IMPROVEMENTS IN ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING GAS OR OTHER LAMPS OR THE LIKE to be as follows
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING GAS OR OTHER LAMPS OR THE LIKE
to be as follows:-
"
The object of this Invention is to provide an electrical igniting apparatus for
gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons in which an accumulator is employed as the
source of electricity.
The apparatus constructed according to this Invention consists of a metallic
igniting tube provided at its upper end with a stopper of hard india rubber or
equivalent material in which conducting wires are secured, the outer ends of
which are connected by a piece or spiral of platinum to be rendered incandescent
when a current of electricity passes therethrough.
The lower end of one of the wires is preferably flattened and is in contact with
the side of the interior of the tube. The other of the wires is covered with
insulating material and extends along inside the tube and out through a hole in
a stopper of hard rubber or equivalent material which is inserted in the lower end
of the said tube.
The metallic end of the said wire extends beyond the stopper and may be
secured by a metal washer screwed upon the end of the wire.
The upper end of the igniting tube where the platinum is situated is protected
by a cap provided with holes.
The electrical accumulator consists of a cylinder or vessel preferably of hard
india rubber, in the interior of which is arranged suitably prepared lead plates
and an electrolyte which is introduced into the cylinder by means of a tube or
passage in the cylinder closed by a cap preferably of india rubber so as to provide
an expander for the accomodation of any gases which generate in the accumulator.
The bottom of the cylinder may be protected by a metal covering.
To the upper part of the cylinder is secured a box by which the connection
between the igniting tube with the cylinder is effected.

page_text: To the inner side of the said box is secured a metal contact spring, the free
end of which is provided with a knob of non conducting material projecting
outside the said box so that the said spring can be brought into contact with a
metal plate which is fastened to the upper end of the cylinder.
The pole of one of the elements is secured to this plate and the pole of the
other element is secured to a metal contact piece carried at the centre of the upper
end of the cylinder, with which contact piece metallic connection is made by the
projecting end of the wire of the igniting tube when the said tube is screwed onto
the box carried by the cylinder.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When the knob which projects outside the box is pressed inwards until the end
of the metal spring bears against the plate on the cylinder top the circuit is
closed, the current passes from the one pole of the accumulator through the said
plate and the spring and then by the box through the sides of the igniting tube
into the wire attached thereto and through the platinum returning by the other
wire and the central knob to the other pole of the accumulator. The platinum
thus is rendered incandescent. When the pressure is removed from the knob the
circuit is broken and the incandescence of the platinum ceases. The battery or
accumulator may be charged by connecting the wires from the dynamo to the
plate and knob at the top of the cylinder.
The advantages of this apparatus consist in the simplicity of the construction
and cheapness of the source of electricity-which when exhausted can be readily
restored to activity by charging.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
Agent for the said Wilhelm Deckert
and Edward Homolka.

page_text: "
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ELECTRICAL APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING GAS OR OTHER LAMPS OR THE LIKE
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this Invention is to provide an apparatus for lighting gas or other
lamps or the like by means of electricity obtained from an electric accumulator or
storage battery arranged and operating as hereinafter described.
The improved apparatus constructed according to this Invention forms a species
of torch which may be advantageously employed for lighting gas or other
combustible materials.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a longitudinal section of the
igniting tube or stem of an apparatus constructed according to this Invention and
Figure 2 is a similar section taken at right angles to the section in Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 represent respectively an elevation and a longitudinal section of
an accumulator to be employed in combination with the said tube and Figures 5
and 6 represent details hereinafter described.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 a is a tube or stem provided at one extremity with
a screw 8 and at the other extremity which is preferably bent as indicate in
Figure 1 with a plug or stopper b of vulcanite or equivalent insulating material.
Through this plug are passed two conducting wires c and d connected at one
extremity with a fine wire of platinum preferably coiled in a spiral form. The
wires c and d are connected at their opposite extremities with an accumulator or
source of electricity hereinafter describe the end of the wire c being flattened as
indicated in Figure 1 and connected to the side of the tube a and the wire d
(which is covered with insulating material) being continued along the interior of-
the tube a and through an insulating plug or stopper f in the screwed end of the
said tube and screwed or otherwise connected to a metal disc or contact maker
The platinum wire at the upper end of the tube a is protected by a perforated
cap h indicated in Figure 1 only.
J.
The electrical accumulator (Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6) consists of a cylinder or
vessel A preferably of hard india rubber which may form the handle of the torch
in the interior of which vessel is arranged a pair of suitably prepared or formed
lead plates or elements B immersed in a suitable liquid or electrolyte such as
diluted sulphuric or nuriatic acid which is introduced into the interior of the
vessel A through a tube C made in one with the said vessel and provided with a
suitable stopper over which is placed an elastic cap C in order to provide for the
possible expansion resulting from the generation of gas in the interior of the vessel
by allowing the gas or liquid to escape into the said cap which then expands under
the pressure without causing waste of the liquid being attached to the tube C by
means of a cord tied round a groove formed for its reception in the periphery of
the latter. The lower extremity of the cylindrical vessel A is provided with a
metal covering D and its upper extremity is provided with a screw for the reception
of a cap or cylindrical box E. This box is provided with a screwed socket L

page_text: (Figure 4) for the reception of the screw 8 on the tube a (Figures 1 and 2). To
the inner side of the box E is attached a metal contact spring F Figures 4 and 6
the free end of which is provided with a knob G of non conducting material
projecting outside the box E so that by the act of pressing on the said knob the
spring may be brought in contact with a metal plate H fastened to the end of
the cylinder or vessel A. P is the pole of one of the elements B of the accumu-
lator which is connected to the plate H by means of a screw I (Figures 4 and 5)
and the pole P' of the other element is connected to a metal contact piece J in the
centre of the box E by means of a screw K (Figure 5). When the tube a,
Figures 1 and 2, is screwed into the socket L the metal washer or contact maker g
makes contact with the contact piece J and thus connects the conductor d with one
of the poles of the accumulator.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-
=
When the knob G is pressed inwards contact is made between the spring F and
the plate H so that the circuit of the accumulator is closed and the current passes
say from the pole P through the plate H the spring F the sides of the box E and
along the sides of the tube a through the wire c to the platinum wire e which is
thereby rendered incandescent and capable of being used for igniting purposes.
The current returns to the pole P¹ of the accumulator along the conductor d and
contact makers g and J. When the pressure is removed from the knob G the
spring F moves out of contact with the plate H the circuit is opened and the
accumulator rendered inoperative until it is again brought into action by pressing
the knob G and thereby reclosing the circuit as herein before described.
Screwed sockets are provided in the contact maker J and in a block M on the
plate H. for temporarily connecting the accumulator to the conductors supplying.
the current employed to charge the said accumulator.
The advantages of this apparatus lie in the simplicity of its, construction and
the economical manner in which the igniting current is produced the energy
of the accumulator or storage battery A being readily restored when required by
recharging it from any convenient generator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First In electrical apparatus for lighting gas or other lamps or the like the
employment of a platinum wire rendered incandescent by electricity supplied from
an accumulator in combination with devices or means for transmitting or con-
ducting the electricity from the accumulator to the wire and for controlling the
passage of the electricity by opening and closing the circuit of the said accumulator
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second-The employment in combination with apparatus constructed and
operating as herein before set forth of electrical accumulators or storage batteries
for the purpose of lighting gas or other lamps or the like substantially as
bereinbefore described.
Dated this 16th day of Tuly 100.1.
J. HENRY JOHNSON,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.