IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO SAFETY-LAMPS
Year: 1886

page_text: I EDMUND MILLS HANN, of Aberaman near Aberdare, in the County of
Glamorgan, Wales, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO SAFETY-LAMPS" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to safety-lamps such as are used in colleries.
My said invention has for its object to provide for the lighting of such lamps
without the necessity for opening the same or exposing the flame unprotected by
the wire gauze.
For this purpose I combine, with the other parts of the lamp, means whereby an
electric current can be passed through the said lamp to ignite the wick either by
the production of an electric arc or of electric sparks or by rendering incandescent
a platinum or other wire in contact with, or in close proximity to, the said wick.
Suitable terminals or binding posts are provided whereby electric conductors can
be attached to the lamp for the purpose specified.
The electricity is obtained from a primary or secondary battery or from a
dynamo-electric machine or other convenient source.
By my invention I greatly diminish the liability of explosions in coal-mines.
I sometimes so arrange the parts that the wire or other conductor or conductors
can be removed from the wick when not required.
If necessary I employ, in place of the lamp oil commonly used, some substance
more inflammable than the said oil. In some cases I provide means whereby this
substance can be held in proximity to the wick; I am then enabled to use lamp
oil in the ordinary manner.
If desired, I provide means for trimming the lamp without the necessity for
opening the same.

page_text: I, EDMUND MILLS HANN, of Aberaman, Aberdare, in the County of Glamorgan,
Wales, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My invention relates to safety-lamps such as are used in colleries, and comprises
various improvements, hereinafter set forth, whereby I provide for the lighting of
such lamps by the aid of electricity, without the necessity for opening the same or
exposing the flame unprotected by the wire-gauze. I thus greatly diminish the risk
of explosions in coal-mines.
In carrying my said invention into practice, I combine, with the wick-tube and
other parts of the lamp, means whereby an electric current can be passed through
the said lamp to ignite the wick either by the production of an electric spark or by
the heating to: incandescence of a platinum or other wire in contact with, or in
close proximity to, the said wick. Moreover I provide suitable terminals or contact
plates, which are connected with an electric generator, and upon which the lamp
inay be placed in order to complete the electric circuit through the same for the
purpose above specified.
The electricity is obtained from a primary or secondary battery, or a dynamo-
electric-machine or other convenient source.
"
In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated my improvements as applied
to a safety-lamp of the kind known as the "Clanny lamp; but I wish it under-
stood that my improvements are equally applicable to "Davy," "Stephenson" and
other lamps.
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of my improved lamp, showing the same
resting upon terminals or plates connected with an electric generator.
Figure 2 is a plan of the body or lower portion of the said lamp.
Figure 3 is a plan, and
Figure 4 a vertical central section of the body or lower portion of a lamp,
illustrating a modification of my invention.
Figure 5 is a vertical central section, showing the body or lower portion of a
lamp resting upon terminals or plates connected with an electric generator, and
illustrating a further modification of my invention.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
a is the oil-reservoir or body of the lamp. b is the upper part or casing thereof.
c is the wick-tube or burner.
d, e are two leading-in wires or conductors, which are inserted and secured in
tubes a¹ extending vertically through the oil-reservoir a, but are insulated from
the said tubes and reservoir. f is a wire, preferably of platinum, which is attached,
at its extremities, to the wires or conductors d, e, and forms a connection between
the same.
The conductors d, e and the wire f are so arranged that the said wire is
in proximity to the upper end of the wick-tube or burner c. The conductor d is
bent at its upper end, as shown at d', and its lower end is provided with a milled-
head whereby it may be turned to move the wire f to and from the wick. The

page_text: parts. are preferably so constructed that, when the conductor d occupies the position
shown, the wire f will be in contact with the wick. By turning the said conductor
in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, the wire will be straightened,
as shown by dotted lines in this Figure, and thus moved away from the wick.
ggare two terminals or contact plates which are secured to any suitable
support h, and are connected, by the wires or conductors i, i, with the poles of an
electric generator. These terminals or contact plates are so situated relatively to
each other that their centres are about the same distance apart as those of the
heads or ends d, e¹ of the conductors d, e.
When it is desired to light the lamp, the conductor d is turned, as above
described, to bring the wire f into contact with the wick; the lamp is then placed
upon the support h so that the heads d, e' make contact with the plates or
terminals g, g as shown, thus completing the electric circuit through the con-
ductors d, e and wire f; the said wire is heated to incandescence by the current
and ignites the oil or other inflammable substance with which the wick is saturated.
The lamp is then lifted from the support h, and the conductor d is turned in the
reverse direction to withdraw or remove the wire f from the wick.
In some instances, I dispense with the wire f and arrange the conductors d, e in
such a manner that, when a current is passed through the same, an electric spark
will be produced between them.
In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, instead of
igniting the wick directly by electricity, I use a wire k passing throngh a tube a³
extending through the oil-reservoir a; this wire is bent at its upper end as shown
and has attached thereto a small ball or other piece of lamp-cotton or other
suitable material saturated with some substance which is more inflammable than
the oil commonly used in safety-lamps. I so arrange the said wire k that it can be
adjusted to either of three positions, that is to say, it can be turned to bring the
ball into contact with, or proximity to, the wire f, so that, when the said wire is
heated by the current, the substance with which the said ball is saturated will be
ignited; then into contact with, or proximity to, the wick to ignite the same; and
then into such a position that the flame from the said substance will be put out by
an extinguisher m fixed within the lamp.
It is obvious that, in this case, the wire f does not require to be moved as above
described. Moreover I may dispense with the said wire f and use means for
producing an electric spark in proximity to the ball Z.
The electric currents used for lighting the lamp may be of such low intensity
that the sparks produced on making and breaking the contact between the con-
ductors d, e and the terminals g, g¹, will not ignite fire-damp; but, if it is deemed
desirable, in order to entirely obviate any risk from this source, or if it is found
more advantageous to use currents of high intensity, an arrangement such as that
shown in Figure 5 is adopted. In this modification of my invention, the parts g, g¹
are supported upon springs n, and are fitted to slide up and down in guides o fixed
in the support h. When the lamp rests upon the parts g, g¹, its weight compresses
the springs n and forces the said parts into contact with the terminals g³, g³; or, if
desired, the springs may be of such strength that additional pressure must be
applied to effect contact between the said parts. Contact is thus made in a tube
which is isolated from the external atmosphere.
In some instances, I arrange the terminals g, g¹ as shown in Figure 1, and
I divide each of the conductors d, e into two parts, and provide small springs
which keep the lower parts depressed and out of contact with the upper parts
when not applied to the said terminals. Contact is made between the lower and
upper parts of the said conductors when the lamp rests, or is pressed down, upon
the terminals g, g¹.
It is obvious that, if desired, a part or parts of the lamp itself may be used, in
place of one or other of the conductors d. c, to conduct the electric current through
the lamp for the purpose above specified; but I prefer to employ two conductors
insulated from the lamp, as herein before described.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood
that I claim :—
First. A safety-lamp wherein provision is made for lighting the same by placing
it upon a suitable support provided with plates or terminals connected with an
electric generator, and thereby making contact between wires or conductors in the
lamp and the said plates or terminals.
Second. The modification of my invention whereby I provide for moving the
igniting wire to and from the wick, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
Third. The improved safety-lamp consisting of the parts constructed and com-
bined substantially as above described and as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the
drawings, for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The modification of my invention (substantially as described with
reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings) wherein I use an adjustable wire
carrying a piece of lamp-cotton or other material saturated with inflammable
substance, for the purpose specified.
Fifth. The modification of my invention (substantially as described with
reference to Figure 5 of the drawings) whereby I provide for obviating any risk
of explosions caused by the sparks produced upon opening or closing the electric
circuit.
6.
EDMUND MILLS HANN.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.