Improvements in Automatic Gas-lighting Apparatus for Incandescent Gas-lights.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Gas-lighting Apparatus for
Incandescent Gas-lights.
I, Dr. GEORG LOEWENBERG of 56, Wilhelmstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire of
Germany, 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 relates to an automatic gas lighting apparatus intended for use with
incandescent gas-lights, which possesses the important advantage over those hitherto
in use, that it remains intact for a long time and that it never refuses to work in spite
of shocks and other disturbing influences, although the construction is very simple.
In the annexed drawing
Fig. 1 is a view in partial section of the lighting apparatus and
Fig. 2 shows a simpler construction which however possesses exactly the same.
effect.
The supporting pin T, Fig. 1, has on its upper part a fork or the like, on which is
fixed a cap H made of soap-stone or metal or any other appropriate material. The
under part of the cap H is arched, in order to give both a good seating to the mantle,
and to collect in its interior the gas rising from below.
The middle part of the cap H is cylindrically formed, in order that the pill-carrier P
placed upon this part may be easily put on and taken off.
On the top the cap tapers finally to a point, which is provided with a small hole O.
The carrier P holds on its top the lighting-pill Z, which is provided with a wire-
loop.. This wire is plaited together of single thin wires and will glow without
breaking or burning through. The loop is arranged above the cap H out of the reach
of the flame.
On opening the gas-cock the gas enters the mantle and the cap H carrying the
latter, whence a part of it passes through the opening O upwards and against the pill
arranged thereover so that the platinum-wire bedded in the pill is brought to a white-
heat.
At the moment, when this happens, the gas, which passes outwards and upwards.
through the meshes of the mantle, is lighted and returns as a flame down to the
burner, putting thus the latter into operation.
The pecular effect thereof is, that by lighting the flame of the burner the pill
arranged over the mantle ceases at once to glow, owing to the complete combustion of
the whole quantity of gas, which passes to the mantle when ignited, so that there is
no gas to pass through the opening O of the cap H and thus there is no flame over
the cap.
The igniting device has also another advantage, as on the one hand the flame is
retained by the cap H and does not pass to the pill and to the therein provided
platinum-wire, whereby the pill is protected against breaking and burning through,.
and on the other hand, because in this construction a fine or small flame is avoided and
therefore has not to be previously extinguished as in other apparatus.
Instead of using the cap H and the lighting pill-carrier P, the pill can also be
suspended in a simple manner over the mantle, as is shown for instance in Fig. 2.
Also in this case the same effect is produced and the lighting pill with its wire
remains after the ignition out of the reach of the flame.
The present invention does not relate to any particular composition of lighting pill,

page_text: such pills have usually been made of a mixture of platinum sponge or platinum black
with an incombustable material such as a compound of alumina, or asbestos infusorial
earth or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An automatical gas-lighting-apparatus for incandescent gas-lights, characterized
by a cap with a passage-hole, through which the gas collected in the cap-passes
against a lighting pill provided with plaited wire, the pill aud the wire being out of
reach of the flame of the burner, for the purpose of automatically extinguishing the
pill and rendering it more durable.
2. A form of constructing the lighting apparatus under Claim 1, characterized by
the fixing of the pill upon the top by a detachable pill-carrier or by hanging the pill
over the mantle.
1000
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.