Improvements in Electrical Appliances for Controlling the Supply of Gas to Burners and Effecting its Ignition from a Distance.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
Improvements in Electrical Appliances for Controlling the Supply of
Gas to Burners and Effecting its Ignition from a Distance.
I, CARL FRANZEN, of 39, Christophstrasse, Cologne, Germany, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In electrical devices for controlling the gas supply to and effecting the
ignition and extinction of gas burners from a distance, separate electromagnets
have heretofore been used for opening and closing the gas supply, and for
effecting the ignition of the gas consequently a double circuit wire has been
requisite for supplying the necessary currents.
Furthermore with the existing constructions the devices for leading the
current to the point of ignition are arranged outside the burner, which is liable
to the disadvantage that these devices may become injured and that with
incandescence gas burners these devices can easily injure the incandescence
mantle when fitting on or removing the burner head.
Also, the point of ignition requires to be so near the hot zone of the incan-
descence body that the igniting bodies, whether they be platinum points for
igniting by electric spark, or a platinum coil for igniting by incandescence,
are liable to become deteriorated by the heat.
The present invention relates to an improved construction of such appliances
whereby these disadvantages are obviated. I will describe the invention by
way of example in connection with the known construction of electrical device
for opening and closing the gas supply in which a rotatable disc having a
series of peripheral holes receives a step by step rotary motion by means of a
ratchet wheel and pawl actuated by an electromagnet, so that in one position of
the said disc a perforation thereof is brought opposite the gas supply passage
so as to admit the gas to the burner while in another position the solid part
of the disc covers the said passage so as to cut off the gas supply. I will
also describe the invention as applied to the Welsbach incandescence gas
burner.
1
On the vertical fixed avis of the above described electromagnet appliance on
which the said perforated disc is made to rotate, is fixed a small tube that
extends up within the tubular mixing chamber of the Welsbach burner (which
may conveniently be carried on the top of the casing of the said electrical
appliance) and at a certain point within such chamber it has fixed to its upper
end a cylindrical head piece of insulating material, on the upper end of which
is fixed a socket of conducting material.
The insulating head has a central passage in which is fixed a small tube of
conducting material.
The one lead of the winding of the electromagnet of the above described
perforated dise is passed up the first named tube and is fixed to the small
central conducting tube of the head. and the second lead of the said winding
is also passed up through the first described tube and through a lateral hole
in the insulating head and is fixed to the conducting rocket on the top of the

page_text: head. Into this socket is removeably fitted a short tube of conducting metal
which is thus in conducting contact with the socket and is suitably fixed on
a small glass tube extending up through the burner head and to a certain
distance above it.
Through the glass tube pass two conducting wires to the lower end of one
of which is fixed the above mentioned metal tube surrounding the glass tube
while the lower end of the other wire is fixed to it metal conducting pin
cemented into the glass tube, which pin fits into and makes conducting contact
with the inner metal tube of the insulating head to which the one wire from
the electromagnet is fixed as above described. The upper end of the two wires
pass through the upper closed end of the glass tube and have there fixed to
them the two ends of a platinum loop or coil extending up a certain distance
above the burner head.
It will be seen that by the above connections of the lower and upper wires
respectively with the conducting parts of the insulating head and the con-
ducting parts of the glass tube that fit into the same, a closed circuit is formed,
extending from the winding of the one electromagnet limb, up through the
platinum wire loop or coil and down again to the winding of the second electro-
magnet limb, so that when a current is passed from a distance through the
electromagnet for actuating the perforated disc, such current at the same time
passes through the platinum loop or coil and in heating this to incandescence
effects the ignition of the mixture of gas and air issuing through the burner.
The platinum loop or coil is protected by a perforated tube fixed on the
upper end of the glass tube and the upper end of this tube forms a socket for
supporting the usual stem of refractory material that carries the incandescence
mantle of the burner.
As the metal tube carrying the glass tube and its wires is removeably fitted
into the head of the lower tube, it will be seen that the glass tube with its
platinum igniter can be readily replaced by a new one when defective.
Although I have described my invention more particularly in connection with
Welsbach burners, it will be evident that it can also he applied to other forms
of gas burners.
Dated this 10th day of January 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Electrical Appliances for Controlling the Supply of
Gas to Burners and Effecting its Ignition from a Distance.
I, CARL FRANZEN, of 39, Christophstrasse, Cologne, Germany, Civil 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:-
In electrical devices for controlling the gas supply to and effecting the
ignition and extinction of gas burners from a distance, separate electromagnets
have heretofore been used for opening and closing the gas supply, and for
effecting the ignition of the gas consequently a double circuit wire has been
requisite for supplying the necessary currents.
Furthermore with the existing constructions the devices for leading the
current to the point of ignition are arranged outside the burner, which is liable
to the disadvantage that these devices may become injured and that with

page_text: incandescence gas burners these devices can easily injure the incandescence
mantle when hitting on or removing the burner head.
Also, the point of ignition requires to be so near the hot zone of the incan-
descence body that the igniting bodies, whether they be platinum points for
igniting by electric spark, or a platinum coil for igniting by incandescence,
are liable to become deteriorated by the heat.
The present invention relates to an improved construction of such appliances
whereby these disadvantages are obviated.
I will describe the invention by way of example in connection with
the known construction of electrical device for opening and closing the
gas supply in which a rotatable dise having a series of peripheral holes receives
a step by step rotary motion by means of a ratchet wheel and pawl actuated
by an electromagnet, so that in one position of the said disc a perforation
thereof is brought opposite the gas supply passage so as to admit the gas to the
burner while in another position the solid part of the disc covers the said
passage so as to cut off the gas supply. I will also describe the invention as
applied to the Welsbach incandescence gas burner.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of such a burner
with an igniter according to my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 shews part
of the central tube to an enlarged scale.
On the vertical stationary axis A of the above described electromagnet
appliance on which the perforated dise is made to rotate, is fixed a small tube B
that extends up within the tubular mixing chamber of the Welsbach burner
(which may conveniently be carried on the top of the easing of the said elec-
trical appliance) and at a certain point within such chamber it has fixed to
its upper end a cylindrical head piece of insulating material, on the upper
end of which is fixed a socket 1) of conducting material.
The insulating head has a central passage in which is fixed a small tube E
of conducting material.
'
The one lead of the winding of the electromagnet M which works the per-
forated disc is passed up the tube B and is fixed to the small central con-
ducting tube E and the second lead of the magnet winding is also passed up
through the tube B and through a lateral hole in the insulating head and is
fixed to the conducting socket D. Into this socket is removeably fitted a short
tube of conducting metal which is thus in conducting contact with the
socket 1) and is suitably fixed on a small glass tube K extending up through
the burner head and to a certain distance above it.
Through the glass tube pass two conducting wires W to the lower end of
one of which is fixed the metal tube F surrounding the glass tube while the
lower end of the other wire is fixed to a metal conducting pin G cemented
into the glass tube, which pin fits into and makes conducting contact with the
inner metal tube E, to which the one wire from the electromagnet M is fixed
as above described. The upper ends of the two wires pass through the upper
closed end of the glass tube and have there fixed to them the two ends of a
platinum loop P or coil extending up a certain distance above the burner
head.
It will be seen that by the above connections of the lower and upper wires
respectively with the conducting; rts of the insulating head and the conduct-
ing parts of the glass tube that fit into the same, a closed circuit is formed,
extending from the winding of the one electromagnet limb, up through the
platinum wire loop or coil and down again to the winding of the second electro-
magnet limb, so that when a current is passed from a distance through the
electromagnet for actuating the perforated disc a such current at the same
time passes through the platinum loop or coil P and in heating this to incan-
descence effects the ignition of the mixture of gas and air issuing through the
burner. The platinum loop or coil is protected by a perforated tube Q fixed
on the upper end of the glass tube and on the upper end of this tube is a

page_text: socket H for supporting the usual stem of refractory material that carries the
incandescence mantle of the burner.
As the metal tube F carrying the glass tube and its wires is removeably
fitted into the head D of the lower tube, it will be seen that the glass tube K
with its platinum igniter can be readily removed and a new one can be sub-
stituted for it.
Although I have described my invention more particularly in connection
with Welsbach burners, it will be evident that it can also be applied to other
forms of gas burners.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
An electrical appliance for controlling supply of gas to a burner and effecting
its lighting from a distance, so arranged that the conducting connections of the
igniter to and from the controlling electromagnet extend up the burner tube
and are attached to conducting parts which can be readily disconnected, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 19th day of September 1899.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.