Artificial Light.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1887.
Specificaton Accepted, 11th Oct., 1887
Artificial Light.
I, SYDNEY PITT of Sutton in the County of Surrey Gentleman (a communication
to me from abroad by James Rollo Knapp of New Orleans in the Parish of
Orleans and State of Louisiana, one of the United States of America, Dentist) 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:-
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for utilizing nitrous oxide as a
supporter of combustion, and for producing intense heat and artificial light. I will
describe my improvements in connection with a hydrogen blow pipe, to illustrate them,
but it should be understood that said improvements, or some of them, may be utilized
for other purposes, as for instance, in the production of powerful lights after the
manner of calcium or Drummond lights, for example, and for smelting and melting,
heating, and lighting in other ways. I wish it to be understood that some of my
improvements may be used without the others, and that the details of the apparatus,
hereinafter described, may be changed and modified in many respects, without departing
from my invention, or the claims herein made.
It has heretofore been suggested that liquified nitrous oxide may he used in
connection with a hydrogen blow pipe, and for producing great heat and powerful
lights etc., and this use is largely facilitated by the fact that a great quantity of the
gas can be confined in small space by condensing it into a liquid form in suitable
vessels.
The object of my invention is to improve the method of feeding the nitrous oxide
gas from its containing cylinder or vessel to the point where it is utilized, and of
mixing it with the hydrogen gas to secure combustion, and also, the apparatus
therefor, to the end that greater economy, safety, convenience and practicality may
result.
My said improvements are sufficiently described below, and my improved apparatus,
as organised in all its parts in the best way now known to me for use as a blow pipe,
is sufficiently illustrated in the accompanying drawings, to enable it to be clearly

page_text: understood. The subject matter claimed herein by me as of my invention, is
particularly recited in the summary at the close of this specification.
In the aforesaid drawings-
Figure 1 is a view in elevation of my improved apparatus, showing the blow pipe
nozzle above the table thereof, and the oxy-hydrogen flame as projecting from said
nozzle.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus, except as respects
the nozzle and its flexible pipe connection.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view of the device, and
Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the upper portion thereof.
Figure 5 is a section through the yoke that fits the nitrous oxide containing cylinder,
showing a face view of the constricted bore of the feed pipe connection of said yoke, through
which the nitrous oxide gas is fed to be mixed with the hydrogen gas, and then delivered
at the nozzle or jet of the apparatus.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the front end of the blow pipe connections
and delivery nozzle thereof, showing, more particularly, the handle portion and nozzle
of such connections, and the manner of connecting said handle portion with the front
end of the flexible pipe portion of the apparatus.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through the base or stand of the apparatus which
supports the nitrous oxide containing cylinder and carries a pivotted table for use with
the blow-pipe.
The base or stand A of the apparatus may be cast of metal in one piece, and has a
seat a, at one end for the reception of the lower end of the cylinder or vessel B, which
is supported in an erect position, and may be locked in said stand by the set screw a'.
This cylinder B, is, or may be, of the usual construction, and is supplied with nitrous
oxide condensed from a gas into a liquid form, whereby a large quantity of the gas
may be stored, ready for use, in a very compact form, the liquid volatilizing or
assuming a gaseous form when permitted to escape from the cylinder by the opening
of a strong tight fitting valve B', as usual. By liquifying the nitrous oxide, a large
quantity of oxygen is confined in a small compass, under pressure, and is in a very
desirable condition for use in connection with hydrogen as a blow-pipe, and for a large
variety of uses where intense heat and light are required. These cylinders, when
emptied, are also readily refilled with the nitrous oxide, and may be readily transported
from place to place.
In order to feed the nitrous oxide in the form of gas from the containing cylinder,
I make use of a frame or yoke C, adapted to fit the valve casing B2, of the cylinder,
and provided on one side with a projecting pipe extension, c, to enter and fit and meet
the escape or outlet opening, b, in said valve casing B', and with a clamp screw c¹,
on the opposite side, by means of which the yoke may be caused to draw the pipe
extension c, tightly into or against the outlet. opening b. Said pipe extension c, thus
communicates with the valve chamber B³, of the nitrous oxide containing cylinder,
and when the valve B', is opened permits the nitrous oxide, as it assumes a gaseous
form, to pass out through said pipe extension which communicates with or forms
part of a feed pipe connection U, constituting the feeding apparatus for the nitrous
oxide.
The bore of the feed pipe connection (2 is constricted, or made very small at,
preferably the point where it communicates with the valve chamber B³, of the
cylinder B; see Figures 2, 4 and 5, so that when the cylinder valve B' is opened, but
a small stream of nitrous oxide gas is permitted to pass into the feed pipe connection C³.
Said feed pipe connection is fitted with a "test" opening c², and with a two way stop
cock 1, which, when turned in one position, causes its port or passage to communicate
with the test opening and closes the bore of the feed pipe in other directions. The
force and quantity of the flow of gas can thus be felt by the finger placed over the
test-opening, and the cylinder valve B1, can then be regulated to permit of the escape
or feed of just the quantity of the nitrous oxide gas desired. Ordinarily, as for a
blow pipe for dentists use for example, the valve B¹ should be adjusted or regulated so
that the flow of the nitrous oxide gas can just be felt. Of course the amount of gas

page_text: to be fed can be tested and ascertained and regulated in other ways, but the test
opening I have provided is a good and simple guage. When the flow of nitrous oxide
has been regulated by the cylinder valve B', the cock D is turned so as to close the
test opening and permit the flow of the gas through the feed pipe connection into a
mixing chamber E, formed preferably, in said pipe connection.
A pipe connection or feed pipe F, having a stop-cock F¹ communicates with the
hydrogen gas supply, for instance an ordinary hydrogen illuminating gas burner, and
directs the hydrogen or illuminating gas, when turned on at the burner, and when the
cock F is opened, into the mixing chamber E of my improved apparatus where the
small or attenuated stream of nitrous oxide gas mingles with the stream of illuminating
or hydrogen gas, and the two are thoroughly mixed. The combined gases are then
preferably fed through a finely perforated hood or diaphragm G, fitted over the end of
the feed pipe section C communicating with said mixing chamber, through the port
or opening of the flame-regulating stop-cock H fitted in said pipe section and
through a preferably flexible or rubber pipe I to the jet or nozzle J of the blow pipe
or apparatus where the gas is ignited to do the work of the blow pipe, and to produce
an intense heat, due to the abundant supply of oxygen in the nitrous-oxide. The
nozzle J is preferably made of platinum, or some such material having a high melting
point.
In some cases it may be desirable to fit the apparatus with two blow pipes or heating
jets or nozzles J of different sizes and capacity, for example, and, in such cases, the
pipe section, C², may have opposite lateral pipe extensions and corresponding nozzles
and intermediate connections, and the stop cock H may be a two-way cock, so that it
may be turned to feed the combined gases to either nozzle desired, and shut off the
other. This is so obvious that I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate anything
further than the two way cock H (see Figures 2 and 4). The other connections
would, or may be, duplicates of those already shown at one side of the pipe
section C¹².
The size of the flame of the jet or blow-pipe is, or may be, regulated by the stop-
cock H, and said flame should be, to attain the bests results, reduced in size to a very
small cone, the greatest heat being developed, I have found, when the inside cone of
the flame is reduced to its smallest size. If the regulating valve or valves is or are
too much open, so as to supply too much nitrous oxide, the flame will be extinguished,
and if too little is supplied, the flame will be too large, and will not develop so much
heat.
The principle object of the hood or diaphragm G, is to prevent the backward flow
of the flame into and beyond the mixing chamber, for safety, and to avoid all
danger of explosion.
I have fitted on the extreme end of the feed-pipe connection C³, or rather of
section thereof, a cross-bar or plate C³ upon which to hang the nozzle or nozzles J,
when not in use, so as to support them out of the way.
I have also provided the several stop-cocks with lever handles, as will be seen, for
convenience in turning or operating them, and the plugs of each of said cocks are
preferably held to their seats by springs, as shown, so that they act as safety valves
as well as cocks.
I have also fitted the flexible pipe connection or tubing I, where it is joined at one
end to the pipe section C³ and at the opposite end to the butt end of the handle
portion J of the nozzle or jet J, with flexible coiled-wire or spring sleeves K K' to
prevent sharp bending of the flexible pipes at those points, and to support the flexible
pipe at such points, so as to prevent its rapid destruction, which might otherwise take
place by breaking or cracking. As respects the other portion of the unions or
couplings of the ends of the flexible pipe or tubing, I claim nothing new.
prefer the yoke or frame C to be detachable, as shown, so that it may be readily
fitted to, or detached from, the cylinder or receptacle B.
I have provided the base or stand A with a swinging or pivoted arm A², supporting
at its upper end a revolving table A³ for conjoint use with the blow pipe or heating
apparatus, in supporting the work to be operated upon, etc.

page_text: In operation, the supply of nitrous oxide and hydrogen gas to the mixing chamber
is regulated the combined gas is lighted at the end of the jet or nozzle, and the size of
the flame is regulated, as before described. The pressure of the nitrous oxide gas is
greater than that of the hydrogen or illuminating gas, and prevents any back flow
of the latter into the feed pipe connection immediately communicating with the
valve chamber of the nitrous oxide containing cylinder. The constricted opening or
bore of the pipe connection also acts to insure against this. The pressure also creates
sufficient of a blast at the delivery end of the nozzle for any practicable purposes.
Ordinarily, the blast should not be of much force, as a blast of any considerable strength
is in some cases, if not in most, undesirable.
Having now particularly described and asce rtained 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 oxy-hydrogen blow pipe having a flame nozzle, a hydrogen feed pipe, an
oxygen feed pipe, and a detachable clamp-yoke having connections fitting it to the
oxygen-containing cylinder or vessel substantially as described.
2. The combination, as herein before set forth, of a yoke or clamp-frame fitted for
attachment to a containing cylinder or vessel, a feed-pipe connection of said frame
fitted to communicate with the outlet opening of said vessel, a feed-pipe connecting
with or intersecting said feed-pipe connection, and a discharge nozzle or jet with
which said feed-pipe connection and feed-pipe communicate.
3. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the cylinder or vessel
having an escape valve, the feed pipe connection communicating with the outlet of
said valve and having a stop-cock therein, the second (or hydrogen) feed pipe
communicating with said feed-pipe connection and having a stop-cock therein, and
the delivery jet or nozzle, substantially as described.
4. The yoke or frame having a feed-pipe connection provided with a constriction in
its bore, substantially as described.
CL
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