Improvements in Gas Apparatus for Obtaining Light and Heat.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 18/5
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Jan., 1896-4ccepted, 8th Feb., 1896
PROVIDIUNAL DI EVITTUATION.
[Communicated from abroad by FREDERIC DE MARE, Engineer, of 50 Rue des
Moines, Paris, in the Republic of France.]
Improvements in Gas Apparatus for Obtaining Light and Heat.
I JOHN WILLIAM MACKENZIE, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:
This invention for improvements in gas apparatus for obtaining light and heat
relates more particularly to apparatus in which light is obtained by heating to
Encandescence by a Bunsen burner a refractory and radiant material in the form
of a thin sheet or tissue and has for its objects to concentrate the Bunsen flame
and to increase its temperature without the use of a chimney or other draught
apparatus so that it will render thoroughly incandescent 'the radiant tissue; and to
support in the form of a feather each filament of the radiant material independently
so that it is not injuriously affected by the complete destruction of even a large
number of its separate filaments:
•
The Bunsen burner is arranged so that the current of gas draws air sufficient for
its complete combustion and that the mixed-air and gas is delivered at a relatively
high pressure so as to concentrate the flame whilst ensuring complete combustion,
and thus to increase its temperature.
The burner is provided with special suction and delivery cones to draw air
and deliver the mixed air and gas at a pressure to the burner orifice: The
two cones are preferably similar with their small ends juxtaposed to form the
throat of the injector and may be in one or more pieces. Supposing the
pressure of the gas to be 40 to 60 millimetres of water the throat area of
the injector cones should be about six times that of the gas inlet and the angle
of the cones should be about ten degrees. Any substantial variation from these
proportions detract from the result. The burner nozzles are in the form of slits
to form thin flat flames. One or more burner nozzles can be supplied from one
injector or several injectors can supply a reservoir chamber from which any
number of burner nozzles can be fed. The radiant feather is supported in the path
of the flame at a short distance above the burner nozzle. Several burners may be
arranged in a cluster with their feathers arranged.in a radial manner or forming a
closed polygon.
.
In a modification suitable more especially for very low pressures of gas the gas
inlet to the air chamber is constructed to spread the gas in the form of a very
thin sheet, and the air chamber having inlets at its bottom is arranged to corre-
spond in lateral section with the shape of this sheet and in cross section is
cone shaped. At the top it is flat and is provided with a narrow slit having an
area sufficient to deliver with 4 mm. pressure 4 times the volume the gas inlet will
deliver with 10 mm. pressure, the pressure of the mixed air and gas with an
original gas pressure of 10 mm. being 4 mm.
The tissue or feather is formed by dipping silk, linen or other organic matter
into a solution consisting preferably of one part of sulphate of magnesium, two
parts sulphate of erbium and two parts sulphate of zirconium in 25 parts of water.
The threads are first secured singly to a platinum or other similar support, then
dipped, dried at about 60° C. and mounted by its support on its carrier and the

page_text: threads are then combed out straight and dipped in a light varnish or collodion.
It is delivered in this condition to customers and can be handled without danger
of damage. The tissue is ignited by a match or the like immediately before use.
It will readily be seen that a lighting apparatus constructed according to this
invention possesses many advantages over those now in use. For example whilst
employing a similar radiant material, the life of a platinum or other metallic
mantle is obtained. The feathers can be transported or handled and placed in
position without fear of damage, as they are calcined on their first use only.
The construction of the feather renders each filament of radiant material inde-
pendent of the others. No lamp glass or similar contrivance is required. The
expense of maintenance is thus reduced to nearly that of an ordinary gas
burner.
Dated this 11th day of April 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Apparatus for Obtaining Light and Heat.
I JOHN WILLIAM MACKENZIE, of the Firm of Wheatley & Mackenzie,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 40 Chancery Lane, in the County of London, 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:
This invention relates more particularly to the class of apparatus in which light
is obtained by heating to incandescence by a Bunsen burner a refractory and
radiant material in the form of thin filaments or a thin mantle or tissue. In my
former Specification No. 104974, I illustrated at Fig. 4 thereof and described a
form of burner which was used with a chimney in the ordinary manner to render
incandescent a radiant tissue. I have found that with the modified forms herein-
after described, I am enabled to dispense with the chimney and my improved
burner arranged so that the current of gas draws air sufficient to ensure its
complete combustion, and that the mixed air and gas is delivered at a relatively
bigh pressure so as to permit the concentration of the flame whilst ensuring
complete combustion and high temperature without the use of a chimney.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 is a section of a gas burner constructed according to this invention
and suitable more especially for street lighting and the like, showing also the
arrangement of the radiant feather, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figs. 3 and 4 are front and side elevations, and Figs. 5 and 6 are sections at
right angles to one another, shewing a modified construction of burner according
to this invention, and suitable more especially for household ligbting and where
absence of noise is important:
My improved atmospheric burner which is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a
suitable body in which are formed two conical holes a united at their smaller
ends. The junction of the cones I term the throat of the burner. Below the
throat are provided holes c for the admittance of air. The gas is introduced
through a small orifice, which may be conveniently bored in a thin partition f.
The diameter of this orifice is about one-sixth of the diameter of the throat
with a gas pressure of about two inches of water, but if the available pressure be
less the hole in the thin partition may be readily enlarged. For a radiant tissue of
the form shown in Fig. 1 the burner is completed with a burner tip d with a
transverse slit.
This arrangement of burner ensures that the gas is perfectly mixed with the air

page_text: drawn in, whilst the pressure of the mixed air and gas is still considerable and
sufficient for the purposes required. The burner tips are raade with slits to con-
centrate or confine and give the desired shape of flame. The shape of the burner
tip as shown gives a flat colourless flame. In the drawings filed herewith I have
shown my improved burner of the exact shape and proportions which I have found
best in practice. The burner is shown full size for a consumption of about 2 feet
per hour at a pressure of 2 inches of water.
0
The modified form of burner shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 which is suitable.
more especially for very low pressures of gas, is arranged so that if the feather
or tissue is broken the burner can be used as an ordinary burner by unscrewing
the attachment, and consists of a gas inlet nipple adapted to spread the gas
out in a thin sheet and an attachment forming an air chamber
Popen below.
at the place where the nipple passes, and having air inlets and at the top a
straight narrow slits. the said chamber tapering in cross section as shown. The
whole of the air chamber p is preferably moulded in steatite or clay and is provided
with a ring adapted to pass over the gas inlet nipple o and screw or fit on its body..
The gas nipple delivers between two and three feet per hour of gas for the pro--
portions shown. The filed drawings show the dimensions and proportions which I
have found best in practice.
The radiant feather is made of a number of threads g tied on to a platinum wire-
or other suitable incombustible support h carried by means of branches or arms l
projecting from a collar or ring m adapted to be seated on the burner with the
support in the same plane as the slit of the nipple. The feather being supported
horizontally in the plane of the flame, permits the flame to impinge directly upon
the tissue so as to produce the maximum illuminating effect therefrom. Projections n
on the ring taking into notches on the body of the burner ensure the correct
position of the feather. The dotted lines in Fig. 2 shew the position of the threads.
before being calcined.
The tissue or feather is manufactured by dipping silk linen or other suitable-
threads into a solution consisting preferably of one part of sulphate of inaguesium,
two parts sulphate of erbium and two parts sulphate of zirconium in 25 parts of
water. Nitrates may be employed in lieu of the sulphates. My invention has no.
reference to the particular solution used, and any other suitable solution may be
employed. The threads are secured separately to the platinum wire, then dipped,
dried at about 60° C. and the wire having been mounted on its carrier, the threads
are then combed out straight and may be dipped, in a light varnish or collodion to.
ensure the retention of the proper shape. It is delivered in this condition to
customers, and can be handled without danger of damage. The tissue is ignited by
a match or the like immediately before use.
A lighting apparatus constructed according to this invention possesses the great
advantage of requiring no chimney or glass.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An incandescent light apparatus substantially such as hereinbefore described..
2. An incandescent light apparatus arranged and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
3. An incandescent light apparatus arranged and operating substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.
4. The improved burner shown in Fig. 1.
5. An atmospheric or Bunsen burner arranged and operating substantially as.
hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6.
6. A burner attachment consisting of an enclosing case having openings at the
bottom to admit air and a narrow slit at the top and adapted to be placed over
a burner so as to produce a Bunsen or atmospheric flame substantially as described
in relation to Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6.

page_text: 7. The combination of a radiant feather or tissue of the form hereinbefore
described, supported horizontally above a Buusen or atmospheric burner adapted
to produce a flat flame substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. A radiant tissue of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, supported on a wire
carried by means of branches such as fixed to a collar or attachment such as m so
as to be capable of being supported upon or over a fish tail or bats wing burner
and rendered incandescent thereby.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.