OR IMPROVED APPARATUS AND MEANS FOR TURNING ON GAS JETS AND FOR IGNITING THE SAME
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Darling and Robert Murdoch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1881.
JOHN DARLING and ROBERT MURDOCH, both of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, 'North Britain. "NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS AND MEANS FOR
TURNING ON GAS JETS AND FOR IGNITING THE SAME."
The said Invention relates to new or improved apparatus and means for turning
on gas jets and for igniting the same, and has for its object to cause the turning on
and the lighting of gas jets by one movement of the tap or plug by which the gas
jet is turned on. According to the said Invention the plug carries near to the gas
jet a holder for holding the pellets or pieces of composition of phosphorous by
which the igniting flame is produced, there being two receptacles or recesses in the
side of the said holder for these pellets, the said receptacles being opposite each
other in a diametrical line, which is transverse to the gas supply pipe when the
gas is turned off, and which is brought coincident with the line of the gas pipe
when the gas is turned on by rotating the tap through one fourth of a rotation.
A long casing in line with the gas pipe is filled with the pellets or pieces of
composition for igniting, the said pellets being arranged in line and pressed
forward by a spring, so that a pellet is passed from the casing into one or other of
the receptacles in the holder when such receptacle is brought before the opening of
the pellet casing which is on the side of the holder farthest from the jet. The
said pellet holder revolves in a casing and is slotted with circumferential slots, in
which engage on the one side of the gas jet spikes for igniting the pellets and on
the other side spikes or scrapers for cleaning out the exploded pellet. When the
plug of the gas tap is turned through a quarter rotation the gas is turned on at the
jet and a pellet in one of the receptacles in the holder is exploded by the spike or
spikes aforesaid, the flame from the said explosion being preferably directed upward
to the gas jet by guides to ensure ignition of the gas by the said flame, at the
same time a pellet is received in the other receptacle for igniting the jet the next
time. When the gas is turned off the cleansing scrapers clean from the one
receptacle the exploded pellet, and the other receptacle containing a pellet is carried
through a quarter rotation of the holder towards the gas jet for igniting it at the
next turning on of the gas. Thus at each turning on of the gas, a pellet in the

page_text: receptacle of the holder nearest the gas jet is exploded and ignites the gas at the
jet, and at the same time a pellet is received by the receptacle of the holder on
the opposite side for explosion at the next turning on of the gas. A pawl and
ratchet or other equivalent means may be provided to prevent the tap being turned
in the wrong direction.
The pellets employed are or may be made of the usual composition of phosphorous
employed for matches, but preferably with a greater proportion of phosphorous.
As the said pellets must be protected from risk of explosion by friction against
each other whilst in the carrier, the said pellets are protected with a non explosive
skin or covering, which may be flour paste, or gum, or other suitable substance.
The exploding spikes will cut through this coating to explode the pellets.
The pellets may be fed to the holder otherwise than as described, for example,
they may be dropped into a recess in the said holder from above and then carried
round and ignited, essentially as herein before described.