Improvements in Appliances for use with Gas Lamps for Producing Light by Incandescence (Welsbach System).
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Apr., 1890-Accepted 3rd May, 1890
Improvements in Appliances for use with Gas Lamps for Producing
Light by Incandescence (Welsbach System).
T, ARTHUR HEALD of Box Hill Villa Dorking in the County of Surrey,
Manager of Factory do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
As is well known what are called mantles of certain refractory material are
used with burners of gas lamps to produce light by incandescence. Such mantles
are produced by impregnating a woven cotton fabric with certain substances and
afterwards incinerating the mantle.
The usual method of forming and fixing such a mantle is as follows:-The
upper end of the cotton mantle before impregnation is strengthened by a piece of
Brussels net sewn on to it below the top edge the net being then turned back-
wards over the edge of the mantle so as to make the thickness four-fold for about
three-eighths of an inch at the top of the mantle and two-fold for about an inch
below this.
The cotton mantle is then impregnated with the lighting fluid and when dry a
piece of fine platinum wire is threaded in and out of the strengthened hem of the
cotton mantle. The top of the mantle is then drawn up by the platinum wire like
the top of a bag when closed leaving a small hole in the centre.
The ends of the platinum wire are then threaded through two small holes in a
ring forming part of a steel rod and fastened; and the mantle is then burnt to get
rid of the cotton, leaving only the skeleton composed of the earths resulting from
the lighting fluid.
Now my invention relates to a novel method of supporting the incandescent
material or mantle and is as follows:-In place of using a wire rod with a ring at
the top made in one piece, I employ a short straight wire rod, with a loose ring made
of suitable material, and of a size sufficiently large to allow of the cotton mantle
being drawn through it. On one side of this ring is a small boss formned with a hole
of a shape and size to fit on the wire rod. In order to attach the imprognated
cotton mantle to this ring it is simply cut to the right length, passed through the
ring, and turned over the top thereof. The cotton mantle is then incinerated and the
finished mantle remains fixed on the ring.
I prefer to place the top of the mantle inside the ring and turn it outwards, but it
may be placed outside and turned inwards.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Appliances for use with Gas Lamps for Producing
Light by Incandescence (Welsbach System).
I ARTHUR HEALD of 14 Palmer Street, Westminster in the County of Middlesex,
formerly of Box Hill Villa, Dorking, in the County of Surrey, Manager of Factory
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 :-
As is well known what are called mantles of certain refractory material are used
with burners of gas lamps to produce light by incandescence.
Such mantles are produced by impregnating a woven cotton fabric with certain
substances and afterwards incinerating the mantle.

page_text: The upper end of the cotton mantle before impregnation is strengthened by a piece
of Brussels net sewn on to it below the top edge, the net being then turned back-
'wards over the edge of the mantle so as to make the thickness four fold for about
three eighths of an inch at the top of the mantle and two fold for about an inch below
this. The cotton mantle is then impregnated with the lighting fluid and when dry
a piece of platinum wire is threaded in and out of the strengthened hem of the cotton
mantle. The top of the mantle is then drawn up by the platinum wire like the top
of a bag when closed, leaving a small hole in the centre.
The ends of the platinum wire are then threaded through two small holes in a ring
forming part of a steel rod and fastened, and the mantle is then burnt to get rid of
the cotton, leaving only the skeleton composed of the earths remaining from the
lighting fluid.
There are many objections to this system, of which the following are the
principal
The first is the expense of the platinum wire.
Another disadvantage and loss arises from the fact that the steel ring or the wire
rod ordinarily used, when hot, is apt to open and come into contact with the chimney,
which it breaks; and the falling pieces of glass almost invariably destroy the
mantle.
The wire rod after a time also bends and, not only throws the ring against the
chimney so as to break it, but also throws the mantle out of the centre and so out of
the course of the gas flame, thereby greatly diminishing the light given out.
The platinum wire, when hot, instead of maintaining itself in the form of a ring,
as it was when cold, bends and assumes an oval shape and in many instances becomes
almost closed up, so that the proper draught of air through it is obstructed and in
consequence a deposit of carbon is formed in the mantle, which obscures the light.
The platinum wire also, being very fine, cuts its way through the hem at the top of
the mantle, which then falis away and is useless.
A further disadvantage of the present system arises from having to double and
quadruple the thickness and hem or sew the top of the cotton mantle, as previously
explained. This entails considerable labour in making the mantle and also the use
of an extra and useless quantity of the fluid, which is absorbed by it, as well as an
extra quantity of cotton material.
<< fixing
To further strengthen the top of the mantle it is usually dipped in a
fluid, which interferes with its lightgiving power.
"
Moreover the mantle, being thickest at the top, where the gas flame is weakest,
does not become properly incandescent at that part.
Now my invention has for its object to obviate the disadvantages mentioned and
it relates to a novel method of supporting the incandescent material, or mantle,
which is as follows:-
In place of using a wire rod with a ring at the top made in one piece I employ a
short straight wire rod with a loose ring made of suitable material, such as clay, and of
a size sufficiently large to allow of the cotton mantle being drawn through it, leaving
a hole at the top from about one quarter to three eighths of an inch in diameter.
Attached to one side of this ring is a small boss formed with a hole of a size and
shape to fit on to the wire rod.
The ring may be made of metal, but it is deemed advantageous to make it of
refractory material, such as clay, because it will practically not then be injuriously
affected by the heat of the bunsen burner. The material of which the ring is made
being a bad conductor of heat, the wire rod will keep cooler and therefore be better
able to maintain its perpendicular attitude than heretofore.
In order to attach the impregnated cotton mantle to this ring it is simply cut to
the right length without any sewing, passed through the ring and turned over the
top thereof.
If considered necessary that portion of the mantle which is turned over the

page_text: ring may be knitted or woven with double cotton which will proportionately
strengthen it.
The cotton mantle when passed through the ring and turned over its edge and
modelled, is then incinerated in the usual way and the finished mantle remains fixed
on the ring.
I prefer to place the top of the mantle inside the ring and then turn it outwards,
but it may be placed outside and turned inwards.
Or the ring may be made of two different diameters outside, the upper edge of
the larger diameter forming a ledge on which the mantle will rest.
In this case the top of the mantle is slit for the passage of the arm connecting the
ring with the boss which fits on the wire rod, being secured to such ring so as to
rest on the ledge outside the ring, which has a central hole of suitable size for the
exit of the products of combustion.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig. 1. illustrates partly in elevation and
partly in section a mantle with means for supporting the same according to this
invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 illustrating a modified method of
supporting the upper end of the mantle. Fig. 3 illustrates another method of
supporting the upper end of the mantle.
In Fig. 1. 1 is a ring made of suitable material, such as clay, and of a size
sufficiently large to allow of the cotton mantle 2. being drawn through it and leave
a hole from about one quarter to three eighths of an inch in diameter.
Attached to one side of this ring is a small boss 3 formed with a hole of a shape
and size to fit lightly on to the wire rod 4. The ring 1 may be made of metal,
but it is deemed advantageous to make it of refractory material, such as clay,
because it will practically not then be injuriously affected by the heat of the flame
from the Bunsen burner.
The wire rod 4 will therefore be better able to maintain its perpendicular attitude
than heretofore. In order to attach the impregnated cotton mantle 2 to this ring
it is simply cut to the right length without any sewing, passed through the ring
(Fig. 1) and turned over the top thereof; the cotton mantle is then incinerated and
the finished mantle remaius fixed on the ring.
I prefer to place the top of the mantle inside the ring and turn it outwards as in
Fig. 1, but it may be placed outside and turned inwards as in Fig. 2. Or the form
of ring 1 shown in Fig. 3 may be used, the top of the mantle, which in this case is
slit for the passage of the arm carrying the ring, being secured to such ring by
drawing it in so as to rest, as shown, on a ledge 1 a outside the ring, which has a
central hole of suitable size for the exit of the products of combustion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
:
First In incandescent gas lamps the employment of a separate ring or support for
the mantle fitted on to the top of a metallic rod, which rises from the gallery, or base
of the burner substantially as herein before described.
.
Second The method of attaching the mantles of incandescent gas lamps to the
separate ring by drawing the mantle over the upper edge of the ring, either from the
inside or from the outside substantially as herein before described.
Third In incandescent gas lamps the employment of clay, porcelain or similar
refractory material for the support of the mantle substantially as hereinbefore
described.