Year: 1886

page_text: I, JAMES MACTEAR, of 2, Victoria Mansions, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, Chemical Expert and Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my
said 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 relates to the method of burning gas for illuminating purposes
in which a material capable of becoming incandescent and luminiferous is heated
by the flame of ignited gas for the purpose of increasing the luminosity of such
flame.
The Invention consists in the application and use for effecting this purpose of
the earthy materials Strontia, Baryta, and Thoria (Oxide of Thorium) separately
or in any combination, or in any combination with Zirconia (Oxide of Zirconium).
In carrying the Invention into effect I prepare a wick as a vehicle for supporting
such incandescent substance or material, making the same of cotton fibre or of
other suitable fibrous material and of any desired or suitable form. I, however,
prefer to wind the fibrous material around a thin platinum wire which is subse-
quently bent into a spiral, helical or grid-like form for suspension in or over the
gas flame, (preferably in a glass chimney to avoid cross air currents), as such a
construction and form of wick has several advantages and affords a good support
to the earthy matter after the fibre has been burned away and renders the same
capable of continued use for a considerable time.
To prepare the wick for use, it may be saturated with a solution of Hydrate (or
other suitable compound) of Strontia, and then dried, this on ignition leaves Oxide
of Strontium.
Or the wick may be coated after saturation with the Strontia Solution and after
being dried, or before such saturation, with Hydrate of Zirconium, which on ignition
leaves a film of Oxide of Zirconium or a Zirconiate of Strontia, a compound which
is intensely incandescent when applied and used in the manner referred to.
The Hydrate of Zirconium may be prepared from a soluble salt of the earth in
the usual manner by precipitating it with an alkali. I prefer to use for this purpose
the volatile Alkali Ammonia. Or I may use to obtain the coating of Zirconiate
Di 171

page_text: a Sulphate of that earth or such of its organic salts as will leave on calcination the
Oxide of the metal Zirconium.
Baryta may also be similarly used as the incandescent material to be applied to
the fibrous wick alone, or in combination with the Strontia, or in combination with
the Strontia and Zirconia.
Or the wick may be coated with Oxide of Thorium alone, or with this in
combination with Oxide of Zirconium or in combination with the Strontia or
Baryta.
In the use of such improved means the organic matter is destroyed upon ignition
by the gas flame, but the earthy matter incorporated in the wick retains the form
and disposition of the fibre which has been saturated or impregnated with it, and
becomes highly incandescent causing the luminosity of the gas flame to be very
considerably increased.
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. The application and use for the purpose stated of the earthy materials Strontia,
Baryta and Thoria, whether separately or in any mixture or combination, and of
any mixture or combination of such materials with Zirconia.
2. The application and use for the purpose stated of a wick composed of fibrous.
material as a base or vehicle saturated or impregnated with Strontia, Baryta or
Thoria, or with any mixture or combination of such earthy materials, or with any
mixture or combination thereof separately or otherwise with Zirconia.
1000
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.