Improvements in Devices for Facilitating the Lighting of Gas Burners.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Aug., 1898-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
.COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Facilitating the Lighting of Gas
Burners.
I, LEONARD HENRY ARNOLD DRUEDING, of 708 Union Street, in the City of
New Orleans, Parish of Orleans, and State of Louisiana, United States of
America, President of the Drueding Gas Lighter Company, of New Orleans,
Louisiana, a citizen of the United States, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in devices for facilitating the lighting
of gas burners, and is especially applicable to such burners as the well-known
Welsbach burner.
The object of the invention is to provide a means whereby the gas may be
ignited at the tip of the burner in such a manner that the explosion of the gas in
the mantle of the burner is obviated, and the danger of breaking the frail mautle
is avoided.
According to this invention, the valve casing of a chandelier, wall bracket, or
other gas fixture, is made with the usual main passage therethrough, and also with
a smaller side passage, into the outer end of which smaller passage is fitted the
end of a small tube which is loug enough to reach to the tip of the burner, and
which is provided throughout its length with a series of perforations through which
a small quantity of gas may escape.
The main passage in the casing is controlled by the main plug which, besides
the usual main passago therethrough, has a longitudinal groove thereon to one side
of the main passage, which groove is adapted to be turned into communication
with the main passage in the casing at certain times, and which is at all times in
communication with a chamber or passage in the casing, the outlet from which is
the said smaller side passage in the casing, and which is controlled by a secondary
plug, operated by the main plug at certain predetermined points during its
movement, to open or close the said side passage.
A small quantity of gas is first admitted to the purforated lighting tube through
the side passages, and there ignited, and the flame is communicated from the lower
perforation therein upward to the top thereof which is near the tip of the buruer.
The gas is then turned on to the burner through the main passage and is ignited
by the flame at the end of the porforated lighting tube. This iguition takes place
As soon as any gas begins to escape from the tip of the burner, and thus a very
slight, if any, explosion takes place.
This invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,
wherein
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a portion of a gas fixture, illustrating the
arrangement of the two plugs in the valve casing, according to this invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, looking to the left,
parts being shown in elevation.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, looking to the
right.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing the tops of the two plugs in
the closed position of the main plug.

page_text: Fig is an emargen grammatic viewing a p
slightly towards the open position.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing the main plug open full and
the secondary plug closed.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of this invention, and
Fig. 8 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 7, looking to the left in the
Baid figure.
A represents the plug casing which is provided with the main passage A° and
smaller side passage a therein, and the opening for the valve plugs.
B represents the burnor, which may be of any suitable or desired coustruction,
but which, for the sake of illustration in the drawings, is represented as a Welsbach
burner.
C represents the main plug for turning on and off the gas to the burner, and
this main plug is provided with the main passage 0 usual, and also with the
vertical passage or groove which extends from the top end of the said plug
downward slightly to one side of the main passage Co. A stud or piu o is
provided on the plug C which strikes against a shoulder on the casing when the
plug is turned fully to either the open or closed position, and thus arrests the
further motion of the plug in that direction. For the purposes of my invention
the main plug should only be allowed to turn through an angle of ninety
degrees.
A short plug or disk D is mounted in the casing above the main plug C by
means of a screw D' which passes loosely through the casing and through the said
secondary plug D and is provided with a screwthreaded point d', which engages
in a screwthreaded opening in the top of the main plug C, as seen most clearly in
Fig. 3. A coil spring d is interposed between the top of the main plug and the
lower side of the secondary plug to keep the latter pressed closely upwards against
its seat beneath the opening a in the casing, and alsu to create a chamber a
between the two plugs as shown.
As seen in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the secondary plug D is cut away along a portion
of its periphery to form the two shoulders and d', against which the stud or
projection c on the main plug strikes in turning the latter to the open or closed
position, and thus turns the said secondary plug. A slot or opening do is formed
through this plug in such a position as to be turned beneath the opening a when
the main plug is closed entirely, and to be turned to one side of the opening when
the main plug is opened to its fullest extent.
During the movement of the main plug to open the same, the secondary plug
remains stationary in its open position as shown in Fig. 5, until the stud c on the
main plug strikes against the shoulder on the secondary plug, which does not
occur until the groove on the main plug has been turned into full communication
with the main passage A° in the casing. As soon as this groove c on the muin
plug communicates with the main passage in the casing, gas will begin to flow
upward therethrough to the chamber a between the two plugs and theuce upward
through the slot or opening in the secondary plug and through the opening a
into the perforated tube E.
At this time the gas escaping through the lower perforation e in the tube E is
ignited, and the flame from each perforation will be communicated from one
perforation to another seriatim to the upper end of this tube, which is near the tip
of the burner.
Just before the secondary plug begins to turn the main passage Co through the
main plug C comes slightly into communication with the main passage A in the
cusing A, and gas will begin to flow therethrough upward to the tip of the burner
where it will be ignited by the flame at the top of the tube E. The gas will thus
burn for an instant in both the burner and lighting tubes. When the stud c
comes in contact with the shoulder d, the further movement of the main plug
towards the open position will turn with it the secondary plug and will close
the latter entirely the instant before the main plug is opened to its fallest extent.

page_text: The flame will thus die out at the upper end of the lighting tube, and the flame:
at the tip of the burner will continue to burn until the main plug is closed.
In turning the main plug to close the saine, the secondary plug will not begin to
turn until the stud c comes in contact with the shoulder on the secondary plug,
when the further movement of the main plug will turn the secondary plug to its
open position. The stud c will not strike against the shoulder d until the main
passage C and the groove in the main plug have both been turned past the
passage A in the casing, and thus, it will be seen that no gas can escape to the
perforated side tube during the movement of the main plug towards its closed
position whether to turn the gas lower or off entirely.
In the modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the valve casing occupies a vertical
position and instead of the thumb key C" shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a crank C.is
screwed on to the end of the central stud C formed on-the end of the main plug
in lieu of the screw D'. This crank swings upward to close the main valve and
downward to open the same, and stops and are provided upon the casing for
limiting the movement of the plug to an angle of ninety degrees.
The operation of the plugs shown in this modification is precisely the same as
that above described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
1 claim is
1. In a gas fixture, the combination with the valve casing provided with the
main passage therethrough and a smaller side passage therein; the main valve
plug fitting in said casing and provided with the inain opening therethrough and
also a groove therein through which gas may escape from the said main passage
in the casing to the said side passage at a certain point during the movement of
the said main plug; of a secondary plug also working in said casing and adapted
to open and close said side paesage, and means connected with said main plug
for turning said secondary plug to open and close said side passage, substantially as
described.
2. In a gas fixture, the combination with the valve casing provided with the
main passage therethrough and a smaller side passage therein; the main valve plug
fitting in said casing and provided with the main opening therethrough and also a
groove therein through which gas may escape from the said main passage in the
casing to the said side passage at a certain point during the movement of the said
main plug; of a secondary plug also working in said casing and adapted to open
and close said side passage; a pair of shoulders on said secondary plug and a
stud on said main plug adapted to engage said shoulders upon said secondary
plug and thus turn said secondary plug to open or close said side passage, substan-
tially as described.
3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a gas burner of
the valve casing provided with the main passage therethrough and a smaller side
passage therein; the main plug fitting in said onsing, and having the main passage
therethrough and provided with a groove or passage adapted to communicate
with the main passage in the casing at a point between the open and closed
positions of the plug, a perforated tube leading from the outer end of said side
passage in the casing to the tip of the burner; a secondary plug also fitting in
said casing, having a passage therethrough, and adapted to open and closo the
said side passage, and means operated by said main plug for turning said secondary
plug through the proper angle to open or close the side passage, substantially as
described.
4. In a device of the character described, the combination with a gas burner, of
the valve casing provided with the main passage therethrough and a smaller side
passage therein; the main plug fitting in said casing, and having the main passage
therethrough, and provided also with a vertical groove therein to one side of the
main passage; a perforated tube leading from the outer end of said side passage in

page_text: the casing to the tip of the burner; a secondary plug also fitting in said casing, and
having a passage therethrough adapted to be turned into and out of line with said
side passage in the casing, a pair of shoulders upon the periphery of said secondary
plug, and a stud on said main plug adapted to engage said shoulders on said
Becondary plug, and turu the same, substantially as described.
5. In a device of the character described, the combination with the valve casing
having the main passage therethrough and a smaller side. passage therein, and a
main plug adapted to open and close the main passage, and also to admit gas to and
to shut gas off from said side passage; of a secondary plug operated by said main
plug during a portion of its movement, and adapted to open and close said side
passage, substantially as and for the purposes described.
6. The burner attachment substantially as herein described and shewn in the
drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 31st day of Awoust 1896
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.