IMPROVED ELECTRIC TORCH follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, OLIVER INRAY of No 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
county of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVED ELECTRIC TORCH
follows:-
"
to be as
This invention relates to an improved electric torch or portable apparatus for
lighting gas jets by electricity, by means of a thin platinum wire rendered
incandescent by the passage of an electric current produced by a Bunsen or other
suitable Battery, and the apparatus is so constructed that the electric current is
only produced when required to light the gas jet.
According to one construction of my apparatus a cylindrical vessel made of
porcelain, glass or other suitable material has two tubular openings at the top.
Through the one opening, which likewise permits of the introduction of the
exciting liquid, a zinc rod or plate, which only extends partly down the cylindrical
vessel is secured by means of a caoutchouc plug and screwed cap through which
the zinc rod projecta and through the other opening a carbon rod or plate is
secured by a caoutchouc plug, so as to reach to the bottom of the vessel and to the
same opening a hollow tube extending upwards, is secured by means of a screwed.
cap. At the top of this tube the thin platinum wire is secured between two
copper or other suitable stems insulated from each other by being passed through
a plug of insulating material fixed in the tube. These stems are connected by
suitable wires with the carbon and zinc rods or plates. The cylindrical vessel is
only partly filled with the exciting liquid, so as not to touch the zinc pole in its
normal position, consequently no action takes place in the battery. But when the
apparatus is required to effect the lighting of a gas jet, it is held in such a position
that the exciting liquid surrounds both the zinc and carbon poles by which means
the electric current is produced rendering the platinum wire incandescent.

page_text: According to another construction, the zinc pole can be fixed in an opening at
tlie bottom of the vessel and when not in use, the apparatus being suspended from
the bottom, the zinc pole is not immersed in the exciting liquid and so no current
is produced. In this case the zinc pole is connected to the platinum wire by a thin
strip of copper or suitable conducting material passing up outside the. cylindrical
vessel and through the tube.
The tube can, in some cases, for the sake of lightness, be made of bamboo or
cane, and may have attached to it a clip or key for turning on the gas.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1884.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.

page_text: I, OLIVER IMRAY of N° 28 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "IMPROVED ELECTRIC TORCH" and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved electric torch or portable apparatus for
lighting gas-jets by electricity, by means of a thin platinum wire rendered
incandescent by the passage of an electric current produced by a Bunsen or other
suitable battery, and the apparatus is so constructed that the electric current is
only produced when required to light the gas-jet.
According to one construction of my apparatus, a cylindrical vessel made of
porcelain, glass or other suitable material has two tubular openings at the top:
Through the one opening, which likewise permits of the introduction of the
exciting liquid, a zinc rod or plate, which only extends partly down the cylindrical
vessel, is secured by means of a caoutchouc plug and screwed cap through which
the zinc rod projects and through the other opening a carbon rod or plate is secured
by a caoutchouc plug, so as to reach to the bottom of the vessel and to the same
opening a hollow tube extending upwards, is secured by means of a screwed cap.
At the top of this tube the thin platinum wire is secured between two copper or
other suitable stems insulated from each other by being passed through a plug of
insulating material fixed in the tube. These stems are connected by suitable wires
with the carbon and zinc rods or plates. The cylindrical vessel is only partly
filled with the exciting liquid, so as not to touch the zinc pole in its normal
position, consequently no action takes place in the battery. But when the
apparatus is required to effect the lighting of a gas jet, it is held in such a position
that the exciting liquid surrounds both the zinc and carbon poles by which means
the electric current is produced rendering the platinum wire incandescent.
According to another construction, the zinc pole can be fixed in an opening at
the bottom of the vessel and when not in use, the apparatus being suspended from
the bottom, the zinc pole is not immersed in the exciting liquid and so no current
is produced. In this case, the zinc pole is connected to the platinum wire by a
thin strip of copper or suitable conducting material passing up outside the
cylindrical vessel and through the tube.
The tube can, in some cases, for the sake of lightness, be made of bamboo or cane,
and may have attached to it, a clip or key for turning on the gas.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of one arrangement of the before described electric
torch with short stem; it consists of a vessel A of glass, porcelain, vulcanite or
other suitable material, provided with two nozzles B and C which correspond, the
one to the carbon D, and the other to the zinc E. The carbon D is maintained
resting on the bottom of the vessel by means of a stopper of caoutchouc a and the

page_text: !
nozzle is closed at its upper end by means of wax b. A small platinum wiro o,
attached to the carbon, passes through the stopper, and there is fixed to it a copper
wire d attached at the other end to one of the metal rods e between which is
inaintained the platinum wire f. The other rode which, like the first one, passes
through the insulating stopper g, is in contact with the perforated enclosing tube h
to which is attached the wire i coming from the zinc pole E. The zinc is fixed
firmly in a caoutchouc stopper j fixed in the second nozzle. Each nozzle is
provided externally with a screw thread, on which are screwed caps kk' which
effect hermetical closure of the openings.
The receptacle A can be enclosed in a casing of metal or of cane for protecting it
against fracture.
When the instrument is not used, it is placed on a table or other stand and the
level of the liquid is at x x. If the instrument is turned down in order to ignite
a gas jet, the exciting liquid attacks the zinc and an electric current is produced.
The apparatus shewn in section at Fig. 2 consists of a receptacle A, constructed
by preference of vulcanite, having a nozzle at each end. The nozzle B serves to
introduce the carbon D; it is then closed with a caoutchouc stopper, and with wax
as before described. The nozzle C serves for the introduction of the liquid into
'the vessel A and also receives the zinc pole E fixed in a caoutchouc stopper. The
zinc may be easily replaced as also the exciting liquid. As in the previous case,
this consists of a mixture of water, of sulphuric acid and of bydrochloric acid.
A
On the nozzle C, is screwed a capsule F which receives a piece G screwed thereon
Berving to effect a perfect closure of the receptacle and also the contact between
the zinc E and the capsule F by means of the screw and the piece m.
capsule H is screwed upon the nozzle B in order to receive a hollow stem I, of
copper, bamboo, wood, etc. which carries the platinum wire f that serves for the
ignition and which is protected by means of a perforated tube h. This tube is
connected to the zinc, by means of an external conducting fillet o. The apparatus
operates in the same manner as the first described one.
Fig. 3 shews the same construction of apparatus protected by means of a
metallic casing. The copper tube S is soldered to a cap T on which is fixed the
capsule F; the capsule H is fixed on a cap L which is screwed upon the tube S.
At V and W are placed two washers of felt or caoutchouc for protecting the
apparatus against shocks. Fig. 4 shews the construction which I employ for
replacing the stem I by a stem of wood or bamboo when it is of considerable
length in order to render it lighter and stronger. Fig. 5 shews the mode of fixing
upon the stem I of the apparatus, a key for turning on the gas jet which is
secured by means of two rings z clamped upon the stem by means of screws.
For preventing the battery from being put in action when not required, it is
suspended from a hook by means of the loop y whereby the liquid is kept out of
contact with the zinc.
The arrangement shewn at Figs. 6 and 7 permits of the rapid ignition of rows
of gas jets. To the stem I, which carries the platinum wire, I attach a trough-
shaped piece x. The gas issuing from the burners is caught in the trough x and
is ignited by contact with the incandescent platinum wire, whereby the gas jets
are all ignited simultaneously. The ignition of a cluster of gas jets might also be
effected by placing, at a slight distance above them, an inverted trough, similar
It would then suffice to ignite the gas collecting in this trough, by means of
the above described apparatus, at one point, in order to effect the ignition of the
whole of the gas jets; but this arrangement might lead to danger.
to x.
The apparatus which has been designed for igniting the jets of street lanterns is
also constructed in such a way as to store up a certain amount of escaping gas
therein for ignition. The arrangement is shewn at Fig. 8. It also prevents the
gas from being mixed with too large a quantity of atmospheric air under the
action of wind or of an air current. The apparatus consists of a tube C¹, having
apertures at D¹, centrally within which is a platinum wire E. This tube is

page_text: surrounded by a second tube F1 also having holes at F2 of larger size, F¹ being
fixed to D' by means of a screwed cap G which closes the top of the apparatus.
It suffices to place the apparatus in such a manner that the gas jet shall be
beneath the opening of the tube F¹ or between the two tubes when there is any
wind, in order to effect the ignition. The gas, being lighter than air, rises between
the two tubes and is prevented by tube F1 from escaping or from being blown
away by the wind. If the tube C' is provided with apertures at the lower part,
the gas ignites more readily in consequence of the air entering this tube For
igniting gas jets situated at a considerable height, an electric torch is constructed
which permits of the battery being disconnected from the stem which carries the
platinum wire so as to enable the former to be placed at rest and to be charged
without requiring the entire apparatus to be inverted. Fig. 9 shews this arrange-
ment, the main part of the apparatus being the same as above described. There is
placed upon the cap H' a tube I into which fits closely a tube J¹ fixed to the rod
carrying the platinum wire.
When the apparatus is to be used, the tube J' is simply inserted into the tube I',
whereby the negative current passes from the battery to the rod through the two
tubes and the positive current passes from the battery to the rod through K' and L'
which come in contact when the battery is fixed to the rod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The herein described combination of parts constituting an electric torch
having as igniting medium, a platinum wire which is heated to incandescense by
the passage of an electric current produced by means of a battery that is brought
into action by reversing the position of the receptacle containing the same.
2. The herein described construction of battery brought into operation by
reversing its position and having a nozzle which serves both for filling in the
exciting liquid and for supporting the zinc pole.
3. The herein described construction of the hollow stem or rod with internal
conducting wires connected to the platinum wire that effects the ignition.
4. The various details of construction of the herein described improved electric
torch.
5. The use in combination with an electric torch of a gutter-shaped piece for
effecting the rapid ignition of a number of gas jets substantially as described.
6. The construction of an electric torch with a protecting cap or cage which
prevents the gas issuing from the jet from being dispersed by the wind, sub-
stantially as described.
7. The herein described arrangement of electric torch for effecting ignition of gas
jets at a considerable height.