Automatic Burners.
There are several forms of these burners, but the principle of all is the same. A gas burner protrudes from the top of a brass case which encloses the actuating mechanism. This mechanism consists of two electromagnets, the armature of one opening a valve and allowing the gas to flow, at the same time vibrating a platinum-tipped rod, which produces a series of sparks at the burner tip. These sparks ignite the gas, and a second magnet is provided to shut off the flow of gas, thus extinguishing the light. Some devices use one electromagnet for both lighting or extinguishing, but the majority are with double magnets. The circuit is worked from a push button situated at any desired location, and having a white and black button, one for lighting and the other for extinguishing. The principal automatic burners are the Holtzer, the Boston, and the Bartholdi, between which there lies little choice, so admirably are they constructed.