Improved Igniting Device for Gas and other Lamps.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improved Igniting Device for Gas and other Lamps.
I, ERNEST SCHMIDT, Electrician, of 44 Gartenstrasse, Berlin, Germany, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to devices for lighting gas and other lamps
automatically by means of electricity and consists of the details of construction
bereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.
And in order to render the present specification more easily intelligible reference
is had to the accompanying drawing in which similar letters of reference denote
similar parts throughout the several views:-
Fig. is a front elevation of the lower part of an incandescence gas burner
showing the igniting device with the cap or casing of the same in section,
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1, the cap being in section,
Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation showing the operation of the mechanism for
turning the gas cock on and off, the mechanism being in the position it occupies
when the cock has just been turned on,
Fig. 4 is a similar detail elevation showing the double pawl in the act of engaging
the opposite pin of the gas cock to turn the gas off on the next movement of the
armature controlling the said pawl,
Fig. 5 is a similar elevation showing the armature attracted by the electromagnet
and the cock turned off.
Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation of the cock employed in connection with the
present device and
Fig. 7 a horizontal section through the burner tube taken just above the armature
pivot and showing the double armature in plan view.
According to the present invention the whole igniting mechanism, with the
exception of the battery is mounted on a base plate A¹ arranged at the lower part
of the burner tube and a partially rotating disc R is employed to turn the gas on
and off, although any other suitable cock might be used without departing from
the nature of the present invention. This disc may be seen in section at Figure 6
and is provided with depressions x and y on its facing and with a central bridge
piece w dividing the said depressions, whilst the gas-tube is provided with a lateral
facing on which the disc turns on a pivot said tube having a partition H' so that the
gas can only pass to the burner along the channel H through the depressions & and y,
and when the disc is turned so that the bridge w corresponds with the partition
end the gas supply will be cut off. The disc R is pivoted at a¹ to the partition
and provided with two substantially diametrically oppositely arranged pins a and b
over which the double pawl K which is actuated by the electromagnet A can
engage alternately and exercising a pull on same opens or closes the cock. The
cock is provided with a downwardly extending tail g which passes through a slot
in the base plate A' the ends of said slot forming stops for the movement of the
disc R as will be seen from Figure 1. Attached to the centre of the disc R is
a spring which engages the arm of the double pawl K in the following
manner-The double pawl K is loosely suspended from the projecting arm of a
double armature hereinafter to be described. When the armature is attracted,
the pawl is raised and when the same is released the pawl sinks to its lowest

page_text: position, the object of the spring c is to throw the pawl K or its corresponding
book under the hooks or pins a and b of the dise R'alternately thus for instance,
supposing the two pins a and b to be in the horizontal plane opposite each other
and the cock neither closed nor fully open, then the spring c will exercise no
pressure on the rod of the pawl. If now the cuck is fully opened by the action
of the armature as shown at Fig. 3 then the spring will have been turned by the
movement of the disc to which it is attached and will exercise pressure on the
pawl rod tending to push it to the right of Figure 3, as soon now as
the armature has been released the pawl will fall and the action of the spring c
will throw it under the pin b as shown at Figure 4.
On the next movement of the armature the pawl will pull the disc round in the
opposite direction by means of the pin and close the cock simultaneously turning
the spring in the opposite direction so that on the next release of the armature the
pawl on falling will be thrown under the pin a ready to turn the cock in the opposite
direction at the next movement of the armature.
The electromagnet A is mounted on the base plate A' and a double armature BC
is pivotally supported on pivots B B' fixed in the sides of the burner tube. The
arrangement of the armatures BC will be best seen from the Figures 12 and 7.
Both armatures are arranged to turn on the same pivots as clearly shown at
Figure 7 and the lower armature B is provided with a counterpoise G which pulls
it away from the magnet when the latter is not excited. The upper armature C
passes through a recess in the lower one B at a point above the electromagnet and
is capable of vibration on its pivots without influencing the armature B for a reason
hereinafter stated. The lower armature B is extended round behind the burner
tube looking from the magnet side of the same and carries at this side the double
pawl K which is loosely suspended therefrom so that a movement of the lower
armature B will operate the pawl K. The upper part C of the armature when
attracted will close a spark generating electric circuit by means of tubular
rods Z and Z. The outer rod Z¹ is fast on a plate on the burner tube and the
inner tube Z is insulated and vertically guided to slide within the tube Z' the upper
ends of the said tubes being formed to produce electric sparks when the armature
is attracted. The inner tube Z is normally held down with its upper bent round
end (Fig. 2) resting on the upper end of the tube Z¹ by means of an insulated
spring m mounted on the under side of the plate M and acting on the lower end of
the tube Z to keep the same down on the tube Z'. The lower end of the inner
tube Z is connected by a small tube r to the gas cock and its upper end is formed
to produce a jet flame, when the cock is opened, which will be ignited by the
electric sparks generated at this point.
One pole of the battery is connected to the contact screw P on the plate A
which is insulated from the gas tube of the burner and the other pole is connected
to the burner tube.
The end F of the upper armature C is formed to engage under the end of the
rod Z when this armature is attracted and push the same slightly upwards so
that electric sparks will be formed at the upper end of the tubes Z Z
When the current is sent through the apparatus both the armatures will be
attracted, one B opening the. gas cock in the manner already described and the
other C slightly raising the jet flame tube Z against the pressure of its spring m
so that gas will be fed to this tube through r and at the same time sparks will be
generated at the upper ends of Z and Z' and the jet flame lighted. On turning off
the current the armature will be released and the pawl will fall down ready to
engage the opposite pin of the disc R at the next attraction of the armature and
operate the cock in the opposite direction. The object of making the armature in
two parts B and C is that when sparks are produced at the upper ends of Z Z
by the contact of the end F' of the lever C with the lower end of Z, the latter is
liable to vibrate, and were the armature in one piece this vibration would be liable
to be communicated to the cock and cause the same to be turned partially back
possibly before the gas may have been lighted. In the present case the part C of

page_text: he armature is free to vibrate and cannot communicate its vibration to the part B
which remains in position on the electromagnet as long as the same is excited.
Instead of arranging a jet flame, it is obvious that the electric sparks may be
employed to ignite the gas direct without first igaiting the jet, but the latter is
preferable in connection with incandescent gas lamps.
Dated this 17th day of July 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
I, ERNEST SCHMIDT, Electrician, of 44 Gartenstrasse, Berlin, Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The present invention relates to devices for lighting gas and other lamps auto-
matically by means of electricity and consists of the details of construction herein-
after set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.
And in order to render the present specification more easily intelligible reference
is had to the drawing filed with my Provisional Specification in which similar letters
of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views :-
Fig. is a front elevation of the lower part of an incandescence gas burner
showing the igniting device with the cap or casing of the same in section,
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1, the cap being in section,
Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation showing the operation of the mechanism for
turning the gas cock on and off, the mechanism being in the position it occupies
when the cock has just been turned on,
Fig. 4 is a similar detail elevation showing the double pawl in the act of engaging
the opposite pin of the gas cock to turn the gas off on the next movement of the
armature controlling the said pawl,
Fig. 5 is a similar elevation showing the armature attracted by the electro-
magnet and the cock turned off.
Fig. 6 is a detail sectional elevation of the cock employed in connection with the
present device and
Fig. 7 a horizontal section through the burner tube taken just above the armature
pivot and showing the double armature in plan view.
According to the present invention the whole igniting mechanism, with the
exception of the battery is mounted on a hase plate A' arranged at the lower part
of the burner tube and a partially rotating disc R is employed to turn the gas on
and off, although any other suitable cock might be used without departing from
the nature of the present invention. This disc may be seen in section at Figure 6
and is provided with depressions x and y on its facing and with a central bridge
piece w dividing the said depressions, whilst the gas-tube is provided with a lateral
facing on which the disc turns on a pivot said tube having a partition H¹ so that
the gas can only pass to the burner along the channel H through the depressions
and y, and when the disc is turned so that the bridge w corresponds with the
partition end the gas supply will be cut off. The disc R is pivoted at a to
the partition and provided with two substantially diametrically oppositely arranged
pins a and b over which the double pawl K which is actuated by the electro-
magnet A can engage alternately ani exercising a pull on same opens or closes the
cock. The cock is provided with a downwardly extending tail 9 which passes

page_text: through a slot in the base plate A the ends of said slot forming stops for the
movement of the disc R as will be seen from Figure 1. Attached to the centre of
the disc R is a spring c which engages the arm of the double pawl K in the following
manner-The double pawl K is loosely suspended from the projecting arm of a
double armature hereinafter to he described. When the armature is attracted, the
pawl is raised and when the same is released the pawl sinks to its lowest position,
the object of the spring c is- to throw the pawl K or its correspon ling hook un ler
the hooks or pins a and b of the dise R alternately thus for instance, supposing the
two pins a and b to be in the horizontal plane opposite each other and the cock
neither closed nor fully open, then the spring e will exercise no pressure on the rod
of the pawl. If now the cock is fully opened by the action of the armature as
shown at Fig. 3 then the spring will have been turned by the movement of the disc
to which it is attached and will exercise pressure on the pawl rod tending to push
it to the right of Figure 3, as soon now as the armature has been released the pawl
will fall and the action of the spring e will throw it under the pin b as shown at
Figure 4.
On the next movement of the armature the pawl will pull the disc round in the
opposite direction by means of the pin b and close the cock simultaneously turning
the spring in the opposite direction so that on the next release of the armature the
pawl on falling will be thrown under the pin a ready to turn the cock in the
opposite direction at the next movement of the armature.
The electromagnet A is mounted on the base plate A' and a double armature BC
is pivotally supported on pivots B₁ B' fixed in the sides of the burner tube.
The arrangement of the armatures B C will be best seen from the Figures 12
and 7.
Both armatures are arranged to turn on the same pivots as clearly shown at
Figure 7 and the lower armature B is provided with a counterpoise G which pulls
it away from the magnet when the latter is not excited. The upper armature C
passes through a recess in the lower one B at a point above the electromagnet and
is capable of vibration on its pivots without influencing the armature B for a reason
hereinafter stated.
The lower armature B is extended round behind the burner tube looking from
the magnet side of the same and carries at this side the double pawl K which is
loosely suspended therefrom so that a movement of the lower armature B will
operate the pawi K. The upper part C of the armature when attracted will close
a spark generating electric circuit by means of tubular rods Z and Z. The outer
rod is fast on a plate on the burner tube and the inner tube Z is insulated and
vertically guided to slide within the tube Z the upper ends of the said tubes being
formed to produce electric sparks when the arinature is attracted. The inner
tube Z.is normally held down with its upper bent round end (Fig. 2) resting on the
upper end of the tube Z' by means of an insulated spring m mounted on the under
side of the plate M and acting on the lower end of the tube Z to keep the sume
down on the tube Z'. The lower end of the inner tube Z is connected by a small
tuber to the gas cuck and its upper end is formed to pruduce a jet flame, when
the cock is opened, which will be ignited by the electric sparks generated at this
point.
One pole of the battery is connected to the contact screw P on the plate A¹
which is insulated from the gas tube of the burner and the other pole is connected
to the burner tube.
The end F of the upper armature C is formed to engage under the end of the
rod Z when this armature is attracted and push the same slightly upwards so that
electric sparks will be formed at the upper end of the tubes Z Z
When the current, is sent through the apparatus both the armatures will be
attracted, one B opening the gas cock in the manner already described and the
other C slightly raising the jet flame tube Z against the pressure of its spring m
so that gas will be fed to this tube through and at the same tine sparks will be
generated at the upper euds of Z and Z and the jet flame lighted. On turning off

page_text: the current the armature will be released and the pawl will fall down ready to
engage the opposite pin of the disc R at the next attraction of the armature and:
operate the cock in the opposite direction. The object of making the armature in:
two parts B and C is that when sparks are produced at the upper ends of Z Z by:
the contact of the end F of the lever C with the lower end of Z, the latter is.
liable to vibrate, and were the armature in one piece this vibration would be liable.
to be communicated to the cock and cause the same to be turned partially back
possibly before the gas may have been lighted. In the present case the part Cof
the armature is free to vibrate and cannot communicate its vibration to the
part B which remains in position on the electromagnet as long as the same is
excited.
Instead of arranging a jet flame, it is obvious that the electric sparks may be
employed to ignite the gas direct without first igniting the jet, but the latter is
preferable in connection with incandescent gas lamps.
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 apparatus for automatically igniting gas and other lamps by means of
electric current which consists of an electromagnet having an armature consisting
of two independently moveable members, a gas coek operatively connected to one
member and an igniting device operatively connected to the other member, and
means for sending one and the same current through the electromagnet coils and
to the spark producing device substantially as described.
2. The combination of an electromagnet having an armature consisting of two
members, said two members being capable of reciprocatory movement on and round
the same pivots, a gas cock operatively connected with one member and an igniting
device operatively connected to the other member, and means for operating the
armature and the igniting device by one and the same current substantially as
described.
3. The combination of an electromagnet having a double armature as specified.
and means for connecting one member of said armature to the igniting device, a
gas cock and means for operatively connecting the other armature member thereto
consisting of a double pawl, suspended from said armature member and adapted to
engage alternately pins on the revoluble gas cock, and a spring attached to the
gas cock and rotated therewith said spring connected to the double pawl and
operating the same substantially as described.
4. The combination of an electromagnet having an armature consisting of two
members pivotally supported as specified, one of said members being operatively
connected to the gas cuck, and the other to an igniting device consisting of a hollow
rod extending in proximity to the burner, and a tabe insulated therein and capable
of substantially vertical movement therein, an insulated spring m to press said tube
downwards and an extension to said second member to engage the lower end of
said inner tube when the magnet is excited and electric connections to the magnet
and to the igniting device for the purpose substantially as described.
5. The combination of an electromagnet A having a double armature BC
pivotal connections for said armature to the burner tube at B', a cock R in the
burner tube consisting of a revoluble disc having pins a and b and recesses x y said
disc being pivotally connected to a partition dividing said burner tube, a double
pawl K suspended from the member B of the armature, and a spring actuated by
the rotation of the cock plug to throw the said double pawl in opposite directions
alternately and corresponding to the position of the cock, a conductor Z' fast on a
plate of the burner and extending in proximity to the burner head, a spring
actuated conductor Z insulated as regards the conductor Z' and adapted to form
therewith a spark producing head and means for transmitting the motion of the
armature member C to said conductor substantially as described.
6. The combination of an electromagnet having an armature consisting of two

page_text: members substantially as described, means for operatively connecting the one
member to a spark producing device, and; a spark producing device consisting of
a fixed hollow conductor Z' in connection with one pole of a battery, and a spring
actuated conductor Z connected to the other pole of the battery a jet flame orifice
at the top of the latter conductor and means for connecting the lower end of same
to the burner tube above the gas cock.
Dated this 19th day of January 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.