CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE, STREET, AND OTHER LAMPS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Defries, of the Firm of Jonas Defries
and Sons, of Houndsditch, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE, STREET,
AND OTHER LAMPS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Defries at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th February 1872.
I, HENRY DEFRIES, of the Firm of Jonas Defries and Sons, of
Houndsditch, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE,
STREET, AND OTHER LAMPS," to be as follows :—
My first improvement consists in surrounding the lamp above the
flame with an outer reflector of any suitable shape and material, which
reflector I propose in the case of railway carriage lamps to fix to the

page_text: manner;
inside of the roof of the carriage, the reflector being pierced with a hole
for the passage of the lamp when dropped through the roof in the usual
in the case of street and other lamps I propose to support this
reflector by arms or stays from the lamp frame, or in other convenient
manner. The object of this improvement is to increase the reflecting
surfaces without increasing the size of the actual lamp or lantern
enclosing the burners.
My second improvement consists in placing beneath the flame on
every side, and either within or outside of a railway carriage, street, or
other lamp, a conical or other shaped reflector to be used simply in
conjunction with the ordinary top reflector of a railway carriage lamp,
or in conjunction therewith and with the outer reflector above
mentioned, or in conjunction with any reflector placed above the flame
of a street or other lamp. If placed within the lamp this lower reflector
may be supported by the wick holders or gas branches, and when fitted
outside it may be stayed to the upper outer reflector. The light from
the top reflector within the lamp will be thrown down to the reflector,
which I place below the flame, from whence it will be again thrown
upwards, and when my upper outer reflector is used the light will be
again reflected downwards and laterally, and thus be diffused throughout
the compartment of the railway carriage, or wherever the lamp may be
used, throughout a greater radius than would otherwise be the case.
The shape of my reflectors as well as that of the ordinary top reflector
within the lamp will be regulated by the distribution to be given to the
light.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the
thirty-fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Henry Defries, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Defries, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Defries, 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 "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE, STREET, AND OTHER LAMPS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Defries, 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 Henry Defries, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My first improvement consists in surrounding the lamp above the
flame with an outer reflector of any suitable shape and material, which
reflector I propose in the case of railway carriage lamps to fix to the
inside of the roof of the carriage, the reflector being pierced with a hole
for the passage of the lamp when dropped through the roof in the usual
manner; in the case of street and other lamps I propose to support this
reflector by arms or stays from the lamp frame or in other convenient
imanner. The object of this improvement is to increase the reflecting
surfaces without increasing the size of the actual lamp or lantern
enclosing the burners.
My second improvement consists in placing beneath the flame on
every side, and either within or outside of a railway carriage, street, or
other lamp, a conical or other shaped reflector to be used in conjunction

page_text: with the ordinary top reflector of a railway carriage lamp, and with the
outer reflector above mentioned, or in conjunction therewith and with
any reflector placed above the flame of a street or other lamp. If placed
within the lamp this lower reflector may be supported by the wick
holders or gas branches, and when fitted outside it may be stayed to the
upper outer reflector or be otherwise supported. The light from the top
reflector within the lamp will be thrown down to the reflector, which I
place below the flame, from whence it will be again thrown upwards
against my upper outer reflector, from whence the light will be again
reflected downwards and laterally, and thus be diffused throughout the
compartment of the railway carriage, or wherever the lamp may be used,
throughout a greater radius than would otherwise be the case.
The shape of my reflectors as well as that of the ordinary top reflector
within the lamp will be regulated by the distribution to be given to the
light.
The number of lights within the lamp whether oil or gas is optional.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing Figure 1 is an elevation
partly in section at A, B, Fig. 3, of a railway carriage roof lamp
embodying my improvements; Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section
of same at C, D, Fig. 1; and Figure 3, a bottom plan view of same.
A, outer reflector fixed above the flame; B, reflector placed beneath the
flame; O, top reflector within the lamp. The reflector A is fixed to the
inside of the roof D of the carriage by screws d, d, at the four corners of
the curved flange guard or frame e forming part of the reflector A, or
this guard may be dispensed with and the reflector be fixed to the roof
by screws at f, f, or be secured thereto in any convenient manner. I
have shown a reflector of an oblong square form, but it may be circular,
octagonal, or of any other shape. This reflector is quite independent
of the lamp proper, which when dropped through the roof in the usual
manner passes through the circular opening in the centre of the reflector
A, and takes the position shown on the Drawing. This reflector may be
more or less deep according to the position of the flame, and of the
position and form of the reflector B. I prefer to use iron with enameled
reflecting surfaces for this reflector, as such surfaces are easily kept
clean, but I may use any other suitable material and reflecting surfaces.
The reflector B is here shown of an oblong shape with its sides b, b,
curved and of a conical form; it is suspended within the lamp glass g

page_text: by the supports h, h, and here also forms oil reservoir carrying wick
holder. I would here observe that this reflector is equally applicable to
gas as to oil lamps, and that if desirable it might be placed outside of
the lamp glass instead of within it. The shape of this reflector will be
regulated according to the direction in which it is desired to reflect the
light either in relation to the reflector C, or to the outer reflector A. It
will be observed that I have given a slight curve to the reflector C, and
I find this curve answer well in combination with a reflector B of the
shape shown, but the reflector C may be of the ordinary form or of any
shape most suitable to that of the reflector B, or that A. The reflector
B may be made of metal with silvered or enameled reflecting surfaces,
or of any suitable material.
The glass holder i, air box k, chimney 7, springs m, m, for securing
lamp in roof, and all the other parts of the lamp and of its seating, are
constructed in the ordinary manner.
As above stated, I do not confine the application of my improvements
to railway carriage roof lamps, but propose also to use them in
combination for street and other lamps, the application to which I have
not deemed it necessary to illustrate, as modes of fixing will readily
suggest themselves to practical lamp makers, and they may be infinitely
varied.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be performed,
I would have it understood that what I claim as secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the use of the reflector A
in combination with the reflectors B and C, substantially as and for the
purpose herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Defries, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.