Improvements in Mechanisms for Imparting Rotary Motion to Lighthouse Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 24th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanisms for Imparting Rotary Motion to
Lighthouse Apparatus.
I, NICOLAS DÉSIRÉ FRÉDÉRIC BARBIER Lighthouse-engineer, of 82 Rue Curial,
Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to the mechanisms employed for imparting rotary
motion to lighthouse-apparatus in general and more especially to lenticular
apparatus of large sizes moving upon roller-carriages, an operation which it is
sometimes difficult to insure on account of the bulk to be moved.
According to my improvements, I accomplish this result by attaching, at any
suitable point of the rotating portion of the apparatus, an annular float, the shape
and size of which are such that, when dipped into a vessel containing water, mercury
or another liquid, the weight of the liquid displaced by the float counterbalances
wholly or partly the weight of such rotating portion, whereby the rotary motion
can be produced with a very slight power.
My improvements are particularly applicable to apparatus which move on
roller-carriages, but they can also be applied to other systems of lighthouses and
especially to those in which the apparatus move on pivots.
Dated this 26th day of April 1893.
N. D. F. BARBIER,
By L. W., per F. B.
Improvements in Mechanisms for Imparting Rotary Motion to
Lighthouse Apparatus.
I, NICOLAS DÉSIRÉ FRÉDÉRIC BARBIER, Lighthouse-engineer of 82 Rue Curial,
Paris, France 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 present invention relates to the mechanisms employed for imparting rotary
motion to lighthouse apparatus in general and more especially to lenticular
appparatus of large sizes moving upon roller-carriages, an operation which it is
sometimes difficult to insure on account of the bulk to be moved.
The object I have in view to accomplish is mainly to so construct the mechanism
that its central portion shall be perfectly free and give easy access to the burner,
whilst at the same time provision is also made for the free arrival of the mineral or
other oil pipe to the burner.
To accomplish these objects in lighthouse apparatus worked by means of a
carriage, I provide the movable portion with a float which relieves the carriage, and
in lighthouse apparatus working on a pivot shaft, I dispense with the same and
replace it by a carriage combined with a float.
The main feature of the mechanism to be hereinafter described lies in the com-
bination, in a lighthouse apparatus, of a carriage bearing the lenticular apparatus
with a float which, being dipped into a vessel containing a suitable liquid, serves
the purpose of counterbalancing wholly or partly the weight of such movable
apparatus, whereby the rotary motion of the latter can readily be produced with a
very slight power.

page_text: Another feature of the mechanism lies in an arrangement by which the vessel
containing the liquid into which the float is dipped can be readily lowered for the
purpose of enabling the attendant to either inspect the float or the vessel and also to
have easy access to the liquid contained in the latter.
In the annexed drawings I have shown a lighthouse apparatus embodying my
improvements.
Fig. 1 is a cross sectional elevation and
Fig. 2 is a top view in section on the line a a of Fig. 1.
The construction comprises a bed plate 1 upon which rest four outer standards 2
and four inner standards 3. Upon the four inner standards 3 rests a stationary
table 4 to which the attendant has access from below by a ladder 5, and on which
is arranged the base 6 of the burner, a portion only of which is shown in dotted
lines. Upon the four outer standards 2 is fastened a flat metal annulus 7 over
which is secured an annular frame-piece 8 which is capable of horizontal adjustment
by any known means, for the purpose of insuring a perfectly horizontal position for
the movable portion of the mechanism to be described.
The movable portion of the mechanism comprises an annular plate 9 to which are
bolted frame-pieces 10 which are fastened to a flat ring 11; to the underface of the
latter is secured a float 12 of any suitable construction which dips into mercury,
water or other suitable liquid contained in a vessel 13. The annular plate 9 is
supported by means of a kind of independent carriage formed of a series of
vertically arranged rollers 14 and a series of horizontally arranged rollers 15, all
fitted in an annular frame 16 having brackets 17 for supporting the outer ends of
the axis 18 around which the vertical rollers 14 rotate. The vertical rollers 14
bear below against a steel rail 19 secured to a flange 20 projecting from the annular
frame-piece 8, whilst above, they bear against a similar steel rail 21 secured to the
underface of the annular plate 9. The horizontal rollers 15 bear against the
internal face of the annular frame-piece 8.
To the internal face of the annular plate 9 is secured a circular rack 22 by which
rotary motion is imparted to the movable portion of the mechanism through a spur-
wheel 23 which is actuated by means of any known or suitable driving mechanism.
In the annexed drawing, the inotive power is shown as being derived from a weight
acting through the intervention of a suitable mechanical contrivance contained in
a casing 24 upon an axis 25 carrying the driving spur-wheel 23. The lenticular
apparatus of any suitable system is fitted upon the upper face of the movable
annular plate 9; it is only partly delineated & is shown in dotted lines.
For steadying the motion of the movable portion of the mechanism, a set of
rollers 26, fitted in adjustable bearings 27 secured to the flat ring 11, is made use
of and bears against the inner face of the annular frame-piece 8.
The vessel 13, when in operating position, assumes the position shown in Figure 1
and is supported by a series of frame-pieces 28, which are bolted to the inner and
outer standards 2 respectively; the said vessel 13 is provided with lugs 29 to
which are fastened piston rods 30, the pistons 31 of which work in hydraulic
cylinders 32 resting upon the bottom of the outer standards 2. The vessel is
likewise provided with slides 33 engaging corresponding grooves in the inner
standards 3 for the purpose of guiding the said vessel during its upward or
downward movement.
The operation of the movable portion of the mechanism is as follows: motion
is imparted by the spur-wheel 23 to the circular rack 22, and the annular plate 9,
together with the lenticular apparatus fixed thereon and with the frame-pieces 10
and float 12, receive a rotary motion, the weight of the whole mass being partly or
wholly sustained by the mercury contained in the vessel 13 so as to relieve the
carriage and its rollers 14, 15.
The operation of lowering or raising the vessel 13 is as follows: the vessel
assuming the position shown in Fig. and the hydraulic cylinders 32 being filled
with water and the outlet valves 34 thereof being closed, the frame-pieces 28 are
first unbolted and removed, after which, upon opening the outlet valves 34 of the

page_text: hydraulic cylinders, the water contained in the latter runs out under the action of
the weight of the vessel and the said vessel gradually descends together with the
piston rods 30 and pistons 31. When the vessel has been sufficiently lowered
for any required purpose, the outlet valves 34 are closed and the parts are brought
to rest. During such lowering operation, the vessel is guided by the slides 33
working in the grooves of the inner standards 3. When the vessel is to be raised
again into its original position, a source of water under sufficient pressure is
connected by a series of pipes to the several outlet valves 34 of the cylinders 32,
the said valves are then opened and the water pressure is turned on. The pistons 31
move upward and carry with them the connected parts until the vessel has risen to
its original position, whereupon the frame-pieces 28 are placed back into position,
the pressure is cut off and the valves 34 are again closed. The vessel 13 is or can
be provided with any suitable valve, not shown, by which its contents can be drawn
off, if desired. 35 shows in dotted lines in Fig. 1 the supply pipe for the burner.
I am aware that lighthouse apparatus have already been constructed in which
the weight of the movable portion has been counterbalanced by means of a float
dipping into a liquid. I therefore do not claim broadly the application of a float for
that given purpose.
In certain constructions of that kind, the weight of the
movable portion of the apparatus is borne by a central shaft passing vertically
through the centre of the apparatus and resting on a pivot, a float being connected
to the said movable portion. In the improved construction hereinbefore described,
the central shaft and its pivot are suppressed and are replaced by any suitable
kind of carriage or guide-rollers, whereby the interior of the apparatus is left
entirely free for the easy access of the attendant and for the ready fitting and passage
of the main which supplies the burner of the lighthouse with mineral or other oil.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a lighthouse apparatus, the combination of a carriage or guide-rollers with
a float substantially as described and shown and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a lighthouse apparatus, the employment of a hydraulic lifting and lowering
mechanism for the vessel 13, consisting of a series of hydraulic cylinders 32 with
their pistons and piston rods connected to the said vessel, substantially as described
and shown.
3. In a lighthouse apparatus, the combination, with a vessel 13 capable of vertical
movement, of removable frame-pieces 28 for sustaining the said vessel when in its
position of operation substantially as described and shown.
4. The improved construction of lighthouse apparatus substantially as described
and shown, and for the purpose set forth.
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