US393525A

US393525A - Automatic gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US393525A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-11-27
Anticipated expiration: 1905-11-27

Description

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

N. H. SHAW. AUTOMATIC GAS LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS. No. 393,525. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

I A I I, 1 JIIHII I (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

N. H. SHAW.

AUTOMATIC GAS LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHING' APPARATUS. No. 893,525. A Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL H. SHAW', OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN AUTOMATIC GAS LIGHTING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

AUTOMATIC GAS LIGHTING AND EXTlNGUlSHlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent. No. 393,525, dated November 27. 1888.

Serial No. 261,641. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL H. SHAW, of Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gas Lighting and Extinguishing Apparatus, of which the following, taken in connection with the accoi'npanying drawings, is a specifi' cation.

The object of this invention is to provide for street lamps and the like automatic gas lighting and extinguishing apparatus operated on each individual lamp by a local battery mounted upon or directly connected with the lamp-post, in distinction from a system of connected lights operated mechanically by an attendant at a distant station through conductingwires uniting. the entire series. Besides the battery, burner, and supporting lamp post I employ a clock mechanism adapted to turn on and shut off the gas at the proper time and to actuate the electrodes to produce the gaslighting spark at the .same moment. I furnish a closed case to contain the battery clock-work and other mechanism, and may supply it with a visible dial and hands to constitute it a public time-piece illuminated by the burner. The electrode actuated by the clock-work is represented as rotary in its movement, coinciding with that of the gascock. The rotary electrode is prefer ably two-pronged, so as to give two distinct sparks.

The several features of my present invention are hereinafter fully set forth, and especially referred to in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a front view of the apparatus applied to an ordinary gas-lamp post, the door of the case being shown open and partly broken away. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 shows in perspective the burner, electrodes, and operating devices.

The case A, inclosing the apparatus, is secured upon the lamp-post B by clamps O or other suitable fastenings, the parts being so shaped as to fit the post at a point near the gasburner, where the apparatus is less liable to be tampered with and the dial (if used) is more conspicuous. By preference I use clamps of U form, the threaded extremities entering through the back of the case and engaging with nuts therein. The case has a close-fitting door, D, made dust and storm proof to protect the mechanism. a substantial lock, the key of which is held by the weekly attendant.

The case A contains an eight-day clock mechanism, E, of usual construction, and

It is furnished with above it, at F, a mechanism in general like the alarm apparatus of alarm clocksthat is, one remaining dormant until a specified time, then actuated for a moment by a coiled spring and gearing, and again becoming dormant.

In my device this apparatus is actuated twice 6 each dayat dusk to turn on the gas and light it by a spark generated by revolving the electrode, and at dawn to shut off the gas and bring the electrode again into operative position.

I have not thought it necessary to explain in detail the arrangement of this spring and gearing, as I make no present claim to this part of the mechanism shown, but propose to use any suitable combination of parts for this 7 5 the burner, is provided with a bulb and rotary cock, H, the stem I of which is coupled to or driven by one of the gears of the train F. This train has an intermittent motion received from its spring, and it serves to give a partial rotation to said stem sufficient merely to open the gas-cock at the instant when the regulator has released the train F, and the motion is suspended before the cock has turned far enough to shut off the gas. r

The stem I of the gas-cock has a bevel-gear, 5

J, meshing with a pinion, K, at the foot of a revolving electrode, L, which is properly insulated and mounted in bearing-arms M, fixed to the gas-pipe P. The upper end of the electrode L is offset at asuitable angle, so thatits extremity describes a small circle as it revolves. This offset part is preferably forked ICC about as shown. Adjoining this revolving electrode is a non-rotary one, N, insulated and supported upon the same arms, M, and terminating at the top in a spring-coil and finger, O,with which the two prongs of the electrode L successively engage to make and break the electrical circuit twice, and thus to produce two electric sparks at a point immediately above the burner and at the instant when the gas has been permitted to flow therefrom. The two prongs and double action of the eleetrode L are for greater security in lighting in case the first spark should be premature.

The bevel-gear J has twice as many teeth as the pinion K, which meshes with it, so that when the stem I and gear J make a quarter- .rcvolution, turning on or shutting off the gas, the electrode L makes half a revolution; and hence as the gascock opens with each of its own halfrevolutions the electrode has at each opening of the cock made a complete rotation and come into position to produce the spark by breaking connection with the springclcctrode N.

Q, is a movable clutch or coupling, which serves to connect or disconnect at will the stem I from the shaft of the gear-wheel in the train F,which drives it. 3y thissimple means the gas operating devices can be disconnected during a series of moonlight nights, if desired, without disturbing the clock mechanism.

R represents two cells of the local battery, and S a wire coil with its soft-iron core, the battery and coil being located in separate eompartments within the case A and properly connected electrically with each other and the electrodes L N by the wires T U V. By this apparatus, supplied to each individual lamp, an electric spark is produced whenever contact of the electrodes L and N is made and broken. This occurs, as stated, whenever the cock H is given half a rotation and the electrode L a complete one. Such rotation is effected automatically, as explained, by the appropriate mechanism F, actuated like the clock by a coiled spring, wound once a week by an attendant. I

X represents a portion of the dial, and Y the hands with which the clock may be furnished, while the door has a glass panel, Z, in order to make the apparatus useful as a timepiece. The face being so near the burner will be illuminated therefrom, or a reflector may be suitably placed to throw abundant light upon it.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination, with a gas burning lamp, of a-local battery therefor and a time mechanism for turning the gas on and off and for lighting the same, substantially as set forth.

2. A gas-burning lamp and a time mechanism for automatically turning on the gas at a predetermined moment, in combination with a local battery and movable electrodes for producing an electric spark when the gas is turned on, for the purpose set forth.

3. A gas'burning lamp having its gas-cock actuated by a time mechanism, in combination with a similarly-actuated rotary electrode, and anon-rotary clcctrodeserving to make and break electrical connection above the burner when the gas is turned on, and with a local battery for generating an electric current, for the purpose set forth.

at. A gas-burning lamp having a rotary gascock with a gear-wheel on its axis, in combination with a rotary electrode provided with a pinion meshing with said gear-wheel, a nonrotary electrode, and a local battery mounted on the standard of said lamp, for the purpose set forth.

A hollow lamp-post having within it a gas-pipe wit-h a terminal burner and furnished with a cock and with a time mechanism, in combination with a battery mounted on said post and with a rotary electrode and a nonrotary yielding electrode arranged to make and break electrical connection at a point immediately above the burner, for the purpose set forth.

(5. The combination of the gas-pipe, burner, and rotary cock, with the electric battery and the rotary and non rotary electrodes, and with a time mechanism, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a gas-pipe, burner, and automatica]ly-actuated gas cock, with the electrode N, and the two pronged electrode L, and an electrical battery, substantially as set forth.

8. The case A, formed with a close-fitting door and with one or more partitions dividing its interior into separate chambers, in combination with a train of time mechanism and with a battery and spark-coil occupying said chambers, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of a clock mechanism, a gas-cock-operating mechanism, and a battery and electricspark apparatus operated by said clock mechanism, all contained in a case adapted to be secured upon the post of the lamp to be lighted, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of the clock mechanism E, and the train of gearing F, within the case A, with the rotating gas-cock and electrode, and with asuitable coupling, Q, for connecting or disconnecting said parts, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 17th day of January, A. D. 1888.

NATHANIEL II. .SHAVV.

\Vitnesses:

A. H. SPENCER, FRANK T. BENNER.