IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE IGNITION OF INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES AND GASES BY ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE PROVISIONAL SP
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Otway Edward Woodhouse, Frederick Lawrence
Rawson and Alexander Reid Molison of Queen Victoria St. in the City of
London Electricians for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR THE IGNITION OF INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES AND GASES BY ELECTRICAL
DISCHARGE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Otway Edward Woodhouse,
Frederick Lawrence Rawson, and Alexander Reid Molison at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd October 1883.
OTWAY EDWARD WOODHOUSE, FREDERICK LAWRENCE RAWSON, and ALEXANDER
REID MOLISON, of Queen Victoria Street in the City of London, Electricians,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE IGNITION OF INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES
AND GASES BY ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE"
Our invention relates to the adaptation, by improved adjuncts, of the hermetically
closed self-inductive electrical machine, (patented to the said Alexander Reid
Molison under date March twelfth, eighteen hundred and eighty three, and
numbered 1295) or of modifications thereof, and hereinafter more particularly
described, and to the ignition of inflammable substances such as powder, or of gases,
such as coal gas or spirit, by electrical discharge.
The self inductive electrical machine, as described in the Specification numbered
1295, and dated March twelfth 1883, consists of the type known by the name of
"Varley" or "Voss," enclosed in a case, which may be hermetically sealed, and
with one of the induction plates weighted, so that the relative necessary rotation
of the induction plates to one another, may be obtained by the rotation of the
case on fixed bearings, or by the revolution or swinging of the case in a suitable
plane.
In combination with the adjuncts hereinafter described, we may either employ
the hermetically closed induction machine as above described, or modify its
construction in the following manner:-One induction disc may be attached to the

page_text: fixed box cover or frame, and the other disc rotated on an axle carried through the
box cover, with external thumb screw.
Or, the axle passing through the box covers may be fixed, and carry rigidly
one induction disc, whilst the other may be rotated with the external box cover or
frame.
The rotating box cover or axle in all the above alternative arrangements may be
combined with a recoil spring or trigger, or with a spring drum and ratchet, to
produce automatic rotation of the induction discs, by the reaction of the springs
after setting.
We may also use certain internal modifications in the self induction machine;
viz. instead of the brushes we may employ twisted loops of wire, pressing by
their elasticity upon the surface of one of the revolving induction discs. We also
construct the collecting armatures of tin-foil, which we find of advantage to aid
rapid induction.
The inductive surfaces of the electrical machine may be disposed on cylinders if
desired
To adapt the above described alternative forms of self inductive electrical
machine to the purposes of ignition, we combine either or any of them with the
following mechanisms, to effect their respective purposes most advantageously.
The electrical machine may be conveniently combined with a recoil spring or
trigger, external to the box, which may be drawn back into tension by the hand,
and released at will by a thumb-spring, so as to cause the rotation of the electrical
machine, by the recoil elasticity of the spring. Or a spring barrel wound as in
clock work, and connected to the electrical machine by multiplying speed gear,
may be applied to the electrical machine for the same purpose.
To effect the ignition of inflammable substances;-for domestic gas lighting
purposes, we place the self inductive machine in an open forked frame, conveniently
below or above a handle formed to suit the grasp of the operator.
The wires from the two collectors of opposite polarity are electrically insulated
and led up a tube, which extends to a suitable distance above the handle. The
tube terminates with a coned head of some insulating material, through the centre
of which projects one of the aforesaid wires. The other wire terminates on the
side of the insulating tip, below the coue, and is there naked and exposed. A top
piece of metal, forming an open bridge above a lower ring, fits tightly over the
terminal cone, making electrical contact with the exposed wire at one side, and
having the bridge piece close over the central pointed wire, and within a distance
over which the spark is able to leap, to complete the electrical circuit. When the
head of this apparatus is placed in a jet of unlighted inflammable gas, and the
electrical machine is rotated by hand or by means of the rotating mechanism
hereinbefore described so as to develope sparks, the jet of gas is at once ignited.
To further elongate the apparatus when required, an intermediato tube or tubes
may be fitted by the operator upon the top of the first tube, instead of the metal
bridge, so that metallic contact is made by insulated conductors, both against tho
side exposed wire, and against the point of the central wire.
1
If the elongating piece terminates in a similar cone and wires as the first tube 4
does, a further elongating tube may again be added, or the metal bridge piece may
be fitted thereon to develope the igniting spark.
If the first and successive elongating tubes are made of metal, the tube will serve
as one of the conductors instead of the side insulated wire, the central wire being
insulated in the centre of the tube. In that case also one of the collecting loops.
in the electrical machine can be dispensed with, contact being made through the
frame, with the case as one pole of the electrical machine.
This appliance may be fitted as a fixture to a gas bracket, the sparking wires
being carried permanently to a suitable position over the gas jet. The rotation of
the electrical machine, fixed conveniently below the bracket, would at once cause 5
ignition when the gas is turned on.
We may mount the above described appliance upon a gas engine frame,, so that

page_text: the self inductive electrical drum may be rotated by a strap or other convenient
means from any rotating part of the engine. By a modification in the upper
sparking tube, the electrical spark of discharge (which may be concentrated in a
condenser if required) may be brought to the explosible charge of gas and air, and
thus effect ignition.
For fuze ignition; we combine a condenser with the before described electrical
machine, either inside or outside the closed box, and discharge may be effected at
pleasure from the condenser, without opening the box, by suitable internal or
external discharge mechanism, operated, if internal, by the bolder of the mechanism,
by external pressure through a flexible diaphragm or cover, and if necessary in
combination with internal levers.
To apply our lighter to the ignition of a spirit or oil lamp, the rotating electrical
machine (combined with a condenser if required) as above described, would be
combined with a lamp stand so that the electrical machine is readily rotated,
and the sparking appliance comes above the wick; the chief difficulty in effecting
such ignition is the necessity for the presence of an inflammable gas or vapour
above the wick. :
This we should ensure by providing a flexible diaphragm in the lamp body,
which is externally pressed so as to eject a portion of inflammable vapour above
the wick, at the same time that the electrical sparking machine is being operated.
This combination is readily adaptable as a portable cigar and fire lighter.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Otway Edward Woodhouse, Frederick Lawrence Rawson, and
Alexander Reid Molison in the Patent Office on the 23rd April 1884.
OTWAY EDWARD WOODHOUSE, FREDERICK LAWRENCE RAWSON, and ALEXANDER
REID MOLISON, of Queen Victoria St, in the City of London, Electricians,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR THE IGNITION OF INFLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES
AND GASES BY ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE
"
Our invention relates to the adaptation by improved adjuncts of the hermetically
closed self inductive electrical machine patented to the said Alexander Reid
Molison under date March twelfth One thousand eight hundred and eighty three and
Numbered 1295 (or of modifications thereof, as hereinafter more fully described) to
the ignition of inflammable substances such as powder-or of gases, such as coal
gas or spirit, by electrical discharge.
And in order that our invention may be the better understood, we now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the drawings hereunto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of our hand lighter.
Figure 2 is an external elevation with outer case removed, and showing stationary
induction disc.
Figure 3 is an elevation with outer case removed showing back of the other
induction disc and the tin foil armatures thereon,

page_text: "
Figure 4 is a side and front elevation of a gas bracket with our patent lighter
attached thereto.
Figure 5 shows our patent lighter in combination with a motive spring and
multiplying speed gear, to produce automatic rotation.
Figure 6 is a sectional plan of the adaptation of our lighter to gas engines.
33
The self inductive electrical machine, as above illustrated and hereinafter
described, consists as in the specification Numbered 1295 and dated March twelfth
One thousand eight hundred and eighty three, of the type known by the name of
Varley or "Voss" enclosed in a case A which may be hermetically sealed, and
has one of the induction plates B weighted, so that the relative necessary rotation
of the induction plates B and C one to another may be maintained by the rotation
of the case A, on fixed bearings D, or by the revolution or swinging of the case in
a suitablo plano.
In combination with the adjuncts hereinafter described, we may either employ
the hermetically closed induction machino as described in the aforesaid specification,
Numbered 1295 and dated March twelfth One thousand eight hundred and eighty
three, or may modify its construction in the following manner-One induction
disc C may be attached to the fixed box-cover A, or frame E, and the other disc B
may be rotated on an axle F carried through the box cover with external thumb-
screw G. Or, the axle F passing through the box covers may be fixed, and carry
rigidly one induction disc B, while the other C, may be rotated with the external
cover or frame A-In the illustration, however, the spindle F is fixed to the box
cover A, and causes the rotation thereof by the thumbscrew G. The disc attached
to the balance weight remains stationary by the gravitation of the said weight,
whilst the other disc is rotated by frictional contact with the box A, thus producing
self induction and electrical discharge as more fully described in the said
specification No 1295-March twellth One thousand eight hundred and eighty
three. The rotating box cover or axle in all the above alternative arrangements
may be combined with a recoil spring or trigger or with a spring drum and ratchet
and multiplying speed gear H. K. as in Figure 5, to produce automatic rotation of
the induction discs by the action of a spring or springs after "setting."
We may also use certain internal modifications in the self induction machines,
namely Instead of the brushes as described in the Specification Numbered 1295
and dated twelfth March One thousand eight hundred and eighty three, we may
employ twisted loops of wire L, Figures 1 to 3, pressing by their clasticity upon
the surface of one of the revolving induction dises-We also construct the
collecting armature of tinfoil M, Figures 2 and 3, which we find of advantage to
aid rapid induction-The inductive surface of the electrical machine may be
disposed on cylinders if desired.
To adapt the above described alternative form of self-inductive electrical machine
to the purposes of ignition, we combine either or any of them with the following
mechanism to effect their several purposes most advantageously-The electrical
machine may be conveniently combined with a recoil spring or trigger external to
the box which may be drawn back into tension by the hand, and released at will
by a thumbspring so as to cause rotation of the electrical machine by the recoil
elasticity of the spring, or the spring barrel H, Figure 5, wound as in clockwork
and connected to the electrical machine by multiplying speed gear N may be
applied to the electrical machine for the same purpose and released to cause rotation
of the discs by the thumbspring P.
To effect the ignition of inflammable substances:-for domestic gas lighting
purposes we place the self inductive electrical machine in an open forked frame E,
Figures 1, 2 and 3, either below or above a handle Q formed to suit the grasp of
the operator.
The wires R, R, from the two collectors of opposite polarity are electrically
insulated and led up a tube S which extends to a suitable distance above the
handle Q-The tube terminates with a coned head T of some insulating material,
through the centre of which projects one of the aforesaid wires-The other wire.

page_text: terminates on either side of the insulating tip below the cone and is therefore
naked and exposed. The top piece of metalt forming a bent bridge above the
lower ring fits tightly over the terminal cone T making electrical contract with the
exposed wire at one point and having the bridge piece closed over the central
pointed wire and within a distance over which the spark is able to leap to complete
the electrical circuit.
When the bead of this apparatus is placed in a jet of unlighted inflammable gas
and the electrical machine is rotated by hand, or by means of the ratchet
mechanisin herein before described so as to develope sparks the jet of gas is at once
ignited.
To further elongate the apparatus when required an intermediate tube or tubes
may be fitted by the operator upon the top of the first tube instead of the metal
bridge so that contact is made by insulated conductors both against the side exposed
wire and against the point of the central wire. If the elongating piece terminates
in a similar cone and wires as the first tube does a further elongating tube may
again be added and the metal bridge piece t may be fitted thereon to develope the
igniting spark. If the first and successive elongating tubes are made of metal,
the tube will serve as one of the conductors instead of the side, insulated wire, the
central wire being insulated in the centre of the tube. In that case also one of the
collecting loops in the electrical machine can be dispensed with contact being made
through the frame with the case as one pole of the electrical machine.
We show in Figure 4 this appliance A fitted as a fixture to a gas bracket b.
the sparking wires R, R, being carried permanently to a suitable position d
over the gas jet. The rotation of the electrical machine A fixed on insulated
bearings e. e conveniently below the bracket will at once cause ignition when the
gas is turned on. In Figure 6 we show our ignition apparatus mounted upon the
cylinder of a gas engine. A is the above described inductive electrical machine
mounted on insulated bearings f. f. and driven by the pulley g. by a strap from
any convenient rotating part of the engine such as the shaft-Two insulated
wires R, R, convey the current of opposite kinds through the insulated boss h. in
the back cover k of the gas engine cylinder at such a distance apart that the spark
is not able, under ordinary circumstances, to traverse the space between the
extremities of the wires R. R.-When however the metal cylinder L on its return
stroke comes within a suitable distance of the points of the sparking wires R. R,
the circuit is completed by a double discharge through the body of the piston and
short circuiting the conductors, thus effecting ignition of the explosable charge of
gas and air-A condenser may be added if required.
For fuse ignition we combine a condenser with the before described electrical
machine either inside or outside the closed box, and discharge may be effected at
pleasure from the condensor without opening the box by suitable internal or
external discharge mechanism operated if internal by the holder of the mechanism
by external pressure through a flexible diaphragm or cover, and if necessary in
combination with internal levers
To apply our lighter to the ignition of a spirit or oil lamp the electrical
machine A (combined if required with a condenser) as above described would be
combined with a lamp stand so that the electrical machine is readily rotated, and
the sparking appliance t comes above the wick. The chief difficulty in effecting
such ignition is the necessity for the presence of an inflammable gas or vapour
above the wick. This we should ensure by providing a flexible diaphragm in the
lamp body which is externally pressed so as to eject a portion of inflammable gas
or vapour above the wick when the electrical sparking machine is being operated.
This combination is readily adapted as a portable cigar and fire lighter.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our invention and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, be it known that what we consider novel
and desire to protect is :-
1st In an electric spark igniter the combination of an electrical inductive

page_text: machine with a frame and handle and with insulated wires and sparking. tip,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
2nd In a self inductivo "Voss" or "Varley" electrical machine the construction
of the collecting armatures with tin foil upon non-conducting material such as
vulcanite or ebonite, substantially as and for the purposes described.
3rd In a self inductive "Voss" or "Varley" electrical machine the construction
of the collecting brushes in the form of twisted loops of wire, substantially as and
for the purposes described.
4th In an electric spark igniter the combination of the rotating case or discs of
the electric inductive machine with a recoil spring and speed gearing to produco
automatic rotation when wound up and with a thumb spring to set the same in
action, substantially as described in reference to Figure 5.
5th In an electric spark igniter the combination of an electrical inductive machine
with a gas bracket or chandelier, substantially as and for the purposes described.
6th The combination of an electric spark igniter with the cylinder of an
explosive gas engine, the sparking being effected by the approximation of the
piston to the points of electrical discharge, substantially as described with reference
to Figure 6.
7th The combination of a self-inductive "Voss" or "Varley" electrical machine
with an explosive gas engine the said electrical machine being rotated mechanically
from the engine to effect explosion by electrical discharge, substantially as
described.
8th The combination of an electric spark igniter with an oil or spirit lamp, an
inflammable gas being produced above the wick by pressure upon a flexible
diaphragm of the lamp body, substantially as and for the purposes described.
In witness whereof I, the said Otway Edward Woodhouse, on behalf of myself
and the said Frederick. Lawrence Rawson, and Alexander Reid Molison, have
hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-third day of April in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
OTWAV
WOODHOUSE.
OTWAV
10 WOODHOUSE
Witness:
.
RICHARD A. HOFFMANN
Clerk to Fell & Wilding
23 Rood Lane, Fenchurch street
Loudon E.C.