The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (November 1895)

The Optical Magic Lantern Journal and Photographic Enlarger. resource one often has to fumble in ones pockets for a match, and finds a ‘safety,’ and possibly no box whereon to strike it. What a ridiculous situation for an operator, and possibly the audience has been waiting during this time to watch some effect or other. Well, the time has come that every user of gas should not have the desire to use matches, and our dear old friends will eventually be laid aside for something more modern. The bye-pass and the electric lighter have had their day, and the idea that Iam about to disclose is without doubt the only one that can justly lay claim to the name of “selflighting.” The lighting as I have stated is not effected by electricity, or by a small jet of gas being left lighted at the side of the burner, or by any of the mechanical contrivances that have been before the public so long, but is caused by the action of the gas itself on the substance of | which the lighter is composed. When the tap is turned on in the ordinary way the gas lights. I will not confine myself to the lanternist’s point of view only, but to everyone who uses gas for whatever purpose, and in the same light I will speak of its use or adaption, not for lime-light jets alone, but for nearly every burner which consumes gas in the ordinary way, so when speaking of a burner it is in the broad sense, the principle and the method of application are sufficiently exemplified by the sketches. This novelty which is here introduced to my readers, is without doubt one of the most ingenious applications to a useful purpose of a well-known physico-chemical phenomenon that has lately come under our notice. Fo In Fig. I. and If. (a) represents the ordinary burners, at the side of which is the lighter attachment (B) consisting of a piece of brass tube +inch diameter, 2inch to1 inch in length; a hole is drilled in the side of this, inch from the top, the latter being slightly turned over. In the top of this tube there is a small plug in the shape of a round-headed cone, made of platinum black (c), which is moulded into proper shape after being placed in top of tube (Bs); through the centre of this cone run a fine pointed needle, leaving two small holes. Procure a small piece of fine pure platinum wire 1} inches in length, bend in half, and put 177 the two ends through the centre hole in cone. and make the ends come through the hole bored at side of tube at (p), Fig. II., and solder them so that they cannot slip out or back. Give a slight twist to the loop end of the wire with | fingers, which will strengthen it, and then bend over so that it comes to the centre of the burner nipple, with which it should run parallel, see Fig. III. Fig. IV. shows the lighter attached to an ordinary limelight blow-through jet, where it is fixed so as to be out of the way when the oxygen is streaming through the blow-pipe, and in Fig. V. it will be seen that the platinum wire is bent round so that its doubled end comes just to one side of the coal-gas outlet, so that when the gas is turned on, the vapour rises and comes in contact with the wire, it glows, and it is best placed in this manner so as to be out of the great heat during the use of the jet. Fig. VI. shows the lighter applied to a mixed jet, and the position of wire is there shown at Fig. VII., so as just to catch the gas when the hydrogen tap alone is turned on. At first one may not just hit upon the accurate place for wire to finish at, but that is easily found by a little practice; and when it is determined do not let anyone meddle with it, The above is & most important addition to a lime-jet in every way, especially in a theatrical lime-box, a8 one is always independent of matches, etc., and should your pipe at any time get trodden on, and the light goes out, it is instantly on again as soon as the pressure is taken off the pipe. This is briefly the whole arrangement, and by carefully looking at illustrations one will soon understand the method. All that is now required to light the burner is to turn on the gas, which has the effect of making or causing the porous plug to glow. This happens in less than six seconds, and the draught of air coming through the small tube instantly helps to raise the temperature of the small platinum wire toa point at which the escaping gas is ignited. So