Improvements in Automatic Gas Lighting Devices.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 13th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Gas Lighting Devices.
1, Dr. GEORG LOEWENBERG of Berlin, Wilhelmstrasse 56 in the Empire of
Germany 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 :-
It is a well known fact that by means of a small quantity of platinum black,
or spongy platinum, illuminating gas can be lighted, if the platinum black or the
spongy platinum or a mixture of both in combination with a thin platinum wire is
arranged in any corresponding form in such a manner near the outlet of any gas
burner, that on opening the cock the gas passes thereover with such friction, that
the platinum black and spongy platinum as well as the platinum wire therein are
brought to a glow and light the flame.
Many attempts have been made to produce a commercially and practically useful
lighter on this principle but hitherto with little success and especially for the
reason that the platinum black has the inconvenience of losing suddenly its quality of
glowing when it is exposed to any influence of temperature or humidity, because
it is thus caused to slag. Further when pellets formed of platinum black or spongy
platinum have only been a comparatively short time in use, that is to say exposed
to the flame, small and increasing cracks are produced in them, which in time
augment so that they completely crumble and fall in pieces.
In order to avoid these inconveniences and especially to completely prevent any
slagging, the platinum black or spongy platinum or a mixture of these both in a
proportion of two to one is mingled with porous incombustible materials which may
consist for instance of burnt and then finely pulverized alumina, infusorial earth,
lava, meerschaum (sea foam) asbestos flour or the like.
The mixing is effected mechanically and the best proportions are about 70 parts
of these porous substances with about 30 parts of black or spongy platinum or of
the mixture of both.
Before the mixing is effected any dampness there may be present in the porous
substance must be removed.
This is effected in the best manner by wetting it with sulphuric acid and by
successive rational drying of separate portions of the substance. It is of even
greater advantage if the latter is exposed for some time to a current of sulphurical
acid vapour, the air being excluded. Pellets thus prepared have the advantage that
neither melting nor crumbling can take place; also they cannot be influenced by
dampness of the air, because the particles of sulphuric acid remaining in the pores
of the porous substance draw up any dampness which they give out again during the
glowing of the pellets.
The above described mixture is then brought into appropriate forms and is pressed
into pellets under high pressure.
Through these pellets passes a platinum wire and they are then used for selfacting
lighting apparatus.
Such a lighting apparatus for incandescent gas light is shown in the annexed
drawing.
It consists of a thin tube R passing upward from the opening D of the gas pipe
of the burner; on the upper end of this tube R is put a cap like hollow tube R¹
which is closed at the upper and at the lower ends and which projects into the
tube R which is open at the upper end.

page_text: Laterally tube R₁ is provided with a small oblique escape tube R². On the
carrier H opposite to the end of tube R is fixed the lighting pellet Z.
The tube R' is filled with mercury Q up to a certain height.
When the flame is to be lighted it is only necessary to open the gas cock of the
lamp. The gas passes partly through the small tube R into the cap R' and, as the
level of the mercury in the cap under the usual temperature stands under the opening
of the escape tube R2, the gas passes also through this latter against the pellet Z
which begins to glow and light the gas.
The gas which has entered during this time, the chimney C is then also lighted
as it escapes from the latter and thus the lamp is lighted.
The small flame until now burning on the little escape tube is extinguished
automatically on the lighting of the lamp because by the heat from the main flame
the mercury is expanded and rises in the cap R' so far that the escaping of the gas
through the small tube R' is cut off.
After having extinguished the lamp, the mercury sinks again to its previous level
and allows thus the gas to pass again for a new lighting.
In order to accelerate the lighting and to protect the pellet and platinum wire
from exterior influences there is arranged on the upper end of the lighting apparatus
the collecting and simultaneously protecting cap G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Lighting pellets for self acting gas lighting apparatus consisting of spongy
platinum or platinum black or a mixture of 1 to 2 parts of the said substances of
which 30 parts are mixed with 70 parts of an incombustible, porous material
such as burnt and finely pulverized alumina, infusorial earth, lava, meerschaum,
abestos flour or the like from which latter materials dampness is removed by
means of sulphuric acid or by exposing them under air closure to a current of
sulphuric acid vapour.
2. A self acting gas lighting apparatus for incandescent gas light consisting of
the thin tube R arranged in the opening D of the gas tube and open at its upper
end, of the closed cap like tube R' provided with an oblique escape tube R'
and of the lighting pellet Z fixed before the latter, this tube R' being filled to a
convenient level with mercury in order to effect the automatic extinguishing of the
lighting flame, the cap G protecting the pellet and collecting the gas for a quicker
lighting.
Dated this 29th April 1896.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.