IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY OR MINERS' LAMPS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Lloyd Wise of 7 Whitehall Place, in the
City of Westminster for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY OR
MINERS' LAMPS A communication to him from abroad by La Compagnie
Houillère de Bessèges, of Nimes, France.
[
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Lloyd Wise at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th July 1882.
"3
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE of 7 Whitehall Place in the City of Westminster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY OR MINERS' LAMPS (a communication to me from
abroad by La Compagnie Houillère de Bessèges of Nimes, France)
This invention has for object improvements in safety or miners' lamps and refers
more particularly to lamps of the Mueseler type, the official standard lamp employed
in Belgium.
A safety or miners' lamp constructed according to this invention has an external
removeable metallic case which protects the gauze or grating of the lamp against
injury or dirt; this case terminates at its upper part in a horizontal grated,
perforated, or reticulated cover. In place of the small horizontal diaphragm of the
Mueseler lamp it has a truncated cone of perforated or reticulated material
exposing a large surface. The chimney is carried by a metallic washer or gallery,
which supports it in position over the flame. Holes are provided in or near
the base of the metallic case for the inlet of air to support combustion in
the lamp.
In one form of safety or miners' lamp according to this invention the base of
the lamp forms the reservoir for oil, and carries a burner which is surrounded by
a cylinder of thick glass. This glass is protected from fracture by a cage of bars
upon which is mounted a ring forming the lower termination of the external
metallic case of the lamp, which at its upper end is closed by a perforated or
reticulated cover and bears a deflecting plate and a hook or handle. The chimney
is supported by a metallic washer or gallery mounted on the glass cylinder and is

page_text: enclosed at its upper portion by two covers or casings of perforated or reticulated
metallic material. Sometimes the upper part of the chimney is enclosed by the
outer of these covers or casings only and the inner casing only extends to its
central portion or thereabouts. The air enters the lamp by holes in the base of the
external case, passes through the lower portions of the two internal perforated or
reticulated covers or casings and enters the glass cylinder to support the flame.
The products of combustion pass up the chimney into the interior of the inner
perforated or reticulated casing or cover, or into the space between the two
perforated or reticulated casings or covers, according to the construction of the
lamp and escape through the second casing or cover, and through the perforated or
reticulated top of the external metallic case.
The chief advantages of the improved lamp, are (1) that it does not become
extinguished if placed in an inclined attitude, even if it be in an ascending current
of air; (2) It will not communicate the explosion to the external atmosphere if
placed in a gaseous current even of great velocity. (3) It will not cause
explosion in external atmosphere when placed in an explosive mixture of air
and lighting gas.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Lloyd Wise in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th January 1883.
"
WILLIAM LLOYD WISE late of 7 Whitehall Place in the City of Westminster,
now of 46 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN
SAFETY OR MINERS' LAMPS" (a communication to me from abroad by La Compagnie
Houillère de Bessèges of Nimes France)
This invention has for object improvements in safety or miners' lamps and refers
more particularly to lamps of the Mueseler type, the official standard lamp employed
in Belgium.
A safety or miners lamp constructed according to this invention has an external
movable metallic case which protects the gauze or grating of the lamp against
injury. or dirt, this case terminates at its upper part in a horizontal grated,
perforated or reticulated cover.
In place of the small horizontal diaphragm of the Mueseler lamp it has a
truncated cone of perforated or reticulated material exposing a large surface.
The chimney is carried by a metallic ring or gallery which supports it in position
over the flame.
Holes are provided in or near the base of the metallic case for the inlet of air
to support combustion in the lamp.
Figs. 1 & 2 of the accompanying drawings illustrate in elevation and vertical
section an arrangement of safety or miner's lamp according to this invention.
The base I of the lamp forms the reservoir for oil and carries a burner which is
surrounded by a cylinder of thick glass II.
This glass cylinder II is similar to those employed in the Mueseler lamp above
referred to.
This glass is protected from fracture by a cage of bars III upon which is
mounted a ring a forming the lower termination of the external metallic case VII
of the lamp, which at its upper end is closed by a perforated or a reticulated cover b
and bears a deflecting plate and a hook or handle.
The chimney IV is supported by a metallic ring or gallery A mounted on the
glass cylinder II and is enclosed at its upper portion by two covers or casings V, VI
of perforated or reticulated metallic material.
In the lamps illustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 the upper part of the chimney is
enclosed only by the outer of the two perforated or reticulated covers or casings,
and the inner casing V extends only to some point below the top of the chimney
as shewn. The arrangement of these three lamps is in other respects similar to
that of the lamp illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2.
In each case the air enters the lamp by holes c in the base of the external
case VII passes through the lower portions of the two perforated or reticulated
covers or casings VI and V and enters the glass cylinder II to support the flame.
The products of combustion pass up the chimney into the interior of the inner
perforated or reticulated casing or cover (when the lamp is arranged according to
Fig. 2.) or into the space between the two perforated or reticulated casings or
covers V, VI (when arranged according to Figs. 3 4 or 5) and escape through the
second casing or cover VI, and through the perforated or reticulated top of the
external metallic case VII.
Fig. 6 is a detail view shewing the gallery or supporting ring of the chimney of
the lamp.
A lamp constructed according to this invention possesses several advantages over

page_text: the "Mueseler" and other lamps which have by reason of their defects proved very
troublesome and have led to infraction by miners of the rules for ensuring safety
in mines. Amongst these advantages may be mentioned the following-(1) The
lamp does not become extinguished if placed in an inclined attitude, even if it be
in an ascending current of air; (2) It will not communicate explosion to the
external atmosphere if placed in a gaseous current even of great velocity; (3) It
will not cause explosion in external atmosphere when placed in an explosive
mixture of air and lighting gas; (4) the external case VII being removable the
state of the perforated casings can be readily ascertained without opening
the lamp.
It will be evident that parts of the invention may be used otherwise than in
combination with the other parts thereof.
•
For example the external case VII as also casings or covers V and VI may be
used in other lamps than those illustrated; thus imparting to them some of the
advantages above mentioned. Furthermore to lessen the risks attendant on
the use of such lamps the number of perforated or reticulated casings or covers
may be increased.
Having described the nature of the said invention and explained the manner of
carrying the same into practical effect as communicated to me as aforesaid I would
have it understood that what is considered to be novel and original and is
therefore claimed as the invention secured to me by the Letters Patent herein before
in part recited is :-
1. In a lamp of the kind hereinabove referred to the use in combination with
the gauze or grating VI of an external case arranged to protect the said gauze or
grating from injury and dirt and to allow for inlet of air and escape of products
of combustion.
2. In a lamp of the kind referred to constructing the external protecting case
with a perforated or reticulated top and with air inlets near the bottom as described
and illustrated in the drawings.
3. In a lamp of the kind referred to providing an inner reticulated or perforated
partition such as V arranged in the form of a truncated cone between the flame
and the ordinary outer or main reticulated or perforated cover VI substantially as
described.
4. In a lamp of the kind referred to when provided with an inner reticulated or
perforated partition V the use in combination with the glass II and chimney IV of
a ring or gallery such as A supporting the chimney IV as above described.
In Witness whereof I the said William Lloyd Wise have hereunto set iny
hand and seal this twenty fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord,
one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three.