Improvements relating to Automatic Igniting Devices for Gas Burners or Incandescent Gas Lamps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements relating to Automatic Igniting Devices for Gas
Burners or Incandescent Gas Lamps.
I, CARL KILLING, Doctor of Philosophy, of 8, Gneisenaustrasse, Düsseldorf, in
the German Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
It is well known, that certain porous bodies when they are in a state of fine
distribution, possess the property of condensing gases on their surface, especi-
ally oxygen. The metals of the platinum group are distinguished by this
peculiarity, for instance platinum black will condense more than 200 times its
volume of oxygen, in consequence of which it may become red hot, when placed in
gaseous mixtures containing oxygen, and may ignite the said mixtures..
Attempts have been made, to utilize this property for the automatic ignition
of common coal gas, but this method of self-ignition has not, to my knowledge,
been brought to such a state of perfection, as to render its general introduction
possible. For incandescent gas-lighting, small pellets of meerschaum have been
impregnated with platinum salt and the latter has been converted into platinum
black; other inventors have filled small pockets or receptacles of platinum with
platinum black and brought them in contact with the gas.
For a short time all these devices have been successful in producing the ignition
of gas, but then they have failed.
An attempt has recently been made, to cure the said defect, by placing the
igniting pellet outside the Bunsen flame, and igniting first a small by-pass flame
which then serves to light the principal gas jet of the incandescent gas burner.
The igniting capacity of the igniting mass depends in a great measure on the
manner in which the fine distribution of the platinum black has been produced.
To obtain a imaximum capacity for ignition, I have prepared a great number
of mixtures of rare earths and platinum black. It is a well-known fact, that
thorium-nitrate, when burnt to ashes, leaves a very frothy and yet fire-proof
residue. Now, if thorium-nitrate be mixed with platinum chloride, the mixture
leaves on incineration, a fire-proof sponge which possesses in a high degree the
property of igniting oxygenous gas mixtures. I prefer to use a mixture of about
one part of thorium-nitrate and two and one half parts of platinum chloride.

page_text: Thoria may be partly or wholly replaced by other rare earths, and platinum by
other elements of the platinum group. To obtain a suitable support. for this
mixture, without reducing its igniting capacity, I employ cotton yarn and prepare
a fabric in the following manner; -Cotton yarn formed by twisting together 5/2
or 3/3 twist threads and spun with a very thin platinum wire of about 0'03 milli-
metres thickness, is used as a raw material for knitting a fabric similar to the
mantles or hoods for incandescent gas lamps; which knited fabric or network
is then impregnated with a solution of the mixture described above, and subse-
quently dried.
When burnt to ashes, the fabric thus prepared leaves a kind of basket work of
exceedingly fine platinum wire, the meshes of which are filled with a spongy or
frothy mass composed of thoria and platinum black and having great igniting
power, besides being fire-proof. If this mass is situated in the crown or top of
an incandescent gas mantle, and the gas tap is turned on, the mass will become
highly heated and ignite the mixture of gas and air.
The igniting capacity of such a lighting device is not reduced by remaining in
the Bunsen flame of the incandescent gas lamp several hundred hours. To increase
the certainty of ignition; a loop of fine platinum wire may be embedded in
the black igniting mass, but I prefer to saturate several platinum-cotton threads
with a solution of thorium and platinum or their substitutes (notably iridium)
and to sew the dried threads into the incandescence mantle in a downward direc-
tion, following the meshes. The ashes of these threads, (thoria-platin black) con-
duct the heat down to the burner.
To prepare a self-igniting incandescence mantle, I therefore take an ordinary
incandescence mantle and sew into its crown a small piece of the platin wire-
cotton fabric impregnated with thorium-platinum solution, and into the mantle
itself I sew several of the said threads from the top downwards. When the
mantle is burnt to ashes, the igniting. mass and the igniting threads are also
incinerated, so as to leave an incandescence body capable of automatic gas ignition.
Dated this 24th day of September 1897.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicant.
· Improvements relating to Automatic Igniting Devices for Gas
Burners or Incandescent Gas Lamps.
I, CARL KILLING, Doctor of Philosophy, of 8, Gneisenaustrasse, Düsseldorf, in
the German Empire, 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:
-
It is well-known, that certain porous bodies, when in a state of fine
distribution, possess the property of condensing gases on their surface, especi-
ally oxygen.
The metals of the platinum group are distinguished by this
peculiarity; platinum black, for instance, will condense more than 200 times its
volume of oxygen, in consequence of which it may become red hot, when placed in
gaseous mixtures containing oxygen, and may ignite the said mixtures.
This property has already been utilized for the automatic ignition of common
coal gas. For incandescent gas lighting, small pellets of meerschaum have been

page_text: impregnated with a platinum salt, and the latter has been converted into platinum
black;
other inventors have filled small pockets or trays of platinum with
platinum black and brought them in contact with the gas.
The igniting pellet has also been placed outside the Bunsen flame, so as to
light first a small by-pass flame which then served to light the principal gas jet
of the incandescent gas burner.,
The igniting capacity depends in a great measure on the manner, in which the
fine distribution of the platinum black has been produced.
To obtain a maximum effect, I have prepared a great number of mixtures of
rare earths and platinum black. It is a well-known fact, that thorium-nitrate,
when burnt to ashes, forms an oxide in the shape of a very frothy and yet fire-
proof mass. Now, if thorium nitrate be mixed with platinum chloride, the
mixture leaves on incineration, a fire-proof and spongy mass which possesses in
a high degree the property of igniting combustible gas mixtures. I prefer to
use a mixture of about one part of thorium-nitrate and two and one half parts
of platinum chloride. Thoria may be partly or wholly replaced by other rare
earths, and platinum by other elements of the platinum group. To obtain a
suitable support for this mixture, without reducing its igniting capacity, I
prepare a composite fabric in the following manner:-Cotton yarn formed by
twisting together 5×2 or 3 × 3 twist threads is spun together with a very thin
platinum wire of about 003 millimetres thickness, and the composite yarn is
used for making a network or knitted fabric similar to the mantles or hoods for
incandescent gas lamps; which knitted fabric or network is then impregnated
with a solution of the mixture described above, and subsequently dried.
When burnt to ashes, the fabric thus prepared leaves a kind of basket work of
exceedingly fine platinum wire, the meshes of which are filled with a spongy or
frothy mass composed of thoria and platinum black and having a great igniting
power, besides being fire-proof. If this mass is situated in the crown or top of
an incandescence mantle, and the gas is turned on, the mass will get intensely
hot and ignite the mixture of gas and air, with which it is in contact.
The igniting capacity of such a device is not materially reduced by leaving it
in the Bunsen flame of the incandescent gas lamp for several hundred hours. To
increase the certainty of action, a loop of fine platinum wire may be embedded in
the black igniting mass, but I prefer to saturate several platinum-cotton threads
with a solution of thorium and platinum or their substitutes (among which
iridium may be used with advantage) and to sew the dried threads into the
incandescence mantle in a downward direction, following the meshes. The ashes
of these threads, (thoria-platinum black) conduct the heat down to the burner.
To prepare a self-igniting incandescence mantle, I therefore take an ordinary
incandescence mantle and sew into its crown a small piece of the said composite
(platinum-wire and cotton) fabric impregnated with thorium-platinum solution,
and into the mantle itself I sew several of the said threads from the top down-
wards. When the mantle is burnt to ashes, the igniting mass and the igniting
threads are also incinerated, so as to leave an incandescence body capable of
automatic gas ignition.
I am aware of the Patents of John Frederick Duke No. 969 of 1895 and
No. 6585 of 1896 and I do not claim in my present specification anything which
is described in the specifications of either of those patents.
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 process for the production of an igniting mass suitable for the incan-
descence bodies of incandescent gas lamps, which consists in impregnating a
composite fabric made from platinum wire and cotton with a solution of thoria
and platinum or a substitute and then drying the same.

page_text: 2. An incandescence mantle provided with a self-igniting top or core and with
igniting threads prepared as described and secured to the mantle in a downward
direction for the purpose of enhancing the certainty of ignition.
Dated this 5th day of October 1897.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents, 37 and 39, Essex Street, Strand, London.