An Improved Igniting Device for Miner's Benzine Safety Lamps.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Igniting Device for Miner's Benzine Safety Lamps.
We, CARL WOLF, of Zwickau, Saxony, Lamp Manufacturer, and HEINRICH FRIEMANN,
of the Town of Eisleben, Prussia, in the Empire of Germany, Lamp Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a Percussion igniting device for Miners safety Lamps in
which Benzine is burnt and which are so arranged that the pills of fulminate in the
igniting or amorce "band are caused to explode within a closed receptacle mounted
within the reservoir and below the closure to the same.
"
The flame from the exploded pill of fulminato passes from the closed receptacle into
a cup of inverted funnel shape or a tapered tubo arranged within the burner cap and
so to the wick in order to ignite the same.
This igniting device increases the safety of the lamp to a very great extent as the
concussion of the air in the lamp (as was the case in our former lamps in which
the fulminate was ignited in the cylindrical space surrounding the flame) is prevented
and cannot cause the flame of the burner to be driven through the gauze chimney
and thus produce an explosion of the fire damp in the mine.
The particles of the fulminate can penetrate into the space above the benzine
reservoir so that the lamp is always kept clean. The parts of the igniting device are
mounted in a frame or casing with two spring sides which can be inserted into an
appropriate hermetically closed casing or box fixed in the reservoir, and can be
removed without having to loosen a single screw or rivet or unsoldering any part of
the lamp.
Fig. 1 is a representation of the improved lamp partly in elevation and partly in
section.
Fig. 2 is a section of the percussion igniting device showing the parts in the position
they occupy after the ignition has been effected.
Fig. 3 is a like section with the parts in the position which they occupy before
exploding the fulminate.
Figs. 4 and 5 are clevations of the eccentrics and tappet for operating the parts of
the igniting device.
Fig. 6 is a top view of the slotted plate which serves as anvil for the striker.
Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the burner cap and the flame guide.
Fig. 8 represents the section of a tapered tube as flame guide.
A bolt mounted in the frame or casing a serves as spindle for the two transport
pinions c, c which are so arranged that they grip the percussion pill or cap at both
of its edges in order to prevent the primer or pellet of fulminato in the band from
being injured. The striker or hammer d is mounted on the bolt between the two
transport pinions c, c², the said striker or hammer d being provided with a vertical
slot in order to enable the same to move up and down on the said bolt b, said hammer
being provided with nose .
In order to assure the perfect vertical movement of the striker or hammer d the
same is provided with a pin d' the ends of which are guided in slots or grooves d³ of
the frame or casing a, Figs. 2 & 3.
The striker or hammer d is propelled upwards by one of the arms of a sear spring e
the said sear spring being mounted on an appropriate pivot f whilst the lower arm is
held in position by the pin g, or the striker or hammer may be equivalently operated
by a spiral spring arranged to operate on the lower part of the hammer in an upward
direction. One end of the percussion band is wound around the pivot i whilst
the other end is passed upwards until the same is caught by the transport pinions c, c¹
which will convey the band beneath the anvil & the same then passing downwards
at the opposite side of the transport pinions.

page_text: In order to be able to readily remove a used up band and insert a new one, the
two sides, of the casing a are hinged upon the pins or pivots m, m' so that
they may be pulled open in order to afford access to the interior. The plate k
which acts as the anvil is provided with lateral lugs which fit into corresponding
openings in the walls of the casing a in order to securely hold the said anvil in
position. The upper end of the casing ends in a ring with screw threads on to
which a cap is screwed from the inside of the lamp so as to securely hold the igniting
device in position, or the igniting device can be screwed into the flame tube to or
otherwise connected to the same, Fig. 8.
In order to prevent the lower end of the used up band from coming in contact
with the end wound around the pin i, one of the side walls of the casing a is extended
over a part of the bottom of the said casing and turned up at the end so as to
prevent the said used end of the band from coming in contact with the unused part of
the same.
0, 0, are two eccentrics arranged upon the spindle between which
eccentrics is arranged a tappet. p. These parts are perfectly made from one piece of
metal although the same can be made of separate pieces without departing from the
tenor of this invention.
The spindle u which is screwed into the centre of the cam or eccentric o³, is at its
outer end provided with a ring handle or knob and serves to operate the eccentrics o,
the tappet and spindle q.
If the eccentrics o, o' and the parts connected with the same are moved in the
direction of the arrow Figs. 2 & 3 ie. if the spindle is turned to the right, the
tappet p will gear with the nose d² of the hammer d, press the same downwards, and
compress the spring e.
Before the tappet p has released the striker or hammer d, the spindle g will gear
into the toothing of the transport pinions c, c¹ and move the same a distance equal to
the distance from one tooth to another and transport the percussion band a distance
equal to the space between two fulminate pellets upwards."
The tappet holds the hammer in its lowest position even after the band has been
transported, and will only then release the same when the eccentrics o, o¹, tappet p,
and spindle q have reached the position represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 3.
The hammer d being now released will be propelled upwards by the spring e
against the percussion pill or pellet aud explodes the same. The flame flows upwards
through the cap s arranged in the burner cap to the wick and ignites the benzine
with which the same is saturated whereby the caps will catch the particles of glowing
fulminate and paper from the exploded pellet.
The same operation is repeated by each revolution of the spindle u and the parts
connected to the same. The casing a to the igniting device lies snugly against
the cover to the benzine reservoir and the cap s holds the same securely in position
so that no concussion of the air or penetration of the igniting flame through the
gauze cylinder can take place.
The frame or casing a of the igniting device is enclosed by a case t securely soldered
to the reservoir of the lamp and can be readily removed for inserting a new per-
cussion band. In order to remove the same it is only necessary to screw the
spindle u to the left, free the same from the eccentric or disc o¹ and unscrew the
cap from the upper part of the frame or casing a. The igniting device can be
just as readily replaced. Fig. 8 represents a tapered laterally bent tubo w which is
securely screwed into the cover of the reservoir and can be employed instead of cap s.
is a flame regulator which is operated by the rod y and knob z.
It will be evident to those acquainted with the art that the various parts of our
improved igniting device can be modified in various ways without in any way
departing from the nature of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The employment of a percussion igniting device in miners hanzine safety lamns.

page_text: constructed substantially as described and characterised by the management accord-
ing to which the pills of fulminate in the igniting or "amorce "band are caused to
explode within the frame or casing a which is hermetically closed and separated from
the cylindrical space surrounding the flame, the igniting flame issuing from the
exploded fulminate pill being led or guided to the wick through a cup such as s, or
through a bent tube such as w, whereby a dangerless ignition of the wick is effected,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The construction and combination of the several parts constituting the improved
igniting device for use in miner's benzine safety lamps, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated th: 02-1 dave of A 1000
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.