An Improved Means for Electrically Lighting Gas Jets from Distance.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896 :
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Means for Electrically Lighting Gas Jets from
Distance.
I, OSCAR VON MORSTEIN of Siegfriedstrasse, Schöneberg near Berlin, Germany,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what mauner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
It is a known fact that illuminating gas when left unused for a length of time
decomposes in the pipes and that some time passes before the products of the
decomposition which are uninflammable, and the column of air which may be present
between the gas cock and the burners, are forced out by the succeeding inflammable
gas. Therefore in the devices hitherto employed for electrically lighting gas jets
from a distance there exists the danger that after the opening of the gas cock,
whether by hand or by means of an electro magnetic cock opener, with a too brief
contact making the ignition of the gas is not effected and that consequently the
non observance of this circumstance especially when the flames are not visible
from the position of the contact maker may lead to gas explosions and poisoning
by gas.
Another serious disadvantage which it is true only presents itself with such
devices as effect the ignition of the gas by means of induction currents is, that
hitherto the interruptions of the current necessary for the inducing action have
been effected at the inductor and by electro magnetic means. There is then by
this electro magnetic current breaking device either occasioned in the primary
circuit a resistance extremely injurious to the induction action or the magnetic
attractive force at disposal remains so small that a perfectly secure action of the
current or circuit breaking device is not thereby attainable or is deranged by the
slightest causes.
The device of this invention for electrically lighting gas jets from a distance
has for object the suppression of the two aforesaid evils, and is shown in the
accompanying drawing. It consists mainly in that one or more secondary
bobbins S (S, S')-located at any convenient distance from the gas to be ignited
and having their wire ends which are led in a known manner to the gas burners
there terminating in igniting points, are placed over primary bobbins P, whilst
the contact place C (C³, C, C), that is to say, the place or places from which
the gas is to be ignited and also located at any convenient distance both from the
induction bobbin and from the burners, is so arranged that the same manipulation,
which may be a single pressure, or pull on, or displacement of a lever, simul-
taneously and automatically both produces a contact lasting for a sufficient length
of time to obtain a secure ignition of the gas and also causes this contact to be
an intermittent one.
Such a purely mechanical current breaking device released or set in action by
hand and therefore independent of the electro magnetic force at disposal, and of
external disturbing influences, naturally affords the greatest security of action as
compared with an electro magnetic current breaker.
J
A contact which lasts for a certain time and gives interruptions of current may
be provided in different ways. Some kinds are shewn in the drawing, for example,
contact C' shews a clock work which by means of a pull, a pressure or the like
(disengagement of the pawl k from the stop wheel s) is released for one revolution of
said stop wheel and operates the current breaking contact with the contact piece a

page_text: by the teeth of one of its wheels b. Each winding or placing in tension of the
clock work may be easily combined with the actuation of the releasing device, for
instance, the crank or lever by which the clock work is wound up may be arranged
to disengage the pawl k in the latter part of the aforesaid revolution."
With a
An extremely simple arrangement (contact C³) consists of a vibrating spring f
which, set in oscillation by hand, strikes against a contact piece g.
corresponding length and thickness of the spring and dimensions of a weight
applied to its end, a suitable number of oscillations in a given length of time or a
certain duration and velocity of the oscillations may be obtained.
Such or a
similar contact device may also be designed in the manner that simultaneously with
its action the gas pipo closure may be opened, for instance the hand lever by which
the clock work C is released or the spring f in C set in oscillation may be
connected direct to the plug of the gas cock. Should there be in the said device
an electro magnetic gas closure opener to be actuated the necessary close circuit
therefor may be given through the same manipulation.
The construction of the contact device may as regards details be carried out in
the most widely different ways, for instance, as shewn in contact C³ the spring f
may be brought into the position corresponding to the contact piece g by moving
a lever H (say the gas cock'lever) or the like and thereupon set in oscillation by
brushing past a bracket or part b.
A condenser K is interposed in a known manner between the current breaking
place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A device for lighting gas jets from a distance by means of secondary
induction currents in which device the contact mechanism automatically produces
a continuously interrupted close circuit during such a length of time as is required
for the ignition of the gas, substantially as described and shewn.
2. The actuation of the contact mechanism referred to in Claim 1 by the same
manipulation through which (direct or indirect) the gas pipe closure is opened,
substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 4th day of November 1895.
CAPITAINE & VON HERTLING,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.