Device for Automatically Lighting and Extinguishing Gas Lamps:
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Device for Automatically Lighting and Extinguishing Gas Lamps:
I, TI. HAHN, of the Gas Works, Kötzschenbroda, in the Kingdom of Saxony,
German Empire, Gas Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a device for use in connection with gas lamps and
the object in view is to enable a whole system of lamps, such as the lamps of a
street or a town to be lighted or extinguished from one controlling centre.
From the following description of the means employed it will be observed that an
essential feature of the invention is the application of hydraulic pressure in a
device consisting of stationary parts and the special advantages derived from
this construction are:-the absence of working or moving parts with the conse-
quent waste of gas pressure to overcome friction between them, the ready adjust-
ment of the controlling pressure in the apparatus to the requirements of each
particular lamp varying of course with the relative positions of the several lamps
to the main source of supply and the conditions of pressure.
A device or apparatus adapted for the purpose of my invention consists as
follows: The gas pipe instead of communicating directly with the burner termi-
nates within a chamber adapted to hold water. The form of this chamber is pre-
ferably cylindrical with a saucer like enlargement at its upper part so that the
displacement of water within the chamber only slightly affects the depth and
pressure. A double tube or combined inner and outer hood envelopes the gas
pipe forming an inner and outer annular space round the gas pipe and leaving an
annular water space between the outer tube and the enclosing cylindrical chamber.
These two tubes form one structure each extending into the water in the chamber
the outer tube to a greater depth than the inner tube. Gas from the gas pipe
first fills the annular chamber within the inner tube down to the water line the
pressure of which prevents leakage until the pressure of the gas overcomes the
resistance of the water and escapes through into the annular space between the
tubes. This is facilitated in the manner required for the purpose of my invention
by valves provided at a suitable level below the normal water-line and communi-
cating from the inner to the outer annular space. The gas then escapes to the
burner where it is ignited if necessary by a small light kept constantly burning
and supplied with gas from the gas pipes or the inner space immediately communi-
cating therewith in which a pressure of gas sufficient for the purpose is always
maintained.
As the pressure of gas forces the water down within the annular spaces the
water rises behind the outer tube into the enlarged space or saucer above through
suitable openings and the exact adjustment of pressure between the gas and water
as required for the proper working of any particular lamp is attained by adjusting

page_text: the quantity of water to the pressure of the gas. In cold weather glycerine is
used to prevent freezing.
Dated this 4th day of April 1898.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,.
Agent for the Applicant.
A Device for Automatically Lighting and Extinguishing Gas Lamps.
I, THEODOR HAHN, of the Gas Works, Kötzschenbroda, in the Kingdom
of Saxony and German Empire, Gas Inspector, 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 present invention relates to a device for use in connection with gas lamps and
the object in view is to enable a whole system of lamps such as the lamps of a
street, a town, or a works, to be lighted and extinguished from one controlling
centre.
The device is composed of adjustable stationary parts which can be fitted so as
to form a continuation of the gas-feed pipe at any convenient point between the
main and the burner, and the action of the device, after it has been adjusted to a
given pressure, is such that a raising of the pressure within the gas main over
the given point causes the lights to be lit, whilst a decrease of pressure causes the
gas-feed to be cut off and consequently the lights to be extinguished.
The movable agent which cuts off or
a suitable fluid, such as mineral oil, a opens the gas-feed, as the case may be, is
it is the hydraulic action of this fluid
together with such form of adjustable device as enables the said hydraulic action
to take place without loss or lessening of gas pressure and as allows of the
hydraulic balance being adjusted to different degrees of pressure at different
points on the same main, which forms the principle of the invention.
With reference to the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a vertical section of
the device in position for use.
Fig. 2 is a section of a triangular valve with which the device is provided.
Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate modified forms of construction also adapted to the
application of the essential features of my invention.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the form of device shown in these figs. is circular
and the letters of reference are affixed, for the sake of clearness, to one side only.
The device as shown in these figs. consists of two essential parts, an under part
or receptacle A, and an upper part or double bell B.
The under part or receptacle A is formed of a portion of gas pipe C to which is
attached a vessel D having a saucer-like top E so that the displacement of fluid
within the chamber-only slightly affects its level. The space or chamber between
the gas pipe C and the outer shell of the vessel 1) is filled with a suitable fluid V
such as mineral oil.
The upper part of the device or double bell B consists of two tubes one within the
other F and G, the inner tube G being of about half the length of the outer
tube F. These tubes are fastened together in such a way as to have between them
all round a chamber which communicates with the burner.
When the upper part of the device or double bell B is telescoped on to or into
the under part or receptacle A, three compartments are obviously formed communi-
cating at different levels as shown by H, I and J, and, if the vessel D has been

page_text: filled with fluid, three fluid colunins are likewise formed as designated by H¹, I¹,
and J¹.
S*...1
In telescoping the upper part or double bell B on to or into the under part A of
the device, the said upper part can be stopped and secured at any point desired.
In other words, the said upper part is vertically adjustable and can be so adjusted
that the under end K of the inner tube G is near to or at a distance from the fluid
level. The reason for this will shortly be made clear.
Lis an annular clamp or ring which grips the outer tube F and which can be
tightened or loosened by means of a set-screw M. When this annular clamp is
made tight, the upper part B of the device cannot descend further into the under
part or receptacle A. The said clamp can, if preferred, be replaced by a ring
engaging with a thread on the tube F.
N is a lid with which the widened or saucer-like portion E of the vessel D
is provided in order to keep out dust and dirt, and R is the turned-up end of the
longer tube F which acts as guide and prevents the upper part of the device from
having play within the lower part.
Now assuming that the vessel D has been filled with as much fluid as is required
and that the upper part B has been telescoped into or on to the under part A of
the device up to a point desired and made fast by means of the annular clamp or
ring L, the device is ready for work and its action is as follows:
The gas comes along the pipe C from the main as shown by the arrow and
arrives in the upper part of the compartment H. From thence it descends towards
the fluid level as shown by the small curved arrows. The fluid level will be at
a more or less distance from the under end K of the inner tube G and the greater
the distance, the greater the gas pressure required to force the fluid below the
said end K and hence upwards in the compartment I. Immediately there is
sufficient gas pressure, the fluid column H¹ is forced downwards, and, as the com-
partments H and I communicate, the fluid column I¹ descends along with it until
there is a free space between the fluid level in the under portion of compart-
ment I and the end K of the inner tube G when the gas will pass along the free
space, upwards through the upper portion of the compartment I and to the burner.
The gas supply to the burner will be kept up in this way until the pressure in the.
main is sufficiently decreased when the weight of the fluid in J, having more
power than the gas pressure, will raise the fluid columns H¹ and I¹ to their original
positions and thus cut off the gas feed. The course of the gas when the way is
clear is designated by small arrows.
As an alternative to passing the gas under the end K of the inner tube G, I
adopt what I may term triangular valves or apertures O having the apexes upper-
most. This arrangement has the advantage that the gas-feed or cut off, as the
case may be, is effected gradually which preserves the incandescent mantles,
where used, from shock and possible rupture when being lit. When these valves
are used the course of the gas is as shown by dotted arrows.
Seeing the main flame is extinguished when the gas-feed is cut off, it is neces-
sary to have an igniting flame or pilot light. I arrange this in my invention in
such a way that an extra conduit from the main for the pilot light is not neces-
sary. On referring to the drawings, my conduit W will be seen screwed into the
joint P which holds the double bell or upper part B of the device or the pilot light
can be fed by a small vertical conduit from the chamber H passing through the
chamber Z. Gas is always present in the upper part of the compartment H in
sufficient quantity to feed a pilot light.
It is of course immaterial how far the fluid in I is forced down by the gas
pressure so long as there is a passage for the gas. If two milimetres clear space
are kept under the end K of the inner tube G or if the valves O are kept clear it
is quite sufficient. Fluctuations up to this line have no effect on the light and
fluctuations can easily be allowed for in adjusting the upper part of the device to
its position in the lower part. It would be different if these fluctuations caused
movable mechanical parts, having for their purpose the opening or closing of the

page_text: gas-feed, to move about, since with each movement of these there would be a
loss of pressure through friction and the parts would quickly become loose. But
in the case of fluid there is no friction, and, as the gas does not pass through the
fluid there is no lessening of pressure; there is merely a hydraulic balance kept
between the weight of the fluid in J and the gas pressure, owing to the fluid seek-
ing to find its level again after having been forced downwards by gas pressure.
This fact that no pressure is lost owing to there being no mechanical parts for the
gas to have to lift is of great importance in the case of lamps at a distance from
the central point where the gas pressure, owing to more or less consumption on
the route, is weak.
as
The method of adjusting the device each different lamp is
follows: The under part or receptacle A is filled with fluid up to the
edge of the widened part E and then the upper part B with the lid N
is telescoped into the said under part. Assuming the upper part B
to be in its highest position, the inner tube G will be clear of the fluid and gas
will issue from the burner. This gas is lit, the clamp or ring L is loosened and
the upper part B is pushed down gradually until the light is extinguished. This
means that the inner tube G has entered the fluid and the gas-feed is cut off. An
increase of gas pressure then displaces the fluid and thus re-opens the gas way.
Should there be a heavy pressure which causes the gas to keep alight after the
upper part B has been pushed down to its lowest point, it is simply necessary to
pour a little more fluid in the widened part E. In the device as shown, a difference
of about three inches of pressure is covered by means of the adjustable upper
part B and the cup or widened part E.
The form of device as shown in the drawing is merely one way of carrying out
the invention, the principle of which is the combination of movable columns of
fluid with the gas pressure and with such form of device as enables these columns
to carry out their hydraulic action without loss of pressure or friction. In the
device as shown the upper part B may have two or more burners which are lit or
extinguished simultaneously. But by adding more compartments, and hence fluid
columns, which can be differently adjusted, the different burners can be lit or
extinguished at different times by slightly increasing or decreasing the gas
pressure.
Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views of modified forms of the apparatus, in which
the same result is worked out by the same application of hydraulic pressure to
the gas. Referring to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the pipes H and I are the
equivalents of the annular chambers H and I in Fig. 1, the chamber J being
the equivalent of the saucer-like chamber J in Fig. 1. In this modification when
the pressure of the gas is greater than the pressure of fluid the latter is forced
down in pipes H and I until a clear passage is formed at K. When the pressure
of fluid is greater than that of the gas the former rises above and closes the
passage K to the gas. Precisely the same adjustment of pressure takes place in
the modified apparatus shown in Fig. 4, in which as in Fig. 3 the fluid is forced
down below the siphon HI by the pressure of gas, or the fluid forces the gas up
into pipe H and closes the passage at K, according to whether the pressure of gas
or head weight of fluid is the greater force. A conduit for the pilot light may
be inserted into the space above the fluid in column H. Also the triangular
valves may be applied in a slightly modified form by making the communicating
channel K between the columns H and I of a triangular section with the apex
upward.
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. An apparatus for automatically lighting and extinguishing gas lights accord-
inm to the weasure of the gas sunnlied consisting of three or more fluid columns

page_text: which serve to open and cut off the gas-feed without substantially diminishing the
pressure of the gas in combination with only stationary solid parts to contain
and convey the said fluid and the gas, all operating substantially as described.
2. The combination with the apparatus claimed in Claim 1 of the enlargement
of the upper part of that fluid column whose surface is exposed to atmospheric
pressure substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn at E and J in
the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination with the apparatus claimed in Claim 1 of a conduit for the
igniting flame or pilot light substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated.
4. The combination with the apparatus claimed in Claim 1 of triangular valves
as and for the purpose described and illustrated.
5. The combination with an apparatus for automatically lighting or extinguish-
ing gas lights of the type shewn in Fig. 1 of an annular clamp or ring and means
for adjusting the same all substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated.
6. The combination of parts as a whole, constructed arranged and operating
as a means for automatically lighting or extinguishing gas lamps, substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
7. The combination of parts as a whole, constructed arranged and operating as
a means for automatically lighting or extinguishing gas lamps, substantially as
and for the purpose herein before described with reference to Fig. 3.
8. The combination of parts as a whole, constructed arranged and operating as
a means for automatically lighting or extinguishing gas lamps, substantially as
and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 4.
ד
100
1
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,
Agent for the Applicant.