IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING GAS AND OTHER LAMPS
Year: 1858

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th October 1858.-A communication.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING
GAS AND OTHER LAMPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in apparatus for lighting gas and other
lamps relates to a means of effecting this object by electricity or the dischargo
of a galvanic battery.
In all former efforts to light gas or other lamps by means of electricity the
gas, &c. being ignited by passing the clectricity through the jet of gas, one of
the main difficulties to be overcome has been so to generate, control, and apply
dynamical electricity, both in quantity and in intensity, as to bring the batteries
or generators within practical and feasible limits, both as to space and
expense. Another difficulty has been where the current has been used for this
purpose so to gauge or regulate the battery, with reference to the size of the
platinum wire to be heated, and the length of the circuit through which the
current is to be sent, as always to secure the heating of the wire to a degree
required for ignition, and yet avoid fusion. Still another difficulty has been
where a current of electricity is passed through a platinum wire; for this
purpose a current of wind striking upon the wire is liable to reduce the
temperature of the igniting wire below the point which is requisite to produce
ignition of the gas or other lamp. The object of the present improvements is
to overcome these difficulties in part by removing the platinum wire altogether
from the circuit, excepting so far as it may be found desirable or necessary to
tip the ends of other conducting wires with platinum, and to employ what is

page_text: called the " discharge" or "spark" for effecting ignition in place of the
current, whereby a wire has been heretofore heated to redness, to effect the
intended object.
In carrying out the Invention a battery is connected by wires with an
inductive apparatus, and this apparatus is again connected by wires with
platinum points. The discharge from one point to the other across a space is
effected by opening and closing the circuit at a small wheel attached to the
inductive apparatus; a second battery is connected by wires with the magnet
for operating the armature, and opening and shutting the gas burner. A
magnet is fixed underneath the bed piece with its poles approaching near the
armature; a lever is attached to the armature, and extends back under a part
which is supported upon the pivot points of screws fixed in the stands of the
apparatus. A spring connected with a pawl is placed underneath the
armature lever; this pawl is made to act on a ratchet wheel fixed to the
burner. Carefully insulated copper wires are connected with the inductive
apparatus, and platinum points are connected with the insulated wires, and
brought opposite to each other over the tip of the burner. The burner with
the various connecting parts is designed to take the place of ordinary gas
burners and cocks.
The operation of the parts is as follows:-When the circuit of the battery
is closed the magnet is charged and attracts the armature to its poles; this
raises the armature lever, which by extending back causes a moveable piece
to rotate upon its pivot screws, thereby throwing some of the parts back
towards the burner; at the same time another piece is thrown forwards &
carries with it the spring which is connected with the pawl that engages with
the ratchet wheel, which is thereby turned round one tooth each time the
circuit is closed; this operation is repeated, thereby turning the burner around
one tooth each time till the holes in the parts of the burner are brought into
correspondence when the gas issues (these parts may be arranged so as to
require this circuit to be closed any given number of times). The gas burner
being now open, a discharge from battery and inductive apparatus is effected
through the jet of gas from one point to the other by turning the wheel which
completes the circuit of the battery and inductive apparatus, and instantly the
gas is ignited. To shut the gas off, it will only be necessary to close the circuit
of the battery a given number of times till the holes in the burner are out of
correspondence, and then the gas will be shut off.