IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1885

page_text: I ALFRED KITT of the Gas Light and Coke Company's Works, Lupus Street,
Pimlico in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LAMPS FOR STREET LIGHTING AND OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to dispense with the use of ladders now necessary
when cleaning or repairing the lanterns of Street Lamps, and which are the cause
of many accidents both to the employés using them and to the general public,
besides being a source of considerable expense, which has to be taken into account
by the Gas Companies when making their contracts for Street Lighting:
The invention consists in so constructing that part of the lamp known as the
Post, Pillar, or Column, that the lantern may be brought within convenient reach
from the ground for cleaning and repairing purposes.
In carrying out my invention, I divide the lamp post or column into two or
more parts, which I hinge or joint together in any convenient manner, so that one
or more of the parts may be turned down or lowered any convenient distance.
Each of these parts may be provided with a counterweight, which will assist
them in regaining a vertical position, and also serve to steady them in that position,
in which they will be secured by a suitable catch or other fastening.
To the upper part of the post I secure, in any convenient manner, a pair of arms,
one or both of which may be hollow to form gas ways, and these arms will support
a swinging lantern of the ordinary or other suitable form.
I prefer that the lantern shall be provided with hollow trunnions, which will rock
in suitable hollow bearings carried by the hollow arms, and serve as gas ways. In
like manner I prefer that the gas ways shall be formed in the hinges or joint of
the lamp post, though I may employ a flexible or any other form of connection if
preferred. The hinges or joints and the hollow arms will be connected together,
and with the gas supply, by suitable pipes.
It will be evident that by the use of a post formed as above indicated, the
lantern may be lowered to be lighted, or the light extinguished, and thus the use
of a lighting rod or torch will be obviated.

page_text: Means may be provided for securing the lantern against the effects of a high
wind.
Although I have referred more particularly to Street Lamps, it will be obvious
that the invention may be employed for Standard lamps in any other positions.-It
will be also applicable to electric and other lighting, as well as gas lighting.
Dated thig 25th day of August 1885
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
I ALFRED KITT of the Gas Light and Coke Company's Works, Lupus Street,
Pimlico in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to dispense with the use of ladders now necessary
when cleaning or repairing the lanterns of Street Lamps, and sometimes employed
for lighting the lamps, which ladders are the cause of many accidents to the
employés using them.-For instance, the ladders are liable to slip in certain states
of the pavement, or in crowded thoroughfares to be knocked from under the
employés, and in frosty or wet weather, there is always the risk of slipping off
them, while, to the public, their use becomes a nuisance, especially in crowded
thoroughfares.
To the gas companies they are sources of considerable expense, which has to be
taken into account when making contracts for street lighting, and thereby the
ratepayers suffer.
Now my invention consists in a novel construction of lamp post or column,
whereby the lantern may be lowered to within convenient reach of the ground for
cleaning or repairing, and also for lighting if so desired.
In carrying out my invention, I form the lamp post or column in two or more
parts, which are hinged or jointed together, so that the part or parts supporting
the lantern may be pulled over or turned down so as to bring the lantern within
convenient reach from the ground.-The movable parts are counterweighted or
balanced, as nearly as may be, which assists them in regaining their normal
position, and also prevents their moving in either direction with such rapidity or
force as to cause jarring, which will jeopardize the lantern.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shown, by way of example, various
methods by which the object of invention
my
may
be effected.

page_text: In the various Figures, A will represent the base of the post or column, and B
the upper part, which for convenience I will designate the "pillar.".
The base A will be secured in the ground in the usual way, and may be formed
of one casting, or in two or more parts.
The pillar B may be of wrought or cast iron or steel, formed or cast in one piece,
and hinged, pivotted, or otherwise jointed to the base, or one part of the pillar may
be cast with the base, the other part being hinged thereto; or the pillar may be
cast with one half of the base, which will be hinged or otherwise jointed to the
other half, or the pillar may be formed of taper steel tube screwed into a cast
Bocket, which is hinged or jointed to the base.
In Figs. 1 and 2, the base A consists of one casting, and the pillar B of one
casting or piece, the pillar being pivotted, hinged, or otherwise jointed to a pair
of lugs a forming part of the base A.-Hinged either to the base or the pillar,
as preferred, is a door or shutter b, which must be opened, as shown in Fig. 2, to
allow for the lowering of the pillar B, as indicated. This door, when shut, serves
also to hold the pillar in its normal position, being provided with a suitable bolt or
catch, which can only be withdrawn by the attendant with a special key.-c is a
weight which is attached by a short length of chain to the foot of the pillar, and is
enclosed in the base.
In Fig. 3, the pillar is cast with, or secured to a part A' of the base, which
forms the counterweight, the said part A' being hinged or otherwise suitably
jointed to the main base A, as shown.-Means will be provided for locking the
parts of the base together, the unlocking being effected by means of a suitable
key, as before explained.
In Fig. 4 the pillar is shown as cast with a panel d of the base, a weight c being
cast with the panel, or conveniently secured thereto.:
In this arrangement, the pillar is hung on centres a¹, see Fig. 5, which work in
holes formed in the boss or lump a cast with the base.
Fig. 6 shows only a portion or panel B¹ of the pillar B movable, and formed with
a. tail piece below the hinge, and attached to a light panel d of the base A.
Fig. 7 is a similar arrangement, with a movable weight c attached by a short
chain, as in Fig. 2, instead of the weighted panel.
Fig. 8 shows an arrangement of springs e, which may be employed when a rising
and falling weight c is used, to prevent jars or shocks.
To the top of the pillar B, I secure, in any convenient manner, a pair of arms f,
one or both of which may be hollow, to form gas ways, and these arms will support
a swinging lantern h, of the ordinary or other suitable form.
In this case, the lantern will be provided with hollow trunnions, which will rock
in suitable hollow bearings carried by the hollow arms, and serve as gas ways.
The gas ways may be formed in the hinges or joints of the lamp post, though I may
employ a flexible, or any other form of connection.-The hinges or joints, and the
bollow arms, will be connected together, and with the gas supply, by suitable
pipes; or I may use the ordinary cage or basket to receive the lantern, in which
case the swinging lantern will be dispensed with.
By the use of a post formed as above indicated, the lantern may be lowered to
be lighted, or to extinguish the light, and thus the use of lighting rod or torch
will be obviated.
Means may
be provided for securing the swinging lantern, when used, against the
effects of a high wind.
Although I have referred more particularly to street lamps, it will be obvious
that the invention may be employed for standard lamps in any other positions.
The invention will also be applicable to electric and other lighting, as well as
gas lighting, but when oil lamps, are used the swinging lantern is preferred.
In all cases, means will be provided for locking the several parts of the lamp
post or column together, in their normal position.
The lamp post will be so set, that the movable parts shall rock in the direction
longitudinally of the curb of the side walk or pavement.

page_text: I have shown in my drawings the form of lamp post or column most generally
adopted, but my invention will equally apply to any other form of post; for
instance, the pillar B may be hinged or jointed at the ground line to the base,
in which case the counterweight will be lodged in that part of the base which
is underground, and the pillar may be used in lieu of a special pipe for the gas
supply.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A lamp post'or column formed in two or more parts hinged or otherwise
jointed together, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a lamp post or column formed in-two or more parts, hinged or otherwise
jointed together, the adaptation to the movable part or parts, of a counterweight or
weights, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a lamp post or column formed of two or more parts
hinged or otherwise jointed together, and provided with a counterweight or weights,
of means for locking the parts together in their normal position, substantially as
set forth.