Improved Means or Apparatus for Producing Artificial Light for Photographic and other Purposes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Producing Artificial Light for
Photographic and other Purposes.
1, JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Paul Nadar of 51 Rue d'Anjou' Paris
in the Republic of France, Photographer) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the production of an intense white light suitable
for photographic and other purposes for which a powerful light is required. as
hereinafter described.
The art of photography would be capable of greatly enlarging the sphere of its
operation as far as the production of negatives by the instantaneous process is
concerned and would be enabled to render novel and important services if means
were provided for readily obtaining at a given moment a light sufficiently.permanent
and intense to enable it to be employed in place of the irregular and uncertain light
of the sun.
Attempts have been made to employ magnesium for the purpose of producing a
light of this description but the apparatus heretofore employed with this object
has failed to give satisfactory results. Lamps in which a coil of magnesium wire
or ribbon is fed forward by clockwork or by hand are uncertain in their action
owing to the practical impossibility of accurately regulating the feed in accordance
with the rate of combustion of the wire or ribbon and present other disadvantages
which form an obstacle to their successful employment.
In the "Helionocte" or apparatus arranged according to this invention as herein-
after described these disadvantages are obviated and by causing a jet of air to
throw finely pulverised magnesium into a flame either intermittently or in a
continuous manner a very intense or powerful light is produced which may be in
the form of a flash or be maintained for any required period.
Any suitable flame may be employed to produce the combustion of the magnesium
carried into the flame by the jet of air. In an apparatus in which the Hame is
produced by a spirit lamp for example a burner with a tubular wick is employed
and the receptacle for the spirit which may be provided with a gauge glass to shew
the level of the spirit is placed upon a receptacle or chamber containing the
pulverised magnesium. In the bottom of this chamber which may be removeable
there is placed a nozzle communicating with a tube through which air under
pressure is supplied by a rubber pear with an elastic chamber for regulating the
pressure or any other source of compressed air. Immediately above this nozzle is
a short vertical tube sliding telescopically upon a fixed tube extending into the
central tube of the burner where it is provided with another short 'adjustable or
sliding tube. The space around the tube in the chamber or receptacle for the
magnesium is charged with magnesium and the jet of air from the nozzle in the
bottom of the chamber draws in a quantity of the powder through the annular
opening formed between the nozzle and the extremity of the lower adjustable tube
and carries it up the tube discharging it at the upper extremity in the centre of
the flame of the spirit lamp. The heat of this flame produces 'the combustion' of
the particles of magnesium suspended in the air and a brilliant light is obtained.
A trough containing water is placed at the bottom of the central wick tube (which
extends through the spirit chamber) for the reception and extinction of any burning
particles that may.fall down the annular space between this. tube and the central
air tube. A removeable plug below the nozzle enables the tube to be cleared if
required and arrangements, may be made for charging the, magnesium chamber

page_text: .
and spirit chamber automatically or otherwise and without interrupting the action
of the apparatus. The quantity of magnesium thrown into the flame can be regu-
lated by means of a screw plug or valve in the nozzle or by varying the aperture
of the nozzle. When this aperture is enlarged, the space between the nozzle and
the extremity of the tube should be diminished and nice versa.
The spirit lamp may be provided with legs engaging with corresponding sockets
in the top of the magnesium chamber or it may be constructed with a casing
perforated at the lower part to admit air to the flame and arranged to screw on to
the top of the box or chamber containing the magnesium. The air. tubes may
be provided with suitable cocks or valves for shutting off or regulating the supply
of air.
The flame may be produced by the combustion of gas for example supplied to an
annular burner or a ring of burners or a series of jets in a chamber provided with
adjustable air inlets. These gas jets are situated under the lower extremities of
vertical tubes passing through the top of the chamber. The mixture of gas and
air ascending these tubes is burned in an annular burner at the centre of which
the stream of air carrying the magnesium is delivered in the same way as in
the spirit lamp. A pilot burner may be employed to ignite the gas.
These arrangements may evidently be employed to produce flash lights" by
causing the magnesium to be thrown into the flame intermittently or momentarily
and may be combined with any suitable arrangement of reflectors.
In order to obtain a shorter and more concentrated flame, I prefer to construct
the apparatus with a hood or chimney carried by a vertically adjustable back plate
connected to a horizontal plate or table forming the base of the apparatus. A
receptacle for spirit is attached to the back plate and above this receptacle is a
vertical plate preferably of steel having the upper part beut forwards so as to form
a curved or horizontal flange. Beneath the spirit vessel is a water trough to catch
the sparks and below and in front of the said vessel is a receptacle for pulverised
magnesium provided with air jet arrangements for projecting a stream or streams
of air laden with particles of magnesium into the flame of the spirit lamp. This
flame is blown back by the current of air and concentrated against the plate at
the back being prevented from spreading vertically by the over hanging flange.
In place of the magnesium any other material capable of producing the effect
hereinbefore described may be employed and any suitable gas or fluid may be
employed in place of the air for carrying the said magnesium or other material.
Oxygen gas and pulverised zinc may be employed for example in an apparatus
arranged according to this invention.
Dated this 19th day of February 1801
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means or Apparatus for Producing Artificial Light for
Photographic and other Purposes.
I JAMES YATE JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has been communi-
cated to me from abroad by Paul Nadar of 51 Rue d'Anjou Paris in the Republic
of France Photographer 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 the production of an intense white light suitable for
photographic and other purposes for which a powerful light is required.
The art of photography for example would be capable of greatly enlarging its
sphere of operations as far as the production of negatives by the instantaneous
process is concerned and would be enabled to render novel and important services
if means were provided for readily obtaining at a given moment a light of. a

page_text: sufficiently permanent and intense character to enable it to be employed in place of
the irregular and uncertain light afforded by the sun. Similar means for obtaining
light would also be capable of being employed with advantage for military purposes,
signalling on land or at sea or whenever it is necessary to provide a powerful.or
very brilliant light without the employment of cumbrous apparatus.
Attempts have been made to employ magnesium for the purpose of producing a
light of this description but the apparatus heretofore employed with this object has
failed to give satisfactory results.
Lamps in which a coil of magnesium wire or ribbon is fed forward by clockwork
are uncertain in their action owing to the practical impossibility of accurately
regulating the feed in accordance with the rate of combustion of the wire or ribbon
and present other disadvantages which form an obstacle to their successful
employment.
Lamps have also been constructed in which the feed of the magnesium. is.
regulated by hand in accordance with the rate of combustion but these lamps are
likewise open to serious objections.
"
In the Helionocte or apparatus arranged according to this invention as herein--
after described these disadvantages are obviated and by causing a jet of air to
throw finely pulverised magnesium into a flame either intermittently or in a con-
tinuous manner a very intense or powerful light is produced which may either be in
the form of a flash or be maintained for any required period.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several numerals of reference on the accompanying drawings the same numerals
indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in vertical section an apparatus
working with a spirit lamp and constructed according to this invention with the
object of producing a light that will endure for a considerable period of time..
Figure 2 represents a similar apparatus for producing an intermittent, momentary
flash" light.
or
"
Figure 3 represents an apparatus similar to that illustrated in Figure 1 but.
arranged for burning gas.
Figures 4. 5 and 6 represent in front elevation vertical section (on the line a―e
Figure 4) and in perspective respectively an apparatus suitable for luminous pro-
jection or projecting a powerful ray of light.
Any suitable flame may be employed to produce the combustion of the magnesium.
carried into the flame by the jet of air. In the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1
and 2 in which the flame is produced by a spirit lamp for example a burner with a
tubular wick 2 is employed and the spirit is contained in a receptacle.l provided
with a gauge glass 3 to shew the level of the spirit and supported upon three legs 4
which engage with corresponding sockets 5 soldered on the upper part of the
apparatus. Air is supplied to the centre of the flame. by passing under the
chamber 1, and ascending the central tube. The lower part of the apparatus is
constituted by a large cylindrical receptacle or chamber 6, containing the pulverised
magnesium. The lower end of this chamber is closed by a removeable bottom 8
Under
with a rim fitting and sliding in the lower part of the tubular chamber 6.
this bottom there is placed an air passage or pipe 12 communicating with a tube 17
through which air under pressure is supplied by a rubber pear, with an elastic
chamber for regulating the pressure or by any other source of compressed air. The
upper end of the chamber 6 is closed by a cover 7 through which is passed a
tube 9 provided at its lower extremity with an adjustable tube 9' sliding tele-:
scopically upon the fixed tube 9. The tube 9 extends into the central air tube
of the burner where it is provided with a short adjustable or sliding tube 97
the upper extremity of which is slightly below the flame of the spirit lamp.
The bottom 8 is retained in position by a screw 10 and is provided at the
centre with a screw cap or nozzle 11 perforated with a small hole of about
1 millimetre diameter. communicating with. the air pipe 12 soldered to. the.

page_text: bottom 8. The lower end of this. air injecting device is closed by a small
unperforated screw plug or cap 11. By unscrewing these two caps or plugs 11; 11¹
the interior of the tube 9 is enabled to be cleaned out when required in case
of its' being choked up with the magnesium powder. The air pipe 12 terminates
in a nipple 13 for.connecting it by a rubber tube 14 and cock 15 with the supply
tube 17:
In order to work this apparatus the lamp and burner are removed and the lower
part or receptacle 6 is turned upside down. The cover 8 is then removed and the
chamber 6 is filled with magnesium in powder. The cover is then replaced and
secured by means of the screw 10. The apparatus is then placed in its original
position as represented in the drawing and the lamp being replaced on the top is
ignited. Air under pressure supplied from a suitable reservoir, or a double hand
pear with compensating chamber to equalise the pressure, is then supplied to the
nozzle 11.in the bottom of the chamber 6 and draws in a quantity of the powder
through the annular opening formed between the nozzle and the adjustable lower
extremity 9 of the tube 9 and carrying the powder up the tube discharges it at
the upper extremity in the centre of the flame of the spirit lamp. The heat of this
flame produces the combustion of the particles of magnesium suspended in the air
and a brilliant light is produced. An annular trough 18 containing water is placed
below the central wick tube (which extends through the spirit chamber) for the
reception and extinction of any burning particles that may fall down the annular
space between this tube and the central air tube 9. The upper part of the lamp
may be made to unscrew so as to facilitate the introduction of the magnesium or
arrangements may be made for charging the magnesium chamber or spirit chamber
or both automatically or otherwise and without interrupting the action of the
apparatus. The quantity of magnesium thrown into the flame can be regulated by
employing plugs or caps 11 having holes of different diameters.
When a larger aperture is employed the space between the aperture and the
extremity of the tube. 9' should be diminished and vice versa.
The lamp illustrated in Figure 2 is likewise constructed to burn spirit but is of.
smaller dimensions and is destined for the production of flashes or lights of short
duration. In this case the magnesium powder is contained in a chamber 6 and the
compressed air is supplied from a double rubber pear 30 and tube 17 with a
regulating cock.communicating with the injector 11 which enables the current of.
air to carry the particles of magnesium up the tube 9 to the flame as in the
arrangement hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1. The flame is
produced by means of a wick immersed in spirit contained in an annular vessel 1
and air to support combustion is supplied through a perforated cylinder or grating 4
within which is arranged the annular water trough 18 for the reception of the
particles of magnesium which fall down at the side of the central tube. The upper
part of the apparatus can be unscrewed and removed for the purpose of introducing
the magnesium powder into the receptacle 6.
The lamp illustrated in Figure 3 is .constructed and operates on the same
principles as the lamps illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 but the flame is produced by
the combustion of ordinary lighting gas. The receptacle for the magnesium is
provided with a filling hole closed by a screw stopper 3 and the magnesium is
blown through a tube 9 passing through the centre of the receptacle the lower end
of the said tube being arranged over an air injector or nozzle 11 supplied with air
under pressure from a cock 15.
The gas is supplied to the apparatus through a cock 16 preferably arranged in a
different vertical plane to the.cock 15 as represented in Figure 3 in order not to
interfere with.the manipulation of the latter. The gas ascends through a tube 2 to
a chamber 1 whence it passes through four conical nipples or jets 4 communicating.
with the lower extremities of vertical tubes 5 supported in a cylindrical.chamber 7.
The sides of this chamber are perforated with holes that can be regulated or closed
by means of a hit and miss arrangement consisting of a perforated ring sliding upon
the said chamber. By these means the proportions of the mixture of gas and air

page_text: supplied to the orifices of the burner 10 are enabled to be regulated and the
temperature of the flame is thus brought under control. The water trough 18 is
supported on a ring or bracket. 12 attached to a sleeve sliding on the tube 9 and
which may also support a reflector 19. A tube 21 of small diameter conveys a
constant supply of gas to a pilot burner combined with the burner 10 and enables
the jet from the latter to be quickly ignited. Either of these lamps (Figs. 1 2
and 3) may be employed for producing flash lights for instantaneous photography
for example by simply sending a puff of air through the tube.
The apparatus for luminous projection as represented in Figs. 4. 5 and 6 produces
a shorter and more concentrated flame than the apparatus hereinbefore described.
This apparatus is constructed with a hood 1 communicating with a chimney and
supported by a vertical back or plate 2 having the lower part bent forwards at
right angles so as to form a horizontal shelf or table 3. Upon this table is placed
a receptacle 4 for the magnesium in powder which is blown by a jet of air produced
by an india rubber pear as in the arrangement hereinbefore described with
reference to Fig 2. The vertical plate 2 supports a trough or vessel 5 capable of
vertical adjustment by sliding on guides 4' and containing cotton wicks saturated
with spirit.
Above the vessel 5 there is a plate 6 of steel or other suitable material attached
to the back plate by suitable studs and provided at its upper edge with a projecting
rim or flange 7 the functions of which are hereinafter explained.
Underneath this arrangement there is a large rectangular trough 8 containing
water for the reception and extinguishing of the burning particles of magnesium.
This apparatus is worked in the following manner. After igniting the spirit in
the box 5 the magnesium powder contained in the receptacle 4 is blown into the
flame in a continuous or intermittent manner (according as a steady light or flashes
are required) from the tube 9 which is bent backwards as represented in Figs. 5
and 6 so as to dire the jet into the centre of the flame. The stream of powder
being thus caused to impinge against the plate 6 is prevented from rising too high
by the flange 7 which concentrates it into a flame of small volume possessing the
peculiar brilliancy characteristic of the combustion of magnesium.
Those particles of this metal which are not completely consumed in the flame fall
into the trough 18 and are extinguished. The smoke produced is carried away
through the hood 1 by the draught in the chimney.
The forms dimensions proportions and other details of construction of this
apparatus may evidently be varied within wide limits without departing from the
principles of this invention.
The receptacle for the magnesium may be of any suitable shape and two or more
air tubes may be employed for injecting the magnesium the peculiar feature of the
arrangement illustrated in Figs. 4. 5 and 6 being the flange 7 which concentrates
the flame into the smallest possible volume.
The apparatus may be made in a portable form or capable of being taken to
pieces and may be provided with any suitable accessory arrangements which are
found useful or necessary when it is employed for military or other like purposes.
The illuminating capacity of this apparatus has been tested with a Foucault
photometer and it has been ascertained that with an injecting orifice of 1% of a
millimetre in diameter a lighting power corresponding to 350 carcels can be easily
obtained being a luminous intensity considerably greater than that of an ordinary
magnesium lamp. Although more particularly designed for photographic purposes
it is evident that this powerful source of light is applicable to many other purposes
such as naval and military telegraphy, beacons, lighthouses etc. and it may be
employed with advantage in many instances in the place of electric light.
The air under pressure may be supplied from a compressed air chamber or other
suitable source aud in place of compressed air and magnesium other suitable agents
capable of producing similar effects such as oxygen gas and zinc powder may be
employed.

page_text: J
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A lamp producing a continuous or intermittent light by the combustion of
magnesium or the like in the form of powder substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination of a gas, spirit or other burner with an arrangement for
projecting magnesium or the like in powder into the flame in a continuous manner
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The arrangement for projecting magnesium or the like in powder, in a lamp
for producing a continuous flame or light consisting of a tube through which a
mixture of air and magnesium in powder is blown or propelled substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. The arrangement for projecting magnesium or the like in powder in a lamp
for producing a continuous flame or light as herein before set forth and enabling à
mixture of oxygen and a powder whose combustion produces an intense light to be
projected into the centre of a flame produced by a suitable burner substantially as
hereinbefore described.
5. In apparatus for producing light by the aid of magnesium or the like and
constructed according to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 4. 5 and 6 or
otherwise a plate with a projecting Hange for the purpose of concentrating the
flame into the smallest volume practicable substantially as hereinbefore described..
6. The combinations and arrangements of parts constituting the improved means
or apparatus for producing artificial light for photographic and other purposes
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 19th day of November 1891
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.