A NEW AND IMPROVED FASTENER OR LOCK TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SECURING THE COVER ENCLOSING THE FLAME IN LAMPS KNOWN AS THE 'DAVY,' OR LAMPS OF A SIMILAR DESCRIPTION
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harding, of the Firm of James Harding and
Company, of Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Wire Gauze
Manufacturers for Safety Lamps, for the Invention of "A NEW AND
IMPROVED FASTENER OR LOCK TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SECURING THE COVER
ENCLOSING THE FLAME IN LAMPS KNOWN AS THE 'DAVY,' OR LAMPS OF A
SIMILAR DESCRIPTION."
Sealed the 12th July 1867, and dated the 19th January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harding at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th January 1867.
I, JOHN HARDING, of the Firm of James Harding and Company, of
Warrington, in the County of Lancaster, Wire Gauze Manufacturers for
Safety Lamps, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
NEW AND IMPROVED FASTENER OR LOCK TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SECURING THE COVER
ENCLOSING THE FLAME IN LAMPS KNOWN AS THE 'DAVY,' OR LAMPS OF A SIMILAR
DESCRIPTION," to be as follows:—
The Invention is designed to supply such a fastener or lock to lamps similar
to "Davy lamps" used for mining purposes that when once it is closed it
cannot again be opened, except by the destruction of the fastening, and as

page_text: such fastening cannot be replaced or a new one substituted, except by an
authorized person, the surreptitious opening of a lamp would inevitably be
shewn to the lamp examiner.
The improvements consist in the application and use of a bolt or rivet to be
made of lead or soft metal, gutta percha, or other suitable soft cheap material;
the ordinary slotted plate and staple are used in the lamp; instead of a
padlock being passed through the staple one of these rivets is passed through
and rivetted by compressing or "clinching" the rivet between a pair of hinged
levers, which being supplied with a die or stamp simultaneously screws the
lamp cover and impresses a mark or seal on the rivet. The examiner or
authorized supervisor cuts through the soft rivet with the "cutting pinchers "
when necessary to trim the lamp.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Harding in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HARDING, of the Firm of James Harding and Company, of Warrington, in
the County of Lancaster, Wire Gauze Manufacturers for Safety Lamps, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Harding, Her special license that I, the said John Harding, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Harding, 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 and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW AND IMPROVED
FASTENER OR LOCK TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SECURING THE COVER ENCLOSING THE FLAME
IN LAMPS KNOWN AS THE 'DAVY,' OR LAMPS OF A SIMILAR DESCRIPTION," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Harding, my executors or
administrators, 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

page_text: 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 John Harding, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
The Invention is designed to supply such a fastener or lock to lamps similar
to " Davy "lamps used for mining purposes that when once it is closed it
cannot again be opened, except by the destruction of the fastening, and as
such fastening cannot be replaced or a new one substituted, except by an
authorized person, the surreptitious opening of a lamp would inevitably be
shewn to the lamp examiner.
The improvements consist in the application and use of a bolt or rivet to be
made of lead or soft metal, gutta percha, or other suitable soft cheap material;
the ordinary slotted plate and staple are used on the lamp, and instead of a
padlock being passed through the staple one of these rivets is passed through
and rivetted by compressing or "clenching" the rivet between a pair of binged
levers, which being supplied with a die or stamp simultaneously secures the
lamp cover and impresses a mark or seal on one or both ends of the rivet.
The examiner or authorized supervisor cuts through the soft rivet with
"cutting pinchers" when necessary to trim the lamp.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings made about the
full size.
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of an ordinary "Davy" lamp having
applied thereto the rivet fastening, which is employed instead of a lock;
Fig. 2 represents a front elevation of the same.
a, a, is the body of the lamp, and b, b, the wire gauze covering and top
fittings of the lamp; c is a staple secured to the body of the lamp a, over
which the slotted latch d secured to the top fittings & falls, and which when
down allows a lead rivet to be passed through the staple c, which when
cliuched, as seen in Fig. 2, firmly secures the latch.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I claim the novel construction, arrangement, and adaptation
to the "Davy" or other similar lamps of a rivet made of soft metal or
other material bearing an impression upon it, which is employed for the

page_text: purpose of locking, as herein-before described and illustrated in the Drawings
attached.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Harding, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Witnessed by
JNO. HUGHES,
Clerk to Jno. Davies & Son,
Office for Patents,
Manchester.
JOHN HARDING. (L.S.)