Improvements in Apparatus for Intermittent Gas Lights.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug.,
1895
[Communicated from abroad by RICHARD PINTSCH and OSKAR PINTSCH, both
of Berlin, in the German Empire.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Intermittent Gas Lights.
1, WILLIAM BENNETT RICKMAN, of Pintsch's Patent Lighting Company
Limited, of 38 Leadenhall Street, in the City of London, 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 :-
This invention relates to apparatus employed on buoys, beacons and elsewhere,
for giving intermittent or flashing lights, the gas which supplies the flame being
freely admitted to the burner for a time, and then for a time nearly stopped, and so
on alternately.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a vertical section of the automatic
intermitting apparatus,
Fig. 2 is a plan of the valve gear and
Fig. 3 is a part section shewing the graduating valve.
The gas entering at A passes the regulating valve a into a chamber C covered
by the flexible diaphragm B, to which is connected the lever of the regulating
valve a acted on by an adjustable spring in the known way.
According as the diaphragm B is raised or lowered by the pressure in the
chamber C the valve a closes or opens more or less the gas inlet so as to maintain
the pressure constant or nearly so in the chamber.
From C the gas passes by a pipe D to an opening furnished with a valve d,
which, when open, admits gas into an upper chamber E. The valve d is on the
one arm of a lever K, the other arm of which carries a valve e covering the opening
to a pipe which leads to the burner: when d is open, e is shut and conversely. The
chamber E is covered by a flexible diaphragm F pressed down by a spring. To
this diaphragm is attached a vertically sliding stem having a pair of collars with a
pair of sharp edged studs f, between which is engaged one arin of a lever pivotted
at g, its other arm G being made as a fork engaging somewhat free between its
prongs a stud projecting from an arm of a rock shaft H which has springs h bearing
against its arms. On the rock shaft H there is a pair of arms with adjustable
screws between which is engaged a stud projecting from the lever K. Assuming
this lever to be in the position shewn in Fig. 1, then gas, entering the chamber E
by the open valve d, causes the diaphragm F to rise raising with it the stem and
the studs f. By this movement the lever G is moved and also the rock shaft H,
its arms compressing the springs h until these arms pass their horizontal position,
when they cause the rock shaft to make a sudden movement, such that the one of
the screws k is rapidly withdrawn from and the other is rapidly brought against the
stud on the lever K, thus causing the valve d to close and the valve e to open. As
the gas passes by e to the burner, the diaphragm F descends producing a reverse
action of the valve gear, closing e and opening d; and this action is automatically
repeated as long as gas is supplied, the Hame burning brightly when e is open, and
being all but extinguished when e is closed.
So far as described, the valve mechanism is known and has only been here
described in order to make clear the improvements which form the subject of the
present invention.

page_text: In the first place each of the valves d e is mounted between a pair of side springs
which on passing the point of maximum compression cause the valves to close and
open suddenly.
It has been found however that the sudden opening of the valve e causes an
increase of flame so rapid that sufficient air could not at once reach the burning
gas, the combustion being so imperfect that the lamp glass became soon blackened.
In order to provide against this, a small coned valve v is held down by a spring
closing a passage L leading to the burner; on the rock shaft H is fixed a stud
which, as the shaft H turns slowly through the first portion of its stroke, before it
receives the sudden movement due to the springs h, moves a pair of levers so as to
gradually lift the valve v allowing a gradual supply of gas to the burner before the
valve e opens to give its rapid supply. The flame thus has a gradual increase,
permitting access of sufficient air to effect complete combustion.
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 :-
In combination with the mechanism for automatically intermitting the flame of a
gas lamp, side springs applied to the intermitting valves, and a coned valve and
levers for opening it from the intermitting mechanism, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 24th day of July 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.