Improvements in and connected with Vapor Burners for Heating Purposes, and for the Production of Light with a Mantle, and Means of Lighting them.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Vapor Burners for Heating
Purposes, and for the Production of Light with a Mantle, and
Means of Lighting them.
JAMES TARBOTTON ARMSTRONG of 64 Aldersgate Street, London, E.C. Engineer
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 to vapor burners in which the retort, wherein the vapor
is generated, by the heat of combustion, from petroleum, or other suitable liquid
hydrocarbon, is located below the point where combustion takes place. It has heretofore
been found difficult to supply to the retort, the proper proportion of heat to enable
it to generate vapor of the proper density, so that the said vapor, when mixed
with a suitable proportion of air, will give a maximum heating effect with a minimum
consumption of fuel.
In burners of the old kind, in which the retort was situated above the point of
combustion, a considerable waste of fuel took place, owing to the vapor being
generated too rapidly, resulting, in a noise caused by the vapor being violently
forced through a nozzle only sufficiently large, to allow the proper quantity to pass,
and thereby setting up a vibration which would be destructive to a mantle such as
is used for incandescent lighting purposes.
In other burners, having the retort located below the point of combustion, tho
flame has been mado to part with a considerable proportion of its heat in heating
conducting parts which have been depended upon to convey the required heat to the
retort.
The objection to this method is, that, in the first place the flame is not so hot;
that much more heat than is necessary for heating the retort is used, to allow for the
loss by radiation from tho conducting parts between the flame and the retort; and
that a draught upon the said conducting parts or the retort, materially curtails the
efficiency of the said retort.
The object of my present invention is the production of a burner in which the retort
is heated in an efficient and economical way, and in which the resulting vapor is mixed
with a suitable proportion of air, whereby complete, and a practically noiseless
combustion is obtained without smell and an exceedingly hot flame produced with
which a mantle may be rendered incandescent for the production of light, or the said
heat may be used for any other purpose.
To effect this purpose I divide the vapor, soon after it, leaves the air mixing chamber,
which is immediately over the retort, into two parts, in a manner which allows the
inner portion, which has not been thoroughly mixed with air, to pass upward to be
admixed with a further quantity (of air) before reaching the burner, while the outer
portion which received its quantum of air, in the air mixing chamber, is used to heat
the retort, near which it is burnt, so that the loss by radiation between the point of its
combustion and the said retort may be minimised.
My said invention also refers to a novel way of governing the amount of heat
conducted to the retort; a novel way of igniting the burner by means of an electric
current, and to a switch whereby, the igniting device and a needle valve for controlling
the supply of vapor are operated.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe my invention reference being made to the accompanying
drawings in which like letters indicate like parts:-
Fig. 1. shows, in vortical section, my improvements applied to a lamp, provided
with a mantle for illuminating purposes.
Fig. 2. is a transverse section, taken on the line-a in Fig. 1. showing a detail of
the switch for operating the electrical ignition dovice.
Fig. 3. is a detail of the burner shown in plan.
Fig. 4. is a vertical section of my improved vapor burner adapted for ordinary
heating purposes, and,
Fig. 5. is an elevation showing the same applied to a stove of well known form
provided with the usual arrangements for ignition.
To a suitable fuel reservoir A (Fig. 5.) provided with means of conveying the
liquid fuel to the retort, and other necessary parts, all of well known and of usual
construction, I apply a tube, B, the upper end of which forms the retort, C.
At the top of the retort, C, is a nozzle, c, through which the vapor issues into the
air mixing chamber, D, the nozzle, c, being provided with a needle valve, c¹, the
operation of which will hereinafter be described.
The air mixing chamber, D, consists of a hollow vessel having holes, d, in its sides
through which the air, to be mixed with the vapor is drawn by it in passing through
the said mixing chamber, D, on its way to the burner, E.
The air mixing chamber D is provided with a socket, d', adapted to enclose the
retort C which it heats by conduction and by which it is supported. At the top of
the air mixing chamber, 1), is a hollow neck, d, terminating in a downwardly curved
flange, ; which nearly encloses tho space D¹ around the neck, d³, the said flange, d³,
having a series of holes, a', (see Fig. 3.) communicating with the said space D'.
In the hollow neck D' is placed a short tube D2 of enlarged diameter at its top, d,
over which is placed another short tube E' of smaller diameter supported by a conical
casing E3 which is supported by the downwardly curved flange, 3, there being a
layer of asbestos or other suitable non conductor of heat, do, between them.
This short tube E' serves the purpose of dividing the mixed vapor and air, as it
expands in the enlarged part, d³, of the tube D¹ into two parts, the central one of
which continues its upward course through the said tube E' into the burner proper, as
will be hereinafter described, while the other and outer portion, with which the air in
the air mixing chamber, D, came into more intimate contact and with which it was
more thoroughly admixed is deflected into the conical casing E' from which it passes
through the holes d', in the downwardly curved flange, ³, into the space D' where it
is burnt to supply heat to the retort, C, to which it is near.
The upper end of this tube E' leads into a cylindrical chamber, e, having holes e¹, in
its sides below the top of the said tube E' so that the vapor in passing through the
said tube E will draw in the required further quantity of air, through the said
holes, e', as it passes into the neck, e, on its way to the enlarged part, e³, from which
the mixed air and vapor issue through a wire gauze, et, or other suitable perforations
to be burnt.
Around the part, e³, and over the burner is placed a mantle F which is supported
by a suitably hooked part,/, located outside the mantle and adjustably held in position
by a set screw, f, or in any other suitable way. Surrounding the tube B is an outer
sleeve or casing G which rests upon the collar, g, secured to the tube B and which is
held concentrically with the said tube B by the bush, g', made of porcelain or other
non-conductor of heat. This sleeve G has near its top a circular rack, 92, which
engages the pinion, c, of the needle valve, c', so as to operate it when the said sleeve G
is turned. It also carries the insulated moveable contact, g³, of the switch through
which the ignition device is actuated. This moveable contact, ³, in the position
shown in Fig. 1. and separately illustrated in Fig. 2. completes the circuit through a
stationary contact, h, carried by an insulating sleeve H attached to the tube B
whereby an electric current is caused to pass along the wire, i, the resistance, I, the
wire, m, and into the tube B and thence through a ground into one pole of the battery

page_text: (not shown) the other pole of which is connected with the moveable contact, g³,
through the wire, n.
The resistance, l, is wound around but insulated from the socket, d', of the air
mixing chamber, which encloses the retort C the said resistance, 1, when heated up
by the passage of the current, being adapted to, in turn, heat the said retort C
through the socket, d', sufficiently to generate the initial charge of vapor for starting
the burner. While the initial charge is being generated, the nozzlo is closed owing
to the position of the rack, g, which operates the needle valve, c².
When sufficient vapor has been generated the sleeve G is turned in the direction
of the arrow in Fig. 2. until the moveable contact, g³, breaks the circuit through the
stationary contact, h, and makes another circuit through the other stationary contact, h.
In turning the sleeve G the rack, 92, operates the needle valve, e', through the pinion, c³,
so that the vapor will now be free to pass through the nozzle, c, into the burner. In
the new position the current is caused to pass along the wire, i, and the resistances, »,
and,, which are thereby heated and ignite the vapor and air as it issues through
the wire gauze, e', and from the space D' the current passing from the resistances, r,
and, r, into the fittings, thence through the pipe B and a ground, back to the battery.
The sleeve G is also provided at the top with a casing G₁ whose purpose is to protect
the enclosed parts from the cold atmosphere. This casing G' has holes, g', so placed
as not to be opposite the holes, d, of the air mixing chamber D tho object being to
prevent currents of air such as a draught from passing direct into the said mixing
chamber D. Advantage is also taken of the method of supporting the air mixing
chamber D for governing the amount of heat conducted by it to the retort, in the
following way-It is found that as the socket, d¹, gets botter its efficiency as a
conductor is diminished owing to the expansion which increases the air space between
it and the retort C. The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The sleeve G
is first turned into the position shown in the drawings," in which the needle
valve, c', is closed and the electric current closed through the resistance, 7, which heats
the retort C thereby enabling it to generate the initial charge of vapor, whereafter the
said sleeve G is turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2. whereby the circuit
through the resistance, 1, is broken, the needle valve, el, opened and the circuit closed
through the resistances, r, and, r, which are made hot and so ignite the vapor which
being now free to pass through the nozzle, c, issues from the space D'and through the
burner proper at e. The vapor issues from the nozzle, c, into the air mixing
chamber D in a column, and in passing througli the said air mixing chamber D draws
in a supply of air which comes into contact with and is more thoroughly mixed with
the outer portion or walls of such column of vapor. This column of vapor as it
rises and expands comes in contact with the lower edge of the short tube E which
pares off the outer portion of it and deflects it downwards through the holes, d',
the space D' from which it issues and is burnt in contact with the upper and larger
part of the air mixing chamber D which is thereby heated and in turn heats the
retort, wherein the vapor is generated, by conduction. The central part of tho
column of vapor passes upwards through the short tube E' into the neck, e, drawing
in with it a further supply of air through the holes, e', with which it is mixed and
thereafter burnt at et.
into
In Figs. 4, and, 5, my improved burner is shown as applied for ordinary heating
purposes, the only material difference being in the form of the burner proper, ex, and
the means of generating the initial charge, which is well known and consists of a
saucer A', adapted to contain methylated spirits or other like combustible liquid by
the heat of whose combustion the retort is heated and the vapor necessary for igniting
the burner generated. In like manner I may use my hereinbefore described device
for generating the initial charge of vapor and igniting the same by means of an
electric current, in connection with other vapor burners.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
-
1. A vapor burner in which a portion of the vanor from the ratart which bag been

page_text: intermixed with a suitable proportion of air, is soparated from the main portion and
burnt near the retort to supply it with heat, while the remaining portion of the said
vapor passes on and is supplied with a further quantity of air with which it is mixed,
and thereafter consumed at the burner proper, in a manner substantially as described
in the specification and for the purposes therein set forth.
2. A vapor burner consisting of a retort having a suitable nozzle through which
vapor may pass into an air mixing chamber immediately above it the said air mixing
chamber having a socket adapted to enclose the said retort and being provided with
air holes also having a hollow neck through which the vapor and air pass and a tubo
located over the said hollow neck whereby the vapor and air are divided; the said
tube being supported in such a manner by a casing as to deflect a part of said vapor
and air downwards through the holes in a flange (forming part of the said hollow
neck) into a space nearly enclosed by it the air mixing chamber and the said hollow
neck, from which space the said vapor and air issue through an annular throat
surrounding the air mixing chamber in contact with which it is burnt and by which
the heat of combustion is conducted through its socket to the retort which it
encloses; while the remainder of tho vapor that passes through the hollow neck is
permitted to pass upwards through the centre of the dividing tube into a chamber
having holes which supply the required further quantity of air to produce complete
combustion, all combined and arranged substantially as described in the specification
and for the purposes therein set forth.
3. In a vapor burner substantially as described in the preceeding claims, the
means of generating the initial charge of vapor and igniting the same electrically,
consisting of a switch, the, moveable contact of which is attached to and operated by
a sleeve, by which the supply of vapor is controlled through a circular rack, with
which it is provided, and a pinion which operates a valve, the said moveable contact
being adapted to closo an electric circuit through a suitably located stationary contact,
when the valve is closed whereby a platinum wire or other suitable resistance wound
around but insulated from the retort or a part enclosing such retort is heated the
said moveable contact breaking this contact and closing another electric circuit
through a second suitably located contact when the needle valve is open, whereby
suitably located resistances in this second circuit are heated so as to ignite the
vapor as it issues from the burner substantially as described and for the purposes set
forth in the specification.
4. In a vapor burner, in which the retort is heated by conduction, the use of a
retort enclosed by the conducting part so that the efficiency of such conductor will be
decreased as it gets hotter owing to its expansion whereby the air space between it
and the retort will be increased and conversely, substantially as described and for the
purposes set forth in the specification.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting an electrically ignited
vapor burner for incandescent lighting purposes substantially as described with
reference to Figs. 1, 2, & 3.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 4. and 5.
vapor burner
11
1
35
1007
JAS. T. ARMSTRONG,
Applicant.