IMPROVEMENTS IN CARBURETTING GAS LAMPS
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1887
Specification Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1887
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CARBURETTING
GAS LAMPS, and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has reference to certain Improvements in Lamps and Burners used
for enriching Gas for illuminating purposes all of which are fully set forth in the
following Specification and shewn in the accompanying drawings which form part
thereof.
The objects of my invention are
1st. To provide a simple and easy method for quickly replenishing Gas Lamp
Carburetting vessels.
2nd. To avoid all unpleasant odors arising from the enriching material when
filling the vessels.
3rd. To provide a simple regulating device which shall be automatic in its action,
for regulating the amount of hydro-carbon vapor generated in the vessels.
4th. To provide a valve or similar device for shutting off the Carbon vapor from
the Atmosphere when the lamp is not burning.
All these results are acheived in the form of lamp shewn in the annexed drawing.
Heretofore Carburetting vessels have been filled with enriching material through
a hole in the side or top of the vessel provided for that purpose and closed by a
screw cap; or through an opening at the neck of the vessel. The material heretofore
has been prepared in small sticks or granules and put in piece by piece through the
hole by the fingers.
This has been troublesome and tedious-requiring considerable time for each
operation; and unpleasant by soiling the fingers and spreading disagreeable odors in
roonis where used. Regulating devices for proportioning the amount of enriching
vapor produced have hitherto consisted of moveable heat deflectors for regulating the
beat conveyed to the gas or to the vessel and have been operated by the hand. Also
devices for proportioning the amount of enriched and unenriched gas passing to the
burner have hitherto been operated by hand.
Finally in all previous forms of Carburetting Lamps the fumes arising from the
heated Carburetting material directly after burning the Lamp, and also the vapors
of evaporation of material have had free access to the air at all times and have
produced unpleasant smells. All these evils are overcome by my improvements.
J

page_text: Referring to the annexed drawings, Fig. 1, shows a sectional elevation of a four
burner Carburetting Lamp, p is an ordinary gas supply pipe, surrounded by a
metallic casing K, to which is attached at the lower end a bell shaped disc D, situated
immediately over the burners B, to catch the beated products of combustion and
bring them in contact with the pipe p. At the lower end of this supply pipe the
metal collar A is firmly attached. This collar contains the burner arins f. f. and is
drilled through the centre where the supply pipe is attached.
The lower part of the collar is screw threaded and serves to connect with the
neck N of the Carburetting vessel C; the vessel being detachable from the fixture at
this joint.
The vessel is constructed in two parts, which are connected together by a
screwed joint J, and made easily detachable the one from the other. The position
of this joint on the vessel is immaterial. I prefer it at or near the centre of the
vessel. One part of the vessel forms the male and the other the female screw which
join together and are kept gas tight by an Asbestos Washer a₁. Various methods of
joining the vessel together may be employed, such as a bayonet catch shewn in Fig. 2,
or a hinged joint.
I do not limit myself to the use of any particular joint.
Rigidly connected to the bottom of the Carburetting vessel is the handle H, by
which the lower half of the vessel may be disconnected from the upper part. At the
bottom of the gas pipe p and fitting it tightly inside, is a metal bushing T, in which
the small tube t slides easily. At the lower end of this tube t is attached a float I.
This float rests on the surface of the hydro-carbon and serves to keep the tube t at all
times the same distance from the Carburetting material. As the material falls in the
vessel during consumption the float falls with it, bringing down the tube t with it,
and so causes the gas to travel the same distance at all levels before impinging on
the material.
This serves to produce a regular amount of hydro-carbon vapor at all times. It
likewise allows the use of larger vessels of greater depth, and holding a greater
supply of Carburetting material than has heretofore been possible, and so long as the
tube is sufficiently long, the vessels may be made of very considerable depth (since
the gas is brought in a heated condition and with its normal pressure immediately
upon the surface of the material) which would require filling less often than in
previous forms. The upper end of the tube t is enlarged to prevent it from sliding
entirely through the bushing T when the lower half of the Carburetting vessel is
detached from the fixture. This bushing T, is shown, together with pipe p (shewn
broken off and small tube t (also broken) enlarged in Figs. 5, and 5a of the
Drawings, Fig. 5, being a sectional elevation and 5 a a plan. The Bushing is drilled
near the head with several holes, o, o, which allow escape of the gas from the
interior. The bushing screws into the supply pipe, at its extreme end. By partially
unscrewing it from the pipe p, an outlet for the gas is provided direct from the supply
pipe to the burners by means of the holes o, o, as shewn by arrows in drawings.
This escaping gas being unenriched serves to dilute the enriched gas, and by un-
screwing the bushing more or less a greater or less quantity of unenriched gas will
escape. This serves to regulate the proportion of the mixtures of enriched and
unenriched gases, the bushing being a simple form of Regulator.
After adjusting the Bushing to allow the desired amount of unenriched gas to
escape to the burners, (such adjustment varying with the qualities of gas with which
the fixture is to be supplied) no further regulation is required.
The top of the neck N of the vessel is grooved out as shewn at
filled with an asbestos washer.
and the groove
This washer presses against the wedge shaped ring w, which forms part of the
collar A. The burner armis, are screwed into the sides of the collar at the level or
about the level of the ring w. The action of this ring and the washer in the
groove g of neck is to close off the gas and carbon vapor from the burners by turning
the vessel by means of the handle H, and screwing up the neck N against the Ring.
This forms a Shut-off for both Gas and Carbon vapor from the burners and may

page_text: be used as an ordinary gas cock. In the Drawing Figure 1, the gas is shown as
turned on.
Z represents a Bushing screwed into collar A; the object of which is to
hold the Asbestos Washer a, in place, to make the screw thread of neck N gas tight,
when turning it up and down. In the Drawings of Fig. 1 it will be noticed the
tube t fits loosely in the Bushing T, allowing room for expansion of metal when
heated. In some cases it may be advantageous to allow an escape of unenriched gas
between the tube t & bushing T. By experiment, the size of this opening may be
determined, to proportion the desired mixture of the two gases. The amount of gas
which usually escapes from this joint by reason of the looseness of tube t is generally
sufficient to prevent over enrichment of the gas-In the event of this escape not
being sufficient, the Bushing T may be operated-Inside the vessel C is shewn
another vessel M, containing the enriching material. This vessel or mould is made
of tin or any non-porous material. The material is first melted and then run into one
of these vessels as shewn in Fig. 3. After which the opening O at top of vessel M
is closed with paper which prevents the escape of unpleasant odors. These vessels
may be carried into any rooms or buildings without producing the slightest annoyance
or unpleasantness. The vessel is inserted bodily into the Carburetting vessel C, the
paper at opening O, having first been torn to expose the onriching material to the
action of the gas as shewn in Fig. 1.
This insertion is quickly and easily made by unscrewing the lower half of
vessel C, and dropping in the mould. When the material is entirely consumed
a fresh mould is inserted and the old one taken out.
Besides preventing unpleasant odors, this method of preparing enriching material
serves to confine the heated gas in contact with the material, quickening the
carburetting process thereby; also keeping the heat from dissipating by conduction
and connection from the exterior vessel C. It serves to keep this vessel C cool
and prevents an accumulation of non-volatile matter from the material from being
formed in the vessel C. This permits the use of a lower grade of enriching
material.
The action of the Lamp is then as follows-After inserting the mould in the
vessel and allowing the gas to enter the supply pipe p, the handle H is turned
in the direction of unscrewing the vessel C. The gas passes down the pipe p in
direction of arrows to the burners B where it is lighted.
The heat arising from the burners passes through the bell shaped disc D, and
up through the casing K out at top.
The casing serves to hold the heat in contact with the pipe p which heats the
gas. Most of the gas passes through the tube t out through the float I on to
the material which becomes volatilized and mixes with the gas which ascends to the
burners. Another part of the gas flows down outside the tube t direct to the
burners, as shewn, without entering the vessel C. The disc Y at top of casing is to
prevent too great a draught of hot vapor up through the casing, and may be raised
or lowered, thereby altering the draught. The outer casing K₁ is for ornament,
the inner one K receiving the heat, thereby preserving the outer from tarnish and
discoloration.
Fig. 1a shews a plan of the vessel C and collar A with the burners. Fig. 4 is
a modification of Fig. 1, and is intended as an attachment for a gas bracket or arm
of an ordinary chandelier.
The gas enters at Q and ascends the tube p and outside tube p₁, in which it
descends to tube t and to the vessel C. In all other respects the fixture is identical
in action to that shewn in Fig. 1. Similar parts are designated by similar letters.
Fig. 4a is a plan of the fixture the joint J being connected to an ordinary gas
bracket. The fixture is a 2 burner attachment. The bell disc D holds the heated
products arising from the burners, in contact with the pipe p and heats the gas as
in Fig. 1.
I wish it to be understood that whilst I prefer the construction as herein shewn 1
do not limit myself to the details thereof as they may be modified in various
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page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, what I claim is-
1st. The herein described method of preparing solid hydro-carbons for enriching
Gas Lamps, consisting in melting and running them whilst fluid into moulds or boxes
which are adapted for being inserted in Carburetting vessels.
2nd. In an enriching Gas Lamp the combination with the Carburetting vessel of a
non-porous receptacle contained by the Carburettor for holding enriching material
and adapted to be readily inserted and removed from said vessel.
3rd. In a Gas Lamp, a Carburetting vessel divided in two seperate, detachable
parts, the lower part of which is detachably suspended from, or connected to, the
upper part, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
4th. In an enriching Gas Lamp a device for controlling the volatilization of the
enriching material by regulating the distance, of the gas supply pipe from the surface
of the Carburetting material.
5th. In a Gas Lamp the combination with a Carburettor of a float connected to
a moveable gas supply tube, by which the gas is conveyed within the same distance
of the enriching material at all levels.
6th. In an enriching Gas lamp the herein described method of preventing smoke
from over-enrichment of the gas, by causing an escape of unenriched gas from
between the main supply pipe and the tube leading to the Carburettor, direct to the
burners.
7th. In an enriching Gas Lamp the combination with gas burners connected to a
Carburettor and a supply pipe leading to the burners of a moveable tube connecting
from the supply pipe, to the Carburettor, substantially as described.
8th. In an enriching Gas Lamp the herein described method of shutting off the
gas and hydro-carbon vapor simultaneously, from the burners, by means of the
Carburetting vessel.
9th. In an enriching Gas Lamp the combination of a Carburetting vessel, gas
burners in connection therewith and placed above the vessel, and a valve situated at
or near the burners and above the Carburetting vessel and arranged to open and
close the passageway leading from the Carburettor to the burners.
10th. The combination with the supply pipe p and gas burners B of the Carburet-
ting vessel C, constructed in two parts easily joined and disconnected from each
other by a screwed joint J or otherwise, and the receptacle M adapted to hold fluid
hydro-carbon and to be easily inserted and removed from the vessel C.
11th. The combination of the supply pipe p, containing the moveable tube t, the
float I attached to the tube t, the collar A supporting the gas burners B and the
Carburetting vessel C suspended from and detachably connected to collar A.
12th. The combination of the collar A having a projection w, gas burners B
supported by said collar, a Carburetting vessel C, a neck N attached to said vessel
and grooved at top to correspond to the projection w and a washer a₁ fitted into
said groove, for the purpose specified.
13th. In an enriching Gas Lamp the combination with a Carburettor gas burners
and gas burner support of a supply pipe connected to said burner support and
having an extension or bushing at its lower extremity perforated with one or more
side holes which are arranged to be opened and closed, for the purpose specified.
The Twenty seventh day of August 1887.