Improvements in Electric Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus for Gas Burners.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1892-Accepted, 9th July, 1892
[Communicated from abroad by AXEL ORLING, of 13, Grefruagnigatan, Stockholm,
Sweden, Electrician.]
Improvements in Electric Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus
for Gas Burners.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The electric lighting and extinguishing apparatus for gas burners as heretofore
constructed consists of an electro-maguet provided with an armature which is
arranged to actuate a gas cock as well as a contact situated near the outlet for
the gas, so that, at the same time as the gas is turned on, it is ignited by the spark
produced by the said contact.
One part of the contact usually consists of a sinall sliding rod, resting upon the
armature and actuated by a spring, so that, when the armature falls down, the
contact is re-established owing to the interruption of the current which has just
taken place, whereupon the armature causes a new interruption of the current,
and in this way a succession of interruptions with sparks resulting therefrom is
effected.
The arrangement briefly described above has, however, several inconveniences,
for instance; as the motion of the armature will continue as long as the contact
button arranged in the conductor at a suitable place for lighting is actuated, those
parts which in the first place effect the lighting will continue to operate the whole
time although it would be sufficient if the said parts were operated only instan-
taneously or only for a fraction of the same time in order to light and extinguish
the gas, the apparatus being thus exposed to an unnecessary amount of wear.
Another disadvantage of the above described apparatus is that owing to the fact
that by pressing the contact button the gas will be lit and the next time it is
pressed the gas will be extinguished it has been necessary to place the burner
within sight in order to know which of these operations has taken place.
The present invention comprises an arrangement of the lighting and extinguishing
The
apparatus in which the above mentioned inconveniences are obviated.
apparatus ceases to work when the gas is lit or extinguished, even though the
pressure upon the contact button is continued and, at the contact button there is
moreover arranged a signalling apparatus, for indicating whether the last operation
of the apparatus has caused the lighting or the extinguishing of the gas. Thus,
for instance, the porter of a house can from his room and without seeing the
burner, light and extinguish a gas jet on a staircase or similar place which he has
to attend to, and this in such a way that he can light or extinguish any of these
flames at any time as desired provided, of course, that the gas is turned on at the
main cock or meter.
The improved apparatus comprises an electro-magnet provided with an armature
as above stated.
Above the armature is located a sliding rod, which is held
down by the spring and rests with its upper bent point upon a corresponding
point, fixed on an insulated ring. One conducting wire is connected to the electro-
magnet and to the insulated ring, the circuit being continued through the sliding
rod, the body of the apparatus and another conducting wire or the gas pipe.
On the plug of the gas cock is fixed a toothed wheel with which a ratchet connected
to the armature engages. An insulated elastic arm which is bent down at the end
is by means of a conducting wire connected with the insulated ring. The said
toothed wheel is provided with two points fixed at the side of the same so as

page_text: not to touch the ratchet but come into contact with the insulated elastic arm.
By means of the said points the circumference of the wheel is divided into two
parts of unequal size. While the teeth constituting the smaller portions are passing
the end of the insulated elastic arm, the gas is shut off, but when the other teeth
are passing the same arm, the gas is turned on. In order that this may be effected
the plug of the gas cock is provided with a circumferential recess whereby the
gas is shut off only when one part of the circumference of the plug is passing the
gas channel.
The arrangement above described operates in the following manner. Owing to
the vibrations of the armature, the ratchet drives the wheel round, and in this way
one of the points will strike the elastic arm. When the said point strikes the said
arm the circuit will be completed and as a constant current now passes through the
circuit, the armature will be raised as long as the contact button in the circuit is
pressed. The gas is now lit. When the contact button is released the armature
falls. When the contact button is again depressed the raising of the armature
causes the wheel to turn immediately as the ratchet in the last operation of the
armature engaged with a tooth of the wheel, and consequently the point with-
draws from the elastic arm, and the apparatus works in the usual vibrating
manner, until the other point makes contact with the said arm, and the apparatus
then stops owing to the same reason. The gas is now extinguished.
It will thus
be seen that the apparatus, when pressing the contact button of the circuit,
does not work any length of time but will soon come to a stop and that the gas
will then be either ignited or extinguished. In order to indicate whether the
gas has been ignited or extinguished a signalling apparatus is inserted in the circuit
consisting of an electro-magnet, the armature of which consists of a thin plate
. resembling a telephone. This plate vibrates similarly to the armature, giving
in this way a signal. The length of this signal evidently depends upon whether
the short or the long distance, between the points is passing the elastic arm.
According to the above the long signal signifies that the gas is ignited and the
short signal that the gas is extinguished.
It will be most convenient to couple the respective circuits of the gas burners
with a signalling apparatus common to all the circuits, and each circuit is provided
with its separate contact button. The signalling apparatus itself can evidently be
arranged in many different ways.
Dated this 19th day of August 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Electric Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus
for Gas Burners.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
The electric lighting and extinguishing apparatus for gas burners as heretofore
constructed, consists of an electro-magnet provided with an armature which is
arranged to actuate a gas cock as well as a contact situated near the outlet for the
gas so that, at the same time as the gas is turned on, it is ignited by the spark
produced by the said contact.
One part of the contact usually consists of a small sliding rod resting upon the
armature and actuated by a spring so that, when the armature falls down, the
contact is re-established owing to the interruption of the current which has just

page_text: taken place, whereupon the armature causes a new interruption of the current,
and in this way a succession of interruptions with sparks resulting therefrom is
effected.
The arrangement briefly described above has however several inconveniences, for
instance; as the motion of the armature will continue as long as the contact button
arranged in the conductor at a suitable place for lighting is actuated, those parts
which in the first place effect the lighting will continue to operate the whole
time although it would be sufficient if the said parts were operated only
instantaneously or only for a fraction of the same time in order to light and
extinguish the gas, the apparatus being thus exposed to an unnecessary amount
Another disadvantage of the above described apparatus is that owing
to the fact that by pressing the contact button the gas will be lit and the next
time it is pressed the gas will be extinguished it has been necessary to place the
burner within sight in order to know which of these operations has taken place.
of wear.
The present invention comprises an arrangement of the lighting and extinguishing
apparatus in which the above mentioned inconveniences are obviated. The
apparatus ceases to work, when the gas is lit or extinguished, even though the
pressure upon the contact button is continued and at the contact button there
is moreover arranged a signalling apparatus for indicating whether the last
operation of the apparatus has caused the lighting or the extinguishing of the
gas. Thus, for instance, the porter of a house can from his room and without
seeing the burner light and extinguish a gas jet on a staircase or similar place
which he has to attend to, and this at any time desired provided, of course, that
the gas is turned on at the main cock or meter.
In the accompanying drawing, I have shown how my said invention can be.
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved lighting and extinguishing apparatus.
Figure 2 is a front elevation thereof."
Figure 3 is an elevation of the opposite side to that shown in Figure 1 and
Figure 4 is a detail section of part of the gas cock.
The improved apparatus comprises an electro-magnet A provided with an
armature B. Above the armature is located a sliding rod C, which is held down
by the spring D and rests with its upper bent point E, upon a corresponding
point F fixed on an insulated ring G. One conducting wire is connected to the
electro-magnet A and to the insulated ring G, the circuit being continued through
the sliding rod C the body of the apparatus and another conducting wire or the
gas pipe.
On the plug of the gas cock is fixed a toothed wheel I with which a ratchet K
connected to the armature engages. L is an insulated elastic arm bent down at
the end which by means of a conducting wire, L' is connected with the insulated
ring G. The said toothed wheel I is provided with two points fixed at the side of
the same so as not to touch the ratchet K but come into contact with the insulated
elastic arm L. By means of the said points the circumference of the wheel I is
divided into two parts of unequal size. While the teeth constituting the smaller
portions are passing the end of the insulated elastic arm I, the gas is shut off,
but when the other teeth are passing the same arm, the gas is turned on.
In order that this may be effected the plug of the gas cock is provided, with a
circumferential recess, as shown Figure 4 whereby the gas is shut off only when
one part O of the circumference of the plug is passing the gas channel P.
The arrangement above described operates in the following manner. Owing to
the vibrating of the armature the ratchet drives the wheel I round and in this
way one of the points N N' will strike the elastic arm I.. According to the
position shown in the drawing this will take place with the point N. When the
said point strikes the said arm L the circuit will be completed and as a constant
current now passes through the circuit, the armature will be raised as long as the
contact button in the circuit is pressed the gas being thus ignited.
When the contact button is released, the armature falls. When the contact

page_text: button is again depressed the raising of the armature causes the wheel I to turn
immediately as the ratchet in the last operation of the armature engaged with a
toota of the wheel, and consequently the point N withdraws from the elastic arm L,
and the apparatus works in the usual vibrating manner until the other point Ni
makes contact with the said arm L and the apparatus then stops owing to the same
reason. The gas being thus extinguished.
It will be seen that the apparatus when the contact button is depressed, does
not work any length of time but will soon come to a stop and that the gas will then
be either ignited or extinguished. In order to indicate whether the gas has to be
ignited or extinguished a signalling apparatus is inserted in the circuit consisting of
an electro-magnet Qtne armature R of which consists of a thin plate resembling
a telephone. This plate vibrates similarly to the armature B giving in this way a
signal. The length of this signal evidently depends upon, whether the short or the
long distance, between the points N and N' is passing the elastic arm L. According
to the above the long signal signifies that the gas is ignited and the short signal
that the gas is extinguished.
It will be most convenient to couple the respective circuits of the gas burners
with a signalling apparatus common to all the circuits, and each circuit is provided
with its separate contact button S. The signalling apparatus itself can evidently
be arranged in many different ways.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In an electric lighting and extinguishing apparatus for gas burners consisting
of an electro-magnet and an armature which in its operation opens and closes an
electric circuit thus creating sparks near the outlet of the gas, and which by means of
a ratchet gear opens or shuts a gas cock connected to the burner two contact
pieces (N N¹) united with the plug of the gas cock and an insulated contact
spring (L) included in the circuit, with which spring the contact pieces (N N') are
adapted to successively engage while the gas cock plug is driven round by the
vibration of the armature so that when contact is made between the spring (L) and
one of the contact pieces (N or N') the apparatus cease to work and the gas is
either ignited or extinguished.
2. In combination with the apparatus above described the arrangement in which
the both contact pieces (N N¹) fixed on the gas cock plug or other revolving part
united with this plug, are not placed diametrically opposite each other but at an
angle one to the other so that the circumference of the said revolving part is divided
into two unequal portions during the revolution of which the gas cock is respectively
opened or closed and a signalling apparatus inserted in the circuit is actuated by
current impulses from the armature so as to give two signals of different lengths,
one signifying that the gas is ignited and other that the gas is extinguished.
Dated this 19th day of May 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.