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Squarelite Trip Lamp RSide
Squarelite Trip Lamp Back
Squarelite Trip Lamp LSide
Squarelite Trip Lamp Marking
Squarelite Trip Lamp Top
  Squarelite Trip Lamp Bottom Open.JPG - SQUARELITE TRIP LAMP - Nickel plated brass Guy’s Dropper Squarelite trip lamp, 4 3/8 in. tall to top of water door with 3 in. dia. reflector, marked on side of lamp tank in shield SQUARELITE PAT. MAY 26-14 SEPT. 19-16 OCT. 17-16 and GUY’SDROPPER on top with ON and OFF, with attachment bracket on back, ex-Caroline Ewing collection, Louisville KY [The Shanklin Manufacturing Co. of Springfield, IL was a prominent producer of miner's carbide lamps with its famous "Guy's Dropper" carbide cap lamp. Designed by Frank Guy, he obtained his first patent in 1910 (#974,054 of Oct. 25, 1910) and two additional patents (#1,097,716 of May 26, 1914 and #1,198,537 of Sept. 19, 1916) while developing a business arrangement with brothers George and Edgar Shanklin to manufacture the lamps. In 1913, the brothers formed the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. to mass produce the Guy's Dropper lamp. The two-date model refers to the 1914 and 1916 patent dates. The single date Guy's Dropper lamps are quite scarce. The war years of 1917-18 substantially increased the demand for carbide lamps as the need for coal and minerals peaked. The Guy's Dropper benefited with this demand with increased production of both the cap and hand lamps. In addition, Shanklin manufactured a Guy's Dropper cap and superintendent-style hand lamp variation along with a trip lamp as shown here known as the "Squarelite," distinguished by the square shape of the lamp top. The Squarelite design was patented by George Shanklin on Oct. 17, 1916 as #49,782. These lamps are scarce and coveted by collectors. As with other carbide lamp manufacturers, the 1920s brought a decline in the demand for acetylene lamps and problems for the Shanklin company. In 1932, the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. was sold to the Universal Lamp Co. where the Guy's Dropper continued in production as a best-selling Universal product until the company ceased manufacturing carbide lamps in 1960. See Clemmer, American Miner's Carbide Lamps, pp 85-88]  
Squarelite Trip Lamp Front
Sun Ray Flip Handle LSide
Sun Ray Flip Handle Front
Sun Ray Flip Handle RSide
Sun Ray Flip Handle Back

Squarelite Trip Lamp Bottom Open | SQUARELITE TRIP LAMP - Nickel plated brass Guy’s Dropper Squarelite trip lamp, 4 3/8 in. tall to top of water door with 3 in. dia. reflector, marked on side of lamp tank in shield SQUARELITE PAT. MAY 26-14 SEPT. 19-16 OCT. 17-16 and GUY’S DROPPER on top with ON and OFF, with attachment bracket on back, ex-Caroline Ewing collection, Louisville KY [The Shanklin Manufacturing Co. of Springfield, IL was a prominent producer of miner's carbide lamps with its famous "Guy's Dropper" carbide cap lamp. Designed by Frank Guy, he obtained his first patent in 1910 (#974,054 of Oct. 25, 1910) and two additional patents (#1,097,716 of May 26, 1914 and #1,198,537 of Sept. 19, 1916) while developing a business arrangement with brothers George and Edgar Shanklin to manufacture the lamps. In 1913, the brothers formed the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. to mass produce the Guy's Dropper lamp. The two-date model refers to the 1914 and 1916 patent dates. The single date Guy's Dropper lamps are quite scarce. The war years of 1917-18 substantially increased the demand for carbide lamps as the need for coal and minerals peaked. The Guy's Dropper benefited with this demand with increased production of both the cap and hand lamps. In addition, Shanklin manufactured a Guy's Dropper cap and superintendent-style hand lamp variation along with a trip lamp as shown here known as the "Squarelite," distinguished by the square shape of the lamp top. The Squarelite design was patented by George Shanklin on Oct. 17, 1916 as #49,782. These lamps are scarce and coveted by collectors. As with other carbide lamp manufacturers, the 1920s brought a decline in the demand for acetylene lamps and problems for the Shanklin company. In 1932, the Shanklin Manufacturing Co. was sold to the Universal Lamp Co. where the Guy's Dropper continued in production as a best-selling Universal product until the company ceased manufacturing carbide lamps in 1960. See Clemmer, American Miner's Carbide Lamps, pp 85-88] Download Original Image
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