Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Artificial Light, applicable for Lighthouse and Ordinary Illumination.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 16th Mar., 1898
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Artificial Light,
applicable for Lighthouse and Ordinary Illumination.
I, JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, of 33, Capel Street, Dublin, Gas and Lighthouse
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention consists in apparatus for the production of artificial light.
One part is a method of applying hydrogen gas to the ordinary so-called incan-
descent burners now used in connection with ordinary coal gas, so as to give to
persons living in districts in which coal gas is not available, an opportunity of
obtaining the intense light of incandescent burners in the form of portable or of
permanent lamps. The apparatus which I use for this purpose is made of earthen-
ware and consists of three pieces-1-an outer cylinder, closed at one end, to
contain the exciting fluid, by preference dilute sulphuric acid-2-a cylindric
receptacle for granulated zinc, having perforated openings half way for that purpose
and archway openings at the bottom-3--round this cylindric receptacle I place an
inverted bell shaped receiver with outlet at the top and suitable valve and outlet
pipe for the exit of the gas, the whole so constructed that when the light is not
required and is turned off, the process of gasmaking ceases, the process recommenc-
ing as soon as the gas is again turned on. On this pipe I place a suitable burner
for conveying the gas to an incandescent mantle similar to those in use in incan-
descent gas burners but without the Bunsen bottom usually supplied with them.
The second part of my invention consists of apparatus of similar construction,
but not necessarily of earthenware, for the production of acetylene gas from calcium
carbide to be burned in any suitable burner.
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Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Artificial Light,
applicable for Lighthouse and Ordinary Illumination.
I, JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM, of 33, Capel Street, Dublin, Gas and Lighthouse
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:-
My present invention consists in apparatus for the production of artificial light.
One part is a method of applying hydrogen gas to the ordinary so-called incan-
descent burners now used in connection with ordinary coal gas, so as to give to

page_text: persons living in districts in which coal gas is not available an opportunity of obtain-
ing the intense light of incandescent burners in the form of portable or of perma-
nent lamps. The apparatus which I use for this purpose is made of earthenware
and consists of three pieces.
1-An outer cylinder, closed at one end, to contain the exciting fluid, by
preference dilute sulphuric acid.
2-A cylindric receptacle for granulated zinc having a partition containing per-
forated openings half way for that purpose, that is for supporting the granulated
zinc and giving the acidulated fluid access to the zinc and having archway openings
at the bottom.
3 Round this cylindric receptacle I place an inverted bell shaped receiver with
outlet at the top and suitable valve and outlet pipe for the exit of the gas, the whole
so constructed that when the light is not required and is turned off, the process of
gasmaking ceases, because the gas presses the acidulated fluid back through the
partition and through holes round the bottom of the receiver C and through the
archways into the outer cylinder, the process recommencing as soon as the gas is
again turned on, the back pressure being thus relieved and the acidulated fluid
having again access to the zinc.
On this pipe I place a suitable burner for conveying the gas to an incandescent
mantle similar to those in use in incandescent gas burners but without the Bunsen
bottom usually supplied with them.
The second part of my invention consists of apparatus of similar construction,
but not necessarily of earthenware, for the production of actylene gas from calcium
carbide, to be burned in any suitable burner.
In the accompanying drawing A is the outer cylinder B the cylindric receptacle
for granulated zinc C the bell shaped receiver D and E outlet valves F, perforated
partition.
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 method of applying hydrogen gas to incandescent burners above described.
2. The method of producing acetylene gas from calcium carbide above described.
Doted this 19th dow of November 1897
JOHN RICHARDSON WIGHAM.