Figure 27. — Rifle torch, 1880, as shown in 

 patent 233039, issued October 5, 1880 

 (see also figure 6). (Smithsonian photo 

 53300)- 



diaphragm then is pressed down on the sawdust. A 

 mouthpiece is screwed into the tube. When the 

 torch is Hghted the heavy oil burns at all times with 

 the same flame except when a brighter flame is desired. 

 By uncrewing the mouthpiece and blowing through 

 it, one causes a gust of air to pass through the sawdust 

 and light oil, suddenly igniting the flame and produc- 

 ing a so-called "flash light." Repeating this in no 

 way interferes with the light of the torch itself. This 

 torch is patented both in the stationary type and the 

 swivel type, and the patent model is 24% inches in 

 length. 



The Shaler flare torch, although not patented until 

 1876, appears as early as 1872 in an advertisement 

 found on page 678 oi Harper^ s Weekly, August 31, 1872. 

 (See illustration on p. 15 of this study.) 



COLLAPSIBLE L.^NTERN, 1 876 Figure 25 



USNM 227739 (Becker Collection) 



Collapsible lanterns were used profusely in street 

 parades during the latter half of the 19th century. 

 Made in China and Japan and sold through agencies 

 in this country, these paper lanterns were usually very 

 colorful. ^Vhen the candle was lighted, the effect 



was C|uite spectacular. This particular lantern bears 

 the likeness of Rutherford B. Hayes on one side and 

 that of William A. Wheeler on the reverse. A stripe 

 with stars appears at the bottom and top. The 

 lantern is l)i inches in diameter and expands to 

 approximately 13 inches in height. 



TWO-BURNER TIN TORCH, 1 877 Figure 26 



USNM 331365 (Patent model) 



An improved two-l)urner torch was patented by 

 James A. McPherson of Brunswick, New York, on 

 February 13, 1877, and features a torch frame which 

 can be removed from the torch bowl, when desired, 

 and reassembled. Malleable iron was preferred for 

 the frame so that it could be cast in one piece and be 

 surticiently flexible to allow the arms to swing apart 

 from the eyes of the cup of the bowl. The framework 

 of the swivel is designed in such a way that whenever 

 the torch is picked up l)y its handle, the cup must 

 immediately assume a perpendicular position. The 

 pi\ots can be sprung from the eyes of the bowl and 

 returned on the same bowl or another. In this way, 

 if either the cup or frame of the torch became damaged, 

 the damaged portion could be removed and one 

 would not have to throw away the entire torch. The 

 model is 12 inches in length with only a small section 

 of the pole. The diameter of the bowl is 5 inches and 

 the height without the brass burner is 3).i inches. 



RIFLE TORCH, 1 880 Figure 27 



From patent drawing. 



G. D. Smith, in 1880, patented an important 

 improvement in the rifle torch used in night pro- 

 cessions by devising a tube-type torch which formed 

 part of the rifle barrel. This also gave the torch a 

 more definite shape resembling that of a common 

 musket with a lamp or burner on the muzzle of its 

 barrel. By having such a device, the parader could 

 conveniently execute the usual military manual of 

 arms for the musket while the torch was burning. 

 The torch was provided with a feature whereby re- 

 serve burning liquid could be kept in the torch away 

 from the lamp or burner, to prevent vaporization of the 

 liquid in the torch and also to prevent it from being 

 top-heavy. Torches of this nature were sold con- 

 sistently throughout the 1880's and appeared in the 

 sales catalogs for that period. No patent model was 

 submitted at the time of the patentee's request. 



PAPER 45: POLITICAL CAMPAIGN TORCHES 



27 



