IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR BURNERS FOR INCREASING THE LUMINOSITY OF GAS FLAMES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Siemens of Dresden in the German Empire
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS OR BURNERS FOR
INCREASING THE LUMINOSITY OF GAS FLAMES
"
•
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said' Frederick Siemens at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th November 1883.
FREDERICK SIEMENS of Dresden in the German Empire "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS OR BURNERS FOR INCREASING THE LUMINOSITY OF GAS FLAMES
"
In the Specifications to former Patents granted to me, I described arrangements
for heating the air supply to gas burners by heat communicated from the gaseous
products of combustion. According to my-present invention, I effect the heating
of the air supply by heat radiated from the gas flame itself. The more intensely a
gas flame burns, the greater is the amount of heat given off by radiation. In order
to partially utilise this very considerable and unavoidable expenditure of heat,
I surround the lower part of the flame with a heat absorbing and conducting
casing, so that a large part of the radiated heat is utilised for beating the air
supply to the burner, as also the gas supply. The degree of heating thus obtained
is so great, resulting from the high intensity of the flame, obtained, that,
notwithstanding a certain loss of direct light occasioned by the surrounding casing,
a greater amount of light is nevertheless obtained from the upper exposed part of
the flame than would be obtained from the entire flame without the heating
appliance.
My invention can be carried out in various ways: According to one arrangement,
the burner consists of a chamber into which the gas passes from the supply pipe,
and from which it issues through a circle of small tubes extending upward some
distance, similar to the tubes described in the Specification of my Patent N° 1561
of 1880. Surrounding this ring of tubes, at a small distance therefrom, is a
cylindrical casing of metal or other suitable heat absorbing material, extending up
considerably beyond the tops of the tubes, and terminating by preference in an
inwardly turned lip. This casing is conveniently carried by the gas chamber below,
ID 11

page_text: and it has in its lower part a number of openings or narrow slits through which
the air supply to the burner enters. The casing is also provided by preference on
its inner side with a number of projecting ribs for affording increased surface for
absorption of heat and for contact with the air. Centrally within the ring of tubes
is arranged a ribbed stem extending by preference above the top of the outer
casing, and terminating in a deflecting head. The gas issuing from the tubes
being ignited, burns partly within and partly beyond the casing, a portion of the
heat radiated from the flames, being absorbed by the casing and the central stem.
The air entering through the openings in the lower part of the casing, and passing
upwards, receives heat from the inner ribbed surface of the casing, and from the
central stem, and thus becomes highly heated before entering into combustion with
the gas. The lip at the upper end of the casing, and the head on the stem cause a
portion of the heated air at those points to impinge both outwardly and inwardly
against the flame, and thus still further increase the intensity of combustion and
consequent luminosity of the flame above the casing.
According to a modified arrangement, adapted for large burners, the central
stem is made tubular. with slits at its lower end and an outwardly curving lip at
its top, so that air passes up the interior of the stem as well as outside of it.
Within this stem is arranged a small gas tube, the flame from which serves to heat
the stem and consequently the air passing against the outside thereof to a still
greater degree. The heat conveyed by both radiation and conduction from the
casing and stem to the small gas tubes, as also to the gas chamber below, also
effects heating of the gas to a considerable degree before it enters into combustion.
For small burners, the ribs on the casing and-stem may be dispensed with, in
order that the area for the passage of the air may not be too much reduced.
The chimney glass is supported on brackets projecting from the casing, so that
air can freely pass up the annular space between the glass and the casing.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by, the said Frederick Siemens in the Patent Office on the 20th May 1884.
FREDERICK SIEMENS of Dresden in the German Empire "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS OR BURNERS FOR INCREASING THE LUMINOSITY OF GAS FLAMES.
337
In the Specifications to former Patents granted to me, I described arrangements*
for heating the air supplied to gas burners by heat communicated from the gaseous
products of combustion. According to my present invention, I effect the heating
of the air supply by heat radiated by the gas flame itself. . The more intensely
the gas flame burns, the greater is the amount of heat given off by radiation. In
order to partially utilise this very considerable and unavoidable expenditure of heat,
I surround the lower part of the flame with a heat absorbing and conducting
casing, so that a large part of the radiated heat is utilised for heating the air
supplied to the burner, as also the gas supply. The degree of heating thus
obtained is so great, resulting from the high intensity of the flame obtained, that
notwithstanding a certain loss of direct light, occasioned by the surrounding casing,
a greater amount of light is nevertheless obtained from the upper exposed part
of the flame, than would be obtained from the entire flame without the heating
appliance.
My invention can be carried out in various ways, the constructions which I
employ by preference being shewn on the accompanying drawings, in which fig 1 is
a vertical section, and fig. 1ª a sectional plan of my burner in its simplest form, and
fig. 2 is a vertical section and fig 2* a sectional plan of the burner somewhat
modified for larger sizes.
The gas arriving by the pipe R enters a chamber g, from which it rises by a
number of small tubes r arranged in a circle. Surrounding these tubes, and
extending some distance above them is a casing 1, having at its lower part a
number of holes and slits, t and t¹ for admission of air. The upper part of the
casing preferably terminates with a turned-in lip a and around the interior of the
casing are a number of ribs p projecting inwards. In the centre of the burner is a
stem & made with projecting ribs p' and terminating with a conical head n.
glass chimney x is supported on several brackets f projecting from the casing 7.
The flames of the gas issuing from the tubes r radiate heat to the casing land to
the stem 8, the ribs p. and p¹ of which expose extended surfaces, and the air
entering by the holes and slits t and t¹ becomes highly heated as it ascends in.
contact with these heated surfaces.
The
The gas is also heated by the heat conducted down the casing, stem, and tubes
and thus a flame of great intensity is produced with illuminating power so great
that the part of it which appears above the casing, gives greater light than the
whole flame would give if no part of it were shrouded by a casing arranged to heat
the air supply. The lip a of the casing and the head n of the stem, by directing
the ascending current of heated air against the outside and inside of the cylindrical
flame, cause great intensity of light above the casing. When the lamp is made of
small size, where the area for passage of air is limited, the ribs p and p¹ may be
dispensed with. For lamps of larger size, the construction may be modified as
shewn in figs. 2 and 20. In this case, the central stem s is made tubular with
slits at its lower part for admission of air to its interior and with it upper lip n
curved outwards. Within it is a gas tube r¹, the flame from which, beating the
stem, increases its power of heating the air passing upwards between it and the
casing. The gas, instead of issuing from separate tubes r, may issue from a ring
burner supplied by tubes.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I claim :-
First In gas burners wherein the gas issues in a series of small jets, enclosing the
lower part of the flame by a metal casing, that serves to take up the heat radiated
by such enclosed part of the flame, and to impart the same to the gas and air
supply, substantially as herein described.
Second: In a gas burner, the combination of the gas tubes r with the central
ribbed stems and ribbed cylindrical casing extending some distance above the
gas orifices, substantially as, and for the purposes herein described with reference to
figs. 1 and 1ª of the drawings.
Third: In a gas burner, the combination of the gas tubes with ribbed casing 7,
and ribbed tubular central stem s having an internal gas jet r, the casing and
stem s being extended some distance above the gas tubes substantially as and for
the purposes herein described with reference to figs 2 and 2a of the drawings.
⚫ In Witness whereof, I the said Frederick Siemens have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twelfth day of May, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-four.