Improvements in the Treatment of Calcium Carbide.
Year: 1897

page_text: KONAD DIUIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment of Calcium Carbide.
I, FRANCESCO BOSCA, of 6, Via Garibaldi, Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy, Busi-
ness Agent, at present residing at No. 14, Alfred Place, London, W.C., do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Calcium carbide, the manufacture of which has developed commercially and has
acquired great importance upon the discovery and utilisation of the properties of
acetylene gas for lighting and other purposes, has hitherto been supplied for use
in the state and condition in which it is withdrawn from the electric furnaces in
which it is manufactured, that is to say without any subsequent preparatory
operation.
In this state, the great susceptibility for combining with water with which it is
endued, causes it to absorb very readily and rapidly all surrounding moisture,
whether that of the atmosphere, or of the places or stores in which it is carried or
deposited. This is the case even if it does not come into actual contact with the
water or other liquids.
The fact that such is the case is a great disadvantage, because, first of all, its
capacity for the production of acetylene is sensibly diminished, even when it is only
slightly attacked by the moisture of the atmosphere, in consequence of the slow but
continuous production of gas which results therefrom; secondly because this
development of acetylene gas exposes the stores of calcium carbide to great risk
of ignition and of explosion, which thereby become very dangerous both to life and
property, more especially if the gas accumulates in closed warehouses or those
having but few openings.
But, apart from this, the property which it possesses of rapidly absorbing the
water with which it is placed in contact for the purpose of producing acetylene gas
upon a commercial scale, is also, of itself, a far greater disadvantage owing to the
fact that the production of the gas is almost instantaneous, and very large in quan-
tity and that consequently it is only with great difficulty that such production can
be regulated so as to correspond to the consumption, and that a regular supply can
be obtained.
Owing to this, even the latest and most improved apparatus, and those forms
best suited to automatic regulation which have been recently invented do not give
sufficiently satisfactory results, on account of the enormous and extremely sudden
displacement of the air contained in them, and also the very rapid variation of the
temperature, whereby accidents are easily occasioned.
The object of this invention is to effectually remove all these disadvantages, by
the treatment of calcium carbide, after it is extracted from the electric furnaces
in which it is manufactured, in such a manner as to render the absorption of water
by the calcium carbide slower and more regular, whilst at the same time none of
its, capacity for production of, or its richness in, acetylene is removed, but, on the
contrary, these properties are rendered capable of more complete utilisation at the
moment when they are required.

page_text: These objects are effected by causing the calcium carbide, when it leaves the
furnace and after cooling, to absorb, by immersion, sprinkling or by any other
appropriate means, any fatty or oily substance which is impermeable to water, such
for example as lubricating oils, varnish, pure or diluted tar, or the like, but
preferably oils used for lubricating machinery. In these latter it is only necessary
that the calcium carbide should be immersed for a very short time (from two to
four minutes) its constitution, which is almost spongy, permitting it to absorb
the liquid with great rapidity. The carbide thus treated is then dried in a suitable
manner, when it is ready for sale without undergoing any further treatment, pos-
sessing all its own peculiar properties, and, in addition, that of having become
and of remaining, completely unalterable for a very long time in contact with
atmospheric influences even under unfavourable conditions, also of yielding but
slowly to the attack of water when being commercially employed. By this means
its force and its richness in acetylene are maintained intact, and at the same time
the simplification of the apparatus in which it is to be utilised is attainable, whilst
rendering it far more economical.
Dach day of T1807
00h
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Treatment of Calcium-Carbide.
FRANCESCO BOSCA, of 6, Via Garibaldi, Turin, in the Kingdom of Italy, Business
Agent, at present residing at No. 14, Alfred Place, London, W.C., do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Calcium carbide the manufacture of which has developed commercially and has
acquired great importance upon the discovery and utilisation of the properties of
acetylene gas for lighting and other purposes, has hitherto been supplied for use in
the state and condition in which it is withdrawn from the electric furnaces in which
it is manufactured, that is to say, without any subsequent preparatory operation.
In this state the great susceptibility for combining with water with which it is
indued, causes it to absorb very readily and rapidly all surrounding moisture,
whether that of the atmosphere, or of the places or stores in which it is carried or
deposited. This is the case even if it does not come into usual contact with the
water or other liquids.
The fact that such is the case is a great disatvantage, because, first of all, its
capacity for the production of acetylene is sensibly diminished even when it is
only slightly attacked by the moisture of the atmosphere, in consequence of the
slow but continuous production of gas which results therefrom; Secondly because
this development of acetylene gas exposes the stores of calcium carbide to great
risk of ignition and of explosion, which thereby becomes very dangerous both in
life and property, more especially if the gas accumulates in closed warehouses or
those having but few openings.
But, apart from this, the property which it possesses of rapidly absorbing the
water, with which it is placed in contact for the purpose of producing acetylene
gas upon a commercial scale, is also of itself, a far greater disadvantage, owing to
the fact that the production of the gas is almost instantaneous and very large in
quantity and' that consequently, it is only with great difficulty that such production
can be regulated so as to correspond to the consumption, and that a regular supply
can be obtained.
I

page_text: Owing to this, even the latest and most improved apparatus, and those forms
best suited to automatic regulation, which have been recently invented do not give
sufficiently satisfactory results on account of the enormous and extremely sudden
displacement of the air contained in them, and also the very rapid variation of the
temperature, whereby accidents are easily occasioned.
The object of this invention, is to effectually remove all these disadvantages,
by the treatment of Calcium carbide, after it is extracted from the electric furnaces
in which it is manufactured, in such a manner as to render the absorption of water
by the calcium carbide, slower and more regular, whilst at the same time none of
its capacity for production of, or its richness in acetylene is removed, but on the
contrary these properties are rendered capable of more complete utilisation at the
moment when they are required.
These objects are effected by causing the calcium carbide, when it leaves the
furnace, and after cooling to absorb, by immersion, sprinkling or by any other
appropriate means, any fatty or oily substance which is impermeable to,water,
such for example as lubricating oils, varnish, pure or diluted tar, or the like,
but preferably oils used for lubricating machinery. In these latter it is only neces-
sary that the calcium carbide should be immersed for a very short time (from two
to four minutes) its constitution, which is almost spongey, permitting it to absorb
the liquid with great rapidity. The carbide thus threated is then dried in a suitable
manner, when it is ready for sale without undergoing any further treatment,
possessing all its own peculiar properties and in addition that of having become
and of remaining completely unalterable for a very long time in contact with
atmospheric influences, even under favourable conditions, also of yielding but slowly
to the attack of water, when being commercially employed. By this means, its
force and its richness in acetylene are maintained intact and at the same time the
simplification of the apparatus in which it is to be utilised is attainable, whilst
rendering it far more economical.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare, that what
I claim, is-
--
1st. The improvements in the manufacture of carbide of calcium, consisting
in, a) the combination and the mixture with the carbide as it is manufactured
by any of the means known, that is to say at its withdrawl from the electric furnaces
in which it is manufactured and after its cooling of all fatty or oily substance
and impermeable to water but preferably oils used for lubricating machinery.
The above said combination and mixture to be made with whatever adapted
means (but preferably by a short immersion of the carbide in the substance to be
added to it); b) The subsequent drying of the carbide of calcium thus treated ;-
with the double object to render it unalterable in contact with atmospheric
influences, that is to say, to get it to conserve nearly indefinitely its power and
richness of acetylene and to develop it slowly and regularly, when being commer-
cially employed.
2d. As a new industrial produce, the carbide of calcium more or less impregnated
or covered with fatty substances by the combination and mixture claimed as above
at No. 1st.
All as substantially shown and described, with the object specified.