IMPROVEMENTS IN LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS LIGHTS
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Cowper, of No: 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS LIGHTS;'
fuam Simon Petit of Versailles in France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Cowper at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd July 1856.
I, CHARLES COWPER, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS LIGHTS," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to the lighting of several gas burners simultaneously
or in
very rapid succession by means of electricity. Each gas burner is
provided with a valve or cock, which is opened and closed by means of
an electric current acting directly upon it by means of an electro-magnet
or coil, or indirectly by releasing a detent. At the same moment.that
the valve is opened, or immediately afterwards, au electric spark is passed
through the issuing gas, or a fine platinum wire is ignited in the gas.
This may be effected by means of an induced current in a secondary coil
on the same electro-magnet which opens the valve. The motion of the
armature or other moving part of the apparatus then causes the electric
current to pass on to a similar apparatus at the next gas burner, which is thus
[Price 8d.]

page_text: lighted, and the current passed on to the next, and so on, until the whole
series of gas burners have been lighted. In this manner the whole of the
gas burners in a building, or in a street, or in several streets may be lighted in
rapid succession or almost instantaneously. By means of a reverse current, or
a current passing through another insulated wire, the burners may all be
extinguished in a similar manner. The electric current may be derived from
one terminal battery alone, or assisted by intermediate or local batteries at
intervals, or with a local battery at each burner. The earth or the gas pipes
may be employed for the return current. The details of the apparatus admit
of variation. Thus, in some cases the current may circulate through all or
several of the apparatus simultaneously, so that the burners may be lighted
or extinguished simultaneously instead of in rapid succession.
By this Invention, the same wire or system of wires serve for lighting and
extinguishing a large number of gas burners.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.
filed by the said Charles Cowper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd January 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
COWPER, of No: 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing. date. the Twenty-second day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Cowper, Her special license that I,the said Charles Cowper,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Cowper, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland;
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS LIGHTS," communicated to me by Simon
Petit, of Versailles, in France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Charles Cowper, my executors or administrators, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Cowper, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
gas.
be
The Invention relates to the lighting of several gas burners simultaneously
or in very rapid succession by means of electricity. Each gas burner is pro-
vided with a valve or cock, which is opened and closed by means of an electric
current acting directly upon it by means of an electro-magnet or coil, or
indirectly by releasing a detent. At the same moment that the valve is
opened, or immediately afterwards, an electric spark is passed through the
This may
issuing gas, or a fine platinum wire is ignited in the
effected by means of an induced current in a secondary coil on the same
electro-magnet which opens the valve. The motion of the armature or other
moving part of the apparatus then causes the electric current to pass on to a
similar apparatus at the next gas burner, which is thus lighted, and the current
passed on to the next, and so on, until the whole series of gas burners has
been lighted. In this manner the whole of the gas burners in a building, or
in a street, or in several streets may be lighted in rapid succession or almost
instantaneously. By means of a reverse current, or a current passing through
another insulated wire, the burners may all be extinguished in a similar
manner. The electric current may be derived from one terminal battery
alone, or assisted by intermediate or local batteries at intervals, or with a local
battery at each burner. The earth or the gas pipes may be employed for the
return current. The details of the apparatus-admit of variation. Thus, in
some cases, the current may circulate through all or several of the apparatus
simultaneously, so that the burners may be lighted or extinguished simul-
taneously instead of in rapid succession...
By this Invention, the same wire or system of wires serves for lighting and
extinguishing a large number of gas burners. Various arrangements of
apparatus may be employed in putting the Iuvention into operation.
Thus, firstly, a series of wires may be arranged to branch out from a
commutator connected to the main wire which conveys the current from
the voltaic battery or other source of electricity. The commutator may

page_text: consist of a circular arrangement of metallic segments insulated from each
other, and each of which is connected to one of the branch wires. The main
wire is connected to a metallic radial arm, which can be turned on a centre or
axis concentric with the circle of segments, so as to put the main wire in
connection with either of the branch wires. By this means the whole of the
current may be sent through each branch wire, instead of dividing the current
between all the branch wires. By moving round the radial arm of the com-
mutator, the whole current is passed through all the branch wires in such
rapid succession as to be almost instantaneous. One or more gas burners,
provided with suitable apparatus, as herein-after described, may be connected
to each branch wire, and thus all the burners may be lighted or extinguished
almost at the same moment.
Secondly, a series of branch wires may be permanently connected to the
main wire, so that the current may divide among the branch wires, each of
which is in connection with one or more induction apparatus and gas burners.
As, however, each branch wire only receives a fraction of the current from
the battery, this arrangement is more limited in its capabilities than that first
mentioned.
Thirdly, the apparatusmay be so arranged that the current is conducted to
one apparatus by which the first gas burner is lighted or extinguished, and at
the same time a contact is made by which the current is passed on to the
next apparatus and burner, and then from that to the next, and so on, by
which means all the burners are lighted or extinguished in rapid succession.
Fourthly, the apparatus and wires may be so arranged, that the current
may be passed continuously through all the apparatus so as to keep the cocks
oř.valves closed, and then by merely breaking the connection, so as to stop the
passage of the current, the cocks or valves are opened by springs, and the
electric spark is produced in each apparatus simultaneously, so that all the
burners are lighted simultaneously.
The apparatus on which the current or currents of electricity act may also
be constructed in various ways. Thus, the cock or valve may be connected to
a spring or clock work, which is prevented from moving it by a detent attached
to the armature of an electro-magnet, so that when the current is passed
through the wires of the electro-maguet the armature is attracted and the
detent released, and the cock is thus opened or shut. Or, in some cases, the
armature carries an escapement or pallets, which give motion to a toothed
wheel on the spindle or plug of the cock, and thus open it by a succession of
strokes produced by a succession of currents. The toothed wheel itself may
be made to produce the required interruptions and succession of currents by

page_text: means of a series of alternate insulating and conducting points or segments
carried by it; or an electro-magnet, with an armature or another electro-
magnet or permanent magnet, having a rotary or rectilinear motion, may be
employed to open and close the cock or valve.
In the accompanying Drawing some of the forms of apparatus for carrying
out the Invention are represented.
Figure 1 is an elevation of a lamp post, the lower part of which is shewn in
section; Figure 2 is a section of the electrical apparatus, drawn to a larger
scale. The blue lines w represent the main wire, which is connected at one
end to one pole of the battery or other source of electricity, and at the other
end to the earth or to the gas pipes, to which the other pole of the battery is
also connected. Additional local batteries or relays may be placed at a, a, and
included in the circuit, if required, so as to give additional power. The wire w
forms a coil round the iron core b, which is thus converted into an electro-
magnet. c is the iron armature, which is drawn down by the attraction of the
electro-magnet b, but is raised by a spring whenever the current ceases. The
iron core is perforated, and forms the pipe by which the gas enters the
column e, and passes up to the gas burner. When the armature c is drawn
down by the attraction of the electro-magnet b,it closes the passage through b,
and thus prevents the gas from passing. On the electro-magnet is also
wound a long thin insulated wire, the two ends of which (shewn by red
lines x, x,) pass up the column, and are brought near to each other, at a point
above the aperture of the gas burner. The extreme ends may be made of
platinum, to prevent them from being injured by the flame.
As long as the current passes through the main wire w, the passage of the
gas is prevented and no effect is produced; but if the connection with the
battery or distant source of electricity be broken,the armature c is immediately
raised by the spring, and the gas begins to escape at the gas burner. At the
same time, the electric current induced in the long thin wire passes in a
spark between its two ends a, x, and inflames the gas; on again passing the
current through the wire w, the armature e is drawn down and the light is
extinguished. In some cases, especially if the distance from the armature
valve c to the burner is considerable, the spark may pass before the
gas has
reached the burner, and it may thus escape being lighted. In such cases it is
only necessary to again make connection with the battery and immediately
break it; another spark will thu's be produced, and the pipe being now full
of gas, the gas will be lighted. The contact may be made and broken by hand;
or by means of a clock, as indicated at d, so that the gas burners may be
lighted and extinguished at the required times without the presence of any

page_text: attendant. This arrangement is simple, and the insulated main wire may be
carried from the battery round the electro-magnets of several similar lamp
posts, and then to the earth or to the gas pipes, to return to the battery.
When, however, a great number of these apparatus are thus connected, the
resistance of the coils of their electro-magnets will require a considerable
amount of battery power, and as the battery is in action during all the time
that the lights are extinguished, there will be a greater consumption of zinc or
battery materials than if the battery were only used during the very short
periods of lighting and extinguishing the gas. These objections do not apply
to the apparatus shewn in Figure 3. This Figure is not drawn to scale, but is
rather a diagram, to explain the mode of arranging the apparatus. A and B
are two main wires leading from the battery or source of electricity at P. The
battery is provided with a commutator of any of the ordinaryconstructions, by
means of which the wire A may be connected to one pole of the battery while
B is disconnected; and by moving the commutator, A is disconnected and B
is connected to the opposite pole of the battery. A current may therefore be
passed in one direction through A, or in the contrary direction through B, by
merely moving the commutator. The commutator is so constructed, that in
either case the opposite pole of the battery to that which is connected to the
wire is placed in connection with the earth or with the gas pipes. A perma-
nent magnetic bar is placed at C in such a position that one of its poles is
capable of vibrating to and fro between the poles of two electro-magnets I, K.
The permanent magnet may be mounted on an axis passing through its other
pole, or that pole may be at such a distance from the electro-magnets as not
to interfere with their action upon the pole which is placed between them.
The permanent magnet carries two contact pieces, which are insulated from
each other. One of these pieces is in permanent connection with the wire A,
and is capable of being brought in contact with the studs E and F by the
motion of the permanent magnet. The other contact piece is in permanent
connection with the wire B, and is capable of being brought into contact with
the studs G and H by the motion of the permanent magnet. The studs E
and H are both in connection with the coils of the electro magnets I, K, the
other ends of which coils are in connection with the earth by the wires T. The
stud F is in connection with a wire A¹, leading to the next apparatus, which
is similar to the first apparatus. The stud G is in connection with a wire B',
leading to the same apparatus, in which C, E, F, G, H, I, K¹, indicate
similar parts respectively to those marked C, E, F, G, H, I, K, in the first
apparatus. A third similar apparatus and the continuation of the wires to it
are indicated by the letters A2, B2, C2, E², F², G², H², I², K². A great number

page_text: of successive apparatus may thus be arranged, and the wires A°, B", from the
last apparatus are connected to the earth. In addition to the primary coils on
the electro-magnets, they are surrounded by secondary or induction coils for
producing the spark, as herein-before described. The permanent magnets are
connected to the cocks or valves of their respective gas burners.
The action of this apparatus is follows:-All the permanent magnets are
placed in proximity to the poles of the electro-magnets I, I, I, and are
kept there by their superior attraction for the iron cores of those electro-
magnets than for the cores of the more distant electro-magnets K, K¹, K²
In this position all the cocks or valves are closed, and both wires A and B
are disconnected from the battery. The commutator at the battery is now
moved by hand or by a clock, so as to connect the wire A to the battery.
A current immediately passes along the wire A and through the contact.
piece to the stud E, and through the coils of the electro-magnets I, K, to
the earth. The electro-magnets I, K, are thus brought into action, and
they are so arranged that I repels the permanent magnet C while K
attracts it. The permanent magnet C therefore moves towards K, and in so
doing it opens the cock or valve, and also draws away the contact piece from
the stud E and brings it into contact with the stud F. The current round the
electro-magnets I, K, is thus arrested, and the induced current in the secondary
or induction coil produces a spark between the ends of that coil which are
placed near each other over the burner. The gas is thus inflamed at the first
burner.
The first contact piece being, as already mentioned, brought into contact
with the stud F, the battery current passes on through the wire A¹ to the
next apparatus, where the same effect is produced, and so on, until all the
burners are lighted. The wire A is then disconnected from the battery, and
the burners are allowed to remain alight as long as may be required. To
extinguish the lights, the wire B is connected to the battery, and the current
passes through it and the second contact piece to the stud H, and round the
primary coils of the electro-magnets I, K. As this current proceeds from the
opposite pole of the battery to that which is employed with the wire A the
polarity of theelectro-magnets is reversed, and the permanent magnet Cis thus
repelled by K and attracted by I. The valve or cock is thus closed, and the
second contact piece is withdrawn from the stud H and brought in contact
with G; a spark is produced, but the exit of the gas being arrested by the
closing of the valve or cock, the light is extinguished. The second contact
piece being now in contact with the stud G, the current passes on to the next
apparatus and extinguishes the light in a similar manner, and so on, through

page_text: all the apparatus, which are then left in the position first herein-before
described, and are ready for receiving the current through the wire A for again
lighting the gas lights when required. The permanent magnet C has a
sufficient motion or stroke for opening the valve or cock, but the contact
pieces (which are not shewn in the Drawing) have a very small motion, and
are shifted by the magnet just as it is reaching the end of its stroke in either
direction.
In this apparatus, as in that first herein-before described, if the gas lights
should not be lighted by the first operation, the commutator at the battery.may
be moved backwards and forwards so as to perform the extinguishing and
lighting processes one or more times, concluding of course with the lighting
process. In some cases it may be found advantageous to move the com-
mutator to the position for lighting, and then to wait a certain number of
seconds and then to move the commutator to the position for extinguishing, and
then immediately or after a small interval to move it back again to the position
for lighting, and then after another short interval to move it back to its inter-
mediate or zero position, in which both wires A and B are disconnected from
the battery. The best intervals for each system of wires can easily be
ascertained by experiment, and they may be regulated by a small piece of
clockwork with a detent, which is released by an attendant, or they may be
regulated by a clock independently of an attendant.
By the arrangement of apparatus shewn in Figure 3, the whole power of
the battery is concentrated upon one apparatus at a time, and the battery is
only in action for a few seconds or for a very short space of time during the
operations of lighting and extinguishing the lights.
Figures 4 and 5 represent a somewhat different form of apparatus, but
which acts on the same principle as that shewn in Figure 3. A and B are
the wires, which are connected to and disconnected from the two poles of the
battery by a commutator, as before. I is one of the electro-magnets; Cis
the permanent magnet, one pole of which vibrates between the electro-magnet
I and another electro-magnet corresponding to that marked K in Figure 3.
a is a moveable arm, which is permanently connected to the wire A,and which
corresponds to the first contact piece in Figure 3; 6 is another similar arm,
connected to the wire B, and corresponding to the second contact piece in
Figure 3. These arms a and b are moved by links or rods connected to the
magnet C. The studs E and H are connected to one end of the primary coil
of the electro-magnet I, the other end of which coil is in connection with the
earth. The stud F is connected with the wire A¹ leading to the next appa-
ratus, and in like manuer the stud G is connected to the wire B leading to

page_text: the next apparatus, which is arranged in a similar manner, and so on. When
the apparatus is in the position shewn in Figure 4, and a current is sent
through the wire A, it passes through a and E and round the primary coil of
the electro-magnet I. The magnet C is repelled and moves into the position
shewn in Figure 5, and in doing so opens the cock or valve; at the same time
the arm a is separated from E and brought into contact with F. The secondary
coil of the electro-magnet produces the spark and lights the gas, as before
while the current from the wire A passes on to the next apparatus, which acts
in a similar manner. The arm is now in contact with the stud H, so that
when the reverse current is sent through the wire B it passes through the
primary coil of the electro-magnet I, and causes it to attract the permanent
magnet C, which resumes the position shewn in Figure 4,and closes the valve
or cock and extinguishes the light. The current now passes on from the wire
B through 6 and G and the wire B' to the next apparatus, where it acts in a
similar manner, and so on.
Figure 6 is a very similar arrangement to that last described. The per-
manent magnet C turns upon an axis, and both ends or poles are acted on by
the electro-magnets I and K; one or more additional permanent magnets D
may be attached to the same axis,and provided with additional electro-magnets
to act upon them.
The other parts shewn in Figure 6 are marked with the same letters as the
corresponding parts in Figures 4 and 5. When the current passes through.
the wire A and arm a and stud E into the primary coils of the electro-magnets
I, K, the poles of the magnet C are attracted by the electro-magnets and
move towards them, and thus open the valve or cock; the arm a is at the
same time withdrawn from E, and brought in contact with F. A spark is
thus produced between the ends of the secondary coil of the electro-magnets
and the gas is lighted; the current passes on through F and the wire A' to
the next apparatus, and so on. When the extinguishing current is sent
through the wire B,it passes through the arm b, which is then in contact with.
the stud H, which is connected to E and to the primary coils of the electro-
magnets; the magnet C is then repelled, and it returns to the position shewn
in the Drawing. The cock or valve is thus closed and the light extinguished.
The arm bis thus placed in contact with the stud G and wire B¹ leading to
the next apparatus, in which the light is extinguished in a similar manner.
In constructing apparatus on the plans shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the
moveable arms a and b may have a very small amount of motion and are
moved by the permanent magnet C at each end of its stroke.
The cocks or valves may be constructed and arranged in various ways;

page_text: thus, a simple conical valve with a spindle passing through a stuffing box may
be used; or the arrangement shewn in Figure 7 may be used. In this
arrangement, L is the gas pipe; and M is a plug or bar which slides across it,
and has a hole through it for the passage of the gas. This plug M is the
permanent magnet, which slides to and fro between the coils or electro-
magnets I, K. When the current passes in one direction through the coils
the magnet M moves to one side and opens the passage for the gas,and when
the current passes in the contrary direction the magnet M moves to the other
side and closes the passage.
Figure 8 shews a detent M on a permanet magnet or an iron armature,
which is attracted by the electro-magnet I, so as to release the plug N of the
cock O, and allowit to be turned through one quarter of a revolution bymeans
of a spring or weight.
Figure 9 shews a method of making the elasticity of the gas assist in opening
a cock. The plug N of the cock O carries a lever, which is connected by a rod
to another lever on the spindle of a flap or valve R. As soon as the cock
begins to open,the pressure of the gas against thevalve R assists in continuing
the motion of the cock. When the cock or valve is large, or of such con-
struction as to require a considerable amount of power to open and close
it, it may be moved by a small electro-magnetic engine, worked by the
electric current; and so arranged that a given number of strokes or revolu-
tions of the engine may open or close the cock or valve and move the
contact pieces. The electro-magnetic engine may thus be substituted in
place of the steel magnet in the apparatus herein-before described in refer-
ence to Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6. When the main current is passed through
all the apparatus simultaneously, as in Figure 1, the following arrangement
may be adopted: A ratchet wheel or escape wheel is fixed on the spindle
of the cock, and is moved by a paul or pallets connected to the armature
of an electro-magnet, which is provided with a secondary or induction coil,
as before. On making connection with the battery the wheel is advanced
one tooth, and on breaking connection the armature is carried back' to its
former position; by again making connection with the battery the wheel is
moved another tooth, and so on. Thus, if the wheel have forty teeth, by
making and breaking the connection ten times the cock will be turned through
one quarter of a revolution,so as to open the cock, and the gas will be lighted
by one of the sparks produced from the secondary or induction coil at each
break of contact. By again making and breaking contact ten times the wheel
is turned another quarter of a revolution, and the cock is thus closed and the
gas extinguished. The making and breaking of contact may be effected by a

page_text: metallic wheel having forty notches in its circumference filled with ivory or
other non-conducting material. A metallic spring connected with the main
wire presses upon the circumference of the wheel, which is itself in permanent
connection with the battery. By turning this wheel slowly through a quarter
of a revolution the lights are all lighted or extinguished. By applying a
ratchet to this wheel, so as to insure its being always turned in the same
direction, and by marking one of its diameters, the position of this diameter
will at once indicate the positions of the plugs of the cocks. The ends of the
induction coil may be permanently fixed at a proper distance apart for the
spark to pass between them, or they may be approached towards and separated
from each other by the motion of the armature; or the ends of the wires may
be connected by a fine platinum wire, which is ignited by the current, and
serves in lieu of the spark for igniting thegas. Each of the separate apparatus
in each series may be made to light and extinguish a single gas light, or one
or more gas lights. Thus, one cock or valve may be employed to turn on or
shut off the gas for several gas burners, which may be lighted by sparks or by
fine platinum wires ignited by the current from one powerful coil, or by the
currents from several separate coils. In lieu of electro-magnets, coils of wire
may be employed, which act in a very similar manner, as is well known to
electricians. If desired,separate electro-magnets or coils may be employed for
opening and closing the cocks or valves, and for producing the inducedcurrents
for lighting the gas.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
claim generally the lighting of gas lights by means of electricity; but what
I claim is,
First, the application of apparatus for producing induced currents of
electricity to the lighting a series of gas lights, as herein-before described.
Second,constructingand arrangingapparatus for lighting andextinguishing
a series of gas lights simultaneously, by passing the electric current through
and arresting it in all the apparatus simultaneously, as herein-before described
in reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Third, constructing and arranging apparatus forlighting and extinguishing
a series of gas lights in rapid succession, in such manner that the electric
current is made to act upon eachapparatus separately,and is then transmitted
on to the next apparatus, and so on, as herein-before described.
Fourth,arranging a series of branch wires (each of which is provided with
apparatus forlighting and extinguishing one or more gas lights) in connection
with a commutator anda battery, or other source of electricity, in such manner

page_text: that each of such branch wires may be placed separately and in rapid suc-
cession in connection with the battery or other source of electricity by moving
the commutator, as herein-before described.
Fifth.constructing apparatus forlighting and extinguishing gas lights with
a coil, or an electro-maguet furnished with primary and secondary coils, and so
arranged, that when the contact of the primary coil is broken, by hand or by
the action of the apparatus itself, the induced current is caused to produce a
spark or to ignite a wire in the stream of gas which is turned on and shut off
by the action of the same or another electro-magnet or coil on the cock or
valve of the gas pipe, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Cowper, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
CHARLES COWPER. (L.S.)