Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Lighting and Extinguishing Lamps in Streets and other Places.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Lighting and
Extinguishing Lamps in Streets and other Places.
I, WILLIAM RICHARDS, Engineer, 23, Romola Road, Norwood Road, S.E., 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 improvements consist in the construction of an apparatus for lighting and
extinguishing the public lamps in any given district, by temporarily increasing the
pressure of the gas at the works supplying that district.
The apparatus is represented in the accompanying drawings, and consists of a
case a a (Fig. 1) shown in section. The inlet for the gas is at the centre at the
bottom, over which is a support s for the diaphragm rod when it descends. At the
top of the case is an opening t, to allow the air to enter and escape, when
the diaphragm is in actior. Above this opening is fixed a cover of perforated
inetal or wire gauge p, in order to prevent a flame entering, in the event of an escape
gas, into the chamber. A small passage indicated by the arrows, conveys the gas
of
to the chamber d.
is
The diaphragm b b also in section is formed by the bottom and top rings with disc,
and a belt of leather, made similar to the diaphragms of dry meters, and divides the
chamber a a into two parts, the lower for the reception of the gas, whilst the upper
in contact with the atmosphere. Attached to this diaphragm is the weight e which
gives a pressure slightly greater than the maximum supplied at the works for the
district. Thus when the pressure does not exceed the maximum usually given, the
apparatus is out of action and the diaphragm and pawl, are in the position shown in
dotted lines.
A rod attached to the disc of diaphragm passes through a stuffing box g. On this
rod is fixed a collar with its corresponding lug, on which works the pawl h.
The seat of a rotary valve e is attached to the back of the case d Fig. 1 also as
represented in dotted lines Fig. 2. This seat is shown in plan Fig. 3, and has an
orifice o which conveys the gas to the lighting burner, by the passage u Fig. 1.
There is also a small orifice o¹, which supplies the "flash light" hereafter mentioned
by the passage r.
A narrow channel in the seat makes a communication between the flash light and
the burner, and the space between the orifice o and the channel, breaks the communi-
cation between the burner and the flash light, when the cover moves from one point
to another.
Fig. 4 shows the top of the cover with four projecting studs and two orifices,
placed equa-distant.
Fig. 5 shows the bottom or face of the cover, and
Fig. 6 is a section of the seat and cover of the valve, the rod w is secured to the
seat, and on this rod the cover revolves, and is kept in its place by the spiral spring v
and a nut.
On top of the case is the burner regulator k with its corresponding burner
and socket. The small tuber conveys the gas from the valve seat to the flash light n.
The hood m shown in section is to prevent the flash light being extinguished by the
wind.
The action is as follows. When the apparatus is fixed the flash light is ignited.
Now if the apparatus is made to resist against a pressure of 24 tenths of an inch, then
30 long as this is not exceeded, it would not be affected and the diaphragm and pawl
(as already observed) would be in the position represented in dotted lines. But by
increasing the pressure at the works, to say 30 tenths, then the diaphragm with its

page_text: weight c and pawl h would rise and assume the position represented in Fig. 1, and
by the action of the pawl, the cover of the valve would make the fourth part of a
revolution and bring one of the two orifices of the cover opposite that marked o in the
seat, as represented in Fig. 3, when the gas would pass to the burner and be ignited
by the flash light, at the same time the flash light would be. extinguished by the
action of the cover. Then on the pressure being again reduced, the diaphragm would
descend and be ready for extinguishing the gas. A spring prevents the cover
returning when the pawl descends. To extinguish the gas the pressure is again
increased when the valve cover will again make the fourth part of a revolution and
the small jet o will convey the gas to the flash light, which will be ignited by
the burner; at the same instant the burner will be extinguished by the action of the
On again reducing the pressure the apparatus will be ready for
lighting.
According to another arrangement the pawl his replaced by a curved spring q
attached to the collar i as shewn in Fig. 7. And the cover of the valve instead of
having studs, is provided with (by preference) six projections z, z, z, on its
periphery.
valve cover.
The dotted lines indicate the seat of the valve. In this case the action is reversed
for the rod being lifted by the action of the gas on the diaphragm, the spring grises,
until in the position shown in Fig. 7, when on the pressure being reduced the rod f
desconds, and the spring causes the cover of the valve to make the sixth part of a
revolution and brings either the flash light or burner into action, as already described.
A spring prevents the cover returning when the spring q rises. The channel
and the orifice o' instead of being above the orifice o as in Fig. 3, are now
beneath it.
The dotted lines show the spring at the end of the stroke again ready for
action.
With this apparatus the whole of the street lamps on any main can be lighted or
extinguished automatically and almost instantaneously.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is.
1. The means of giving motion to the cover of the valve by the action of the
diaphragm as described.
2. The weighting of the diaphragm so that it is not acted on by the ordinary
pressure.
3. The construction of the rotary valve and the means of causing it to revolve by
the action of the pawl, or spring as described.
Dated this Fifth day of December 1890.
WILLIAM RICHARDS
WILLIAM RICHARDS