An Improved Automatic Apparatus for Igniting Illuminating Gas.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1889
.
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
[Communicated from abroad by ROBERT JACOB GÜLCHER and MORITZ BAUER,
both of Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, Engineers.]
An Improved Automatic Apparatus for Igniting Illuminating Gas.
I GEORGE DOWNING of 8 Quality Court Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an automatic apparatus for igniting illuminating gas
and is based upon the ascertained fact that platinum sponge placed at the border
of a stream or current of illuminating gas passing through atmospheric air
becomes intensely hot and gradually incandescent, while the same sponge
remains unaffected and hence cold within the stream of gas itself. The said
invention is further based upon another fact viz. that a platinum wire is raised
to a white heat whenever it is placed in a heated state at the border of a cur-
rent of illuminating gas passing through the atmospheric air. As on the one
hand, platinum sponge cannot ignite the gas even when rendered incandescent
while, on the other hand an incandescent platinum wire readily ignites illumi-
nating gas.
And whereas the latter can only then render a platinum wire incan-
descent when the wire has previously been heated by any suitable means, my
invention of an automatic igniting apparatus consists in the combination of
one or several very thin platinum wires with platinum sponge in such a manner
that a part of the platinum wire or wires is or are placed in the sponge, while
the other part issues therefrom in the shape of one or several small spiral loops
or in the form of small straight or curved rods. The heat developed in the
sponge is transmitted to the platinum wires combined with the platinum sponge
and thus is obtained the required condition for the platinum wires, placed at
the border of a current of illuminating gas passing through atmospheric air
being rendered incandescent and igniting the illuminating gas.
From the foregoing it will be seen that the improved automatic apparatus
for igniting illuminating gas should consist of a small quantity of platinum
sponge fixed upon a suitable support and of one or more platinum wires issuing
from the platinum sponge, and that the platinum supports or holders should
be arranged in such a manner that a stream of gas issuing from the burner
or other orifice would merely come into contact with the sponge and the
platinum wire or wires without entirely surrounding them that is to say that
one or several parts of platinum sponge and wire should be placed at the border
of a current of illuminating gas passing through atmospheric air. The sup-
ports suitable for the platinum sponge are made either of platinum sheets or
of baked clay plates or of plates or discs of other suitable incombustible
material not liable to melt easily. It is particularly advantageous to encloso
the platinum sponge between two pieces of platinum gauge..
In the construction of my improved automatic igniting apparatus, due
account must be taken of the fact ascertained riz.: that when the platinum
sponge is entirely enveloped by the illuminating gas and hence impregnated

page_text: with the latter, it ceases operating and cannot consequently bring about the
ignition of the gas without first being heated.
The before named inefficacy is not to be feared with burners having small
openings such as those used for lighting cigars in Tobacco shops, which do not
allow within a short time a sufficient quantity of gas to escape for enveloping
the platinum sponge, but it could easily occur in the case of larger burners,
such as bats wings, Argand, Bunsen and other similar burners. In such cases
it is necessary to prevent the platinum sponge being enveloped by the gas,
which could easily take place owing to the currents of air causing the flame to
flicker or oscillate. This is effected by means of devices for deviating the gas
stream these devices being formed of plates or other suitable contrivances
arranged in an inclined position and projecting below the platinum sponge.
In carrying my invention into practice I provide a socket fitted if required
with a handle and I conveniently arrange such socket upon the gas burner.
This socket carries a vertical arm whose upper end is disposed in such a manner
that the support together with the layer of platinum sponge and the platinum
wires therein fixed come in contact with the gas stream. The said support con-
sists of a piece of platinum sheet or of a small plate or disc of any other suit-
able incombustible material not liable to melt readily. The platinum sponge
is sometimes enclosed between two pieces of platinum gauze.
The arrangement required to prevent in igniting apparatus applied to large
burners the platinum sponge from being enveloped by the gas stream, consistз
in the case of bats wings burners of the above mentioned vertical arm carrying
a deflecting plate which rests below the platinum sponge layer in a slanting
position against the burner.
In Bunsen's burners the current of air does not spread immediately above
the orifice so much as in bats wings burners and hence the top of the lower
part of the support need only in this case be bent up in order to effect the
deviation of the gas current. When platinum gauze is used for supporting
the platinum sponge the deflecting plate is formed integrally with the vertical
arm.
I may also use, instead of platinum wires, palladium, iridium, ormion, rho
dium, or ruthmium wires, or wires made of an allow of any of these metals.
An Improved Automatic Apparatus for Igniting Illuminating Gas.
...
I GEORGE DOWNING of 8 Quality Court Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention relates to an Automatic apparatus for igniting illuminating
gas and is based upon the ascertained fact that platinum sponge or "platina
mohr" placed at the border of a stream or current of illuminating Gas passing
through atmospheric air, becomes intensely hot, and gradually incandescent,
while the same sponge or platina mohr remains unaffected, and hence cold,
within the stream of gas itself. The said invention is further based upon
another fact, viz.: that a platinum wire is raised to a white heat, whenever it
is placed. in a heated state, at the border of a current of illuminating gas
passing through the atmospheric air; as, on the one hand. platinum sponge
and platina mohir cannot ignite the gas, even when rendered incandescent,

page_text: while, on the other hand an incandescent platinum wire readily ignites illumi-
nating gas, and, whereas the latter can only then render a platinum wire incan-
descent, when the wire has previously been heated by any suitable means-My
invention of an automatic igniting apparatus consists in the combination of
one or several very thin platinum wires with platinum sponge or with platina
mohr in such a manner that a part of the platinum wire or wires is or are
placed in the sponge, while the other part issues therefrom in the shape of one
or several small spiral loops, or in the form of small straight or curved rods-
The heat developed in the sponge is transmitted to the platinum wires com-
bined with the platinum sponge, and thus is obtained the required condition
for the platinum wires placed at the border of a current of illuminating gas,
passing through atmospheric air, being rendered incandescent, and igniting
the illuminating gas.
or more
From the foregoing it will be seen that the improved Automatic apparatus
for igniting illuminating gas should consist of a small quantity of platinum
sponge or platina mohr fixed upon a suitable support, and of one
platinum wires issuing from the platinum sponge; and that the platinum sup-
ports or holders should be arranged in such a manner that a stream of gas
issuing from the burner, or other orifice would merely come into contact with the
sponge or mohr and the platinum wire or wires, without entirely surrounding
them, that is to say, that one or several parts of platinum sponge and wire
should be placed at the border of a current of illuminating gas passing through
atmospheric air-The supports suitable for the platinum sponge are made either
of platinum sheets or of baked clay plates or of amianthus sheets, or of plates
or discs of other suitable incombustible material, not liable to melt easily-It
is particularly advantageous to enclose the platinum sponge or platina mohr
between two pieces of platinum gauze.
In the construction of my improved automatic igniting apparatus, due
account must be taken of the ascertained fact, ri. that when the platinum
sponge or platina mohr is entirely enveloped by the illuminating gas, and hence
impregnated with the latter, it ceases operating and cannot consequently bring
about the ignition of the gas without first being heated.
The before named inefficacy is not to be feared with burners having small
openings, such as those used for lighting Cigars in Tobacconists shops, which
do not allow, within a short time, a sufficient quantity of gas to escape, for
enveloping the platinum sponge or platina mohr but it could easily occur in
the case of larger burners such as bats wings, Argand, Bunsen, and other
similar burners In such cases it is necessary to prevent the platinum sponge
or platina mohr being enveloped by the Gas which could easily take place
owing to the currents of air causing the flame to flicker or oscillate.
This is effected by means of devices for deviating the Gas stream: these
devices being formed of plates or other suitable contrivances, arranged in an
inclined position, and projecting below the platinum sponge.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascer
tained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar
letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus constructed for fish tail burners.
Fig. 2. is a vertical section of an apparatus arranged for Bunsen burners.
Fig. 3, shows an automatic igniting apparatus in which the platinum sponge
is enclosed between two pieces of platinum wire netting. In all the above
constructions a socket æ, furnished, if required, with a handle, is placed upon
the burner A, and carries a vertical arm ², whose upper end is arranged in such
a manner that the support, as well as the layer of platinum sponge c, and the
platinum wire therein fixed, should come in contact with the current of Gas.
The support, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, consists of a piece of platinum sheet.
or of a small plate or disc of other incombustible and not easily fusible material,
while fig. 3 shows two layers of platinum wire netting && containing the

page_text: .
platinum sponge. To construct apparatus of the form shewn in figs. 1 and 2.
the platinum wire 6 of suitable shape is first fixed upon the supporting plate d;
upon which is subsequently placed a layer of ammoniacal bichloride of platinum
(Salmiac of platinum) paste with water, the whole being subjected to the action
of fire. When the platinum sponge has to be enclosed between two platinum wire
netting (Fig. 3) the mode of proceeding is analogous. After having placed the
wire within an opening of the netting, a layer of salmiac of platinum is
placed upon the end of the wire connected with the netting, and the second
half of the netting is folded over the layer of paste, in order to subsequently
subject the whole to the action of the fire.
The arrangement for large burners in the above described igniting apparatus
necessary for preventing the platinum sponge from being enveloped by the
gaseous current, consists, as shown in fig. 1, that is to say for apparatus appli-
cable to fish tail burners, of a plate e carried by the arm, which rests upon
the burner below the layer of platinum sponge in a slanting direction, as
shown.
In Bunsen burners the gaseous current does not spread as much, immediately
above the opening, as in fish tail burners, and therefore the lower part 2 of the
supporting plate 7 need only be bent up in order to deviate or deflect the
current of gas, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. By using platinum wire netting
as supports for the platinum sponge, the deflector of the gaseous current e¹
(Fig. 3) is made in one single piece with the arm a³.
"
It should be well understood that the construction of parts, serving on the
one hand to fix and to arrange, in any suitable manner, the sponge and the
platinum wires, and, on the other hand, to combine the apparatus with the
burners, or with other parts of the gas pipes, may vary ad infinium," accord-
ing to the requirements, without departing from the principle of the invention.
Moreover, the automatic igniting apparatus for lighting gas, may not only
be fixed to burners, that is to say, serve for lighting purposes, but it may be
used for all other technical purposes for which lighting Gas is used, as, for
instance, for the automatic ignition of gas heating apparatus, or gas stoves,
for the ignition of gas engines, and the like.
Lastly, it may be remarked that instead of platinum sponge, platinum black
may be employed, and that the sponge or the black, as well as the wires, instead
of being of platinum, may be of a platinum metal, such as palladium, iridium,
osmium, rhodium or ruthenium or of an alloy of these metals.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that
what I claim is:-
A process for the automatic ignition of lighting gas, consisting in causing a
current of lighting gas to come into contact with the sponge or black of any
suitable platinum metal, fixed upon a suitable support, so that the heat deve-
loped heats one or several wires of a platinum metal, that the free ends of the
heated wires come likewise into contact with the current of lighting gas, and
that after having become incandescent these wires ignite the gas, substantially
as herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of October 1889.
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C.