Improvements in Means for Electrically Igniting Gas.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899-Accepted, 24th June. 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Electrically Igniting Gas.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM GOLBY, of 36, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by La Sociètè
Anonyme "Lux Nova," of Rue Digne de Brabant, Ghent, Belgium, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to means for electrically igniting gas.
In igniters of this kind operated by two electrical currents the closing valve is
kept closed by the opening valve which at the same time produces the ignition.
Ignition of gas by means of electric sparking has hitherto been effected by
means of a metal rod displaceable longitudinally and resting on a fixed rod, and
these two rods were separated when the opening valve was set in motion. The
two rods moreover were so placed in the opening current circuit that an interruption
of the current was brought about and, consequently sparking produced thus
effecting the ignition of the gas escaping by a small tube.
In order that the displaceable rod may be returned with certainty to its initial
position, a weak spring fixed to the lower end of the moveable rod is employed
by means of which the interruption of the current of the opening circuit, which is
temporary and necessary for the production of the spark, is terminated. This
arrangement is very complicated and inconvenient owing to the fact that the rods
employed are easily distorted, and to the fact that the spring employed which as a
matter of course must be very weak, becomes heated by the burning gas and
expands to such an extent that the igniting arrangement will not act.
In order to overcome these drawbacks completely, the tube conveying the gas
to the ignition point is, in the present invention of a flexible character, and so
constructed and used as to act both as a spring and as an electrical conductor.
This flexible tube, acting as a gas conduit and as an electrical conductor, is
arried into the interior of a fixed tube, from which it is insulated, and which may
pe made sufficiently strong to prevent its being distorted by heat. According to
he present invention, the flexible tube may be so strong that there is no danger
f any disturbance from heat, that is to say, a paralysing of its elasticity is
Itogether prevented.
The apparatus forming the subject of this invention is illustrated in the
ccompanying drawing
Fig. 1 represents the igniting arrangement in elevation the other parts of the
lectric gas igniter being illustrated in section for the purpose of showing them
ore compactly.
Fig. 2 is a partly sectional plan of same the section being taken along the
ne Z Z of Fig. 1.
The piece A is insulated at the top and the bottom by means of a sheet of
ica and placed on the gas pipe which supplies it with gas by means of a perforated
le. The flexible tube N is fixed in the piece A, but in the manner shown in
g. 2 and carried to and in the interior of the fixed pipe T.
The tube N is insulated from the tube T and carried up to the mouth of the
.

page_text: burner. The upper end of the tube N is bent and furnished with a rectangular
platinum contact point d at a right angle with the longitudinal axis of the tube.
The end of the tube T is cut off in the manner shown in Fig. and covered with
platinum contact plate e, on which the platinum point d is supported under the
action of the spring belonging to the pipe N which conveys the gas.
The opening for the outlet of the gas is arranged below the platinum point d
so that the gas necessary for producing the ignition flame emerges at the spot
where the spark is formed between the platinum contacts & and c as soon as the
opening current circuit is interrupted. This interruption is effected through the
medium of the armature Factuated by the electro-magnet E.
The platinum contact d is inserted in the circuit of the electro-magnet E which
serves for opening the gas supply and for the ignition, current passing from E
over the insulated piece A and the flexible tube N by d, c to the fixed tube T
and thence returning to the source of current. The electro-magnete serving to
shut off the gas supply attracts the armature I as soon as it receives the current
and closes the valve P. As soon as I has been attracted the armature which is
arranged to oscillate falls with its end piece H behind the edge of I so that the
gas supply tube is held closed, until the opening armature F in the form of a two
arm lever is attracted by the electro-magnet E, whereupon the valve P is released
by the action of a spring thereon and the piece I falls back from the electro-
magnet e and this takes place so that the gas may pass through the valve P
to the tube N. The armature F, at the same time, pushes up the adjustable piece c
in the covering plate 1 of the box against the flexible tube N, thereby raising the
latter. The platinum contact d is consequently raised from the platinum plate c
and a spark is produced between the two which ignites the issuing gas.
The arrangement of the flexible igniting tube N described not only ensures an
igniting contrivance which acts with absolute certainty and can be employed at
any time but renders manufacture possible on a large and economical scale.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is: : -
An arrangement for electrically igniting gas acting at a distance with two
circuits the one opening the gas supply and producing a spark and the other closing
the gas supply distinguished by a flexible gas pipe N which also acts as an
electrical conductor and is inserted in the circuit of the gas opening electro-
magnet and is displaced by the armature F of said electro-magnet so that the
contact formed at d 'ande between it and a fixed pipe T is interrupted with the
object of producing an electric spark, substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd dos of Mar 1900.