AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS
Year: 1884

page_text: I THOMAS CAINK of N° 2 Westbourne Terrace Malvern Link in the parish of
Leigh in the County of Worcester, Gas and Sanitary Engineer and Surveyor do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS to be as follows :—
My invention while applicable to all lighting of gas which may bo desired to be
-done-automatically-is-especially-designed-for-the-lighting-of street lamps.and.other_
lighting of gas where gas is at the same time being drawn for other purposes from
the same system of pipes. It consists of three parts which for convenience of
description I will hereinafter call Part 1 Part 2 and Part 3. The drawing accom-
panying this specification shewing Parts 1 and 2 being numbered to correspond
therewith.
Part 1.consists of that portion of the apparatus by which a communication is
opened between the gas main and burner Part 2 consists of that portion by which
an electrical circuit is opened and closed, and part 3 of a galvanic battery or
galvanic battery and coil combined by means of which beat is generated either in
the form of a spark or of incandescent wire placed over the burner in virtue of
which the gas is ignited. The form of battery I prefer is one of those in which
no action proceeds while the electrical circuit is open or not complete. It is
intended generally although not necessary that each lamp be provided with its own
battery which would be placed in some convenient place within or near the
lamp column. No further description of this portion of the apparatus will be
necessary.
The object of the apparatus when applied to public lamps is to take advantage
of the increase of pressure usually required to be put upon the mains at night
beyond that furnished during the day and by means thereof to effect a simul-
taneous lighting of the lamps, and by again lowering the the pressure in the mains to
simultaneously extinguish them. Both these objects are attained by my invention
which forms the subject of patent numbered 9033, but whereas it is necessary in
that apparatus to preserve the igniting pressure during the whole time the lamps
are required to remain lighted, and whereas it is more economical and in many
towns usual to remove the night pressure several hours. before the lamps are
extinguished, and whereas it sometimes happens where the consumption has over-
grown the proper dimensions of the mains that the draught thereupon during the
Dine B1

page_text: lighting time lowers the pressure in the mains beyond that supplied during the
day and therefore below the igniting pressure, and whereas it is desirable that
however slow the pressure of gas in the mains should rise the opening of the com-
munication to the burner should be sudden and complete, I have in order to meet
these points invented that portion of the apparatus called part 1 and such portion &
may be substituted for that employed for opening the communication to the
burner in the apparatus described in the specification of said patent numbered
9033 and I desire that the exclusive right may be granted me of making such
combination.
And whereas it may be desirable in some instances to dispense with the use of 1
any liquid for making and breaking the electrical circuit I have invented that part
of the apparatus called Part 2, but if desired the part N° 2 of the apparatus herein
described may be employed in place of the part corresponding to it in the other
apparatus referred to, in said patent numbered 9033 and I desire that the
exclusive right may be granted me of making such combination.
The description of Part 1 of the apparatus is as follows:-In drawing accom-
panying this specification A is a vessel having inlet and outlet pipes B and O
respectively. In this vessel and surrounding the inlet and outlet pipes is contained
some liquid preferably mercury; over the inlet and outlet pipes and dipping into
the mercury is an inverted vessel D which is separated gas tight into two chambers
by a division E, this division as will be observed in the drawing does not dip so
deeply into the mercury as the outer walls of the inverted vessel. The division
dips into the mercury between the inlet and outlet pipes separating them gas tight
from each other. I make that chamber which covers the inlet preferably of larger
area than that which covers the outlet the inverted vessel is suspended at one end
upon a pivot, preferably at that end nearest the outlet chamber. Rising from the
inverted vessel near to the pivot is a rod F containing a slot from which extends
horizontally a lever G secured to the slotted piece by a binding screw so as to be
capable of being raised or lowered. The horizontal lever carries a weight H
capable of being suspended in any position along the lever. This lever may be
graduated with divisions such that with the weight H employed they shall
correspond to the tenths of an inch pressure usually employed on gas pressure
guages.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:—
Having fixed it by the inlet pipe B to the gas service pipe the weight H is
adjusted along the lever to a position giving a pressure downwards of the inverted
vessel D slightly exceeding the normal or maximum day pressure upon the mains
When the pressure is increased for the purpose of lighting the lamps, the force
acting on the interior of D when sufficient overcomes the weight H and raises it
with the inverted vessel, the height to which it is lifted being limited by top of F
striking wall of chamber A or by any other convenient stop.
The raising of inverted vessel D brings division E above the surface of the
mercury allowing a passage for the gas through outlet pipe to burner; but it will be
observed that the weight in the act of rising describes an arc of a circle of which
the pivot on which the lever turns is the centre, in consequence of which it con-
tinually approaches (while in the act of rising) nearer to the vertical line drawn
through the pivot, so continually diminishing the effective weight of H it conse-
quently when once started moves, while acting under even the same gas pressure
that started it, with an accelerating velocity, securing thereby one of the objects
hereinbefore mentioned as desirable to be attained viz the sudden and complete
opening of the communication to the burner however slow the pressure may rise in
the maius.
Now it is obvious since the opening of the valve or inverted vessel D
has diminished the effective weight of H, that in order to re-close the valve for the
purpose of extinguishing the gas it will require the pressure in the mains to be
lowered beyond the point at which it stood when it raised the valve the difference
between the igniting and extinguishing pressures being proportionate to the
difference of the cosines of the angles a. b. c. and d. b. e. on drawing. There will

page_text: be also a difference between the two pressures due to the increased area acted upon.
by the gas when valve is opened beyond that when closed, viz upon that portion of
the inverted vessel covering outlet pipe, and the two chambers may be so pro-
portioned that the difference between the igniting and extinguishing pressures shall
be wholly governed by such proportions. Hence it will be seen that if the
normal day pressure lie within this difference, that is, between the igniting and
extinguishing pressures, such day pressure may be restored to the mains without
extinguishing the lamps.. It also follows that if the draught upon the mains be
such as to reduce the pressure to an abnormally low point the lamps will remain
lighted provided such reduction does not reach the extinguishing pressure.
In order to extinguish the lamps it will only be necessary to temporarily lower
the pressure for a few minutes to the required point.
In order to increase or diminish the difference between the igniting and
extinguishing pressures the horizontal bar is raised or lowered respectively; for
the nearer the weight is suspended on a level with the pivot or fulcrum, the smaller
will be its approach to the vertical line drawn through the pivot for the same
angle or length of are through which it is moved, and therefore the smaller will
be the difference of pressures required to light and extinguish. The slotted bar F
may be graduate to indicate the position of G for any difference of igniting and
extinguishing pressures that may be required.
Part 2 of the apparatus consists of a chamber J having an inlet extending from
outlet of Part 1 and an outlet communicating with burner or the same orifice may
serve for both inlet and outlet.
Within this chamber is contained a bellows-like air vessel K separated gas tight
from chamber J and capable of being closed and opened by the application of
pressure. This air vessel is so fixed and suspended that the lifting up or closing of
the lower portion lifts up or opens the upper portion by means of the compres-
sion of the contained air. A metallic plate or some electrically conducting
material is fixed on the top of the air vessel through which is pierced a small hole
forming-a-communication-between-the-interior_of_the_vessel and the external
atmosphere. Above the air vessel are fixed two platinum or other metallic
points L. L. attached to the terminals of a galvanic cell and coil (if such be used)
one at least of which terminals must be insulated from the apparatus, or to the top
of the air-vessel may be fixed a cup of mercury which on being lifted shall close
an electrical circuit or any other convenient and reliable description of contact may
be employed.
The action of this part of the apparatus is as follows. The gas on arriving from
Part 1 enters chamber J on its way through outlet to burner the small orifice in
the burner as compared with the area of inlet to chamber J checks the flow of gas
producing in consequence a pressure on the interior of said chamber, the effect of
this is to compress and close the lower part of air vessel and raise the upper part
bringing the top plate in contact with the platinum points or otherwise closing an
electrical circuit, the air within the air-vessel is then slowly expelled through the
small orifice in top plate until the lower part of K is quite closed, the upper part
then descends of its own weight (continuing to expel the air) leaving the points of
contact and so re-opening the electrical circuit. When the gas is extinguished by
the closing of valve in Part 1 the pressure is removed from chamber J allowing
the lower part of air-vessel K of its own weight to descend and re-open being
re-inflated through small hole at top. By this means I am able to keep a closed
circuit so short a time as is required to expel the air from K the length of which
time will of course be regulated by the size of the hole in proportion to the air-
vessel.
Part 3 of the apparatus has already been sufficiently described.
Where it is desired to light the lamps by means of a small flame kept burning
during the day instead of by means of the electric spark, Part 1 of the apparatus
bomain duserited may be emploved for that purpose by piercing a small hole in
"

page_text: division E above the level of the mercury; this will give a small supply of gas to
the burner during the time the valve is closed on opening the valve the flame will
be increased to the required size for lighting purpose which will be again diminished
to the small flame on the re-closing of the valve. The small flame would be pro-
tected by a cylindrical shield or protector connected by a rod to the inverted vessel 5
in such a manner that when the valve or inverted vessel rises the shield falls below
orifice of burner and when the inverted vessel falls the shield rises above the orifice
of burner or, I prefer another inverted vessel in a separate chainber to actuato
shield.
I make a portion of the outer case of part 1 moveable to give easy access to 1
interior for adjustment of rod and weight.
1004

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I THOMAS CAINK of No 2 Westbourne Terrace Malvern Link in the parish
of Leigh in the County of Worcester Gas and Sanitary Engineer and Surveyor do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING GAS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention while applicable to all lighting of gas which may be desired to be
done automatically is especially designed for the lighting of street lamps and other
lighting of gas where gas is at the same time being drawn for other purposes from
the same system of pipes. It consists of three parts which for convenience of
description I will hereinafter call Part 1 Part 2 and Part 3, the drawing
accompanying this Specification being numbered to correspond therewith.
Part 1 consists of that portion of the apparatus by which a communication is
opened between the gas-main and burner.
Part 2 consists of that portion, by which an electrical circuit is closed and
opened, and Part 3 of a galvanic battery or galvanic battery and coil combined by
means of which heat is generated either in the form of a spark or of incandescent
wire placed.over or near the burner in virtue of which the gas is ignited.
The form of battery I prefer is one of those in which no action proceeds while
the electrical circuit is open or not complete. It is intended generally although
not necessary that each lamp be provided with its own battery which would be
placed in some convenient place within or near the lamp column. No further
description of this portion of the apparatus will be necessary.
The object of the apparatus when applied to Public Lamps is to take advantage
of the increase of pressure usually required to be put upon the mains at night
beyond that furnished during the day and by means thereof to effect a
simultaneous lighting of the lamps and by again lowering the pressure in the
mains to simultaneously extinguish them. Both these objects are attained by my
invention which forms the subject of patent numbered 9033* But whereas it is
necessary in that apparatus to preserve the igniting pressure during the whole
timo the lamps require to remain lighted, and whereas it is more economical and in
many towns usual to remove the night pressure several hours before the lamps are
extinguished, and whereas it sometimes happens where the consumption of gas
has overgrown the proper dimensions of the mains that the draught thereupon
during lighting time lowers the pressure in the mains beyond that supplied during
the day and therefore below the igniting pressure, and whereas it is desirable that
however slow the pressure of gas in the mains should rise the opening of the
communication to the burner should be sudden and complete I have, in order to
meet these points invented that portion of the apparatus called Part 1, and such
portion may be substituted for that employed for opening the communication to
the burner in the apparatus described in the specification of said patent numbered
9033. And whereas it may be desirable in some instances to dispense with the
pse of any liquid for making and breaking the electrical circuit I have invented

page_text: that portion of the apparatus called Part 2. But if desired the part No 2 of the
apparatus herein described may be employed in place of the part corresponding to
it in the apparatus described in the said specification before referred to. The
description of Part 1 of the apparatus is as follows:-In drawing accompanying
this specification A is a vessel having inlet and outlet pipes B and C respectively.
In this vessel and surrounding the inlet and outlet pipes, is contained some liquid
preferably mercury; over the inlet and outlet pipes and dipping into the mercury
is an inverted vessel D which is separated gas tight into two chambers by
division E, this division as will be observed in the drawing does not dip so deeply
into the mercury as the outer walls of the inverted vessel. The division dips into
the mercury between the inlet and outlet pipes separating them gas-tight from
each other. The inverted vessel is suspended at one end upon a pivot. Rising
from the inverted vessel near to the pivot is a rod F containing a slot from which
extends horizontally a lever G secured to the slotted piece by a binding screw or
'other means so as to be capable of being raised or lowered (or the horizontal bar
may be fixed and the vertical bar moveable). The horizontal lever carries a
weight H capable of being suspended in any position along the lever. This lever
may be graduated with divisions such that with the weight H employed, they
shall correspond to the tenths of an inch pressure usually employed on gas pressure
guages.
.
The action of this portion of the apparatus is as follows:-Having fixed it by
the inlet pipe B to the gas service pipe, the weight H is adjusted along the lever
to a position giving a pressure downwards of the. inverted vessel D slightly
exceeding the normal or maximum day pressure upon the mains, When the
pressure is increased for the purpose of lighting the lamps the force acting on the
interior of inlet chamber of D when sufficient overcomes the weight H and raises
it with the inverted vessel, the height to which it is lifted being limited by top
of F striking wall of chamber A or by any other convenient stop. The raising of
inverted vessel D brings division E above the surface of the mercury allowing a
passage for the gas through outlet pipe to burner; but it will be observed that the
weight in the act of rising describes an arc of a circle of which the pivot on
which the lever turns is the centre, in consequence of which it continually
approaches (while in the act of rising) nearer to the vertical line drawn through
the pivot so continually diminishing the effective weight of H, it consequently
"when once started, moves, while acting under even the same gas pressure which
started it, with an accelerating velocity, securing thereby one of the objects
hereinbefore mentioned as desirable to be attained viz: the sudden and complete
opening of the communication to the burner however slow the pressure may rise
in the mains. Now it is obvious since the opening of the valve or inverted
vessel D has diminished the effective weight of H, that, in order to re-close the
valve for the purpose of extinguishing the gas, it will require the pressure in the
mains to be lowered beyond the point at which it stood when it raised the valve,
the difference between the igniting and extinguishing pressures being proportionate
to the difference of the cosines of the angles a, b, c, and d, b, e, in drawing. There
will be also a difference between the two pressures due to the increased aren acted
upon by the gas when the valve is opened, beyond that when closed; viz: 'upon
that portion of the inverted vessel covering outlet pipe and the two chambers of
inverted vessel may be so proportioned that the difference between the igniting
and extinguishing pressures shall be wholly governed by such proportions. Hence
it will be seen that if the normal day pressure lie within this difference, that is,
between the igniting and extinguishing pressures, such day pressures may be
restored to the mains without extinguishing the lamps. It also follows that if the
draught upon the mains be such as to reduce the pressure to an abnormally low
point the lamps will remain lighted provided such reduction does not reach the
extinguishing pressure. In order to extinguish the lamps it will only be necessary
to temporarily lower the pressure for a few minutes to the required point,

page_text: In order to increase or diminish the difference between the igniting and
extinguishing pressures the horizontal bar is raised or lowered respectively, for the
nearer the weight is suspended on a level with the pivot or fulcrum the smaller
will be its approach to the vertical line drawn through the pivot for the same
angle or length of arc through which it is moved, and therefore the smaller will be
the difference of pressures required to light and extinguish.
The slotted bar F may be graduated to indicate the position of G for any
difference of igniting and extinguishing pressures that may be required.
Part 2 of the apparatus consists of a chamber J having an inlet extending from
outlet of Part 1 and an outlet communicating with burner or the same orifice may
servo for both inlet and outlet. Within this chamber is contained a bellows-like
air vessel K separated gas tight from chamber J and capable of being closed and
opened by the application of pressure. This air vessel is so fixed and suspended
that the lifting up or closing of the lower portion lifts up or opens the upper
portion by means of the compression of the contained air. A metallic plate or
some electrically conducting material is fixed on the top of the air vessel through
which is pierced a small hole forming a communication between the interior of the
air-vessel and the external atmosphere. Above the air vessel are fixed two
platinum or other metallic points L, L, attached to the terminals of a galvanic cell
and coil (if such be used) one at least of which terminals must be insulated from
the apparatus, or to the top of the air vessel may be fixed a cup of mercury which
on being lifted shall close an electrical circuit; or any other convenient and reliable
description of contact may be employed. The action of this part of the apparatus
is as follows:-The gas on arriving from Part 1 enters chamber J on its way
through outlet to burner, the small orifice in the burner as compared with the area
of inlet to chamber J checks the flow of gas producing in consequence a pressure
on the interior of said chamber, the effect of this is to compress and close the
lower part of air-vessel and raise the upper part bringing the top plate in contact
with the platinum points or otherwise closing an electrical circuit; the air within
the air vessel is then slowly expelled through the small orifice in top plate until
the lower part of K is quite closed, the upper part then descends by its own
weight (continuing to expel the air) leaving the points of contact and so re-opening
the electrical circuit. When the gas is extinguished by the closing of valve in
part 1 the pressure is removed from chamber J allowing the lower part of air
vessel K of its own weight to descend and re-open being re-inflated through
small hole at top.
By this means I am able to keep a closed circuit for as short time as is required
to expel the air from K, the length of which time will of course be regulated by
the size of the hole in proportion to the air vessel.
Part 3 of the apparatus has already been sufficiently described.
I make a portion of the outer case of Part 1 moveable to give easy access to
interior for adjustment of rod and weight.
The advantages of my invention are
1 The facility and accuracy with which the adjustments to the various pressures
may be made.
2 Its capability of boing adjusted to any difference between the igniting and
extinguishing pressures that may be required.
3 The great simplicity and certainty of its action when once adjusted and the
fewness of its working parts being reduced practically to a movement on a single
pivot.
I do not limit myself to the precise details shewn upon the drawings or
mentioned herein as many of the parts may be subject to modification.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1 The use or employment of a stop valve consisting of an inverted vessel
dipping into a liquid contained in a vessel placed underneath; such inverted vessel

page_text: "
-
being divided into two chambers in communication respectively with inlet and
outlet pipes, the division separating the said chambers dipping less deeply into the
liquid than the exteriör walls of the 'inverted vessel whereby on the raising of
such valve to a given height a communication is opened between inlet and outlet
pipes substantially as described.
2 The use or employment of a horizontal bar, or substantially the same
graduated or otherwise, in conjunction with such valve substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore set forth.
3 The use or employment of a vertical rod or substantially the same in
conjunction with such valve substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set
forth.
'
4 The use or employment of a valve for the purpose hereinbefore set forth which
opens and closes by movement upon a pivot having a weight placed in such
position in relation to such pivot that the opening or closing of such valve shall
bring the weight nearer to or farther from the vertical line drawn through the
pivot whereby its effective weight is diminished or increased substantially as
described.
5 The use or employment, in conjunction with apparatus for lighting and
extinguishing gas automatically, of a bellows-like air vessel having a small hole
therein for the expulsion and admission of air substantially as and for the purpose
herein before set forth.
6 The application to Part 1 in substitution of Part 2 of the apparatus described
herein of the various methods for making and breaking the electrical circuit
described in my specification of patent numbered 9033**.