IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING BY GAS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Sugg of Vincent Street in the City of.
Westminster Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR LIGHTING BY GAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Sugg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th October 1882.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG of Vincent Street in the City of Westminster, Engineer
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING BY GAS."
This invention relates more particularly to apparatus for lighting by gas in
which a high illuminating power is required say from 200 to 1000 candle light.
In such cases it is usual to employ two, three or more argand burners of
varying dimensions arranged concentrically one within the other.
This arrangement necessitates a long chimney in order to obtain the requisite
amount of draught to raise the flame to its highest state of incandescence and also
to carry off the products of combustion which in a lamp of the size necessary for the
above purpose are necessarily considerable. The lower part of this chimney is made
of glass and the upper part of metal which fits down onto the glass. It has been
found that the glass portion of the chimney which varies from twelve to eighteen
inches according to the size of the lamp gets unequally heated, that part in close
proximity to the flame becoming hotter than the upper part the consequence being
that the glass is liable to break. It has also been found that when using a
chimney such as above described the oxygen contained in the air admitted to the
burner at the base of the flame gets soon exhausted and the top of the flame does
not receive the proper amount of oxygen to raise it to the highest point of
incandesence, from which results a loss of illuminating power and the production of
smoke. A long chimney moreover is liable to render the flame unsteady by
creating at times too great a rush of air.
Now the object of the present invention is to avoid these inconveniences.
The burner I form of two, three or more of the argand burners known as Suggs
London Argand Buiner, placed concentrically one within the other.

page_text: ?
In constructing these burners I use a steatite chamber from which the gas is
allowed to issue at the point of ignition at an almost inappreciable pressure. Each
burner is connected by two three or more tubes with what may be termed a gas
box or chamber. In this chamber I place two three or more regulators to regulate
the flow of gas into the upper part of the chamber and below these regulators and
above the inlet pipe I place a piece of flannel or other suitable material which will
serve as a filter to prevent dust or dirt entering the chamber. The area of the
tubes supplying the burners must be such as to distribute the gas contained in the
chamber in proper proportions to each burner.
Externally of the outer burner Farrange a dome which directs the air necessary
to support combustion between the burners. Above this dome I place a second
and smaller dome the lower part of which is perforated. This dome is intended to
cause a current of air to impinge on the outer flame near the level of the top of
the burner. A perforated gallery is secured to this dome to carry the glass
chimney, and also to allow of air passing between the chimney and the dome to
supply the upper part of the flame with the requisite oxygen.
The glass chimney instead of being twelve or fourteen inches long as in other
apparatus of this class, I make just the height of the flame and above this glass
chimney I suspend so that it will just enter within the glass chimney a porcelain
chimney of somewhat smaller dinmeter..
In this manner an annular space will be formed between the edges of the two
chimnies by which air can pass to the top of the flame to supply it with the
necessary oxygen to ensure a proper state of incandesence at that point, and
prevent the formation of smoke and the loss of illuminating power.
As the break in the continuity of chimney will interfere somewhat with the
draught, the length of the porcelain chimney must be such as to restore the speed
of the draught to that necessary to properly supply the lower part of the flame
with air.
When the apparatus is used in a room a ventilating shaft or flue must be
provided to carry off the products of combustion, and this ventilating flue will also
serve to ventilate the apartment.
The mouth of this flue is placed sufficiently high above the top of the chimney
as not to interfere with the draught.
Although I have described my invention with respect to argand burners for a
high illuminating power it is also partly applicable to flat flame burners when used
with a globe, or other burners giving a low illuminating power
When applied to a flat flame burner I employ a porcelain chimney which I form
with a bell mouth the diameter of which is nearly the same as that of the opening
in the top of the globe. This chimney I suspend within the globe a little below
the top. The length and diameter of the chimney will of course depend upon the
amount of drauglit required to produce the greatest amount of light, or a clear
brilliant flame.
I have mentioned above a porcelain chimney because porcelain is n good non
conductor of heat and consequently the amount of heat radiated will be very
slight an advantage in apartments; but any other suitable material may be
employed for the chimney.
•
In some cases 1 may coat the chimney with some non conducting material or
I may place a second chimney outside s that a current of air may pass between to
cool the inner chimney.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Thomas Sugg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th April 1883.
"
.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG of Vincent Street in the City of Westminster Engineer
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING BY GAS "
This Invention relates more particularly to apparatus for lighting by gas in which
a high illuminating power is required, say from Two-hundred to One-thousand
candle light but it is also applicable to ordinary lighting.
In the first case it is usual to employ two, three or more argand burners of'.
varying dimensions arranged concentrically one within the other.
This arrangement necessitates a long chimney in order to obtain the requisite
amount of draught to raise the flame to its highest state of incandescence and also
to carry off the products of combustion, which in a lamp of the size necessary for
the above purpose are necessarily considerable. The lower part of this chimney is
necessarily made of glass but the upper part may be of metal which fits down onto.
the glass. The glass portion of the chimney the length of which varies from twelve
to eighteen inches according to the size of the lamp becomes unequally heated, that
part in close proximity to the flame becoming hotter than the upper part, the con-
sequence being that unequal expansion takes place and the glass breaks. When
using a chimney such as above described, the oxygen contained in the air admitted
to the burner at the base of the flame becomes exhausted before it reaches the top,,
and consequently the top of the flame does not receive the proper amount of oxygen
to raise it to the highest point of incandescence, from which results a loss of
illuminating power and the production of smoke. A long chimney moreover
is liable to render the flame unsteady by creating at times too great a draught
of air.
Now the object of the present Invention is to avoid these inconveniences..
In the accompanying drawings I have shewn at Fig: 1 Sheet I a burner of high.
illuminating power with my improvements applied thereto.
The burner is formed of three of the argand burners a. a. known as "Sugg's
London Argand Burner." placed concentrically one within the other. In these burners
a steatite chamber is used from which the gas issues at the point of ignition at an
almost inappreciable pressure. Each burner a. is connected by two, three or more
tubes b. with what may be termed a gas box or chamber c. In this chamber I place
one two or more regulators d. (one is shown in the drawing) to regulate the flow of
gas into the upper part of the chamber, and below these regulators and above the
inlet pipe, I place a piece of flannel e. or other suitable material which will serve as
a filter to prevent dust or dirt entering the chamber. The area of the tubes b.
supplying the burners must be such as to distribute the gas contained in the
chamber in the proper proportions requisite for each burner. As one mode of
ensuring this I connect the tubes b. which supply the inner and second burners with
a special chamber f. into which the gas is allowed to enter by one two or more
regulated openings g.
Above
Externally of the outer burner I arrange a dome h. which directs the air necessary
to support combustion into the middle of aud between the burners a. a. a.
this dome I place a second and smaller dome i the lower part of which is perforated.
This dome is intended to cause a current of air to impinge on the outer flame
near the level of the top of the burner. A perforated gallery is secured to this
dome i. to carry the glass chimney j. and also to allow of air passing between the
chimney and the dome to supply the middle portion of the flame with the requisite
oxygen.

page_text: The glass chimney j. instead of being twelve or fourteen inches long as in other
apparatus of this class, I make just the height of the flame, and above this glass
chimney I suspend so that it will just enter within the glass chimney a porcelain
chimney. of somewhat smaller diameter.
In this manner an annular space will be formed between the edges of the two 5
chimnies j.. by which air can pass to the top of the flame to supply it with the
necessary oxygen to ensure a proper state of incandescence at that point and
prevent the formation of smoke and the loss of illuminating power.
By the means above described the whole of the flame will receive a proper supply
of air and the brilliancy of the light will thereby be enhanced, and more perfect 1
combustion than heretofore will be obtained.
As the break in the continuity of chimney will interfere with the draught, the
length of the porcelain chimney must be such as to restore the speed of the draught
to that necessary to properly supply the lower part of the flame with air.
When the apparatus is used in a room a ventilating shaft or flue must be provided
to prevent the radiation of hent from the chimney, and this ventilating flue will
also serve to ventilate the apartment.
In Figures 2 and 3 Sheets II and III I have shown my improvements as adapted
to a single Argand burner and applied in two different forms for use in a room-In
these arrangements ; is the glass chimney, the porcelain chimney, and the
ventilating shaft or flue
The mouth of this flue is placed sufficiently high above the top of the glass
chimney as not to interfere with the entrance of air. between the two chiinnics jk
The diameter of this ventilating shaft or flue with respect to the chimney j
will depend upon the size of the burner: thus I have found that with a fifty candle.
argand or flat burner, the chimney should have a diameter of three inches and
the shaft or fue la diameter of six inches.
The shaft or flue / Isupport from the ceiling in any convenient manner below, a
ventilator m which serves.to carry off not only the products of combustion from the
lamp but also the vitiated air from the apartment
The current of cool air rushing up the fluel prevents the radiation of heat into
the apartment and keeps the chimney cool, and thus prevents the roaring of the
heated gases from the flame up the chimney
In the drawings. the chimney is shewn as consisting of porcelain at the lower part
with an upward continuation of metal k
In fig 3 Sheet III a reflector n is shewn. There is also a slight modification
in the form of the chimney the metal portion being outside the porcelain
portion The ventilator m also is placed immediately above the reflector at the
bottom of the flue 1, instead of at the top and in the ceiling as in fig: 2
Fig 4 Sheet IV shows the adaptation of my improvements to a Billiard Room
Gaselier, and fig 5 of the same sheet to a standard or Bracket lamp of the pattern
known as Suggs London Burner
Although I have hitherto described my Invention with respect to argand burners
it is also applicable to flat flame burners when used with a globe or to other burners
giving a low illuminating power
When applied to a flat flame burner I employ a porcelain chimney which I form
with a bell mouth the diameter of which is nearly the same as that of the opening
in the top of the globe-This chimney I suspend within the globe a little below
the top The length and diameter of the chimney will of course depend upon the
amount of draught required to produce the greatest amount of light or a clear
brilliant flame. An arrangement of flat flame burner is shewn at fig 6, sheet V
and will be readily understood without further description
I have mentioned above, a porcelain chimney because porcelain is a good non
conductor of heat and consequently the amount of heat radiated will be very
slight an advantage in apartments but any other suitable material may be
employed for the chimney or the chimney may be coated with some non conducting
material

page_text: It will be seen that by the use of my improvements a proper and sufficient supply
of air to bring the flame whether argand or flat flame to the highest possible state
of incandescence is obtained and thereby the illuminating power of the gas flame is
increased
The two currents of air viz one upward current from the bottom and the
other downward current from the top, and which meet about half way down the
chimney, will serve to keep the glass chimney or globe cool and thus the radiation
of heat from the glass chimney is not so great as formerly, while with the short
glass chimney which becomes equally heated in every part the risk of breakage is
reduced to a minimum.
I also obtain a perfect ventilating lamp and I ventilate the apartment, part of
the vitiated air being employed to keep the chimney cool and prevent radiation of
beat therefrom.
Having now described the nature of my Invention for "Improvements in
apparatus for lighting by gas " and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect I claim
First The means above described with reference to figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of
the drawings for supplying air to the upper part of the flame of argand burners for
the purpose set forth.
Secondly-The modification shewn at fig: 6 with respect to flat flame burners as
and for the purpose set forth
Thirdly The combination with the means for supplying air to the upper part
of gas flames before referred to, of means for ventilating apartments and preventing
the radiation of heat from the lamp chimney substantially as herein shewn and
described.
Fourthly The various arrangements of lamps substantially as herein shewn and
described with reference to figures 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings
In witness whereof I the said Thomas William Sugg have hereunto set my
.
hand and seal the tenth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
WILLIAM T. SUGG (L.S.)