Improvements in or relating to the Means of Igniting Incandescent Gas Lamps.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Means of Igniting Incandescent
Gas Lamps.
I, JOHN FREDERICK DUKE of 160 Rosendale Road, West Dulwich in the
County of London, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has reference to the means of igniting incandescent gas lamps
and its object is to make them self-lighting, that is to say, so that they shall
become ignited by the action of the gas itself when this is turned on.
For this purpose I apply to the "mantle" or its equivalent, preferably to the
upper part thereof, platinum black, spongy platinum or any other suitable metal
which becomes heated if a stream of hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen be directed
upon it as is well known, and I fit to the device from which the mantle is
suspended or to the fork or device which supports the mantle, an automatic gas
igniter preferably of the kind described in the Specification of my Patent No. 969
of 1895, that is to say a block of meerschaum or other porous material containing
platinum black in its pores, this block being either in contact or not with the
part of the mantle to which the platinum black or spongy platinum has been
applied.
The action is that when the gas is turned on and it plays upon the porous
block containing the platinum black this block becomes heated to a red heat
and this heat is transmitted to that part of the mantle to which the platinum
black or spongy platinum has been applied, with the result that this part of the
mantle becomes sufficiently heated to ignite the gas.
The platinum black or other metal may be applied to the mantle in the form
of a solution, paste or powder, either by itself or mixed or incorporated with any
suitable substance. It may for example be applied in the form of a salt in
solution, preferably a solution of bi-chloride of platinum, and be subsequently
reduced to the state of platinum black by subjecting it to the action of carburetted
hydrogen according to the process described in my said former specification.
The meerschaum or other porous block containing the platinum black may be
strung on to the device from which the mantle is suspended, or it may be attached
to the stem of the fork which supports the mantle; in this case I preferably
form a groove around the fork and pass a platinum wire round the groove and
I string the meerschaum or other porous block upon the wire. If the fork be
of iron it is well to platinize it in order to render it more durable.
. I may also interweave in the fabric of the mantle fine platinum wire for the
purpose of conducting the heat generated by the porous piece (or pieces) of
igniting material which piece may be preferably enclosed in the seam constituting
the top rim of the mantle.
Although I propose not only to apply the metal to the mantle itself but also.
to employ an automatic igniter in the form of a porous block containing platinum
black in its pores as hereinbefore described, it may be that either of these will
be found sufficient. If the meerschaum or porous block is employed without a
platinum metal being applied directly to the mantle, a bunch of fine platinum

page_text: wires may be connected to the block, which wires may or may not be interwoven.
in the texture of the fabric; these wires become incandescent from the heat of
the block and ignite the gas.
Dated this 25th day of March 1896.
J. C. MEW BURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in or relating to the Means of Igniting Incandescent
Gas Lamps..
I, JOHN FREDERICK DUKE of 160 Rosendale Road, West Dulwich in the
County of London, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to the means of igniting incandescent gas lamps,
and its object is to make them self-lighting, that is to say, so that they shall
become ignited by the action of the gas itself when this is turned on.
For this purpose I apply platinum black, or metallic platinum in a finely divided
state, or a salt of platinum to the mantle or incandescing body preferably to the
upper part thereof and I fit to the mantle an automatic gas igniter, preferably of
the kind described in my Patent No. 969 of 1895, that is to say a block of
meerschaum or other porous material containing platinum black in its pores; this
block is placed in contact, either by itself or in conjunction with one or more
platinum wires, with the part of the mantle to which the platinum black, metal, or
salt of platinum. has been applied.
The action is that when the gas is turned on and plays upon the porous block
containing platinum black in its pores, this block becomes ignited to a red heat and
this heat is transmitted to that part of the mantle to which the platinum black or
metal or salt of platinum has been applied, with the result that by the action of the
gas sufficient heat is generated to ignite it.
In carrying out my invention I preferably effect the attachment of the platinum,
black to the mantle 'by coating the desired part of the same with a solution of
bi-chloride of platinum and then reducing this to the state of platinum black, or
metal, by any well known method. The solution is preferably applied in a streak
or line running downwards from the upper part of the mantle.
The meerschaum or other porous block may be attached to or held in contact
with the mantle in various ways. A very convenient method is to enclose it in
the usual fringe or hem at the top of the mantle or to string it ou to the asbestos
thread which is generally used to fasten the mantle.
One of the metals of the platinum group, riz.:-palladium alone or admixed
with platinum, may be used in lieu of platinum and I include its use in the state of
palladium black or as metallic palladium in a fine divided state in my invention,
but it cannot be employed as advantageously as platinum alone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
'
1. As means for igniting incandescent gas lamps, the combination of platinum
black or metallic platinum in a finely divided state applied to part of the surface
of the mantle (or incandescing body) and of an automatic gas igniter of the kind
herein referred to, in such a manner that when the gas is turned on the automatic:

page_text: igniter is heated and the heat is transmitted to that part of the mantle to which
the platinum black or metallic platinum in a finely divided state has been applied
or to platinum wire, or to both if used in conjunction, and being intensified by
the action of the gas, sufficient heat is generated to ignite the gas, substantially
as set forth.
2. A mantle or incandescing body for gas lamps, having platinum black or
metallic platinum in a finely divided state or palladium black or metallic palladium.
in a finely divided state or a combination of the two metals, applied to or produced.
upon part of its surface substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 16th day of December 1896.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.