Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting by the Consumption of Gas and Air.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 25th Oct., 1887
Complete Accepted, 6th Dec., 1887
Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting by the Consumption of
Gas and Air.
1 JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its principal object to provide a lamp for burning a mixture
of gas and air in such a manner that the most perfect practical combustion of the gas
is effected and the lighting effect is obtained in a convenient and unobstructed manner,
the said light being capable of being given in a downward direction or all around
without practically any impediment.
22
According to my invention I render incandescent a disc or piece of any desired
shape of reticulated or perforated metal or material (which may be ribbed or
strengthened by corrugations or by supports) which is capable of withstanding the
high degree of heat to which it is subjected in use and of being rendered incandescent.
This disc or piece which I will refer to as gauze (for the sake of brevity) is
mounted in or above a chamber into which the supply of gas and air is received the⚫
said mixture rising to and coming in contact with and when lighted from the other
side incandescing the gauze in its combustion.
I will describo a particular arrange-
ment the better clearly to explain my invention premising that I do not limit myself
to this precise arrangement as it will be evident that it may be considerably varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention as herein before explained."
On a suitable stem Imount a globe basin, tube of glass or other transparent material.
The gas and air are admitted in proper regulated quantity into this chamber or
reservoir which is closed at top with the exception of a piece or disc (the "gauze ")
of perforated or reticulated material of a nature which will resist a heat of incandes-
cence and which may be mounted in a frame of incombustible metal or material such
as asbestos or talc for example and above this is or may be a a chimney or chamber
of metal glass talc or other suitable material. The globe basin or tube constitutes a
transparent chamber in the lower part of which the gas and air are received mixed
and heated and thence they proceed to the "gauze "through which (before ignition)
they pass to the outlet or chimney at which they are ignited and thereafter the gas

page_text: 22
and air are consumed at the "gauze" and render it incandescent so that it sheds
downwards or all around through the transparent chamber a clear steady and intense
light. The "gauze " may be flat or but slightly dished or of other suitable shape
and it may be a simple "gauze say of platinum or of an alloy of platinum and
iridium or it may be a gauze or perforated piece of any other suitable material fitted
for the purpose of consuming the gas and being rendered incandescent thereby
without rapid or material deterioration. Such as for instance fibrous material prepared
with any earths or oxides or preparations of metals such as Zirconium, Lanthanum ;
Yttrium Strontium; Barium; Thorinum; Cerium or the like which may be
suitable and such material or prepared pieces of such earths oxides or preparations
may be superposed attached to supported by or interwoven or mixed with platinum or
indio platinum.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents for the said J. Scudamore Sellon.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting by the Consumption of
Gas and Air.
I JOHN SCUDAMORE SELLON of Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman 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 :-
of
My Invention has for its principal object to provide a lamp for burning a mixture
gas and air in such a manner that the most perfect practical combustion of the gas
is effected and the lighting effect is obtained in a convenient and unobstructed manner
the said light being capable of being given in a downward direction or all around
without practically any impediment and with great steadiness. According to my
Invention, I render incandescent a disc or piece of any desired shape of reticulated or
perforated metal or material which is capable of withstanding the high degree of heat,
to which it is subjected in use, and of being rendered incandescent. This disc or piece
which I will refer to as **
gauze," (for the sake of brevity) is mounted in or above a
transparent chamber into which the supply of gas and air is received, the said
mixture after passing into the transparent chamber coming into contact with, and
when lighted from the other side thereof incandescing in its combustion the said
gauze which is thereafter maintained incandescent without flame. I will describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, arrangements according to my Inven-
tion, the more clearly to explain it, premising that I do not limit myself to these precise
arrangements as it will be evident that they may be considerably varied without
departing from the nature of my Invention.
Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the simplest form or principle of a lamp. on this
plan; it consists of a glass tube (or of two glasses placed together) G and I, the
lower portion G constituting the transparent mixing chamber and the upper portion
constituting the chimney, the gauze a being between them; A is the air and gas
inlet. The gauze" a is shewn as being fixed in a ring or frame F which may be
made of metal or asbestos talc or other incombustible material. The radial lines shew
how the light from the incandescent gauze "a is diffused on all sides with practically
no obstruction.
::
G is
Figure 2 represents a table-lamp, constructed according to my Invention.
the transparent mixing chamber to which gas, under ordinary pressure, is supplied
by a pipe B passing through the column C of the lamp and being provided with a
cock D for regulating, as required, the passage of gas to the burner. In the
column C, and below the top of the gas-pipe B, are openings E, through which air is
admitted to the interior of the column to mix with the gas in its passage to the
burner and the amount of air admitted may be governed by regulating the size of
the openings by a covering ring or by regulating the supply of gas according to its
pressure, G is the transparent chamber constituted by a globe or glass over the gas
and air inlet which chamber may be continuous as a globe with the exception of the

page_text: opening for the "gauze" but it is here shewn as a bowl or basin provided with a
cover H in which the hole for the "
"
gauze a is formed, which gauze when the
mixture of gas and air (admitted to the transparent chamber G and passing through
it) is ignited becomes incandescent and emits a powerful light which radiates through
the transparent chamber and in order to increase the light the under surface of the
cover may be enamelled, silver plated or otherwise treated so that it constitutes a
reflector.
Above the cover H and surrounding the opening in which the "
"
gauze a placed
there may be placed a chimney I which may be of any suitable material transparent
or opaque.
Although in the drawing the gas and air are shewn as being supplied from a
pedestal yet they may if required be led from above or at the side and be admitted to
the chamber G at any suitable point or points beneath the "gauze" a the transparent
chamber G serving in all cases as a mixing and heating chamber in which the gas
and air are received preparatory to passing into contact with the "
2
gauze a.
Figure 3 illustrates a lamp in which the gas and air are led in from the side. The
gas and air pipe A enters the side of an annular mixing chamber G³, with flanges g
and g. The flange at g serves for the bearing of the flange of the globe constituting
the transparent chamber G a washer of asbestos 93 intervening. There is a space g*
between this flange and the inner wall of the chamber G2 through which the gas and
air pass (as shewn by the arrows) into the transparent chamber G on their way to
the gauze a to be there consumed and maintain the incandescence of the said
gauze which is supported between asbestos tale or other suitable rings; secured to
the flanges g2 by the ring g' and screws g. The top closure 96 of the chamber G2
serves to support the chimney I. The chamber G is formed with lugs g7 g the
former for the screws which secure the chimney and the latter for the screws which
secure the transparent chamber G.
33
The "gauze
a may be of any material metal or alloy which will stand the heat
and it may be perforated or reticulated and it may if so desired be strengthened as
described in the Specification of my Application for Patent 15287 of 23rd November
1886, or if of metal may have superposed or in any way attached to enclosed in or
between or interwoven with a material or prepared pieces of any of the earths oxides
or preparations of metals such for instance as Zirconium, Lanthanum, Cerium Yttrium,
Strontium, Barium, Thorinum or the like which can be rendered incandescent and
emit light.
Having now described and particularly 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:
First. A lamp or burner with a "gauze " or perforated or reticulated piece capable
of being rendered incandescent and in combination with a transparent chamber to
which gas and air are supplied before they proceed to the gauze substantially as
herein before described with reference to the drawings.
Second. The combination with the transparent chamber G mixing chamber G²,
gauze a and gas and air inlet substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in Figure 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 25th day of October 1887.
JOHN S. SELLON.