Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting and Extinguishing Street and other Gas Lamps.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
UNAL
Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting and Extinguishing Street
and other Gas Lamps.
I, WILLIAM ANTHONY HUNTER of Deep Gill Cottage, Plumpton near
Penrith in the County of Cumberland, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The nature of this invention consists in an improved self-acting or automatic
apparatus for lighting and extinguishing street and other gas lamps in a con-
trollable manner.
This apparatus can be arranged so that all the lamps in a theatre or other
building, or all or any number of lamps in a town-including clock towers-may
be lighted in rapid succession, or almost simultaneously.
The apparatus consists in part of a cylindrical match box, through the centre
of which passes the gas pipe to which the gas burner is affixed.
To this gas
pipe the match box is fixed by a set screw, and so held at the desired point
beneath the gas burner. Through the centre of the bottom of the match box
and fast to it, there passes a tube wide enough to let the gas pipe with
burner attached go nicely through.
Upon this fixed tube, a cylinder, whose outer rim is formed of a series of small
tubes, is made to revolve by a coiled spring, one end of which is attached to the
moving cylinder, and the other to the fixed tube round which the cylinder revolves.
The ends of the revolving cylinder are formed of two small wheels, through the
hubs of which passes the fixed tube, attached to the bottom of the match box.
And their outer rims are bored to receive the ends of the small tubes forming the
outer rim of the revolving cylinder. These I call the match tubes.
Or the match tubes or receptacles may be formed out of a sheet of metal
stamped by a die into a series of hollows open on one side, and this lapped round a
flange on each of the two wheels forming the top and bottom of the revolving
cylinder and secured to them by solder or other means: the lower portion of the
hollows being closed by a second plain sheet lapped round them. The upper
portion would be cut away, as in the case of using tubes, and for the same
purpose.
So also the wheels forming the cylinder ends would have to be bored for the
matches to go through opposite each hollow.
The lower bub of the revolving cylinder rests upon a collar round the lower end
of the fixed tube, which keeps it off the bottom of the match box about a quarter
of an inch. For some distance down from the top end of the cylinder, the small
tubes forming its rim are half cut away from close to the wheel forming its upper
end to about an inch down, and then tapering to nothing, still lower down, where
the cutting cominences. Over and round this cut-away section of the cylinder is
lapped a piece of friction cloth or paper coated with a material of a suitable nature
to cause a match to ignite when rubbed against it, preferably a safety match.
Over and round this friction paper is placed an elastic band intended to press the
igniting surface against the matches when they are being pushed up from the lower
portions of the match tubes by a rod entering the match box from below. The
matches are put into the match tubes from above before the friction paper is put
round the cylinder, and their preferably pointed, lower ends rest upon the fixed
bottom of the match box.

page_text: Sometimes I so arrange it that the match shall be pushed between two igniting
surfaces instead of against only one, as before described. To accomplish this, if
the outer rim of the revolving cylinder be formed of tubes, I cut the upper portion
away lower down than when only one igniting surface is used, so much so that,
when the match is placed in the tube, and its pointed lower end rests upon the
fixed bottom of the box, the upper end of the match will stand above where the
cutting commences. Then I place a piece of paper or cloth coated with igniting
material under the upper end of the match, and between it and the partly cut-away
tubes; but the lower edge of this paper or cloth-that then touches the match-
has no igniting material on it. When that paper is lapped round the revolving
cylinder, and the matches are put in their places, another similar piece of paper,
bare of igniting material along its lower edge, is placed over the upper end of the
matches, and then an elastic band slipped over all, which presses the two igniting
surfaces together and against the cut-away part of the tubes, so that, when the
matches are pushed up, they are forced between the two igniting surfaces and their
chances to light doubled. The paper itself may be impregnated with a chemical
substance, such as alum, that will cause it not to burn, or to burn with difficulty
when in contact with fire.
At one side and above the hole through which the match rod enters the bottom
of the match box from below, there is fixed a U-shaped stop, against the inner
apex of which the sides of the lower ends of the matches are successively pressed
by the action of the coiled spring. For the revolving cylinder being turned two or
three times round against the spring, its tendency then is to press the sides of the
lower ends of the match splints against the inner end of the V-shaped stop, and so
each match is brought in succession over the centre of the hole up which the match
rod is driven.
Over the match cylinder, a nearly close cover is placed, which rests upon the
fixed bottom of the bex, and by a nut threaded to fit the end of the wide tube
through which the gas pipe passes, presses the cover down on to the bottom of the
match box, and so makes all secure.
Through the top of this cover, and exactly opposite the hole in the bottom of
the box, is another hole for the match to come out at. A pin in the cover and a
slot in the rim of the bottom of the box-that engage each other-ensure the two
holes being in line one with the other.
Above the upper hole in the cover is fixed the match holder, a double or
combined spring of suitable material rivetted to the outside of the cover, the upper
ends of which are shaped something like the upper and lower jaws of a bird's beak,
and between these two jaws the match is pushed and held up by them to the gas
burner.
But, in some cases, the match box cannot be placed near enough to the gas
burner for the match to reach it by the above means. In that case, I employ a
small supplementary gas pipe with a tap attached. The arms of this tap are
raised and lowered by a stud projecting from a collar fixed by a set screw, on to
the upper end of the small pipe, to which the match rod is attached, so that, when
the match rod is raised, this tap is opened, and gas is allowed to pass along the
supplementary pipe, up to the burner. Or the stud from the gas rod that opens
the main gas tap, will also open and shut this supplementary tap, if its arms be
arranged sufficiently above, and in the same line as, those of the main gas tap.
The burning match is brought up against this pipe, which, from that point to the
burner, perforated. The match lights the gas issuing from the perforations, and
so the light is carried to the burner, or burners, for many may be lighted in
that way
Another mode of making the match ascend to the burner when it is higher up or
farther away than usual, is to lengthen the cylinder and stroke of the match rod,
and to fix a small additional match tube to the top of the match box cover where
the matches come out.
The small match rod being lengthened to suit, it will carry the match to the top

page_text: of this supplementary match tube, at the end of which the match holder may be
fixed, which will hold the match up to the burner as required.
When the small match rod is withdrawn from the match box, the stud just below
it or gas rod stud as arranged-shuts the supplementary gas tap, while the gas
from the main burner continues burning.
The match box may contain from 30 to 40 matches, more or less, and may, if
circumstances require it, be presented to the gas burner from any position,
horizontal, upright, or at an angle with the lamp post, or other support, provided
it be not exposed to too excessive heat; and the match rols may be withdrawn by
the action of a spring, instead of a weight or gravity action. And thus it will be
understood that, when the match rod is raised, an ignited match will be pushed up
out of the match box. All the circumstances contribute to ensure that result.
The matches and friction surfaces are thoroughly dried every night by the heat
from the burning gas, but the match boxes, being usually below the light, are not
made too hot. A fresh match and a fresh friction surface are brought together
each time the matches are struck.
Then we have a suitable and uniform pressure of the friction surface brought to
bear upon the match at the moment of its being pushed out of the box, so that, at
the actual light-producing point of the apparatus, the power to produce a light
with certainty is ever renewed, and cannot get worn out and become, by use,
ineffectual.
Or a suitable galvanic battery may be fixed near the bottom of the lamp post
or other suitable place, with insulated wires leading from it to the burner and
forming a circuit of which a fine platinum wire forms a part, and which may be
placed in contact with the gas issuing from the burner by being lifted up to it
by an arın from the gas rod pipe, or stud from the gas rod, which may be made
to complete the galvanic circuit of the battery at the same time. The fine
platinum wire, being sufficiently heated by the current, will light the gas, and
when the air pressure is withdrawn, the fine platinum wire may be pulled away
from the gas flame, and so saved from deterioration by the action of the
burning gas.
Or the circuit connected with the battery may be broken at a point over the gas
burner by the action of a stud from the gas rod pipe, a spark produced, and the
gas lit, the circuit wires being then withdrawn from the gas flame by the action of
the stud on the descending rod, when the air pressure is taken from the pipes as
hereinafter described.
The completing of the battery circuit, breaking contact of circuit, raising and
lowering circuit wires to and from the gas burner, the exploding of caps, striking
of matches, or other operations of a like nature, may all be accomplished repeatedly
without putting out any lamps that may have been lit by the lighting agent
employed, by means of the double rod acted upon by the air pressure, as hereinafter
described.
Instead of matches, a small emery wheel may be caused to rapidly revolve
against a steel spring by the power of the air pressure raising, and spring or gravity
lowering a double rod, as described, which, at its upper end, may be toothed,
forming a ratchet rack, which engages a small pinion wheel, upon the spindle of
which is fixed an emery wheel. The ratchet rack may be so arranged that, in its
downward motion, the pinion wheel is not acted upon, but only when the rod
ascends, so that, by the use of the double rod already described and acted upon by
the air pressure, in the manner described, the emery wheel may be kept alternately
in motion, while the gas is turned on, and a shower of sparks thrown into the gas,
which may ignite it, if not at first, then upon repeated efforts, which may be
continued indefinitely.
Or a spark magnet may be turned in the same way and its sparks brought in
contact with the gas and so cause its ignition.
Again, instead of matches, I sometimes use a percussion cap to ignite the
There are several ways of utilising a percussion cap for the purpose. One
gas.

page_text: way of doing it is to screw a nipple into the lower end of the match tubes, they
being then left uncut away near the top end, as is done when matches are used,
and they may be much shorter, one single tube being fixed into or over the hole in
the cover, through which the flame from the exploded cap will issue to the burner.
The nipples screwed into the lower ends of the tubes are slightly tapered, so
that, when the caps are pressed on to them, they will stick, and project down from
the end of the nipple sufficiently to catch against the fixed stop projecting above
the bottom of the box. The small match rod being replaced by a stouter rod,
solid at the upper end to act as a hammer, the lower end of the hammer rod rests
on a coiled spring inside the gas rod pipe, which acts as a buffer and relieves the
nipple from à too solid blow, the stroke of the rod being altered to a proper length
to strike and explode the cap without doing injury to the nipple. Then, when the
air pressure is put on, the cap rod (as I may call it) will be driven up against the
cap and cause its explosion, and at the same time will have driven the cap hard up
on to the nipple and up above the stop, so that the revolving drum acted upon by
the coiled spring, will bring the next nipple and cap on it, over the hammer, the
used cap being carried forward past the stop, and may fall into the bottom of the
box or remain on the nipple, as the case may be. The bottom of the box should
be made somewhat deeper than when matches are used, to allow room for the used
caps to be out of the way of the revolving drum. When the cap is struck, the
drum will be slightly lifted up against a ring on the under side of the cover,
forming the lower end of the single tube leading to the burner, and so a close
connection will be made between the inside tubes and the outside one, as they are
brought in succession together.
Another way of using percussion caps to light the gas is to perforate a leather
or other suitable strap with holes in which to insert the caps, and then wind
the strap and caps on a reel, like a tape line, the cover over which, having a
suitable opening out of which the strap and caps may be drawn, either by a
weight attached to it suspended over a small pulley, or by means of a spindle
inside a second case, which spindle may be caused to revolve by a coiled spring,
and so draw the strap from the first receptacle into the second. The caps, being
fixed midway through the strap, are caused in succession to be pressed against one
side of an upright tube, fixed between the two cases, through a slot in which
the strap passes, but each cap, as it is carried along, is stopped in the centre
of the upright tube by the sides of the slot which allows the strap only to pass
through. Then, when the air pressure is put on, the hammer rod ascends
up the
upright tube and strikes the cap against a nipple fixed somewhat higher up near
the gas burner, the used cap being pushed off the end of the haminer rod as it
descends by a couple of springs pressing against it at an acute angle. When
the hammer rod is withdrawn, the next cap is brought into position to be struck.
The bammer rod is attached to the gas rod pipe as in the case of caps being struck
on ni ples fixed to the lower ends of the match tubes, previously described.
When air pressure and exhaustion are used to operate the apparatus, I apply
them as follows:-
Where the apparatus is fixed to a street lamp or lamps, mains may be laid
radiating like the spokes of a wheel, with branch pipes from them laid to each
lamp on either side of them; and these sectional mains, with their respective
branches, may be operated on in groups, or one after the other, as is found most
expedient. Into a branch pipe under each lamp post, is screwed or otherwise fixed
air tight, a small cylinder in which a piston with rod attached moves somewhat.
freely up and down. The piston rod works through the cylinder top with just a
little stuffing to keep out dirt, so that, when the piston is lifted up, the air above it
can escape by the side of it and by a hole in the side of the neck of the cylinder
top. Enclosing the piston rod and resting upon the piston is an indiarubber ring
or other equivalent, and also another similarly placed below the piston. These
two rings serve as closing valves and buffers when the piston is driven up against
the cylinder top, or pulled down against the bottom of the cylinder. When the

page_text: piston is pulled to the bottom of the cylinder, the piston rod projects beyond the
cylinder top sufficiently to allow a connecting piece to be screwed on to the end of
it. Into this is screwed a small rod, which I call the gas rod because it is made to
open and shut the main gas taps or other taps. On the top of this connecting
piece is placed a collar of leather or rubber, and over that again a metal washer,
which is simply a buffer arrangement. Over the connecting piece and resting on
the top of the cylinder, which may be protected by a leather washer, is a short
length of pipe sufficiently wide to quite clear the connecting piece and neck of the
cylinder top. But this short length of pipe is reduced at the upper end like the
neck of a bottle, and into this neck is screwed or otherwise fixed a smaller pipe,
up and inside which the gas rod is passed. This smaller pipe is screwed down or
otherwise fixed into the neck of this wider pipe, till it is flush with the lower end
of the neck, so that, when the connecting piece with the leather and metal washer
upon it is pushed up, it will be driven against the end of this smaller pipe, and so
lift it and the wider piece with it.
To the upper end of this smaller pipe is attached the small match rod that pushes
the matches out of the match box. The upper end of the small match rod is
cupped, so that the pointed end of the match can enter it.
The smaller pipe, which has a fixed key on it to prevent it turning round in the
guide, is kept in position by a guide through which it passes, and which guide is
kept in position by being held by a set screw to the stout iron gas pipe that comes
up the lamp post. This guide may be just above the top of the lamp post. Down
below there is another guide fixed in the same way, but it should be somewhat
stronger than the upper one, because its main purpose is to resist the upward blow
that is given to the small match rod pipe, and the wider pipe that is attached to it
by the connecting piece screwed on to the end of the piston rod striking it
upwards when the air pressure is put on the pipes.
The short and wider pipe resting on the top of the cylinder and attached to the
small match rod pipe would be thrown higher up than is desirable, were it not for
this second guide and stop, fixed like the upper one to the stout iron gas pipe, and
at such a height above the cylinder as to prevent its rising too high, by the neck of
the wider pipe, which may have a rubber ring above it, coming against the
underside of this stop, and so preventing the match rod throwing the matches too
far out of the box.
Near the top of the small pipe is a slot to which the gas rod, screwed into the
connecting piece, reaches, and near the upper end of this rod there is a stud or
short arm projecting through this slot. This stud or arm, when raised or lowered,
comes in contact with the arms of the main gas tap and opens or closes it.
A second gas tap is fixed above the main gas tap to be used simply as a check
tap, and is always open to the required point, to ensure the proper amount of gas
being burnt, so that it is immaterial how wide open the main gas tap is left by the
action of the apparatus.
A piece of leather or other suitable material is half lapped round the gas rod,
near the top end, and the stud or short arm from it passes through this leather
before it is screwed into the gas rod. This acts as a kind of brake to the gas rod,
and makes it not slip down by gravity when not required. But to ensure this
steadiness of position, a set screw is screwed through the small match rod pipe at
the opposite side to the slot and somewhat lower down, this pressing against the
gas rod, which may be filed flat where the set screw comes against it, causing a
slight pressure of the leather against the opposite side of the pipe, and so prevents
the gas rod coming down when not required by its own gravity.
Another mode of ensuring the gas rod against falling by its own gravity and
shutting the main gus tap is to fix a collar beneath the slot in the gas rod pipe by
a set screw, so that it will be adjustable to the desired position, this collar having
an arm attached to it, and extending upwards the length of the slot in the gas rod
pipe. Near the upper end of this arm is a slot about an inch long, in which is a
short blade in the form of a T. This works on a pin that goes through the

page_text: T-piece at the junction of the stem and cross-head and the sides of the slot. The
cross-head is kept parallel and flush with the back of the arm attached to the collar
by a spring that is screwed or rivetted to the lower end of the arm, its upper end
being free to move. The stem of the T-piece projects at right angles across the
face of the slot in the gas rod pipe, so that, when the gas rod is raised or lowered,
the stud on it comes in contact with the stem of the T-piece. When the gas rod is
driven up, the stem of the T-piece is pushed up, and moves like a knife blade,
and when the stud on the gas rod has passed above it, the stem of the T-piece is
made to assume a horizontal position again by the action of the spring at the back
of the slot in which the T-piece works, so that, when the gas rod is relieved from
the upward air pressure, it falls by its own gravity, and its stud or arm rests upon
the stem of the T-piece, and so the main gas tap is prevented from being shut till
it is wanted, and then, by exhausting the pipes of air. the gas rod is forced down
below the stem of the T-piece, and the main gas tap shut as desired.
Now it will be understood by this arrangement of, as it were, a double rod, that,
when the air pressure is put upon the pipes, the piston will be driven to the top of
the cylinder. The piston rod will first lift the gas rod to its full height and the
stud or arm from it will have opened the main gas tap. Then, as the connecting
piece comes in contact with the lower end of the small match rod pipe, it will be
lifted and a match pushed out of the box, the gas being already there, will be lit.
If the air pressure be then kept up, the rods will remain in the position described,
but if the pressure he now withdrawn, the weight of the match rod pipe--and for
this purpose it may be weighted as required-will cause it to fall, and the lower
end of the short wide pipe will rest upon the cylinder top, which should be padded.
The gas rod stud still remaining above the main gas tap arm, the gas will continue
burning though the match rod has been withdrawn from the match box by the
gravity of the rod and another match has been placed in position, and may be
pushed up by the air pressure being again put on the pipes; and this may
be repeated till all the matches are struck, yet the gas has been burning all
the time.
While the matches have been struck as described, the piston has never been
drawn to the bottora of the cylinder, but, by partially or completely exhausting the
air from the pipe, it would be drawn to the bottom, and with it the small gas rod,
the stud or arm attached to which would shut the main gas tap and put out the
lamp or lamps.
In case any lamp or lamps are blown out by the wind, an arrangement may be
added to the apparatus already described, if thought desirable, which may be called
"The Detective," by the use of which another match may be struck at any lamp or
lamps so extinguished.
The principal agent in operating "The Detective" is the heat from the burning
gas itself. One way of utilising that heat is to fix an air-tight annular vessel, or
coil of pipes, near the inside top of the lantern, and from this bring down a small
pipe to a broad but short cylinder formed of two halves, screwed together with an
air-tight elastic diaphragm between them. The neck of one end of this cylinder
may be screwed into the guide through which the small gas rod pipe passes, and a
piston resting against the diaphragm may have attached to it a short piston rod
that projects horizontally through the neck of the cylinder and up against the gas
rod pipe. The pipe from the air vessel above must enter the opposite side of the
cylinder to that in which the piston moves.
When the gas is lit, the heat from its combustion expands the air in the air
vessel, and that drives the piston rod forward against the gas rod pipe and retards
or stops its fall. When the air pressure is taken from the pipes, the match rods
remain in the match boxes of all the lamps that are lit, but any lamp or lamps that
have been put out may now be re-struck without affecting those already burning.
To assist "The Detective" in holding the rod from falling, the end of its piston
rod may be rounded, a hole or series of holes may be made in the gas rod pipe, for
it to partly enter, and so increase its gripping power, but it must not be so fast

page_text: that, when the pipes are exhausted of air, this gas rod pipe cannot be pulled down
by the exhaust suction. A small quantity of a suitable and easily vaporised liquid
may be placed in the air vessel, the vapour of which would increase the air pressure
in it, when vaporised by the heat of the burning gas.
Another form of "The Detective" is made by forming a compound bar of two-
metals, such as iron and zinc, the expansion of which by heat varies considerably,
and making a coil of one or more turns of it, and fixing one end of this to the top
of the match box, and arranging for the other end to press against a supplementary
rod, attached to the gas rod pipe, and working through a guide fixed to the cover
of the match box. The heat from the burning gas would cause the coil to curl in
or expand out according as the zinc bar was inside or outside of the coil; and this
motion, brought to bear upon the supplementary rod attached to the gas rod pipe,
would prevent its descent and the withdrawal of the match rod from the box, as in
the case of the air "Detective."
The air compressing and exhausting apparatus may be one vessel of sufficient
size, or a series of wide pipes, into which air may be pumped by one air pump and
exhausted by another, taps being attached to each to enable them to be used
separately.
From this air vessel a pipe is laid to the lamps that are to be fitted with the
apparatus, and a main tap, and a relief tap beyond fitted to it.
Fitted to the air vessel is an air pressure gauge and an exhaust gauge, or one
that will answer both purposes.
The air pumps may be worked either by hand or power.
To operate the apparatus, the main and relief taps must be shut, the exhaust
pump tap shut, the pressure pump tap opened, and the pressure pump put in action,
till the pressure gauge indicates a sufficient pressure, which must be determined by
experience. When that pressure is reached, the match boxes having been charged
and the rest of the apparatus put in order, the main tap is opened, when the lamps
will be seen to be lighted in rapid succession, the pressure having been kept up by
the pump working for a few minutes till the most distant lamps have been lit.
Then the main tap must be shut and the relief tap opened, when the match rods
will be withdrawn from the boxes by their own gravity.
To put out the lights, shut the main and relief taps, also the pressure pump tap,
and open the exhaust pump tap, and put the exhaust pump in action.
When the gauge indicates a sufficient amount of exhaust, open the main tap
and keep the exhaust pump working, when the pistons will be drawn to the bottom
of the cylinders and the lights put out. To a branch of the main air pipe may be
fixed a self-recording instrument, the purpose of which is to indicate on a dial the
number of matches that have been struck out of the boxes from the time of last
filling, from which record it will always be known when the boxes require refilling.
The instrument consists of a short cylinder with a frame attached, in which
works a ratchet wheel having as many teeth in it as there are matches in each box
when full. Between the frame and a collar on the piston rod is a coiled spring,
which drives the piston rod down after it has been driven up by the air pressure,
and again released from it. A pawl working in a slot of the piston rod engages in
a tooth of the wheel each time it is driven up, and a pointer fixed to the spindle of
the wheel indicates on a numbered dial plate, that one match has been struck out
of each box. When the piston rod is driven down by the action of the spring, the
pawl closes up in the slot till it is below the next tooth, when a spring acting upon
it causes it to fall forward ready to engage the next tooth of the wheel when the
air pressure is again put on. The piston has an air closing ring on the top and
bottom of it.
A second pawl is fixed to the frame in such a position as to engage in the teeth
of the wheel, and prevent it from being pulled back during the down stroke of
the piston rod.
When the match boxes are filled, the pointer must be put to the starting point.
The matches may be struck and the gas taps turned by clock work so arranged that.

page_text: the power of the gas pressure acting upon a diaphragm with piston and rod resting
upon it will raise or lower, as the gas pressure is increased or reduced beyond a
certain point, the piston rod, which being connected or coming in contact with
a finely adjusted detent will release for a moment the pent up power of a clock
spring or weight which will lift the double rod, open the tap, strike a match, and
light the gas. A second arrangement of the same kind may be made to drive the
gas rod down, and shut the taps, when the gas pressure is lowered.
Dated this 14th day of September 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patcut Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting and Extinguishing Street
and other Gas Lamps.
I, WILLIAM ANTHONY HUNTER of Deep Gill Cottage, Plumpton, near Penrith
in the County of Cumberland, 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 nature of this invention consists in an improved self acting or automatic
apparatus for lighting and extinguishing street and other gas lamps in a controllable
manner.
This apparatus can be arranged so that all the lamps in a theatre or other
building or all or any number of lamps in a town may be lighted in rapid succession
.or almost simultaneously.
This invention will be best understood from the following description reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 represents the lower half, and
Figure 2, the upper half of one form of apparatus for carrying out my invention,
some of the parts being in section and others in elevation ;
Figure 3 is a modification of the upper portion of Figure 2;
Figure 4, a front view of a match indicator;
Figure 5, an edge view of the same;
Figure 6 illustrates an apparatus similar to Figure 2 except that the match is
held up to a perforated supplementary gas pipe;
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 6, shewing section through
the main gas tap.
Figure 8 a modification thereof;
Figure 9 shows one form of match box with the cylinder carrying the match
tubes partly removed;
Figures 10, 11 and 12 fragmentary views of the match box;
Figure 13 represents a portion of an apparatus which is a modification of
Figure 2, and
Figure 14 another view of the same taken at right angles thereto;
Figure 15 is an air vessel with air pressure and exhaust pumps and pressure
gauge attached ;
Figures 16 and 17 show in halves an apparatus in which electricity is used as the
lighting agent instead of matches;
Figures 18, 19 and 20 details of the same;
Figure 21 shows an arrangement in which a battery is attached to each lamp;
Figure 22 shows in plan when one wire only is employed for lighting the lamps
in series how it may be enclosed in the air pipe.

page_text: Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 :—.
The apparatus consists in part of a cylindrical match box A through the centre
of which passes the gas pipe B to which the gas burner is affixed.
To this gas pipe the match box is held by a set screw a at the desired point
below the gas burner.
Through the centre of the bottom of the match box and fast to it, there passes
a tube A shown best in Figure 10, wide enough to let the gas pipe with burner
attached and small supplementary pipe go nicely through. Upon this fixed tube,
a cylinder C, see Figure 11, whose outer casing is formed of a series of small
tubes is made to revolve by a coiled springe Figure 12. one end of which
is attached to the moving cylinder C and the other to the fixed tube A' round
which the cylinder C revolves.
The ends of the revolving cylinder are formed of two circular frames C2 C³
through the hubs of which pass the fixed tube A' attached to the bottom of the
match box, the outer rims of these frames C2 and C³, Figure 11, being bored to
receive the ends of the aforementioned tubes forming the casings of the revolving
cylinder. These I call the match tubes. Or the match tubes or receptacles may
be formed out of a sheet of metal stamped into a series of hollows open on one
side and this wrapped round a flange on each of the two trames forming the top
and bottom of the revolving cylinder and secured to them by solder or other means,
the lower portion of the hollows being closed by a short wide tube that would slip
over them and be fixed in the desired position, the upper portion of the same being
left open like the half cut away tubes C¹ Figure 11, and for the same purpose.
The lower hub of the revolving cylinder C rests upon a collar A2 on the lower end
of the fixed tube A', which collar keeps it off the bottom of the match box A
about a quarter of an inch. For some distance down from the top of the
cylinder the match tubes are half cut away and then tapered to nothing at C*,
Figure 11.
Over and round this cut away portion of the match tubes is lapped a piece of
friction cloth or paper c² coated with a material of a suitable nature to cause a
Over and
match, preferably a safety match, to ignite when rubbed against it.
round this friction paper is placed an elastic band es about as broad as the friction
surface adapted to press the igniting surface against the matches D when they are
being pushed up in a manner hereinafter described from the lower portions of the
match tubes by a rod D' entering the match box from below. The matches are
put into the match tubes from above before the friction paper is put in position and
their pointed lower ends rest upon the fixed bottom of the match box.
In some cases I so arrange it that the match shall be pushed between two
igniting surfaces instead of against only one as before described. To accomplish
this, I take the cut away portion of the match tubes lower down than when only
one igniting surface is used, so much so that when the match is placed in the tube
and its pointed lower end rests upon the fixed bottom of the match box, the upper
end of the match will stand above where the cut away portion commences.
Then I place a piece of paper or cloth coated with igniting material under the
upper end of the match and between it and the partly cut-away tubes, but the
lower edge of this paper or cloth that then touches the matches has no igniting
material on it. When the paper free of striking material along its lower edge
has been lapped round the cylinder and the matches are put in their places as
described, another similar piece of paper is placed over the upper ends of the
matches, and then an elastic band slipped over all which presses the two igniting
surfaces together and against the cut away part of the tubes so that when the
matches are pushed up, they are forced between the two igniting surfaces and
their chance to ignite doubled. The paper itself may be impregnated with a
chemical substance such as alum that will cause it not to burn or to burn with
difficulty when in contact with fire. Figure 3 shows the match tubes formed of
two tubes one inside the other. The object of this is that the inner tube shall
only be wide enough to let the match splint drop into it and so keep it upright,
B

page_text: while the upper and outer tube will allow for the extra thickness of the match
head, so that if the matches are not all dipped of a uniform thickness it will not
matter. The same object is attained by using a stouter tube bored wider at
the top.
Sometimes I make the match tube cylinders movable and interchangeable so
that they can be filled away from the lamp, and the empty ones replaced by full
ones in a very short time, see Figure 9 where the cylinder C of tubes, which are
fixed to an inner plain cylinder, is partly removed from a second plain cylinder c²
which is made to revolve and carry cylinder C with it by the coiled spring c
Figure 12, the two cylinders being temporarily held together by a pin c³, Figure 9
in the one, engaging slots in the other. At one side, and above the hole d through
which the match rod D' enters the bottom of the match box A from below, there
is fixed a U-shaped stop a², Figure 9, against the inner surface of which the sides
of the lower ends of the matches are successively pressed by the action of the
coiled spring e, for the revolving cylinder being turned two or three times round
against the spring, its tendency then is to press the sides of the lower ends of the
match splints against the inner surface of the U shaped stop, and so each match is
brought in succession over the centre of the hole up which the match rod D¹ is
driven. In Figure 11 the pin C of cylinder C comes against a stop in the bottom
of the box and ensures the latter when empty of matches, stopping with one tube
right above the match rod so that no damage would be done if worked when empty
of matches.
Over the match cylinder a close cover A³ is placed which rests upon the fixed
bottom of the box, and by a nut E-threaded to fit the end of the wide tube A¹
through which the gas pipe passes is pressed down onto the bottom of the match
box and so makes all secure.
Through the top of this cover and exactly opposite the hole d in the bottom of
the box is another hole d' for the match to come out at, a pin in the cover, and a
slot in the rim of the bottom of the box engage each other and ensures the two
holes being in line one with the other. Above the upper hole in the cover is fixed
the match holder E¹ formed of a double or combined spring of a suitable material
rivetted to the side of the cover, the upper ends of which are shaped something
like the upper and lower jaws of a bird's beak. Between these two jaws the
match is pushed, and held up by them to the gas burner. But in some cases the
match box cannot be placed near enough to the gas burner for the match to reach
it by the above means. In that case, I employ a small supplementary gas pipe F
(Figure 6) with a tap F' so constructed that when its looped arm f is raised to its
bighest point shown at X (Figure 2) gas is allowed to pass both up the main gas
pipe to the burner and up this supplementary pipe which is perforated as shown
at F. The construction of the tap F is shown on a larger scale in Figures 7 and 8.
The plug of the tap is adjustable and is fixed in the desired position by the set
screw Y, Figures 6 and 2. When the looped arm of the gas tap is in the
position shown in Figure 6, the gas flows only up the main gas pipe to the
burner. The supplementary supply being cut off in the manner hereinafter
described.
But gas may be taken from the main gas pipe B to supply the supplementary
gas pipe F by a small passage F³, Figures 7 and 8, being made through the outer
metal of the tap F', one end of it coming close to the main inlet to the burner,
and the other end, entering the lower end, of the supplementary pipe. When the
arm is brought to its lowest position X (Figure 2) the gas is entirely cut off
from the burner.
The burning match is brought up against this supplementary pipe, which from
that point to the burner is perforated, as shown. The match lights the gas issuing
from the perforations, and so the light is carried from hole to hole to the burner,
or burners, for many may be lighted in this way.
Another mode of making the match ascend to the burner, when it is higher up,
or further away, than usual, is to lengthen the cylinder, and stroke of the match

page_text: rod D', Figure 2, and' to fix a small additional match tube to the top of the match
box cover, where the matches come out. The small match rod being lengthened
to suit, it will carry the match to the top of the supplementary match tube, at the
end of which the match holder may be fixed, which will hold the match up to the
burner as required. When the match rod is withdrawn from the match box, a
stud just below it or a gas rod stud to be hereinafter d'escribed' as arranged shuts
the supplementary gas tap in case one is employed for the purpose.
Or when communication is made between the lower end of the supplementary
gas pipe to near the exit of the main gas tap by a small passage, as shown in
is
Figures 7 & 8, which is free for the gas to pass along, when the main gas tap
opened a little beyond the full, but is closed, when the stud from the gas rod
brings the plug of the main gas tap, to the centre or full flowing position as before
described.
The match box may contain from 30 to 40 matches more or less, and may if
circumstances require it, be presented' to the gas burner from any position,
horizontal, upright, or at any angle with the lamp post or other support, provided
it he not exposed to too great heat or excessive damp, and the match rods may be
withdrawn from the match boxes by the action of a coiled or other spring, instead'
of by a weight or gravity.
From the foregoing it will be understood, that when the match rod is raised, an
ignited match will be pushed out of the match box. All the circumstances
contribute to ensure that result.
The matches and friction surfaces, are thoroughly dried every night by the heat
from the burning gas, and the match boxes, being usually below the light, are not
made too hot.
A fresh match, and a fresh friction surface are brought together each time the
matches are struck and furthermore there is a suitable and uniform pressure of
the friction surface brought to bear on the match, at the moment of it being
pushed out of the box, so that at the actual light producing point of the apparatus,
the power to produce a light, with certainty, is ever renewed, and cannot get worn
out, and become, by use, ineffectual.
Instead of matches I sometimes use percussion caps to ignite the gas. There
are several ways of utilizing them for the purpose, one way of doing it, is to screw
a nipple on to the lower end of the match tubes, which in this case extend as tubes
to the top and they may be much shorter than when matches are used; one single
tube being fixed into, or over the hole in the cover through which the flame from
the exploded cap will issue to the burner. The nipples are slightly tapered, so
that when the caps are pressed on to them they will stick, and project down from
the end of the nipple sufficiently to catch against the fixed stop projecting above
the bottom of the box, the small match rod D', Figure 2, being replaced by a
stouter rod, solid at the upper end, to act as a hammer. The lower end of the
haminer rod may rest on a coiled spring inside the gas rod pipe, which acts as a
buffer, and relieves the nipple from a too solid blow.
The stroke of the hammer may be altered to a proper length to strike and
explode the cap, without doing injury to the nipple. Then when the air pressure
is put on, the cap rod-as I may call it-will be driven up against the cap, and
cause its explosion, and at the same time will have driven the cap up on to the
nipple, and up above the stop, so that the revolving drum acted upon by the spring,
will bring the next nipple and cap on it, over the hammer. The used cap being
carried forward past the stop, may fall into the bottom of the box or remain on
the nipple, as the case may be. The bottom of the box should be deep enough to
leave room for the used caps to fall out of the way of the revolving drum.
the cap is struck, the drum will be slightly lifted up against a ring on the underside
of the cover, forming the lower end of the single tube leading to the burner, and
so a close connection will be made between the inside tubes, and the outside one, as
they are brought in succession together.
When
Another way of using percussion caps to light the gas, is to perforate a leather

page_text: or other suitable strap with holes, in which to insert the caps, and then wind the
strap and caps on a reel like a tape line. The cover may have a suitable opening
out of which the strap and caps may be drawn, either by a weight attached to it,
suspended over a small pulley, or by means of a spindle inside a second cover,
which spindle may be caused to revolve by a coiled spring, when wound up, and so
draw the strap and caps from the first receptacle into the second.
The caps being fixed midway through the strap, are caused in succession, to be
pressed against one side of an upright tube fixed between the two cases through a
slot in which the strap passes but each cap as it passes along is stopped in the
centre of the upright tube by the sides of the slot, which allow the strap only to
pass through.
Then when the air pressure is put on, the hammer rod ascends up the upright
tube and strikes the cap against a nipple, fixed somewhat higher up near the gas
burner or perforated tube leading to it. The used cap being pushed off the end
of the hammer rod as it descends by a couple of springs pressing against it at an
acute angle, or caps somewhat like those used with a toy pistol may be arranged on
a tape and wound on a covered reel, from which it may be drawn into a second
receptacle each cap as it is brought in succession up against the side of a slot
through which the tape is drawn being struck up against a nipple in close
proximity to the gas issuing from the perforated supplementary tube. Or again
instead of matches to produce the light, a galvanic battery as shown in Figure 21
may be fixed near the bottom of the lamp post or other suitable place, with
insulated wires leading from it to the burner, and forming a circuit of which a fine
platinum wire G, Figures 17 and 18, forms a part, and which may be placed in
contact with the issuing gas from the burner by being fixed to an arin moving on a
pivot attached to the gas pipe, which arm may be raised and lowered by a stud
from the gas rod, which may be made to complete the galvanic circuit of the
battery at the same time.
The platinum wire being sufficiently heated by the current will light the gas,
and when the air pressure is withdrawn, the fine platinum wire may be pulled away
from the gas flame by the downward movement of the stud and so saved from
deterioration by the action of the burning gas. Or when the battery or dynamo,
-to be used to supply electrical current, is fixed near the air vessel hereinafter
described to be used to supply compressed air to the air pipes laid to each lamp, I
put the insulated wire or wires, whether a single wire in series going to earth, or
two wires in parallel from it, returning to the dynamo inside the air pipe I,
Figure 16, by passing it or them through a rubber or other suitable plug i having
a thin metal washer w, Figure 16, on the top, and then screw that down into a
gland or stuffing box J, by the screw plug L till the pipe is air-tight. The wire is
then carried forward inside the air pipe till it comes to the first lamp post, under
which the pipe is laid. To this pipe a small cylinder O, Figure 16, is fixed,
intended to give movement to the gas taps etcetera. From each side of this
cylinder, the insulated wire or wires is led from the air pipe, through rubber plugs,
as before described, up to near the burner, where they are each put into electrical
contact with an electrode K, fastened to a bracket K¹ made of a nonconducting
material, which is held to the gas pipe by a set screw k, Figure 20; or the two
wires may be bound together but insulated from each other and held to the bracket
by a set screw, the said wires being splayed apart at the top where they are joined
by the platinum wire. This arrangement offers less obstruction to the light.
The two electrodes stand on each side of the gas pipe, into which the burner is
fixed, and in the case of an ordinary street lamp, about 3 or 4 inches below it.
The two electrodes are then put into electrical contact with each other by a
piece of fine platinum wire G being stretched from one to the other, and made fast
by binding screws L'. The bracket may be made of some insulating material,
such as vulcanite, gutta-percha, glass or earthenware. The fine platinum wire G
is kept sufficiently far away from the gas pipe to avoid loss of electric current
when it is sent along the wires from the battery or dynamo.

page_text: Up alongside the main gas pipe B to which the burner is fixed, there is a
smaller gas pipe M perforated at short intervals from just below the platinum
wire, and opposite to it, up to near the burner.
Into this perforated pipe just before the current is sent along the wire,
gas is allowed to pass, as well as up the main gas pipe to the burner as before
described.
As the gas issues from the lower perforations in the small gas pipe it is lit by
the current making the platinum wire hot enough to inflame it; and so the light
is carried from one perforation to another till the gas issuing from the burner is
lit, and when that is effected, the supply of gas to the small gas pipe is cut off,
and the gas to the main gas pipe allowed to flow on till the lamps are required to
be put out, and then that is shut off also, as shown in the drawings.
To protect the platinum wire from injury, and possible loss of current at that
part of the circuit, I slip an earthenware, or other suitable cover over it, a
hollow sleeve M' of which slips down over the main and small supplementary gas
pipes, and rests upon the bracket K₁ covering the platinum wire, but allowing the
gas from the perforations to get to it through the hollow arm H', Figure 19, as
shown in the drawings. This sleeve M', Figure 17, is intended to prevent loss of
current from the platinum wire to the gas pipe. In Figure 19 this sleeve is shown
joined to the hollow arm H and hood H which completely covers the platinum
wire and upper ends of the electrodes, and is a protection against anything falling
upon it.
When air pressure and exhaustion are used to operate the apparatus, I apply
them as follows:-
Where the apparatus is fixed to a street lamp or lamps, a pipe U1, Figure 15, is
laid under the street or side walk from any central point to each lamp. Or mains
may be laid radiating like the spokes of a wheel, and branch pipes from them
laid to each lamp, on either side of them, and these sectional mains with their
respective branches may be operated on, one after another, or in groups, as is
found most convenient. Into a branch pipe under each lamp post, screwed or
otherwise fixed, an air tight cylinder O, Figure 1, in which a piston O' with rod
attached, moves somewhat freely up and down. The piston rod works through
the cylinder top with just a little rather loose stuffing to keep out the dirt, so that
when the piston is lifted up, the air above it can escape by the side of the piston
rod, and by a small hole o in side of the neck of the cylinder top.
Enclosing the piston rod, and resting upon the piston, is a rubber ring 02 or
other equivalent, and also another similarly placed below the piston. These two
rings serve as closing valves when the piston is driven up against the cylinder
top, or pulled down against the bottom of the cylinder. Rubber rings or closing
valves may also be placed in the cylinder at the top and bottom which would more
completely prevent the escape of air. The hole in the bottom of the cylinder must
be as wide as that in the top, to allow the lower end of the piston rod to enter it,
when the piston is drawn to the bottom of the cylinder, so that the ring or closing
valve may press upon it, and close the opening, U, Figure 1.
The piston too must be somewhat wider than the rubber rings, or closing valves,
so that the latter shall not touch the sides of the cylinder, when going up and
down. The piston may be made of leather steeped in glycerine.
When the piston is pulled to the bottom of the cylinder, the piston rod projects
beyond the cylinder top sufficiently to allow a connecting piece P to be screwed on
to the end of it. Into this is screwed small rod P which I call the gas rod,
because it is made to open and shut the main or other gas taps.
On the top of the connecting piece P is put a collar O³, Figure 1, of leather or
rubber ring and over that again a metal washer O which is simply a buffer
arrangement.
Over the connecting piece and resting on the cylinder top, which should be
protected by a leather washer of is a short length of tube p', sufficiently wide to
quite clear the connecting piece, and neck of the cylinder top. This short length

page_text: of pipe is reduced at the upper end p like the neck of a bottle, and into this neck
is screwed a smaller tube P2, up, and inside of which, the gas rod is passed. This
smaller tube is screwed down into the neck of the wider pipe p' till it is flush with
the lower end of the neck; so that when the connecting piece with the leather and
metal washer upon it is pushed up, it will be driven against the end of this smaller
pipe P, and so lift it, and the wider piece with it. This smaller pipe I call the gas
rod pipe, to the upper end of which is attached the small match rod D¹, Figure 2,
that pushes the matches out of the match box. The upper end of the small match
rod is cupped as shown, so that the pointed end of the match can enter it.
The gas rod pipe P', Figure 1, is kept in position by a guide Q through which
it passes and has a long fixed key P on it to prevent it turning round in the hole
of the guide. The guide is kept in position by being held by a set screw Q to the
stout iron gas pipe B that comes up the inside of the lamp post.
This guide may be just above the top of the lamp post. Down below there is
another guide fixed in the same way, but should be somewhat stronger than the
upper one, because its main purpose is to resist the upward blow that is given to
the small gas rod pipe, and the wider pipe to which it is attached by the connecting
piece screwed on to the end of the piston rod, striking it upwards, when the air
pressure is put on the pipes.
The short and wider pipe resting on the top of the cylinder, and attached to
the small gas-rod: pipe would be thrown higher up than is desirable were it not for
this second guide and stop, fixed like the upper one to the stout iron gas pipe, and
atr such a height above the cylinder, as to prevent its rising too high by the neck
of the wider pipe, which should have a rubber ring P above it, coming against the
underside of this stop, and so preventing the match rod' throwing the matclies too
fan but of the.box.
Near the top of the small gas rod pipe P2; Figure 2, is a slot to which the gas
rod P1, Figure 2, screwed into the connecting piece reaches, and near the upper
end of this rod there is a stud f', Figure 14, or short arm projecting through
this slot.
This stud or arm when raised or lowered comes in contact with the arms of the
main gas tap F1 and opens or closes it. A second gas tap S¹, Figure 2, is fixed
above the main gas tap to be used simply as a check tap, and is always open to the
required point, to ensure the proper amount of gas being burnt, so that it is
immaterial how wide open the main gas tap is left by the action of the
apparatus.
To ensure the gas rod against falling by its own gravity and shutting the main
gas tap, I fix a collars beneath the slot s', Figure 2, in the gas rod pipe by a set
screws, so that it will be adjustable to the desired position; this collar having an
arın T attached to it extending upwards the length of the slot in the gas rod pipe.
Near the upper end of this arm is a slot T¹ about an inch long, in which is a short
blade T². This works on a pin t that goes through the T piece about the junction
of the stem and cross head, and the sides of the slot. The cross head is kept
parallel and flush with the back of the arm by a spring t that is screwed to the
lower end of the arm T, its upper end being free to move. The stem of the
Tpiece projects at right angles across the face of the slot in the gas rod pipe,
so that when the gas rod is raised or lowered, the stud on it comes in contact
with the stem t* of the T piece. When the gas rod is driven up, the stem of the
T piece is pushed up, and moves inwards like a knife blade, and when the stud on
the gas rod has passed above it, it is made to assume a horizontal position again by
the action of the spring t' at the back of the slot T', in which the T piece works,
so that when the gas rod is relieved from the upward air pressure, it falls by its
own gravity and its stud or armrests upon the stem 2 of the T piece T², and so
the main gas tap is prevented from being shut, till it is wanted. By exhausting the
pipes of air, the gas rod stud is forced down below the stem of the T piece, and the
main gas tap shut as desired.
Now it will be understood by this arrangement of, as it were a double rod or one

page_text: within another, that when the air pressure is put upon the pipes, the piston O' will
be driven to the top of the cylinder and will first lift the gas rod, the stud on which
will open the main gas tap, then the connecting piece, striking the end of the gas
rod pipe, to which the small match rod D' is fixed, will be driven up and a match
pushed out of the match box. The gas being already there will be lit.
If the air pressure be then kept up, the rods will remain in the position described;
but if the pressure be now withdrawn, the weight of the gas rod pipe, and for this
purpose it may be weighted as required, will cause it to fall, which fall may be aided
by a slight exhaustion of air, and the lower end of the short wide pipe will rest upon
the cylinder top, which should be padded as by the leather washer O'.
The gas rod stud being held by the arm of the T piece T' keeps the main gas
tap arm in the centre position when the gas will continue burning, though the
match rod bas been withdrawn from the match box by the gravity of the rod, and
another match has been placed in position, and may be pushed out by the air
pressure again being put on the pipes. And this may be repeated till all the
matches are struck that are in the box; yet, the gas will have been burning all
the time.
While the matches have been struck as described, the piston has remained
suspended some distance from the bottom of the cylinder, but by partly, or
completely, exhausting the air from the pipes, it would be drawn to the bottom,
and with it, the small gas rod, the stud on which would shut the main gas tap, and
put out the lamp or lamps.
Figure 13 shows an arrangement whereby the double rod or one inside the other
is replaced by a single rod preferably attached to the piston rod as shown at P,
Figure 21. In this arrangement the small match rod D¹ is connected directly to
the end of the gas rod P¹ at f2, Figure 13, and its stroke is the same as the piston
rod, which is not the case in the apparatus shown in Figure 2, consequently the
neck of the bottom of the match box is made longer as shown at S3, Figure 13, so
that the upper end of the match rod when drawn to its lowest point is still guided
by the hole in the neck directly under the match splint. The tube E attached to
the suspender S receives the neck of the match box and the two are held together
by a set screw as shown in Figure 13. In this arrangement no stop or guide is
needed, as in Figure 1. The tube E, Figure 13, acts as guide and the cylinder
top. as a stop to the gas rod.
In case any lamp or lamps are blown out by the wind, an arrangement may be
added to the apparatus already described, if thought desirable, which may be called
"The Detective" by the use of which another match may be struck at any lamp.
so extinguished.
The principal agent in operating "The Detective" is the heat from the burning
gas itself.
One way of utilising that heat is to fix an annular air tight vessel or
coil of pipes near the inside top of the lantern, and from this bring down a small
pipe to a broad but short cylinder formed of two halves, screwed together with an
airtight elastic diaphragin between them. The neck of one end of this cylinder
may be screwed into the guide through which the gas rod pipe passes, and a piston
resting against the diaphragm may have attached to it, a short piston rod, that
projects horizontally through the neck of the cylinder, and up against the gas rod
pipe. The pipe from the air vessel above must enter the opposite end of the
cylinder to that in which the piston moves. When the gas is lit, the heat from its
combustion expands the air in the air vessel, and that drives the piston rod forward
against the gas rod pipe, and retards, or stops its fall, when the air pressure is taken
from the pipes. The match rods remain in the match boxes of all the lamps that
are lit, but in any lamp or lamps that have been put out, the match rods will have
fallen, and they may be restruck without affecting those already burning. The air
compressing and exhausting apparatus may be one vessel, as shown in Figure 15,
of sufficient capacity, or a series of wide pipes into which air may be pumped by
one air pump, and exhausted by another; taps being attached to each to enable
them to be used separately.

page_text: In the drawing the air vessel U is shown, U' being a pipe leading to the lamps
that are to be fitted with the apparatus. U is a pressure cock and U³ a relief tap
fitted to U¹.
To the air vessel is fitted a pressure gauge, and an exhaust gauge, or one that
will answer both purposes. The air pumps U U may be worked either by hand
or power.
To operate the apparatus, the main and relief taps must be shut; the exhaust
pump tap shut, the pressure pump tap opened, and the pressure pump put in action
till the pressure gange indicates a sufficient pressure, which must be determined by
experience. When that pressure is reached, the match boxes having been charged,
or if electricity be used as the lighting agent, the batteries, dynamo, cylinders,
taps and wires in order, the main tap must be opened, when the lamps in the former
case will be seen to be lighted in rapid succession, and in the latter, after having
switched on the current from the battery or dynamo in a somewhat more
simultaneous manner; the pressure having been kept up by the pump working
for a few minutes, till the most distant lamps have been lit. Then the main tap
must be shut and the relief tap opened, when in the former case the match rods
will be withdrawn from the boxes by their own gravity, the taps turned to the
centre position, and in either case the supplementary lights put out, leaving the gas
at the main burner only burning.
To put the lights out, shut the main and relief taps, also the pressure pump tap,
open the exhaust pump tap, and put the exhaust pump in action.
When the exhaust gauge indicates a sufficient amount of exhaust, open the main
tap, and keep the exhaust pump working, when the pistons will be drawn to the
bottom of the cylinders, and the lights put out.
Another way of manipulating the air under pressure is to close the main and
exhaust pump taps, and open the pressure pump tap, and put the pressure pump in
action till the desired pressure in the air vessel is reached. Then close the
pressure pump tap, and open a second tap on a branch pipe from the pressure
pump, to the main pipes in the street, put the pressure pump again in action, and
drive the air direct into the street mains, till a pressure gauge fixed on them
indicates a certain pressure not sufficient to lift the closing valve at the bottom of
the pistons, but as near as may be. Then shut the pressure pump tap on the
branch pipe, and open the pressure pump tap that leads direct to the air vessel;
put the pressure pump in action and open the tap from the air vessel direct to the
mains, when the air under considerable pressure will rush into them and light the
lamps.
It will thus be seen, that by driving a certain amount of air into the street
mains, before letting in the air under higher pressure from the air vessel, that a
less amount of air from the air vessel will be needed. Consequently the air vessel
may be to that extent less in size, and the lamps lighted somewhat more quickly.
When matches are used as the lighting agent, a recording instrument (Figures 4
and 5) may be fixed on a branch of the main air pipe, the use of which is to
indicate on a dial, the number of matches that have been struck since the last
filling, from which it will be always known when the boxes require re-filling.
The instrument consists of a short cylinder V with a frame attached, in which
revolves a ratchet wheel V', having as many teeth in it as there are matches in
each box when full. Between the frame and a collar V2 on the piston rod, is a
coiled spring V³ which forces the piston rod down after it has been driven up by
the air pressure, and again released from it. A pawl V working in a slot of the
piston rod engages in a tooth of the wheel each time it is driven up, and a pointer v
fixed to the spindle of the wheel indicates on a numbered dial plate, that one
match has been struck out of the boxes. When the piston rod is driven down by
the action of the spring, the pawl closes up in the slot, till it is below the next
tooth, when a spring acting upon it causes it to fall forward ready to engage the
next tooth of the wheel, when the air pressure is again put on. The piston has an
air closing ring or valve on the top and bottom of it, the same as the other

page_text: larger pistons. A second pawl v³ is fixed to the frame in such a position, as to
engage in the teeth of the wheel, and prevent it from being pulled back, during
the down stroke of the piston rod.
When the match boxes are filled, the pointer must be put to the starting
point.
When employing electricity from a dynamo to light the gas and when one wire
only is employed for lighting the lamps in series, it may be laid in the pipes, as
shown in Figure 22, where W represents the battery or dynamo and the dotted
line W the wire leading from it to the lamps X and back to the dynamo without
being put to earth. By this arrangement the current will be less affected on the
return than if it were allowed to return through the earth and so one wire would be
more effective. But two wires in parallel may be used for the same purpose and
enclosed in the air pipes, as in the case of one wire, and returning to the dynamo
in the air pipe and lighting lamps both to and from the dynamo; and furthermore
a battery Y as aforementioned and shown in Figure 21 may be fixed to each lamp
either to the main gas pipe as shown or beneath or in the lantern, and the insulated
Y is a switch of insulated
wires lead to the platinum as shown in Figure 17.
material fixed to the main gas pipe. y is an arm moving on the pin yl which is in
electrical contact with the battery. When the piston rod and gas rod are driven
up, the army which is encased in insulating material comes in contact with the
army and raises it against the pin y³ and completes the circuit. Or the stud y² on
the gas rod may be fixed higher up than shown in the drawing, and a small rod or
wire attached to it, the lower end of which may be attached to the outer end of
the arm y, by an elastic band, so that when the gas rod is raised the army will be
lifted up against the stud y³, the contact being eased by the elastic band, and at
the same time the rod or wire insulated by the band. On the lowering of the
piston and gas rod, the circuit will be broken by the descent of arm y, so that the
battery current only passes when the arm of the gas tap is at its highest point and
the gas is allowed to pass along the supplementary perforated pipe.
It must be distinctly understood that this invention is not confined to the exact
details herein set forth as these may be varied to suit the various circumstances
which may arise in practice in fitting up the apparatus.
my
said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. The improvements in apparatus for lighting and extinguishing street and
other gas lamps, consisting of an air cylinder placed in close proximity to each
lamp, each cylinder being connected with a main pipe arranged preferably
underground and communicating with an air pumping apparatus, whereby when
pressure is applied, the piston of each cylinder with its piston rod is operated in
such a manner as to first turn on the gas and immediately afterwards to light it
by putting the lighting agent in action and on sufficient removal of pressure from
each cylinder to shut off the gas, so that any number of lamps may be lighted or
extinguished in rapid succession or almost simultaneously, substantially as
described.
2. In an apparatus such as described in Claim 1 a match box constructed and
arranged substantially as described and shown, whereby the match cylinder can be
removed for the purpose of filling, and each match when the cylinder is in position
is brought in succession over a hole, through which works a rod connected with
the piston rod of the air cylinder, such rod pushing the match upwards against an
igniting surface and on to the burner, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
3. In combination with a match box such as described in Claim 2 the double or
combined spring device E' whereby the matches are held up to the burner
substantially as set forth.
4. In an apparatus such as described for lighting and extinguishing street or
C

page_text: other gas lamps, the device consisting of bracket S, spring actuated tee-piece T³,
and stud f, the latter moving with the gas rod P₁ whereby the match, gas, and
piston rods are prevented from falling sufficiently low to put out the gas, but on
the exhaustion of air will permit the piston to fall to the bottom of the cylinder
thereby extinguishing the lights by turning off the gas substantially as described
and shown.
5. In an apparatus of the kind described, the gas tap F¹ in combination with a
supplementary perforated pipe leading from the main pipe to the burner, such gas
tap being so constructed and governed by the vertical movement of the gas rod P
that the gas is allowed to flow simultaneously to the burner and along the said
supplementary pipe and by a slight rotation in a reverse direction of the tap plug
to cut off the supply to the supplementary pipe and thereby permitting the whole
supply to go to the burner, yet, by a still greater turning of the tap caused by the
descent of the gas rod to cut the supply entirely off.
6. The combination of parts forming the improved apparatus for lighting and
extinguishing street and other gas lainps substantially as described and shown
with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.
7. In apparatus such as described and shown in Figures 16 and 17, in which
electricity is used as the lighting 'agent, placing the insulated wires inside the air
tubes and leading them therefrom through insulating airtight plugs up to the gas
burner where they make contact with the electrodes and the latter make contact
with a piece of fine platinum wire, by which means when a current is sent along
the wires the platinum wire becomes heated and lights the gas issuing from the
perforated supplementary pipe substantially as described.
8. In an apparatus such as described in Claim 7 the earthenware cover M' over
the main and supplementary gas pipes and the platinum wire G, whereby the latter
is protected from extraneous injury and possible loss of current.
9. In an apparatus of the kind described the combination and arrangement of
parts whereby it is made possible for a number of matches to be struck in
succession or to switch repeated currents along the wires without putting out 'any
lights that may have been lit previously by the action of the apparatus.
10. In an apparatus for lighting gas lamps electrically arranging a battery to
each lamp and a switch in close proximity to the piston rod of the air cylinder,
whereby on pressure being applied and the piston rod thereby raised, an arm on
the latter operates the switch and completes the circuit, and on the return of the
piston rod owing to its gravity or the air being exhausted from the cylinder)
breaks the circuit substantially as and for the purposes described.
11. In an apparatus of the kind described for lighting gas lamps electrically,
the means employed whereby a supplementary and temporary supply of gas is
conveyed to the burner and also when such supply is cut off, the main jet of gas is
left burning so that the platinum wire or its equivalent is preserved from being
injured by the burning gas, and the light from the lamp is in no way obstructed
substantially as described.
12. The general construction and arrangement of parts taken as a whole of the
improved apparatus for lighting and extinguishing street or other gas lamps
substantially as described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 7th day of May 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.