IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Saunders Muir of Highgate Road in the county
of Middlesex for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN BURNERS AND IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Saunders Muir at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1883.
JOHN SAUNDERS MUIR of Highgate Road in the county of Middlesex IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BURNERS AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
The object of my invention is to produce a better and more brilliant flame than
is usual at present or with the present appliances without causing the consumption
of a greater quantity of the illuminating medium and I effect this object firstly by
so fitting constructing and arranging the burner which is suitable for consuming
any kind of gaseous illuminant whether coal gas or the vapour of hydrocarbon or
carburetted air or other similar gases as to effect a more perfect combustion of the
gas vapour or air and secondly by fitting an appliance or apparatus to the burner
or in connection there with that will still further improve the said combustion
which appliance or apparatus is also applicable to other burners than those only
that are constructed to consume gaseous illuminants.
In order to explain my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed and used I refer to the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a vertical or longitudinal section of my improved burner for a gaseous
illuminant. Figure 2 is a horizontal or transverse section of the same taken at a. b.
in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a horizontal or transverse section of the same taken at c. d
in Figure 1.
The burner is preferably, made in two parts of which the lower part A is screwed
into or otherwise secured to the gas supply pipe B in any convenient manner. In
this part A is tightly secured the transverse disc or diaphragm of metal C in which
are made two or more holes or passages D through which alone the gas can pa
pass.
These passages D are so inclined in their direction as to project the gas that passes,
through them against the walls E of the passage above the disc C. In the top of the

page_text: upper part F of the burner is the nib G which may be made in any convenient
manner so as to produce whatever shape or kind of flame I may desire and at a
convenient distance below the nib G is tightly secured another transverse disc or
diaphragm of metal H in which also are made two or more holes or passages K.
so inclined in their direction as to project the gas that passes through them against
the walls L of the passage above the disc H and below the nib G. The two parts
of the burner A and F are screwed into each other or otherwise tightly secured
together and a chamber is thus formed between the two discs or diaphragms C
and H which I prefer to make of a greater diameter than the passages below and
above the said discs C and H respectively as shown in the drawing for the reasons
and with the object hereinafter explained. .In this chamber so formed between
the two discs or diaphragms C and H is tightly secured a third transverse disc or
diaphragm of metal M. The central part of this disc M is solid and a ring of
perforations N is formed in the said disc near the periphery therof thus creating
a narrow annular perforated passage for the gas near or in close proximity to the
walls of the chamber.
The action of this burner is as follows. After the flame is lighted the walls of
the burner rapidly get very hot and this heat is also communicated from the walls
to the transverse discs or diaphragms. The gas passes through the first disc and
impinges on the walls of the passage immediately above the same whence it is
deflected against the solid central part of the second disc which said solid central
part when the burner is formed as shown in the drawing is of a greater diameter
than the said first disc and thus the impingement of the gas thereon is ensured.
The gas then passes through the perforations in the second disc being then in close
proximity to the walls of the chamber as herein before described and when the
burner is formed as shewn in the drawing the shoulder of the walls above this
second disc causes the gas to pass over the solid central part of the said disc. The
gas then passes through the third disc and again impinges on the walls of the
passage immediately above the same before it can pass through the nib and
maintain the flame. The consequence and effect of this prolonged contact with
hot metallic surfaces is that the gas arrives at the place of combustion in a highly
heated condition and the combustion thereof is therefore effected with greater
perfection whereby the brilliancy of the flame is largely increased.
Instead of inclining the passages D'in the disc C outwardly as shown I may
also incline them in the opposite direction so that the gas would impinge first on
the solid central part of the disc M and then be deflected against the walls E of
the passage afterwards passing through the perforations N. The disc M can also be
made entirely of perforated metal or wire gauze and in this case I should secure
to the centre thereof a smaller solid disc of metal so that only a narrow annular
perforated passage is left for the gas near the periphery of the disc. I consider
that the shapes as shewn in the drawing of the several parts of my improved
burner are the best for my purpose as herein before declared as the contact of the
whole of the gas or the greater portion thereof is by these shapes as shewn
prolonged and made more certain of accomplishment but I do not limit myself or
confine myself to the said shapes for I can make all the parts of this burner of
such shapes as may be suitable or desirable in each particular case. I consider
also that the two discs with the annularly perforated disc between the same as
described and shown are sufficient in ordinary cases to effect the object I desire as
aforesaid but if I should deem it expedient in burners of large size and power I
can also place other discs of similar construction in such numbers and arranged in
such a sequence as may be desirable in each case but preferably the said discs.
would be arranged in an alternate sequence as shewn,
I have thus brought one element the gas into a fit state for effecting the perfect
combustion I desire. I now proceed to deal with the other element the air.
Burners are usually enclosed in glass of a globular or other shape the bottoms
whereof are open to the air which therefore rushes in and being cold tends to.
decrease the brilliancy of the flame while as it oftentimes also passes in in greater

page_text: quantity than is necessary to support combustion the flame is made to flicker and
become unsteady. This inrush of air tends also to contract the flame and prevent
it from spreading itself out whereby the luminosity thereof is greatly diminished
and the edges of the flame being driven upward unduly heat and tend to crack
the surrounding glass when it is of a globular shape. This evil can also be observed
in burners that consume other illuminants than gas. To obviate this evil and to
ensure that air shall not be allowed to play about the flame without any governanco
I fit an appliance or apparatus to the burner or in connection therewith as herein-
after described.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a burner fitted with this appliance or apparatus
which is shewn with the surrounding glass in vertical section.
Below the surrounding glass O on the arms or galleries P that support the same
I place a disc R of perforated material. A central hole is cut in this disc R for
the passage of the burner or gas supply pipe S but all the air that reaches the
burner to support combustion must pass through the perforations of the disc R.
These perforations can be made of such a size or their collective area can attain
such dimensions as only to allow the quantity of air absolutely necessary to support
combustion to pass through and reach the burner. This disc can be made of
various materials. I can make the same of stiff cardboard or paper. I can also
make the same of metal or wire gauze and in this caso as it gradually gets heated
by the flanie the air also that passes through is heated before it reaches the burner.
But preferably I make this disc of glass for then no shadow is thrown downwards
as to a certain extent is the caso when the disc is made of the before mentioned
materials and the glass disc can also absorb and impart to the air that passes
through some of the heat of the flame. This perforated disc therefore regulates
and equalizes the admission of air to the burner and thus improves the combustion
of the illuminant consumed therein. At the same time the flame is rendered
perfectly steady and is allowed to spread itself out whereby the brilliancy and
luminosity of the flame are largely increased.
Having thus particularly described and clearly explained my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed and used I would state that I claim as
my invention
1. The burner for a gaseous illuminant substantially as herein before described
and set forth.
で
2. In a burner for a gaseous illuminant the combination and use of the two
or more discs in which are inclined passages for the gas and the one or more
annularly perforated disc or discs by which discs the gas is sequentially projected
against the walls of the passage and the solid central part or parts of the annularly
perforated disc or discs substantially as and for the purpose herein before described
and set forth.
3. The combination of the burner for a gaseous illuminant as hereinbefore
described and claimed and the perforated disc at the bottom of the glass surrounding
the said burner by which disc the admission of air to the said burner is regulated
and equalized substantially as hereinbefore described and set forth.
4. The perforated disc which closes the bottom of the glass surrounding a burner
by which the admission, of air to the said burner is regulated and equalized
substantially as herein before described and set forth.
In witness whercof I the said John Saunders Muir have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty sixth day of July in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
TART 2147