AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I, THOMAS CAINK of N° 2 Westbourne Terrace Malvern Link in the parish of
Leigh in the County of Worcester, Gas and Sanitary Engineer and Surveyor do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS to be as follows:-
My invention while quite applicable to all lighting of gas which may be desired
to be lit automatically is especially designed for the lighting automatically of
Street lamps and of all other lighting of gas where gas is at the same time being
drawn for other purposes from the same system of pipes and consists essentially of
the application of the combination of four automatic operations namely 1st The.
automatic opening of communication between the gas service pipe or main and
the gas burner for the transmission of gas to the burner. 2nd. The automatic
closing or forming of an electrical circuit after such communication has been .
opened. 3rd the generation of heat for the purpose of igniting the gas at the
instant it reaches the burner 4th The automatic reopening or breaking of the,
electrical circuit immediately or as soon as may be after the gas is ignited and the
automatic reversal of the first three of the above operations when the gas is
required to be extinguished.
It is the application of the combination of these four operations or any of them
substantially as above set forth And also the various apparati substantially as
hereinafter described by means of which the said four operations are performed
that form the subjects of this application.
The shape or configuration of the various parts of the apparatus may be subject
to considerable variation while performing substantially the same work.
The drawing accompanying this application indicates diagrammatically such
apparatus.
In figure 1, A is a vessel containing water or other liquid. B is a chamber or
tube in communication at its lower end with the gas service pipe. C is a chamber
communicating at its upper end with the last mentioned chamber and at its lower
end with chamber A. E is a chamber communicating with C at a point a short
distance above the lower end of C, F is a chamber into which near the top thereof
E extends, G is a chamber extending near to the bottom of F and containing a
float H. Jis an orifice connecting the upper part of B and C with a gas pressure
guage K on which I indicate by a mark the level R of bottom of division between.
C and E, the lower end of guage is in communication with interior of outer.
vessel A.

page_text: .
A plunger not shewn in drawing may be placed in chamber A by means of
which level of liquid may be raised or lowered.
The above references to figure 1 describe substantially the apparatus by which
the first operation is performed (namely the opening of communication between
the gas service pipe or main and the gas burner) and works as follows:-Water or
other suitable liquid (I prefer glycerine or a mixture of glycerine and water) is
poured into chamber F at M until the liquid rises to top of E and then overflows
into chamber A until it rises to say 1/2 inches above R, the liquid rises to the
same level in C. E and K, no liquid enters B. The apparatus is then fixed to the
service pipe or fittings, and, supposing the case of a street lamp should the pressure
on the main be say 1' inches, the level of liquid will be lowered in chamber C
to about 1/4 inch above R so that no gas will pass to burner: this level of water
in C will be indicated in guage the water in which has also been lowered to the
same level in consequence of its being subject to the same pressure of gas as C.
The quantity of liquid poured into outer vessel will be governed by the pressure
of gas in the main at the point where the apparatus is applied-The above is
supposed to be the normal pressure in the main during the day; at night when
the lamps are required to be lighted additional pressure is put upon the mains by
the man in charge at the gas works, in consequence of which the level of liquid
in C is further depressed until it descends below the level of R where it will
remain; the gas then passes up chamber E over the surface of liquid in chamber F
to the burner. The pressure of the gas in chamber E is communicated to F
depressing the liquid therein raising it in G. The outlet from chamber F to burner
may be extended below the level of top of E so as to be in the liquid in F when
no gas is passing. In chamber G is placed a. float as aforesaid on which is
supported a small vessel containing mercury Two wires connected to the terminals
of a galvanic cell or battery placed in any convenient position as within or near
the lamp column are placed so that one or both of the wires stand above the surface
of the mercury or other conducting substance that may be employed when no gas
is passing, but on the elevation of the liquid in G by the pressure of the gas the
float rises and the wires being thereby brought into contact with the mercury or
other conductor a current of electricity is made to flow either through a piece of
thin platinum or other wire placed over the burner which becomes incandescent or
through an induction or other coil so as to produce a spark near the burner, in
consequence of either of which the gas is ignited. Above the burner or in some
other position in which it will be affected-by-the-heat-generated by the flame-is-
placed an air tight vessel O terminating at its opposite end by a bent tube P con-
taining mercury or other conducting fluid forming when the gas is not burning a
part of the electrical circuit by means of two wires inserted therein.
however the gas is ignited the heat from the flame expands the air in the vessel
depressing the mercury. below one or both of the wires opening or breaking the
electrical circuit, so that the battery is only working during the very short period.
required to raise the temperature of the air in the vessel O sufficient to depress the
liquid in P below end of the wires Q. When it is required to extinguish the lamps
the pressure in the gas main is lowered which raises level of liquid in chamber C
above R which shuts off gas to burner which removes pressure from F which
lowers liquid in G which reopens electrical circuit at that point. The extinction
of the flame allows air in vessel to contract which allows mercury to again rise
above end of wire Q which recloses electrical circuit at that point but in con-
sequence of its being opened at N no current passes until the next time the pressure
of gas is increased. Other methods may be employed for closing and opening the
electrical circuit by the pressure of the gas and by the heat of the flame as for
instance by means of the expansion and contraction of metals or liquids as in the
ordinary electrical fire alarms, or C and P-may be substituted by the arrangement
substantially as shewn in figure 2 by which the pressure of the gas is made to
open an air tight vessel which recloses when acted upon by the superior pressure
of the expansion of the air in 0-or the gas may press directly on mercury
.
When

page_text: contained in a bent tube thus elevating it: but. the method I prefer for breaking
the circuit after the gas is ignited is the following:-I make the total specific
gravity of H a little greater than that of the liquid in which it moves; when the
gas reaches F it forces liquid up G driving float with it, when however the liquid
has reached its maximum height the float descends in virtue of its greater specific
gravity, thus reopening the electrical circuit, by this means I am able to dispense
with the expansion arrangement for breaking the circuit.
In the drawing the position of float is shewn as when the method last described
is adopted.
The advantages I claim for the above described invention is greatly reduced cost
of lighting and the saving of gas consumed during the time occupied in lighting
the lamps. Advantage can also by means of my invention be more easily and
readily taken of, moonlight than by the present mode of lighting. It can be very
advantageously employed in large establishments, Railway Stations and other
places and particularly where the burners are elevated to a considerable height.
I claim as new the application of each of the separate operations and of the
combination thereof by which the lighting and extinguishing of the gas is
accomplished. I also claim as new the various apparatuses indicated on the
drawing accompanying this application or mentioned herein and their application
to the purposes herein described excepting the employment of electricity to
generate the heat for ignition.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I. THOMAS CAINK. of N° 2 Westbourne Terrace Malvern Link in the parish of
Leigh in the County of Worcester Gas and Sanitary Engineer and Surveyor do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement-
•
My invention while quite applicable to all lighting of gas which may be desired
to be lit automatically is especially designed for the lighting automatically of,
Street lamps and of all other lighting of gas where gas is at the same time being
drawn for other purposes from the same system of pipes and consists essentially of
the application of the combination of four automatic operations namely 1st The
automatic opening of communication between the gas service pipe or main and the.
gas burner for the transmission of gas to the burner, 2nd the automatic closing or
forming of an electrical circuit simultaneously with or immediately after such
communication has been opened, 3rd the generation of heat for the purpose of
igniting the gas at the instant it reaches the burner, 4th the automatic re-opening
or breaking of the electrical circuit immediately or as soon as may be after the gas
is ignited; and the automatic reversal of the first two of the operations when the
gas is required to be extinguished.
The shape or configuration of the various parts of the apparatus may be subject
to considerable modification while performing substantially the same work.
In drawing, A is a vessel containing water or other liquid, B is a chamber or
tube in communication at its lower end with the gas service pipe, C is a chamber
communicating at its upper end with the last mentioned chamber and at its lower
end with chamber A, E is a chamber communicating with C a short distance above
the lower end of C, F is a chamber into which near the top thereof E extends,
G is a chamber extending near to the bottom of F and containing a float H, J is
an orifice connecting the upper part of B and C with a gas pressure guage K
on which I indicate by a mark the level R of bottom of division between C and E.
The lower end of this guage is in communication with interior of outer vessel A; a
plunger not shewn in drawing may be placed in chamber A by means of which
level of liquid may be raised or lowered.
The above describes substantially the apparatus by which the first operation is
performed (viz the opening of communication between the gas service or main
and the gas burner), and works as follows:-Water or other suitable liquid
(I prefer glycerine or a mixture of glycerine and water) is poured into chamber F
at M until the liquid rises to top of E and then overflows into chamber A (or a
separate inlet may be provided for charging chamber A) until it rises to say
1/2 inches above R, the liquid rises to the same level in C, E, and K, no liquid
enters B. The apparatus is then fixed to the service pipe or fittings, and,
supposing the case of a street lamp, should the pressure in the main be say
11 inches, the level of liquid will be lowered in chamber to about 1 inch

page_text: gas in
above R so that no gas will pass to burner; this level of water in C will be
indicated in guage, the water in which has been lowered to the same level in
consequence of its being subjected to the same pressure of gas as C. The quantity
of liquid to be poured into outer vessel will be governed by the pressure of
the main at the point where the apparatus is applied. The above is supposed to be
the normal pressure in the main during the day; at night when the lamps are
required to be lighted additional pressure is put upon the mains by the man in
charge at the gas works in consequence of which the level of liquid in C is further
depressed until it descends below the level of R where it will remain, the gas
then passes up chamber E over the surface of liquid in chamber F to the burner.
The pressure of gas in chamber E is communicated to F depressing the liquid
therein raising it in G. (The outlet from chamber F to burner may be extended
below the level of top of E so as to dip into the liquid in F when no gas is
passing). In chamber G is placed a float as aforesaid on which is supported a
small vessel containing mercury, two wires connected to the terminals of a galvanic
cell or battery placed in any convenient position as within or near the lamp column,
are placed so that one or both of the wires stand above the surface of the mercury
or other conducting substance that may be employed when no gas is passing; but
on the elevation of the liquid in G by the pressure of the gas, the float rises, and the
wires being thereby brought into contact with the mercury or other conductor a
current of electricity is made to flow either through a piece of thin platinum or
other wire placed over the burner which becomes incandescent or through an
induction or other coil so as to produce a spark near the burner, in consequence of
either of which the gas is ignited. Above the burner or in some other position in
which it will be affected by the heat generated by the flame is placed an air tight
vessel O terminating at its opposite end by a bent tube P containing mercury or
other conducting fluid forming when the gas is not burning a part of the electrical
circuit by means of two wires inserted therein. When however the gas is ignited
the heat from the flame expands the air in the vessel depressing the mercury below
one or both of the wires opening or breaking the electrical circuit; so that the
battery is only working during the very short period required to raise the
temperature of the air in the vessel ☐ sufficient to depress the liquid in P below
end of the wire Q.
When it is required to extinguish the lamps the pressure in the gas main is
lowered, which raises level of liquid in chamber C above R, which shuts off gas to
burner, which removes pressure from F, which lowers liquid in G, which re-opens
electrical circuit at that point. The extinction of the flame allows air in vessel O
to contract which allows mercury to rise above end of wire Q which re-closes
electrical circuit at that point, but in consequence of its being opened at N no
current passes until the next time the pressure of gas is increased. Other methods
may be employed for opening the electrical circuit by the heat of the flame as for
instance by means of the expansion and contraction of metals or liquids as in the
ordinary electrical fire alarms. But the method I prefer for breaking the electrical
circuit after the gas is ignited is the following:-I make the total specific gravity
of H a little greater than that of the liquid in which it moves, when the gas
reaches F it forces liquid up G driving float with it, when however the liquid has
reached its maximum height the float descends in virtue of its greater specific
gravity, thus re-opening the electrical circuit.
By this means I am able to dispense with the expansion arrangement for
breaking the circuit. .
In the drawing the position of float is shewn as when the method last described
is adopted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1 The use or employment of a guage, in conjunction with apparatus for lighting
and extinguishing gas automatically, baying one end of it in communication with

page_text: the interior gas chamber and the other end in communication with the liquid in
the exterior chamber, whereby the level of the liquid in the inner chamber is
indicated, substantially as herein before described.
2 The use or employment of a separate chamber in conjunction with apparatus
as aforesaid whereby the pressure of the gas operating on the surface of the liquid
contained therein is caused to lift a float substantially as and for the purpose
herein before set forth.
3 The use or employment of an air-tight vessel over flame whereby through the
expansion of the air therein electrical contact is broken.
4 The employment of a float in conjunction with apparatus as aforesaid having
a greater specific gravity than that of the liquid in which it moves whereby after
contact has been maintained for a short time it is broken by the sinking of such
*float.
5 The application of the combination of the four operations hereinbefore
mentioned; viz. 1st The opening of communication between the gas main and
burner, 2nd the closing of an electrical circuit 3rd the consequent generation of
heat, 4th the re-opening of the electrical circuit; such operations being performed
by the single operation of increasing the pressure of gas in the mains substantially
as herein before described.