AN IMPROVED GAS LIGHTING AND REGULATING APPARATUS
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Thorp at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1883.
THOMAS THORP of Whitefield in the County of Lancaster, Architect "AN
IMPROVED GAS LIGHTING AND REGULATING APPARATUS."
The objects of my Invention are to produce a steady shadowless light, to greatly
increase the illuminating power of the gas, to regulate the supply of gas, and to
prevent downdraught in the chimney
In performing my Invention I employ a central pipe which supplies gas from
above to the burner: to the bottom end of this pipe is secured a hollow perforated
metal cone in the base of this cone are holes into which small vertical tubes,
forming the burner, are fixed: to the inner base of this cone is secured a cylinder :
a casing surrounds the cylinder and is turned in at its lower edge to form a deflector
at about the same level as the bottom of the cylinder.
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In the annular space between the cylinder and the casing are a number of vertical
gas supply tubes, secured to the base of the hollow cone and terminating in porcelain
or steatite jets held in a perforated ring near the bottom of the cylinder. Rods
for conducting heat may be passed from side to side of the casing through per-
forations in the cylinder. An annular deflector formed of porcelain or other
suitable substance is secured near the bottom of the cylinder.
The flame is enclosed in a glass globe which may be arranged to open on hinges.
Air is admitted near the edges of the globe and passes along the sides of the globe
thus preventing excess of heat on the glass and assisting combustion. This method
of preventing undue heating of the glass enclosing the burner is also applicable to
lamps made according to the Specification to Letters Patent N° 1348 and granted
to me on the 20th day of March 1882 as well as to regenerative lamps in which
the globe acts the part of a deflector to the flame but in such cases the air is
admitted so as to follow the direction of the products of combustion. When the
gas has been lighted, the air for combustion passes through perforations in the
upper part of the casing down the chamber formed between the cylinder and the
casing and enters into combustion with the gas in a highly heated state. The flame
turns inward and the products of combustion pass upward through the cylinder
Price Ja

page_text: and then through perforations in the cone into a chimney which surrounds the gas
supply pipe. I fit a cowl at the top of this chimney. I form this cowl of two or
more curved conical flanges the outer edges of which are turned upward: these
flanges are super-posed and I form ribs or vertical partitions between them.
In constructing my improved gas regulator I make use of an outer case connected
to the gas supply. Gas is admitted to the interior of the casing through a hole
and passes through a hole into an inner chamber from which it has to pass through
a hollow curved passage in which a disc of metal on the end of a light lever swings:
to the lever is fastened a plate of sheet metal which closes or partially closes the
hole or holes admitting the gas to the inner chamber of the regulator as the pressure
of the gas increases.
For the purpose of adjusting the regulator to pass any required quantity of gas
without taking it to pieces I employ a screw to turn from the outside which opens
or closes a passage in the interior of the regulator.
I apply this regulator to my improved gas lighting apparatus or to other
burners.