"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A LIGHT
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre Dronier, both of
No. 41, Rue Saint Fargeau, Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil
Engineers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND
Sealed the 25th September 1874, and dated the 4th April 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Alexis Voisin and
Pierre Dronier at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 4th April 1874.
WC, JEAN ALEXIS VOISIN and PIERRE DRONIER, both of No. 41, Ruc
Saint Fargeau, Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD
OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A LIGHT," to be as follows, that is to
say :-
The object of our Invention is the instantaneous production of flame
or light, and it consists in obtaining it by the employment of an electric
current, a wire or strip of platinum, and a body susceptible of producing

page_text: combustible vapeurs under the action of heat, by preference a wick
imbibed with some combustible liquid,
The apparatus is constructed of a battery or other generator of
electricity susceptible of bringing a wire or strip of platinum to red
heat, by preference a battery with bichromate of potass. The zinc
element is plunged at will a certain distance into the solution, and the
current resulting is directed towards a platinum wire, or by preference a
thin strip twisted into a spiral form. Near to this wire or strip is placed
a small lamp having a wick imbibed with some combustible liquid. The
extremity of this wick is brought near to the platinum wire or strip, and
the zinc is at the same time. plunged into the solution sufficiently to
raise to a dull heat the temperature of the wire or strip of platinum.
When the combustible vapours come in contact with the platinum the
phenomenon of catalysis takes place and the temperature of the platinum
increases to a point such as will determine the inflammation of the
vapours and hence of the liquid, but this temperature does not rise so
high as to cause the fusion of the platinum, for as soon as inflammation
has taken place the vapours being burnt in the flame can no longer
come on to the platinum.
The combustible liquids. we employ are mineral oils or essences,
alcohol, or others.
To plunge the zinc element into the solution it is fastened to a spring
rod which may be pressed down by the finger to the required extent.
When the finger is taken off the rod rises and with it the zinc. The
wick is adjusted to a rotating stand or axe which permits of bringing its
extremity near the platinum without touching it. The heat radiating
from the platinum thread causes the liquid to evaporate, and the vapours
coming in contact with the platinum at a dull red heat raise the latter
to a brilliant red and become inflamed.
SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, 30
filed by the said Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre Dronier in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th September 1874.

page_text: Fargeau, Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil Engineers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre Dronier, Her
special licence, that we, the said Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre Dronicr,
our exccutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the
said Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre Dronier, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD of
AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A LIGHT," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre Dronier, our
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
=
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre
Dronier, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the Drawing hercto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say :-
The object of our Invention is the instantaneous production of flame
or light, and it consists in obtaining a light by the employment of an
clectric current, a wire or strip of platinum and a substance susceptiblo
of producing combustible vapours under the action of heat, sucli
substance being, by preference, a wick imbibed with some combustible
liquid.
The apparatus is constructed of a battery or other generator of

page_text: heat, by preference a battery with bichromate of potass. The zinc
element is plunged a certain distance at will into the solution, and the
current resulting is directed towards a platinum wire or, by preference,
on a thin strip twisted into a spiral form. Near to this wire or strip is
placed a small lamp having a wick imbibed with a combustible liquid.
The extremity of this wick is brought near to the platinum wire or strip,
and the zinc is at the same time plunged into the solution sufficiently
deep to raise to a dull red heat the temperature of the wire or strip of
platinum. When the combustible vapours come in contact with the
platinum the phenomenon of catalysis takes place and the temperature
of the platinum increases to a point such as will determine the inflam-
mation of the vapours and hence of the liquid, but this temperature docs
not rise so high as to cause the fusion of the platinum, for as soon as
inflammation has taken place the vapours being burnt in the flame can
no longer come on to the platinum. We employ as our combustible
liquids mineral oils, essences, or alcohol.
To plunge the zinc element into the solution it is fastened to a spring
rod which may be pressed down by the finger to the required extent.
When the finger is taken off the rod rises and with it the zinc. The
wick is adjusted to a rotating stand or axe which permits of bringing its
extremity near the platinum without touching it. The heat radiating
from the platinum thread causes the liquid to evaporate, and the vapours
coming in contact with the platinum at a dull red heat raise the latter
to a brilliant red and become inflamed.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, we will now
procced to more particularly describe the same and the best means wo
are acquainted with for carrying it into effect by reference to the accom-
panying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved
apparatus; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same detached from its
box; Figure 3, a plan of the apparatus; and Figure 4, a part plan on a
larger scale. Similar letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
The improved apparatus is constructed of a wooden box A enclosing a
receiver B made of glass or other suitable material not acted on by acids;
this receiver contains the exciting solution for the battery; in this
solution the two carbon clements C, C', are kept immersed and are
united together at their top part by means of a leaden head piece D. A
pin E made of hard india-rubber or other non-conducting material not

page_text: affected by acids passes through the lower part of the two carbon
elements, between which is placed a piece of zinc F provided with an
india-rubber band G serving to prevent the contact of the zinc and
carbon. The piece of zinc F is connected to a rod H passing through a
hole I made in the plate J. The rod H passes into the interior and has
at its extremity a knob K by pressing which the zinc will be lowered,
the spiral spring L serving to raise the same again when the knob K is
relieved from the pressure of the finger. The plate J which is kept in
contact with the zine by the rod H rubbing in the hole T is provided
with two sockets M and N. In the socket N is fixed or soldered a
tube O receiving a small rod P which passes into another tube Q. The
other extremity of this tube Q receives a curved conical rod $ holding
frictionwise the extremity of the small platinum spiral Z. The other
end of this spiral is held by means of the curved conical rod Si in the
top of a tube Q', the lower part of which tube Q' receives the rod P¹
which is itself held in the tube O₁ fixed in the tube M, the extremity of
which is soldered to the lead forming the head of the carbon pole of the
battery. The platinum spiral thus fixed and guarded against shock by
means of the curved rods S and S₁ forms a projection outside at the top
and at a very small distance from the wick of a small fixed or moveable
lamp W, such wick being imbibed with a combustible liquid,
.
The apparatus being provided with the exciting liquid if the zinc be
lowered therein a current will be formed; this current will pass to and
will heat to a dull red heat the small platinum spiral, and the heat
radiating from this spiral will cause the evaporation of a small quantity
of the liquid of the wick, and these vapours in contact with the platinum
will give rise to the phenomenon of catalysis. The temperature will
rapidly increase to a white red heat and will cause the inflammation of
the vapours and thereby of the wick of the lamp.
The depth of immersion of the zinc is regulated by the pin E striking
against the zinc, so that as the zinc wears from the lower part tho
quantity covered by the liquid may remain the same.
Having thus described our said Invention, and the best means with
which we are acquainted for carrying the same into effect, what we
claim is,-
Firstly. The improved method of and apparatus for obtaining an
instantaneous light by bringing a wick imbibed with a combustible

page_text: liquid to a short distance from a wire or strip of platinum through
which an electric current is passed so as to cause it to acquire a dull red
heat, substantially as herein-before described and represented in the
accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The arrangement of the platinum spiral in connection with 5
the poles of the battery, as herein-before described and represented in
the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The method of obtaining the uniform height of the zinc
immersed in the solution, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Jean Alexis Voisin and Pierre 1
Dronier, have hereto set our hands and seals, this. Twenty-
eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-four.
J. A. VOISIN. (L.S.)
P. DRONIER. (L.S.)