US71005A - higgins - Google Patents

Description

. 2 Sheets-Sheet]I 1. M. HIGGINS.

Hectric Gas- Lighter. No. 71,005. f Patented Nov.v 19, 18.67.

2 Sheets-,Sheet 2. J. M. HIGGINS.

h Electric Gas- Lighter. x No. 71,005. Patented Nov. 19, 1867.

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JOHN M.- HIGGINS, (WLB. OULEEETSON, ADMINISTRATOR or ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI. l

Letters Patent No. 71,005, cZatetZ November 19, 1867.'

IMEEOVEMENT IN LIGHTING GAS vEr ELECTRICITY.

T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: A y

Beit knownv thatiI, T0-HN M. HIGGINS, of St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis, and the State of Missouri, have made a new and useful improved Apparatus for Turning On and Oil, and Lighting and Extinguishing-Gas by Electricity; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specidation, in which similar letters indicate corresponding parts. Y

Figure 1 is a top view. v

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line a fig. 1.

Figure' is a transverse vertical section on the line e oZ, iig. 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section on the line of, fig. 1.

The improvements consist in the arrangement'oi the switch-circuit, by which the currentpis diverted from the main circuit to the lighting apparatus; the operation of the switch-circuit by the revolution of the gascock, which is operated byrtheclock-work, released by the main circuit connection; the escapement and detaining devices, which release the clock-work, and re-arrcst its motion. In the drawings- A is the gas pipe, and B the burner. The gas-cock C has an opening through it in one direction, as usual, the illustration, g. 3, showing the position with the gas turned oli'. Upon the axis of the gas-cock is attached the spur-wheel D, so that a complete revolution of the wheel brings the cock twice into its open and twice into its closed positions. The wheel D is revolved by means of the spring E, or a weight, and the intermediate clocl work gearings, F G H,'which are journalled in bearings of the cheek-plate Il. On the axis of the pinionwheel G is a larger spur-wheel, I, which gears into a pinion on the shaft of the regulator-wheel K. The latter answers two purposes in my apparatus: In' the irst place, by the offering resistance of the air, it affords a means of regulating the speed ot' the wheel D, asis common in musical boxes and the striking apparatus of some clocks; and in the second place, it is the means of arresting the motion, as the hook L is dropped upon it. The spring E is wound upon its arbor by means of a key on the square end of the arbor, and the ratchet M and detent-pawl N. The escapement device is worked by means of the vibrating armature 0. As soon as the electric connection is made by the operator, the soft iron P becomes a magnet, and attracts the armature O, which vibrates on its axis, and, by means of the vcatch on the dependent rod-o, lifts the hinged rod L, and per= mits the wheel K to revolve, and the clock-work to turn the spur-wheel D. The rod L works on a hinge at Z, and has two catches, ZZ', and -a spring, Zf, which holds it down. When the rod is lifted, catch Z disengages' the fan K, and the machine runs untilthe catch Z falls into one of the four notches upon the periphery of the wheel Q, which causes the catch Z to arrest the motion of the fan K, and the train of gearing which impels it; The face of the wheel Q is furnishedwith four small cams, g q, situated a little in the rear of the notches p, (as the wheel runs.) These are for the purpose of laterally withdrawing the spring-catch on the rod 0 from the rod L, so as to allow it to fall freely into the next notch in the wheel Q which is presented to it. The spring R keeps the armature o raised from the core P when the electric inueuce ceases. As the wheel D is revolved, the cam-rods d on its 'rearpress upon the non-conducting portion s of-the switch S, so as to vibrate the latter on its axis, s', and bring the knobs s s in contact with the pins T, which pass through the block V of non= conducting material, and are connected to wires w w', on the rear of said block V.

The cam-rods rl are two in number at the rear of the wheel D, and their oce is to move the switch S, and

bring the platinum plate 5 over the orifice of the burner, to ignite the issuing gas. the switch vibrating back again under the influence oi`- the spring t as soon as the cams i pass the block s..

A revolution of the wheel turns on the gas twice, and turns'it oit` twice. When turning it on, the switch is brought into play, but in turning it oil` no switch is required, as the rotation of the gas-'cock stops the supply of gas. Two quarters of the wheel are therefore provided with the cam-rods d, and the other quarters are not so furnished. 'When the switch s is in. the position shown in iig. 3, the electric connection is made on the line as indicated by the letters X X X, passing around the core P, thence to the metal piu V, the lower end s4 of the switch, the liinging portion s of the latter, and through the plug Y, the electric connection in this case, by releasing the fan K and the gearing, permitting the spring E to rotate the gas-cock. When the camrod d presses upon the block s, and vibretesthe switch S, the electric connection between the pin V and the tail s* of the switch is broken, but the current passes by the wire w to the pin T, through the block V to the knob s, on one arm of the switch up which it passes, follows and heats the platinum, passes down the other arm of the switch by the knobs to the pin T', and by the wire 'w' to pin Y, where it reaches its old track.

rlhe apparatus described is intended to be attached to one or more burners in a given locality, and connected by wire with the battery, the return circuit beingmade by the gas pipe or through the ground. A large number of the burners at different localities-.street-lamps, for instance-may be separately connected to a given central station, from whore they may be consecutively operated by the force of a single battery, the appropriate key being touched by the operator. Y t

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

' 1. The switch'S, vibratedby the rotation of the wheelvon the gas-cock, substantially 'as described.

2. The combination of the Wheel D with cams'cl d and the vibrating switch S, as described. 3. The arrangement of the clock-gearing, the fan K, the wheel D, the escapement L ll', and the notched wheel Q, substantially as described.

4. The armature O, spring-catch o, and escapement L ll', arranged substantially as described. 5. The arrangement of the spring E and gearing, the fan K, cam-faced wheel D, armature O, escapement and switch S, substantially as described and represented.

` JNO. M. HIGGINS.

Witnesses:

WM. M. EccLns, CHARLES H. OHAPIN.

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