IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR IGNITING GAS FOR ILLUMINATING BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY, AND IN BATTERIES CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Archibald James Hallam and James
Walsh at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th September
1881.
ARCHIBALD JAMES HALLAM, of 1, St. James' Street, Trafford Road, Salford, in
the County of Lancaster, Telegraph Engineer, and JAMES WALSH, of Over
Darwen, in the above named County, Cotton Spinner. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR IGNITING GAS FOR ILLUMINATING BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY,
AND IN BATTERIES CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Our Invention relates to arrangements for igniting jets of gas used for illumi-
nating purposes, and consists in arrangements whereby we are enabled to rapidly
ignite the whole or a portion of the gas jets used in a room, building, or town.
The first part of our Invention relates to apparatus which we apply to each gas
jet to be ignited. To each gas pipe and near to the jet are two metal pillars,
between each of which and the gas pipe we interpose an electric non conductor.
Through the outer ends of the above named pillars we adapt screwed pins, one of
each of their ends, being so placed as to lie in the path of the gas to be ignited as it
issues from the jets above referred to. To the above mentioned pillars we connect
wires as will hereafter be explained, so that a current of electricity may be caused
to pass between the ends of the screwed pins aforesaid and thereby ignite the gas
as it issues from the jets above named. The screw threads upon the said pins
being for the purpose of their adjustment, the above described apparatus for con-
venience of description we shall hereafter call the igniting apparatus.
The second part of our Invention consists in arrangements by which we are
enabled to rapidly ignite the whole of the gas jets used for illuminating a room,
building, or town; with this object we divide the number of gas jets in a room or
building into groups, and to each of the gas jets forming such groups we affix
the igniting apparatus previously described under the first head of our Invention,
and we connect one set of wires from one group of gas jets to one pole of a battery
situate in any convenient part of the room or building. The other set of wires
proceeding from the said igniting apparatus we connect to a wire and carry it to
ID... 433

page_text: some convenient part of the room or building where we attach it to a frame, the
said frame being supported in any convenient manner.
The corresponding wires to those above named proceeding from the other groups
of burners in the room or building we also attach in like manner to the frame
before named, but not in contact with the others.
The aforesaid frame we provide with a sliding part to which is connected a wire
proceeding from the battery previously mentioned, but from the pole opposite to
that before referred to; this wire we attach to the slide upon the above named
frame, in such manner that when the said slide is moved upward or downward,
such wire is brought into contact with the other wires above referred to attached to
the frame, so that.a current of electricity may pass through the igniting apparatus
attached to the burners and ignite the gas which has been caused to issue from
the before named gas jets in any ordinary manner.
In each of the rooms of a building containing gas jets to be ignited we place a
frame with its slide as previously described, and we connect the slides by means of
a rod, so that upon drawing the aforesaid rod up or down the whole of the gas jets
connected therewith will become ignited.
In place of the slide aforesaid for bringing the wire from the battery into contact
with wires from the igniting apparatus, we also propose to employ a disc or
cylinder composed of some electric non-conductor, upon the surface of which we fix
strips of metal, such strips of metal being connected with the before named wire
proceeding from the battery aforesaid.
Upon the said cylinder being rotated on its axis the strips of metal thereon will
be brought into contact with the wires before named proceeding from a group or
groups of igniting apparatus previously described.
In the case of a building having a number of stories, we prefer to place the
battery used in connection with the above described apparatus in the basement.
In some cases we propose to use a switch in one set of wires connecting the
battery to the igniting apparatus, by means of which switch we are enabled to
direct the electric current through any of the series of the above named wires as
may be desired.
The next part of our Invention refers to batteries used in connection with the
apparatus aforesaid, and consists in mounting the zinc and carbon or other similar
elements thereof upon a rod and providing two sets of cells for containing the fluid
used for the battery with either of the above named set of cells. The said zinc and
carbon or other elements composing the above named battery may be immersed for
the purpose of producing an electric current, so that the fluid-in-one-set-of-cells
shall be ready for use when that in the other set of cells has become too weak and
requires renewing. The rod or bar to which the zinc and carbon plates are
attached we mount so as to slide in guides provided with notches so that the said
zinc and carbon plates may be placed in either one set of cells above named or the
other, or when desired may be supported clear of such cells by means of the
notches above named.
A further part of our Invention refers to batteries which may be used in con-
nection with the above described igniting apparatus, and consists in the use of
plates of zinc and carbon of small size, each pair of such carbon plates being placed
almost in contact. We thereby lessen the resistance to the electric current by its
having only to pass through a thin stratum of acid, and the cells being small we
require only a small quantity of acid to produce an intense current.
Our improvements also relate to arrangements for igniting the separate gas jets
of a room or building. For this purpose we place a battery in any convenient
part of the room or building and connect a wire from one of its poles to the main
pipe supplying gas to the jets within the room or building. From the other pole
of the battery to that previously mentioned we carry a wire covered with any
suitable insulating material, such wire being attached to the ceiling or other con-
venient part near to the gas pipe supplying the gas pendants or brackets. To the
aforesaid insulated wire we attach other wires which we connect to a metal ring

page_text: or plate carried by the gas pendant or bracket aforesaid, but insulated therefrom
by any suitable material. In connection with the above described arrangements
we use the following apparatus for igniting the gas as it issues from the jets or
burners. We provide a soft iron core upon which we mount flanges formed of
suitable insulating material; between the said flanges and around the before named
core we form a coil of insulated wire, one end of such wire we connect to the above.
named core, the other end being left free and terminating in a ball or button of
metal. One end of the aforesaid soft iron core we provide with a projecting part,
the other end of the said core having a handle attached thereto.
To the flanges above named we attach a plate carrying a lever capable of
turning upon a centre and forced outward by a spring. The said lever is provided
with a projecting point or points which are capable of, being brought into contact
with the part projecting from the above named core upon the before named lever
being turned upon its centre. When it is desired to ignite the gas which has been
caused to issue from one of the gas burners before named, we place the ball or
button in contact with the ring of metal upon the gas bracket or pendant pre-
viously described; we then place the point or points projecting from the before
named lever so that they shall be in the path of the gas to be ignited; we then pass
one end of the before mentioned lever against the gas pipe or bracket and thereby
cause the point or points projecting from the said lever to be brought into contact
with the part projecting from the previously named soft iron core; an electric
spark will then be produced which will ignite the issuing gas. The above
described operation may be repeated on other gas jets until the desired number
have been ignited.
Another of our improvements consists in attaching to opposite sides of the jet or
burner from which the gas to be ignited issues two springs or strips of metal, their
ends projecting into the path of the gas as it issues from the aforesaid burners. One
of the before named strips we connect to the gas pipe, the other being insulated
therefrom by means of any suitable material. We connect one pole of a battery
to the gas main as previously described in a former part of our Invention, the
other pole we connect by an insulated wire to the strip or spring previously
described as insulated from the gas pipe. When it is desired to ignite the gas
which has been caused to issue from the jet or burner, the ends of the before named
springs or strips of metal are pressed together, thereby producing a spark which
ignites the gas.
In order to enable us to use what is known as a "continuous battery" for the
above purpose, we insert what is commonly called an " electro magnet" or "coil "
within the wire connecting the battery with the igniting apparatus for the
purpose of intensifying the current.