AN IMPROVED MODE OF PRODUCING LIGHT, AND OF MANUFACTURING APPARATUS FOR THE DIFFUSION OF LIGHT
Year: 1841

page_text: SIMPSON & P. H. & T. E. IRVIN'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we,' ALEXANDER
HORATIO SIMPSON, of New Palace Yard, Westminster, Gentleman, PETER'
HUNTER IRVIN, and THOMAS EUGENE IRVIN, both of Charles Street, Hatton
Gården, in the County of Middlesex, Philosophical Instrument Makers, send
greeting.
1.
75
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventeenth day of June, 'in the fourth year of Her reign,
did, 'for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Alexander Horatio Simpson,, Peter Hunter Irvin, and Thomas Eugene Irvin,
Her especial licence that we, the said Alexander Horatio Simpson, Peter
Hunter Irvin, and Thomas Eugene Irvin, our exors, adñiors, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Alexander Horatio Simpson, Peter Hunter Irvin,
and Thomas Eugene Irvin, our exors, adññiors, or assigns, should at any time-
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and the
Colonies and Plantations abroad, our Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
PRODUCING LIGHT, AND OF MANUFACTURING APPARATUS FOR THE DIFFUSION OF
LIGHT;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging us, the said
Alexander Horatio Simpson, Peter Hunter Irvin, and Thomas Eugene Irvin,
or one of us, by an instrument in writing under our or one of our hands and
seals, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be perforined, and to cause the same to
be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar

page_text: months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters
Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, we, the said
Alexander Horatio Simpson, Peter Hunter Irvin, and Thomas Eugene Irvin,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention to consist,
First, in directing a stream of oxygen gas at an angle across a flame pro-
ceeding from ignited pyroligneous spirit, or any ætherial spirit, and causing
the two gases thus produced to impinge upon a piece of lime, or other earth
containing lime, placed in a receptacle so arranged that it keeps the lime at
one uniform height as regards the point on which the gases impinge on the
lime, at the same time that the lime is susceptible of being turned round in
its receptacle to present fresh surfaces to the action of the gases as occasion
may require.
And, secondly, in manufacturing the reflectors, by which we diffuse light
when produced by means of galvanic agency, whereby we are enabled to
procure some shapes peculiarly well adapted for the purpose, which are
unattainable at a price available for general commerce by any other means
now known, and also of multiplying the same shape correctly to any extent,
and also of unburnished surfaces when required, producing a beautiful
effect of softened tones of light, while we varnish the same with a varnish
composed of one part white hard varnish and four parts spirits of wine. The
reflector must be heated to about 210° Ft, and the varnish laid on with a fine
brush to keep them from oxidation.
And in further compliance with the said proviso, we, the said Alexander
Horatio Simpson, Peter Hunter Irvin, and Thomas Eugene Irvin, do hereby
describe the manner in which our said Invention is to be performed by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawing annexed, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, similar letters being used to denote
similar parts in all the Figures, that is to say:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows a suspending lamp for a room with our improved light
attached thereto; Figure 2 is a portion of the same lamp on a larger scale
in section; and Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the same. A, A, are small
jets, through which oxygen gas is supplied from a reservoir or gasometer,
placed in any convenient place, by means of the pipe B. These jets must be
provided with stopcocks, as at C. D, D, are jets which are supplied
with pyroligneous spirit, by means of the tubes E, E, from a reservoir F,

page_text: which is a provided, as in the ordinary Argand lamp, with a sliding valve G.
The spirit jets are enlarged or bulbed at their ends to receive some cotton
wool, so arranged as to allow the ends of the oxygen jets to be brought
within it, and are furnished with small apertures for that purpose, as also
when the spirit is ignited. H, H, are hollow stems, supporting at their
upper ends open cups or receptacles, into which are placed cylindrical pieces
of lime I, I. The lime is placed into interior sockets J, J, as shewn more
clearly in the detached Figure 8, and these sockets are fixed at bottom to
rods K, K, which pass down the hollow stems H, and at bottom have screw
heads L, L, by which the lime can be turned round as the flame burns it
away, or the rods K may be attached to clockwork if required, so that the
lime may receive a constant rotary motion. In this Figure also it will be
seen that the interior socket J rests upon a spiral spring M, which presses the
lime upwards as it is burnt against a small friction roller N attached to the
outer cup or case, and by which the lime is prevented from being forced out
of the socket, and is always kept at the proper height to meet the flame of the
lamp and jet of gas.
Figure 7 shews a cap or cover O, which is placed over the lime when the
lamp is not in use to keep it dry; and, though apparently a trifling addition, is
in its effect very important in preventing the lime from crumbling by imbibing
damp from the atmosphere when the light is out, and should be put on the
moment the light is extinguished, and while it is yet warm.
Figure 4 shews another application of our improved mode of producing
light, and which we have in this instance adapted to a signal lamp for a rail-
way. It represents a vertical section of a tin box P placed upon a column or
post Q, and Figure 5 is a front elevation of the same apparatus. The jets
for the supply of the oxygen and spirit are the same in this Figure as in that
last described, and we have therefore placed similar letters of reference upon
all those parts which correspond therewith. We have, however, shown
another form of opening to the end of the spirit jet D, which is simply a
tapering tube cut off obliquely at top, as at D', in the direction of the stream
of oxygen gas towards the lime. R is our improved reflector for the diffusion
of the light, and the apparatus by which we manufacture it will be hereafter
explained. It consists of a portion of a hollow sphere made of copper, the
concave surface being covered with silver, and polished. This reflector is
suspended by a hook at S to the reservoir F, and must be properly adjusted
to focus the light through the signal disc T, which will be better scen in the
front view, Figure 5. This disc is made to slide in the box, so that any other
signal may be placed therein when required.

page_text: The apparatus by which we manufacture reflectors is, shewn in section at
Figure 6. It consists of a trough or box U with a cross bar V, upon which
are two binding, screws W, W. From these proceed two copper wires or
strips Z, Z, which are; similarly connected to a galvanic battery X. The
Thatrix Y, upon which the reflector is formed, is composed of metal, and is
of the reverse form to that of the intended reflector. This, matrix is first
accurately turned or ground true and polished, and is suspended in the box
or trough from, one of the screws W. Immediately opposite the matrix
is,suspended by the other screw W. a piece of copper C, corresponding in
size with the matrix, and, both are immersed in a solution of sulphate of
copper. The galvanic battery is composed of a bent plate of zinc a, and one
of platinized silver b, and the jar supplied with diluted sulphuric acid (com
posed of one part of acid to ten parts of water, by measure). The matrix Y
is connected by the copper wire Z to the zinc or positive plate. of the. battery
a; and the piece of copper c is connected with the platinized, silver or negative
plate bof the battery. These attachments being made, and the batteries kept
in good action for about six or eight days, a sufficient quantity of copper will
¿be deposited, upon the matrix, which may then be removed from it,, and a
reflector of the required form will be obtained, after which it must be silvered
and polished. It is necessary to observe, that the battery must be in action,
and all the connections made, before the solution of sulphate of copper. is
poured into the trough or box U.
Figures 9, 10, 11, and 12 exhibit some of the forms or shapes of reflectors
which we can readily manufacture, by the before-mentioned process, and we
have only thought it necessary to shew these as illustrations of the present
difficult and expensive forms of reflectors. But it will be evident that we are
thus enabled easily to obtain any required shape, having first produced a
matrix in accordance therewith, and multiply them at a cheap rate afterward
by means of the same matrix to any extent.
Now whereas we claim as our Invention, first, the directing of a stream of
oxygen gas at an angle across a flame proceeding from ignited pyroligneous
spirit, or any ætherial spirit, rising in a tube with two apertures bulbed at its
upper end, such bulb being filled with cotton, wool, or other the like substance,
or rising in a tube cut off at its upper end in a slanting direction as, aforesaid.
thus producing two gases, and causing the two gases thus produced to impinge
upon a piece of lime, or other earth containing lime, and placed in a receptacle
furnished with a spring below, friction roller above, and revolving rod, as
herein-before described, and for the purposes aforesaid, and with a cover of
cap to place over the lime as aforesaid; and, secondly, we claim the manu-

page_text: facturing of reflectors for the diffusion of light by means of galvanic agency, as
herein-before described, whereby we obtain great and novel advantages as to
new shapes and cheapness of known shapes, as herein-before also described.
And, further, we claim the manufacture of spherical reflectors, as shewn at
Figure 9, and also of unburnished reflectors as aforesaid, to produce a subdued
light as aforesaid, and the varnishing of all reflectors to preserve them from
tarnish or oxydation. And such our Invention being, to the best of our know-
ledge and belief, entirely new, and never before used within that part of Her
said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England,
Her said Dominion of Wales, or Town, of Berwick-upon-Tweed, as also
within all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad, we do hereby
declare this to be our Specification of the same, and that we do verily believe
this our said Specification do comply in all respects, fully and without reserve
or disguise, with the proviso in the said herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent contained; wherefore we do hereby claim to maintain exclusive right
and privilege to our said Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alexander Horatio Simpson, Peter
Hunter Irvin, and and Thomas Eugene Irvin, have hereunto set our
hands and seals, the Seventeenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-one.