Improvements in Electrical Torches for Lighting Gas.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by James Darius CuLP, of the City, County, and
State of New York, one of the United States of North America, Electrician.]
Improvements in Electrical Torches for Lighting Gas.
I, HENRY BRINSLEY SHERIDAN of 3 Victoria Street Westminster Abbey
London S.W. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
My present invention relates to that class of electric appliances which are used for
lighting gas.
An electric generator consisting of a disc of vulcanite gum, with a disc of metal
foil fastened upon it, and a second disc of vulcanite rubber arranged to strike on the
metal foil, is provided with proper handles, by which to manipulate it, and so constructed
and arranged that the operator can at pleasure strike the side of the foil disc, with
the side of the rubber disc. Two conducting wires are led from said generator to a
lighting point at which they are brought so near together that a spark will pass from
one to the other when electricity is produced by the generator. These conductors
may be protected and stiffened by any insulating material so that when held in the
hand of the operator the device will assume somewhat the form of a staff, the two
adjacent ends of the conductor between which the spark is to pass being at the outer
end from the generator, so that the operator can reach far enough to bring said ends
near to a gas burner. The top of the staff may be surmounted with a wrench to turn
the keys of the stop cocks in the gas fixtures."
When this device is used the operator having opened the burner cock so that the
gas will flow out of the burner, holds the end of the staff so that the two adjacent
ends of the conductors will be very near to and above the burner, then he causes the
vulcanite disc of the generator to strike rapidly a few times on the metal foil disc,
this produces an electric spark which passing between the two adjacent ends of the
conductors near the burner, ignites the gas.
Dated this 18th day of December 1888.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
156, Strand, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electrical Torches for Lighting Gas.
I, HENRY BRINSLEY SHERIDAN of 2 Victoria Mansions Westminster in the County
of Middlesex 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 present invention relates to that class of electric appliances which are used for
lighting gas.
An electric generator consisting of a disc of vulcanite gum, with a disc of metal foil
fastened upon it and a second disc of vulcanite rubber arranged to strike on the
metal foil, is provided with proper handles, by which to manipulate it, and so
constructed and arranged that the operator can at pleasure strike the side of the foil
discs with the side of the rubber discs. Two conducting wires are led from said
generator to a lighting point at which they are brought so near together that a spark
will pass from one to the other when electricity is produced by the generator. These
conductors may be protected and stiffened by any insulating material so that when
held in the hand of the operator the device will assume somewhat the form of a
staff. The two adjacent ends of the conductor between which the spark is to pass

page_text: being at the outer end from the generator, so that the operator can reach far enough
to bring said ends near to a gas burner. The top of the staff may be surmounted
with a wrench to turn the keys of the stop cocks in the gas fixtures.
When this device is used the operator having opened the burner cock so that the
gas will flow out of the burner, holds the end of the staff so that the two adjacent
ends of the conductors will be very near to and above the burner, then he causes
the vulcanite disc of the generator to strike rapidly a few times on the metal foil
disc, this produces an electric spark which passing between the two adjacent ends of
the conductors near the burner ignites the gas.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings
Fig. 1 is an elevation of apparatus for lighting gas constructed according to my
invention and
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
The disc A of vulcanite gum has secured to its underside a disc of metal foil or a
metal sole plate B. The disc A is secured by means of screws D passing completely
through the disc A to a metal tube C terminating at one end in a handle. Bearing
on the upperside of the disc A is a disc E of vulcanite gum having on its underside
metal foil and secured to a lever F the metal foil on the lower surface bearing also
on the screws D. The lever F is fulcrumed on a pin G fitting in lugs on the tube C
and is provided with a finger plate H. A spiral spring J acts on the end of the lever F
and serves to keep the metal foil on the disc E in contact with the upper side of the
disc A and screws D except when the finger plate H is depressed by the person
using the instrument. The tube C is prolonged upwards opposite to the handle and
in its end is fitted an adjusting screw L. The metal foil on the lower side of the
disc E is connected through the spring M to the insulated wire N which passes up
through the tube C and terminates at Ŏ opposite to the adjusting screw L at a short
distance therefrom where it is bared. Holes P are provided in the tube C opposite
to one another and to the terminals O and L.
When required to use the instrument for lighting the gas the disc E is first
raised by depressing the plate H and the disc A is then excited by rubbing it with
a silk handkerchief or with the hand and the plate H is released the foil on the
disc E being forced into contact with the excited surface of the disc A. The electric
charge thus produced on the surface of the disc A induces a charge of the opposite
polarity on the metal foil on the lower surface of the disc E the tin foil being
connected through the screws D with the metal foil or sole plate B the foil or sole
plate B serving to increase the intensity of the charge as is well known. If now the
gas be turned on and the terminals L and O be placed in the stream of issuing gas
which passes through the holes P in the tube C and the plate H be depressed a
current of electricity will pass by the spring M insulated wire N across the space
between the terminal O and screw L. as a spark which ignites the issuing gas the
circuit being continued through the metal of the tube C to the metal B. In
practice the plate H may be rapidly and alternately depressed and released. The
space across which the spark passes is adjusted by means of the screw L. It will
readily be seen that the screws D serve to connect the discs of metal foil when the
finger plate H is released.
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. An electrical torch for lighting gas consisting of a disc of vulcanite gum having
metal on its under side, of a second disc of vulcanite gum having metal foil on its
under surface and arranged to be forced against the said first disc by a spring
so as also to make electric connection between the said two metals and to be
withdrawn therefrom by pressure applied through the hand and of a tube connected
to one metal foil and carrying within it an insulated wire connected to the other foil,
the said wire being bared at its end which is adjacent to the end of an adjusting screw
fitted in the end of the said tube, holes being provided at this part of the tube for the

page_text: passage of the gas, the said tube also forming the support for the different parts and
the handle of the torch substantially as described.
2. The arrangement and construction of an electrical torch for lighting gas sub-
stantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 18th day of October 1889.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents.