Improvements in and relating to. Electro-mechanically Operated Gas-lighters and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1896.
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to. Electro-mechanically Operated
Gas-lighters and the like.
JAMES TARBOTTON ARMSTRONG, of 64, Aldersgate Street; London, E.C.
Engineer, and AXEL ORLING, of the same address, Electrician do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This, invention relates to improvements in electro-mechanically operated gas-
lighters, in which an electric igniting spark is produced by "making" and
"breaking" a circuit when the gas inlet valve is operated.
The object of this invention is to provide improved means of effecting the
"making" and "breaking" of the sparking circuit, and a novel arrangement of the
gas inlet valve, whereby the gas is first conducted to a, bye-pass, which is kept
supplied with gas until the passage to the burner begins to open, when the bye
pass passage closes as the burner passage opens.,
In applying our improvements to ordinary gas-fittings we attach a short arm to
the plug, at the opposite end to the handle, having-a direction that will cause it to
point upwards when the valve is in the mid-position.
To the outer end of this short arm is pivotted a link provided at or near the
centre of its length with a pin or equivalent part which is free to slide in a vertical
guide-way, and to which is connected a tension spring whose other end, is attached
to the plug.
At the outer end of this link is a contact piece between which and another
insulated contact the spark passes when the gas is turned "on."
The insulated contact is suitably connected with a sparking coil and battery;
which is grounded so that the circuit may be completed through the fittings when
the contacts are brought together.
. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:--When the gas tap is turned thei
short arm at the other end of the plug causes the link to move upwards and
"make" the circuit through the insulated contact piece, against the resistance of
the tension spring until the mid-position is reached, after which it helps the further
turning of the valve and effects the "break" in the circuit.
By the proper adjustment of the parts two," makes" and two "breakes" may be
effected each time the plug is turned.
In applying our improvements to street and other similar lamps the construction
may be modified in the following or an equivalent manner.
Instead of a handle being provided with which to operate.the apparatus, a lever.
having a ring or other suitably formed part at its, outer end is used, so as to be
easily operated by means of a pole or like implement carried by the lamp-lighter.
This lever is attached to, but insulated from the short arm, and has an
extension which is always in contact with a depending part of the insulated
contact piece.
The pole carried by the lamp-lighter contains a battery and a sparking coil and
has a conducting handle, or other suitable part connected therewith, with which
to make contact with the lower part of the gas fittings, the said pole is also
provided with a conducting hook at its upper end with, which to engage the ring or
equivalent part of the operating lever...
...

page_text: When the lamp-lighter wishes to light a lamp he touches the gas pipe with the
handle at the lower end of the pole and then pulls the operating lever down with
the hook at its top, with the result that the current goes through the said
operating lever to the depending part of the insulated contact piece, thence through
the other contact, the link, short arm and plug into the fittings and back through
the conducting handle to the battery.
When a bye-pass is used (as, for instance, with incandescent gas-burners, or the
like) the spark lights it, and it (the bye-pass) lights the burner, after which the
bye-pass is extinguished.
All this is effected by enlarging one or both ends of the port in the plug and
locating the admission to the bye-pass so that the port reaches it first and nearly
shuts it off before it reaches the admission to the burner.
The above descriptions show how our improvements may be applied, but we do
not wish to limit their application to the specific forms described which we may
modify without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1896:
JAS. T. ARMSTRONG.
AXEL ORLING..
Improvements in and relating to Electro-mechanically Operated
Gas-lighters and the like.
JAMES TARBOTTON ARMSTRONG, Engineer, and AXEL ORLING, Electrician,
both of 64, Aldersgate Street, London, E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed; to bè particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in electro-mechanically operated gas-
lighters, in which an electric igniting spark is produced by "making' and
"breaking" a circuit when the gas inlet valve is operated.
The object of this invention is to provide improved means of effecting the
"making" and "breaking" of the sparking circuit and a novel arrangement of
the gas inlet valve, whereby the gas is first conducted to a bye-pass, which is kept
supplied with gas until the passage to the burner begins to open, when the bye-pass
passage closes as the burner passage opens.
In applying our improvements to ordinary incandescent gas fittings we attach a
short arm to the plug, (at the opposite end to the handle) having a direction that
will cause it to point upwards when the valve is in the mid-position.
To the outer end of this short arm is pivotted a link provided at or near the
centre of its length with a pin or equivalent 'part which is free to slide in a vertical
guide way, and to which is connected a tension spring whose other end is attached
to the plug, or any other suitable part.
At the outer end of this link is a contact piece between which and another,
insulated, contact the spark passes when the gas is turned "on."
The insulated contact is suitably connected with a sparking coil and battery.
which is grounded so that the circuit may be completed through the fittings when
the contacts are brought together.
A bye-pass is also provided to which the gas is first admitted when the plug is
turned, and it is at this point that the break in the circuit is made and the spark
produced with the result that the bye-pass is ignited and a long thin flame produced
which reaches up to the burner.
By this time the short arm will have passed the line of centres, and the

page_text: tension spring will now assist, or if left to itself complete, the further turning
of the plug
As the plug is further turned it will first commence to open the passage to the
burner which will immediately be lighted by the bye-pass flame which will be
extinguished as the main burner outlet is opened to the full.
:
This operation of the gas supply is effected by enlarging one or both ends of the
port in the plug and by so locating the admission to the bye-pass that the port
will reach it first and then, by the further turning of the plug commence to open
the main burner outlet and thereafter cut off the supply to the bye-pass as the
main burner outlet is opened to the full.
In a modification we adapt our invention to the lighting of ordinary gas jets,
which we accomplish in substantially the same manner but we dispense with the
bye-pass and use a plug valve of ordinary description.
In applying our improvements to street and other similar gas lamps using an
incandescent mantle the construction may be modified in the following or an
equivalent manner :-
Instead of a handle being provided with which to operate the apparatus, a lever
having a ring or other suitably formed part at its outer end is used, so as to be
easily operated by means of a pole or like implement carried by the lamp
lighter.
This lever is attached to, but insulated from, the short arm and has an extension
which is always in contact with a depending part of the insulated contact
piece.
The pole carried by the lamp lighter contains a battery and a sparking coil and
has a conducting handle or other suitable part connected therewith, with which to
make contact with the lower part of the gas fittings, the said pole.is also provided
with a conducting hook at its upper end with which to engage the ring or equivalent
part of the operating lever.
In a further modification we adapt our invention to the lighting of street and.
other similar lamps having the ordinary gas jet, by using a sparking arrangement
and pole substantially similar to that last described, but we dispense with a bye-pass
and use a valve of ordinary construction.
We will now proceed to describe the accompanying drawings, with the aid of
which we will more particularly describe our invention and the method of using
the same.
Figs. 1, 2, and 3, are respectively a front and side elevation and plan of an.
incandescent gas lighting apparatus adapted to be operated by hand.
Figs. 4 and 5, are respectively a front and side elevation of an apparatus for
lighting ordinary gas jets by hand.
Figs. 6, 7 and 8, are respectively a front and side elevation and plan of parts of
an incandescent gas lighting apparatus adapted for street and other similar lamps,
the position shown being that after lighting.
Fig. 9, is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 in the
position occupied before lighting.
Fig. 10, is a detail of same.
Fig. 11, is a transverse section through the plug of the valve in the same plane
as the port the position shown being with the gas "off."
Fig. 12, is a similar section, the position shown being that with the gas
6 n.
Fig. 13, is a longitudinal section through the lighting pole and conducting
handle, and,
Fig. 14, is a diagrammatic view showing how the apparatus is applied to
lighting street and other similar gas lamps.
Our invention, which is provided with a suitable taper screw "a" by which
it may be attached to existing gas fittings, consists of a tubular part, having.a
plug valve c, at one end of which is attached a short arm, d to the end of which.a
link e is pivotally connected at d'.

page_text: This link e is provided with a pin adapted to slide in a vertical slot g' contained,
by the upwardly extending part (see Fig. 10) the withdrawal of the said pin. f
from the slot g being prevented by a suitable head f¹.
The pin which extends right through to the front of the link e, has. a tension
spring f, whose other end is secured to the pin c* the purpose of which is to insure:
the taps being turned right "on" or right "off."
At the outer end of the link e is a suitable contact which "makes."
and "breaks" the circuit with an insulated contact i when the gas valve is
operated.
This insulated contact i is attached to the upwardly extending part or any
other convenient part of the fittings (as in Figs. 4 and 5) but is insulated therefrom
by the insulation k.
When our improvements are applied to hand-operated gas lamps (see Figs. 1
to 5) a wire is led from the insulated contact i to the battery whose other pole is
grounded so that the circuit, which also contains a sparking coil, may be closed
through the fittings but when adapted to effect the lighting of street and other
similar lamps with a lighting pole, (see Figs. 6 to 10; 13 and 14) the insulated
contact is provided with a depending conductor , which is in contact with the
extension of the operating lever m attached to the short arm d, but insulated
therefrom by the insulation n.
In lighting incandescent gas lights we first ignite a bye-pass flame to which the
gas is first admitted by the peculiar construction of the plug o (see Figs. 11
and 12) after which the gas is admitted to the main burner and the bye-pass supply
cut off.
The part o', in the plug o, is enlarged at one end so as to allow the gas to enter
it when its other end is opposite the bye-pass outlet p, (see dotted lines in Figs. 11
and 12) while the relative positions of the bye-pass outlet pand the burner outlet, q,
are such as to enable the gas to be admitted to the main burner outlet before the
bye-pass is extinguished.
The torch or lighting pole r consists of a conducting rod having a suitably
formed part, with which to engage the operating lever m, at one end, and a
hollow chamber provided with a suitable plug, at the other end adapted to
contain a sparking coil, and a battery of suitable known form.
The sparking coil shown consists of a bobbin containing a soft iron core and
wound with a single coil of insulated wire one end s', of which is connected
with the conducting handle s, and the other is attached to a plate t, which is in
contact with one pole u of a dry cell, of which, the containing vessel ¹, forms the
other pole.
This pole u' rests upon the plug and is in metallic contact with the conducting
rod r¹.
The conducting handle s consists of a suitable conductor 2 contained in a
nonconducting handle and provided with a clamps and a contact point st.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are shown parts of the ordinary incandescent gas-
light fittings partially in dotted lines, all unnecessary details being omitted to
prevent obscuring the essential parts of our invention.
The operation of the apparatus, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is as follows:-Wheu
the tap c is turned, the short arm, d, acting upon the link e causes the pin f to rise
and fall in the slot g', and the contact piece h to follow the path indicated by the
dotted line at ' in Fig. 1.
When the tap is about its mid-position the contacts and i are brought together
and the circuit "made," and just afterwards, when the bye-pass ontlet p is supplied
with gas, the "break" occurs, and a spark is produced which ignites the
bye-pass, p', whose flame reaches the main burner which it lights immediately
the gas begins to issue therefrom, with the result that the usual explosion is
prevented.
The operation of the apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5 differs from that just
.

page_text: described in that the spark, which is produced in like manner; ignites the main
burner flame without the aid of a bye-pass..
In the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 to 10, 13 and 14, the operation is as follows:-
The point s of the conducting handle, s, which is held in one hand is first applied
to the lower part of the fittings, and the, part, 7, of the lighting rod, r, which is.
held in the other hand, is made to engage the operating lever m through which the
plug o is turned and the sparking apparatus actuated, and the bye-pass, and
afterwards the main burner lighted in substantially the same manner as that first
described.
The course taken by the current, when the circuit is closed, however is
different starting from the battery it traverses the sparking coil and enters the
gas fittings through the conducting wire s¹ and the handles and afterwards passes
from the contact, h, to the insulated contact i, thence through the depending
conductor . to the insulated operating lever m and back to the battery through the.
lighting rod, r, and the plug, .
Where ordinary gas burners are used in street and other similar lamps we
modify the apparatus last described by dispensing with the bye-pass and so.
locating the "break" in the circuit as to cause the spark produced. to ignite..the.
main burner directly.
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 electro-mechanically operated gas-lighting apparatus consisting of a circuit
"making" and ".breaking" device operated by the turning of the valve plug to.
which is attached an arm that actuates a link provided with a pin adapted to travel
in a vertical guide and to carry a suitable tension spring whose other end is attached.
to a pin bencath it, on the line of centres, the said link also carrying a contact that
co-operates with a stationary insulated contact (connected to a grounded circuit)
to produce a spark when the break occurs, which (the spark) ignites a gas jet in a
manner substantially as described in the specification.
2. An electro-mechanically operated gas-lighting apparatus, consisting of a circuit.
"making" and "breaking" device operated by the turning of the valve plug, to
which is attached an arm that actuates a link provided with a pin adapted to travel
in a vertical guide and to carry a suitable tension spring whose other end is attached
to a pin beneath it on the line of centres, the said link also carrying a contact that
co-operates with a stationary insulated contact (connected with a grounded circuit).
to produce a spark when the break occurs, the said spark igniting a bye-pass jet
by which the main burner is lighted when gas is admitted to it by the further
turning of the plug by the said spring substantially as described in the specification.
3. In an electro-mechanically operated gas-lighting apparatus substantially, as
described in Claim 2, the use of a gas-supply controlling device consisting of a plug
having that end of its port which communicates with the gas inlet enlarged and
adapted to co-operate with two gas outlets so located with relation to each other
that when the said plug is operated the gas will first be admitted to one of the said
outlets, then to both and finally to the second alone, substantially as described
with reference to the drawings and for the purposes set forth in the specification.
4. In an electro-mechanically operated gas lighting apparatus substantially as
described in the preceding claims, the use of an insulated operating lever having an
extension in contact with the insulated contact of the circuit "making" aud
"breaking" device and in circuit with the other contact through a battery and
sparking coil when the said contacts are brought together, substantially as described
and for the purposes set forth in the specification.
'
5. In an electro-mechanically operated gas-lighting apparatus substantially, as
described in the foregoing claims, the use of an insulated operating lever having
an extension in contact with the insulated contact of the circuit "making
"
and

page_text: "breaking" device, in combination with a portable and detachable battery and
sparking coil contained in a suitable case provided with contacts and a hook, where-
with the operating lever may be operated and an electric circuit closed when the
contacts of the circuit "making" and "breaking" device are brought together all
substantially as described and for the purposes set forth in the specification.
6 An electro-mechanically operated gas-lighting apparatus consisting of :-
A sparking device actuated by the turning of the plug of the gas valve; a bye-pass
jet to which the gas is first admitted; a gas-supply controlling device whereby the
gas is first admitted to a bye-pass, then to the main burner whereafter the bye-pass
is cut off and the burner alone supplied with gas; and a portable and detachable
battery and sparking coil having a "ground" contact and a conducting hook
adapted to engage the insulated operating lever of the gas-supply valve and through
the same close an electric circuit when the contacts of the sparking device are
together, all combined, arranged and substantially as described (with reference to
the drawings) and for the purposes set forth in the specification.
7. An electro-mechanically operated gas lighting apparatus combined and
arranged substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
8. An electro-mechanically operated gas lighting apparatus combined and
arranged substantially as described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5.
9. An electro mechanically operated gas lighting apparatus combined and
arranged substantially as described with reference to Figs. 6 to 14.
JAS. T. ARMSTRONG,
AXEL ORLING,
Applicants.
JAS. T. ARMSTRONG,
AXEL ORLING,
Applicants.