Improvements in or connected with Miners' Safety Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Sept., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Miners' Safety Lamps.
We, WILLIAM ACKROYD, of Birkenshaw, Colliery Proprietor, and WILLIAM BEST,
of Morley, Engineer, both near Leeds, in the County of York, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
--
Our invention relates to the construction of miners' safety lamps and in apparatus
connected therewith, whereby the lamp bottoms may be readily connected to the lamp
frames, and the lamp bottoms when so connected may be effectively and expeditiously
secured or locked in position.
According to our invention, we provide the interior of the frame with a helical
incline, which may extend for a full revolution like the thread of a screw, or which
may be constructed in duplicate and extend for half a turn only. Similar inclines
or projections are provided on the exterior of the lamp bottom, in such a manner
that on the lamp bottom being inserted in the lamp frame, a short twist firmly
clamps the two parts together. Instead of the inclines above described, the lamp
bottoin may be constructed with a screw thread, portions of which are cut away
diagonally to the line of the thread, and the interior of the frame is provided with
a screw thread which is cut away at parts to allow of the passage of the sections
of the thread on the lamp bottom. Thus on placing the lamp bottom into the frane,
it can enter almost its full distance, and on receiving a short turn, it becomes
firmly connected to the frame.
For the purpose of locking the bottom to the frame, a spring bolt is provided,
the end of which enters a hole or takes into a notch in the frame, and on the
parts being placed together the spring bolt engages with the frame and locks the
bottom firmly in position. The outer end of the bolt passes through the lamp
bottom and rests in a countersunk recess, in such a manner that it cannot be operated
by any tool or other instrument. The bolt may if desired be attached to the lamp
frame, and the notch or projections would then be situated on the lamp bottom.
In order to operate the bolt, we employ a magnet, the end of which is of such
a size as to enter the recess in the lamp bottom, and the said magnet is thus
enabled to be inserted and placed into direct contact with the head of the spring
bolt, which can then be withdrawn and the lamp bottom removed.
The magnet may either be a permanent one or an induction coil may be employed
for producing the magnet, and by mounting the magnet on a slide and providing
same with a spring of superior strength to that of the spring bolt, the magnet may
be lifted by a lever or other suitable means to bring it into contact with the bolt,
and on releasing the magnet the spring lowers same, at the same time withdrawing
he bolt and allowing the lamp to be opened.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1895

page_text: We, WILLIAM ACKROYD, of Birkenshaw, Colliery Proprietor, and WILLIAM BEST,
of Morley, Engineer, both near Leeds, in the County of York, 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 our invention is to provide suitable locking apparatus for miners'
safety lamps, whereby the said lamps remain securely locked and are safe from
being opened by mechanical means, whilst at the same time a magnetic opening
appliance is provided whereby the locking mechanism may be opened when desired.
Our invention also relates to apparatus whereby the frame and the lamp bottom may
be connected and disconnected more quickly and simply than heretofore.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood, we will proceed to
describe same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters
refer to like parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a transverse section shewing a portion of a miner's safety lamp and
magnetic opening appliance constructed according to our invention,
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the entire magnetic appliance drawn to a
smaller scale, and °
Figures 3 and 4 are detail views.
. A is the frame of the lamp, and B is the lamp bottom which is connected to the
frame A by means of the screw thread C. D is a bolt situated in the lamp
bottom B, and E is a spring which in conjunction with the nut F tends to keep
the bolt D in the up position. The upper end of the bolt D, engages with a pro-
jection G situated on the lamp frame A, and the edges of the projection G and
bolt 1 are rounded off so as to pass each other in screwing the parts A and B
together. The bolt D is provided with an enlarged head H which works in
a recess J in the base of the lamp bottom B.
On screwing the lamp bottoin B to the frame A, the upper end of the bolt D
comes in contact with the projection G, causing the bolt to recede and pass beneath
it, when the said bolt D immediately rises behind the projection G (as best seen at
Fig. 3). The latter movement of the bolt D takes place at the point when the
lamp bottom is screwed completely home, thereby securely locking the lamp by
preventing the unscrewing of the lamp bottom B; and by having the enlarged
head H of the bolt D well within the recess J, such bolt D cannot be withdrawn or
operated by a tool or other instrument.
The magnetic opening appliance consists of a suitable box K, having a separate com-
partment L for the reception of a battery M, and the wires N and P froin the said
battery are connected to a magnetic coil R, the wire P passing by way of a push
switch S. A magnet T from the coil R projects upward through a ring U, which
latter is of such a diameter as to receive the lamp bottom B, and the push S also passes
through the said ring U as shown. The end of the magnet T is reduced in size so
as to enter the recess J in the lamp bottom B, and by placing the lamp within the
ring U, the end of the magnet T is inserted in the recess J and placed in direct contact
with the head H of the bolt D as shewn at Fig. 1. V is a treadle which is connected
to a rod W, which latter carries the coil R at its upper end, and W₁ is a spring
which tends to keep the parts in the up position.
In placing the lamp within the ring U, not only is the magnet T placed in contact
with the bolt D, but the push S is simultaneously depressed by the lamp bottom
coming in contact therewith, thus completing the circuit through the battery M,
wire N, coil R and wire P, and strongly magnetizing the magnet T. The magnet T
thus takes a firm hold on the head H of the bolt D, and on depressing the treadle V

page_text: the rod W is lowered taking with it the magnet T and bolt D, which immediately
unlocks the lamp.
Instead of having the push S within the ring U and actuating it by the lamp as
before described, we may when desired situate said push S outside the ring U, in
which case it is actuated by the operator after the lamp has been placed in position
within the ring U.
In order to more completely safeguard the bolt D, we insert in the recess Ja
sliding disc X, which when in its normal position rests on a seat Y as shewn at
Fig. 4.
In order to enable the lamp frame and lamp bottom to be connected and dis-
connected to and from each other, without the long operation of screwing the parts
together, we provide the interior of the frame with a helical incline which may
extend for a full revolution like the thread of a screw, or which may be constructed
in duplicate and extend for half a turn only. Similar inclines or projections are
provided on the exterior of the lamp bottom, in such a manner that on the lamp
bottom being inserted in the lamp frame, a short twist firmly clamps the two parts
together. Instead of the inclines above described, the lamp bottom may be con-
structed with a screw thread, portions of which are cut away diagonally to the line
of the thread, and the interior of the frame is provided with a screw thread which
is cut away at parts to allow of the passage of the sections of thread on the lamp
Thus on placing the lamp bottom into the frame, it can enter almost
its full distance, and on receiving a short turn it becomes firmly connected to the
frame.
bottom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A vertical spring bolt passing through the lamp bottom, in such a manner
that the head of the said bolt can only be actuated by a magnet, substantially as
set forth.
2. The bolt D having head H, spring E, nut F, and magnet T, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
3. The combination of the frame A, lamp bottom B, bolt D having head H,
spring E, nut F, projection G, and recess J, substantially as and for the purposes.
set forth.
4. A miner's lamp in which a bolt is employed for locking same, the head of the
bolt being situated within a recess situated in the lamp, in combination with the
magnet T, coil R, battery M, treadle V, rod W, and spring W', substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
5. The employment of the inclines whereby the frame is secured to the lamp
bottom, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
6. The cut away screw threads situated on the frame and on the lamp bottom,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. The general arrangement, construction, and combination of the various parts
forming the improvements in or connected with miners' safety lamps, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1896.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.