Improvements in Lighting and Extinguishing Attachments for Gas, Electric, and other Lamps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lighting and Extinguishing Attachments for Gas,
Electric, and other Lamps.
We, HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER, of Mary Ann Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Merchant and Manufacturer, and WILLIAM ADKINS, of Moseley
Road, Birmingham aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in means for automatically turning-ou,
automatically electrically lighting and automatically turning off gas and lamps
and lights, and also in means for automatically switching on and off the current in
lighting electrically, and which said invention is an improvement upon Letters
Patent granted to William Adkins one of the present applicants and John Melville
No. 5417 dated the 26th day of March 1891.
In a gas lamp attachment, the means employed consists essentially of chronometric
mechanism, operating and connected with an adjustable dial wheel, a time wheel,
and turning on and shutting off hands carried by the first named wheel, an escape
wheel turning on the same common axis as the time wheel, and which axis is
driven by a pinion which takes its motion from the chronometric mechanism
enclosed within a drum casing.
The escape wheel is controlled by an escapement, whilst the escape wheel itself
is driven by gearing automatically operated by a supplementary spring, and
working in conjunction with the escape wheel is a long arm, pivotedly connected
at its lower eud, whilst the upper end has a stud which takes and works within a
bifurcated crank made fast to one end of the plug of the cock.
The electrical connection is made by wires from the source of the electrical
energy transmitted from a dry or other battery to the sparking tips which intersect
the ignition point of the burner.
In carrying out our invention in detail in connection with a gas-lamp attachment,
we take an upright or other gas supply pipe, and fit the summit of the same with
any suitable burner, and below the burner, a transversely working cock is fitted
with one, or the larger, end of the plug fitted with a crank arm, forked or
bifurcated at its end, with which a pin or stud carried at the upper end of a long
arm or lever, engages, and by whose angular movement, gas is turned on, electrical
contact made, and the gas turned off at periods as predetermined by the setting of
the hands relative to the time wheel or the dial wheel, which are normally coupled
together by a pin carried by one of the hands engaging in common with the teeth on
the periphery of the dial wheel, and with the teeth on the periphery of the time
wheel.
The latter is made fast to, or turns with a common axis driven from the
chronometric mechanism, whilst the dial wheel, which is adjustable, turns free
upon the outer end of the common axis when the coupling pin of one of the
said hands, which traverses the face of the dial, is withdrawn or pulled
outwardly.
It is understood that these last named wheels have their faces in juxtaposition,
and that the hands for turning on and off the gas are provided with wiper or
inclined ends, and also turn freely and independently upon the end of the common
axis, whilst their set positions are arranged by inwardly directed pins of them
respectively engaging with the teeth either of both wheels, or with the teeth of
the dial wheel.

page_text: Projecting from the outer sides of the ends of the hands are studs or knobs for
pulling upwards hands for readjustment, whilst the inclined or wiper ends of the
said hands come within the path of a pin or stud carried upon one of the extreme
ends of an escapement or verge, pivoted about its middle to rock alike unto a
double armed lever, and with its other end also fitted with an outstanding stud,
which governs or controls an escape wheel, mounted loosely upon the common axis,
and whose periphery is provided with twelve square-shaped teeth, separated from
each other by intervening distances much greater than the breadth of the teeth
themselves.
These outstanding pins or studs of the escapement constitute or form as it were
the pallets of the same, so that when a hand comes in contact with the lower stud,
the lower or one end of the escapement is taken from out of the path of a tooth
of the escape wheel, whilst the pin at the other end is taken within the path of a
tooth succeeding it. The result is that the pushing back of the escapement rocks
the same, and releases the escape wheel to the extent of one tooth, or to the
extent of one twelfth of a rotation.
The rotation of the escape wheel, which has a star shaped channel cam formed
within its inner face, is performed by an auxiliary spring, enclosed within a box
casing having a turning axis through its middle, which axis is fitted with a ratchet
wheel with which a pawl carried by a driving toothed wheel, engages. This
driving toothed wheel intergears with an intermediate and idle toothed wheel,
which drives a larger toothed wheel, mounted upon and made fast to a neck or
bush carried at the middle of the escape wheel, so that as the winder axis of the
auxiliary spring is wound up, the intermediate gear remains under the constant
force of the spring, so that immediately the escapement is rocked, the escape wheel
runs down to the extent of a tooth or other quantity.
The face of the dial wheel is marked off into 24 divisions, corresponding to
24 hours, and which divisions are sub-divided up into half hours and quarters, so
that assuming that a gas lamp was to be lighted at 6 in the evening and
extinguished at 6 in the morning, then the hands cross the face of the dial wheel
in the direction of its diameter. The operating or actuating arm, which is
jointed near its lower end, has a stud at its extreme end, which takes within the
channel of the star-shaped channel-cam made within the face of the escape
wheel.
Located within a barrel, rear of the time and adjacent wheels, is a chronometric
mechanism, consisting of an ordinary clockwork, carried by an attachable end
cover or cap, fitted with outside winding-up mechanism.
The last and driven wheel of the said time mechanism, engages with a toothed
wheel on the end of the common axis which drives the time and dial wheels. The
gas-way of the supply pipe circumferentially surrounds the casing of the clock
mechanism, so as not to pass through the said casing.
The hair-spring of the clock mechanism is made of some non-corrosive material
such as platinum or aluminium.
The operating arm or lever is fitted with an insulated contact for breaking and
making contact with the conducting wires, which lead to and from the sparking
tips consisting of platinum pointed wires fitted to the burner.
To prevent the displacement of the said tips, or to keep the same in a pre-
determined position relative to the burner slit, I make the shanks of the said
tips blade-like, so that when the blades or flat parts of both tips lie in a
common plane, the extreme and sparking ends are always presented opposite 10
each other.
The electrical energy for sparking is created or generated from a dry or other
battery located below the mechanism as aforesaid, and with the said battery fitted
with an axial hole through its middle for the threading of the same over the gas
service pipe, and for taking within the upper part of the post.
The battery has cells, condensors and cognate parts common to dry batteries
(which we prefer to employ) fixed all in one frame.

page_text: OPERATION.
Assuming that the chronometric mechanism has been wound up, and also the
auxiliary spring of the escape wheel wound up, and also the hands adjusted to
their positive position relative to the dial wheel, say to turn on and light at six in
the evening, and to extinguish at six after the lapse of twelve hours, the distance
between the hands will be equivalent to 12 hours, that is to say, the hand for
turning off will follow the hand for turning on, and impinge upon the stud of the
escapement twelve hours from the time that the turning-on hand impinges upon it,
and assuming that the time mechanism rotates chronometrically the time-wheel,
dial and hands through the common axis, the turning-on hand, by its rotation, at a
predetermined period, impinges upon the stud of the escapement, presses back the
escapement clear of the escape wheel, which latter through the medium of its
barrel spring then rotates through a determined space, and is then caught by the
second stud of the escape wheel.
The channel of the channel cam operates the stud at the inner end of the
operating lever, and through it, the bifurcated or slotted crank is turned, and
the cock opened, and gas allowed to flow therethrough, but as the opening is only
performed on the initial movement of the stud within the star-shaped channel as
aforesaid, the further movement of the said stud will further operate the actuating
arm and closes the electrical contact, and completes the electrical circuit, hence the
spark or sparks passing between the extremities of the sparking tips, and the
automatic lighting of the gas thereby.
Assuming now that twelve hours have elapsed, the cutting-off hand impinges
upon the pin or stud of the escapement, hence the liberation of a further tooth of
the escape wheel, and the passing thereby of a further portion of the channel of
the channel cam over the stud at the inner end of the operating lever, which
rocks the said lever, and takes the cranked arm back again to its former position,
and thereby cuts off the gas.
The stud, when opening the cock, lies at the lowest portions of the channels of
the cam upon one side of the point of a star. When at the tip of the point,
electrical contact is made, and when the stud is at the opposite lower point
again, then cutting off is effected. This goes on continuously all round the star
channel.
The application of my invention to the automatic switching on and off of current
for electric lamps differs in no essential respect from its application to a gas lamp
attachment as hereinbefore described, the only difference being that instead of
turning on and off a cock, the operating arm actuates a switch for opening and
closing a contact for making and breaking a circuit.
In other lamps, modifications are only varied to suit the conditions of lighting
required.
Dated this 90th day of March 1892
HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER,
WILLIAM ADKINS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lighting and Extinguishing Attachments for Gas,
Electric, and other Lamps.
We, HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER, of Mary Ann Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Merchant and Manufacturer and WILLIAM ADKINS, Moseley Road,
Birmingham, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to improvements in means for automatically turning-on,
electrically lighting and automatically turning off gas lamps and lights, and also
in means for automatically switching on and off the current in lighting electrically,
and which said invention is an improvement upon Letters Patent granted to the
herein mentioned William Adkins and John Melville No. 5417 dated the 26th day
of March 1891.
In a gas lamp attachment, the means employed consists essentially of chronometric
mechanism, operating and connected with an adjustable dial wheel, a time wheel,
and turning on and shutting off hands carried by the first named wheel, and an
escape wheel turning on the same common axis as the time wheel, which axis is
driven by a pinion which takes its motion from the chronometric mechanism enclosed
within a drum casing.
The escape wheel is controlled by an escapement, whilst the escape wheel itself
is driven by gearing automatically operated by a supplementary spring, and
working in conjunction with the escape wheel is a long arm, pivotedly connected
at its lower end, whilst the upper end has a stud which takes and works within a
bifurcated crank made fast to one end of the plug of the cock.
The electrical connection is made by wires from the source of the electrical
energy, such as a dry or other battery, to the sparking tips which intersect the
ignition point of the burner.
In carrying out our invention in detail in connection with a gas-lamp attachment,
we take an upright or other gas supply pipe, and fit the summit of the same with
any suitable burner, and below the burner, a transversely working cock is fitted,
with one or the larger end of the plug fitted with a crank arm, forked or bifurcated
at its end, with which a pin or stud carried at the upper end of a long arm or lever,
engages, and by whose angular movement, gas is turned on, and off at periods as
predetermined by the setting of the hands relative to the time wheel or the dial
wheel, which are normally coupled together by a pin carried by one of the hands
engaging in common with the teeth on the periphery of the dial wheel and with
the teeth on the periphery of the time wheel.
The latter is made fast to, or turns with a common axis driven from the chrono-
metric mechanism, whilst the dial wheel, which is adjustable, turns free upon the
outer end of the common axis when the coupling pin of one of the said hands,
which traverses the face of the dial, is withdrawn or pulled outwardly.
It is understood that these last named wheels have their faces in juxtaposition,
and that the hands for turning on and off the gas are provided with wiper or
inclined ends, and also turn freely and independently upon the end of the common
axis, whilst their set positions are arranged by inwardly directed pins of them
respectively engaging with the teeth either of both the wheels, or with the teeth
of the dial wheel alone.
Projecting from the outer sides of the ends of the hauds are studs or knobs for
pulling upwards the hands for re-adjustment, whilst the inclined or wiper ends of
the said hands come within the path of a pin or stud carried upon one of the
extreme ends of an escapement or verge, pivoted about its middle to rock alike
unto a double armed lever, and with its other end also fitted with an outstanding
stud, which governs or controls an escape wheel, mounted loosely upon the common
axis, and whose periphery is provided with twelve square-shaped teeth, separated
from each other by intervening distances much greater than the breadth of the
teeth themselves.
These outstanding pins or studs of the escapement constitute or form as it were
the pallets of the same, so that when a hand comes in contact with the lower stud,
the lower or one end of the escapement is taken from out of the path of a tooth
of the escape wheel, whilst the pin at the other eud is taken within the path of a
tooth succeeding it. The result is that the pushing back of the escapement rocks

page_text: the same, and releases the escape wheel to the extent of one tooth, or to the extent
of one twelfth of a rotation.
The rotation of the escape wheel, which has a star shaped channel cam formed
within its inner face, is performed by an auxiliary spring, enclosed within a box
casing having a turning axis through its middle, which axis is fitted with a ratchet
wheel with which a pawl carried by a driving toothed wheel engages. This driving
toothed wheel intergears with an intermediate and idle toothed wheel, which drives
a larger toothed wheel, mounted upon and made fast to or in one piece with the
neck or bush carried at the middle of the escape wheel, so that as the winder axis
of the auxiliary spring is wound up, the intermediate gear remains under the
constant force of the spring, so that immediately the escapement is rocked, the
escape wheel runs down to the extent of a tooth or other quantity.
The face of the dial wheel is marked off into 24 divisions, corresponding to
24 hours, and which divisions are sub-divided up into half hours and quarters, so
that assuming that a gas lamp is to be lighted at 6 in the evening and extinguished
at 6 in the morning, then the hands cross the face of the dial wheel in the direction
of its diameter. The operating or actuating arm, which is jointed near its lower
end, has a stud at its extreme lower end, which takes within the channel of the
star-shaped channel-cam made within the face of the escape wheel.
Located within a barrel, rear of the time and adjacent wheels, is a chronometric
mechanism, consisting of an ordinary clockwork, carried by an attachable end cover
or cap, fitted with outside winding-up mechanism.
The last and driven pinion wheel of the said time mechanism engages with a
toothed wheel on the end of the common axis which drives the time and dial wheels.
The gas-way of the supply pipe circumferentially surrounds the casing of the clock
mechanism, so as not to pass through the said casing.
The hair-spring of the clock mechanism is made of some nou-corrosive material
such as platinum or aluminium.
The turning-on hand is fitted with an insulated contact for breaking and making
contact with the conducting wires, which lead to and from the sparking tips
(consisting of platinum pointed wires) fitted to the burner.
To prevent the displacement of the said tips, or to keep the same in a
predetermined position relative to the burner slit, I make the shanks of the
said tips blade-like, so that when the blades or flat parts of both tips lie in a
common plane, the extreme and sparking ends are always presented opposite to
each other.
The electrical energy for sparking is created or generated from a dry or
other battery located below the mechanism as aforesaid, and the said battery is
fitted with an axial hole through its middle for the threading of the same over the
gas service pipe, and for taking within the upper part of the lamp post.
The battery has cells, condensors and cognate parts common to dry batteries
(which we prefer to employ) fixed all in one frame.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in front elevation a lighting
and extinguishing gas lamp attachment constructed, arranged and provided with
improvements made according to our invention. The said view represents the
turning on and sparking hand set upon the dial to light a lamp at four o'clock in
the evening whilst the turning off hand is set to a position for turning the gas off*
at six o'clock in the morning. By changing the positions of the hands relative to
the dial and relative to certain contact points, gas is turned on and lighted and
turned off and extinguished at predetermined times. This view also shows the
contact whereby the electrical circuit is made and broken for sparking and
lighting.
Figure 2 represents a like view as Figure 1 but with the hands, dial wheel and
time wheel removed, and with the escape wheel shown in section so as to exhibit
the star-shaped channel cam located within its back part and also the by-passes of
the gas way.
The said view also represents the driven and driving wheels actuated
by the auxiliary spring.

page_text: The parts of the attachment are shown in the positions which they assume when
gas is turned off.
Figure 3 represents a complete longitudinal vertical section of the body part of
the attachment, showing the whole of the component parts of the same and also a
part of the clock mechanism, and the auxiliary spring for driving the cock-
actuating mechanism for turning on and turning off the gas. It will be thus seen
that the clock mechanism remains independent of the other mechanism so that no
power is taken from the said clock mechanism for turning on and off as aforesaid.
Figure 4 represents in front elevation, the escape wheel, the dial wheel and the
turning-on hand, with the termination of the inclined plane upon its end impinging
upon and leaving the anti-friction bearer after it has made a slight angular
movement and pushed the pallet tooth or catch from out of the range of a tooth
on the escape wheel, whilst the tooth carried at the other end of the lever carrying
the said anti-friction bearing remains momentarily within the path of a succeeding
tooth. The said view also shows the adjustable pole terminations for the purpose
of allowing the contact to make circuit at a time succeeding the turning-on.
Figure 5 represents a like view as Figure 4, but with some of the accessory
parts removed in order to show more clearly how the tooth of the pallet is taken
from before the tooth of the escape wheel, prior to the taking of the pallet of the
bearing carrying lever from out of the path of or from before a succeeding tooth.
Figure 6 represents a front elevation of the dial wheel and turning-on finger with
the contact made and an electric circuit closed.
Figure 7 represents a vertical section of Figure 6.
Figure 8 represents a front elevation of the escape wheel, the dotted lines
showing the star shaped channel cam cut within the back of it, into which the stud
of the cock-operating lever takes.
Figure 9 is a vertical section of Figure 8.
Figure 10 is an edge view and Figure 11 is a front elevation of the cock-
operating lever.
Figure 12 represents front and edge views of the under escape-releasing lever
and Figure 13 represents like views of the upper lever.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
a is a gas supply pipe intersected by a sleeve or barrel a', wherethrough the axis
of the auxiliary spring, as hereinafter described, passes, and which supply, instead
of being directed through the body of the mechanism, is conducted circumferentially
around it at a², in the form of flat pipes somewhat alike unto the deflecting tube of
a Bourdon gauge, and is from hence conducted from the upper pipe a³, through
the cock b, and from thence to the burner a', at the summit of the said pipe. The
plug b', of the cock has a slotted arm 2, within the gap and between the branches 6³,
of which a stud c², of a long rocking and cock-operating lever or arm, engages,
and by which arm or lever the gas is turned on and off at predetermined periods of
time according to the setting of the hands relative to the time wheel as hereinafter
described. This said arm or lever is fulcrumed at c, and turns within a bearing d',
in an upper part of the general framing d, of the attachment. The lower part of
this said rocking arm also has a stud c, which takes within the channel e², of a
star-shaped channel cam formed within the back of the loosely mounted escape
wheel e, which has upon its periphery twelve square-shaped teeth e³, separated from
each other by spaces e', considerably greater than the thickness of the teeth them-
selves. Made in one piece with the said escape wheel is a pinion wheel e, which
is the driven wheel receiving motion from the auxiliary spring f, through the
intervention of wheels g and h.
The escape wheel and pinion wheel, with the box cam, are mounted loosely upon
a sleeve d², through which a main axis or arbor i, passes, having mounted upon the
outer and reduced end of it a turning-off hand j, and a turning-on hand à, both of
which hands turn loose upon the said end and are each provided with teeth or studs
for taking between the teeth of the dial wheel m, and time wheel n, the latter of

page_text: which is free upon the said axis end, and which are coupled together by the pin or
stud, on the underside of the turning-on hand.
m,
Now the turning-off band j, has a pin or stud 7, near its end and upon its inner
face which engages between the teeth only of the dial wheel which has upon its
face, hour markings indicative of hours, half hours and quarter hours. The
turning-on hand k, also carries a contact o, which makes the electrical circuit after
the said turning on hand has made a predetermined movement and turned on the
gas as hereinafter described.
Now this contact is best seen in Figure 7, and consists of a plate o¹, secured and
attachedly connected to the outer side of the end of the finger k, and adapted to
come in contact and make and break circuit with the ends or poles o², o³, of wires o*,
leading to any suitable battery. The ends of these electrical connections are
adjustably mounted within a clamping and rotating holder o, fitted to a fixed
frame o, and provided with a clamping screw 06, so that by loosening the said screw,
the holder, which is capable of rotating, may be adjusted to any angle as may be
desired, so as to bring the terminals o2, 03, into a proper relative position with the
contact.
Thus, assuming that the said terminals require to be raised, then loosen the screw
and refix it after adjustment, and the same thing is done for angular or swivelling
adjustment, which is necessary to make the sparking follow the turning-on after the
interval of a predetermined number of seconds or minutes necessary for the gas to
get into a fit condition at the burner to be lit. This interval of time between the
turning on and sparking is necessary owing to the gas taking some time to reach the
burner and at the same time to remove air from the pipes.
Referring back to the dial and time wheels mand, which are normally coupled
together by a pin or stud carried by one of the bands engaging in common with or
between the teeth of both of them, the said time wheel n, is made fast to and turns
with the main axis i, driven from the chronometric mechanism p, consisting of an
ordinary train of wheels put into the form of reduction gear and driven from a
coiled spring enclosed within a hollow barrel p', the same as ordinary spring driven
clock mechanism.
The said mechanism p, communicates motion to a driving pinion p², and from
thence to a driven pinion wheel p³, made fast upon the end of the driving axis i,
which being in its turn rotated, turns bodily with it, the time and dial wheels, the
turning on and off hands and parts carried by them, until the inclined plane or
wiper end k², of the turning-on arın k, comes into contact with the inclined face g',
of an anti-friction bearer for the purpose of operating the releasing levers (as
hereinafter described) for turning on the gas.
This anti-friction bearer, is jointed at 2, to one end of a counterpoised upper
releasing lever r, having a pallet r², at its acting end, and being mounted upon or
jointed to an axis 3, carried by the body framing of the mechanism whilst also
mounted upon the axis 3, and below the releasing lever r, is an under escape-
releasing levers, upon one end of which is a pallet s', having an upward extension 5*,
whilst upon the inside face of the other end 2, the acting end of a spring t, comes,
for the purpose of keeping the said pallet in the path of, or in gear with, the
teeth e, of the escape wheel.
This upward extensiou s³, of the under lever s, comes at the back of a projection
of the anti-friction bearer q, and when the inclined face of the turning-on hand
commences to press back and wipe over the face q', of the said bearer, the pro-
jection, presses back the extension and pallet s³, s, of the under lever s, from out
of the range of the tooth of the escape wheel with which it is engaged, and at the
same time that the said pallet 3, on the under lever is being pushed from out of the
path of the escape wheel as before described, the said escape wheel is momentarily
held by the pallet r², of the upper releasing lever r, but directly the inclined wiper
edge k², of the arm k, leaves or comes off the face q', of the anti-friction bearer 7,
the energy imparted by the auxiliary spring f, to the escape wheel e, causes the
said escape wheel to press back the pallet, of the lever r, from its path and fly

page_text: round to the extent of one of the spaces between the teeth, when the next or
succeeding tooth is caught and held by the pallet s¹, of the under lever s, through
the instrumentality of the spring t, bearing against the inner face of one of its
arms.
This said part rotation of the escape wheel causes the inclined face e, of one of
the points of the star shaped channel cam to act against the stud c, of the cock-
actuating lever c, when the same is rocked about its centre e, in the direction of
the full arrow and the cock is thereby open and the gas turned on.
It will be seen from the drawings that the pallet, of the upper lever r, is so
disposed with respect to its centre of mounting that when the wiper end of the
turning-on hand leaves the incline of the bearer, and pressure thereby removed
from the bearer carrying end of the lever, the tooth of the escape wheel will force
the pallet from out of its path by the energy of the auxiliary spring f.
After the turning-on hand has left the face of the bearer y, and at a
predetermined time after gas has been turned on, by the continued movement of
the mechanism, the plate o', of the contact o, rubs or wipes over the poles o², o³, of
a broken electrical circuit and thereby makes the same, and causes an electric spark
to pass between the sparking tips o, mounted upon either side of and adjacent to
the burner a', hence the lighting of the gas.
The gas having been turned on and lit, the same is allowed to burn for a pre-
determined number of hours, during which time, the turning off hand, by the
running down of the chronometric mechanism, has come within the reach of the
acting face of the anti-friction bearer and wipes over the same, thus pressing back
the pallets from out of the range of the teeth of the escape wheel and allowing the
said wheel to fly further round to the extent of the space between two of the teeth,
when the stud of the cock actuating lever is acted upon by an adjacent face of one
of the points of the star shaped channel cam, the lever c, rocked in the direction of
the dotted arrow and gas thereby cut off.
It will be understood that the movements of the levers and their pallets for
turning off gas are identically the same as for turning on.
The sparking tips o, consist of metallic plates, having platinum tips, and affixed
in position upon either side of the burner, and to each of which electricity conducting
wires leading from a battery are attached.
Referring back to the anti-friction bearer q, it will be observed that the same has
a free rocking movement so as to allow of angular change in the position of the
face, so that only the extremities of the inclined ends 2, 3, of the hands k, j,
shall be brought to bear thereon, thereby reducing friction, which might retard the
progress of the chronometric mechanism, and further the rocking movement of the
bearer is limited by stop pins q², q³.
The auxiliary spring f, for actuating the escape wheel is wound up by an axis f
having a squared end f³, and an enlarged part 4, to which one end of the spring,
is connected whilst the outer end is provided with the usual ratchet wheel
and pawl ƒ³, for preventing the running back of the said spring.
OPERATION.
Assuming that the chronometric mechanism p, has been wound up, and also the
auxiliary spring f, for the driving of the escape wheel e, wound up, and also the
hands and k adjusted to their positions relative to the dial wheel m, say to turn on
and light at four in the afternoon and to extinguish at six in the morning after the
lapse of fourteen hours, the distance between the hands will be equivalent to
14 hours, that is to say, the hand, for turning off will follow the hand k, for turning
on, and impinge upon the stud of the under escape releasing lever s, 14 hours
from the time that the turning-on hand impinges upon it, and assuming that the
time mechanism rotates chronometrically the time wheel n, dial m, and hands j, k
through the common axis i, the turning-on hand k, by its rotation, at a pre-
determined period impinges upon and wipes over the face a', of the antifriction

page_text: bearer g
carried by the upper lever r and presses back the combined extension and
pallets, clear of the tooth of the escape wheel, (the same being momentarily
held by the pallet r³, of the upper lever r) which latter, through the medium of its
barrel spring f, is then caused to fly round to the extent of the distance between
two of its teeth, when the said wheel is again caught by the pallet s'.
The channel e, of the channel cam operates the studs c', at the inner end of the
cock-operating lever c, and through it the bifurcated or slotted crank 62, 63, whereby
the cock b, is opened and gas allowed to flow therethrough to the burner at. On
the further progression or rotation of the turning on arm k, after its extremity has
left the face ', of the bearer q, and after a predetermined time, say a minute or a
minute and a half from the turning on of the gas, the contact plate o' of the
contact o, carried by the said hand k, rubs or wipes over the poles o², o, of the
broken circuit of and thereby completes the same and causes an electrical spark
or sparks to pass between the sparking tips 08, hence the automatic lighting of
the gas.
Assuming now that fourteen hours have elapsed since the gas was lit, the cutting
off hand j, which has been brought round by the running down of the chronometric
mechanism, impinges upon the anti-friction bearer 7, and through it the pallet s', is
momentarily taken out of gear with the tooth e, of the escape wheel, hence the
liberation of a further tooth and the passing thereby of a further portion of the
channel e², of the channel cam over the stud c, at the inner end of the operating
lever €, which rocks the said lever, and takes the cranked arm b², 63, back again to
its former position, and thereby cuts off the gas.
The stud c', when the cock is open, lies at the lowest portions of the channels of
the cam upon one side of the point of a star. When at the tip of the point, cut off
has been effected and when the said stud is at the opposite lower point again, then
the cock has been again opened. This goes on continuously all round the star
channel, and on the time arriving for the lighting of the gas again, the turning on
arm k, by the aid of the chronometric mechanism, has been brought into contact
with the escape releasing levers, when the same operation as described is repeated.
The application of my invention to the automatic switching on and off of current
for lectric elamps differs in no essential respect from its application to a gas lamp
attachment as herein before described, the only difference being that instead of
turning on and off a cock, the operating arm actuates a switch for opening and
closing a contact for making and breaking a circuit.
In other lamps, modifications are only varied to suit the conditions of lighting
required..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
:-
First. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, employing in
connection therewith, and in combination with a rocking cock-actuating arm or
lever, an escape wheel, toothed upon its outer periphery and having a star-shaped
channel cam sunken within one of its faces for receiving a stud or equivalent upon
the lower end of the said lever, substantially as and for the purpose as described
and set forth.
Secondly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination with the general mechanism as described, of a time wheel and a dial wheel,
the one fast to, and the other loose upon, the main axis, substantially as described
and set forth.
Thirdly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, whose
mechanism has time and dial wheels, the one fast and the other loose upon the
main axis, of hands having locking studs for uniting the said time and dial wheels
together, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Fourthly. In the escape wheel releasing means of lighting and extinguishing
attachments for gas lamps consisting of upper and under levers and s, combined
B

page_text: together, and working in union, and with the one s, having a projection s¹, s³, and
the other r, a pallet, substantially as and for the purpose as described and set
forth.
7°
Fifthly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the combination
with the escape wheel releasing levers and s, having accessory parts as set forth,
of the yielding anti-friction bearer or bearing 7, substantially as described and set
forth.
Sixthly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination with the levers and s, having a yielding bearer or bearing, of the
turning-on hand k, and turning off hand j, whereby the resistance offered to the
movement of the said parts is minimised, substantially as described and set forth.
Seventhly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination therewith, of the escape-wheel, the escape-wheel releasing means, the dial
and time wheels and adjustable turning-on and turning-off hands, substantially as
described and set forth.
Eighthly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination with the parts as referred to in the preceding claim, of the chronometric
mechanism and main axis, substantially as described and set forth.
Ninthly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination with the parts referred to in the sixth claim, of the auxiliary spring, or
the chronometric mechanism, substantially as described and set forth.
Tenthly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination with the turning-ou hand driven from the chronometric mechanism, of an
electrical contact or an adjustable electrical contact, substantially as and for the
purpose described and set forth.
Eleventhly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination with the turning-on hand having an electrical contact, of an adjustable
pole or electrical wire terminal carrier o, whereby the turning on of the gas is
capable of anticipating the sparking by any predetermined period, substantially as
described and set forth.
Twelfthly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the com-
bination with the cock-actuating parts, of the adjustable contact parts whereby the
sparking is subsequent to the turning-on and which parts are arranged, combined
and operated substantially in the manner as described and set forth.
Thirteenthly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas lamps, the
general construction, arrangement and combination of the whole of the parts of the
said attachment, less the framings and gas ways, substantially as and for the purpose
described and set forth.
Lastly. In lighting and extinguishing attachments for gas and electric lamps,
the general construction, arrangement and combination of the parts, substantially as
and for the purpose described and set forth.
Dated this 23rd day of December 1893
HENRY LEERHOFF MÜLLER,
WILLIAM ADKINS,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.