CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PRODUCTION OF LIGHT FROM ORDINARY COAL GAS BY THE. USE OF BURNERS CONSISTING OF MORE THAN ONE RING OR SHEET OF, FLAME, COMBINED WITH A SUITABLE CHIMNEY OR CHIMNIES SUPPLIED WITH ATMOSPHERIC AIR PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO VENTILATION
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HORATIO
CARTER, of Thirza Place, Old Kent Road, in the County of Surrey,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain and Ireland,
bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-third day of March, in the thirteenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Horatio Carter, my exors, admors, and assigns, and such
others as I, the said Horatio Carter, my exors, admors, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, during the term of years therein
expressed,.should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
that part of the United Kingdom called England and Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE PRODUCTION OF LIGHT FROM ORDINARY COAL GAS BY THE. USE OF
BURNERS CONSISTING OF MORE THAN ONE RING OR SHEET OF, FLAME, COMBINED
WITH A SUITABLE CHIMNEY OR CHIMNIES SUPPLIED WITH ATMOSPHERIC AIR
PARTICULARLY ADAPTED TO VENTILATION;" in which said Letters Patent is
a proviso obliging me, the said Horatio Carter, by an instrument in writing
to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six
months from the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, par-
ticularly to describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed.
NOW KNOW YE, that. in compliance with the said proviso, I do hereby

page_text: declare the nature of my Invention to be duly described in and by the
following description thereof, reference being had to the two sheets of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures of reference
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention relates to improvements in concentric gas burners, whereby
the admission of air to the flame is regulated so as to produce perfect com-
bustion of the gas while increasing the brilliancy and whiteness of the light;
and my Invention also relates to improvements in gas chimnies and appa-
ratus connected therewith. The principle of my Invention is to construct gas
burners with as many flames in the same plane and concentric to each other
as its size (consistently with a due supply of air on both sides of each ring
of flame) will permit, whereby the entire combustion of the gas is ensured,
though the air admitted is not sufficient to cool or lower the temperature
of the flame; also to receive this compound flame into a chimney whose
diameter at the mouth shall be more or less reduced in proportion to the
diameter of the flame, by which the ascending current of air is brought to bear
on and compress the flame; and the fixing this point of contraction at
such height above the burner as to produce a bright steady flame; and
the carrying off the products of combustion from the burner, and ventilating
by the waste heat carried off by such burners. In the concentric gas burners
hitherto used the object has been to obtain the effect of two or more concentric
flames, without having due regard to the proper and uniform supply of air to
each flame; the consequence of this is, that a great and unnecessary quantity
of air enters such burners, resulting in the flame cooling much below the tem-
perature requisite for the perfect combustion of the gas, while the light itself
is from the same cause of less intensity than it would be if the due proportions
of air and gas were supplied to the burner. I must be understood as taking
ordinary coal gas as the basis or standard for my calculations in this Speci-
fication, and for the proper combustion of which my improved concentric
burners are intended, slight variation being required where gas of greater or
less purity is consumed, such as having the jet holes more numerous and of
smaller diameter, or less numerous and of larger diameter, without, however,
varying to any extent the proportions between the area of the gas jets in the
aggregate and the air passages. I must also remark that in the following
description I suppose the gas jets to be limited in the supply of gas only to such
an extent as will produce the proper length of flame for the burner; otherwise
the supply of gas will be too great for the air admitted, or the supply of air
too great for the gas. In practice, I have found that for the diameters of the
jet holes one thirty-second part of an inch is well adapted for the combustion

page_text: of ordinary gas.
These are drilled at distances of one eleventh of an inch
round the burner, for the production of a ring of flame. For these holes the
space between two concentric rings should be one quarter of an inch, that is
to say, a difference of half an inch between the inner diameter of the larger
ring and the outer diameter of the inner or smaller ring, this proportion of
the air space being about fifteen times greater than the aggregate amount
of the two rings of jets, and which supplies the inner diameter of the larger
flame and the outer diameter of the smaller flame, while the interior of the
smaller flame is limited to a like proportion, as exemplified in the accompany-
ing Drawings.
Figure 1, Sheet A, represents a cut-glass chandelier illuminated according
to my Invention; Figure 2 a vertical section of the same; Figure 8 a
sectional plan taken on the line a', '; and Figure 4 a like section viewed
upwards.
In illuminating rooms and places where the light is required to be
generally diffused, I prefer surrounding the burner with cut-glass drops, which
by their refractive and reflective powers serve to heighten the effect, and also
to soften and diffuse without detracting from the brilliancy of the light.
This description of chandelier also serves to maintain the air surrounding the
burner at an uniform heat, thereby protecting the glass chimneys from fracture,
to which they are liable from sudden changes of temperature. A, A, is
the burner which is a three-ring concentric burner, represented full size at
Figures 5 and 6, Sheet B. These rings a, a, a, have three supply channels
in the arms b, b, b, in order to ensure a uniform supply of gas. The burner
A is supported in a triple pendant B, B, B, depending from the ceiling of a
room or other suitable position. The upper part of the pendant terminates
in a ring C, supported by two branch pipes D, D, from a ball and socket E,
through which the supply of gas is admitted. The glass drops F, F, F, are
supported by rings G, G, G, G, from pendant arms B, B, B, by brackets H, H.
These drops are sufficiently close to prevent any concentrated rays passing
beyond the chandelier.
The burner A, A, is surrounded by a conical deflector 1, I, by which the air
to the exterior of the burner is unlimited. This cone I is sustained at the
base by brackets c, c, c, and received at top by a ring or gallery d, d, which
sustains the chimney K. The junction of the deflector I and chimney K
should be sufficiently close to prevent the admission of cold or egress of heated
air. The chimney K, for chandeliers, I prefer of ground glass, with a trans-
parent cone I of clear glass, so that it may transmit the direct rays, and also
act to a greater or less extent as a reflector to throw the light directly down-

page_text: wards. To produce the perfect combustion of the gas I compress or contract
the flame by causing the whole to pass through an opening of less diameter
than the larger flame. In order to effect this, where glass chimnies are used,
I introduce an annular piece of tale L, or other material (by preference trans-
parent) capable of withstanding the heat to which it is exposed. This ring of
tale L, for the contraction and compression of the flame, is situate in all cases
at the top of the flame, in contradistinction to similar deflectors hitherto used
at or near the lower part of gas flames. By reference to the full-size view,
Fig. 5, it will be seen that the tale L is placed at a height of two and a
quarter inches from the burner; and the opening in the centre, forms the
passage for the products of combustion, is two and a half inches in diameter,
while the diameter of the larger ring a at the jets is three inches, so that the
difference between the diameter of the flame at the burner and the internal
diameter of the tale ring, will be half an inch; in addition to which, the flame
will be further contracted by the passage of the air on the exterior of
the flame producing a compression of the entire flame, in accordance with
ascending currents of air entering within and on the exterior of the burners.
This compression of the flame is variable in burners of different diameters, as,
for instance, in the smaller burners, say, for one and a quarter or one and a half
inches, the passage of the air will produce sufficient compression through a
space contracted to the same diameter as the burners; whereas in large burners
of seven or eight inches diameter the interior diameter of the contractor or
deflector of the chimney may be one and a half or two inches less than the
burner. The chimney, as before mentioned, is of ground glass, and of larger
diameter than the opening in the talc, in order to prevent the heat injuriously
affecting the glass; but where the chimney is of metal, or other material not
affected by the heat, the lower end of such chimney may form the necessary
contraction, and may be continued throughout of a like diameter. The
chimney K is continued upwards, and received within a tube composed of
metal, earthenware, glass, or other suitable material, M, passing through
the ceiling N, by which tube M the products of combustion are conveyed
away to a chimney or other suitable exit, properly trapped by a cowl or
otherwise to prevent downward currents. By this means I am enabled
to carry off the whole of the products of combustion from the burner, and
to place the light in a chandelier of cut glass instead of placing the
lights on the exterior of such chandeliers, as hitherto practised. In the
Drawings annexed the chandelier is represented as carried quite up to the
ceiling, in order to conceal the chimney. It may, however, be suspended
at a greater or less distance from the ceiling, and the chimney continued

page_text: of glass, metal, earthenware, or other material, rendered more or less orna-
mental for the purpose. In positions where it is unnecessary to carry off
the products of combustion, as in the open air, or in large rooms where
such products will be carried off by the ordinary ventilation, it will be
sufficient if the chimney is carried above the chandelier; and to prevent
the heat injuriously acting thereon it should be of a length sufficient to
ensure the necessary draught to produce perfect combustion of the gas.
This chandelier is also adapted for the purposes of ventilation, either by
simply carrying off the air through the burner, or, in addition thereto, to
employ the heat passing off by the pipe M for the rarefaction of air in an
ascending tube or chimney. For this purpose I enclose the pipe M within
another tube, of sufficient area to give the necessary amount of passage.
This outer tube opens near the chandelier, or it may be other part of the
room near the ceiling, by a perforated or other suitably ornamented surface.
The tubes are continued in their relative positions towards the point of
escape, which is at such an elevation above the room that the rarefaction
of the air in the outer tube will have sufficient ascending power to carry
off the vitiated air, and ensure the necessary ventilation. In lieu of the
outer tube, an ordinary chimney may be made available for the purpose.
Reverting to gas burners, I have shewn in Sheet B a number of burners
of the full size, constructed according to my Invention, adapted for lights
either enveloped by a chandelier or simply by a chimney. It is herein-
before stated that I find an air space of one quarter of an inch between
the burners is the best proportion for the size and number of the gas jets
given. Allowing one quarter of an inch for the thickness of metal, the
concentric rings of burners increase by consecutive inches, as represented
at Figs. 5 and 6, where the first or smallest ring is one inch, the second two
inches, the third three inches, and so on. The inner diameter of the smaller
ring a should be about twenty-three thirty-seconds of an inch, by which
the same relative proportion of air space will be ensured to the interior of
that flame as provided by the quarter-inch spaces between the rings a, a, a.
In burners three inches and upwards I employ three branches b, b, b, for
the supply of the gas, at three equidistant points of the ring. In order to
ensure the regular supply of the gas, the rings a, a, a, are let into the
branches b, b, with free passage on the under side for the gas. The jets
immediately above the branches b, b, b, should be rather smaller than the
others, in order to counteract the additional tendency of the gas to escape at
those points. The space between the rings a, a, are increased in width
towards the lower side, so that no limitation of the space takes place beyond

page_text: the proper area, by the introduction of the arms b, b. For very large burners,
in addition to the three supply branches, I connect the several rings by
intermediate pipes, in order to equalize the supply.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of a three-flame burner, and Fig. 8 a plan thereof.
It is furnished with a chimney e, adapted for the contraction of the
flame at the proper point f. As the flame only extends to the point of
contraction which in this instance is two inches above the burner, the
whole of the upper part may be ground, while the lower part surrounding
the flame is quite transparent. The inner ring a of this burner is one and a
quarter inch in diameter; and in order therefore to reduce the interior space I
place a jet in the centre, with a plug g, nine sixteenths of an inch in diameter,
thereby limiting the supply of air to the proper proportion for the interior of
the flame. In this burner, as well as all others, the supply of air to the
exterior of the burner is unlimited otherwise than by the size of the lower and
contracted part of the chimney, which in this instance is one quarter of an
inch less than the larger flame. Short chimneys do not require the introduc-
tion of a tale ring, as the heat evolved is not so intense as to injure the glass.
Fig. 9 is an elevation and Fig. 10 a plan of a two-flame burner, with a
glass chimney e, of somewhat different construction, but with the necessary
contraction f situated as before mentioned. This burner a, a, which is one
inch and one eighth in diameter, has the centre space limited by a three-
eighths plug g, having a jet in the centre. Instead of a single jet in the
centre, a circle of four or five small jets may be substituted, to consume the
superabundant supply of air to the interior of the burner.
Fig. 12 represents an elevation and Fig. 13 a plan of a three-quarter
ordinary Argand burner, furnished with an improved glass or chimney e.
These burners should have an internal diameter of nineteen thirty-seconds of
an inch, to ensure the proper supply of air to the interior.
Figs. 13 and 14 shew an elevation and plan of a burner having a quarter-
inch plug g and jet in the centre, the size of the burner being such as to admit
of its introduction.
Figs. 15 and 16 represent a seven-eighths burner having a small jet in the
centre; which, I believe, is the smallest practicable with the proper combustion
of the gas.
Fig. 17 represents in plan a concentric burner in which the inner ring is of
only five-eighths of an inch in diameter, in which I reduce the number of jet-
holes by placing them at great distances apart, in all amounting to fourteen,
whereby the air admitted through the centre opening will be such as to admit
the proper supply for the complete combustion of the gas escaping.

page_text: In the larger concentric jets the flame may be increased in length with
advantage to between two a half and three inches. This will render a greater
supply of gas necessary; in order to effect which I slightly enlarge the jet holes,
and at the same time increase in a corresponding degree the air space between
the concentric rings of the burner, to admit the necessary supply of air.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which it
is to be performed, I would remark that I do not confine myself to the precise
detail, so long as the principle of my Invention be retained, nor to the exact
proportions of the burners given, as it will be necessary to depart therefrom in
some degree to suit the different qualities of gas, or from other circumstances
arising in the combustion of gas. But what I claim as my Invention is,
First, the construction of concentric gas burners before described, whereby
the supply of air to the interior of such burners is regulated so that an
approximation to the exact proportion necessary for the entire combustion of
the gas is admitted to the flames, such burners being combined with a
chimney and deflector in the manner and for the purposes described.
Secondly, illuminating by means of a cut-glass chandelier surrounding or
enveloping a gas light, as herein-before described. And,
Lastly, the mode of ventilating rooms or apartments by means of the heat
from gas burners, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Horatio Carter, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this twenty-third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
HORATIO (L.s.) CARTER.
Signed, sealed, and delivered, in the
presence of
23/9/50.
CHA' JOHNS.
Enrolled the Twenty-third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty.