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586,220 · Basquin · "Prism-Light" · Page 2 Home  > Prism Glass  > Patent Index  > Page 2

586,220: 2 of 4

large number of short reflecting or refracting surfaces which have been laid down in such position as to take the rays of light from the receiving-point and transmit them in a predetermined direction, the curve or surface line thus formed being obviously such as, cooperating with the arbitrarily-determined surface, will take the light coming from the receiving direction and transmit it through the prism and discharge it into the desired direction. In the case involved in this invention it is always necessary to have a considerable number of such rays of light sent forward parallel to each other or in a horizontal direction, some being at a greater or less distance from the edge of the prism next in advance and the remainder of the rays of light to be carried clear of the edge of the prism next in advance, or, in other words, converging upon a line immediately below the same.     It is obvious that either the thickness or the width of the prism may be chosen arbitrarily, and that either side or face of the prism may also be chosen arbitrarily.     I claim—     1. A prism-light comprising a substantially flat glass part having a receiving-surface on one side and a series of projecting prisms on the other, each prism having one curved surface, the curvature of such surface and the character of the other prism-surface being such that substantially all the rays of light falling upon the receiving-surface from a given direction will be so treated successively by the prism-surfaces as part of them to be directed forward in parallel lines and part of them converged substantially along a line a little farther from the plane of the receiving-surface than the lower line of such prism and in advance of the lower line of such prism by a distance about equal to the greatest width

of such prism, in the direction in which the light is to be thrown, but parallel to the plane receiving-surface.     2. A prism-light comprising a flat glass part with a receiving-surface on one side and a series of projecting prisms on the other, each prism having one curved surface and one plane surface, the curvature of such surface and the character of the other prism-surface being such that substantially all the light received from one direction will be so treated successively by the prism-surfaces as part of them to be directed forward in parallel lines and part of them to be converged substantially along a line a little farther from the plane of the receiving-surface than the lower line of such prism and in advance of the lower line of such prism by a distance about equal to the greatest width of such prism, in the direction in which the light is to be thrown, but parallel to the plane receiving-surface.     3. A prism-light comprising a flat glass part with a receiving-surface on one side and a series of projecting prisms on the other, each prism having its two surfaces so shaped and related to each other that substantially all the light received from one direction will be so treated successively by the prism-surfaces as part of them to be directed forward in parallel lines and part of them to be converged substantially along a line a little farther from the plane of the receiving-surface than the lower line of such prism and in advance of the lower line of such prism by a distance about equal to the greatest width of such prism, in the direction in which the light is to be thrown, but parallel to the plane receiving-surface. OLIN H. BASQUIN. Witnesses:     F. W. PARKER,     A. R. APPLEMAN, Jr.