Popular Science Monthly 



141 



An Electrically Operated Device 

 for Lighting Gas 



A SIMPLE and reliable gas-lighting 

 device is shown in the accompany- 

 ing illustration. The gas is ignited by 

 means of an electric spark, produced 

 between the two parts A and B of an 

 electric circuit. The circuit is composed 

 of a source of energy, such as a number 

 of dry cells, a kick-coil, the connecting 

 leads, and a special switch, for the open- 

 ing and closing of the electrical circuit. 



The circuit is normally open, but as 

 the lever, controlling the gas valve, is 

 moved or turned from one position to 

 the other, by pulling the chains, the 

 lever C is actuated through a certain 

 arc. Now, as this lever C moves, its 

 upper end passes the projecting point B, 

 which is attached to the upper portion 

 of the burner, and the electric circuit 

 is completed and broken. Just as the 

 point A leaves contact with the point B, 

 an arc is produced. This electric arc is 

 greatly intensified by the electric kick- 

 coil. The two points A and B should 

 be made of platinum, since any other 

 metal will not withstand the extremely 

 high temperature of the arc produced. 



Pieces of platinum may be obtained 

 from an old incandescent lamp. The 

 contact piece B is mounted on the brass 

 collar D, by means of a small screw E. 

 The collar D is held in place by the 

 screw F, which draws the two ends 

 firmly together. This collar must be 

 insulated from the fixture or stem by 

 some thin sheets of mica, to prevent a 

 short-circuit. The upper piece of plati- 

 num B, should extend just high enough 

 to reach the lower edge of the gas flame. 

 Now mount an arm C on the valve 

 stem so that it stands in a vertical 

 position when the lever to which the 

 chains are attached is in a horizontal 

 position. Bend this arm into the 

 form shown in the figure, and cut its 

 upper end off so that it is about J/2 in. 

 below the outwardly projecting end of 

 the piece of platinum B. Drill a small 

 hole in the upper end of C and, after 

 inserting a piece of platinum, apply 

 some solder. Then the complete burner 

 and the valve arc mounted on the gas 

 fixture, and from the collar D an insula- 

 ted wire is carried to the point where 

 the battery and the electric kick-coil 



/> CRA5HIN0 SPARK Ofl 

 A/)C 15 fORMCD IN THIS 

 OAP, I6NITING THB 

 OUTFLOMINQ 6/15 



By slowly pulling the left-hand chain, the 

 gas can be electrically lighted 



are located. The gas fixture itself 

 forms one side of the circuit, and there- 

 fore one terminal of the battery should 

 be connected to the gaspipe, as depicted. 



An electric kick-coil, like the one 

 here used, may be purchased in any 

 electrical establishment, or one may be 

 made by cutting up some iron wire or 

 stove wire and fastening the lengths in 

 a snug bundle, gluing and covering this 

 pack of wire with good stiff writing 

 paper. Then six layers of cotton-covered 

 No. 1 8 gage wire are wound neatly and 

 evenly on top, and of course, each and 

 every layer is insulated from the preced- 

 ing one by sev-eral thicknesses of paper. 



At least four dry cells will be required 

 if satisfactory results are desired. Bear 

 in mind that the gas must be escaping 

 from the burner when the arc is formed. 



