US1928500A - Automatic lighter for gas ranges - Google Patents

Description

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Henry W. ODowd, Jersey City, N. 3., assignor to. StandardGas Equipment Corporation, a corporation of Maryland .Application July 6, 1929. SerialNo. 376,476

18 Claims. (cl. 158 -115) The foregoing and other objects, features, and

This invention relates to igniting devices for gas ranges, and refers particularly to automatic lighting means whereby'ignition of the heating burners will be eifected automatically upon supplying gas thereto. v

Most of the commercially available gas ranges have been equipped with pilot lights of the flash type, which, by depression of a button, projects flame jets to the several heating burners to ignite the same when gas is supplied to them. It frequently happens, however, that a gas cock controlling fiow of gas tonne of the burners is accidentally opened, and that the burner is not lighted because the pilot light is not flashed. Under such conditions, the gas will escape unburned,

endangering life and property. Furthermore, it

sometimes happens that a heating burner will he accidentally extinguished, as by a vessel boiling over, without being noticed, giving rise to the same hazard as above mentioned.

These objectionable features of the prior art are overcome by the present invention, which has forone of its principal objects, the provision of a simple, economically produced equipment which may be applied to any standard gas range, whereby escaping gas will be immediatelylighted at theburner. While, in this sense, theinvention is valuable because of the safety which it promotes, it is further desirable because it facilitates the use of the range, as will hereinafter appear.

More specifically, the invention contemplates the use of a plurality of tubular members which are loosely supported by the heating burners of the gas range, and which are adapted to receive gasfrom the respective burners and to conduct it to a substantially central opening. Disposed below this central opening, is a constantly burning, unenclosed pilot light which serves to ignite any gas coming through said tubular members,

and the flame so produced in atube is carried back to the burner from which the gas issues, resulting in the automatic lighting of burner.

In addition to lighting the top burners of a range, the apparatus is adapted similarly to ignite an oven burner by means of another tube which is preferably formed separately from those for. the top burners.

The gas conducting tubes are slightly inclined upwardly toward the central ignition opening in order to render the device more rapid in operation, and they are readily removable independently of the pilot light to facilitate cleaning, inspection, or repair.

end of the oven tube;

said

advantages will be'readily understood from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein several illustrative embodiments of the invention have been shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view, partlyin section, of a gas range equipped with an automatic lighter in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view'of the gas collecting and conducting tubes per se;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, through the pilot light per se;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view thereof; 4

Fig. '7 is a detail perspective view of the inner Fig. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 9 is a similar view of stillv another modification;

Fig. 10 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 101ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on line l111 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12' is a fragmentary top plan view of another form of the invention;

Fig. 13 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 13l3 of Fig. 12;

Hg; 14 is a horizontal sectional view on line li-ll of Fig. 13; I 4

- Fig. 15 is a detail perspective view of the cen-. tral cage or partitioning member of Figs. 12, 13, and 14;

Fig. 16is a top plan view of still another form of the invention;

Fig. 17 is a sectional perspective view substantially on line 17-47 of Fig.16, with the oven lighting tube omitted; and

Fig. 18 is a vertical transverse sectional view on line 18.18 of Fig. 16.

The invention has been shown as applied to a gas range of the cabinet type which has an open top 1 and an oven 2 disposed side by side. The open top 1 is provided with a plurality of symmetrically arranged heatingburners 3, l, 5, and 6, to which gas is supplied in the usual manner from a manifold 7 under the control of manually operable cocks 8. These top burners 3, i, 5, and 6 have been shown as of the star type, which,

as their name implies, comprise radial portions 12 9, the upper surfaces of which are formed with series of flame ports 10. The oven 2 is'provided with a burner 11, of substantially rectangular outline, which is also supplied with gas from the manifold '7. One side of the oven burner 11 is formed with a tubular lighting extension 12 which extends to a suitable opening in the side wall 13 of the oven, whereby the oven burner may be lighted from the outside, without necessitating the opening of the oven door 14.

Extending between and supported by the open top burners .3, 4, 5, and 6 is a gas collecting and flame conducting unit 16, best shown in. detail in Fig. 2. This unit comprises a plurality of radially related, open-ended tubular portions 1'7, 18, 19, and 20, which are connected together adjacent their inner ends by integral webs 21. The inner ends of the tubular portions are slightly spaced from each other to provide a central space or opening 22, wherein ignition will take place. The outer ends of the tubular portions are flared and bifurcated to provide eachwith a pair of fingers 23, adapted to engage opposite sides of one of the-radial portions 9 of the corresponding top burner. These fingers 23 are tapered slightly up- Ward to correspond with the form of the engaged burner portions, and by virtue of this. arrangement it will be evident that the unit 16 ,will be accurately located and well supported by the burners without the need of any fastening elements.

As shown in Fig. 3, the end walls of the burner portions 9, to which the tubular members are connected, are each provided with orifices 24 through which gas is directed into the corresponding tubes. Preferably, the tubular members 17 to 20 are inclined upwardly from their outer ends toward their inner ends, so that the gas, which is lighter than air, will pass rapidly from the orifices 24 to the central opening 22.

A constantly burning pilot light 26, arranged below the central opening 22, serves to ignite any unburned gas which reaches said opening. This pilot light is entirely separate from the unit 16, being secured to the inner end of a gas supply tube 27, which runs rearwardly from the manifold '7, and is unenclosed at all times. A small supply of gas is maintained in the tube 27-, such supply being capable of regulation through the medium of a needle valve or set.

screw 28. Any specific form of burner may be used in the pilot light, that shown in the drawings (see Figs. 5 and 6) comprising a small tube 29 screwed to the end of the tube 2'7, and a cuplike tip 30 mounted in the upper end of said mixing tube. The gas from the tube 2'7 will pass upwardly through the restricted throat .31 and into the cup-like tip, the bottom of which is provided with a plurality of apertures 32 through which air is supplied to support combustion. The gas and air readily mix and burn with a flame which extends above the tip 30 to the lower portion of the central opening 22, and the base of said flame is amply protected'by the cylindrical skirt portion 33 of said tip 30. Experience I has shown that when the base of the flame is protected as in this case, there is very little likelihood of accidental extinguishment from draughts of air. As a result, the pilot light needs no complete enclosure as has been customary in the past, and this not only gives better combustion and avoids danger of extinguishment of the pilot flame, but it leaves the light visible at all times.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that when any one of the gas cocks 8 is turned to its on position, gas will flow to and through the corresponding burner 13, 4, 5, or 6, as the case may be. The gas which escapes through the orifice 24 will be collected by the corresponding tubular member 17, 18, 19, or 20 and will flow inwardly and upwardly to the central opening 22. Upon reaching the central opening 22, the gas will come in contact with the open flame of the pilot light 26, and will be ignited immediately, and the resultant flame will flash back or be conductedthrough the tube to the main burner from which the gas is escaping. This back-flash will light the gas issuing from the orifice 24 as well as from the flame ports 10. Similarly, if a lighted burner should be accidentally extinguished by any cause, it will be instantly relighted from the pilot light 26.

In order to provide for the automatic lighting of the oven burner 11, a separate tube 35 is employed as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. One end of the tube 35 is flared and bifurcated to provide fingers 36, like the fingers 23, which detachably engage the extremity of the oven burner lighting extension 12 in the oven wall 13. The other end of the tube 35 is adapted to rest in a depression or socket 3'7 in.the web 21 between, the tubes 18 and 19. This same end of the tube 35 carries a substantially circular plate 38 which extends over and is spaced slightly above the central opening 22 in the lighting unit 16, for the purpose of shielding the pilot light from dripping vessels on top of the range. Also a pair of laterally extending fins 39 and 40 are secured to the tube 35 to rest upon the adjacent tubes 18 and 19 to prevent rotation of the tube 35. These fins 39 and 40 may conveniently be formed} integral with the circular plate .38 and may be welded to the tube 35.

As gas is supplied'to the oven burner 11, some of it will pass through an orifice 41 in the end wall of the lighting extension 12, and thence upwardly through the tube 35 to the opening 22, where it will be ignited by contact with the flame of the pilot light. A resultant flame will flash back through the tube 35 to light the oven burner 11.

In some cases, the oven lighting tube 35 might not be desired. If so it can easily be dispensed with by virtue of the fact that it is entirely separate from the unit 16. The plate 38 may then be replaced by another which may be clipped to one of the tubes of the unit 16, or otherwise supported in any suitable manner. While said plate acts as a shield for the top of the pilot light, it allows ample ventilation for the escape of products of combustion.

A simmering burner 45, of usual form, is shown in the drawings as being arranged close to the center of the lighting unit 16. This simmering burner may easily be ignited automatically by virtue of its proximity to the open space between the inner ends of the tubular members 17 and 20. a

'In the above described embodiment of the gas collecting and flame conducting unit 16, the tubular portions 17, 18, 19, and 20, and the webs 21 are integrally formed as a casting. In this respect, the invention is susceptible of modification as shown, for example, in Fig. 8. Here the unit 46 is composed of separate tubular members4'7, 48, 49, and 50 whose inner endsv are mounted in socket portions 51 of a central connector 52. The inner ends of said tubular members may be held in said socket portions 51 by a forced fit, or they may be screwed in or brazed, as desired.

Another modification is shown-in Figs. 9 to '11 inclusive, where tubular members 57, 58, 59, and are integrally cast with a short, substantially 57, 58, 59, and 60. One end of the body 61 is formed with a curved shelf 65 for supporting the end of the oven lighting tube 35, while the other end oisaid body 61 has a semi-circular wall 66 above which gas from the simmering burner 45 willbe ignited.

In Figs. 12 to 15, inclusive, another modification is illustrated, wherein the gas conducting tubes 67, 68, 69, and 70 meet in a hollow central body 71, the upper and lower walls of which are formed with substantially square openings 72, for the reception of a removable cage 78. r This cage 73 comprises a top disc 74, which is larger than the openings 72, having a plurality of fins or baflles 75 and 76 extending downwardly. The

top disc 74 may be provided with a plurality of notches 82 which extend radially inward beyond the side edges of the upper opening 72.

Still another, and probably the most preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 16 to 18 inclusive. In this form, the lighting tubes 87, 88, 89 and 90 are not radially related as in the other embodiments, but instead, they are arranged in pairs, thetubes of each pair defining an obtuse angle between them. For example, the tubes 87 and 88 diverge from each other in a'forward direction and are connected together by a rearwardly extending deflector 91, at opposite .sides of which the inner ends of the tubes are open. Similarly, the tubes 89 and 90 diverge in a rearward direction and areconnected together by a forwardly extending deflector 92 between their open inner ends. These deflectors 91 and 92 are spaced slightly from each other,

and in use they are disposed above the constantly burning pilot light. Connecting webs or ribs 93 and 94 serve to unite the tubes 87 and 88 with the tubes 90 and 89 respectively, and are preferably curved as shown whereby to form supports for the inner end of the oven lighting tube 35.. The

outer ends of the divergent lighting tubes are bent as at 95, 96, 97, and 98 in such a manner as ice to extend in a fore-and-aft direction, and are,

provided with fingers or the like which engage the rearwardly extending portions 9 .of the front burners- 3 and 4, and the forwardly extending baflles 75 and 76'inte1sect each other at rig fl sportions 9 or the rear burners 5 and 6. In other angles as best shown in Figs. 14 and 15, making a cruciform partition for the interior of the central body 71, and they are so proportioned that their longitudinal edges fit into the comers of the square openings 72 whereby to be definitely located and held against rotation. Thus direct communication between the tubes 67 to 70 inclusive is cut off. i

The bailie 75 is, considerably longer than the baiile 76, extending a substantial distance below the bottom of the body 71, andisprovided in its lower end with a slot or opening 77, the material at the opposite sides of which is tied together by a small horizontal plate 78 having a central opening 79. The end of a pilot light 80 is adapted to be received in said opening 79, as shown in Fig. 18, and thus the pilot light burns below the central intersecting portions of the bafiles 75 and 76. The heat of the flame reaches into the four compartments into which the central body 71 is divided by the baffles, and as gas from any one of the tubes 67, '68, 69, or 70 enters the corresponding compartment, it will immediately bev ignited. By reason of the fact that the several tubes are cut off from direct communication with each other, the flame of the ignited gas will be carried back" to the burner from which the gas is issuing, more rapidly than wouldbe the case if disc 74 of the cage slightly above the body 71.

This arrangement provides space through which the products of combustion may escape. To further facilitate the escape of burned gases, the

words, the bent-ends of the tubes are all parallel with each other, an arrangement which is particularly desirableinasmuch as it allows for slight variations in the lengths of the-burner tubes. Furthermore, this arrangement allows the burner 3, which is larger than the burners 4, 5, and 6, to be placed either at the front of the range as shown, orv at the back in place of the burner 5.

With the latter disposition of the burners, the

, A cover plate 99 is disposed over the center of the lighting tube unit to shield the pilot light iromdripping pans on top of the range, said cover plate having formed at its opposite ends de- I pending ribs 100 which have their 'corners notched as at 101 (Fig. 17) to seat upon the respective tubes 87, 88, 89, and 90. Intermediate their ends these ribs 100 have notches 102 which, in opposition to the curved webs93, 94, serve to clamp the oven lighting tube 35 in position. The cover plate 99 is held in place by a screw-193, the lower threaded end of which enters a tapped hole in oradjacent to the inner end of the tube 89.

The several illustrated and described forms of the invention operate in the same way, and are alike in their method of mounting. The tubular members are loosely suppo on the burners without requiring any specialfastening means, and are entirely independent of the pilot light mounting. Hence, removal of the parts for cleaning, etc., can be very easily accomplished. Furthermore, the construction of the parts is so simple as to lend itself to economy in production,

and durability in service.

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of further modifications in the details of construction and arrangement of parts, and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as wall within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a gas range, the combination with a plurality of heating burners, of automatic lighting means comprising integrally formed inflexible tubular gas conductors loosely supported by said burners, with their ends adapted to collect gas from side portions thereof without interfering with the heating efliciency of the burners and to conduct the collected gas to an intermediate ignition opening, said tubular gas conductors being slightly inclined upwardly from the burners to said ignition opening, and a constantly burning unenclosed pilot light disposed below said ignition opening and mounted independently of said gas conductors.

2. In a gas range having a series of heating burners,automatic lighting means comprising a constantly burning unenclosed pilot light disposed between the heating burners and supplied with gas independently thereof, a plurality of inflexible tubular gas conductors connected together as a unit with their inner ends communicating with a. central opening above the pilot light, and with their outer ends provided with fingers for loosely resting upon the respective burners, said gas conductors being slightly inclined upwardly from their outer ends to said central opening, and the heating burners having ports for directing gas laterally into the respective conduits, and a detachable plate spaced slightly above said central opening to protect the pilot light from being extinguished by dripping vessels on the range.

3. In agas range having an oven bm'ner and a series of symmetrically disposed top burners outside the oven, automatic lighting means comprising a constantly burning pilot light, a plurality of tubular gas conductors loosely supported by said top burners with their ends adaptedto collect gas therefrom and to conduct it to a substantially central opening over said pilot light, an additional gas conducting tube extending from said central opening to the oven burner, said additional gas conducting tube being loosely supported at oneend by the first-named gas conductors, and means carried by said additional gas conducting tube to shield the pilot light.

4. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends in spaced apart relation to provide a central opening, webs for connecting the tubular portions together, one of the webs having a depression for loosely supporting an oven burner lighting tube, and means on the outer ends of said tubular portions for detachably engaging the burners of a range to support the flame conducting unit.

5. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and integrally formed with their innerends in spaced apart relation to provide an unenclosed central opening, and means on the outer ends of said tubular portions for loosely and detachably engaging side portions of the burners of a range to support the unit, the tubular portions being slightly inclined upwardly from their outer ends to said central opening, said unit being further characterized by connecting webs between the tubular portions adjacent to their inner ends, one

of said webs having a depression to provide support for an oven burner lighting tube.

6. In a gas range having a series of top burners and an oven burner, automatic lighting means comprising a gas collecting and flame conducting unit formed of a plurality of openanded tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and integrally formed with their inner ends in spaced apart relation to provide a substantially central opening, fingers on the outer ends of saidtubular portions for detachably engaging the top burners of the range, a constantly burning, unenclosed pilot light independently supported'below said central opening, a' gas conducting tube extending from said central opening to an extension of said oven burner, and a plate carried by said tube for overlying the central opening to protect the pilot light from being extinguished by dripping vessels on top of the range.

'7. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a pair of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other, said tubular portions having their outer ends adapted for connection with different burners of the range, and having their inner ends adjacent to and substantially facing each other, and a gas deflecting wall disposed between said facing inner ends, to prevent direct communication between said open ended tubular portions on the line of their axes.

8. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a pair of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other, said tubular portions having their outer ends substantially parallel with each'other and adapted to engage with and to rest upon-different burners of the range.

9. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in spaced apart relation to provide a central opening, and the outer ends of the tubular portions being substantially parallel with each other and adapted for detachably engaging the burners of the range.

10. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in spaced apart relation to provide a central opening, and the outer ends of the tubular portions being substantially parallel with each other and adapted for detachably engaging the burners of the range, and substantially vertical deflecting means disposed in said central opening to prevent direct communication between the facing inner ends of the tubular portions. 11. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and integrally formed with their inner ends substantially facing each other in pairs in a central opening, deflecting walls arranged between the ends of the facing pairs to prevent direct communication between them, the outer ends of the tubular portions being bent and adapted for detachably engaging the burners of the range to support the unit, and a detachable cover plate overlying the central opening.

12. In a gas range, the combination with a plurality of heating burners, of automatic lighting means comprising a constantly burning pilot light supplied with gas independently of the heating burners, and a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in a central opening over the pilot light, the outer ends of the tubular portions being substantially parallel with each other and provided with fingers for detachably engaging the heating burners, deflecting means Within said central opening and between the facing inner ends of the tubular portions, and a cover plate overlying said central opening.

13. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in spaced apart relation at a central opening, said tubular portions being further characterized by the fact that they are bent intermediate their ends, and their outer ends being substantially parallel with each other and adapted for detachably engaging the burners of the range.

14. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in spaced apart relation at a central opening, the outerends of said tubular portions being flared to enlarged diameters to facilitate collection of gas, and said outer ends being substantially parallel with each other and adapted for detachably engaging the burners of the range.

15. In an automatic lighter for gas ranges, a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open-ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in spaced apart relations at a central opening, the outer ends of said tubular portions being flared to enlarged diameters to facilitate collection of gas, and a removable cage member disposed in said central opening, said cage member having deflecting wall portions to prevent direct communication between the facing inner ends of the tubular portions, and a cover plate overlying the central opening.

16. In a gas range, the combination with a plurality of heating burners, of automatic lighting means comprising a constantly burning pilot light supplied with gas independently of the heating burners, and a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in a central opening over the pilot light, deflecting means arranged within said central opening and extending entirely across the facing inner ends of the tubular portions to prevent direct communication between them, and a cover plate overlying said central opening.

17. In a gas range, the combination with a plurality of heating burners, of automatic lighting means comprising a constantly burning pilot light supplied with gas independently of the heating burners, and a gas collecting and flame conducting unit comprising a plurality of open ended tubular portions angularly disposed with reference to each other and having their inner ends substantially facing each other in a central opening over the pilot light, and a removable cage member disposed in said central opening, said cage member comprising substantially vertical deflecting wall portions to prevent direct communication between the facing inner ends ofthe tubular portions, and an overlying cover plate so arranged as to shield the pilot light yet permitting escape of products of combustion from beneath it.

18. In combination with an automatic lighter unit having a plurality of tubular arms diverging from a central opening, a removable combustion cage disposed in said central opening, and comprising vertical wall portions to prevent direct HENRY W. ODOWD.

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