IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING OR LowEDING ILLUMINATING FLAMES." DLING AND PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Peter Ganster, of Reading, Berks County, in the
State of Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MECHANISM FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING OR
LowEDING ILLUMINATING FLAMES."
DLING AND
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Peter Ganster at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th December 1883.
GEORGE PETER GANSTER, of Reading, in the County of Berks, and State of
IMPROVEMENTS IN
Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America,
MECHANISM FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING, OR RAISING AND LOWERING
ILLUMINATING FLAMES;
I employ clock mechanism wound by hand or by any other suitable means, with
provisions for automatically raising and lowering, which is practically equivalent to
the lighting and extinguishing of the gas at certain periods as determined by
clock mechanism which is combined therewith. I also provide for varying the
periods of lighting and extinguishing, according to the time of year, to correspond
with the varying lengths of the nights.
I employ a cluster of lights in each lamp, all subject to a single clock mechanism.
My improved mechanism ignites all the burners at night fall. It extinguishes
all but one at some intermediate hour, as midnight; and it extinguishes the
remaining one in the morning.
I employ a fixed frame-work, and a pipe from the street main leading to a
chamber, from whence the gas flows, controlled by valves. The gas which passes
one valve flows to a single burner and produces an ordinary strong flame. The gas
which passes another valve, flows to a cluster of burners and produces two or any
other desired number of strong illuminating flames. During the first part of the
night both of the valves are open. During the latter portion of the night one
valve is shut, and the gas only flows past the other valve to a suitable burner. In
the morning this valve is also closed, and no gas is admitted either to the single
burner or to the cluster of burners. But a small flame is maintained through a
small pipe uncontrolled by any valve, and there is consequently a steady flame
from that burner, only sufficient to maintain itself during the day, and stand ready
to ignite the strong jets of gas when they are let on at night,

page_text: I employ three slowly revolving wheels each carrying a pin or projection which
are in contact with an adjustable face-cam having a notch adapted to allow the pin
and consequently the entire wheel to move endwise outward or forward when it is
turned into the position corresponding thereto. The lever which operates a valve
is pressed by the force of a spring against the inner face of a wheel and gives the
wheel a tendency to move outward, so as to perform this movement promptly,
when the notch is presented. As the wheel continues slowly revolving, the bevel
of the notch afterwards slides the wheel face-wise or axially backward or inward
to its original position. One lever thus operated is worked at the right time to
induce the closing movement of the valve, and is soon after returned to its inert
position, leaving the valve shut. The other lever, operated by the other wheel, and
face-cam, is moved at night-fall to induce the opening movement of the valve, and
then returned to its inert condition, leaving the valve open. The valve moves
with sufficient friction through its stuffing-box to retain the position in which it
was left by the respective levers.
I employ three wheels and face-cams, the wheels all turning uniformly, each
making one revolution in twenty-four hours. Two of the face-cams are harnessed
together and subject to an automatic adjustment to adapt the time to the varying
lengths of the nights at different seasons of the year. This effects the motion for
opening both valves at night and for closing one valve in the morning. The face-
cam of what I may term the midnight wheel which controlls the intermediate
shutting off of gas from a portion of the burners is not thus automatically changed.
But I provide for changing it if desired.
The several gear wheels should be thick, so that they may make considerable
axial movements in opening and closing their valves while still remaining in gear.
The stems of the valves are taken hold of by the horizontal arms of three
armed levers.
A single movement of one lever opens both valves on the approach of evening,
varying according to the season of the year.
Another wheel effects the closing motion of one valve at any pre-determined
hour, as midnight.
Another wheel closes the other valve in the morning, varying in this latitude
from four to seven o'clock.
I provide means for adjusting each cam relatively to its operating lever with
great nicety. The turning and the adjusting is effected by screws, and a pinching
screw holds the cam very rigidly to the lever when it is adjusted.
A gear-wheel which automatically controls the cams, receives its proper slow
motion through a train of spur gearing.
The cam against which the mid-night wheel works is set by an independent lever,
which is on a sleeve, extended out through the face of the clock.
The valves are what are known as poppet-valves. They close tightly and open
and close with less friction than slide valves.
I control the pressure of the gas so as to deliver with approximate uniformity
when the valves are open and the gas is burning, even if the pressure in the street
main shall vary considerably. This is effected by a valve, which partially obstructs
the passage and is subject to a just sufficiently rigid spring, the tension of which
may be adjusted with great delicacy by a screw.
I turn the ordinary twelve-hour sleeve and hand of the clock from what I term
the twenty-four hour wheel by direct gearing thereto without the necessity of the
ordinary mechanism therefor.
I employ a thick tube of brass or other good conducting metal, enclosing the
small burner and shielding the small flame from currents of air, and also conducting
downward heat to maintain a moderate temperature in the clock work in cold
weather.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Peter Ganster in the Patent Office on the 10th June 1884.
GEORGE PETER GANSTER, of Reading, in the County of Berks, and State of
Pennsylvania, one of the United States of America IMPROVEMENTS IN
MECHANISM FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING OR RAISING AND LOWERING
ILLUMINATING FLAMES.
I employ clock mechanism wound by hand or by any other suitable means, with
provisions for automatically raising and lowering, which is practically equivalent
to the lighting and extinguishing of the gas at certain periods as determined by
clock mechanism which is combined therewith. I also provide for varying the
periods of lighting and extinguishing, according to the time of year, to correspond
with the varying lengths of the nights.
I employ a cluster of lights in each lamp all subject to a single clock mechanism.
My improved mechanism ignites all the burners at night fall. It extinguishes all
but one at some intermediate hour, as midnight; and it extinguishes the remaining
one in the morning.
The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out
the invention. The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.
Figure 1 is a general front elevation of the entire apparatus witli the front of the
casing removed and certain portions shown in section.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding view of the main case with the dial plate and hands
removed. The tubes and burners are not represented, but will be understood to be
as in fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a corresponding view with still further parts removed. The upper
portion, containing the valves for the gas, is shown in section in this figure.
The remaining figures show details detached.
Fig. 4 is a section showing one of the valves and connected parts. It is a section
at right angles to that in fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a corresponding section showing some of the parts below.
Fig. 5 is a cross-section through one of the shafts and adjacent parts.
Fig. 6 is a plan view of the burners.
Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the line 8, s, in fig. 8.
Fig. 8 is a vertical section through a portion. It shows the pipe which gives
the main supply for use shut off and let on by the mechanism and also a small
pipe which supplies the lighter and through which the gas is allowed to flow
continuously under all conditions.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures where they
occur.
A is a fixed framework, and a a pipe from the street main leading to a
chamber a from whence the gas flows controlled by valves B and C. The gas
which passes the valve B flows to a cluster of burners a³, and produces two or any
other desired number of strong illuminating flames. During the first part of the
night, both of the valves B and C are open. During the latter portion of the night,
the valve B is shut, and the gas only flows past the valve C to the burner a². In
the morning the valve C is also closed, and no gas gas is admitted through the single
burner a² or the cluster of burners a³. But a small flame is maintained through
a small pipe a*, which connects with the pipe a uncontrolled by any valve, and
there is consequently a steady flame from that burner a*. This should be a small
flame, only sufficient to maintain itself during the day and stand ready to ignite
the strong jets of gas when they are let on at night.

page_text: In a U. S patent to me, dated March 12th, 1878, No. 201237, I have described
two wheels P and Q turned with a uniform motion, making one complete revolution
in twenty-four hours, each wheel provided on the face with a più or projection,
which, as the wheel turns, traverses around in contact with an adjustable face cam
having a notch adapted to allow the pin and consequently the entire wheel, to
move end-wise outward or forward when it is turned into the position corresponding
thereto. The lever which operates a valve is pressed by the force of a spring
against the inner face of a wheel and gives the wheel a tendency to move outward,
so as to perform this movement promptly when the notch is presented. As the
wheel continues slowly revolving, the bevel of the notch afterwards slides the
wheel face-wise or axially backward or inward to its original position. One lever,
thus operated, is worked at the right time to induce the closing movement of the
valve, and is soon after returned to its inert position, leaving the valve shut. The
other lever, operated by the other wheel and face-cam, is moved at night-fall to
induce the opening movement of the valve, and then returned to its inert condition,
leaving the valve open. The valve moves with sufficient friction through its
stuffing-box to retain the position in which it was left by the respective levers.
I use in the present invention a closely corresponding set of mechanism, but to
properly move the two valves obviously requires additional mechanism.
I employ three wheels and face-cams, the wheels all turning uniformly, each
making one revolution in twenty-four hours. Two of the face cams are harnessed
together and subject to the same automatic adjustment as is set forth in my said
previous patent. This effects the motion for opening both valves at night, and for
closing the valve C in the morning. The face-cam, which controls the intermediate
shutting off of gas from a portion of the burners, is not thus automatically changed.
It will ordinarily not require changing. But I provide for changing it if desired,
as, for example, from twelve o'clock to eleven or one.
P and Q are wheels geared together and driven by the dial train. Each makes
one revolution in twenty-four hours. These wheels open and close the valves
controlling the passages for the gas. The wheel P, controlled by its face-cam V,
effects the opening movement of both valves. The wheel Q, controlled by its face-
cam W, effects the closing movement of the last burner in the morning.
J is the additional twenty-four hour wheel, and K is the face-cam therefor.
The original twenty-four hour wheels P and Q receive their slow and uniform
rotary motion from an intermediate twenty-four hour wheel H, mounted on a
fixed stud and revolved by the clock mechanism, as will be understood. The
wheel H should be thick, so that the wheels P and Q may make a considerable
axial movement in opening and closing the valves while still remaining in gear.
The wheel P should also be thick, so that the third twenty-four hour wheel J inay
have a considerable axial movement independently of the axial movement of the
wheel P and still both remain reliably in gear.
The levers by which the motions of these wheels are communicated to the
respective valves are clearly shown in fig. 2. The stems of the valves B and Care
taken hold of by the horizontal arms of three armed levers B¹ and C'; one at
least of which turns loosely on the axis b, so that they may have a motion
independent of each other.
The wheel P actuates a lever P¹ turning on a fixed centre p and carrying at its
opposite end a cross-bar P², so that a single movement of the lever P¹ acts on both
the levers B and C¹ to open both the valves B and C.
This operation occurs on the approach of evening, varying in this latitude from
about five o'clock to eight according to the season of the year.
The wheel J actuates a lever Ji turning on a fixed centre j, the other end of
which lever acts on an arm of the lever B¹ to effect the closing motion of the
valve B. This movement occurs at any pre-determined hour when the night has
so far advanced that there is occasion for less light than before. I will assume that
it is at twelve midnight.

page_text: The wheel Q actuates a lever Q¹ turning on a fixed centre q and acting on an
arm of the lever C in the direction to close the valve C. This movement occurs
in the morning, varying in this latitude from four to seven o'clock.
The positions of the face-cams V and W controlling the wheels P and Q are
changed automatically as the season advances by reason of the levers T and U,
link R and year wheel X, in the same manner as set forth in the U.S. patent issued
to me January 21st 1879, No. 211,505.
I provide means for adjusting the cam relatively to its operating lever with
great nicety. This is effected by providing an arm V on the cam V which is
received in a slot or cavity in the lever T considerably larger than the arm, so as
to allow the arm V₁ and consequently the cam V to be turned to a limited extent
relatively to the lever T. The turning and adjusting is effected by screws v va
which are tapped through the lever and press against the arm V₁ on its two faces.
I employ an additional pinching screw in addition to the above means of
adjusting. The pinching screw performs the same function in this lever as in the
other lever U to hold the cam very rigidly to the lever when it is adjusted.
The gear wheel X fig 2, which controls the levers T and U, receives its proper
slow motion through a train of spur-gearing.
The motion is thus reliably communicated to the gear wheel X with less friction
than the previous worm-motion, which is important, especially in intensely cold
weather when oils become stiffened, to which my clocks are especially subject by
their exposure in street lamps. This mechanism is also more cheaply constructed
than the obliquely toothed wheel or wheels and accurately formed screw or screws
required for the worm-motion.
The cam against which the midnight wheel J works is set by an independent
lever which is on a sleeve K2 extended out through the face of the clock. It
allows the hour of closing the valve B to be changed at will within wide limits
without opening the clock or in any manner disturbing the other mechanism.
These valves are what are known as poppet-valves, ground or otherwise fitted
in their seats. They close tightly and open and close with less friction than slide-
valves. This is especially important in very cold weather to which my clocks are
exposed in street lamps, and my lubricating oil will become hardened.
I control the pressure of the gas so as to deliver with approximate uniformity
when the valves are open and the gas is burning, even if the pressure in the street
main shall vary considerably. This is effected by a valve L, which partially
obstructs the passage and is subject to a just sufficiently rigid spring L', the
tension of which may be adjusted with great delicacy by a screw. When this valve
is rightly set, an increased pressure of the gas, tending to make a too strong flame
at each of the several burners, is resisted almost perfectly by the yielding of the
spring L and the consequent movement of valve L in the direction of the flow
of the gas. This contracts the area of the passage for the gas and induces an
automatic equalization of the pressure at the several burners. It will be understood
that on the occurrence of a reduced pressure of the gas, the spring L' moves the
valve L in opposition to the motion of the gas, so as to present a larger orifice.
The twenty-four hour wheel H gets its motion from a pinion Z. On the shaft
of the latter is a larger wheel Z' which receives its motion from a pinion on the
shaft N of the minute hand, the latter being turned by a reliable motion from the
main wheel controlled by a good escapement properly regulated, turns with
the proper uniformity once in an hour and through the gearing described turns the
twenty-four hour wheel H once in twenty-four hours.
I turn the ordinary twelve-hour sleeve and hand of the clock from this twenty-
four hour wheel H by direct gearing thereto, without the necessity of the ordinary
train mechanism therefor. The sleeve of the hour hand is marked 0%; see fig 2.
The gear wheel 01 thereon receives motion directly from the twenty-four hour
wheel H.
D is a thick tube of brass, or other good conducting metal, enclosing the small
burner a, and adapted to perform the double function of shielding the small

page_text: flame from currents of air which might otherwise extinguish it and conducting
downward the slight amount of heat from the constant small burner to maintain a
moderate temperature in the clock work in cold weather.
I claim as my invention:-
First: The two poppet valves B and C with independent means of operating
them automatically, in combination with the single supply pipe a, chamber a¹ and
the two sets of burners a² a³, as herein specified.
Second: The single lever P¹, with its cross-piece p² operated substantially as
shown, in combination with the two levers J and Q and two valves B and C, so
as to open both simultaneously, as herein specified.
Third: In combination with the two sets of burners a² a³ and the two controlling
valves B and C therefor, the three twenty-four hour wheels with their respective
adjustable face-cams, as shown, with the year wheel and connections for controlling
thereby the action of two of the three, as and for the purposes herein specified.
Fourth The constant small burner a* connected to the pipe a below the valves,
in combination with the heavy tube D extending downward to the framing A,
arranged to perform the double function of shielding the small flame and
conducting its heat to the clock framing, as herein specified.
:
Fifth In a machine substantially as described, and in combination with the
pipe a, the valve L carried on the spring L' and the screw for adjusting the force
of said spring at will, as herein specified.
Sixth The intermediate twenty-four wheel H, driven by direct gearing as shown,
in combination with the wheels P and Q and connected mechanism for opening
and closing one or more valves, and with the sleeve O driving the twelve-hour
wheel by gearing direct from the twenty-four hour wheel, as herein specified.
In Witness whereof I, the said George Peter Ganster, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Nineteenth day of May A.D. 1884.
CFORCE PETER GANSTER. (LS)
CEORGE PETER GANSTER (LS)
Witnesses :-
THOMAS DREW STETSON
Patent Attorney, New York city, U.S.
WILLIAM CLARK DEY
Accountant
New York City. U.S.A.