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11,072 · Basquin · "Improvements in Vault Lights or Prism Tiles" · Page 2 Home  > Prism Glass  > Patent Index  > Page 2

11,072: 2 of 5

2 Nº 11,072.--A.D. 1897.   Basquin's Improvements in Vault Lights or Prism Tiles.     In Figures 4, 5, and 6 I have shown the devices illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 modified so as to be adapted for alley lights or sky lights or other places where the receiving surface is set at an oblique angle to the horizontal. The forms of vault light herein shown are adapted to be use in positions where the receiving surface D is in an approximately horizontal plane instead of a vertical plane, and it will be seen that the desired result may be obtained when the projecting ribs or prisms are provided with a curved refracting or reflecting plane or when both these planes are curved.     I do not, of course, presume to have shown in the drawings all the possible forms by which the result sought can be obtained, and indeed I have designed other forms than those shown. The ideal device along the lines of my invention would be one in which all of the rays of light entering, are received and directed forwardly so as to meet nearly approach without impinging upon the prisms in front. Of course, this would be more desirable in such lights as are called vault lights, though it is not material what the name or construction of the device may be other than that it would be such as to accomplish the result above referred to.     I have spoken of my invention as a vault light, it is more correctly described however as a Prism tile and I prefer to use that term.     Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is     1. A prism tile comprising a part with a substantially plane receiving surface and a projecting 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 to be converged substantially along a line a little farther below 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.     2. A prism tile comprising a part with a substantially plane receiving surface and a projecting 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 rays of light falling upon the receiving surface from a given direction will be so treated successively by the prism surfaces as to be converged substantially along a line a little farther below 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.     3. A prism pavement comprising a series of prism tiles each having a receiving surface substantially parallel with the pavement surface and a downwardly projecting prism which is provided with two surfaces transverse to the direction in which the light is to be thrown, one of such surfaces being curved and the curvature of that surface and the character of the other surface being such that substantially all the light received on the receiving surface from a given direction is successively so treated by the prism surface as to be converged along a line just below the lower line of the next preceding prism.     4. A prism tile comprising a part with a substantially plane receiving surface and a projecting prism having one curved surface, the curvature of such surface and the character of the other prism surface being such that part of the rays of light falling upon the receiving surface from a given direction will be so treated successively by the prism surfaces as to be converged substantially along a line a little farther below 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, and the remainder of the rays will be directed into horizontal lines.