Recently acquired a what can best be described as a safety marker lamp. From what I have been told it was used mainly by track crews to replace red lens kerosene lanterns. I was hoping others might have more info on these and the paper wrapped alkaline battery that would have powered it. Not sure of the brand but it was made in Connecticut and the town name ends in EN, third to last town letter maybe a D (Meriden, Hamden, ...?).

It seems odd, but there is no switch, so the crews must have had to remove the battery when it was not in use.

The marker is 12" tall, the base is 4" and the lenses are 3" (double sided head). The battery would have been approx 2.5" diameter x 7" long with 1 terminal at both ends like an oversized D battery. I would like to get this working so I will need to know how long the original battery was so I can create a carrier for a pair of D batteries (installed bulb is marked 1.25 V), so it can be used as a prop during our night photo shoots.

Thanks,
Rich C.

Rich,

Wikipedia lists an "obsolete" battery type, the number "6", which it lists as a 1.5V cell which was 67mm in diameter and 172mm long. That would likely fit the dimensions you quoted. Note that the No. 6 battery has two screw-terminals on one end, rather than one contact on each end, so it would not fit in your application.

I imagine that the same battery "guts" were available packaged with contacts on each end.

Energizer lists an obsolete battery of type EN6 or EV6 (depending on chemistry) rated at 1.5V with dimensions 66.8mm by 170.7mm. Again, these are batteries with two screw-terminal posts. Dimensions for this cell may be found at http://data.energizer.com/PDFs/EV6.pdf.

Neither Wikipedia nor the energizer.com site lists anything with the contacts-on-each-end form-factor in anything like the size you are looking for.

Unless better information comes along, you could whip up a 66.8mm dia. by 170.7 "rod" to see how it fits your lantern and determine if/how to change the dimensions to suit your needs.

Regards,
Bob Milhaupt

those 1.5 volt batteries were commonly called Ignition Batteries. They were still in stock at Tractor Supply maybe 15 years ago..gone now...

They are still available, but not cheap. But it IS a big battery, maybe not so expensive by the pound. Search "ignition battery dry cell"

These were super common back then, I would bet this lantern takes an ignition battery.

Some folks in the antique electric lantern hobby have made tubes that mimic the diameter and length of the original battery, but with modern batteries inside (usually
D or F cells). Some even go so far as to remake the original paper wrapper so that the new "battery" even looks correct. Keep in mind, if you do manage to find the correct battery for this marker, do not store or display the marker with the battery inside. One leaky battery will ruin a good lantern.

Bob & Pegasus,
I found the same info, but neither will work as there is only one central contact at the top of the battery chamber and a spring contact in the cast base.

Weekend,
That was basically the plan. nylon rod hollowed out to fit a 2-4 D cells with brass rods sticking out both ends. Was just hoping to find the correct length before I start construction. Definitely no plans to actually acquire the correct antique battery. I've dealt with the damage modern alkaline batteries do in equipment I don't care about.

Rich C.

Here is a close up of the logo decal, maybe it will look familiar to someone.