Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Lime-light or the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 15th Oct.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Producing Lime-light or the like.
We, ARTHUR SAMUEL NEWMAN, and NEWMAN AND GUARDIA, LIMITED, both
of 92, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, Manufacturers of Scientific Apparatus, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to apparatus for the production of that kind of light
known generally by the name of the line-light, and which consists as is well
known of an ignited jet of certain combustible gases impinging upon a piece of
refractory material such as lime for example, and the object of the invention is to
enable hydrogen or coal gas for example to be taken at ordinary pressure from
pipes or other receptacles and used in conjunction with oxygen gas at a high
pressure with absolute safety.
For the purposes of our invention we employ a suitable burner mounted at one
end of a tube and directed in the usual way so that the jet of combined gases
issuing from it impinges against the piece of refractory material in the manner
well known in connection with this kind of light-producing apparatus. The
other end of the aforesaid tube is trumpet-mouthed and is connected with the
front end of another tube which contains within it a third tube the front end of
which is provided with a nozzle directed towards the trumpet-mouth of the
first named tube. The rear end of the inner tube passes through a stuffing box in
the rear end of the outer tube, or is otherwise so adapted thereto that no gas
can escape from the annular space between the two tubes except at the front
end. Combustible gas, such as coal gas or hydrogen for example, is admitted
into the annular space between the inner and outer tubes, and oxygen, under
pressure, into the inner tube. The jet of oxygen issuing from the nozzle at the
end of the inner pipe enters the trumpet-mouthed end of the tube connected with
the burner and draws with it, after the manner of an injector, a current of the coal
gas or hydrogen from the annular space between the inner and outer tubes; the
oxygen and coal gas or hydrogen mix together in the burner tube and pass on to
the burner where they take fire and impinge upon the refractory material heating
the latter to a white heat and thereby producing an intensely bright light in the
usual way. By these means as the mixture of gases only takes place in the com-
paratively small burner tube just before reaching the burner and not in a com-
paratively large mixing chamber as heretofore the quantity of mixed, and therefore
explosive gas, present at any given moment is extremely small and the danger
due to explosion is consequently reduced to a minimum.
In order to minimize as far as possible the effects of the small explosions which
are possible even with our improvements we employ a safety valve in connection
with the annular space between the inner and outer tubes, so that when a trifling
explosion occurs in the burner tube or in the front part of the annular space the
safety valve opens and the pressure is relieved. The safety valve also serves the
purpose of preventing such a rise of pressure in the annular space by the access

page_text: of oxygen thereto as would permit of the oxygen travelling back into the pipe
supplying the coal gas or hydrogen.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1897
improvements in Apparatus for Producing Lime-light or the like.
We, ARTHUR SAMUEL NEWMAN, and NEWMAN AND GUARDIA, LIMITED, both
of 92, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, Manufacturers of Scientific Apparatus, 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 relates to, apparatus for the production of that kind of light
known generally by the name of the lime light, and which consists, as is well
known, of an ignited jet of certain combustible gases impinging upon a piece of
refractory material such as lime for example, and the object of the invention is to
enable hydrogen or coal gas for example to be taken at ordinary pressure from
pipes or other receptacles, and used in conjunction with oxygen gas at a high
pressure with absolute safety.
And in order that the said invention may be fully understood, we will now
proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying two sheets of
drawings, in which figure 1 is a side elevation of a lime light apparatus of
ordinary construction, but with our invention applied thereto; Figure 2 is a
plan of same and Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the part of the apparatus
comprising our invention.
For the purposes of our invention, we employ a burner A mounted at one end
of a tube A, and directed in the usual way so that the jet of combined gases issuing
from it impinges against the piece of refractory material C in the manner well
known in connection with this kind of light-producing apparatus. The end of
the tube A opposite to that from which the jet of combined gases issues, is
trumpet-mouthed, as shown in Figure 3. and is connected with the front end of
a tube B which contains within it a third tube D the front end of which is provided
with a nozzle E directed towards, and preferably entering, the trumpet mouth of
the tube A. The rear end of the inner tube I passes through a stuffing-box F
in the rear end of the outer tube B. or is otherwise so adapted that no gas can
escape from the annular space G between the two tubes B and D except at the
front end. Combustible gas, such as coal gas or hydrogen. for example, is
admitted through the branch B₁ into the annular space G between the inner and
outer tubes, and oxygen under pressure into the inner tube D. The jet of oxygen
issuing from the nozzle E at the end of the inner tube 1) enters the trumpet
mouthed end of the tube A¹ connected with the burner A, and draws with it, some
what after the manner of an injector, a current of the coal gas or hydrogen from
the annular space G. The oxygen and coal gas or hydrogen mix together in the
tube A (which is the only mixing chamber we employ) and pass on to the
burner A, where they burn in the usual way the flame impinging upon the re-
fractory material C, heating the latter to a white heat and thereby producing an
intensely bright light as usual. By these means, as the mixture of gases only

page_text: takes place in the comparatively small tube A' (which is preferably of about the
same cross section throughout its length and without contractions at any part)
and not in a comparatively large mixing chamber with a contracted inlet and
outlet as heretofore, the quantity of mixed, and therefore explosive gas present
at any, given moment is extremely small, and the danger due to explosion is
consequently reduced to a minimum.
In order to minimize, as far as possible, the effects of the small explosions which
are possible even with our improvements, we employ a safety valve H in connection
with the annular space G between the inner and outer tubes D and B, so that
when a trifling explosion occurs in the tube A' or in the front part of the annular
space G, the safety valve H opens and the pressure is relieved. The safety valve H
also serves the purpose of preventing such a rise of pressure in the annular space G,
by the access of oxygen thereto, as would permit of the oxygen travelling back
into the pipe supplying the coal gas or hydrogen.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare to have it
understood that we are aware that it is not novel to employ an injecting device in
connection with lime light apparatus, and that we make no claim generally to
the use of an injecting apparatus in such connection, but that what we do
claim is:-
First. The improvement in apparatus for burning combined gases for producing
lime light or the like, which consists of a burner A, a mixing tube A having a
trumpet-mouth connected with an outer tube B provided with an inlet for low
pressure gas, an inner tube 1) for the introduction of high pressure gas and a
nozzle E connected with the said tube D and opening into the trumpet mouth of the
mixing tube A, constructed and operating substantially as described.
Second. In combination with the improved gas burning apparatus forming the
subject of the first claiming clause hereof a safety valve H in connection with
the annular space between the tubes B and D, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Third. In an apparatus for burning combined gases for producing lime light or
the like the use of a mixing tube A made of the same or nearly the same cross
section throughout its length and without a contracted inlet or outlet, substantially
as described.