Improvements relating to Means for Electrically Controlling Gas- cocks and Lighting Gas Burners.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Means for Electrically Controlling Gas-
cocks and Lighting Gas Burners.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of 18, Bucking-
ham Street, Strand, W.C., Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, a communication to me from abroad by La Société Anonyme, "Lux
Nova," of Gand, in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturers, 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 improved means for electrically controlling gas cocks
and lighting gas burners, intended to control and light gas burners at a distance
and having two electric circuits the one for lighting and the other for extinguish-
ing the light.
The apparatus differs from those of the kind hitherto used inasmuch as it has
no delicate part which might be the cause of bad action or stoppage of its working,
and also that no abnormal escape of gas is possible, moreover it has the advantage
that the burner is lit directly without the use of a small auxiliary jet which is
first lighted by the electric spark and then lights the burner.
The absolute tightness of the apparatus is obtained by the use of a cock of
conical form for opening and closing the passage of the gas, the circumferential
face of which is maintained in contact with the inner wall of its shell by the
action of a spring pressing against the greatest base of the conical cock; on the
other hand the direct lighting of the burner by the spark is obtained by producing
the opening of the cock and the electric spark simultaneously; the latter being
large in consequence of the disposition adapted for producing the interruption
of the current.
In the accompanying drawing one form of construction of this apparatus is
represented as an example.
Fig. 1 shows a front view of the lighter.
Fig. 2 is a side view.
Fig. 3a plan view.
Fig. 4 a section of the gas pipe showing the cock, and
Fig. 5 represents diagrammatically the two electric circuits.
This new electric lighter has like those of the same kind, two electro-mag-
nets serving respectively for effecting the lighting and the extinguishing
of the burner. These two electro-magnets are fastened on the upper plate ; of
the apparatus which is joined with the lower plate by the gas pipe y. This
conduit is opened or closed by means of a conical cock i (Fig. 4) which on an
exterior extension & carries a small side lever h of appropriate power for producing
the movement of the cock in the one or other direction in order to obtain the
opening or closing of the pipe y for allowing the lighting or extinguishing of the
light.
The side lever his operated by the armatures c d of the electro-magnets b a

page_text: and for this purpose they are each provided with an angular nose f and g intended
to move the side lever h out to one or other of its extreme positions corresponding
either with the opening or closing of the cock accordingly as the one or the other
armature c d is operated by the corresponding electro-magnet.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3 the side lever is shown in the position corresponding to the
open position of the cock the dotted line X, Y indicating the position of the
lever for the closed position of the cock; Fig. 4 shows cock i in its closed position.
The cock is rendered gas tight by means of the spring Fig. 4 which presses
against the greatest base of the same and is maintained by two screws rs, the
first being used to fix it and the second to regulate its tension. By this arrange-
ment even in case of wear, a perfect contact between the circumferential surface of
the cock and its seat or seats is obtained and consequently escape of gas is
prevented.
The armatures c d (Figs. 1, 2, and 3) are pivoted on a shaft p supported
by the rod the armature e carrying on its one end a small round disk k electri-
cally insulated and acting vertically upon the metallic rod m which is on the
other hand pressed downwards by a catch spring o connected with the piece
of the rod m and fastened with its other end to a screw electrically insulated
with regard to plate j.
The rod m is provided on its upper part with an ordinary platinum contact or
any other suitable metal contact which during the inoperation of the apparatus
touches another contact of the pipen the latter being fastened on the plate ; and
traversed by the rod m from which it is electrically insulated except at the point
where the hereabove mentioned contacts touch each other.
On the lower or upper plate of the apparatus two binding screws 2 are fastened
electrically insulated with regard to the plate and serving as terminals for the
conductors of the arriving current, the return conductor being directly in contact
by soldering or in any other suitable manner with any of the plates.
Fig. 5 represents diagrammatically the two electric circuits operating the
electro-magnets a b respectively.
e representing the electrical source (batteries accumulators, or the like) the
electric circuit of a is formed by a conductor leading from the positive pole, an
interrupter or switch, the insulated binding screw 2 the coil a and the return
conductor leading to the negative pole of the electrical source.
The circuit of the electro-magnet is formed by a conductor leading from the
positive pole, an interrupter, the insulated binding screw u, the coil b, the
screw, the spring o, the piece ar, the rod m, the pipe n the plate ; and the return
conductor leading to the negative pole and which can be common for the two
circuits.
The apparatus works as follows:-
f
The burner being unlit the lever h has the position represented by the dotted
line XY Fig. 1.
In passing the current into the coils of the electro-magnet b the armature e is
forcibly attracted (as can be seen by reference to Figs. 1 and 2) and its nose f
throws the lever h into its other extreme position shown in Fig. 1 that is to say
it produces the complete opening of the cock i at the same time the disc k lifts
the rod m and suppressing the contact between the upper extremity of the rod m
and the pipe 7 causes the production of a spark which lights the gas-jet, but in
consequence of the breaking of the current the armature e falls back, the contact
between m and n is re-established and c is again attracted and produces a second
spark and so on till the current is definitely cut off by means of the interrupter.
For extinguishing, the current is passed into the coils of the electro magnet a;
which thereupon attracts the corresponding armature d whose nose g throws
the lever into the position indicated by the line X Y Fig. 1 and causes the
closing of the cock i.
The course of the lever h is limited at its extreme positions by the plate ; on
one side and the noses f g on the other side so that the course remains always

page_text: sensibly the same so that there can be no variations in the opening and closing
movement of the cock.
The course of the armatures ad could also be limited as desired by screws
fastened on the lower plate of the apparatus especially for the armature c for the
purpose of varying the size of the spark and the speed of vibration of the rod m.
The igniting spark obtained in this improved lighting system is greater than
that of other similar systems as the rod m is operated by the free extremity of
the armature c the course of which is greater as the centre point p of the movement
is nearer or further from m.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
:
1. In improved means for electrically controlling gas-cocks, having two distinct
electric-circuits, the arrangement of a conical cock pressed by a spring to its
seat in order to avoid escape of gas which cock is provided on its outer extension
with a small lever having a convenient course of movement for being moved in
the one or other direction by the armature of the one or the other of the electro
magnets in order to open or close the cock and the passage for the gas and to
thus allow the lighting or extinguishing of the burner.
2. In improved means for electrically lighting gas burners the arrangement
of the armature of the lighting electro-magnet so as to produce at the same
time as the opening of the gas cock one or more vertical movements of the
lighting rod causing thus the breaking of the electric circuit and the production
of one or more sparks simultaneously with the opening of the gas cock thus
allowing the direct lighting of the burner without the use of an auxiliary burner.
3. The combination of the improved means for electrically controlling gas
cocks and lighting gas burners substantially as described in Claims 1 and 2 above
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.