GB1300202A - Liquid fuel ignition apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1300202 Liquid fuel ignition apparatus MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO Ltd 24 May 1971 [27 May 1970 (4) 29 May 1970 (7) 1 June 1970 15 June 1970 (2) 16 June 1970 (2)] 16674/71 Headings F4F and F4T In a liquid fuel ignition apparatus comprising a reservoir 101, containing liquid fuel, means are provided for producing bubbles of liquid fuel and discharge electrode means 117, 118 are disposed in close proximity to the bubbling portion of the liquid fuel, a high voltage generator 112 (e.g. a piezo-electric generator) being provided for applying a high voltage across the discharge electrode means to ignite the bubbles of liquid fuel emanating from the apparatus. The bubble producing means comprises a tubular member 103 having a reduced at a lower end portion 104 which is submerged in the liquid fuel 102 contained in the fuel reservoir 101, a porous filter 105 fitted to the upper end opening of the tubular member 103, a wick 106 accommodated in the tubular member and an air supply pipe 107 connected to the tubular member for supplying air under pressure to the porous filter 105. The means for supplying air under pressure consists of a single stroke air pump consisting of a cylinder 108 and a piston 109 reciprocally driven by means of an actuating shaft 113 and connecting levers 114, 116 and 111. In operation, rotation of the actuating shaft 113 in the direction of (a) causes movement of the piston 109 in a direction of the arrow (b). A valve member 110 provided in the piston 109 is urged to its closed position and air within the cylinder 108 is forced into the tubular member 103 through the air supply pipe 107. Air is then supplied to the porous filter 105 and a multiplicity of tiny bubbles of liquid fuel filled with air are produced on the upper surface of the porous member 105. Further rotation of the actuating shaft 113 through a predetermined angle in the direction of the arrow (a) causes the piezo-electric generator 112 to be actuated and cause a high voltage spark to be produced across the discharge electrodes 117 and 118 to ignite the bubbles of liquid fuel formed on the upper surface of the porous member 105. Alternative arrangements of the air supply pipes and tubular member 103 are disclosed in the Specification, for example, instead of a restricted end portion 104 of the tubular member 103 being provided a tubular member having a closed base immersed at its lower end portion in liquid fuel and a tubular extension extends laterally from a portion adjacent the lower end of the tubular member in which is provided a valve member to control the flow of liquid fuel through the tubular member. In a further embodiment (Fig. 8, not shown) one of the discharge electrodes is mounted directly on the upper end of the tubular member and a wire gauze tap may be mounted at the upper end of the tubular member. In yet a further embodiment (Figs. 10 and 11, not shown) actuation of the single stroke air pump causes a shutter which is normally closed to be opened to permit the bubbles to leave the tubular member and be ignited by the spark generating means. A final embodiment (Fig. 12, not shown) incorporates another tubular member disposed parallel with the first tubular member accommodating therein a wick which is immersed at its lower end portion in the liquid fuel, the wick acting as the main or auxiliary or pilot wick of a kerosene stove. The porous filter used in each of the embodiments may be formed of sintered porous glass, sintered porous metal, glass fibres, asbestos fibres or the like.