Improvements in or relating to Means of Automatically Igniting Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Means of Automatically Igniting Gas.
I JOHN FREDERICK DUKE of 160 Rosendale Road, West Dulwich in the County
of London, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has reference to automatically igniting gas and more particularly
by means of a block of porous material containing platinum black in its pores as
described in the Specification of my former Patent No. 969 of 1895, and its object
is to provide that as soon and as long as the gas is alight the igniting block shall
be moved and kept out of the heat and heated gases whereby its igniting power is
prolonged indefinitely.
According to my invention I secure the igniting block to a small vane of very
light material preferably mica. This vane is pivoted at a suitable angle on a
needle point at the edge of the chimney in such a manner that when the gas
not alight the igniting block is central over the chimney. As soon as the gas is
ignited the current of hot air and gases passing up the chimney causes the vane
owing to its being set at an angle to turn on its pivot, whereby the block attached
to it is moved outside the line of the chimney and therefore to a position when it
is not subjected to the action of the heat or to the current of gases and the
particles of burnt dust which they carry and which tend to clog the pores of the
block.
The invention is applicable more particularly to incandescent and argand gas
lamps.
Improvements in or relating to Means of Automatically Igniting Gas.
I, JOHN FREDERICK DUKE 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 igniting gas by means of an automatic igniter
and more particularly by means of a block of porous material containing platinum
black in its pores as described in the Specification of my former Patent No. 969,
of 1895, and its object is to provide that as soon and as long as the gas is alight the

page_text: igniting block or igniter shall be moved and kept out of the heat and heated gases
whereby its igniting power is prolonged indefinitely.
According to my invention I secure the igniting block or igniter to a small van
of very light material, preferably mica. This vane is secured at a suitable angl
to a pointed rod or needle working on a centre or the like in any convenient posi
tion such for example as at the edge of the chimney in such a manner that wher
the gas is not alight the igniting block is over the chimney. As soon as the ga
is ignited the current of hot air and gases passing up the chimney causes the vane
owing to its being set at an angle, to turn on its pivot, whereby the block attached
to it is moved to a position where it is not subjected to the action of the heat o
to the current of gases and the particles of burnt dust which they carry and which
tend to clog the pores of the block. After the gas is turned off and the current
of hot air and gases up the chimney consequently ceases the vane returns to its
first position with the ignition block central over the chimney.
The invention is applicable more particularly to incandescent and argand
lamps.
gas
One manner in which my invention can be carried into effect when applied for
example to an incandescent gas lamp is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the annexed
drawings, Figures 1 and 2 being elevations taken at right angles to each other
and Figure 3 a plan. Figure 4 illustrates a modification. Figures 5 and 6
illustrate another modification.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a is the chimney of an incandescent lamp
and 6 the chimney support. c is a vertical rod secured at its lower end to the
support b and carrying at its upper end a bracket slightly above 'the level of the
top of the chimney. In this bracket are upper and lower bearings for the points
of the rod or needle e the upper bearing being formed in the lower end of an adjust-
able screw f. To the rod or needle e is fixed a holder g which carries a vane h of
a very light material preferably mica; this vane is at an angle to the vertical as
clearly seen in Figure 2. i is the igniter or igniting block; it is secured to the
lower edge of the vane h and is provided with one or more platinum wires k.
7 are stops attached to the bracket d to limit the movement of the vane in its two
directions. When the gas is not alight the 'vane h and block i are central over the
chimney a as seen in Figure 3, the stop preventing the vane moving by gravity
in one direction. When the gas is ignited the current of hot air and gases pass
ing up the chimney a causes the vane owing to its being set at an angle to turn
with the block i on the pivot e into the position indicated in dots in Figures 2
and 3, the block being then outside the line of the chimney; the stop limits the
movement of the vane in this direction. The vane and block remain in this
position as long as the gas remains ignited..
The modification shown in Figure. 4 differs from that shown in Figures 1, 2
and 3 only in that the bracket d is carried by à'fork m instead of by the rod c
(Figure 1), the fork m engaging with the upper edge of the chimney a and being
clamped thereto by a screw n.
In the modification shown in Figures 5 and 6 which are respectively a side
elevation and a plan, the vane is divided into two parts h'h at the opposite ends of
a holder g, the two parts h h being inclined in reverse directions. The holder g is
fixed to a pointed rod or needle e the upper bearing of which is in an arch and
the lower in the centre of a piece qq which partly covers the top of the chimney a
and is carried by a ring d which fits upon e chimney. i is the igniting block; it
is attached to the holder g at one side of the centre or pivot e as shown or it might
be attached to one of the vanes h h. When the gas is not alight the vanes and
block occupy the position shown in the figures that is to say in line with the
uncovered parts of the chimney. When the gas is ignited the current of hot air
and gases passing up the chimney causes the vanes to turn together with the block i
on the pivot e into the position indicated in dots, the block i being then above a
covered part of the chimney and therefore out of the line of the current of hot air
and gases,

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. For automatically igniting gas, a vane having connected with it an automatic
igniter and secured at an angle to a pivot in such manner and in such a position
that when the gas is not alight the igniter is over an uncovered part of the lamp
chimney and that when the gas is ignited the current of hot air and gases passing
up the chimney causes the vane to turn on its pivot so that the igniter is moved
out of the line of the current of hot air and gases which pass up and out of the
chimney, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. The particular arrangements substantially as shown in the drawings for the
purpose described.
Dated this 20th day of September 1897
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.