IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-LIGHTING GAS APPARATUS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Matthew Augustus Soul, of No. 101, Leadenhall
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-LIGHTING GAS APPARATUS."-A communication
from abroad by Franz Korwan, residing at Mannheim, and Michael
Flurscheim, residing at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, both in Germany.
Sealed the 1st May 1874, and dated the 6th November 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Matthew Augustus Soul
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th November 1873.
I, MATTHEW AUGUSTUS SOUL, of No. 101, Leadenhall Street, in the
3. Oity of London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-LIGHTING GAS APPARATUS," a com-.
munication to me from abroad by Franz Korwan, a person resident at
Mannheim, and Michael Flurscheim, a person resident at Frankfort-on-
the-Maine, both in Germany, to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object to maintain a minute flame in an

page_text: auxiliary burner from which the illuminating burner is ignited, and it
consists in the employment of a flexible or moveable diaphragm actuated
by the pressure of the gas supply for automatically opening and closing
the cock or cocks of the burner or burners, and in the means provided
for regulating the supply of gas to the auxiliary and main burners, and
in the mode of pivoting and securing the plug of the stop-cock in place,
and in the employment of a burner of a peculiar kind to perform the
office of the auxiliary burner.
A tube which connects the apparatus to the gas supply is provided
with a cock at any suitable point for regulating the supply of gas or
entirely cutting it off. This cock may be so constructed that when
turned partly or in one direction the full supply of gas will be cut off,
but allows a small portion to supply the auxiliary burner; and when
turned fully on in the opposite direction will be entirely cut off. When
this cock is open the gas enters a chamber through a tube. The
chamber is closed air-tight above by a diaphragm which is formed pre-
ferably of animal membrane, and against which the gas exercises a
certain pressure. A casing above the diaphragm is provided with air
holes, forming a vent to the same, and allowing the diaphragm to move
freely without receiving any resistance from the air above it.
From the chamber first named the gas enters a pipe through a screw
cock which regulates the supply of gas to the burner. The diaphragm
is tied in the form of a cone and charged with removeable weights.
The external pressure against the diaphragm is so regulated that it is
forced up by a certain pressure of gas to which it is adjusted. While
that pressure is maintained it remains up, and falls upon the pressure
ceasing.
By the increase of the pressure a plug is rotated which opens the
large burner which is then ignited by the flame from the smaller one,
the flame of which becomes suddenly increased until the. flame of the
large burner assumes its proper size, when the rotation of the plug
extinguishes the small burner; and when the increased pressure necessary
for the large burner is withdrawn the reverse action takes place, and the
auxiliary burner is re-lighted. The plug is hung in pivots so as to turn
on its axis with the least amount of friction. Screws are fixed in plates
covering the openings at each end of the barrel of the cock and form

page_text: A hood is provided for the small burner and serves as a protection to
5 its flame from being extinguished by draughts of air, the air necessary
for combustion entering through small holes underneath it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Matthew Augustus Soul in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MATTHEW
AUGUSTUS SOUL, of No. 101, Leadenhall Street, in the City of London,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, Her
special licence that I, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Matthew
Augustus Soul, my executors, administrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-LIGHTING GAS APPARATUS," a com-
munication from Franz Korwan, a person resident at Mannheim, and
Michael Flürscheim, a person resident at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, both
in Germany, upon the condition (amongst others), that I, the said
Matthew Augustus Soul, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said

page_text: cut off.
when turned fully on in the opposite direction the supply will be entirely
When this cock is open the gas enters a chamber B through
the tube A (best seen in Figure 3). The chamber B is closed air-tight
above by a diaphragm C, which is formed preferably of animal mem-
brane, and against which the gas exercises a certain pressure. A. casing
or chamber above the diaphragm is provided with air holes R (Figure
2), forming a vent to the same, and allowing the diaphragm to move
freely without receiving any resistance from the air above it. The air
holes may be protected by a shield against the intrusion of dirt, and
part or all of the casing may be removed so that the diaphragm is easy
of access for examination or repair. From the chamber B first-named
the gas enters a pipe D, e, through a screw-cock c, Figure 3, which
regulates the supply of the gas to the burner. This pipe D opens into
a channel e, Figure 3, in the socket or barrel E of the cock, which
channel coincides with the main aperture f in the plug F. The
diaphragm is tied in the form of a cone and charged with the removable
weights J (Figure 3), which may be augmented or diminished as
required, thus regulating the external pressure thereon. This may also
be effected by means of a lever and sliding weights or by springs. This
external pressure upon the diaphragm is so regulated that it is forced
up by a certain pressure of gas to which it is adjusted, and remains up
while that pressure is maintained, falling only when the pressure ceases
or becomes diminished, so that the clevation of the diaphragm may be
effected by giving a certain pressure to the gas at the gas works, or by
the opening of a special cock in the building or in the street. The
diaphragm is connected at its centre with the connecting rod K. (Figure
3), which rod is connected with a short lever g projecting from the plug
F, as shewn in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6, and by which the motion of the
diaphragm when raised by the pressure of the gas is communicated to
the plug and partly rotates the same, and allowing the gas to flow to
the large burner, from which it is again cut off by the reverse motion of
the plug on the descent of the diaphragm. The plug F is hung in
pivots so as to turn on its axis with the least amount of friction. The
screws o and p which are fixed in the plates R and R¹ that cover the
openings at each end of the barrel of the cock, as seen in Figure 3,
form the pivots in which the plug rotates. These screws terminate in
fine points, and fit in corresponding minute indentations at the centre of
the plug, as seen in Figure 3.

page_text: It is obvious that a valve or other equivalent mechanical device by
which the intermittent supply of gas to the burner can be effected may
be substituted for the cock E, F, with like result, and that a diaphragm
rigid, but movable vertically, may be employed as the actuating medium,
though I prefer the flexible diaphragm previously described. When
the diaphragm is in repose the plug F is in the position seen in Figures
4 and 7, in which position the groove h connects the upper and lower
parts of the pipe L which communicates with the supply pipe e, D.
Figure 3 thus supplies gas to the auxiliary burner, and the main
aperture is in such position that communication is shut off between 1
the upper and lower part of the channel e, so that no gas can pass from
the supply pipe e, D, to the main burner H, but only through the pipe L
and groove H to the auxiliary burner, where the minute igniting flame
burns, and which is ignited when the apparatus is first put up. As soon
as the diaphragm is raised by the pressure of gas from below it com-
municates its motion to the plug by means of its connecting rod K, and
brings the plug into the position shewn in Figures 5 and 8. In this
position the main aperture of the plug communicates slightly with the
upper and lower parts of the channel e, and allows a slight flow of gas
to the main burner H, while the groove / still connects both parts of
the small channel or pipe L with the supply e, D, and the flow of gas
from the channel e to the auxiliary burner thus takes place without
hindrance, while at the same time the auxiliary burner receives a further
supply of gas from the main aperture through the lateral indenture i,
and thus an enforced stream of gas flows through the pipe L, which
considerably enlarges the auxiliary frame, which at once rises and ignites
the gas coming from the main burner H.
When the diaphragm has risen to its greatest height the plug will
be in the position shewn in Figures 3, 6, and 9, where the aperture f
assumes a perpendicular position parallel with the channel e, Figure 3,
so that a full supply of gas passes to the burner H, and its flame now
lit assumes its normal size. At the same time the groove h is put out of
all connection with the upper part of the auxiliary burner, becomes
extinguished, to be relighted by the large flame when it is in the act of
being extinguished by the turning of the plug by the descent of the
diaphragm, when the plug F again enters into the position shewn in
Figures 5 and 8, when the double supply of gas passes to the pipe L,

page_text: causing a forced stream of gas to rise from the auxiliary burner and
ignite at the large flame of the main burner H when it is near the point
of being extinguished. The small flame now remains lighted after the
large flame becomes extinguished, and when the diaphragm has fully
descended the plug assumes the position shewn in Figures 4 and 7, and
the auxiliary flame assumes its normal size, which is very minute. The
flow of the gas through the pipe or channel L is regulated at its lower
part by the screw 1, Figures 3 and 1, and at its exit at the upper part by
the screw k, Figures 3 and 2.
The hood N, Figures 1, 2, and 3, serves as a protection to the small
flame from being extinguished by draughts of air, the air necessary
for combustion entering through small openings q, Figure 3, under-
neath it.
It is evident that a different form of construction of cock or valve
arrangement, or equivalent of such, through which the gas supply to
one or more burners can be regulated, let on or shut off, whether lighted
by supplementary small flames or any other way, so long as they are in
connection with my flexible or movable diaphragm apparatus, might be
substituted for the one herewith described without any departure from
the spirit of my Invention.
In street lanterns it will be an easy matter to attach a kind of shield
under the upper opening effecting an influx of air sidewise, reducing
the danger of being blown out to that of the ordinary street lantern.
The consumption of gas through the auxiliary flame is exceedingly small,
as it always remains extinguished while the large flame is burning. The
gas consumed by it during the whole year will not exceed that consumed
by an ordinary-sized flame during two or three hours. It can be yet
more diminished by forming the auxiliary burner of the Bunsen kind by
placing a small tube having lateral perforations over the small pipe L,
as seen in Figure 3.
If the apparatus is to be left out of use for a long period of time the
small flame may be permanently extinguished by the screws and k,
Figures 1, 2, and 3. It is not necessary to operate each cock by a
separate diaphragm, as a number of cocks may be operated by one
diaphragm with equal facility. Space and expense can be saved by
letting the large and small pipes of several burners run into one common

page_text: 4. In combination with the diaphragm C actuating the stop-cock as a
gas-lighting apparatus the pivot bearings o, p, for overcoming the friction
on the plug, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Matthew Augustus Soul, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fourth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
MATTHEW AUGUSTUS SOUL. (L.s.)