General Carbide lights

[Bigvtwin996]

I could claim I as thinking of converting my Prototypi to Carbide lights, but....

for the youngtimers.. carbide lights are pre electricity....

I acquired these as they simply seemed interesting... there is a pair....
they are cast aluninium with and at some point were converted to normal bulbs...

the plate on the top says JB Lamps,, I have searched and found JB Colt but nothing really...
the front faces are held on with a nut and wing nut to allow the flame to be lit..
They look similar to some I have seen on Model t fords... but look too industrial...
I have searched boats, fire engines, trams..
So here we go ohhh mass collective of anything auto or other motive known... what are they from.. guesses are no good... anyone can do that...
the mounting legs are moveable, just positioned them so the light can be seen..

 

[fiat500]

I could claim I as thinking of converting my Prototypi to Carbide lights, but....

for the youngtimers.. carbide lights are pre electricity....

I acquired these as they simply seemed interesting... there is a pair....
they are cast aluninium with and at some point were converted to normal bulbs...

the plate on the top says JB Lamps,, I have searched and found JB Colt but nothing really...
the front faces are held on with a nut and wing nut to allow the flame to be lit..
They look similar to some I have seen on Model t fords... but look too industrial...
I have searched boats, fire engines, trams..
So here we go ohhh mass collective of anything auto or other motive known... what are they from.. guesses are no good... anyone can do that...
the mounting legs are moveable, just positioned them so the light can be seen..

I'm not underestimating the knowledge you can find on this forum but someone here will know:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/

There is even a most recent question which definitely requires asking of you.

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21098&highlight=

 

[Bigvtwin996]

I'm not underestimating the knowledge you can find on this forum but someone here will know:

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/

There is even a most recent question which definitely requires asking of you.

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21098&highlight=

I had to ask here first or if I asked elsewhere and was found out... i may have been "Black Balled"...
I was hoping you, Ian or Tom would recount your first day at work when you were required to light the Acetylene lamps on the tractors...

I have established a new rule.... I can only buy something If I have sold at least twice it's value....
my usual total spend at an autojumble or such is sub £10,,,
However my mate is spending regularly in excess of £100 and now his dad looks like he wants in on all this tat rummaging...
they were both put out when I found a NOS Kismet Lorry pump (that was an excess purchase at £15)

 

[The Whitakers]

i had to ask here first or if i asked elsewhere and was found out... I may have been "black balled"...
I was hoping you, ian or tom would recount your first day at work when you were required to light the acetylene lamps on the tractors...

I have established a new rule.... I can only buy something if i have sold at least twice it's value....
My usual total spend at an autojumble or such is sub £10,,,
however my mate is spending regularly in excess of £100 and now his dad looks like he wants in on all this tat rummaging...
They were both put out when i found a nos kismet lorry pump (that was an excess purchase at £15)

:d:d:d

 

[the hobbler]

I started my full-time (I had worked part-time in a garage whilst still at school to pay for my 'ticket' on a yacht competing in the 'Tall Ships' race from Harwich to Kristiansand in southern Norway) work career in a Leyland/BMC garage in Epsom---I can remember us apprentices being given the job of clearing out the electrical 'shop'---we were finding conversion kits, still in their 'as new' boxes for the conversion of acetylene lamps to electricity!---we also found a goodly number of 'claxon' horns, which eventually found their way (very mysteriously) on to the cars of various apprentices.

 

[Toshi 975]

My late father spent his post war career working on cars and trucks as an auto electrician. He told me that with the new technology after the war a lot of the stuff in the stores at the Watford Motor Company was designated obsolete and he had the job of filling rubbish skips with brand new parts including claxons
My wife was chatting with her mate a couple of months back and the mate said that she was not sure what to do with some old car parts from her late father's garage. My wife dropped me in it and said that I would sell the bits on her behalf and any profits go to charity. Quite a bit of work but quite interesting with several parts being shipped around the world and so far an interim payment of £250 to the British Heart Foundation. A bronze carbide gas generating tank went to New Zealand to go on a 110 year old car called a Pick Me. The owner is still looking for a Howes Burley brass headlamp. I still have these ones to sell.

 

[fiat500]

I was hoping you, Ian or Tom would recount your first day at work when you were required to light the Acetylene lamps on the tractors...

The little lads had that responsibility; I was in charge of shovelling t'coal.

Incidentally what's the current colour of your balls?

 

[Bigvtwin996]

........... I still have these ones to sell.

I'm sure one of those upcyclers could drill a hole in the top and make it into a Lamp....
That seems to be the trend... then a tv show will claim they sold for £000s

Nice pair though...... I could be interested......
I see a new addition to the collection.......

 

[Toshi 975]

I'm sure one of those upcyclers could drill a hole in the top and make it into a Lamp....
That seems to be the trend... then a tv show will claim they sold for £000s

Nice pair though...... I could be interested......
I see a new addition to the collection.......

Ha ha yes I know the type of program you mean
The guy in NZ was going to buy them with the gas tank for £400 but went for the tank only because he said that the lamps were more likely to be side lights rather than head lights although they seem to be about the same size as ones fitted to motor cycles. The make is Powell and Hamner. The best offer so far was £200 but by the time I paid p&p and ebay charges there would not have been a very good charity donation from such rare items.
I wondered if your lights might have been used on the railways ?

 

[Bigvtwin996]

Ha ha yes I know the type of program you mean ............
I wondered if your lights might have been used on the railways ?

I wold also need to polish the be jeebers out of them too.....
Railways was another consideration as they are more "industrial" than car lights...
but have drawn a blank on my Google searches....

 

[F123C]

Hi, Bigvtwin996,

Have you tried doing a search on the patent no's shown on the lamp nameplate.
Afaik, some libraries in the U.K. (according to the British Patent Office website) can help you do this.

Are you sure they're not bicycle/motorcycle lamps?

Do they dip to the right or left?

AL.

 

[Bigvtwin996]

Hi, Bigvtwin996,

Have you tried doing a search on the patent no's shown on the lamp nameplate.
Afaik, some libraries in the U.K. (according to the British Patent Office website) can help you do this.

Are you sure they're not bicycle/motorcycle lamps?

Do they dip to the right or left?

AL.

sorry for late reply....
Well have found the company was J Blake and Co of Liverpool....
(became big ford dealers too)..
Have a pic of the lights in an advert.... they date from Pre 1920 as suspected...
and they may have been used on Electric Mail vans in the early 1900s in Liverpool (yes electric trucks in 1900s)...
(tried Patent details to no avail... like the thinking was on that track as well)