IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BURNERS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Edward Webster, C.E., of the Central Chambers,
Market Street, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Gas
Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BURNERS AND THEIR
ACCESSORIES."
Sealed the 10th September 1878, and dated the 15th March 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Edward Webster at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th March 1878.
GEORGE EDWARD WEBSTER, C.E., of the Central Chambers, Market Street, of the
Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Gas Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS BURNERS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES."
My Invention consists of a burner having several inclined jets so arranged to
form one flat flame; I form this by having two or more pair of holes combined to
form one flame resembling two or more fish-tail jets forming one flame.
The size of the holes at the top is of considerable importance, and should be of
small size, the principle of burning is to prevent the air from entering into the
interior of the burner by the laws of diffusion, and thus causing a mixture of gas
and air to be burnt, and causing the irregular unsteady flame so often seen with
open burners burning with a low pressure.
I use my burners at a low pressure, and they are so constructed that if the
pressure be increased to a greater extent than what the burner consumes economi-
cally, a change takes place in the appearance of the flame.
In connection with the burner I sometimes use a globe that is spherical, and
having a much larger opening at the bottom than is ordinarly used, for the purpose
of throwing the light downwards.
The galleries are made of a suitable size to hold the globe; the smoke or coronas
I construct in the form of a chimney suspended from two or more points on the top
of the flame.
When I use a shade, as over billiard tables or reading desks, I place the tin pre-
server at the top some distance from the cardboard.

page_text: And in order that my Invention may be fully understood
annexed Sheet of Drawings.
will refer to the
Figures 1 and 2 are elevation and plan of my improved burner; Figure 3 is a
section of same.
Figures 4 and 5 show elevation and plan of another form of my improved 5
burner.
In Figure 3, A, A, is the outer case of burner; B is the top, showing inclined
jets; C is the check at bottom, in which the hole is of different sizes, according to
the amount of gas required to be consumed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Edward Webster in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
September 1878.
GEORGE EDWARD WEBSTER, C.E., of the Central Chambers, Market Street, in the
Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, Gas Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GAS BURNERS AND THEIR ACCESSORIES."
In the portion of my Invention relating to gas burners, I employ burners having
several inclined jets so arranged that they, by their combination, cause an artificial
draught for the air through the flame itself.
The size of the holes through which the gas issues is of considerable importance;
I make them smaller than is the usual practice for fish-tail burners.
I use a globe of the form and proportions as shown upon the annexed Slicet of
Drawings, and support the same by means of galleries, as shown.
In order that my Invention may be fully understood-I shall proceed to describe
the same in respect to each of the varieties of my Invention.
In the first variety of my burners I use two rat-tail flames (that is, flames issuing
from circular holes, and which make a flame known as the rat-tail flame from its
form); these I place close to each other, and either parallel or at a slight angle, so
that they join together in burning by their own attraction; and in thus coming
together they cause a current of air to ascend with them and between them.
In the second variety of my burners I employ a burner with four holes, each pair
of holes being placed at an angle of about thirty-two degrees (32°), so as to form
one sheet of flame similar to the ordinary fish-tail burner. The axes however of
the conical or parallel holes are in the same plane, and lines drawn down from the
point of intersection of the two pairs of holes, and bisecting the base of each
triangle so formed, are parallel, thus forming a flame, as shown upon the Sheet of
Drawings attached.
The other varieties of burners which may be multiplied indefinitely are shown
also upon the accompanying Sheet, but are all based upon the principle of forming
between the flames a flue or draught for the air, and thus producing an argand
burner without a glass chimney.
With regard to the size of the orifices or slits at which the gas escapes I construct
them of a small size, as I believe the amount of oscillation from flames varies as the

page_text: square of the areas of these sizes, being greater according to the increased size of
escape; this I account for according to the law of diffusion, and that when air and
coal gas are mixed they form an explosive mixture, the flickering in my opinion
being only a series of small explosions.
In respect to the globes I employ such a form of globes as shown, my object
being to obtain a greater amount of light downwards, and I consider that the sole
object of my improved globe to be to prevent side draughts and not to produce a
direct current of air.
In my variety of shades I construct them as hitherto, with the exception that
the tin protector is placed at some distance from the cardboard, which allows a
current of cold air to pass between the cardboard and the tin, cooling both and
making the cardboard more durable.
In the annexed Sheet of Drawings,―
Figure 1 shows my improved burner with two rat-tail flames.
Figure 2 shows my improved burner with two fish-tail flames.
Figures 3 and 4 are other varieties of my burners, Figure 4 being for use where
horizontal burners would ordinarily be used.
Figure 5 shows shape of flame of burner shown in Figure 1.
Figure 6 shows shape of flame of burner shown in Figure 2; the dark portion
shows the flue for the passage of air through the flame.
Figure 7 is my improved triangle or gallery, with arrangement at A for securing
the globe.
Figure 8 shows my improved globe with burner and triangle in position.
Figure 9 is a view of my improved shade, in which A is the tin protector fixed at
some distance from the cardboard shade B; C is the ring with burners; the arrows
show direction of current of air which cools the cardboard.
Having now described my said Invention and the manner in which the same is
carried into effect, I would have it distinctly understood that the configuration or
arrangement of the burner may be altered, but what I claim to be new and novel,
and therefore secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
is,-
1st. The combination of flames producing a hollow flame for an air flue which
may be accomplished as in the herein-before described manner, or by means of slit
burners in a similar manner to the method described, the distance between the two
flames being such that it produces the effect above described and illustrated, i.e., by
the attraction of the outside edges of the flame they unite, leaving the centre at
some distance, and through which passes the air, consequently the distances between
the two parallel axes or centre lines of the two orifices through which the flame
escapes varies according to the size of light and quality of gas.
2nd. The combination of globe and triangle with my improved burner.
3rd. The arrangement and construction of the shade as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Edward Webster, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness to the signature of the
said George Edward Webster,
GEORGE WEBSTER.
G. E. WEBSTER. (L.S.)