An Improved Lighting Apparatus for Explosive Gas-mixtures, more especially for Motors.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Lighting Apparatus for Explosive Gas-mixtures, more
especially for Motors.
I PAUL FRIEDRICH GANS of 67 Niedenau Frankfurt-on-the-Main, Germany,
Doctor of Philosophy, 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:--
The hitherto known lighting methods show inconveniences especially in auto-
motive carriages. The weight of the apparatus necessary for the electric lighting
of the explosive gases is proportionately great, and disturbances are not easily
remedied. The glowing tube lighting is of smaller weight, the influence of the
weather however is required to be met by constructions of inconvenient exten-
sion, also the time necessary to bring the apparatus to a sufficient glowing is
inconvenient.
The object of this invention relates to a lighting apparatus having extremely
small dimensions as well as a particular arrangement and method for bringing the
lighting apparatus quickly to the necessary temperature and keeping it so.
1 reaches in 12 to 15 seconds the temperature necessary for the lighting of
the explosive gases and is then kept glowing in an automatic and durable
manner.
The apparatus may consist as shown in the drawing, of the tube a which has a
diameter of only 3-4 mm. ; and of a small tube which reaches to the top of the
inner space of the tube a. This small tube is made of a thin metallic platinum
plate or of other modification of platinum, or of other metals of the platinum group
which have like platinum the quality of continuing automatically to glow when in
contact with carburetted hydrogen (without formation of flames). If this small
tube glows in any degree, its temperature on passing through it a combustible gas-
mixture, for instance carburetted hydrogen gas, and air, rises so that the tube a is
brought to a white heat. The apparatus is kept durably at this temperature by
the further addition of the gas-mixture, which can be effected either by means of
a pump out of a reservoir or, for instance, in benzine motors etc. immediately and
automatically by the compressed explosive mixture in the cylinder of the motor.
In the latter case the mixture is first conducted from the cylinder by means of a
tube into a reservoir provided with the necessary valves and from there to the
lighter.
The tube is first brought into glow in a different manner. If this is done by
electricity, then the cylinders and d or other fixing places of the tube b must be
insulated from the tube a, in which case on the approach of the points of a and b to
each other a heating is effected which is sufficient to give such temperature of the
lighter that on the addition of the gas-mixture it rises to a white heat.
Previous warming of the lighter may be effected by introducing the small flame
of a match through the opening e in the casing the small tube being drawn a
little upwards and returned again, whereupon the entering gas-mixture augments
the temperature and makes the lighter glow. Also at the first moment the gas
mixture can be admitted and one can produce by lighting the lighter a small flame
sufficient for heating which flame, as soon as this is effected, becomes extinct by
the entering of the gas-mixture and in cases of other constructions of the lighting
apparatus is extinguished, as the whole combustible part of the gas-mixture is
absorbed by feeding the tube b. The gases can leave through the opening g.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for lighting explosive gas mixtures, consisting essentially or
completely of a tube of very thin platinim or of other similar modifications of
platinum like metals which will remain glowing when meeting with carburetted
hydrogen gas-mixture and kept glowing by the effect of the explosive or other
gas-mixture at a lighting temperature after it has been previously heated.
Dated this 14th day of October 1805
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to the Applicant.