IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES AND BURNERS, AND REGULATING APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THERE WITH
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Wallace, of No. 16, Grove Villas, Grove
Street Road, N.E., for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES
AND BURNERS, AND REGULATING APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION
THERE WITH."
Sealed the 3rd September 1872, and dated the 2nd July 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wallace at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd July 1872.
I, JOHN WALLACE, of No. 16, Grove Villas, Grove Street Road, N.E.,
IMPROVEMENTS
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "
IN GAS STOVES AND BURNERS, AND REGULATING APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CON-
NECTION THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in gas stoves and
burners, and regulating apparatus to be used in connection therewith.
In constructing a gas stove I employ a series or ring of burners
burning gas and air. The burners may be arranged in the manner
described in my former Provisional Specification, No. 684, in the present
year. I place a plate over the burners; it has holes in it corresponding
in position with the burners, and the flame from each burner passes up

page_text: through one of the holes. Above the plate is a chimney, and the draught
of the chimney causes air to enter through the holes around the flames.
In this way I obtain a very perfect combustion. The gas passes to the
stove through a regulating apparatus consisting of a close chamber con-
taining air which expands and contracts as the temperature varies, and it
gives motion to mercury contained in a U form tube, with one limb of which
the air chamber is connected. The gas on its way to the burner enters
the other limb of the U tube by a pipe with a trumpet-shaped mouth, or
mouth of a large area. When the mercury rises up to this mouth it
closes the pipe and extinguishes the flames. When the mercury.
incovers the mouth of the pipe, the gas again passes, and it is re-ignited
by a small flame kept constantly burning. The adhesion between the
mercury and the mouth of the pipe and the area given to the mouth
cause the opening and closing of the gas passage to be sudden, so that
whenever the gas can pass at all the burners receive a sufficient
supply.
4
When gas is used to heat a steam boiler I maintain a uniform pressure
of steam by causing the steam pressure to act against a diaphragm in
direct communication with a single valve on the gas main; the
diaphragm is supported by a spring. When the pressure becomes
excessive it deflects the diaphragm and so closes the gas valve.
To regulate the air passing with the gas to the flame of a Bunsen
burner, I fit a cylindrical air valve to slide upon the burner tube, and I
control this valve by a cam upon the plug or key of the gas cock, so that
as the flow of gas is adjusted by the cock, a corresponding adjustment of
the air is effected. One quadrant of the cam gives to the flame as much
air as it will take, whilst another quadrant gives a considerably smaller
proportion. The cam also in another part allows the air valve to remain
closed whilst the gas is allowed to flow; in this way three different sorts
of flame can be obtained from one burner.
Where a series of Bunsen burners are used, I have one valve or
apparatus common to all the burners for regulating the air to be used
with the gas.
This valve is connected with the gas valve or cock.
I also in some cases connect with the gas cock a damper, which
regulates the draft in the chimney already described, to prevent the
flames from being extinguished when the gas is turned low.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Wallace in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd January 1873.
i
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WALLACE, of No. 16, Grove Villas, Grove Street Road, N.E., send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Wallace, Her special license that
I, the said John Wallace, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Wallace, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS STOVES AND
BURNERS, AND REGULATING APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Wallace, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Wallace, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in gas stoves and
burners, and regulating apparatus to be used in connection therewith. .
In constructing a gas stove I employ a series or ring of burners
burning gas and air. The burners may be arranged in the manner
described in my former Provisional Specification, No. 634, in the present

page_text: year: I place a plate over the burners; it has holes in it corresponding
in position with the burners, and the flame from each burner passes up
through one of the holes. Above the plate is a chimney or flue, and the
draught of the chimney causes air to enter through the holes around
the flames. In this way I obtain a very perfect combustion, and no
more air than is necessary passes into the flue. The gas passes to the
stove through a regulating apparatus consisting of a close chamber con-
taining air, which expands and contracts as the temperature varies, and
it gives motion to mercury contained in a U form tube, with one limb of
which the air chamber is connected. The gas on its way to the burner
leaves the other limb of the U tube by a pipe with a trumpet-shaped
mouth, or mouth of a large area parallel to the surface of the mercury.
When the 'mercury rises up to this mouth it closes the pipe and
extinguishes the flames. When the mercury uncovers the mouth of the
pipe, the gas again passes, and it is re-ignited by a small flame kept
constantly burning. The adhesion between the mercury and the mouth
of the pipe and the area given to the mouth cause the opening and
closing of the gas passage to be sudden, so that whenever the gas can
pass at all the burners receive a sufficient supply to light them all.
When gas is used to heat a steam boiler I maintain a uniform
pressure of steam by causing the steam pressure to act against a
diaphragm in communication with a valve on the gas main; the
diaphragm is supported by a spring. When the pressure becomes
excessive it deflects the diaphragm, and so closes the gas valve, and at
the same time closes a damper in the flue, as herein-after described.
To regulate the air passing with the gas to the flame of a Bunsen
burner I fit a cylindrical air valve to slide upon the burner tube, and I
control this valve by a cam upon the plug or key of the gas cock, so
that as the flow of gas is adjusted by the cock a corresponding adjust-
ment of the air is effected. One quadrant of the cam gives to the flame
as much air as it will take, whilst another quadrant gives a considerably
smaller proportion. The cam also in another part allows the air valve
to remain closed whilst the gas is allowed to flow; in this way three
different sorts of flame can be obtained from one burner.
Where a series of Bunsen burners are used I have one valve or
apparatus common to all the burners for regulating the air to be used
with the gas. This valve is connected with the gas valve or cock.

page_text: I also in some cases connect with the gas cock a damper, which
regulates the draft in the chimney already described to prevent the
flames from being extinguished when the gas is turned low. This may
be used in connection with the pressure regulator of the boiler.
I also in some cases connect with the gas cock a damper, which
regulates the draft in the chimney already described to prevent the
flames from being extinguished when the gas is turned low. This may
be used in connection with the pressure regulator of the boiler.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I have in the Drawings hereunto annexed shewn a
gas stove burner and regulating apparatus constructed as above
Figure 1 shews a vertical section of the gas stove.
a, a, are the
burners; b, the plate above them having a hole through it, as shewn
above each burner; c is the chimney or flue carried by the plate b.
This flue produces a quick draft through the holes in the plate, as
indicated by the arrows. The air thus induced strikes the flame at the
base, and renders combustion complete even when the richest hydro-
carbon gases are used. The chamber a*, which carries the burners a, is
supplied with a mixture of gas and air from the gas jet d and concentric
air cones e. The gas jet receives its supply of gas by the pipe f, which
leads from the regulating apparatus shewn in vertical section at
Figure 2. This apparatus is composed of the U shaped tube y con-
taining mercury; each limb of this tube at its upper end is formed into
a chamber, as shewn; one of these is supplied with gas through the
pipe h, and has descending into it the bell-mouth tube h*, which is by
preference of glass. The closed chamber at the end of the other limb is
by a pipe i connected to an air vessel k, made by preference of thin
sheet copper, and provided with an air-tight valve l. This air or
expansion chamber is fixed at a suitable distance from the stove. When
the stove is lit, and the bell mouth of the tube * is opened, the air
within and around the expansion chamber & becomes gradually heated
and expanded. When any desired temperature is reached, and the
valve / is closed, then the air in the chamber has a volume corresponding
to the temperature of the external air; but if any rise in the temperature
takes place the volume of the air in the chamber / increases, and
causes the mercury to rise up to the bell mouth of the tube x and outs
off the gas suddenly, so as to extinguish all the flames of the burners.
When the temperature again falls, the air in the chamber & contracts,
and the mercury again falls below the bell-mouth tube h*. When the

page_text: mercury becomes detached from the bell mouth it falls clear away from
the mouth, leaving sufficient space for gas to supply all the burners at
once, and the gas is again ignited at the burners by a small jet of gas m
which is constantly lit. This jet is supplied with gas by a by-pass n, as
shewn. By this means an even temperature can be maintained as
required without attention.
At Figure 3 I have shewn a plan view of a similar gas stove to be
used without the regulating apparatus shewn at Figure 2. In this stove
the area of the top of the chimney or flue c can be enlarged or decreased
by a damper o. This is worked in conjunction with the gas cock which
controls the admission of gas to the burners, so that the draught is
adjusted to the amount of gas that is being consumed. The damper is
shewn by dotted lines in Figure 1, and also the upper portion of the
rod o' by which it is connected to the plug of the gas cock.
ist
When gas is used to heat a steam boiler, I, as before stated, maintain a
uniform pressure of steam by causing the steam pressure to act against
a diaphragm in connection with a damper to control the draught
through the flue, and also in connection with a valve on the gas main.
An arrangement of apparatus suitable for this purpose is shewn at
Figure 4. In this apparatus a is a flexible diaphragm, or it might be a
bag of india-rubber contained in a chamber 6, in which is a piston c held
down on to the diaphragm or bag by the lever d, which is drawn down
on to it by a spring or weight. fis a pipe conveying water from the
boiler to the space below the diaphragm, or to the interior of the bag, if
a bag is employed. One end of the lever by a rod e controls the move-
ment of the damper, whilst the opposite end of the lever controls the gas
valve. There is a flexible metallic plate with tongues radiating inwardly
which lies between the piston and the diaphragm, and prevents the
rubber from swelling out of shape at the edge or circumference of the
piston when it rises. The outer edge of the flexible plate is held firmly
between the flanges of the casing of regulator.
в
Figures 5 and 6 shew a side and an end elevation of the improved
Bunsen lamp. The key of the gas cock carries a cam d which lifts the
air valve c, admitting the proper proportion of air to rise with the gas
before it is burnt. One quadrant of the cam gives to the gas as much
air as it will take without exploding; another quadrant gives a less
proportion, whilst the remaining half leaves the air valve shut while the

page_text: gas passes, thus producing the oxidizing, reducing, and light flames by
the turning of the cock.
When a series of Bunsen burners are used, I have, as before stated,
one cam or eccentric common to all the burners for regulating the air to
be used with the gas.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
1. The combination of a diaphragm plate and flue with a gas burner,
substantially as herein described.
2. The combined arrangement of regulating apparatus, substantially
as herein described, to adjust, cut off, and relight gas at a gas burner.
3. The employment of a damper connected to a gas cock or valve to
control the draught in the flue of a gas burner.
4. The employment of a diaphragm or flexible chamber in combination
with a damper and gas cock or valve, substantially as herein described,
to maintain an even pressure of steam in steam boilers heated by gas.
5. The employment of an eccentric or cam upon the plug or key of
the gas cock or valve of a Bunsen's burner or burners to control the
admission of air to the burner, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Wallace, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.