IMPROVE- MENTS IN GAS BURNERS AND REFLECTORS FOR HEATING AND WARMING PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Eardley Billing, Gas Stove Manufacturer, of
90, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GAS BURNERS AND REFLECTORS FOR HEATING AND WARMING
PURPOSES."
Scaled the 25th October 1878, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
A 1070
Scaled the 25th October 1878, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 5th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Eardley Billing at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th April 1878.
CHARLES EARDLEY BILLING, Gas Stove Manufacturer, of 90, Hatton Garden, in
the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BURNERS AND REFLECTORS
FOR HEATING AND WARMING PURPOSES."
My Invention relates, firstly, to the application and construction of a new form
of reflector or heat radiator for warming and heating purposes.
In gas reflector stoves as at present constructed the reflector plates are made
concave in form, of copper, glass, or other heat radiating materials, and mostly when
the former material is employed the plates are corrugated laterally as well as con-
caved for the purpose of more effectually radiating the rays of light and heat given
off by the burners placed over the reflector plates, the effect of which is, owing to
the deflected radiated rays of heat, a dazzling and unsteady appearance is thrown on
the reflector from the burners.
To obviate these defects in my newly improved stoves, instead of using the corru-
gated concave reflectors as heretofore, I construct them preferably of concave form
but form thereon a variety of devices having their lineal projections pointing in every
direction, the surfaces of which being raised to various heights upon the plate, is the
ineans of breaking the lateral and curvilineal radiating projections of the rays of heat
and light; I am thus in a great measure enabled to obtain a steady ray of light to
be reflected from the broken surfaces of the concave plate, which is not only more
soft and pleasing to the eye, but enables me to form any particular design thereon,
1

page_text: giving both a richer and neater appearance to the whole. When desirable I may
also construct the sides of gas reflector stoves of any raised design for the purpose
The casings
of more effectually diffusing the rays of light and heat as aforesaid.
for the stoves containing my improved reflectors may be made of wrought iron,
earthenware, or other suitable materials, and in any shape or form.
My Invention relates, secondly, to an improved atmospheric gas burner for
both cooking and heating purposes, and consists of a vertical tube of wrought iron
or other equivalent metal, having an inner rod of wrought iron or other metal
extending its whole length, upon the upper end of which is fixed an inverted cone,
placed a suitable distance above the top edge of the outer tube; the latter being
perforated or entirely open towards the bottom part of the tube for admitting and
mixing atmospheric air and gas in the proper proportions for combustion; the tube
and rod may be secured together by each being screwed into a plate of iron, or they
may be held to the sides of the stove by any suitable device, the action of which is
as follows:-On the gas being admitted through the bottom of the tube and a light
applied to the top of the cone combustion will take place, causing a sharp induced
current of air to ascend through the outer tube, which intermingling with the gas in
its ascent strikes against the sides of the cone previous to leaving the tube, the gasses
being thus held or retarded in their passage through the tube by the action of the
cone, which in a few seconds becomes very hot, causing perfect combustion, and gives
off a greater heat than has hitherto been attained by any other form of burner in
proportion with the quantity of gas consumed. By raising or lowering the cone
the induced current will be more or less retarded, and the gasses more or less
perfectly consumed, in accordance with the area of the annular opening formed by the
cone and the inner edge of the outer tube.
I can apply this burner to my improved reflector stoves for a top heater, and
where a more powerful heat is required I can use two or more of them placed in
proper positions according to the shape of the stove.
In some instances instead of forming the cone and the inner rod of the burner in
one, I may dispense with the inner rod and suspend the cone by a suitable framing
of metal above the outer tube.
It is evident that I can also apply this my improved burner to other forms of gas
stoves than the reflector stoves herein described, such as for warming baths, green-
house stoves, steam generators, cooking purposes, and so forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Eardley Billing in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th
November 1878.
CHARLES EARDLEY BILLING, Gas Stove Manufacturer, of 90, Hatton Garden, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS BURNERS AND REFLECTORS
FOR HEATING AND WARMING PURPOSES."
My Invention relates, firstly, to the application and construction of a new form
of reflector or heat radiator to be used in open gas stoves. In gas reflector stoves as
at present constructed the reflector plates are made concave in form, of copper, glass,
or other leat reflecting materials, and mostly when the former matorial is employed
the plates are corrugated laterally, for the purpose of more effectually radiating the
rays of light and heat given off by the burners placed over the reflector plates. By
the use of these concave reflectors a dazzling and unsteady light is presented
which soon becomes distressing to the eye.
To obviate this defect, instead of using the corrugated concave reflectors as here-
tofore, I emboss the reflector plates so as to prosent to the gas and flames raised
surfaces which will serve to break up the rays of reflected light and present a genial
glowing surface to the eye of the spectator. The reflector plates may be embossed
either with a close geometrical pattern or with an ornamental design, care being
taken that such design spreads over the whole of the plate, so as to break up the
surface into irregular undulations.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in front elevation, and Fig. 2 in
cross section, an open or reflecting gas stove fitted with an ordinary curved corru-
gated reflector plate. This plate in reflecting the heat from the gas jets at the top
of the stove presents the appearance indicated at Fig. 1, that is to say, it repeats
the reflection of the gas pipe and jets again and again, and in throwing out the heat
it presents a dazzling light which flickers in correspondence with irregularities of
the gas flames.
Fig. 3 shows in front elevation, and Fig. 4 in cross section, a reflecting gas stove
fitted with a concave reflector plate made according to my Invention. The plate
in this instance is supposed to be made of sheet copper, but other suitable reflecting
materials may be used if thought desirable. On the surface of the plate is raised by
pressure in dies or otherwise a series of angular studs which serve effectually to
break up the polished surface of the plate so as to render it impossible to obtain
such a reflection as that indicated at Fig. 1. The effect of employing a reflecting
surface of this peculiar character is to produce the appearance of a tinted atmosphere
in the stove, due to the glow of heat and light (instead of the dazzling appearanco
before mentioned), which is thrown out from the reflecting surface.
I have said that the reflecting plates may carry an ornamental design while
subserving the purpose of the Invention. An illustration of the kind of design
which may be adopted for the purpose of destroying the glare of the reflecting
surface is shewn at Fig. 5, which represents a pattern produced in repoussé work.
Any variety of designs thus produced may be applied to the stove with good
effect, the mellow glow being obtained, and that without loss of reflected heat.
When thought desirable I may also construct the sides of gas reflector stoves with
any raised design for the purpose of more effectually diffusing the rays of light and
heat as aforesaid.
My Invention relates, secondly, to an improved atmospheric burner for both
cooking and heating purposes. This burner consists of a vertical tube of wrought
iron or equivalent metal fitted with a central rod which carries at its upper end an
inverted adjustable cone, placed a suitable distance above the top edge of the tube,
the latter being open at bottom for admitting atmospheric air and gas in the proper
proportions for combustion.
Fig. 6 represents this improved atmospheric burner in vertical section as adapted
for a cooking stove. In this Figure a is the rod carrying the inverted cone b, which

page_text: is adjustable thereon by means of a screw thread with which the rod is provided.
This cone is set centrally to the tube c and partially closes its upper end so as to
leave an annular space for the escape of the mixed air and inflammable gas. The tube
c stands up from a bottom plate c' of the stove, and below this plate is the gas
pipe d. The rod a has its support in this pipe, and around the rod openings are
inade in the pipe, as at e, e, for the escape of the gas into the lower end of the tube
c together with the atmospheric air which is free to enter with the gas.
The action of this burner is as follows:-On the gas being admitted to the tubo c
and a light applied to the top of the cone combustion will take place, causing a
sharp reduced current of air to ascend through the tube, which air intermingling
with the gas in its ascent strikes against the sides of the cone previous to leaving
the tube, the effect of which is to retard the mixed gases in their passage through the
tube. The cone will now in a few seconds become highly heated and cause a perfect
combustion of the mingled gases, thereby producing a greater heat than has hitherto
been attained by any other form of burner in proportion to the quantity of gas
consumed.
By raising or lowering the cone on its stem, by means of the threaded part for
other equivalent device the induced current will be more or less retarded, and the
gases more or less perfectly consumed in accordance with the area of the annular
opening formed by the cone and the inner edge of the outer tube; I can apply this
burner to my improved reflector stoves for a top heater, and where a inore powerful
heat is required I can use two or more of them placed in proper positions according
to the shape of the stove.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in Gas
Burners and Reflectors for Heating and Warming Purposes," and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the
above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First. The use in gas stoves of embossed reflectors, such embossing being so
arranged, whether ornamentally or otherwise, as to destroy the reflection of the gas
flames, while at the same time the heat therefrom is radiated as above described.
Secondly. The construction of atmospheric gas burner as above described with
reference to Fig. 6 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Eardley Billing, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
CHARLES E. BILLING. (S.)