IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO GAS LAMPS AND BURNERS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clayton Mewburn, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City
A
of London, Patent Agent and Consulting Engineer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO GAS LAMPS AND BURNERS."
communication from abroad by Ernest Brouardel, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clayton Mewburn at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd February 1880.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO GAS
LAMPS AND BURNERS.' [A communication from abroad by Ernest Brouardel, of
Paris, France.]
The primary object of this Invention is to construct lamps and burners so that
the lighting or ignition can be effected from the outside of the lamp by the simple
opening of the cock by the lamp carried by the lamp lighter. This result is
obtained by the following means: First, the plug or stem of the cock is hollow, as
well as its lever, up to the point where the lamplighter places his lamp for the
purpose of opening the cock; secondly, the plug and the seat of the cock are
formed with channels, and cavities over these channels, arranged so that the simple
opening of the cock admits the gas first simultaneously to perforated igniting tubes
and to the burner, and then to the burner only.
I will proceed to describe several arrangements of lamps and burners on these
principles.
The first arrangement is a round or argand burner, which burns without a
chimney, but which however gives an illuminating power at least equal to that of
round burners which can only burn properly with a chimney. This burner, among
other uses, may be employed for public lamps, and as in this case the lamps should
be completely closed (except at the top for the escape of the products of combustion)
the igniting from the outside will be found very advantageous. In this arrange-
ment screw above the cock a regulator of any suitable kind through which the
gas passes before reaching inclined passages which lead it to the burner. At its
upper part or crown the burner is covered with a plate or ferrule which leaves a
narrow space for the flow of the gas while burning. It prevents smoke, and gives
steadiness to the flame. Above the flame at a certain distance from the ferrule

page_text: (which distance is regulated by the consumption of the burner) is a convex plate
with a circular flange. It is formed with small holes, the number and diameter
of which are proportioned to the consumption of gas. The object of this plate is
to direct the current of air centrally above the flame. The holes in it have a double
purpose; first, to prevent the shadow which would be cast above the plate, and,
secondly, to permit a certain escape of the hot air which arrives in excess through
the centre of the burner. The said plate is fixed on a central rod which is itself
fixed in the interior of the burner. A tube screwed at its top to the bottom of the
burner descends to a point below the glass at the bottom of the lamp, which is thus
hermetically closed; the air for supporting combustion can only enter by this tube.
To guard the inlet of air from the effects of wind an inverted cone is fitted below
the tube and protects orifices formed at the lower part of the latter. Inside the
tube and below the said orifices is a washer whose diameter is rather less than that
of the tube; it is fixed on the regulator or gas supply pipe.
I will now describe how this lamp can be lighted without opening it. The plug
of the cock has the ordinary channel or way, and also a secondary channel. It is
also hollow from the secondary channel up to a point where it terminates in a
simple gas jet. Near this jet is connected to the plug a small perforated pipe
which goes round the jet, and along the outside of the plug, and terminates near
the seat. The seat has the ordinary channel and also a lateral channel of the same
diameter, but excentrated towards the front. When the cock is closed the ordinary
channel in the plug is horizontal, and the gas cannot pass either to the burner or
to the lateral channel in the seat. When the lamplighter presses his lamp against
the lever of the plug he first brings the cock into a position in which the ordinary
channels in the plug and seat communicate, and the lateral channel in the seat
communicates with the secondary channel in the plug; the gas thus flows simul-
taneously both to the burner and to the hollow of the plug; but as the movement
of the lever continues the gas flows only to the burner. To the lateral channel in
the seat is screwed or otherwise fixed a perforated pipe which rises to the inside of
the burner. In order to light the lamp the lamplighter has simply to lower the
lever of the plug by means of a hook on his band lamp; during this movement his
lamp is near the jet before described, so that the lighting of the gas is effected.
The flow of the gas during the first part of the opening movement takes place, first,
by the ordinary channels of the plug and seat, and secondly by their secondary
channels. The gas therefore flows first by the hollow of the plug to the jet before
described, and to the perforated pipe near the same; secondly, by the lateral
channel in the seat through the other perforated pipe which leads to the inside of
the burner, and thirdly to the burner through the ordinary channels in the plug
and seat. When the plug lever is completely lowered the gas can only pass through
the ordinary channels, and therefore only the burner is supplied. Thus there are
four distinct effects produced by the single movement of the plug lever. First, the
gas enters the hollow of the plug and the perforated pipe fixed thereto, so that the
latter is ignited by the jet; then the gas still passing into the said perforated pipe
reaches and ignites the gas in the other perforated pipe; next the gas continuing
to burn in the perforated pipes reaches the burner and ignites it; and finally the
gas being fed only to the burner, only the latter burns. These several stages take
place as it were simultaneously.
The mode of lighting lamps from the outside as described applicable to various
kinds of burners. In a modification which I will now describe the plug of the
cock is fixed, being screwed on the gas supply pipe, and the lever is fitted to the
plug seat; the lever is hollow and perforated with small holes which form a series
of gas jets, so that the lamplighter's lamp on touching the lever ignites the gas
which issues by the holes and communicates the flame from point to point. The
tube which leads to the burner is itself formed with a row of holes which are
uncovered by a longitudinal slot in an outer pipe or jacket; this outer pipe is
screwed to the seat of the cock and turns therewith, while the burner tube is fixed
to the stationary plug. The plug has formed in it in the direction of its length a

page_text: channel or way which is directed towards the hollow lever and then rises to the
burner tube. The plug seat has two notches or cuts; one of these is in height equal
to the diameter of the hollow of the lever, and the other serves as a communication
between the two portions of the channel in the plug when the lever is moved so
far that the first notch has passed the said channel. During the first portion of its
movement the lever brings the first notch opposite the two portions of the channel,
and the outer pipe uncovers the holes in the burner tube; the gas enters the hollow
of the lever and the burner tube, the gas becomes ignited at the perforations, and
ignites the burner; but during the continuance of the movement of the lever the
plug causes the outer pipe to move round so as to close the perforations in the
burner tube, and the first notch ceases to be opposite the channel in the plug, so
that the gas no longer enters the hollow of the lever. The burner is still supplied,
because the second notch is opposite the channel. Instead of having holes in the
burner tube, as described, there may be a separate perforated tube at the side of the
burner tube and connected with the hollow of the lever so as to receive gas at the
same time as the latter; or holes in the hollow lever may communicate with an
annular space formed by an outer tube or jacket which is itself perforated with
holes. Around the burner tube is a pipe or jacket, and the annular space thus
formed communicates with the annular space around the hollow lever. When the
lamplighter applies his lamp to the lever he immediately ignites the body of gas in
the jacket of the lever and in that of the burner tube, the ignition passing very
rapidly from point to point until it reaches the burner.
As it is not easy to cut out the notches described in the plug, the following
arrangement may be adopted with advantage:-The plug has a vertical hole with
two branches; one of these is for communicating with the lever and the perforated
tube, and the other opens into a small notch easily made in the seat, and com-
municating with a chamber formed by a screwed cap. It is from this chamber
that the hole leads which communicates with the central passage leading to the
burner tube.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Clayton Mewburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
31st July 1880.
JOHN CLAYTON MEWBURN, of 169, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent
Agent and Consulting Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPLICABLE TO GAS
LAMPS AND BURNERS." (A communication from abroad by Ernest Brouardel, of
Paris, France.)
"
The primary object of this Invention is to construct lamps and burners so that
the lighting or ignition can be effected from the outside of the lamp by the simple
opening of the cock by the lamp carried by the lamp lighter. This result is
obtained by the following means-First, the plug or stem of the cock is hollow, as
well as its lever, up to the point where the lamp lighter places his lamp for the
purpose of opening the cock; secondly, the plug and the seat of the cock are formed
with channels, and with cavities overlapping these channels, arranged so that the

page_text: simple opening of the cock admits the gas first simultaneously to perforated igniting
tubes and to the burner, and then to the burner only.
I will proceed to describe several arrangements of lamps and burners on these
principles.
The first arrangement is a round or argand burner, which burns without a
chimney, but which however gives an illuminating power at least equal to that of
round burners which can only burn properly with a chimney. This burner, among
other uses, may be employed for public lamps; and as in this case the lamps should
be completely closed (except at the top for the escape of the products of combustion)
the igniting from the outside will be found very advantageous.
Figure 1 is an elevation showing this Invention applied to a public lamp;
Figures 2 and 3 are sections of the burner and other parts on a larger scale, these
two sections being taken at right angles to each other; Figure 4 represents the
cock in the position it occupies during lighting, while in the position, Figure 5,
only the burner receives the gas.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 1 I screw above the cock a regulator R of
any suitable kind, through which the gas passes before reaching inclined passages I
which lead it to the burner. At its upper part or crown the burner is covered with
a plate or ferrule V which leaves a narrow space for the flow of the gas while
burning. It prevents smoke, and gives steadiness to the flame. Above the flame,
at a certain distance from the ferrule (which distance is regulated by the con-
sumption of the burner), is a convex plate P with a circular flange p. It is formed
with small holes o, o, the number and diameter of which are proportioned to the
consumption of gas. The object of this plate is to direct the current of air centrally
above the flame. The holes in it have a double purpose; first, to prevent the
shadow which would be cast above the plate, and, secondly, to permit a certain
escape of the hot air which arrives in excess through the centre of the burner.
The said plate is fixed on a central rod X, which is itself fixed in the interior of the
burner. A tube C, screwed at its top to the bottom of the burner, descends to a
point below the glass at the bottom of the lamp, which is thus hermetically closed;
the air for supporting combustion can only enter by this tube C. To guard the
inlet of air from the effects of wind an inverted cone m is fitted below the tube C
and protects orifices z formed at the lower part of the latter. Inside the tube and
below the said orifices is a washer n whose diameter is rather less than that of the
tube; it is fixed on the regulator or gas supply pipe.
I will now describe how this lamp can be lighted without opening it. The
plug S (Figure 2) of the cock has the ordinary channel or way A', and also a
secondary channel B. It is also hollow from the channel B up to a point where it
terminates in a simple gas jet J (Figure 1). Near this jet J is connected to the
plug S a small perforated pipe T which goes round the jet J and along the outside
of the plug S, and terminates near the seat H. The seat has the ordinary channel A
(Figure 3), and also a lateral channel D (Figures 3 and 4) of the same diameter, but
excentrated towards the front, as seen in the sectional plan, Figure 5. When the
cock is closed the ordinary channel A¹ in the plug is horizontal, and the gas cannot
pass either to the burner or to the channel D. When the lamplighter presses his
lamp against the lever of the plug he first brings the cock into the position
shewn in Figure 4, in which the channels A and A' communicate, and the channel D
in the seat communicates with the channel B in the plug; the gas thus first flows
simultaneously both to the burner and to the hollow of the plug; but as the move-
ment of the lever continues the gas flows only to the burner (Figure 3). To the
channel D is soldered a socket F, to which is screwed or otherwise fixed a perforated
pipe Z which rises to the inside of the burner. When the gas passage is entirely
closed the lever K of the plug is raised; it is lowered (Figure 1) at the time of
lighting. In order to light the lamp the lamplighter has simply to lower the lever
by means of a hook on his haud lamp; during this movement his lamp is near the
jet J, so that the lighting of the gas is effected. The flow of the gas during the
first part of the opening movement takes place, first, by the ordinary channels A¹ of

page_text: the plug and A of the seat, and secondly by the secondary channels B of the plug
and D of the seat. The gas therefore flows first by the hollow or channel B of the
plug to the jet J and to the perforated pipe T; secondly, by the channel D in the
seat to the perforated pipe Z; and, thirdly, to the burner through the ordinary
channels A¹, A, in the plug and seat. When the plug lever is completely lowered
the gas can only pass through the ordinary channels A', A, and therefore only the
burner is supplied. Thus there are four distinct effects produced by the single
movement of the plug lever. First, the gas enters the hollow of the plug and the
perforated pipe T, so that the latter is ignited by the jet J; then the gas, still
passing into the perforated pipe T, reaches and ignites the gas in the perforated
pipe Z; next, the gas continuing to burn in the perforated pipes T and Z, reaches
the burner and ignites it; and, finally, the gas being fed only to the burner, only
the latter burns. These several stages take place as it were simultaneously.
The mode of lighting lamps from the outside, as described, is applicable to
various kinds of burners, as is indicated by the other Figures of the Drawings.
One of these arrangements is shown in vertical section in Figure 6, and in
horizontal section on the line M, N, in Figure 7. In this modification the plug a
of the cock is fixed, being screwed on the gas supply pipe, and the lever c is fitted
to the plug seat b; the lever is hollow and perforated with small holes o, o, which
form a series of gas jets, so that the lamp lighter's lamp on touching the lever
ignites the gas which issues by the holes, and communicates the flame from point
to point. The tube d which leads to the burner is itself formed with a row of
holes o¹, which are uncovered by a longitudinal slot e in an outer pipe or jacket f;
this outer pipe is fixed by the screw g to the seat b of the cock, and turns there-
with while the burner tube is fixed to the stationary plug a. The plug (which is
shown on a larger scale in Figure 8) has formed in it in the direction of its length a
channel or way i, which is inclined towards the hollow lever and then rises, as seen
at ¹, to the burner tube. The plug seat (which is shown in vertical and horizontal
sections in Figures 9 and 10) has two notches or cuts; one of these j is in height
equal to the diameter of the hollow of the lever, and the other k serves as a
communication between the two portions i, i', of the channel in the plug when the
lever is moved so far that the notch j has passed the said channel. During the
first portion of its movement the lever brings the notch ; opposite the two
portions i, i¹, of the channel, and the pipe f uncovers the holes o¹ in the tube d;
the gas enters the hollow of the lever c and the tube d, it becomes ignited at the
perforations o and o¹ and ignites the burner; but during the continuance of the
movement of the lever the seat b causes the pipe f to move round so as to close the
perforations o¹, and the notch j ceases to be opposite the channel i, i¹, so that the
gas no longer enters the hollow of the lever. The burner is still supplied because
the notch is opposite the channel i, ¹. Instead of having holes or in the burner
tube there may be a separate perforated tube, as represented at m, Figure 11, at
the side of the burner tube, and connected with the hollow of the lever c, so as to
receive gas at the same time as the latter. Or, as shewn in Figure 12, holes in the
hollow lever c may communicate with an annular space formed by an outer tube or
jacket n, which is itself perforated with holes p. Around the tube d is a pipe or
jacket q, and the annular space thus formed communicates with the annular space
around the hollow lever. When the lamplighter applies his lamp to the lever he
immediately ignites the body of gas in the jacket of the lever, and in that of the
burner tube, the ignition passing very rapidly from point to point until it reaches
the burner.
As it is not easy to cut out the notches j and k in the plug, the arrangement of
cock represented in vertical and horizontal sections in Figures 13 and 14, may be
adopted with advantage. The plug a has a vertical hole with two branches; one
of these j¹ is for communicating with the lever c, and the perforated tube m, and
the other k¹ opens into a small notch easily made in the seat, and communicates
with a chamber formed by a screwed cap 8. It is from this chamber that the hole t
leads, which communicates with the central passage leading to the burner tube.

page_text: And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the "Improvements in or
Applicable to Gas Lamps and Burners,"-
First. Constructing lamps and burners so that they can be ignited from the
exterior, the arrangement being such that the turning on of the gas to the burner
and its ignition are effected by a single movement, that is to say, by the opening
of the cock by the lamplighter's lamp, substantially as hereinbefore described and
represented in the annexed Drawings.
Second. Making the plug of the cock as well as its lever hollow so that the gas
may be conducted to the point where the lamplighter applies his lamp to open the
cock, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the annexed
Drawings.
Third. Constructing the cocks with channels in their plug and seat, and cavities
overlapping these channels, the whole arranged so that the simple opening of the
cock admits the gas first to perforated igniting tubes and to the burner simul-
taneously, and afterwards to the burner only, substantially as hereinbefore
described and represented in the annexed Drawings.
Fourth. The arrangement of lamp with a round or argand burner without a
chimney, the admission of air for supporting combustion being only at the centre
of the burner, the air being conducted to the burner by a hermetic tube, and the
arrangement being applicable to lamps which have no other opening except at the
top, substantially as herein before described and represented in the annexed
Drawings.
•
Fifth. The plate or ferrule V above the burner and the arrangement of the
plate P above the flame, substantially as represented in the Drawings and for the
purposes described.
Sixth. Forming the inner tube of the burner with holes which a slotted tube
actuated by the lever of the cock uncovers and covers at the required times for
effecting the ignition of the burner, substantially as herein before described and
represented in Figures 6 and 7.
Seventh. The arrangement with outer perforated tube for effecting the ignition
of the burner, substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in Figure 12.
Eighth. The several arrangements of cocks and burner's hereinbefore described
and represented in Figures 6 to 14.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clayton Mewburn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirty first day of July, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty.
J. C. MEWBURN. (L.S.)