AN IMPROVED SAFETY LAMP SUITABLE FOR READING AND NIGHT PURPOSES."
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Greene, of King William Street, in the City
of London, Lamp Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
SAFETY LAMP SUITABLE FOR READING AND NIGHT PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Greene at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th November 1867.
I, HENRY GREENE, of King William Street, in the City of London, Lamp
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED SAFETY LAMP SUITABLE FOR READING AND NIGHT PURPOSES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to a new or improved lamp especially adapted for
reading or night purposes whereby security from accidental fire is effected.
The lamp consists of an ordinary stand and oil reservoir or candle holder
with chimney, in addition to which I propose to fix a vertical tube to the
side of the lamp, passing within the chimney; this tube has a slot or groove

page_text: cut for about an inch in length from the top, and on each edge of the
groove on the top of the tube a small projection or stop is formed, within
the tube a vertical stem or rod is placed having at its lower extremity a
small handle, its upper end being extended from the tube by a curved arm
reaching to the centre of the lamp, and serving to hold a dome or extinguisher
fitting the top of the burner. When it is desired to light the lamp the
stem is raised by the handle till the arm escapes from the slot, the stem is
then turned so as to remove the extinguisher to the side of the burner; but
when it is desired to put out the light the handle and stem are turned till the
arm comes over the slot, when the extinguisher descends suddenly on the burner
and puts out the light. The top of the chimney is protected by means of a disc
or plate of mica or tale which is supported by thin metal brackets fixed to
the internal periphery of an ornamental ring fitting the chimney. The ring
has three or more pendents or wires descending within the lamp glass, whereby
it is secured in position and its height regulated, space being thus afforded
for the draft to pass beyond the edges of the mica or tale. By these arrange-
ments the lamp may safely be used for the purpose of reading by night
without fear of setting fire to curtains, since the ornamental top and mica or
talc efficiently protect the flame from contact with any external material,
and the reader may instantly put out the light merely by moving the handle
of the extinguisher, as described. The length and position of the tube and
stem carrying the extinguisher may be regulated so that the elevation of the
extinguisher may be below the level of the light in order that no interference
may be caused; it will be easy to raise the stem sufficiently to cover the top
of the burner, or the extinguisher itself may be modified, and may consist of
a divided tubular extinguisher actuated by a spring and sliding up and down
the lamp tube or other equivalent.
Any form of lamp glass may be used
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Greene in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
GREENE, of King William Street, in the City of London, Lamp Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her

page_text: reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Henry,Greene, Her special licence that I, the said Henry Greene,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said.
Henry Greene, 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 anḍ.
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for ",
"AN IM-
PROVED SAFETY LAMP FOR READING AND NIGHT PURPOSES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Greene, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 Greene, 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:-
This Invention relates to a new or improved lamp especially adapted for
reading or night purposes whereby security from accident by fire is effected..
The lamp consists of an ordinary stand and oil reservoir or candle holder with
chimney, in addition to which I propose to fix a vertical tube to the side of
the lamp passing within the chimney; this tube has a slot or groove cut for
about an inch in length from the top, and on each edge of the groove on the
top of the tube a small projection or stop is formed; within this tube a
vertical stem or rod is placed having at its lower extremity a small handle..
its upper end being extended from the tube by a curved arm reaching to the
centre of the lamp, and serving to hold a dome or extinguisher, fitting the top.
of the burner. When it is desired to light the lamp the stem is raised by the
handle till the arm escapes from the slot, the stem is then turned so as to
remove the extinguisher to the side of the burner; but when it is desired to.
put out the light the handle and stem are turned till the arm comes over the
slot, when the extinguisher descends suddenly on the burner and puts out the
light. The top of the chimney is protected by means of a disc or plate of
mica or talc, which is supported by thin metal brackets fixed to the internal
periphery of an ornamental ring fitting the chimney. The ring has three or
more pendants or wires descending within the lamp glass whereby it is secured
in position and its height regulated, space being thus afforded for the draught

page_text: to pass beyond the edges of the mica or talc. By these arrangements the
tamp may safely be used for the purpose of reading by night without fear of
setting fire to curtains, since the ornamental top and mica or talc efficiently
protect the flame from contact with any external material, and the reader
may instantly put out the light merely by moving the handle of the extinguisher
as described. The length and position of the tube and stem carrying the
extinguisher may be regulated, so that the elevation of the extinguisher may be
below the level of the light in order that no interference may be caused; it
will be easy to raise the stem sufficiently to cover the top of the burner;
or the extinguisher itself may be modified and may consist of a divided
tubular extinguisher actuated by a spring and sliding up and down the lamp
tube or other equivalent.
Any form of lamp glass may be used.
In order that my said Invention may be completely understood I annex the
accompanying Drawing, which represents an elevation of the lamp. a is the
standard or tubular pillar of the lamp set on the base or stand b and capable
of being turned therein to throw the light to any required direction; the
standard supports the perforated belt or ring c to which the reflector d is
attached by means of a stem e and socket f; g is the chimney, and h the
ornamental ring fitting thereon and secured by the pendants or wires i. This
ring supports by means of the arms or brackets & the mica or talc protector 1.
The tube m is shewn in section attached to the standard, and the stem n
with the pin o are capable of being moved vertically by the handle P within
the tube by means of the finger piece p³. q is the arm extending from the
stem, this supports the extinguisher r shewn shut down on the orifice of the
flame of the burner. The dotted lines shew the stem, arm, and extinguisher
raised and turned away from the burner in order to light the lamp; the
reflector d is shewn in section.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be carried into effect, I would remark that I do not
limit myself to the precise details and configuration of parts I have expressed
and shewn, as the same may of course be varied or modified without departing
from the objects of the Invention; for example, the method of applying and
removing the extinguisher, or the extinguisher itself, may be varied in order
to effect the result described; so also the lamp may be made to burn candles,
oil, or spirit; but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein
in part recited Letters Patent is, the application to lamps of an extinguisher
capable of being actuated by a stem and handle or other equivalent means,
and also of a mica or tale protector of any suitable form in conjunction or not

page_text: with an ornamental or other ring above the chimney, substantially as and for
the purposes herein specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Greene, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
H. GREENE. (L.B.)