Improvements in Electric Gas-lighting Burners.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Gas-lighting Burners.
I, GEORGE FRANKLIN PINKHAM, residing at Number 5 Warren Avenue, in the
City of Quincy, County of Norfolk, and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Real Estate Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to electric gas-lighting burners, and has for its object to
improve the construction of the same and render the lighting device more durable,
reliable, and positive in its action, and at the same time avoid the liability of its
getting out of order. To this end my invention consists in certain novel con-
structions and combinations of parts as hereinafter more particularly set forth and
claimed.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electric gas-lighting burner constructed in
accordance with my invention, the stop-cock being closed.
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the center of the same, the gas-cock being
open.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the same, the electrodes being represented in
contact with each other.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same with the stop-cock open.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line t, of Fig. 4.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the cam which actuates the movable electrode.
Figures 8, 9, and 10, details to be referred to.
Figure 11 is a vertical section of the movable electrode and its guide.
Figure 12 represents a modification to be referred to.
The
In the said drawings, A represents the hollow pillar or main vertical portion of
the gas burner, which is provided, as usual, with a tip a, and forms a prolongation
or upward extension of the tapering plug of the stop-cock, which is arranged
vertically within the shell B, on one side of which is the supply pipe c.
pillar A is screwed onto the upper threaded end of the plug b, as seen in Fig. 2, and
a check-nut 15, also placed upon said threaded end, is interposed between the
bottom of the pillar A. and the upper end of the shell B, resting upon the latter and
serving to hold the tapering plug & firmly up within its seat, thus, preventing leakage,
the pillar A being screwed down firmly upon said nut to lock it securely in place
when adjusted. The stem of the plug extends down below the shell B, and
has formed upon its lower end, or attached thereto in any suitable manner a
thumb piece or handle C, by which it can be turned by the hand to let on or shut
off the gas, a suitable stop pin 19 being provided, as usual, to limit the movement
of the plug in either direction. The plug is made hollow, and communicates with
the straight longitudinal passage through the pillar or vertical portion A of the
burner, and in the side of the plug is formed an aperture f, which communicates
with its interior, and is so placed that by turning the plug it can be brought into or
out of line with the gas-inlet passage g to admit the gas to the portion A or shut it
off therefrom, as required.
Around the upper portion of the shell B is fitted a heavy collar h, which is
clamped tightly in place by a screw, said collar having on one side an enlargement
or projecting portion k, provided with a vertical aperture, within which is placed a
sleeve or bushing 1, composed of hard rubber or other suitable insulating substance
for the reception of the lower end of the fixed electrode m, which is secured in place
by a nut and washer 16. The upper end 17 of this electrode, which is bent at a
right angle as shown, extends up to a point in close proximity with the orifice at

page_text: the tip of the burner, and said electrode is connected, as usual, with one pole of the
battery by a wire p. The collar is made in a single piece without being slit or
cut through to the outside at any point, and after the larger and smaller apertures
therein have been smoothed or bored out, the solid portion 18, Fig. 5, between
them is sawed or cut through, whereby sufficient spring or elasticity is afforded to
enable the collar to be tightly clamped in place by means of the screw, and the
necessity of cutting the collar through to the outside is thus avoided and a neater
finish thereby secured.
To the vertical portion or pillar A, which, as before stated, is turned or rotated
with the stop-cock by means of its key or handle C, is clamped above the collar h,
a collar, which is provided on one side with a vertical apertures forming a guide
for a vertically sliding pin or rod w, which is encircled by a light spiral spring t,
which forms the upper portion of the movable electrode, and is connected through
the burner and the gas pipe with the other pole of the battery. The lower end of
this spring is secured to the collar », and the upper portion, which is of slightly
reduced diameter and of conical form at the top, extends some little distance above
the top of the pin w, which latter extends up into the upper portion of the spring
as far as permitted by its closed conical end, the terminal of the spring consisting
of a straight vertical piece of wire 20, the elasticity of which permits it to be wiped
or swept past the rigid terminal 17 of the fixed electrode, thus producing a spark to
ignite the gas.
The pin is raised against the influence of the spring by a curved cam I, which
partially encircles the pillar A and is secured to the upper side of the collar h by a
screw which forms a pivot upon which said cam is free to swing horizontally
toward and from the pillar A, its outward swing being limited by the insulating
bushing of the fixed electrode m which forms a stop therefor. This cam which
lies in the path travelled by the rod we when swung around by the movement of the
pillar A. in the operation of letting on or shutting off the gas, provided with two
inclines b, c, both extending upward but in opposite directions, the incline ¹ being
on the outer side of the cam, and the incline e on the inner side next to the pillar A.
The highest portion of the incline 6' is on a level with the lowest portion of the
incline c and at the junction of these two inclines is formed a semi-circular notch
or depression within which, close to the outer edge of the cam, lies the bottom of
the pin w when the parts are in their normal position with the gas shut off, as seen
in Figs. 1 and 7, the spring t holding the end of the rod w in place within the
notch d¹.
As soon as the pillar A commences to be swung around by the handle C in the
operation of letting on the gas, the lower end of the rod w held down by its spring
acting on the side of the notch d'. swings the cam I outward on its pivot a¹ until it
comes into contact with its stop as seen in Figs. 8 and 9. This outward move-
ment of the free end of the cam I brings its inner and upper incline c¹ into the pathi
of the lower end of the rod was seen in Fig. 8, which as it continues to move
around with the pillar A, is caused to travel up the incline c', whereby said rod is
forced up through its guides, producing an upward movement of the spring t
forming the upper portion of the movable electrode, the terminal 20 of which is
thereby raised above the level of the horizontal terminal of the fixed electrode, as
seen in Fig. 3. As the vertical portion A of the burner continues to be rotated
with the stop-cock, the elastic terminal 20 is brought into contact with the
terminal 17 of the fixed electrode as seen in Fig. 3, and wiped past the same, thus
producing the spark to ignite the gas, the cock being open to let on the gas when
the parts are in this position. The separation of the terminals 17, 20, occurs at
the instant when the end of the rod is carried past and drops off the end or
highest point of the incline of the cam I, the resiliency of the spring & carrying
the rod we back to its lowest level and causing its lower end to strike the incline b
near its lowest point, the force of the blow thus struck, combined with the forward
impulse produced by the slipping of the rounded bottom of the rod we off the sharp
corner of the incline c', causing the cam I to be swung inward on its pivot and thus

page_text: bringing the portion of the incline outside the incline c into the path of the rod
as seen in Fig. 10. In this position the terminal 20 will be entirely out of the
way of the flame as is necessary to prevent it from being injured thereby, and when.
the stop-cock is rotated in the opposite direction to shut off the gas, the lower
end of the rod w is caused to travel up the incline 6' outside the incline until it
reaches and drops into the notch d', as seen in Figs. 1 and 7, the gas being then
shut off, and the parts being in a position to be operated as before described when.
the gas is to be again lighted. During the return movement of the movable.
electrode it will be raised half way as the rod w travels up the incline 6, but not.
sufficiently to cause it to be brought into contact with the fixed electrode, conse-
quently there will be no contact between the two while the gas is being shut off,.
no spark being required at that time.
The pin w being round will, as it travels up on the incline, readily slip past
the corner 21 of the inclined portion e' of the cam I, but this corner may be slightly
rounded off if desired to reduce friction. If preferred, the notch d' on the cam
may be dispensed with, and the end of the cam bevelled off as seen at 25 in Fig. 12,
said bevel forming a downward continuation of the upper incline c¹. With this
construction the lower end of the rod we acts on the bevel 25 in the same manner
as it does on the notch d', and swings the cam outward on its pivot in a similar
manner the bevel being the full mechanical equivalent of the notch first
described, and producing the same result.
The upper portion of the shell B beneath the collar is provided with a screw
thread on which turns a nut, between which and the shoulder g' is clamped the
shade holder L which is thus held securely in place as desired.
The above described cam is simple, positive, and reliable in its action, and an
electric gas-lighting burner constructed as above described is not liable to get out
of order, and is much safer than those in which the gas-cock is operated by pulling
down a pendant cord or chain, for the reason that the position of the key or handle
will always indicate whether the gas is let on or shut off, which is not the case
with the class of burners known as "pendant burners; " hence there is no liability
of the parts being left in a position to allow the gas to escape; furthermore there
is no liability of the electrodes being left in contact with each other, as the turning
of the gas-cock to let on the gas is sure to separate them, while no contact is made
on the return movement of the gas-cock to shut off the gas.
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. In an electric gas-lighting burner, the combination, with the plug of the stop-
cock arranged vertically within the shell and provided with a thumb-piece or
handle, and the pillar or vertical portion A forming a prolongation or upward
extension of the said plug, of a fixed electrode and a movable electrode consisting
of a pin or rod having a suitable terminal and sliding within a guide attached to
and adapted to be rotated with the portion A, a cam for raising said rod as its lower
end is caused to travel in contact therewith by the rotation of the said portion A.
to carry its terminal above the level of the terminal of the fixed electrode, said cam
having two inclines, one outside the other, extending upward in opposite directions
and adapted to act alternately upon said rod, and a spring for retracting
the rod after it has passed off the end of the upper incline of the cam, substantially
as described.
2. In an electric gas-lighting burner, the combination, with the fixed electrode
and a movable clectrode, of a cam for actuating said movable electrode, said
cam having two inclines one outside the other extending upward in opposite
directions and adapted to act alternately upon said movable electrode, substantially
as set forth.
3. In an electric gas-lighting burner, the combination, with the fixed electrode
and a movable electrode actuated in one direction by a spring, of a cam for

page_text: actuating said movable electrode against the influence of its spring, said cam
having two inclines one outside the other, extending upward in opposite directions
and adapted to act alternately upon said movable electrode, substantially as
set forth.
4. In an electric gas-lighting burner, the combination, with the fixed electrode
and a vertically movable electrode actuated in one direction by a spring, of a cam
for raising said movable electrode against the influence of its spring, said cam
having two inclines, e, extending upward in opposite directions, and located
one outside the other, and a notch or depression at the junction of the two inclines,
said inclines acting one to partially raise the movable electrode as the gas is shut
off, and the other to complete the upward movement of said electrode as the gas is
let on, substantially as described.
5. In an electric gas-lighting burner, the combination, with the fixed electrode,
and a movable electrode actuated in one direction by a spring, of a horizontally
swinging cam pivoted at one end and adapted to actuate said movable electrode
against the influence of its spring, said cam having two inclines b, c, extending
upward in opposite directions and located one outside the other, and a notch or
depression at the junction of the said two inclines for the reception of the lower
end of the movable electrode, whereby said cam is swung outward on its pivot to
bring its upper incline into the path of the movable electrode, and swung inward
as the said electrode drops off the end of the said upper incline to bring the lower
incline into the path of the movable electrode, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of March 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.