Improved Automatic Gas Igniter.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
Improved Automatic Gas Igniter.
I, CARL FRIEDRICH PHILIPP STENDEBACH, Engineer, of 45 II, Plagwitzerstrasse,
Leipzig, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an automatic igniter for gas lighting apparatus of
every kind and is distinguished from other similar apparatus hitherto known, sub-
stantially by its simplicity, the certainty of its action combined with insensibility
to external influences.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings:-
Figs. 1 and I are longitudinal sections of an igniter constructed according to
this invention.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.
Fig. 3 a plan and
Fig. 4 a view of the regulating piston slide.
The new automatic gas igniter consists of a casing 1 Fig. 1, with the inlet
channel 2, the main channel 3 and the subordinate channel 4, which are in com-
munication with the cylinder 5, in which a regulating piston slide 6 is arranged.
The regulating piston slide 6 is made hollow and is furnished with slots at the
points 7, 8 and 9 by means of which the interior of the same in certain positions
is brought into communication with the before-mentioned channels 2, 3 and 4 as
also with the ignition channel. For the sake of lightness, the regulating piston
slide is preferably made of aluminium. The ignition channel 10 carries in its
upper portion the usual primer 11. Opposite the ignition channel a metal staff 12
is arranged in the known manner, and finds a counter-bearing in the adjustable
bearing support 13, engaging by means of the lower and shorter arm in a piston
rod 16 which is furnished with a longitudinal slot in such a manner that when
the regulating piston slide 6 is raised, a sliding of the lever arm in the longitudinal
slot is rendered possible, until the regulating piston slide strikes in the interior of
the cylinder 1 and as a matter of fact in the lower and wider part of the same.
The screw-thread 1b serves for fixing the primer to the gas conduit, whilst the
screw-thread 1" is used for the fixing of the actual burner, the incandescent
mantle etc. The operation of the new automatic gas igniter is as follows:-
:-
By the opening of the particular gas cock the gases are caused to flow into the
inlet channel 2, thence out through the slot 7 into the hollow chamber of the
regulating piston slide 6, reaching the ignition channel 10 through the slot 9, in
order to escape at the mouth of the same, and to bring a primer 11 into an incan-
descent state in the known manner. As soon as this happens the gases flowing
out of 10 are ignited and heat the metal staff in such a manner that, through the
expansion of the same, pressure results on the arm of the lever 14 which is con-
nected with the metal staff 12, the effect of which is that the regulating piston
slide 6 is raised with the assistance of the piston rod 16 to such an extent as to
cause the slot 8 in the same to come into communication with the subordinate
channel 4. Directly this occurs, the gases pass out of the piston slide and push
ID Q77

page_text: the latter upwards with a force corresponding to the pressure of the gas until it
strikes in the part 6" against the cylinder 1" the air-hole 17 being at the same time
closed by the slide. The escaping air is conveyed by means of a tube 17" to the
burner whereby any that may be with the escaping gases is brought to combustion.
The speed of the upward movement of the piston slide is regulated by the
regulating screw 18 which allows of the subordinate channel 4 being opened as
wide as desired. During the raising of the piston slide 6 by means of the gas
pressure the main channel 3 is brought into communication with the hollow,
chamber of the slide by means of the slot 7 which is of such a length that the
two channels 2 and 3 come into contact with the same simultaneously, and in this
way the gases flow towards the lighting body, burner, incandescent mantle etc.,
and here become ignited by means of the flame of combustion of the gases flow-
ing out of the ignition channel 10. During this proceeding, the upward movement
of the piston slide has reached its limit and the ignition channel is now shut off
by the slide 6, and hereby the flame extinguished.
As, soon as the entrance of gas to the main channel 2. is interrupted, the
pressure of the gases ceases at the part 6 of the piston slide; the piston in conse-
quence of its own weight falls again into its position, as seen in Fig. 1 whereby
the closing or shutting off of the channels 3 and 4, as well as the opening of the
ignition channel 10, is effected, the admission of air to the cylinders 1" and 5 is
regulated by means of the holes 17 and 19 (see Fig. 1) whilst the admission of
gas below 6 is facilitated or impeded by means of the screw 18.
As soon as there is a fresh admission of gas, the action of the igniter commences
anew in the manner described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. Automatic gas igniter the distinguishing feature of which is that its action
is regulated by means of a regulating piston slide 6, which when set in motion is
under the influence of an external pressure and when put out of action is under
the influence of its own gravity, the action of the external pressure on the regulat-
ing piston slide 6 being effected in such a manner that the same is brought into
cooperation with an expansive body so that the increase in the volume of such body
resulting from the heating thereof by means of the igniting flame in the known
manner causes the regulating piston slide to be raised, whereby a subordinate
channel is opened substantially as described.
2. The arrangement of a regulating piston slide 6 in combination with the casing
of an automatic gas igniter, the distinguishing feature of which is that the hollow
chamber of the regulating piston slide by means of suitably arranged slots or
elevations in the walls thereof, owing to the different positions of the piston slide
rendered necessary through the action of the whole contrivance, comes into com-
munication in a certain order of rotation with the channels 2, 10, 4 and 3 in such
a manner that at the beginning of the setting in action the gases flowing in
through 2 escape through 10, then fill the channel 4 and the space under the part 6*
of the piston slide in the further course of the action (described under Claim 1)
of the piston slide, reach the burner through the channel 3 and finally are shut off
at 10, whilst upon the apparatus being put out of action the process is effected
in inverted order and in the manner mentioned under Claim 1.
Dated this 16th day of August 1898
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.