US444706A - Electric gas-lighter - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

T. W. LANE.

ELECTRIC GAS LIGHTER.

No. 444,706. Patented Jan. 18, 1891 \X/IIFIEESEE.

"rm: NORRIS FETEfls ca, FHOTD-UYNO, WASHING m n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS \V. LANE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELEC- TRIC GAS LIGHTING COMPANY, OF MAINE.

ELECTRIC GAS-LIGHTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 444,706, dated January 13, 1891.

Application filed June 13, 1889. Serial No. 314,097. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. LANE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Electric Gas Burners, of which the following is a full and complete specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of single-circuit automatics, so called, in which but one electric circuit is utilized for all the electrical functions of the apparatus, and is illustrated in Letters Patout to E. E. Bailey, of May1,1888,No. 382,249,

and in a pending application by myself filed June 13, 1889, Serial No. 314:,098, for improvements therein, and will be more clearly understood by reference to the drawings, (twice enlarged) in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of such a burner as my invention relates to. Fig. 2 is a side ele'xation, one arm of the magnet being absent. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the base, and a part of the gas-pillar, pawl-carrying 2 5 bar, and pawl, spring, and ratchet-wheel affixed to the gas-cock, all showing the relative position when the armature is down upon the magnet.

The object of my invention is to utilize in automatic electric gas-burners a ratchet wheel and continueusly-rotating gas plug or cook, in connection with a single electric circuit for both the operations of lighting and of extinguishing the gas.

3 5 In order to clearly explain the scope of my invention, Iwill first refer to earlier apparatus for automatic electric gas-burners, in which the force of electricity turns the gas-cock, vibrates the electrodes, and furnishes an elec- 0 tric spark.

In 1871 J. P. Tirrell patented (Nos. 121,301 and 121,302) apparatus, the latter form of which energized a magnet, whose armature at one movement opened the cock and caused the contact and separation of fixed electrodes; but these electrodes were not in circuit with that magnet, but were in another electric circuit, coming from another battery, whose current furnished the igniting-spark, The firstmentioned burner energized a magnet whose armature operated a pawl step by step against a ratchet-wheel connected with the gas-cock, thus gradually opening it, while the armature also operated the circuit-breaker, the lighting current being supplied from another circuit. For both, it will thus be seen, two circuits were necessary to turn on and light the gas, and a third circuit to turn it off.

In 1872 Tirrell patented (No. 130,770) an apparatus in which by the action of the cur 6o rent through one magnet the gas-cock and circuit-breaker were both operated and the igniting-spark supplied. Later, Tirrell, in No. 230,500, applied this idea of a single circuit for the three operations of turning the 6 cock, moving the circuit-breaker, and furnishing the spark to a burner in which one mo tion of the armature, as in No. 121,302, entirely opened the cock, using a second magnet and circuit to close the valve and in 1 0. 280,580 he modified the ratchet-wheel devices of No. 130,770.

In 1888, Bailey, No. 382,210), showed an apparatus utilizing only one circuit and one magnet, not only for these three lighting operations,but also for the extinguishing of the gas. IIis device for this consisted of mechanism by which he aflixes to the gas-cock a block having two recesses. The rod or bar carrying the movable electrode has a pawl adapted, upon the electrode being carried downward by the stroke of the armature, to gear with the recesses. hen the valve is shut and it is desired to light the gas, the current is admitted by the usual push-button 8 5 to the magnet, which attracts the armature, which depresses the rod, whose upper end carries the movable electrode, which is thus separated from the fixed electrode supplying the spark. Upon this rod is a pawl, which is at 0 the same time forced into the deeper recess of the block, moving it sidewise, thereby partially turning the gas-cock, so as to open it. The circuit being broken, the armature is withdrawn, carrying the electrode into 0011- 5 tact with the fixed electrode, but not lifting the pawl entirely out of the recess, so that upon the magnet being re-energized by the contact of the electrodes a repetition of the separation of the electrodes maybe continued so long as the push-button is depressed. When that pressure is relieved the armature will recede so far as to lift the pawl out of the recess, and when it is desired to extinguish the gas a touch upon the button-will energize the magnet, attract the armature, and so bring the pawl into the second recess, tilting the block back again and closing the cock.. I have improved this construction in my aforesaid application, Serial No. 314,098, of even date with this.

WVith this explanation of the state of the art my present invention will by the aid of the drawings be easily understood.

A is the lower and B the upper platform; 0, the'pillar, having preferably the lava tip D. To the collar Ei s-fixed in an insulated manner the electrode ff, connected by wire G to the magnet 11, which rests upon the platform A, and is connected by a wire (not shown) running .to a push-button, by which connection is made with the battery (not shown) in the ordinary manner. The movable .electrode .J has a platinum point normally incontact with f by force of the helical spring ILand is loosely socketed in the pawlcarrying bar g at L, so that not until near the end ofits downward movement does it move theelectrode J against the stress of-the-sprin g K out of contact with f, as hereinafter explained. The bar g is controlled by the armature M, which is riveted to the pillar at M by means of an angle-iron N, attached at N, into which, at 0, plays loosely apin P, affixed to or projecting from the armature. Toallow of some-play of the armature the bar g is recessed at g.

4 is a ratchet-wheel =rigidl y affixed to the stem 3,0f a gas-cock whose ways are in number in proportion to the teethof the ratchet, sothat the niotionof the ratchetone tooth willalternately admitand .shut off the gas.

This ratchet and cockare operatedby apawl' 1, pivoted to preferably the pawlrcarrying bar g on its inner side, so as to gear with the teeth of the ratchet.

Inconstructing the apparatus the proportions must be such that at one complete downward sweep of the armature the ratchet will be rotatedIone tooth and .the movable electrode, separated fromthe fixed. electrode, and so=thatbeforethe armature is withdrawn farenoughto lift the pawl free of thetooth the-twoelectrodes will again come into contact.

To insure the pawl 1 returning to a perpendicular position, a, fiat spring 2. isfastened to theside of the bar. g andv extends upward andprojects beyondg, so as tobe pressed by theheador upperpart of the pawl lwhen it is carriedgoutof a'perpendicular position by the ratchet-wheel, as shown in all a the figures- I find it'well'to allow the opposite stem of. the

valve to project at 5, and be held in place by a forked" spring 6; secured at '7, and passing over an adjustable fulcrum or screw at 8.

The operation of my invention will now be easily understood. Supposing the valve to be closed, the current will be admitted to the magnet II by the ordinary press-button and the armature attracted, thus forcing the pawl to turn the ratchet one tooth, opening the valve and also separating the electrodes. This ruptures the circuit and deenergizes the magnet, releasing the armature; but before the armature has receded far enough to lift the pawl 1 out of the tooth the electrodes have united and restored the circuit, causing the magnet to again attract the armature, and so again breaking the cir- 1 This make and break will continue so long as the press-button .is .depressed, and

cuit.

thus a shower of sparks sufiicient vto light the gas at the burner-tip will be caused. When the gas is lighted and the press-button released, the armature-wilhrecede sofar as to lift the pawl 1 out of the tooth, and the spring 2 will bring the pawl to a position-to engage with the following tooth ofthe ratchet.

WVhen it is desired to extinguish thegas, another depression of the button willenergi ze =the1nagnet,-attract the armature, force 'the pawl into the succeeding tooth, rotate the ratchet one tooth, and close the valve. ,If the teeth are made of alternate.depths,.the depression atthe turning-01f movementneed not besuflicient-to separate the electrodes or make a spark.

Having nowdescribed ,mysaid invention, I do notclaim the burner as an entirety, so

far as covered in theLetters Patent and ap 7 2, and ratchet wheel 4,-rigidly attached tothe gas-cock 3,.having teeth in proportion to its ways and adapted and arranged to permit a series of vibrations of the pawl without further revolution of the ratchet, substantially as described.

. 3. Ina gas=lightin g device, the combination 'of .a rotatinggas-cock whose spindle is at- ;tachedto a ratchet-wheel having the number of its teeth in proportion to the numberof gasways through the cock, so as to alternately t'urn'on andoff the gas, a pawl torotate' said. cook, a spark-producing device, and an 'electro-magnet and its armature to operate.-

said devices, the circuit of the electro-mag- In Witness whereof I have hereunto subnet being controlled by the movement of the scribed my name in the presence of two wit- [0 armature, and the teeth of said ratchet being nesses. of such depth in relation to the play of the H ,T T

5 pawl that the ordinary spark-producing vi- HIOMAS LAAE' brations will not permit said pawl to gear \Vitnesses: with the following tooth until the circuit is NATHANIEL U. VALKER, permanently opened. EDWARD P. PAYSON,

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