AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO GAS BURNERS, AND CARRYING OFF THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Thomas Sugg, of Vincent Street, in the City of
Westminster, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS
FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO GAS BURNERS, AND CARRYING OFF THE PRODUCTS
OF COMBUSTION."
Sealed the 18th November 1879, and dated the 20th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Thomas Sugg at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th May 1879.
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster.
" AN
IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO GAS BURNERS, AND
CARRYING OFF THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION."
The deleterious effects on pictures, books, and natural products caused by the
burning of gas in apartments containing such articles are so well known that the
use of gas for lighting up museums, picture galleries, and libraries has hitherto been
practically prevented to the great detriment of the public.
Now the object of this Invention is to provide efficient means for carrying off
the products of combustion arising from the burning gas in billiard rooms, libraries,
picture galleries, museums, and other apartment, and preventing the destruction of
the articles contained therein.
Several plans have been suggested for effecting this object, but have not proved
successful owing to the fact that it has been found impossible to prevent occasional
down draughts, which carried the products of combustion into the apartment,
instead of their passing up the chimney provided for them.
According to my Invention enclose the burner in a pendent air tight case
formed of transparent or semi-transparent glass, into which enter the air supplying
and ventilating tubes. The air to support combustion is drawn in through the
roof of the building, and conducted by a tube or pipe to the gas lamp in the apart-
ment to be lighted, and the products of combustion are carried upwards into the
external air by a central chimney or second tube running through the air supply
tube.

page_text: In order to prevent down draughts within the chimney the chimney is fitted at
top with concentric cylinders of pierced metal. These cylinders stand above the
top of the chimney, and they carry a closed cover, which deflects the ascending
gases of combustion and causes them to pass out through the pierced cylinders.
Should a gust of air strike the chimney, the pierced cylinders acting as a baffle
will disperse it and prevent its entering and descending the chinney.
The lamp case which, as above stated, is air tight or approximating thereto, may
be polygonal or globular in shape, and I provide it by preference with an argand
burner, such for instance as that known as Sugg's "London" argand burner.
The lamp case is suspended from an annular tube, which is connected with the
gas supply pipe by a union joint, and from it the ribs or framework of the case
depend. The air supply tube also fits closely upon this ring, making therewith an
air tight joint.
•
The gas will be supplied to the burner by tubes connected with the hollow ring,
and formning part of the framing of the lamp.
The lower end of the chimney or inner tube should be provided with a deflector
to deflect the air as it enters to the sides of the lamp, so that it may not blow outo
and put out the flame, or render it unsteady.
When it is desired to use the lamp for billiard rooms a shade may be fitted
thereto capable of vertical adjustment by the aid of counterweights to suit the
convenience of the players.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Thomas Sugg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th November 1879.
"AN
WILLIAM THOMAS SUGG, of Vincent Street, in the City of Westminster.
IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING AIR TO GAS BURNERS, AND
CARRYING OFF THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION."
The injurious action of the products of combustion, such as carbonic acid, sul-
phurous acid, and watery vapour given off by gas burners upon pictures, books,"
and natural products is so well known that the use of gas for lighting up museums,.
picture galleries, and libraries has hitherto been practically prevented.
Now the object of iny Invention is to permit of the use of gas in such buildings.
without causing injury to the articles contained therein, and to prevent the over-
heating of billiard rooms and other apartments where large quantities of gas are,
burned. This I effect by providing a due supply of air for supporting combustion,
and also efficient means for carrying off the products of combustion arising from the
burning gas.
Several plans have from time to time been suggested for attaining these ends,
but none have proved successful (without the aid of some mechanical appliance)
owing to the fact that it has been found impossible to prevent occasional down
draughts, which carried the products of combustion into the apartment, instead of
their passing up the flue provided for them.
According to my Invention 1 enclose the burner in a pendent air-tight glass case,
into which the tubes for supplying air and ventilating the lamp enter.
The air to
support combustion is drawn in from the external air, and conducted by a tube to
the gas lamp, and the products of combustion are carried upwards into the external
air by a central, tube or flue running through the air supply tube.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1, Sheet I., is a vertical diagram section of
a hexagonal lamp arranged in accordance with my Invention for use in public
buildings, or other places where each lamp can have its own special ventilating
shaft; Fig. 2 is a globe lamp, so arranged for use in ordinary apartments where
the ventilating shaft cannot be carried straight up; and Figures 3 are sectional
elevations and a sectional plan of a top as applied to a ventilating shaft when two
or more lamps ventilate into one shaft. In Sheet II. an arrangement of two lamps
ventilating into one shaft, or suitable for use in a billiard room, is shewn. The same
letters refer to corresponding parts in all the Figures..
The gas burner a is enclosed in a polygonal or globular-shaped lamp case b, which
is, as before stated, air-tight or approximating thereto, and is formed of a metal
frame filled in with transparent or semi-transparent glass. The lamp case bis
suspended from a hollow ring or annular tube c, which is carried by the air supply
pipe or tube d, and from this ring c the ribs or framework of the lamp case
depend.
The air supply pipe or tube d is secured in any convenient manner to the joists
carrying the ceiling of the apartment or the roof e, and extends beyond it into
the external air, where it is covered by a ventilating top.
The hollow ring c is connected with the gas supply pipe g by a union joint,
and the gas is supplied to the burner by tubes h, h, pendant from the ring c,
and connected with or carrying the burner, and which may form part of the
lamp case. i is the gas supply tap below the case. The lamp case is provided
with a door to give access to the interior for lighting the burner; this door should
be made as nearly air-tight as possible The burners which I prefer to use are
argand burners, such as those known as Sugg's "London" selfregulating argand
burners.
The products of combustion are carried upwards into the external air by a central
Alue or tube j running through the air supply tube d. The lower end of this flue ;

page_text: is provided with a deflector to deflect the air as it enters the lamp case 6 from
the air supply pipe d to the sides of the case, so that it may not blow onto and put
out the flaine, or render it unsteady.
The ventilating top, which is intended to prevent down draughts in the central
tube or flue, consists of two concentric cylinders d' and ¹, corresponding with and
fitting over the tubes d and j respectively. The cylinders are closed at their
upper ends by a cover f, and they are connected together by an annular partition 1,
above which both cylinders are pierced with holes for the passage outwards of the
gases of combustion. Below the annular partition openings m, m, are made in
the outer cylinder for the admission of air to the supply pipe d.
A hood n is placed over the openings m, m, to direct the course of the indraught
to the air pipe d.
The supply of air to the lamp may be increased by lengthening the portion of
the ventilating top above the annular partition, thereby increasing the draught.
By this means I am able to ensure the required supply of air to the lamp for
effecting the most perfect combustion of the gas.
When used in billiard rooms the lamps may be provided with shades of any
suitable material, which may be -permanently fixed thereto or fitted so as to be
capable of vertical adjustment by the aid of counterweights or other means to suit
the convenience of the players.
Instead of placing the hollow ring c at the bottom of the air supply pipe d, as in
Fig. 1, it may be placed at the top, as shewn at Fig. 2, or half way down, as may
be desired, due provision being made for attaching the lamp to the tube d. In this
latter Figure the ventilating shaft. d is shewn as carried along the ceiling line to
the outside of the nearest external wall, where it again takes a vertical direction.
It may be fitted at once with the ventilating top, as above described, or it may be
carried up to the roof line before receiving the top.
In Figs. 3 the shape of the ventilating top is oblong in cross section, which is
more suitable than the cylindrical shape when two or more lamps ventilate into
the same shaft, but the principle of construction is otherwise the same in both
cases.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "An Improved Mode of and
Apparatus for Supplying Air to Gas Burners, and Carrying off the Products of
Combustion," 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,-
Supplying air to gas burners contained in public and private apartments direct
from the external atmosphere, and conducting off the gases of combustion to the
external atmosphere by the means above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Thomas Sugg, have hereunto set my
band and seal, the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine,
WILLIAM T. SUGG. (L.S.)