Improvements in or relating to the Electric Control of Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Electric Control of Gas.
I, JOHN HENRY KERRIDGE, of Waveney Lodge, Beccles, in the County of Suffolk,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: :-
This invention relates to the electric control of gas for gas lighting and extin-
guishing purposes, and may be carried out in the manner presently to be described.
A particular feature of this invention is that I do not require to employ any
constantly burning bye-pass flame and also I am able to keep the small platinum
wire which effects the primary igniting, out of the flame excepting during the
period of ignition.
In carrying out the invention I employ a burner of any desired construction
and either adapt it for an incandescent mantle or not, and in connection with this
I use one or two bye-pass flames, but preferably two, in order to keep the igniting
coil out of the flame when the lamp is burning. The igniting wire or coil is
arranged in proximity to a bye-pass flame which is sufficiently far away from
the lamp flame to prevent the wire from being kept, while the lamp is burning
at an unduly high temperature. The second bye-pass flame is lighted from the
first bye-pass flame and both are extinguished when the lamp is burning. The
turning on and off of the gas and the igniting of the bye-pass flames and extin-
guishing these may be accomplished by the following electric devices. Two gas
valves are arranged preferably at the base of the burner, but elsewhere if preferred,
one controlling the two bye-passes, or the single bye-pass if only one be used,
and the other controlling the main flame; these valves are opened and closed
by means of two electro-magnets and suitable armatures levers etc. The electro-
magnet which is first energized attracts its armature, the current also passing
through the igniting wire and the armature in its movement opens the bye-pass
valve and an automatic catch engages with the arm which controls the main gas-
valve. The bye-pass flame lights at the igniting wire and passes its flame to
the second bye-pass for the main burner and the current is then discontinued
the armature falling by its own weight or under the influence of a spring, and in
doing so opens the main gas valve and closes the bye-pass, the two movements
being so timed that the main flame is ignited before the bye-pass is extinguished.
To extinguish the lamp the other electro-magnet is energized, and in attracting
its armature it releases the arm which controls the main valve and this arm in
falling by its own weight or under the influence of a spring closes the main gas
valve and the light is extinguished. The parts remain in this position until the
first magnet is again energized when the same cycle of operations can be repeated.
Conveniently, the circuits are arranged so that three contacts are employed, the
central one being always used, and either of the outside ones in addition, according
to whichever magnet is to be energized. If the circuit is connected up to a battery
or other source of current all that is necessary at the contacts is to provide means
for temporarily connecting two of the contact points; if however the circuit be
not connected up with the battery then the extra contacts or the means employed

page_text: for connecting the permanent contacts must be in connection with the battery
so as to complete the circuit-a portable battery and contacts may if desired be
used for this purpose.
The whole of the apparatus can be neatly boxed in and protected, and it will
be appreciated that this apparatus may be used for single lights, or for a series,
as for example in street lighting or lighting a whole building or room;
the lighting
can be controlled from a single or various points, or each one may be entirely
independent of the others, and operated by itself.
I do not bind myself to the precise mechanism above described as it is evident
that the details of the mechanism may be varied without departing from the spirit
of the invention.
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1
1 100%
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to the Electric Control of Gas.
I, JOHN HENRY KERRIDGE, of Waveney Lodge, Beccles, in the County of Suffolk,
Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to the electric control of gas for gas lighting and extin-
guishing purposes, and may be carried out in the manner presently to be described.
A particular feature of this invention is that I do not require to employ any
constantly burning bye-pass flame and also I am able to keep the small platinum
wire which effects the primary igniting, out of the flame excepting during the
period of ignition.
In carrying out the invention I employ a burner of any desired construction
and either adapt it for an incandescent mantle or not, and in connection with this
I use one or two bye-pass flanies, but preferably two, in order to keep the igniting
coil out of the flame when the lamp is burning. The igniting wire or coil is
arranged in proximity to a bye-pass flame which is sufficiently far away from
the lamp flame to prevent the wire from being kept, while the lamp is burning,
at an unduly high temperature. The second bye-pass flame is lighted from the
first bye-pass flame and both are extinguished when the lamp is burning. The
turning on and off of the gas and the igniting of the bye-pass flames and extin-
guishing these may be accomplished by the following electric devices. The gas
valves are arranged preferably at the base of the burner, but elsewhere if preferred,
one controlling the two bye-passes, or the single bye-pass if only one be used,
and the other controlling the main flame; these valves are opened and closed
by means of two electro-magnets and suitable armatures levers etc. The electro-
magnet which is first energized attracts its armature, the current also passing
through the igniting wire and the armature in its movement opens the bye-pass
valve and an automatic catch engages with the arm which controls the main gas-
valve. The bye-pass flame lights at the igniting wire and passes its flame to
the second bye-pass for the main burner and the current is then discontinued,
the armature falling by its own weight or under the influence of a spring, and in
doing so opens the main gas valve and closes the bye-pass, the two movements
being so timed that the main flame is ignited before the bye-pass is extinguished.

page_text: To extinguish the lamp the other electro-magnet is energized, and in attracting
its armature it releases the arm which controls the main valve and this arm in
falling by its own weight or under the influence of a spring closes the main gas
valve and the light is extinguished. The parts remain in this position until the
first magnet is again energized when the same cycle of operations can be repeated..
Conveniently the circuits are arranged so that three contacts are employed, the
central one being always used, and either of the outside ones in addition, according
to whichever magnet is to be energized. If the circuit is connected up to a battery
or other source of current all that is necessary at the contacts is to provide means
for temporarily connecting two of the contact points; if however the circuit be
not connected up with the battery then the extra contacts or the means employed
for connecting the permanent contacts must be in connection with the battery
so as to complete the circuit-a portable battery and contacts may if desired be
used for this purpose.
The whole of the apparatus can be neatly boxed in and protected, and it will
be appreciated that this apparatus may be used for single lights, or for a series,
as for example in street lighting or lighting a whole building or room; the lighting
can be controlled from a single or various points, or each one may be entirely
independent of the others, and operated by itself.
I do not bind myself to the precise mechanism above described as it is evident
that the details of the mechanism may be varied without departing from the spirit
of the invention.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a gas-burner provided with the improved.
controlling mechanism.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the position of the mechanism after the gas
has been turned on and ignited.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The burner A which may be of any desired construction is mounted upon a
base piece B attached to a flanged dise C which carries the controlling mechanism
and screws on to a casing 1) so as to enclose the mechanism, the gas normally
filling this casing to which it gains entrance from the gas-pipe screwed into the
base of the casing as at D. The base piece B in addition to the burner carries
a tube E for a bye-pass flame which can be ignited by means of an electric igniter
consisting of a coil of fine platinum wire F. The latter is carried on the ends
of wires F which pass through the block of insulating material G on the end
of the tube E to two binding screws H. The electric igniter is enclosed in a light
tubular casing G¹ in order to protect it from damage the opening G² in this casing
admitting the air necessary for the ignition of the bye-pass flame.
In the underside of the base piece B and through the disc C are two openings J
and K which by means of passages and K allow of communication being
established between the interior of the casing 1) and the burner A and bye-pass
tube. Valves L and M operated by the electrical mechanism hereinafter to be
described close the openings J and K respectively. Projecting downwards from the
centre of the disc C is a rod N and around this rod are arranged the bobbins O
and P of two electro-magnets whose cores 01 and P1 are securely attached to the
underside of the disc C. The valve L is carried upon the end of a rod L' which
is pivotted at L to a lever Q which is male double as shown in Figure 3, so as
to pass on either side of the central rod N, to which it is pivotted by a pin Q¹.
The lever Q has an enlarged or weighted end Q2 so that the opposite end to which
the valve rod L' is pivotted is normally maintained in a raised position so as to
keep the valve L on its seat and the orifice J, through which the gas is admitted
to the main burner A, closed.
The valve M is carried on the end of a rod M which is pivotted as at M² to a
lever R which, like the lever Q, is formed double so as to pass on either side of

page_text: the rod N to which it is pivotted as at R¹. A third lever S is pivotted at one end
as at S¹ to the end of the lever R opposite to that at which the rod M¹ is pivotted.
The lever S is also provided with a projection S2 in which is cut a notch S³.
Projecting from the side of the lever Q near the point at which the valve rod L'
is pivotted to it is a pin or small plate Q. The extension Sa of the lever S is
arranged to pass up beside the end of the lever Q so that upon the lever S being
moved in the manner hereinafter to be described the notch S3 will engage with
or snap over the projecting plate Q³.
The current for bringing about the operation of the mechanism is led by three
wires to the binding screws T, T₁, T3, one of these wires being used as a common
return for the circuits of each electro-magnet 0 and P. The electro-magnet
is connected up so that the current will flow from say the binding screw T through
the electro-magnet and through the wires F¹ and igniter F returning by the wire
connected to the binding screw T¹, the other electro-magnet P being connected
up to the binding, screws T¹ and T.
The operation of the mechanism is as follows. The normal position of the
parts when the gas is turned off is as shown in Figure 1. If now the electro-
magnet is energized the lever R which is constructed to act as an armature
has its end which lies beneath this electro-magnet raised, this movement causes
the other end of the lever to which the valve rod M is pivotted to be depressed,
consequently drawing down the valve M off its seat and allowing gas to pass
through the passage K to the bye-pass burner tube E. The gas issuing from
this tube is immediately ignited owing to the current which energizes the magnet (
passing at the same time through the igniting coil F. The movement of the lever R
causes the lever S which is pivotted to it to be also raised at one end in such a
manner that the tooth S3 will snap over the edge of the plate Q³. If the circuit
flowing through the electro-magnet O be now broken the lever R will drop into
its former position but owing to the engagement of the extension S2 of the lever S
with the lever Q the weighted end Q2 of the latter will be raised and the other end
to which the valve rod L' is pivotted will be depressed consequently drawing down
the valve off its seat and admitting gas through the passage J to the main
burner A. the parts assuming the positions shown in Figure 2. The return of the
lever R to its initial position brings the valve M once more on to its seat thus
cutting off the supply of gas to the bye-pass burner, but the mechanism is so
arranged that the extinguishing of this flame does not take place until after the
gas has been allowed to issue from the main burner so that the latter is ignited.
It will be easily understood that the bye-pass burner may be kept alight for as
long as the magnet O is energized.
In order to extinguish the light the electro-magnet P is energized, the effect
being to attract the free end of the lever S which is constructed as an armature.
This lever S in turning about its pivot S¹ disengages the notch S3 from the edge
of the plate Q³. The weighted end Q2 of the lever Q now causes the latter to turn
about its pivot and return the valve L on to its seat, cutting off the supply of
gas to the main burner, A, the parts now once more assuming the positions shown
in Figure 1.
A suitable switch is employed controlling the current to the two electro-magnets
respectively. It will be seen that by placing the electric igniter outside the range
of the flame of the main burner the igniter is not subject to continual high
temperature being in fact only liable to heat from the temporary bye-pass flame.
It must be understood that the current necessary for operating the above described
mechanism may be obtained from any suitable source of electrical energy. If the
pressure of the gas supplied to the burner is too great to allow of the valves being
readily operated by the electro-magnets a pressure reducing valve may be arranged
in a suitable position in the pipe supplying the burner and further the strength
of the electro-magnets may be increased or their operation aided by suitable springs
or otherwise, the strength of the current also being varied to meet requirements.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. Igniting a gas flame by means of an electrically ignited bye-pass flame
substantially as described.
2. In a gas burner the combination with a main burner and a bye-pass burner
of an electrical ignition device for the latter situated out of the flame of the main
burner for the purpose described.
3. In a gas burner the combination with a main burner and a bye-pass burner
of an electrical ignition device for the latter and electrical mechanism for controlling
the supply of gas to the two burners.
4. In a gas burner the combination with a main burner and a bye-pass burner
of electrical mechanism for controlling the supply of gas to the two burners
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
5. In a gas burner the combination with a main burner and a bye-pass burner
of valves controlling the supply of gas to the burners, levers such as Q, R and S
and electro-magnets all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose
described.
6. In a gas burner the combination with a main burner and a bye-pass burner
of an electrical ignition device for the latter and electrical mechanism controlling
the supply of gas to the two burners so arranged that the closing of a single
circuit will first admit gas to the bye-pass burner and ignite it, then admit gas
to the main burner and finally shut off the bye-pass "burner substantially as
described.
7. In a gas burner the combination with a base piece such as B connected to
or being a portion of a casing through which gas flows of a main and a bye-pass
burner mounted on the base piece B and electrically operated mechanism within the
casing for controlling the supply of gas to the burners, substantially as described.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for the electrical control of gas substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st doy of Tanna 1898
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.