Process for the Production of Solid Igniting Bodies for Automatic Gas Igniters.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 3rd Mar.,
1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Process for the Production of Solid Igniting Bodies for Automatic
Gas Igniters.
I, FRITZ TRENDEL, of 22, Michaelkirchplatz, Berlin, in the Empire of Germany,
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:.
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The special property of spongy platinum, that of condensing gases on its sur-
face and thereby bringing about an increase in temperature, as soon as gases, such
as hydrogen, illuminating gas and the like which are capable of being oxidized
pass over the same, is, as is known, closely connected with the loose, fine, mole-
cular distribution of the platinum. This action of the spongy platinum however
ceases upon the same being continuously exposed to a higher temperature and
in consequence of the sintering or slagging together of the particles of platinum,
the spongy platinum loses its fine molecular distribution. Consequently attempts
were made to obviate this disadvantage, which interfered with the employment of
the spongy platinum for commercial purposes and with this object different fire
resisting porous and indifferent substances such for instance as clay, meerschaum,
infusorial earth etc. have been used as carriers for the platinum. Still none of
these igniters were lasting and reliable in their effect. The reason for this is said
to be that, in consequence of the manner of their production, these igniters always
contain chloride of magnesium or other earths. For the manufacture of a better
igniter therefore, a process has been tried, the characteristic feature of which
is that, after the reduction of the platinum in the pores of the material employed
has ended, the resulting body is exhausted with water or acids, which is removed
again by subsequent washing.
Quite apart from these known processes I produce an igniter which meets
every requirement of a serviceable igniting body. I proceed from the idea that,
in the production of igniting bodies, the fire resisting capacity and porousness
of the particular material used as a carrier for the spongy platinum, and the
molecular disposition and thickness of such material play the most important
part. The experience gained after searching experiments in this direction, I sum
up as follows:
1. The more finely the platinum is distributed, that is the looser the structure
of the same, the greater therefore the effective surface, so much the quicker its
action.
2. The more molecular the distribution of the platinum in the volume of the
igniter the more lasting its effect.
3. The less foreign elements contained in the carrier for the spongy platinum,
and the more porous, fire and acid resistant the same, the more reliably will the
igniter act and be the more capable of resisting atmospheric action, as from damp,
nitrogen, carbonic oxide, carbonic acid, ammonia, sulphide of hydrogen, acid
vapours and the like.
With this experience as a basis, I. have succeeded. in. discovering a process for: