A Combined Tap, Bye-pass, and Automatic Igniter for Incandescent Gas Lamps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Combined Tap, Bye-pass, and Automatic Igniter for Incandescent
Gas Lamps.
I, JOHN FREDERICK DUKE of 3 Union Square, Newington in the County of
London, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to the adaptation to incandescent gas lamps of automatic
igniters such as those described in my former Specifications No. 21032 of 1894 and
No. 969 of 1895, that is to say igniters containing platinum black, which when the
unignited gas caused to play upon it becomes heated and renders incandescent a
platinum wire leading therefrom to a position near the outlet of the burner, the gas
at the burner being thereby ignited by the incandescent wire.
In applying these automatic igniters in connection with a bye-pass and pilot jet to
existing incandescent gas lamps such for example as those of the Welsbach type it
has been found necessary to alter the existing fittings, and this has caused considerable
delay and expense.
Now the object of my invention is to provide a device comprising a tap, a bye-
pass and an automatic igniter which can be readily fitted to an incandescent lamp
by simply inserting the said device between the gas supply pipe and the burner.
In carrying out my invention, I construct the device as follows:-I form in the
shell or body of the tap a bye-way leading from the gas-way to the exterior; to this
bye-way I connect a bye-pass pipe, which when the device is in place extends up to
nearly the level of the atmospheric burner. At the upper part of this pipe is a small
gas outlet, and near the said outlet in a position where the issuing gas will play upon
it is the automatic igniter.
When it is required to ignite the atmospheric burner the tap is first partly turned
so as to allow gas to flow to the bye-pass pipe, but not to the atmospheric burner. The
gas issuing from the outlet at the upper part of this pipe plays upon the automatic
igniter, and the platinum wire of same is almost immediately rendered incandescent
and ignites the issuing gas, which thus constitutes a pilot jet. The tap is then further
turned to allow gas to How to the atmospheric burner, which then becomes ignited
from the pilot jet. The supply to the bye-pass pipe is preferably shut off before the
supply to the atmospheric burner is turned fully on.
The tap is preferably constructed with a groove in the side of the plug in such
position and of such length as to communicate between the gas supply and the bye-
way when the plug is fully turned on, and between the gas supply and the way
leading to the atmospheric burner when the plug is further turned, the communication
with both the bye-way and the atmospheric burner being closed when the tap is
turned off. And in order that the operator may turn the tap the exact distance for
supplying the bye-way a notch may be formed in the plug, or preferably in the usual
washer at the end of the plug, and a spring catch be fitted to the shell of the tap to
take into the notch when the tap has been turned the proper distance.
The bye-pass pipe should be made in two lengths the upper of which is detached
while the burner is being screwed into place; this upper length is then passed down
brough the gallery of the lamp and fitted to the lower length.
Dated this 15th day of August 1895:
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: A Combined Tap, Bye-pass, and Automatic Igniter for Incandescent
Gas Lamps.
I, JOHN FREDERICK DUKE late of 3 Union Square, Newington, but now of
160 Rosendale Road, West Dulwich in the County of London, Chemist, 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 :-
My invention has reference to the adaptation to incandescent gas lamps of automatic
igniters such as those described in my former Specifications No. 21032 of 1894 and
No. 969 of 1895, that is to say igniters containing platinum black, which when the
unignited gas
is caused to play upon it becomes heated and renders incandescent a
platinum wire leading therefrom to a position near the outlet of the burner, the gas
at the burner being thereby ignited by the incandescent wire.
In applying these automatic igniters in connection with a bye-pass and pilot jet
to existing incandescent. gas lamps such for example as those of the Welsbach type
it has been found necessary to alter the existing fittings, and this has caused considerable
delay and expense.
Now the object of my invention is to provide a device comprising a tap, a bye-
pass and an automatic igniter which can be readily fitted to an incandescent lamp by
simply inserting the said device between the gas supply pipe and the burner.
In carrying out my invention 1 construct the device as follows:-I form in the
shell or body of the tap a byė-way leading from the gas way to the exterior; to this
bye-way I connect a bye-pass pipe which when the device is in place extends up to
nearly the level of the atmospheric burner. At the upper part of this pipe is a small
gas outlet and near the said outlet in a position where the issuing gas will play upon
it is the automatic igniter.
When it is required to ignite the atmospheric burner the tap is first partly turned
so as to allow gas to flow to the bye-pass pipe, but not to the atmospheric burner.
The gas issuing from the outlet at the upper part of this pipe, plays upon the automatic
igniter and the platinum wire of same is almost immediately rendered incandescent
and ignites the issuing gas, which thus constitutes a pilot jet. The tap is then further
turned to allow gas to flow to the atmospheric burner, which then becomes ignited
from the pilot jet. The supply to the bye-pass pipe is preferably shut off before the
supply to the atmospheric burner is turned fully on.
The tap is preferably constructed with a groove in the side of the plug in such
position and of such length as to communicate between the gas supply and the bye-
way when the plug is partly turned on, while communication between the gas supply
and the way leading to the atmospheric burner takes place through the main gas
way of the plug when the plug is further turned, the communication with both the
bye-way and the atmospheric burner being closed when the tap is turned off. And
in order that the operator may turn the tap the exact distance for supplying the bye-
way, a notch may be formed in the plug or preferably in the usual washer at the end
of the plug, and a spring catch be fitted to the shell of the tap to take into the notch
when the top has been turned the proper distance.
The bye-pass pipe should be made in two lengths the upper of which is detached
while the burner is being screwed into place; this upper length is then passed down
through the gallery of the lamp and fitted to the lower length.
The accompanying drawings represent the preferred way of constructing a combined
tap, bye-pass and automatic igniter in accordance with my invention and their
application to an incandescent gas lamp of the Welsbach type. Figure 1 is an
elevation with the lamp gallery in section. Figure 2 an elevation at right angles to
Figure 1 but partly in mid-section. Figure 3 is a plan. Figure 4 is a fragmentary

page_text: levation looking in the direction of the arrow 4 in Figure 1. The chimney and
the incandescing mantle are not shown and the figures are drawn to an enlarged
: cale.
a is the piece which connects with the gas supply; it is formed in one with the
shell of the tap and with a screw threaded continuation
of the burner is screwed.
to which the lower part d
e is the plug of the tap and the handle or finger piece
for turning it. gg are the ordinary inlets for atmospheric air and h is the perforated
nozzle through which the gas passes before mixing with the air. is the annular-
piece of gauze where the mixture of gas and air is burnt and k is the burner cap.
constituting the support for the mantle.
b
In the plug e of the tap is formed a small gas way and in the shell is a small
gas way n with which the gas-way comes into coincidence (as seen in Figure 2) at.
a certain position of the plug e. The gas way n is in communication with the pilot
jet as hereinafter described. When the gas is turned off no gas passes either to the
gas way (and thence to the pilot jet) or to the burner proper; but when the plug e
is given a partial turn to approximately the extent seen in Figure 2 the gas ways
I and n are in coincidence and sufficient gas for the pilot jet passes from the supply
pipe to the gas ways and n. To the end of the plug e is secured a washer e by
means of the screw e². In the washere is a recess e³ with which a stud or projection e
on a spring e fixed to the exterior of the shell engages and thereby acts as a stop.
when the pluge has been turned far enough to bring the gas ways and n into
coincidence. Gas will thus pass through the ways and n to the pilot jet without.
mixing with the air and before the main gas way of the plug comes into
coincidence with the main pipe leading from the tap to the burner proper. The pilot
jet can thus be ignited with non-atmospheric gas before any gas is turned on to the
burner proper. Then, as will be readily understood on inspection of Figure 2, on
turning the tap further the gas passes through the main gas way m of the plug to the
burner proper and will become ignited from the pilof jet and the supply to the pilot
jet is cut off when the tap while being turned on to the full extent reaches a point at
which the gas ways and n are out of coincidence.
I will now proceed to describe the communication between the gas way n and the
pilot jet and the manner in which the pilot jet is automatically ignited. To the
outer end of the gas way n is connected a bye-pass pipe at the upper end of which
is a pilot jet x. To the pipe near its upper part is connected by means of an
arm van automatic gas igniter y consisting preferably of a small block of meerschaum
in the pores of which platinum black is contained and there is a platinum wire z led
from the meerschaum block to a position near the outlet of the jet . The construction
and action of this automatic gas igniter are fully described in the Specification of
my Patent No. 969 of 1895 but it may be here shortly explained that the gas issuing
from the jet plays upon the platinum black and by the heat due to the reaction
between the oxygen occluded by the platinum black and the hydrogen of the gas.
renders the wire incandescent and this wire then ignites the gas at the pilot jet c..
Then when the gas is turned on to the main burner this becomes ignited by the
flame of the pilot jet. The bye pass pipe is preferably made in two lengths as
shown which can be fitted together by means of a collar or sleeve fixed to the
lower length, the upper length which carries the pilot jet and igniter y being
passed down through an opening of the gallery A and through an aperture formed
for the purpose in the lower disc or piece B and being then fitted into the sleeve
as shown.
It will be seen that the combination consisting of the tap and its shell 6 and
connecting parts a and c the bye-pass pipe v, the pilot jet and the igniter y
constitute a device which can be readily applied by an inexperienced person to existing
gas lamps of the Welsbach type. It is for this purpose only necessary to unscrew
he Welsbach burner from the existing tap, to unscrew this tap from the supply pipe,
o screw the part a upon the supply pipe to screw the Welsbach burner upon the
C, the upper length of the pipe being temporarily removed, and then to pass.
his length down through the gallery A and disc B and fit it to the lower length.
art

page_text: 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. A device consisting of a combined tap, bye-pass and automatic igniter which
can be fitted to an incandescent lamp by simply inserting the said device between
the gas supply pipe and the burner, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The special construction substantially as hereinbefore described and represented
in the accompanying drawings of a combined tap, bye-pass and automatic igniter for
incandescent lamps, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 11th day of May 1896
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.