Improvements in Incandescent Gas-burners.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Incandescent Gas-burners.
I, ARTHUR BEE GRIFFIN, of Verona, in the County of Essex and State of
New Jersey, United States of America, Gas Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:--
My invention relates to that class of gas burners in which an illuminating
element usually called a mantle" is heated to incandescence by a heating flame
of mixed air and gas.
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In such a burner it is essential that the mixture of air and gas shall be of
uniform or substantially uniform proportions and that the gas pressure shall be
as nearly constant as possible and hence that some adjustable form of device by
which variations in the quality and pressure of the gas may be compensated for
shall be employed. A form of such adjustable burner which is in many respects
desirable is one having a burner pillar, in the floor or bottom of which is a
small central perforation in which registers a cone shaped needle point upon
which the burner pillar is vertically adjustable. With such an arrangement the
quantity of gas admitted to the burner pillar is easily adjusted and a uniformı in-
draught of air, through air ports in the burner pillar, is produced by the column
of gas which has the shape of an inverted cone-a chape which, acting as an
endless piston, has proved very efficient in drawing in the air.
But while such burners have proved desirable and effective, both in the induc-
tion of the air and the regulation of the flow of gas, they are defective in that
they produce, while in operation, a disagreeable humming or roaring noise. This,
as I believe, is due to the impingement of the column of gas, which spreads out
from the point of entrance in the shape of an inverted cone and has a rotary or
cyclonic motion, against the wall of the burner pillar whereby vibrations are
set up in the thin metal composing such wall which give rise to the noise
referred to. To do away with this and make such a burner. noiseless in operation
is the object of my improvement.
I have discovered that I can accomplish this object by forming in the floor of
the burner pillar at one or more points outside of said central perforation and
between it and the circumference of said floor, one or more small supplemental
perforations through which gas is admitted to the burner pillar. The result of
such perforation or perforations is to make the burner practically noiseless in
operation. While the reason of this result may not be of importance, I believe
it to be due to the fact that the fine streams of gas passing straight up through
these supplemental perforations and striking against the sides of the inverted
cone of gas from the central perforation interfere with its impingement against
D

page_text: the walls of the burner pillar to such an extent as to prevent it from setting up
in such walls the rhythmic vibrations which give rise to the noise referred to.
The auxiliary perforations should not be of such aggregate capacity as to
supply the entire amount of gas required for, the burner as in this respect they
simply supplement the central perforation which is relied upon for the main
gas supply.
In addition to their office of making the burner noiseless they serve as a by-pass
by means of which on entirely closing the central perforation, a small flame can
be maintained and they also assist in the induction of air and its thorough com-
mingling with the gas in the burner pillar.
My invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing
which shows in section a burner pillar in which it is embodied.
Referring to the drawing, A indicates a burner pillar having a floor or bottom B
above which are air ports a a. The burner pillar A is interiorly threaded below
the floor B and screws upon an exteriorly threaded base C which is adapted to be
secured to the gas pipe. Upon the base C is carried a cone shaped needle point D,
which registers in a central perforation c in the floor B. The floor B is also
pierced with one or more small supplemental perforations bb located between
the central perforation and the circumference of such floor. The base C is
also perforated as at d to permit the flow of gas from the gas pipe.
The effective size of the perforation c in the floor B and consequently the flow
of gas therethrough may be regulated by turning the burner pillar A up or
down on the threaded base C as may be required by variations in the quality or
pressure of the gas supplied. The stream of gas passing through the opening c
around the needle point D expands into the shape of an inverted cone, the base
of which impinges against the wall of the burner pillar at a point above the air
ports a a. The fine stream or streams of gas from the perforation or perfora-
tions pass directly upward and strike against the sides of the cone of gas
from the orifice c, at a point some distance from its apex, in such manner that
their impact thereon, while not changing its general shape, interferes with the
impingement of the base of the cone against the walls of the burner pillar and
prevents any noise arising therefrom.
At the same time the added stream or streams of gas passing by the air ports
tend to assist in the induction of air therethrough and its more thorough com-
mingling with the gas in the burner pillar and the auxiliary perforation or per-
forations bbserve as a by-pass by which a small flame may be maintained in case
it is desired to temporarily entirely close the orifice. c when the burner is not
required for illuminative purposes.
Thus, by means of my invention, I retain all the advantages incident to the
use of a central perforation with an adjustable needle point therein and at the
same time produce a burner which is noiseless and most convenient in operation,
advantages that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.
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. In an incandescent gas burner the combination of a fixed base, a burner
pillar adapted to move vertically upon said base, air ports in said burner pillar,
a central gas passage in the floor of said burner pillar, a needle point carried
by the base and registering with said opening and one or more supplemental gas
passages through said floor, the aggregate capacity of such passages being less
than is required for the operation of the burner, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
2. In an incandescent gas burner the combination of a fixed base, a burner
pillar adapted to move vertically upon said base, air ports in said pillar, a central
opening in the floor of said pillar, a needle point carried by said base and regis-
tering with said opening and a supplemental gas passage through said floor, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 3. In an incandescent gas burner the combination of a burner pillar, air ports
in said pillar, a needle point operating to control the flow of gas through said
opening, and a supplemental gas passage through said floor, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.