IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LAMPS OR LANTERNS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON SHIPBOARD AND IN EXPOSED SITUATIONS CENED ATTY
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Surtees, of Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, and William Haden Richardson, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LAMPS OR
LANTERNS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON SHIPBOARD AND IN EXPOSED SITUATIONS
CENED ATTY"
Sealed the 21st May 1878, and dated the 18th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Surtees and
William Haden Richardson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 18th February 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY SURTEES, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, and
" IMPROVE-
WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark.
MENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LAMPS OR LANTERNS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON
SHIPBOARD AND IN EXPOSED SITUATIONS GENERALLY."
This Invention relates to those lamps or lanterns which are used in exposed
situations, and wherein the glass or lens of the said lamps or lanterns becoming
heated by the flame of the burner is liable to fracture on being suddenly cooled by
the splashing against it of water, rain, or snow; and the said Invention has for its
object so to construct the said lamps or lanterns as that the said glass or lens is
at all times kept in a comparatively cool condition, and therefore not liable to
fracture from the aforesaid cause. This is effected by providing the lamp or lantern
with a sheet or pane of glass between the burner of the lamp or lantern and the
front glass or lens, at such a distance from the said front glass or lens, as to leave an
air space between the sheet or pane of glass and the front glass or lens.
The lamp or lantern is provided with openings or passages, preferably at the
bottom, leading from the exterior to the air space between the sheet or pane of
glass and the front glass or lens, and with openings or passages, preferably at the
Dmins G71

page_text: top, leading from the said air space to the interior of the lamp or lantern, there
opening by preference into an annular chamber formed around the upper part of the
lantern by a (continuation of the chimney projecting down into the lantern above
the frame), and escaping by openings in the upper part of the continuation of the
chimney.
When the lamp or lantern is in use a current of cool air is induced, the said
current passing up the space between the sheet or pane of glass and the front glass
or lens. By this arrangement the inner glass or that which is nearest to and heated
by the burner is protected by the front glass or lens from being splashed by water,
rain, or snow, and the front glass or lens, which is exposed to being so splashed
through being removed from the heat of the flame, is not liable to fracture thereby,
as it is kept comparatively cool by the current of cold air passing through the air
space as aforesaid.
Both the sheet or pane of glass and the front glass or lens may be arranged in
the same framing, which may be a door of the lantern or lamp, and either or both
of them may be made to slide in their framing so as to be readily removed for
cleaning or other purpose; or the sheet or pane of glass may be a fixture, and the
front lens made to open like a door before it, a space being kept between for the air
to pass through for keeping the pane and the lens cool.
Although we have used in the foregoing description expressions "sheet or pane
of glass" and "front glass or lens," we do not limit ourselves to the use of glass, as
any transparent material of any required colour, clear or obscured, and either flat or
curved may be employed, which is or may be applicable for the purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Henry Surtees and William Haden Richardson in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 16th August 1878.
"
WILLIAM HENRY SURTEES, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, and
WILLIAM HADEN RICHARDSON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark. IMPROVE-
MENTS IN AND APPERTAINING TO LAMPS OR LANTERNS APPLICABLE FOR USE ON
SHIPBOARD AND IN EXPOSED SITUATIONS GENERALLY."
Our said Invention relates to those lamps or lanterns which are used in exposed
situations, and wherein a thick glass or lens is employed for the transmission of the
light. In such lamps or lanterns as at present constructed the thick glass or lens
becoming heated on its inner side by the frame of the burner is subjected to a state
of strain caused by this difference of temperature between the inside and
outside, and is thereby liable to fracture; furthermore, such thick glass or lens on
being suddenly cooled by the splashing against it of water, rain, or snow, is from
that cause also liable to fracture.
Our said Invention has for its object so to construct the said lamps or lanterns
as that the said glass or lens is at all times kept in a comparatively cool condition,
and is therefore not liable to fracture from the aforesaid causes. This is effected by
providing the lamp or lantern with a sheet or pane of glass between the burner of
the lamp or lantern and the front glass or lens, at such a distance from the said front
glass or lens as to leave an air space between the inner sheet or pane of glass and
the front glass or lens.
The lamp or lantern is provided with openings or passages, preferably at the
bottom, leading from the exterior of the lamp casing to the air space between the
inner sheet or pane of glass and the front glass or lens, and with openings or
passages, preferably at the top, leading from the said air space to the interior of the
lamp or lantern, there opening by preference into a chamber formed around the
upper part of the lantern by a continuation of the chimney projecting down into
the lantern above the flame. Holes are formed in this continuation of the chimney
for the escape of the air which has passed up the space between the inner and front
glass, as herein-after described.
When the lamp or lantern is in use a current of cool air is induced (by the
current of heated air from the flame of the lamp) to flow from the exterior of the
lamp up through the space between the sheet or pane of glass and the front glass
or lens. Thus the inner sheet or pane of glass being that nearest to and heated by
the flame is protected by the front glass or lens from being splashed by water,
rain, or snow, and the said front glass or lens which is exposed to being so
splashed through being removed from the heat of the flame, is not liable to fracture
thereby, it being kept thereby comparatively cool by the current of cool air passing
through the air space as aforesaid.
Both the inner sheet or pane of glass and the front glass or lens may be arranged
in the same framing, which may be a door of the lamp or lantern, and either or
both of them may be made to slide in their framing so as to be removeable for
cleaning, or for other purpose; or the inner sheet or pane of glass may be a fixture
and the front lens made to open like a door before it, a space being left between for
the passage of cool air as aforesaid.
And in order that our said Invention may be properly understood, we now
proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner in or under
which the same is or may be used or practically carried into effect, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon,
that is to say,―
Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a lamp constructed according to our

page_text: Invention (taken on the line U, V, Figure 6); Figure 2 represents a side elevation;
and Figure 3 a horizontal section (through Z, Y, of Figure 6).
Figure 4 is a plan of the lamp.
Figure 5 is a vertical section of the lamp case on the line X, W, Figure 2,
shewing the inner sheet or pane of glass in elevation; and Figure 6 is a front
elevation.
In all the Figures the lamp is marked A; the burner A¹, the reflector B, the
lamp case C, the chimney D. A series of holes E in surrounding cap O allows the
air to escape into the space between cap O and shield Q; F is the inner glass; G
is the front glass or lens; H, H¹, H, are apertures or passages through which the
air passes from the outside below through the space between the lenses into the
chimney D.
A portion I of the lamp casing projects inwards and constitutes a framing which
carries in guides i the inner sheet or pane of glass F, secured in position by a flap J,
which flap may be turned back to admit of the glass F being removed by being
slidden from its guides i. The framing I also carries the front thick glass or lens G
at such a distance from the glass F that an air space L is left between the said
glass F and the lens G. Tubes H open at one end through the lamp casing to the
exterior of the lamp, and at the other end into the space L, and openings H¹ are
formed in the upper part of the framing I. The chimney D projects down some
distance into the interior of the lamp, as shewn, and has holes H formed therein
near the upper part of the interior of the lamp. The cap O has also holes E for the
exit of air from the lamp. On the lamp being lighted air is supplied to the flame
through openings P in the bottom of the casing, passing up as indicated by the
arrows drawn in full lines.
The heated air in the upper part of the lamp induces a separate and distinct
current of cool air to flow up through the tubes 1, and through the space L between
the inner sheet or pane of glass F and the lens G, it passing therefrom by the
openings H' into the upper part of the interior of the lamp casing, and thence
issuing by the openings H" into the chimney D (all as indicated by the dotted
arrows) where it joins the current from the flame of the lamp, and passes with
it from the lamp through the openings E. Thus the inner sheet or pane of glass F
is protected by the front glass or lens G from being splashed by rain, water, or
snow, and the said front glass or lens which is exposed to being so splashed is kept
cool by the distinct current of air from the exterior of the lamp passing up through
the space L, whereby the said splashing is prevented from causing a sudden change
of temperature in portions of the said front glass or lens, and consequently the said
front glass or lens is not liable to fracture from that cause.
Although we have used in the foregoing description the expressions "inner sheet
or pane of glass" and "front glass or lens," we do not limit ourselves to the use of
glass, as any translucent material which may be applicable for the purpose, such as
mica, may be employed, and the said glass or other material may be of any
required colour, clear or obscured, and either flat or carved, as may be most
convenient.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and the system, mode, or inanner in or under which the same is or may
be used or practically carried into effect, we would observe in conclusion that
what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore cinim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improve-
ments in ships lamps or lanterns and other lamps or lanterns for use in exposed
situations, and wherein a thick glass or lens is employed as herein-before described,
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings; that is to say, providing the said
lamps or lanterns with an inner sheet or pane of glass or other translucent material
between the frame of the lamp and the thick front glass or lens, the said inner sheet
or pane being so arranged and combined with the lamp that a space is left between
it and the front glass or lens, up and through which a current of cool air (separate

page_text: and distinct from that which supplies the burner) is induced to flow, essentially
as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Surtees, on behalf of myself
and the said William Haden Richardson, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness the signature of
W. H. Surtees,
BEN. SMYRKE,
13, John Street,
Sunderland,
Accountant.
WILLIAM H. SURTEES. (L.S.)