AN IMPROVED BURNER FOR GAS AND OTHER LIGHTING APPARATUS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Hypolite Monier, Lighting Apparatus Manufac-
turer, 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED BURNER FOR GAS AND OTHER LIGHTING APPARATUS,"
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Hypolite Monier at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 31st May 1865, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, BE IT
KNOWN that I, HYPOLITE MONIER, Lighting Apparatus Manufacturer, of
29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED BURNER FOR GAS AND OTHER LIGHTING
APPARATUS," and in what manner the same may be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
First, I make the burner in such manner that openings or draught holes
may be formed by means of two or several pieces of glass or other suitable
transparent material fitted together face to face, having formed throughout
their length or width openings or concavities varying according to require
[Price 8.1

page_text: ments; thus, when the two plates or pieces of glass are brought together
face to face the openings or concavities in one plate will come opposite
those in the other plate, thereby forming a series of draught holes, or one
plate only may have concavities, the other being plain, as may be desirable.
I claim this improvement as applicable not only to my new gas burner, but
also to other gas burners, for dividing the air into a number of small streams,
and also to all kinds of burners for oil lamps.
Secondly, another part of my Invention consists in the use of a metallic
alloy, which, although fusible, can be employed in my gas burners, because
the heat produced is never high enough to melt the said alloy,in consequence
of the new arrangements and of the treble draught system introduced therein,
and which is not-used in other gas burners or oil lamp burners.
Thirdly, my new burners are composed, 1, for the metallic parts, of an
alloy of tin, lead, regulus, and copper combined in certain proportions
herein-after mentioned; 2, for the tubes and burners, of plastic porcelain,
earthenware, and any refractory clay; 3, for the draughting system, of
glass or any other vitrifiable and transparent materials so arranged as to
serve as substitutes for all the accessories of ordinary burners, that is to
say, basket, gallery, cone, and other metallic parts used in other systems.
The following description will explain the other claims. Figure 1 is the
tube A of the burner; it is formed of a refractory substance. The trunk of
cone C is arranged so that the holes for the passage of gas may be bored
between the external part A of the cylinder and the trunk of cone C. At
about two-thirds of its height this tube is provided externally with an edge B,
and has at its base and internally a groove E, which may be seen in the
section of the burner, Figure 2. The use of the edge B and of the groove E
will be hereafter explained. In the section, Figure 2, will be seen the
position of the cone C,and the space between the said cone and the cylinder A
where the passage of gas takes place. Figure 3 represents a burner without
an external tube; it is similar to the ordinary brass burners, except that it is
rather longer, and that it is composed of tin, lead, and regulus in the pro-
portions of of 57 parts of tin, 38 of lead, and 5 of regulus for every 100
parts. I would remark that these proportions may be varied to a small
extent, and that a small proportion of copper may be added. This alloy is
very fusible, and could not be used in the manufacture of the ordinary burners,
which give too great heat. The new arrangements introduced by me in the
construction of gas burners produce much less heat, and allow the use of
that alloy; thus a very great advantage will be obtained in the manufacture,
because the part of the burner which I call the fork can be melted in a mould,

page_text: from which it passes already bored, and provided with an internal and external
screw thread G. Its upper part F is formed in the shape of a hollow cone,
where the burner C of the tube A will be introduced. The fork is also provided
with a ring or edge M, which enters the tube a little above the groove E.
When the fork has been so introduced in the tube the base of the latter is
covered with a suitable plastic compound which enters the groove E, thereby
forming an air-tight joint; the ring M holds the fork in proper position, and
prevents its going down, whilst the bearings j, j, prevent its penetrating too
far in the interior of the tube A. The space between the internal cone C
and the upper part of the fork F is likewise cemented to prevent the passage
of gas through it. Figure 4 shows the fork and the tube connected together
and forming the burner; Figure 22 is a ferrule R, through which passes the
tube A. It is bored with holes to divide the air into small streams necessary
for the complete combustion of the gas. On its external circumference are
five flexible branches which can be bent at will, as shewn in Figures 12 and
27. Figure 20 is a ferrule somewhat resembling the one above described,
except that it has no holes, and that its side R directly clasps the tube A,
this part being bent inward, Figures 20 and 21 represent this ferrule.
Figure 5 is a cone S, made of glass, and having a large brim T, upon which
are small bearings X for the globe or chimney to stand upon; they allow the
passage of the air between the brim T and the chimney or globe. The base
of the cone S is indented as sockets generally are, and its interior is fluted, so
that if any object be put under the brim T, or even internally, this object,
although flat, would always leave some openings for the passage of the air."
Figure 6 is a plan of the same, and shows the grooves in the interior;
Figure 7 is a sort of glass tulip W, the top of which is displayed and indented,
it is put on the brim T, and it is through the openings produced by the con-
cavities existing between the two sockets that the passage of the air takes
place. It can be plain or fluted internally. This arrangement of the socket
and of the cone S replaces with the same advantages the boring of the baskets
used in the ordinary gas burner. To put up this burner it then suffices to
take the already prepared tube, Figure 4, to introduce it in the opening R,
Figure 20 or 22, to afterwards bend the branches N, O, P, on the glass cone S,
Figure 5, and to put the tulip W underneath. As the screw thread G of the
fork passes beyond the tulip all the pieces are fastened and tightened together
by means of the small screw y, Figure 9. Figure 10 represents a chimney
applicable to my system of glass burner; this chimney is cylindrical for two-
thirds of its length, and conical for the remaining portion. I give to the
chimney, Figure 10, a new form, represented in Figure 11, as follows:-The-

page_text: lower part is wide and cylindrical for about a fifth part of the total height;
the remainder is like the preceding one. This modification will be herein-
after explained. The whole glass burner with all its accessories is represented
in Figure 12. I have placed in its proper position a new model of the glass
globe V, which may be made plain or with facets; the top is like a Chinese
parasol or a parachute; it can be ground, enamelled, or silvered, to increase
the reflection of the light; it can be supported by any other means than the
one shewn at Figure 12, and may be applied not only to any burner whatever,
but to any street lamp on a larger scale. The upper opening may be covered
with the cap of any ordinary lantern or window lamp. This globe which
surrounds the chimney is supported, as in my system of glass burners, by the
globe holder X. A treble draught is then produced, firstly, one through the
interior of the tube A, and coming from the interstices between the cone Sand
the indentations of the socket W; secondly, through the space between the
cone and the tube, and coming from the same source; thirdly, between the
chimney and the interior of the cone through the aforesaid supports X, which
are embossed on the brim T; the arrows indicate the current of the air.
Figure 28 is a portion of the cone S, more or less long, according to require-
ment, and principally serving to dispense with the globe holders of the Man-
chester burners, and to apply the holders of my own Invention by the means
shewn in Figures 8, 9, 22, and 28. Figure 29 is the section of a Man-
chester burner all set up, shewing how the above-mentioned pieces can be
applied to that burner.
The cone is tinted in blue and the ferrule in yellow in the Drawings.
As my Invention essentially consists of removing the shade and heat as
much as possible by the use of transparent materials being bad conductors
of caloric and by the treble draught, a notable saving of gas results from
that arrangement.
I will then take, as will be explained afterwards, the Figure 28 or the
Figure 5 to replace the basket, this change having the advantage of
removing the shade when they will be applied to ordinary brass burners and
to oil lamp burners, in which they will serve altogether as basket, globe,
holder, &c., as may be seen in Figures 18 and 19, the description of which
follows. Figure 19 is a section of an ordinary brass burner shewing the
internal arrangements. I apply to it the cone of the Figure 5, which is
tinted in blue; I also apply to it the ferrules, Figure 20, tinted in red.
The brass burner A is provided with a short screw thread to allow the
ferrules to be screwed, and prevent the oscillation and rising up of the cone;
likewise fo. the ferrules, shewn in Figures 23 and 24, and fitted as is

page_text: explained in Figure 19, tinted in yellow. The burner is thus prevented
from sinking; the glass cone and the solidity of all the parts is then secured.
I in certain cases replace that ferrule by another, which is shewn at
Figure 25, also in section as the preceding one; it is not provided with
branches, and rests against a projection on the interior of the cone S; this
ferrule is tinted yellow. Should the top of the cone be too open and the
draught too strong or too rapid, I remedy these inconveniences by putting
a compact ferrule between the one screwed on the burner and the glass
cone; it is tiated in carmine, and is represented by the letter F in
Figure. 26. Figure 27 represents a burner set up in position with the
triform chimney U.
By what I have herein-before explained of my improvements it is obvious
that I can claim any new form tending to dispense with the opaque materials,
such as the basket, gallery, cone, globe holder, etc., and to substitute a
transparent material of which the pieces are moulded in such shape as to
secure the passage of air, which I have explained and shewn in Figures 14,
18, 19, 27, and 29.
I have herein-before spoken of two chimnies represented in Figures 10
and 11. The first one can be easily applied to all my models of glass burners,
but if I wish to apply it to ordinary gas burners without removing the
gallery L, as may be sometimes desirable, I am obliged to alter this chimney,
so that instead of fitting into the gallery as ordinary chimnies it will surround
the said gallery externally, which alteration consists in widening the chimney.
But as the widening if made in the whole length of the chimney might cause
some oscillation, I maintain the ordinary size (Figure 10) except for about
one-fifth of its height at the bottom, which part is cylindrical but wider than
the rest; the middle is also cylindrical but of a lesser diameter, the top being
about the third part of the whole height is conical, whence I call it triform.
It has the advantage over ordinary chimnies of not being so near the light,
and consequently there is much less risk of its being broken and soiled.
Therefore, either on my glass burner or on any other gas burner or oil lamp
burner it will always surround the old galleries of any shape whatever. It
may be remarked that I place it so that it surrounds the gallery instead of
fitting into it, as is done in the ordinary gas burners, and then it is wider
than tho chimnies of ordinary burners, as shewn at Figure 13, and its dis-
position is shewn at Figure 16. To introduce the chimney into the interior
of the gallery I should have been obliged to widen this gallery, which would
have produced some shade, and I avoid this inconvenience by placing it out-
side the gallery, and in that case it could only serve for burners made

page_text: purposely. But my system of triform chimneys, and the manner in which
they are supported. as shewn in Figures 14 and 15, will enable me to use
them with most of the ordinary burners already existing, and to have them
supported, if necessary, by the globe holder if there is any. Figure 14
shews a burner without the basket, but with the gallery L. Between the
latter and the edge M of the burner the ferrule, Figure 2, is placed, tinted
in yellow. It is then seen that the branches N, O, P, serve as chimney
holder and globe holder, and that the gallery L is inside the chimney U.
Figure 15 represents another arrangement where the burner Z is with its
basket g, and as the latter has no globe holder, this absence has been
remedied by providing the interior of the basket with a ferrule R resting on
the brim M. Care should be taken to cut in the circumference of the basket
small notches to facilitate the egress of the branches of the ferrule, which
branches then sufficiently overreach to support the chimney and the globe.
The ferrule is maintained by the gallery L, which presses against the
brim M, and prevents its oscillation. Figure 17 is a plan of the said
arrangement; Figure 16 shews the burner set up in position; Figure 30
is a key to screw and unscrew the burner; it is introduced through the
aperture of the burner, and exercises its power between the branches of the
fork H, H; Figure 31 represents an elbowed joint like the ordinary ones,
with the difference that it is made of fusible material and is cast at one
stroke, the others being of a harder substance.
I think I can dispense with producing a larger number of Figures, since
the same arrangements shewn for gas burners may be likewise applied to
oil lamp burners.
The Figures in the Drawing annexed are half the full size.
In conclusion, I would remark that there is no shade, no oxydation, there
is less vacillation of the light, hence less fatigue to the eyes, a softer light,
and a better appearance and cleanliness, an increase of light, and a decrease
of caloric. Lastly, a notable and undeniable economy.
In witness whereof, I, the said Hypolite Monier, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
HYPT. MONIER. (L.s.)