Improvements in Gas Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 26th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus.
We, WILLIAM ADKINS of Mary Ann Street Birmingham Engineer and JOHN
MELVILLE of 18 Waterloo Place Pall Mall in the County of London Esquire
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to improved apparatus for turning on, lighting, and turning
off, gas lamps at predetermined times and primarily consists of chronometric
mechanism operating a time disc carrying adjustable cam tappet devices for
releasing a toothed or star wheel, the latter being moved (when released) by a
separate or secondary spring or equivalent independent of the chronometric
mechanism, for example by a weight. The star wheel acts on anchor pallets which
rock an upper arm for turning the gas
"off" or
"on," and makes contact for
igniting the gas by an electric spark produced by means of a battery and an
induction coil; the said battery and induction coil being arranged below the above
mentioned apparatus in such manner that the gas pipe passes centrally there
through and so that the apparatus constructed according to this invention is entirely
self-contained and complete. The battery suitable for the invention has an aperture
through the centre and is fixed close to the work, it is required to do, without
necessarily alteration of existing pipes or lamp posts.
The invention may be conveniently carried into effect in the following
manner.
In a casing containing clockwork there is mechanism of ordinary character
capable of rotating a time disc fixed to the clock spindle one complete revolution
in twenty-four hours. The time disc is divided into 24 divisions to represent hours
and is formed with teeth at the periphery. There are cam-tappets on the time disc,
the inner ends being forked or slotted and embracing the spindle and the outer ends
having teeth, and there are springs to hold the teeth normally in between the teeth
on the time disc, so that the tappets may be shifted to any position around the time
disc, and there held and retained by the means described. There are handles for
moving the tappets. The gas supply pipe passing from below is continued on each
side of the clock through an annular passage, and again joins into a vertical tube,
leading to the gas burner. Supported on the same spindle as the time disc is the
star wheel, a ratchet wheel, and a spur wheel all of which are fixed together, but
are free to turn together independently of the clock mechanism.
The spindle of the separate or secondary spring case drives a pinion by ratchet
wheel through pawl the pinion gearing with a spur wheel. Above the clock is
pivotted a rocking arm having its lower end bifurcated to form anchor pallets,
which are acted upon by the teeth of the star wheel. There is a pawl jointed to a
fixed arm for controlling the ratchet wheel, and there is a projecting pin on the
pawl, to be acted upon by the inclined heads of the cam tappets. The ratchet
wheel has twice the number of teeth as is formed on the star wheel and therefore
when the ratchet wheel is allowed to move through the space of one tooth the star
wheel will cause the lever arm to rock in one direction and on the ratchet again
moving through the space of another tooth the arm will be rocked in the opposite
direction.
The plug of the tap controlling the supply of gas is provided with an arm having
a projecting pin engaging in a slot at the extremity of the arm by which the tap is
operated. On the projecting pin is a spring wire conductor having an upper bent
end, and on the burner is an insulated conducting ring, the wire and the ring being
in connection with the two poles of an electric battery.

page_text: The gas pipe is continued below the mechanical apparatus and passes through
and carries the battery and coil both fitting inside an ordinary lamp post. In
fixing, the lamp is removed the ordinary gas pipe withdrawn and cut to the length
required, the piece cut off being replaced by the lower end of the pipe carrying the
induction coil, battery and the mechanism attached thereto and the lamp is again
replaced. An important feature is that every lamp is self-contained while the whole
apparatus may be fixed or removed with ease. There may be a bye pass for use
irrespective of the action of the automatic mechanism.
The operation of the apparatus is effected as follows:
The attendant sets the cam tappets in the proper positions relatively to each
other, and adjusts the distance of the tappet from the pin of the pawl the clock-
work in the case is then wound up by a handle at the back, and also the secondary
spring is also wound up. The apparatus will now act automatically. On the cam
tappet (carried by the revolving time disc) passing the pawl pin, the inclined edge
of the tappet will force the pawl away from the ratchet wheel and the secondary
spring will act through spur wheels and rotate the wheels the space of one tooth of
the ratchet, and rock the arm, turn on the gas tap by the arm, and bring the wire
past the contact ring thereby lighting the gas.
The continued rotation of the dial will, at a fixed time, according to the distance
which the tappets have been set apart, bring one tappet against the pawl pin and
the same mechanical movements before described will again occur, excepting that
the rock arm will move in the reverse direction, and the gas will be turned off.
Thus with apparatus constructed according to my invention it is only necessary
for an attendant to wind the spring or equivalents at proper times, say once a week
(the timeing devices having been properly set and the electric battery connected)
and the lighting of the gas as well as the turning off of the same will be effected
with mechanical regularity and automatically.
Dated the 26th day of March 1891.
WILLIAM ADKINS.
JOHN MELVILLE.
By Brewer & Son,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus.
We, WILLIAM ADKINS, of Mary Ann Street, Birmingham, Engineer, and JOHN
MELVILLE, of 18 Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, in the County of London, Esquire,
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 refers to improved apparatus for turning on, lighting, and turning
off gas lamps at predetermined times, and primarily consists of ordinary chrono-
metric mechanism operating a time disc carrying adjustable cam tappet devices for
releasing a toothed or star wheel, the latter being moved (when released) by a
separate or secondary wound spring or equivalent, for example, by a weight. The
star wheel acts on "anchor pallets" which rock an upper arm for turning the gas
off or on, and makes contact for igniting the gas by an electric spark, produced by
means of a battery or batteries, and an induction, intensity, or sparking coil or coils.
The said battery and induction coil apparatus we may arrange below the above
mentioned apparatus, in such manner that the gas pipe passes centrally there-
through, and so that the apparatus constructed according to this invention is entirely
self contained and complete, or the batteries and coil or coils may be otherwise
conveniently arranged.
Our said invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying

page_text: drawings, on which the several letters of reference refer to similar parts in the
various figures.
Fig. 1 shews in front elevation an example of a gas lighting and extinguishing
apparatus, constructed according to this invention, Fig. 2 being a side elevation,
Figs. 3 and 4 detail views, and Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, shewing the battery
and coil as well as illustrating an application of the apparatus to a street lamp.
A is a casing containing clock-work mechanism of ordinary character, capable of
rotating the time disc B, fixed to the clock spindle C, one complete revolution in
twenty-four hours. The time disc B is divided into 96 divisions to represent
quarter hours, and is formed with teeth at the periphery. D D₁ are the cam-
tappets (one of which is shewn detached, in perspective, at Fig. 4) the inner ends
being forked or slotted and embracing the spindle C, and the outer ends having
teeth D2, Fig. 4, and there are springs D³ to hold the teeth D2 normally in between
the teeth on the time dise, so that the tappets may be shifted to any position around
the time dise B, and there held and retained by the means described; E are handles
for moving the tappets D D'; F is the gas supply pipe passing from below, and
being continued on each side of the clock through an annular passage, again joins
into a vertical tube F1, leading to the gas burner F. Supported on the same
spindle C as the time disc B, is the star wheel G, best seen by the dotted lines
(Fig. 3), the ratchet wheel H, and a spur wheel J, all of which are fixed together,
but are free to turn together independently of the clock mechanism.
K, Figure 2, is the separate or secondary spring case, the spindle of which, by
the ratchet wheel K, through the pawl K2, drives the pinion K³, the latter gearing
with the spur wheel J; these parts being clearly shewn at Fig. 2 and also at Fig. 3,
in which latter figure the time disc and tappet (Fig. 1) have been removed. Above
the clock is pivotted a rocking arm L, having its lower end bifurcated to form
anchor pallets, which are acted upon by the teeth of the star wheel G. M is a
pawl, jointed at M¹ (to a fixed arm) for controlling the ratchet wheel H, and M² is
a projecting pin on the pawl M, to be acted upon by the inclined heads of the cam
tappets D Di.
It will be observed that the ratchet wheel H has, say, twice the
number of teeth as is formed on the star wheel G, and therefore when the ratchet
wheel H is allowed to move through the space of one tooth in the direction of the
arrow Fig. 3, the star wheel G will cause the lever arm L to rock in one direction,
and on the ratchet H again moving through the space of another tooth, the arm L
will be rocked in the opposite direction.
The plug Px of the tap controlling the supply of gas is provided with an arm P
having a projecting pin P₁, engaging in a slot in the arm L, by which the tap is
operated. On the pin P is a spring wire conductor P2 having an upper bent end,
and on the burner is an insulated conducting ring R, the wire P2 and the ring R
being in connection with the electric battery and coil apparatus; or we may employ
a burner or jet with a wire point arranged on each side of the jet, and the wires
conducted downwards to a point where the rocking of the lever L may make and
break the electric circuit so as to cause numerous sparks to pass from one point of
the wire to the other across the slot of the burner.
An arrangement of the battery S and the induction, intensity, or sparking
coil S¹ is shewn at Fig. 5, where it will be seen that the gas pipe F is continued
below the mechanical apparatus, and passes through and carries the said battery
and coil, both of the latter being only so large in diameter as to fit inside the
ordinary lamp-post T. In fixing the apparatus in this manner to an ordinary lamp
post T, the lamp T' is removed, the ordinary gas pipe T withdrawn and cut to the
length required, the piece cut off being replaced by having the lower end of the
pipe F (carrying the induction coil, battery, and the mechanism) attached thereto
as at Fig. 5, and the lamp T¹ is again replaced, and is then ready for use; whatever
arrangement for carrying the batteries and coils is employed, it is important that
every lamp should be self contained, while the whole apparatus may be fixed or
removed with ease. In order that the gas may be lighted, should occasion require
irrespective of the action of the automatic mechanism, I preferably provide a bye-

page_text: pass P³ (as is shewn at Fig. 1) with a cock P for this purpose; or a bye-pass of
other suitable construction may be employed.
The operation of the apparatus is effected as follows:-
The attendant sets the cam tappets D D¹ in the proper positions relatively to
each other, and adjusts the distance of the tappet D¹ from the pin M² of the pawl M;
the clockwork in the case A is then wound up by the handle A¹ at the back, and
also the secondary spring at K is also wound up. The apparatus will now act
automatically. On the cam tappet D¹ (carried by the revolving time disc) passing
the pawl pin M², the inclined edge of the tappet will force the pawl away from the
ratchet wheel H, and the secondary spring will act through spur wheels K³, J, and
rotate the wheels G H the space of one tooth of the ratchet H, and rock the
arm L, turn on the gas tap by the arm P, and immediately afterwards bring the
wire P² past the contact ring R, causing an electric spark and thereby lighting
the gas. Or the lever L may (instead of passing the wire P2 past the contact
ring R) be caused to press a spring for example, (not shewn in the drawings) and
so complete a circuit and cause a succession of sparks to pass between two points
of wire before mentioned across the issuing stream of gas and thereby ignite same.
The continued rotation of the dial will, at a fixed time, according to the distance
which the tappets D D' have been set apart bring the tappet D against the pawl
pin M2, and the same mechanical movements before described will again occur,
excepting that the arm L will move in the reverse direction, and the gas will be
turned off.
Thus with apparatus constructed according to our invention, it is only necessary
for an attendant to wind the spring or equivalents at proper times, say once a week
(the timing devices having been properly set and the electric apparatus connected)
and the lighting of the gas as well as the turning off of the same will be effected
with mechanical regularity and automatically.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In automatic gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus, the combination with
the rotating time disc and releasing devices, of the secondary motor spring or its
equivalent for actuating (when released) a star wheel, for rocking an arm by which
the turning on, lighting, and extinguishing is effected substantially as set forth.
2. In automatical gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus, the combination with
the time dise B, having adjustable cam tappets D, D', and with the rocking arm L,
of the pawl M, secondary spring K, gearing K³, J, ratchet wheel H, star wheel G,
acting on the "anchor pallets" of the arm or lever L, whereby the latter is rocked
and the
gas
is turned on and ignited, and again extinguished at predetermined times
substantially as and for purposes herein set forth.
3. In automatical gas-lighting and extinguishing apparatus, the combination with
the mechanism as claimed by Claim 2 of the battery S, and the induction, intensity,
or sparking coil S¹, arranged to be contained within a lamp-post T, whereby every
lamp is self-contained, while the whole apparatus may be fixed or removed with
ease, all substantially as herein set forth.
4. In automatically acting apparatus for turning on, lighting, and extinguishing
gas at predetermined times, the combination with chronometric mechanism of an
auxiliary motor for effecting the aforesaid operations, the auxiliary motor being
released or controlled by the chronometric mechanism, all substantially as herein
set forth.
5. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing the apparatus
for automatically turning on, lighting, and extinguishing gas, at predetermined
times, essentially consisting of a time disc carrying adjustable releasing devices,
and rotated by suitable chronometric mechanism; of a rotating pawl, of a secondary
motor; of a ratchet wheel, a star wheel, and of an arm or lever L rocked thereby,
the latter turning on and cutting off the gas supply, the apparatus being fitted

page_text: with a suitable gas-pipe and cock, a bye-pass and cock for occasional use, a burner
and fittings, and provided with electrical devices for iguiting the gas, all substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, together with any mere modification or modifications thereof.
Dated this 26th day of January 1892.
BREWER & SON,
33, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for Applicants.