Improvements in Electric Lighting Apparatus for Gas Burners.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Lighting Apparatus for Gas Burners.
I, MORTIMER PETERSON, of Hamngatan No. 32, Stockholm, Sweden, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
an
My invention relates to apparatus for lighting by means of electricity the gaseous
mixture issuing from a Bunsen or other atmospheric buruer with which
incandescent body, for instance an Auer hood, is used for illuminating purposes.
The principal object of my invention is to save the incandescent body from injury
when it is being fitted on the burner as well as during the use of the apparatus ;
and for this purpose the break in the electric circuit that causes the spark is
arranged within the said incandescent body.
The apparatus is constructed in such a manner that the gas supply pipe leading
to the burner has a tubular extension and is surrounded by three vertical electro
magnets. This tubular extension is normally closed at the top by a valve which is
provided with the necessary outlets for the gas and is carried by a tube that
surrounds and is capable of sliding along the said extension.
To the surrounding tube is rigidly fixed an armature which is common to, and is
situate below the said electro-magnets. The movements of this armature are
arranged to simultaneously either open the above mentioned gas-valve and break
the circuit and to close the gas-valve and circuit respectively.
The following is a description of one form of igniting-apparatus constructed
according to my invention.
The break in the electric circuit by which the igniting-spark is produced is
located within the incandescent body and close to the place where the gaseous
mixture normally burns, and is arranged between an insulated ring and a movable
contact which is connected by means of an arm to a metallic rod, which slides in,
and is guided by, a piece situate centrally within the burner and is provided with a
disc at its lower end. The central piece is fixed to the upper part of the burner
by means of arms between which the mixture of gas and air flowing upwards may
pass freely.
The three upright electro-magnets are arranged in a circle. Their common
armature loosely surrounds the extension of the gas-supply pipe, and is fixed to the
tube, that slides on the said extension. To the top of the said tube is secured the
gas-valve, which is provided with suitable gas outlets and the seat of which is
formed by the top of the extension. The extension is thus closed by the valve when
the latter rests on the top of the said extension on the descent of the armature, and
is opened when the valve is lifted on the ascent of the said armature. Secured to
the said valve there is a vertical conducting rod against which the aforesaid disc is
caused, by means of a spring, to bear even when the valve and the circuit are
closed, so that during the rise of the armature, the said rod will lift the said disc
and the aforesaid contact will consequently be raised.
The lamp is provided with two binding-screws, each of which is connected with
a switch in such a manner that an electric current from a suitable source of
electricity may be introduced as desired through one or the other of the said
binding-screws. From one of the binding-screws a wire goes to one of the electro-
magnets, which is connected by a wire to a second electro-magnet. From the
second electro-magnet a wire passes to a ring fixed to the lower part of the burner
and insulated from the said part. The sleeve of the upper part of the burner, which

page_text: is passed over a tube of the lower part, has at the bottom an insulated ring which
bears against the aforesaid ring and forms contact therewith. From this insulated
ring a wire passes to the insulating ring against which the aforesaid contact normally
bears. This contact is in electrical connection with the earth through the arm and
rod above mentioned, the contact-disc, the lower rod, the valve, the tubular
extension, its surrounding tube, and the gas-supply pipe. The contact is also in
connection with the earth through the aforesaid central piece, the casing of the
lamp and the gas-supply pipė. The second binding-screw is connected by a wire
to the third electro-magnet and the latter by a wire to the botto:n-plate of the
electro-magnets, which plate is supported by the gas-supply pipe and is in electric
connection with the same.
The said bottom-plate has a small hole through which passes a hook fixed to the
said armature. At one side of the said hole there is a support which projects
upwards from the bottom-plate. The shape of the plan of the armature is somewhat
like that of a sector greater than a semicircle.
In order to ignite the gaseous mixture issuing from the burner the electric
current is introduced through the binding-screw first mentioned and traverses, as
described above, two of the electro-magnets, which are thereby energised and
attract the armature. In consequence of the peculiar form of the armature, it is
at the same time turned in such a manner that the aforesaid hook will come over
the aforesaid upwardly projecting support. Thereby the valve is opened and the
circuit is broken in order to produce the igniting-spark. When the current ceases,
the armature falls but the hook will rest on its support, and thereby prevent the
complete falling down of the armature. Thus the gas-valve remains open.
In order to put out the flame, the current is introduced through the other
binding-screw and traverses the remaining electro-magnet only. The armature
will then be lifted and turned in such a manner that the hook can leave its support;
and when the current is taken off the armature will fall into its lowest position,
thereby closing the gas-valve and restoring the contact. The lamp can then be
relit when required in the manner hereinbefore described.
Dated this 15th day of February 1894.
I, MORTIMER PETERSON, of Hamngatan No. 32, Stockholm, Sweden, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention relates to apparatus for lighting by means of electricity the gaseous
mixture issuing from a Bunsen or other atmospheric burner with which an
incandescent body, for instance an Auer hood is used for illuminating purposes.
The principal object of my invention is to save the incandescent body from injury
both when it is being fitted on the burner and during the use of the lighting
apparatus, for which purpose the break in the electric circuit that causes the spark
for igniting the gaseous mixture, is arranged to take place within the said
incandescent body.
The apparatus is constructed in such a manner that the gas supply pipe leading
to the burner has a tubular extension and is surrounded by three vertical electro-
magnets. The tubular extension is normally closed at the top by a valve carried

page_text: by a tube that surrounds, and is capable of sliding along, the said extension, and is
provided at its upper end with the necessary outlets for gas. To the surrounding
tube rigidly fixed an armature which is common to, and situate below, the said
electro-magnets. The upward movement of this armature is arranged to simul-
taneously open the above mentioned gas-valve and break the electric current,
the downward movement of the armature simultaneously closing the gas-valve and
circuit.
The accompanying drawings illustrate electric lighting-apparatus for gas burners
according to this invention.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of such apparatus, the lower part being partly in
elevation and the electric circuit and the gas valve being both represented as
closed;
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a section analogous to Fig. 1, but with the parts at the top and at the
bottom of the casing shown in elevation and with the electric circuit represented as
broken and the gas-valve as opened;
and
Fig. 4 shows the armature and the bottom-plate of the electro-magnets as
seen from below when the lower end-piece of the casing of the burner is
removed.
The break in the electric circuit by which the lighting spark is produced is
arranged to take place at a, within the incandescent hood or body (not shewn) and
close to the place where the gaseous mixture normally burns. The spark is formed
between an insulated conducting ring b, round which the lower part of the said hood
or body is pushed, and a movable contact c which is connected by means of an arm d
to a metallic rod h, which slides in and is guided by a centrally arranged guide
piece e, and is provided with a contact disc g at its lower end. The central guide-
piece e is fixed to the upper part of the burner by means of arms i between which
the mixture of gas and air flowing upwards can pass freely.
k, kare three electro magnets arranged vertically in a circle. I is their
common armature arranged to loosely surround the extension o of the gas-supply
pipe and fixed to a tube m which can slide on the said extension. To the top of
the tube m is secured a gas-valve n the seat of which is formed by the top of the
extension o. The extension o is thus closed by the valve n when the latter falls
upon its upper end by the complete descent of the armature l, and is opened when
the valve is lifted by the ascent of the said armature. p are gas outlets formed in
the upper part of the tube m carrying such valve.
Secured to the valve n is a vertical conducting rod against which the contact
dise g is caused, by means of the spring f, to bear, even when the valve n and the
electric circuit are closed, so that by the lifting of the armature 1, the rod will be
caused to lift the disc g and consequently also the contact c.
The burner is provided with two binding-screws u and each of which is con-
nected with a switch in such a manner that an electric current from a suitable
generator of electricity can be sent as desired through one or the other of the said
binding-screws. From the binding-screw a wire u passes to the electro-magnet k¹
which is connected by a wire u³ to the electro-magnet ². From this electro-
magnet k³ a wire u passes to a ring fixed to but insulated from the lower part of
the burner. The sleeve a of the upper part of the burner, which is passed over the
tubular extension y of the lower part, has at the bottom an insulated conducting
ring which bears against and makes contact with the ring v. From the insulated
ring a wire u passes to the insulated ring against which the contact c normally
bears. The contact c is normally in electrical connection with the earth through
the arm d, rud h, the contact disc g, the rod ', the valve n, the surrounding tube m,
the tubular extension o, and the gas supply pipe. The contact c is also normally in
connection with the earth through the arin d the central piece e, the casing of the
lamp, and the gas supply pipe. One pole of the electric generator used is also in
this case connected to earth. The binding screw u³ is connected by a wire u to the
electro-magnet k and the latter is connected by a wire u' to the common bottom-

page_text: plate of the electro-magnets, which plate is supported by the extension o of
the gas-supply pipe and is in electric connection with the same.
The said bottom-plate t is formed with a small hole t¹ through which passes a
hook fixed to the armature l. At one side of the hole t' there is a support s which
projects upwards from the bottom-plate t. The shape of the armature in plan is
somewhat like that of a sector greater than a semi-circle the gap in the armature
being situated between the electro-magnets k and k¹ as shown in Fig. 4. A piece
of wire gauze is arranged in the ordinary manner at j and holes are provided in the
casing at for the entry of air to support combustion.
In order to ignite the gaseous mixture issuing from the burner an electric current
is passed through the binding-screw u and the windings of the electro-magnets k¹
and which are thereby energized and caused to attract the armature / upward.
By this upward movement of the armature and tube m the valve n is opened and
the movable contact c raised from the ring & thereby producing the required
lighting-spark at a.
In consequence of the peculiar form of the armature 1, it will, when attracted
by be partly turned in a direction towards the electro-magnet k in such a
manner that the hook will be brought over the upwardly projecting support s.
When the current ceases, the armature will fall, but the hook r will be arrested by
the supports and thereby prevent the complete descent of the armature: thus the
gas-valve n is caused to remain open.
In order to put out the flame, an electric current is sent through the binding-
screw and the winding of the electro-magnet & only. The armature will then be
again lifted and turned towards this electro-magnet in such a manner that the
hook will be removed from above its support s; and when the circuit is again
broken by means of the switch aforesaid the armature will fall into its lowest
position, thereby closing the gas-valve n and restoring the contact at a.
The lamp
can then be relit when required in the manner herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. An electric lighting apparatus for Bunsen or like burners for burning a mixture
of combustible gas and air in contact with an incandescent hood such as Auer's,
wherein the contacts between which an electric spark is produced for igniting the
combustible gaseous mixture, are located inside the hood, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
2. An electric lighting apparatus for Bunsen or like burners for burning a mixture
of combustible gas and air in contact with an incandescent hood such as Auer's
wherein the contacts between which an electric spark is produced for igniting the
combustible gaseous mixture, are located inside the said hood, and the electro-
magnets used for moving the said contacts apart to produce the spark are located
within the lower part of the said burner, substantially as herein described.
3. The improved electric lighting apparatus for Bunsen or like burners,
provided with an incandescent hood such as Auer's, substantially as described and
shewn.
Dated this 12th day of November 1894.