Improvements relating to Bunsen-burners and to Incandescent Gas : and similar Lamps in which such Burners are Incorporated.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1806
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
Improvements relating to Bunsen-burners and to Incandescent Gas
:
and similar Lamps in which such Burners are Incorporated.
I, ALFRED HENRY CATHERWOOD, of 19 George Row, Bermondsey, in the County
of Surrey, Licensed Victualler, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to Bunsen or atmospheric burners and to lamps in which such
burners are used for producing light by heating to incandescenco refractory caps or
mantles.
One important feature of my said invention is the provision which I make for the
heating of the air supplied to the Bunsen-burner to mix with the gas therein, and for
the protection of the flame against the effects of draughts or currents of air other than
those due to the action of the flame.
For these purposes, I enclose the Bunsen-burner in a chamber or casing in such a
manner that the air which is to mix with the gas must first pass in proximity to the
flame or to a chimney surrounding the same, whereby the said air will be more or
less heated. The said chamber or casing, moreover, very effectually prevents any
disturbance of the flame by draughts or currents of air passing transversely to the
burner at the lower part thereof. By this means I provide for diminishing the
consumption of the gas and at the same time ensuring better combustion and greater
intensity of the light, and steadiness of the flame.
The said chamber or casing may, if desired, be in the form of a globe or a chimney
or it may be of other suitable form as may be found most convenient; and it may be
made of glass, mica or other transparent or semi-transparent material or of metal or
other suitable material; or, in some instances, I may prefer to make it of fine
wire-gauze.
In applying this part of my said invention to existing incandescent gas lamps, I
find it advantageous to provide a chamber or casing having an opening at its lower end
into which the lower or thicker part of the body of the Bunsen-burner will fit, so that the
said chamber or casing may rest, if desired, on the bottom flange thereof, and having
also an opening at its upper end which will fit the globe-gallery of the lamp. By
this arrangement I ensure that the air which is to mix with the gas before the
combustion thereof and also that which is to enter the lower end of the chimney of
the lamp for the purpose of supporting combustion shall pass down between the globe
and the chimney; the air thus supplied will therefore have its temperature raised
more or less on its way to the burner. Further, it is evident that the air-holes of the
burner and the aperture at the lower end of the chimney will be effectually protected
against draughts or air-currents which, with the burners as heretofore used, are apt
to cause serious flickering if not extinction of the light.
Instead of making the said chamber or casing so that the globe-gallery will fit into
t, I sometimes make it so that it will bear against the underside of the said gallery
and so as to leave narrow openings between it and the said gallery for the entrance of
small proportion of the air required.
In making lamps according to my present invention, I sometimes provide the same
with two concentric chimneys and so construct the lamp that the air must descend

page_text: between these chimneys before entering the Bunsen-burner or the lower end of the
inner chimney.
It may be advantageous, in certain cases, to provide a globe-gallery adapted to be
placed upon the gas-fitting before the burner is secured therein, the aperture or
apertures in the bottom of the said gallery being preferably closed by means of mica
or other suitable transparent material.
In order to ensure a greater supply of air to the Bunsen-burner, I sometimes
perforate the supporting plate or disc which usually rests on the shoulder of the said
burner in incandescent gas lamps, or I reduce the diameter of the said supporting
plate or disc.
According to another part of my said invention I combine with the other parts of
the lamp, suitable means for nearly closing the space between the burner, and the
chimney at the lower end of the latter.
I have discovered that, by almost cutting off the supply of air to the space between
the burner and the chimney in such lamps, and thus causing more air to be drawn
through the Bunsen or atmospheric burner, not only is the intensity of the light
emitted by the incandescent cap or mantle materially increased and the light protected
against the effects of draughts or currents of air, which, with the burners heretofore
in use, cause the light to seriously flicker or even to momentarily almost disappear,
but the consumption of gas is greatly decreased.
In carrying this part of my said invention into practice, according to one method,
I fit or secure a cylindrical or conical tube or annular piece of glass, mica or other
suitable material between the underside of the gallery for supporting the chimney,
and a disc which is placed upon the central stem or tube of the Bunsen or atmospheric
burner; this disc is, if desired, provided with a circular groove or channel to receive
the lower edge of the said glass or other tube or annular piece, the latter being
provided, if necessary, at its upper edge, with notches, to fit over the arms or brackets
on which the said gallery is mounted.
The supply of air being thus almost cut off from the space between the burner and
the chimney at the lower end, the heating of the column of air in the chimney will
cause more air to pass in through the Punser or atmospheric burner than would pass
through the same if the air were allowed to enter the lower end of the chimney as
heretofore.
According to another method I close or almost close, by means of mica-glass or
other suitable material, the apertures which exist in the lamps now in use between
the gallery for supporting the chimney and the central tube or stem of the Bunsen or
atmospheric burner.
I prefer to use for the purpose, mica, glass or other suitable transparent material
which will prevent or check the entrance of air without obstructing any direct or
reflected rays of light.
My improvements may, if desired, be embodied in the design of the burner or they
may be made, as above mentioned, so as to be applicable to existing burners without
requiring structural alterations thereof. I can, moreover, provide suitable adjustable
devices whereby the area of the air-passage or passages can be regulated or
controlled as desired.
I can, also accomplish the desired result by making the chimney of such form that
but little if any air can enter between its lower end and the burner.
Dated this 21st day of May 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to Bunsen-burners and to Incandescent Gas
and similar Lamps in which such Burners are Incorporated.
I, ALFRED HENRY CATHERWOOD, of 19 George Row, Bermondsey, in the County
of Surrey, Licensed Victualler, 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 :-
My invention relates to Bunsen or atmospheric burners and to lamps in which
such burners are used for producing light by heating to incandescence refractory
bodies, such, for instance, as the usual caps or mantles.
One important feature of my said invention is the provision which I make for
the heating of the supplied air and for the protection of the flame against the
effects of draughts or currents of air other than those due to the heat generated
by the flame. By my improvements not only is the air which enters the chimney
for promoting combustion previously heated but also the air which enters the
openings of the Bunsen or atmospheric burner to mix with the gas therein before its
combustion.
According to one part of my present invention, I enclose the Bunsen-burner in
an imperforate casing in such a manner that all the air which is to enter the
openings in the said burner and mix with the gas before combustion thereof, must
first pass down within an enclosed space surrounding the flame, so that the said air
will be more or less heated before mixing with the gas or being supplied to the
flame to promote the combustion. The said casing, moreover, very effectually prevents
any disturbance of the flame by draughts or currents of air passing transversely to
the burner either at the lower end of the chimney or in the region of the air-holes of
the burner. By this means I provide for diminishing the consumption of the gas
and, at the same time, ensuring better combustion and greater intensity of the light,
and steadiness of the flame. The said casing may be made of glass, mica or other
transparent or semi-transparent material or of metal or other suitable material as may
be found most desirable.
My said invention, moreover, comprises other improvements hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one form of incandescent gas-lamp having my
improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating another form or modification of my
invention.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
Referring to Figure 1, a is the casing which is made with an opening at its lower
end so that it can be fitted over the part 6 of the burner b and can then be secured in
place by screwing the air-tube c of the burner 6 upon the part 6' thereof. The said
casing a is formed with a ledge a¹ and ornamental spring-tongues a' so as to provide
a gallery at its upper end for supporting the globe d of the lamp; but no perforations
are formed in the said casing for the admission of air.
By this arrangement I ensure that the air which enters the air-holes c³ to mix with
the gas before the combustion thereof, and also that which enters the aperture at the
lower end of the lamp-chimney e for the purpose of supporting combustion, shall first
pass down between the globe d and the chimney e; the air thus supplied will,
therefore, have its temperature raised more or less on its way to the burner. It will
be seen, moreover, that the globe d and the casing a together form a chamber in
which the whole of the burner down to a point beneath the air-holes c¹ thereof, is
enclosed, and therefore these holes and the aperture at the lower end of the chimney e
will be effectually protected against transverse draughts or air-currents, which, with

page_text: 1
the burners as hitherto used, are apt to cause serious flickering if not extinction of
the light.
I find it advantageous to dispense with the usual globe-gallery and to construct the
casing a as shown, so that its upper end, which serves as a gallery for supporting the
globe, is on a lower level than the chimney-gallery. By this construction I provide
a larger annular space between the globe and chimney than there otherwise would be
for the passage of air down to the burner.
An annular space should be left between the casing a and the "lighting back"
plate or disc g of sufficient area to ensure an ample supply of air to the Bunsen-burner.
I may, however, reduce the diameter of the said plate or disc or form perforations
therein for this purpose.
Instead of making the said casing a so as to replace the globe-gallery, as shown in
Figure 1, I can, if desired, provide a separate globe-gallery which fits into the said
casing a; or I can make the casing a so that it will bear against the underside of the
usual globe-gallery.
In making lamps according to my present invention, I sometimes provide the same
with two concentric chimneys and so construct the lamp that the air must descend
between these chimneys before entering the Bunsen-burner or the lower end of the
inner chimney. In some instances, the lamp may be used with a globe without an
inner chimney, in which case the air would descend to the burner near the
walls of the globe and afterwards ascend to the flame in the centre of the globe.
It may be advantageous, in certain cases, to fit a globe-gallery upon the gas-fitting
before the burner is secured therein, so that the globe when placed upon the said
gallery will form with the same the casing around the burner. The said globe-gallery
is sometimes made with an aperture or apertures in the bottom thereof which are
closed by means of mica or other suitable transparent material so as not to unduly
obstruct the passage of the light.
According to another part of my said invention, I combine with the other parts of
the lamp, a device hereinafter described for nearly closing the space between the
burner and the chimney at the lower end of the latter.
I have discovered that, by almost cutting off the supply of air to the space between
the burner and the chimney in incandescent-gas-lamps, and thus causing more air
to be drawn through the Bunsen or atmospheric burner, not only is the intensity of
the light emitted by the incandescent cap or mantle inaterially increased and the
light protected against the effects of draughts or currents of air, which, with the
burners heretofore in use, cause the light to seriously flicker or even to momentarily
almost disappear, but the consumption of gas is considerably diminished.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 2, a conical tube or annular piece h of glass,
mica or other suitable material is fitted between the underside of the chimney-
gallery and the "lighting-back" plate or disc g, the said glass or other tube or
annular piece being formed with notches at its upper edge to fit over the
arms or brackets that support the said chimney-gallery, and being perforated if
necessary.
The supply of air being thus almost cut off from the space between the burner and
the chimney at the lower end, the heating of the column of air in the chimney will
cause more air to pass in through the Bunsen-burner than would pass through the
same if the air were allowed to enter the lower end of the chimney as heretofore.
I prefer to use, for the purpose above specified, mica, glass or other suitable trans-
parent material which will prevent or check the entrance of air without obstructing
any direct or reflected rays of light.
In some instances I. form this conical tube or annular piece h integrally with the
"lighting back" plate or disc g.
This part of my said invention is applicable either with or without the casing a
above described.
My improvements above described may, if desired, be embodied in the design
of the burner, or they may be made, as above described, so
as to be applicable
to existing burners without the necessity for any structural alterations thereof.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I do not claim generally or irrespectively of my improvements hereinbefore
described, the construction of a gas-lamp in such a manner that the air supplied to
the flame must first pass down between the lamp-chimney and a globe surrounding
the same and closed at its lower end, as I am aware that it has already been proposed
to so construct a lamp provided with an ordinary Argand gas-burner. I am also
aware that it has been proposed to partially protect incandescent gas-lamps against
the effects of transverse currents of air at the lower end of the chimney, and also at
the air-admission holes of the Bunsen-burner, but I am not aware that it has
ever heretofore been proposed to enclose a Bunsen or atmospheric burner in an
imperforate casing in such a manner that the entire supply of air to the said burner
must first pass down within a space surrounding the flame as hereinbefore described
so that all the air that mixes with the gas in the said burner as well as that supplied
to the flame for promoting the combustion will be previously heated; and I declare
that what I claim is :-
First. The combination, with a Bunsen or atmospheric burner, of an imperforate
casing enclosing the same so as to prevent the access of any air to the air-admission
apertures thereof and to the flame except such as reaches the same after having passed
down within an enclosed space surrounding the flame, substantially as, and for the
purposes, herein before described.
Second. An incandescent gas-lamp provided with an imperforate casing extending
upward from beneath the air-admission apertures of the Bunsen-burner to the lower
edge of the globe, with or without the gallery at its upper end to receive the said
globe, substantially as, and for the purposes, hereinbefore described.
Third. An incandescent gas-lamp wherein the globe-gallery is placed at a lower
level than the chimney-gallery and a casing extends from beneath the air-holes
of the Bunsen-burner to the lower edge of the said globe, for the purposes above
specified.
Fourth. An incandescent gas-lamp provided with my improved device for nearly
closing the space beneath the lower end of the chimney, substantially as, and for the
purposes, set forth.
OT
A. H. CATHERWOOD.
D. Young & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.