.IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF REFLECTORS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughts-
man, for the Invention.of. ".IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
REFLECTORS." A communication from abroad:by.William Henry Winder,
of the City of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 5th January 1867, and dated the 16th October 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th October 1866.>
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman,.do hereby declare the
nature of the said. Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
REFLECTORS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in using mica instead of glass in making reflectors.
The mica is either coated with a metallic surface, as;glass for reflectors is now
coated; or the mica is used as. a covering for a metallic reflector already made.
In the one-case the liability of breakage: by, heat or otherwise as with glass is
overcome, and any desirable shape of reflecting surface may be produced,
mica bending to the shape (it being flexible), which glass will not do. In
the other case by covering a metallic surface already made it is protected
from the atmosphere, and thereby preserved. from oxidation and from the
necessity for cleaning it, which tends to destroy the original polish of the
metal.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th April 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence that I, the said Alfred
Vincent Newton, my exécutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF REFLECTORS," being a communication from abroad,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton,
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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
-declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to the using mica instead of glass in the manufacture
of reflectors. The mica is either coated with a metallic surface adhering
thereto, as glass for reflectors is now coated, or the mica is used as a covering
for a metallic reflector already made. In the one case the liability of breakage
by heat or otherwise (as with glass) is overcome, and any desirable shape of
reflecting surface may be produced, mica from its flexible character bending
to the shape desired. In the other case by covering a metallic surface
already made it is protected from the atmosphere, and thereby preserved from

page_text: oxidation, and the necessity for cleaning it is removed, which is important as
cleaning tends to destroy the original polish of the metal.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use this Invention I will
proceed to describe the method of making reflectors.
The first step is to prepare in. wood, metal, paper, papier maché, or other
suitable material the mould or shell of the reflector of any desired shape.
Sheet mica having been coated with any suitable metallic surface should be cut
into the necessary shapes to allow of its being placed in the mould or shell,
where it is to be secured by any suitable cement or otherwise. Strips of wood,
pasteboard, metal, or other material may be cut into the requisite curves, and
covered with the prepared mica, so that when brought together would form a
suitable shaped reflector. In this way reflectors of immense sizes may readily
be made. By using prepared mica reflectors can be made in every conceivable
shape and size from a small one for a coal oil lamp to one several feet in
diameter, and combining the advantages of glass without its disadvantages,
with the advantages of metal without its cost and trouble of keeping clean.
If used as a covering to protect a reflector made of metal it is of course used
in its original state, merely cutting it to the desired shape necessary to make
it lay flat to the under surface, to which it may be attached by any suitable
transparent cement.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Reflectors," as communicated to me from abroad, and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it be understood that
under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the employment of
mica in the manufacture of reflectors in the manner and for the purpose above
described.
In witness, whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twelfth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
0
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.s.)