vertical sliding motion.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,―-
The improvements in lamps for illuminating inscriptions and designs, and for
general illumination, herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing, that is to say, arranging in the body of the lamp a pair or pairs or series
of grooves for receiving a plate or plates carrying the inscriptions or designs to be
illuminated, the said plate or plates being fitted in and, when required, removed 4
from the said grooves by a sliding motion, the said plate or plates being highly
illuminated by the lamp, and also serving to increase, by the reflection of the
light, the general illuminating power of the lamp, substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Day, have hereunto set my hand 4
and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
GEORGE DAY. (L.S.)