Improvements in Gas Burners.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM FREDERICK FOLMER and WALTER ESSEX
SCHWING, Manufacturers, both of 49, East Ninth Street, in the City and State
of New York, United States of America.]
Improvements in Gas Burners.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings 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 :-
This invention relates to gas burners.
One improvement consists in the combination of a body and a plug both having two
sets of main supply ports, one behind the other in the direction of the axis of the plug.
It consists further in the combination with the parts named, of a screw working in
a tapped hole extending axially in one end of the plug and extending beyond one pair
or set of ports and reaching to the other pair or set so that it may wholly obstruct
one pair or set and partially obstruct the other pair or set to regulate the flow
of gas.
Another improvement consists in the combination of a burner body, a rotary plug
fitted therein, a ratchet wheel mounted on the plug, a lever having a pawl engagement
with the ratchet wheel, a screw engaging with the plug and having a head bearing
on the outer side of the ratchet wheel, and a spring acting to hold the ratchet wheel
against the head of the screw. This forms a very simple way of holding the ratchet
wheel in position. Preferably the lever will be provided with a central hole to fit
around the ratchet wheel and will also be held against the head of the screw by means
of the spring. In such case a washer may be interposed between the spring on the
one side and the ratchet wheel and lever on the other side. When the lever is so
made it will have a notch or offset from its central opening and in this the pawl will
be located.
Another improvement consists in the combination with a lever and pawl such as I
have described, of a lateral projection from the pawl and a volute spring serving
to move the lever in one direction and also to hold the pawl in engagement with the
ratchet.
Another improvement consists in the combination of a burner body, a rotary plug
having a diametrically extending port, a ratchet wheel mounted on the plug and
having four teeth, a pawl, a lever carrying the pawl and having a swing of about a
quarter of a circle so as to alternately move the said port of the plug first to open and
then to close the same, a globe, and a holder for the globe fitted to slide on the burner
and elevated when the said port is closed and lowered when the same is opened.
The globe holder will preferably be raised and lowered by a lever having an opening
into which extend pins fastened to the plug. The lever will preferably be connected
with the globe holder by a link which is bifurcated at the end, so as to avoid liability
of tilting the globe holder. The globe holder may advantageously have V-shaped
slits, the metal within which is bent up to form tongues for checking the air as it
passes to the flame. The globe may consist of sheet metal having openings fitted
with glass or mica held in place by prongs and such globe may be detachably secured
to the globe holder.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a gas burner and appur-
tenances embodying the improvement. Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts
in a different position. Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the burner and
appurtenances as seen in a plane at right angles to that of Figures 1 and 2. Figure 4
is a vertical section of the body of the burner and a side view of the plug of the cock.

page_text: Figure 5 is a view of a burner body, a ratchet on the plug of the burner, a lever
and a pawl carried by the lever and engaging with the ratchet. Figure 6 is a side
view of certain parts illustrating a modification. Figure 7 is a horizontal section
of the parts shown in Figure 6. Figure 8 is a top view of a globe holder of modified
construction. Figure 9 is a sectional elevation of a part of the burner, the globe
holder illustrated in Figure 8, and the globe which is used therewith.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
First the example of the improvement illustrated by Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, will
be described. A designates the body of the burner. It may be of any desirable form.
It is shown as having at the lower end an internally screw-threaded socket a', and at
the upper end an internally screw-threaded socket a². The socket a¹ is constructed
to fit a nipple on a gas fixture. The socket a² receives a pillar B, which may be of
any desired construction.
To the pillar B, is fitted a globe C, adapted to move up and down. While generally
a globe so moving will be used, there may be used a large globe secured fixedly to
the pillar. Then the pillar may be screwed upon a threaded nipple and a holder
for the globe clamped in place between the bottom of the pillar and the opposite part
of the burner body, as represented in Figure 5. It may be added that the part A
could constitute the base of an Argand burner.
The body A, is provided with a cavity a³, made of conical form and extending hori-
zontally through it and receiving a plug A¹. This plug is intended to rotate and is
made of conical form. Around the smaller end of the plug, a spring A' is coiled. At
one end this spring extends within a cavity at; in the side of the body A. The other
end acts against a ratchet wheel A3 affixed to the small end of the plug A¹. As
shown, a ring-shaped washer e¹ surrounds the small end of the plug intermediately of
the spring and ratchet wheel so that the spring acts against the ratchet wheel through
this washer. The spring, therefore, tends to pull the plug further into its cavity in
the body of the burner and thereby preserve a tight joint and also to hold the ratchet
wheel from inward movement. The ratchet wheel may be secured to the plug by
having a hole of polygonal or other form, adapted to engage with a corresponding
portion of the plug and be held from outward movement on the plug by a screw A*
entering a tapped hole in the small end of the plug and having a large head extending
over the outer side of the ratchet wheel.
In the burner body is a port or duct a extending upwardly from the socket a¹
to the cavity a³, as here shown, in line with the axis of the plug A¹. Above the
cavity a³, the body of the plug is provided with a port or duct a', which corresponds
to the port or duct as, and is in line therewith. The plug A¹ has extending
transversely through it, ports a¹, which may be turned into line with the ports a a².
The body of the burner has also a port a', which corresponds to the port as, and. is
in front of it in the sense that it is nearer the large end of the plug, and above this
port a, it has a port a³, in line with the port as, and in front of the port a'. The
plug has ports a", which are behind its ports 10, and parallel therewith. It will
be observed that the port as, is of larger area than any of the ports a³, aº, a², and
that one of the ports a" of the plug is of the same area as the port a³. When
the plug is rotated so that its ports a will be in line with the ports a³ and a of
the body, the ports all will be in line with the ports a a³ of the body. Gas may
then flow through two continuous passages from the gas fixture to the pillar B of
the burner. These double ports which have just described afford a free flow of gas
even if made comparatively small in diameter. It is more advantageous to have
double ports of this character than to have single ports of larger diameter because
a shorter rotary movement of the plug will suffice for turning the gas full on and
entirely off.
D designates a regulating screw extending into a tapped hole a¹² in the body
of the burner. This tapped hole extends parallel with the axis of the plug and
intersects the ports a and all of the plug. The screw may be adjusted so as to
leave the ports a entirely unobstructed, or to partially cut off the ports a¹º, or it

page_text: may be adjusted to more or less obstruct the ports a". Thus a single screw is
utilized for adjusting both pairs of ports. A screw D¹ intersecting the port a' serves
to regulate the passage of gas through the latter.
Thus far the description has been restricted to the means which provide for
the main supply of gas, or, in other words, the supply of gas for illuminating pur-
poses. There are also provided means whereby a torch light or small flame may be
burned when the plug closes the ports through which the main supply passes. Around
the plug and in the same plane as the ports as a', extends a circumferential groove a¹³
and this is in constant communication with the ports a a', and supplies a small
quantity of gas to the pillar B, at all times.
E designates a lever which may advantageously be made of sheet metal, having
a circular opening e, of a size to fit upon the tips of the teeth of the ratchet
wheel A³. This lever may swing or oscillate by turning around the ratchet wheel.
It fits between the washer e¹ and the head of the screw A. The head of this screw
conceals the circular hole e, in the lever. The lever has a spur e², which is adapted to
co-act with a pin e³ projecting from the burner body, to limit the swing of the lever in
one direction. The lever is moved in this direction by a spring S, here shown as of
volute form, connected at one end to the pin e³, and at the other end to a pin e¹,
affixed to the lever E. The lever is swung in the reverse direction by manual force.
This may be conveniently applied through a cord or chain e, attached to the outer
end of the lever and hanging therefrom.
From the opening e, of the lever an arc-shaped opening or notch e extends. In
this opening is a pawl e, which is pivotally connected with a lug es, forming part of
the lever and engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. Preferably the lever will
be thicker than the pawl. When this is the case, the lug may be bent forwardly or
outwardly to a very slight degree to enable the pawl to be accommodated within
the opening or notch e. The pawl will preferably be provided with a transversely
extending lug which will extend under one of the coils of the spring S, so that it. will
be caused to quickly engage with the ratchet.
When the lever is oscillated in one direction by the spring, the pawl will play
over the teeth of the ratchet wheel. When the lever is oscillated by the chain e, the
pawl will engage with one of the teeth of the ratchet wheel and effect a partial rotation
of the plug A¹ of the burner.
It will be observed that the ratchet wheel has but four teeth. The downward move-
ment of the lever caused by a pull upon the chain e, is limited by a projection or
spur e, formed upon the lever and co-acting with the pin e³. The lever, it will
be seen, is capable of moving only about a quarter of a circle. It is intended
that each pull of the chain e shall effect a quarter rotation of the plug. Owing
to this, the ports a¹o all of the plug, will be by one pull of the chain moved into
a vertical position and by the next pull of the chain moved into a horizontal position
so as to cut off the main supply of gas, and so on.
In Figure 6, the lever E is hung upon the small end of the plug of the burner
beyond the ratchet wheel and provided with a weighted pawl pivoted to it by a pin, 1,
as a substitute for the pawl actuated by the spring.
The globe C, may be made of glass. It is intended to protect the torch light or
small flame, from currents of air. It is shown as supported in a globe holder C³,
which may be made of a perforated disc of sheet metal fastened to a corrugated
sleeve c, fitting the pillar B, and adapted to be slid along the same.
globe holder may have flanges or claws for embracing the lower edge of the
globe.
The
In Figures 8 and 9, the globe holder is shown as having a number of V-shaped
slits C. The metal bounded by these slits is upturned slightly to form tongues. Air
may pass upwardly around the sides of the tongues and yet the tongues will prevent
air from rushing violently through. The globe represented in these Figures is made
of a dome-shaped piece of sheet metal having a central opening c¹0 at the apex and a
number of downwardly extending strips c", which at their extremities fit in slots c¹²
located in the globe holder near the edge. One of the strips c" is bent to form a

page_text: rearwardly extended hook e¹s and the opposite strip is provided with a projection c
To apply the globe to the holder the hook 13 is first inserted in one of the holes c¹2
and afterwards the globe is rocked forward to allow of the strip which is furnished
with the projection c¹ to engage with the opposite hole c¹². The strip last mentioned
is in the nature of a spring catch and in connection with the hook c¹³, secures the globe
in place. The spaces between the strips c¹¹ are covered with glass or mica, preferably
by inserting a cylinder inwards of them and securing the upper edge of the cylinder
by tongues produced by forming V-shaped slits in the upper part of the globe and
pressing the tongues inwards so that they may embrace the edge of the cylinder. Near
the upper edge of the globe there are a number of V-shaped slits forming tongues,
which are deflected so as to permit of the passage of air past them but so as to
check it.
The globe is intended to be slid up so as to encircle the tip of the burner while the
torch light or small flame is to be burned and to be lowered below the tip while an
illuminating flame is desired. It is raised and lowered by means of a lever G, and
link I. The lever is oscillated through the plug of the burner and the link is connected
at one end to the globe holder and at the other to the lever. It will be seen that the
link is bifurcated so as to connect with diametrically opposite points of the globe
holder. One of the bifurcate arms is straight or substantially straight, so as to reach
the lever G, the latter being at the back of the body of the burner.
The lever G, is fulcrumed by a pin g, to the body of the burner. It has an
opening g', which is mainly of ellipsoidal form although at one point it has a
shoulder g, and at another point a projection or salient surface 93. On the large
end of the plug A' are two pins or projections 9 9. These extend through the
opening g, and act one at a time, upon the shoulder g2 and the salient surface g³.
When either pin or projection g₁ y contacts with the shoulder 92, it will raise the
lever G to its highest position. This will occur at every alternate downward swing
of the lever E, and at such time as the downward swing of the lever E rotates
the plug to move its ports out of line with the main supply ports in the body of
the burner. On each downward swing of the lever E which brings the ports of the
plug into line with the supply ports in the body of the burner, one of said pins
will contact with the salient surface g³ of the lever G, and lower the lever. These
movements of the lever G will effect the raising and lowering of the globe C.
It is preferable to provide enough play or lost motion between the engaging of the
said pins with the shoulder g², to allow the main gas supply ports to be opened fully
or entirely closed, before a pin shall become disengaged from the said shoulder and
contact with the salient surface g³.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a gas burner, the combination of a body and a plug, both having two sets of
main supply ports one bebind the other in the direction of the axis of the plug, sub-
stantially as specified.
2. In a gas burner, the combination with a body and a plug, both having two sets
of ports one behind the other in the direction of the axis of the plug, of a screw
working in a tapped hole extending in the plug transversely to the said two sets of
ports and passing beyond one of two sets of ports and reaching the other and adapted
to obstruct or wholly cut off the two ports, substantially as specified.
3. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug, a ratchet wheel
mounted on the plug, a lever having a pawl engagement with the ratchet wheel, a
screw engaging with the plug and having a head bearing on the outer side of the
ratchet wheel and a spring acting to force the ratchet wheel outwardly against the
head of the screw, substantially as specified.
4. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug, a ratchet wheel
mounted on the plug, a lever surrounding the plug, a pawl on the lever engaging with
the ratchet wheel, a screw engaging with the plug and having a head bearing on the

page_text: outer side of the ratchet wheel and lever, and a spring acting to force the ratchet
wheel and lever outwardly against the head of the screw, substantially as specified.
5. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug, a ratchet wheel
mounted on the plug, a lever surrounding and supported by the ratchet wheel, a pawl
on the lever engaging the ratchet wheel, a screw engaging with the plug and having
a head bearing on the outer side of the ratchet wheel and lever and a spring acting
to force the ratchet wheel and lever outwardly against the head of the screw,
stantially as specified.
sub-
6. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug, a ratchet wheel
mounted on the plug, a lever surrounding the plug, a pawl on the lever engaging the
ratchet wheel, a screw engaging with the plug and having a head bearing on the outer
side of the ratchet wheel and lever, a washer behind the ratchet wheel and lever and
a spring bearing against the washer, substantially as specified.
7. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug, a ratchet wheel
mounted on the plug, a lever having a central opening fitting the teeth of the ratchet
wheel and a notch extending from this opening, and a pawl located within the notch
and pivoted to the lever, substantially as specified.
8. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug, a ratchet wheel
mounted on the plug, a lever having a central opening fitting the teeth of the ratchet
wheel, a notch extending from this opening and an offset lug at one end of the notch,
and a pawl located within the notch and pivoted to the offset lug, substantially as
specified.
9. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug, a ratchet wheel
mounted on the plug, a lever surrounding the plug and having a pawl pivoted to it,
and a volute spring connected to the body and to the lever, and acting upon the pawl,
substantially as specified.
10. In a gas burner, the combination of a body and a rotary plug, the body having
ports one behind the other in the direction of the axis of the plug above and below
the plug, the plug having ports which may be brought into line or out of line with
the said ports of the body, and the plug having a circumferential groove for the supply
of gas, substantially as specified.
11. In a gas burner, the combination of a body, a rotary plug having a port
extending diametrically through it, a ratchet wheel mounted on the plug and having
four teeth, a pawl, a lever carrying the pawl and having a swinging movement of
approximately a quarter of a circle and operating the plug so that on one swing it
will open the burner and at the next swing in the same direction close the burner, a
globe or shade, a holder for the globe or shade fitted to slide on the burner and
elevated and lowered by the rotation of the plug, the globe or shade being elevated
when the burner is closed and lowered when the burner is open, substantially as
specified.
12. The combination with a gas burner, of a rotary plug, a sliding holder for a
globe or shade, a lever having an opening provided with a shoulder and a salient
portion engaging with pins on the plug and a link between the lever and the said
holder, substantially as specified.
13. The combination with a gas burner, of a rotary plug, a sliding holder for a
globe or shade, a lever connected to the holder and having an opening opposite the
plug, and the plug having pins or projections operating in the opening of the lever,
substantially as specified.
14. The combination with a gas burner, of an oscillating lever supported thereby,
a globe holder sliding upon a pillar, a bifurcate link connected at one end to the lever
and having its bifurcate arms pivotally connected to the diametrically opposite points
of the globe holder, substantially as specified.
15. The combination with a burner of an air distributor plate, V-shaped slits and
the metal within the slits deflected forming tongues allowing passage of air at the
sides, substantially as specified.
16. The combination with a globe holder, of a globe consisting of sheet metal having

page_text: openings fitted with glass or mica, said glass or mica being held in place by prongs
in the globe and the said globe having strips extended through slots thereby being
detachably engaged with the globe holder, substantially as specified.
Dated this 14th day of January 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.