AN IMPROVED SUBMARINE AND SAFETY MINING LAMP
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Foster, of No. 23, Forston Street, Hoxton, in
the County of Middlesex, and Henry Albert Fleuss, of 12, Dale Road,
Haverstock Hill, also in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
33
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Foster and Henry
Albert Fleuss at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th
March 1881.
FREDERICK FOSTER, of No. 23, Forston Street, Hoxton, in the County of
Middlesex, and HENRY ALBERT FLEUSS, of 12, Dale Road, Haverstock Hill, also
in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED SUBMARINE AND SAFETY MINING
LAMP."
This Invention relates to the construction of lamps capable of burning under
water or of being conveyed with safety into an atmosphere of gases unsuitable for
maintaining the combustion necessary for the production of light, or capable of
producing an explosion in contact with a flame. It consists in providing in a
compact form a lime light with reservoir of oxygen, and in isolating the flame of
the light in such manner that it is separated from the exterior by the intervention
of a body of water, so that the products of combustion must pass through this
water before coming into contact with the exterior atmosphere or water in which
the lamp may be at the time submerged. For this purpose we construct a metallic
sphere which serves as a resorvoir for compressed oxygen, and upon this sphere we
fix a spirit lamp with a movable pin for carrying a lime, as also a movable platinum
jet or small tube capable of adjustment for directing the course of the stream of
oxygen through the flame of the spirit lamp on to the lime. This platinum jet
forms the extremity of a tube which traverses the spirit reservoir of the lamp into
the sphere containing the oxygen, and communicates with a jamb cock which forms
the other extremity of the said tube, and is capable of adjustment from without,
the sphere controlling the stream of oxygen for producing a small or greater light
at pleasure. The reservoir of the spirit lamp projects into the spherical oxygen
reservoir, and bas on its outer part a screw thread and collar, to which is attached
a double hood of peculiar construction hereafter explained forming an air tight
joint with the sphere. This hood consists of an elongated cylinder with domed top

page_text: and flanged base, with a screw ring within, by means of which it may be attached
to or detached from the screw thread and collar on the spirit lamp. To the flanged
base is attached by soldering or brazing a somewhat similar elongated cylinder of
greater diameter forming a space between the outside of the inner elongated
cylinder and the inside of the outer elongated cylinder, in which space the water
is contained. The inner elongated cylinder is fitted with a glass disc facing the
flame of the lamp, and the outer elongated cylinder is similarly fitted with a glass
disc, by which means the rays of light from the interior of the lamp pass through
the water contained by these two elongated cylinders to the exterior. The products
of combustion are carried into the space filled with water by a sensitive valve
fitted into the inner elongated cylinder near the base, such valve being of a con-
struction capable of allowing the products of combustion to pass outwards while
preventing the passage of water inwards, and the outer elongated cylinder is fitted
with a valve in the dome above the water level, through which the products of
combustion pass to the exterior of the lamp, having traversed the contained water.
The outer elongated cylinder is fitted with a suitable handle and a cap which when
removed exposes the valve in the inner elongated cylinder, facilitating renewal
or examination of this valve, and the spherical oxygen reservoir is fitted with a
suitable connection, by which is admitted a fresh charge of compressed oxygen
when the reservoir has been exhausted. A metallic ring attached to the globe
forms a base on which the lamp will stand, and when the lamp is used for sub-
marine operations a weight is enclosed within this ring. By this means the
buoyancy of the lamp is counterbalanced.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Foster and Henry Albert Fleuss in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 6th August 1881.
FREDERICK FOSTER, of 23, Forston Street, Hoxton, in the County of Middlesex,
and HENRY ALBERT FLEUSS, of 12, Dale Road, Haverstock Hill, also in the
County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED SUBMARINE AND SAFETY MINING LAMP."
This Invention relates to the construction of lamps capable of burning under
water, or of being conveyed with safety into an atmosphere of gases unsuitable for
maintaining the combustion necessary for the production of light, or capable of
producing an explosion in contact with a flame." It consists in providing in a
compact form a lime light A with reservoir of oxygen B, and in isolating the flame
of the light in such manner that it is separated from the exterior by the inter-
vention of a body of water, so that the products of combustion must pass through
this water before coming into contact with the exterior atmosphere or water in
which the lamp may be at the time submerged. For this purpose we construct a
metallic sphere C which serves as a reservoir for compressed oxygen, and upon this
sphere C we fix a spirit lamp D with a movable pin E for carrying a lime, as also
a movable platinum jet F or small tube capable of adjustment for directing the
stream of oxygen through the flame of the spirit lamp on to the lime. This
platinum jet F forms the extremity of a tube G which traverses the spirit reservoir
of the lamp D into the sphere C containing the oxygen, and communicates with a
jamb cock H which forms the other extremity of the said tube G, and is capable of
adjustment from without, the sphere C controlling the stream of oxygen for pro-
ducing a small or greater light at pleasure. The reservoir of the spirit lamp D
projects into the spherical oxygen reservoir and has on its outer part a screw thread
and collar I, to which is attached a double hood K, K¹, of peculiar construction
hereafter explained, forming an air-tight joint with the sphere C. This hood K
consists of an elongated cylinder with domed top, and flanged base with a screw
ring L within, by means of which it may be attached to or detached from the
screw thread and collar I on the spirit lamp D. To the flanged base is attached
by soldering or brazing a somewhat similar elongated cylinder K¹ of greater
diameter forming a space between the outside of the inner elongated cylinder K
and the inside of the outer elongated cylinder K¹, in which space the water is
contained. The inner elongated cylinder K is fitted with a glass disc M facing the
flame of the lamp, and the outer elongated cylinder K¹ is similarly fitted with a
glass disc or bull's eye N, by which means the rays of light from the interior of
the lamp pass through the water contained by these two elongated cylinders K, K¹,
to the exterior. The products of combustion are carried into the space filled with
water by a sensitive valve O fitted into the inner elongated cylinder K near the
base, such valve O being of a construction capable of allowing the products of
combustion to pass outwards while preventing the passage of water inwards, and
the outer elongated cylinder K¹ is fitted with a valve P in the dome above the
water level, through which the products of combustion pass to the exterior of the
lamp, having traversed the contained water. The outer elongated cylinder K¹ is
fitted with a suitable handle Q and a cap R, which when removed exposes the
valve O in the inner elongated cylinder K, facilitating renewal or examination of
this valve, and the spherical oxygen reservoir B is fitted with a suitable connection S,
by which is admitted a fresh charge of compressed oxygen when the reservoir has
been exhausted. A metallic ring T attached to the globe forms a base on which
the lamp will stand, and when the lamp is used for submarine operations a weight
is enclosed within this ring. By this means the buoyancy of the lamp is counter-
balanced. The oxygen contained in the reservoir B we compress to about seventeen

page_text: atmospheres. In place of the hand wheel on the jamb cock H, as shewn in the
Drawings, Figs. 1 and 3, we substitute an ordinary worm and worm wheel motion,
by which means the supply of oxygen to the flame can be more accurately
regulated than by turning the jamb screw of the jamb cock by direct action on the
hand wheel. In the accompanying Drawings the same reference letter indicates
the same portion in all the three Figures, which are:-Fig. 1, a sectional elevation ;
Fig. 2, a plan of the hood K, K', extending to the spirit lamp D, and Fig. 3 a full
view elevation.
Having thus fully described the nature of our said Invention, and the manner
in which we carry the same into effect, we would have it understood that we do
not claim the mode of producing a light by means of a spirit lamp with lime, and
a stream of oxygen, but what we do claim is,—
1°. The combination of a spirit lamp, a lime, and an adjustable oxygen jet with
a reservoir of compressed oxygen, substantially as described.
2°. The use of a double hood K, K¹, containing liquid, effectually preventing
contact of the flame with the exterior atmosphere, and access of the exterior
atmosphere to the enclosed flame.
3°. The valves O and P, allowing the escape of any products of combustion
that may ascend through the liquid contained in the double hood K, K.
In witness whereof, we, the said Frederick Foster and Henry Albert Fleuss,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Third day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.