Improvements in or in Connection with Gas-cocks having Automatic Igniting Arrangements.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1898
Improvements in or in Connection with Gas-cocks having Automatic
Igniting Arrangements.
We, JULIUS FRIEDRICH CHARLES JÜRGENS, of 35, Oelkersallee, Altona, Germany,
Mechanical Engineer, and THE AUTOMATIC UNIVERSAL GASLIGHTER LIMITED, of
Throgmorton House, 15, Copthall Avenue, in the City of London, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
The heretofore known arrangements of gas cocks having an igniting flame which
does not burn continuously and in which the igniting pipe is directly controlled by
the cock plug, have the disadvantage that the closing of the igniting pipe after the
main jet has been ignited, must be effected by further turning of the cock plug by
hand.
Now this invention relates to a construction of gas cock in which the cock plug
turns back automatically into the position for closing the igniting pipe after the
ignition of the main flame, thereby obviating the disadvantage above referred to.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying illustrative drawings shows in elevation one construc-
tion of gas cock according to this invention with a Bunsen burner mounted thereon.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are vertical sections showing the gas cock in three different
positions, viz. (a) with the igniting pipe opened and the main pipe partly opened;
(b) with the igniting pipe closed and the main pipe completely opened; and (c) with
both the igniting pipe and the main pipe closed.
Fig. 5 shows the gas cock in horizontal section.
Fig. 6 is a ring for effecting the automatic closure.
Fig. 7 shows partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section, a modified
construction of a gas cock according to this invention.
The igniting pipe 6 branches off in the usual manner from the cock casing a.
This igniting pipe is an ordinary igniting pipe provided with an igniting body,
such for example as spongy platinum as well understood. The igniting pipe
communicates by means of a small lateral hole c with the bored of the cock plug f
so that the passage for the supply of gas may take place through the igniting pipe
and the partially open main pipe (see Fig. 2), or through the main pipe alone (see
Fig. 3) to the burner; or may be completely cut off (see Fig. 4).
In order to obviato a further operation of the plug by hand, for the purpose of
cutting off the supply of gas to the igniting pipe after the main jet has been ignited,
the casing a is provided at its front end with a recess g in which engages the pin h
of a ring i which is rotatably mounted on the plug (see Fig. 5). This ring is also
provided on its front face with a recess in which works a pin n fixed to the plug
operating lever m. By means of a spring p which is attached at one end to a ring o
of the burner casing and at the other end to the ring i, or by means of a weight
attached to the ring i, the said ring i has a constant tendency to turn and bring its
pin h to bear against the right hand shoulder or stop of the recess g.
When the main flame has to be ignited, the ring q is pulled until the pin n strikes
the left-hand shoulder or stop of the recess k (Fig. 1). On further pulling the
ring q the ring i will be moved also against the action of the spring p which will be

page_text: placed in tension.
This will continue until the pin h strikes against the left-hand
shoulder or stop of the recess g. In this position (see dotted line A-A of Fig. 1
and the sectional view Fig. 2), the bore c of the plug coincides with the branch
passage b that ignition of the main supply of gas can be effected.
When this has
been done, the ring q is released, whereupon the spring p rotates the ring i and
consequently also the plug, backwards to such an extent, that the pin h strikes
against the right-hand shoulder g¹ of the recess g. In this position the igniting
pipe b is closed and the main pipe is completely opened (Fig 3).
In order to extinguish the flame, it is sufficient to pull the ring until the pin n
comes in contact with the right-hand shoulder of the recess (see dotted line B-B
of Fig. 1 and the sectional view Fig. 4).
In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the igniting pipe does not branch directly
from the plug, but from an intermediate pieces which is interposed between the
cock and the burner and from the boret of which a passage u leads to the branch
passage v.
In this passage u there is arranged a valve w which is pressed upon its seat by
means of a spring . The lower end of the valve spindle y extends into the path
of a pin z mounted on the cock plug. As will be seen the arrangement is such
that on opening the plug the pin z raises the valve w from its seat, and places the
spring in compression, so that gas is allowed to pass simultaneously to the main
and branch passages. When ignition has been effected, the handle of the plug is
released, whereupon the spring draws down the valve, and, at the same time, opens
the main pipe completely by pressing back the pin z.
1007
Improvements in or in Connection with Gas-cocks having Automatic
Igniting Arrangements.
We, Julius FRIEDRICH CHARLES JÜRGENS, of 35, Oelkersallee, Altona, Germany,
Mechanical Engineer, and THE AUTOMATIC UNIVERSAL GASLIGHTER LIMITED, of Throg-
morton House, 15, Copthall Avenue, in the City of London, 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 :-
This invention has reference to improvements in or in connection with gas cocks
having igniting tubes and means for automatically igniting the gas escaping from
such tubes to produce a temporary flame for igniting the main supply of gas fed to
incandescent, Argand and other burners.
The known arrangements of gas cocks of the kind referred to, possess the dis-
advantage that the closing of the igniting tube by the cock plug for cutting off the
supplementary supply of gas to the temporary igniting flame after the main jet of
gas has been ignited, must be effected by further turning of the cock plug by hand,
which may inadvertently be omitted to be done with the result that the igniting
body, such as a pill of spongy platinum or platinum-black and porous refractory
material, used for automatically igniting the supplementary jet of gas, will be subject
to the injurious heating action of the iguiting flame as long as the main flame
is burning. Moreover the construction of the cock has usually been such that
the ignition of the main supply of gas has been accompanied by an explosion which,

page_text: when ordinary incandescence mantles are used, is very detrimental to such mantles,
and the arrangement of the igniting device has usually been such that it is subjected
to the action of heat from the main flame, whereby its efficiency as an automatic
igniter is rapidly diminished.
Now this invention relates to a construction of gas cock with automatic igniting
arrangements in which (a) the cock plug, after being turned to its full extent to
turn on the supply of gas, will, upon being released, after the main jet of gas has
been ignited, be automatically turned back into a position in which the supply of
gas to the igniting tube will be cut off; (b) the main and supplementary gas passages
to the main burner and igniting tube are so arranged that on turning the cock to
its full extent a small quantity of gas will be supplied to the main burner simul-
taneously with the passage of gas to the igniting tube so that ignition of the main
supply of gas can be effected without shock; and (c) the automatic igniting device
can be so arranged that while it will serve to ignite the supplementary jet of gas
for igniting the main jet, it shall not be subject to the action of heat from the main
flame and can be located in the current of cold air flowing to the main flame so that
its effective life can be considerably prolonged.
And in order that the invention may be fully understood we shall now proceed
to more fully explain the same by the aid of the accompanying illustrative drawings
wherein
Fig. 1 shows, in elevation, one construction of gas cock with automatic igniting
arrangement according to this invention, together with a Bunsen burner suitable
for use with an ordinary incandescence mantle which is shown in dotted lines.
Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are vertical sections of the gas cock showing the plug thereof in
three different positions, viz.: (a) with the igniting tube fully opened and the main
gas passage to the burner partly opened; (b) with the igniting tube closed and the
main gas passage completely opened; and (c) with both the igniting tube and the
main gas passage closed. Fig. 5 shows the gas cock in horizontal section. Fig. 6
is a detail view hereinafter more particularly referred to.
a is the cock casing formed with main and supplementary gas passages a¹, a²
respectively, and provided with an igniting tube b which branches off in the usual
manner from the supplementary gas passage a². This igniting tube, which may be
constructed as a Bunsen burner, as shown, or as ordinary non-Bunsen burner, as
may be desired, is provided with an igniting body b₁ such for example as spongy
platinum, that is adapted to ignite in an automatic manner, a jet of gas brought in
contact therewith, as now well understood. A suitable automatic igniting device
for the purpose mentioned is described in the Specification of an Application for
Letters Patent No. 29828 of 1897. c and d are respectively supplementary and
main gas passages formed in the cock plug f, the supplementary gas passage c
extending laterally from the main gas passage d which extends across the plug.
As will be seen, the arrangement of these gas passages is such that (a) when the
plug is turned in the direction of the arrow 1 from the position shown in Fig. 4.to
that shown in Fig. 2, the supplementary passage c for the supply of gas to the
igniting pipe b and igniting body b¹ will be full open and the main passage d to the
main burner g will be partially open, so. that a small supply of gas will pass to
the main burner g simultaneously with the passage of gas to the igniting tube b and
igniting body 61; (b) when the cock plug is turned back from the position shown
in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3, which is done automatically by a spring or weight
when the cock is released, as hereinafter described, gas will be cut off from the
igniting tube and igniting body and turned full on to the main burner; and (c)
when the plug is turned farther back into the position shown in Fig. 4, the gas
will be cut off both from the igniting tube and from the main burner.
By the arrangement described it will be seen that upon turning the plug from the
position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 2, gas will be supplied through the
passages and in sufficient quantity to be ignited by the flame produced by
the ignition, by means of the automatic igniting body b¹, of the gas escaping
from the igniting tube b, but not in sufficient quantity to induce an upward flow of

page_text: air through the burner such as is ordinarily the case and which air by admixture
with the escaping gas, produces an explosive mixture which, on ignition, produces
the objectionable explosion or shock usually observed when igniting incandescence
or Argand burners provided with chimneys. Furthermore as the main supply of gas
is ignited by a comparatively long flame from the igniting tube b and not directly
by the igniting body b', such body can be placed below the top of the burner, as
shown, and directly in the current of cool air flowing to the main flame through
the annular passage g¹ surrounding the burner g.
For automatically returning the cock plug f from the position shown in Fig. 2 to
that shown in Fig. 3, and thus obviating the necessity of having to do this
separately by hand, there is combined with the cock, a device in which energy is
stored when turning the plug from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2,
and which device, upon releasing the plug, re-acts and automatically moves the plug
back from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 3. In the arrangement
shown for this purpose in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the cock casing a is provided at its
front end with a recess a³ in which engages a pin h fast on a ring i which is
rotatably mounted onthe plug f (see Fig. 5). This ring i is also provided on its
front face with a recess (Figs. 1 and 6) in which works a pin n fixed to the boss
of the plug operating lever m. By means of a spring p which is attached at one
end to a fixed ring o on the burner casing and at the other end to the ring i,
or by means of a weight attached to the ring i, the said ring i has a
constant tendency imparted to it to turn in the direction of the arrow 2
(Fig. 1) and bring its pin to bear againt the right hand or upper shoulderor stop at
of the recess a³. When the main flame is to be ignited, the ring q is pulled
until the pin n strikes the left hand shoulder or stop of the recess k in the ring i
(Fig. 1). On further pulling the ring q, the ring i will be moved against the action
of the spring p which will be placed in tension. This will continue until the pin h
strikes against the left-hand or lower shoulder or stop a5 of the recess a³. In this
position (see dotted line A-A of Fig. 1 and the sectional view Fig. 2) the passage c
of the plug coincides with the branch passage a² and ignition tube b so that
ignition of the small quantity of gas simultaneously passing through the main
passage d to the main burner will be effected immediately after the ignition, by
means of the automatic igniting device b¹, of the gas issuing from the said ignition
tube. When this has been done, the ring q is released, whereupon the spring p will
re-act and partly rotate the ring i, and consequently also the plug, backwards to
such an extent that the pin h will strike against the right-hand or upper shoulder a
of the recess a³ in the cock casing, in which position the igniting tube b and
supplementary passages a² and c will be closed and the main gas passages d and a¹
will be completely opened, as shown in Fig. 3.
In order to extinguish the flame, it is sufficient to pull the ring of the lever m
until the pin n comes in contact with the right-hand shoulder or stop 2 of the
recess k when the lever m will be in the position shown by the dotted line B-B
of Fig. 1 and the plug in the position shown in Fig. 4.
In the modified construction of cock shown partly in side elevation and partly
in vertical section in Fig. 7, the igniting tube b does not branch directly from
the plug case a but from an intermediate pieces which is interposed between
the cock and the burner and from the bore t of which a branch passage v leads
to the ignition tube b. In the passage there is arranged a valve w which is
pressed upon its seat by means of a spring x. The lower end of the valve
spindle y, which is encircled by the spring, extends into the path of a pin z
projecting from the cock plug. As will be seen the arrangement is such that
on turning the handle of the plug f in the direction of the arrow 3 from the
position shown in full lines at f¹ to that shown in dotted lines at 2, the pin z
will raise the valve w from its seat and place the spring in compression, gas
being then allowed to pass simultaneously to the main and branch passages t
and v respectively. When ignition of the main supply of gas to the main burner
has been effected, the handle of the plug is released, whereupon the spring x

page_text: draws down the valve w thus closing it and shutting off the supply of gas to
the igniting tube b and, at the same time, presses back the pin and plug f
into the position indicated by the line f³ so as to fully open the gas passage
through the plug. In this case the plug has no supplementary passage.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A gas cock with automatic igniting arrangement in which when the cock plug
is turned into a position to admit gas to an igniting tube and thence to an automatic
igniting body, a small quantity of gas, practically unmixed with air, will be
simultaneously admitted to the main burner, and energy will be stored in a spring
or equivalent device, the arrangement being such that the igniting body will ignite
the jet of gas impinging upon it from the igniting tube and produce a flame which
will ignite, practically without explosion, the gas escaping from the main burner,
and upon releasing the cock plug the same will be automatically moved into a
position in which the supply of gas to the igniting tube will be cut off and the
supply of gas to the main burner will be turned fully on, and the igniting body will
be cooled by air flowing to the main flame proceeding from the burner as set forth.
2. A gas cock having an igniting passage and a plug adapted, when moved into
its extreme position, to open the igniting passage and to store energy in a spring or
equivalent device, which, after ignition of the gas issuing from the inain burner and
release of the plug, reacts and automatically moves back the plug to such an extent
as to close the igniting passage and leave the main passage of the burner fully open,
as set forth.
3. In a gas cock having an igniting passage adapted to be directly controlled by
the cock plug, a ring capable of limited rotation upon the plug and adapted to be
operated by the cock operating lever, and a spring or a weight arranged to influence
the position of the said ring relatively to the cock casing in such a manner that on
opening the cock, the ring will be moved by the operating lever towards the end of
the stroke of the latter against the action of the spring or weight, which, upon
ignition of the gas and release of the operating lever, will act to automatically move
the plug into a position to close the igniting passage and completely open the main
passage, as set forth.
4. The modified construction of gas cock wherein the supply of gas to the igniting
tube is controlled by a supplementary valve arranged to be opened by the plug
against the action of a spring which acts to automatically close the said valve when
the cock-operating lever is released.
5. The improved gas cock with automatic igniting arrangement hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, or modified according
to Fig. 7 of the drawings annexed.
1
1000