Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators and in Carbide Cartridges for use therewith.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 26th May, 1899
Complete Specification Lett, 23rd Feb., 1900-Accepted, 28th Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators and in Carbide Cartridges
for use therewith.
We, LOUIS AMÉDÉE FALLOT, of 8, Rue Fallet, Courbevoie, Manufacturer, and
EUGENE DELAUNAY, of 53, Avenue Montaigne, Paris, Surgeon, both in the Re-
public of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
Our invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of acetylene
gas generators for portable and other lamps, and also in the preparation of
calcium carbide to be used in the said generators.
In order to regulate the action of the water on the calcium carbide by making
the said action slower, we reduce the carbide into a homogeneous powder, which
after being worked up with a proper quantity of ozokerite, forms a sort of paste
easy to mould into cartridges and which possesses remarkable properties.
The cartridges thus prepared and provided each with a cover of blotting-paper
are used for the production of acetylene gas in fixed or portable generators con-
structed with a view to such use.
In a cartridge thus prepared, the particles of carbide are covered with a thin
layer of ozokerite, a substance on which water has no action and which, on that
account, prevents the carbide from being too rapidly attacked by the water.
There would be no attack were all the grains of carbide to be covered with a suffi-
ciently thick layer of ozokerite; but, on account of there being certain points
of contact at the surface of the cartridge, where the carbide is uncovered despite
the working up of the mass during the preparation, the reaction can commence
and the swelling and heat which ensue facilitate the attack of the adjacent
particles and the reaction continues from one to another.
It will be understood that the greater the proportion of ozokerite the slower
will be the attack, and also that the more the mass has been rendered homogeneous
by the operations of pulverization, mixture, and kneading, the more regular will
be the attack.
The use of carbide thus mixed with ozokerite, in the form of sticks or cartridges,
offers the further advantage of being able to charge the lamps with ease, rapidity,
and cleanliness.
The consistence of the said cartridges must be such as to prevent the disin-

page_text: tegration of the particles of carbide under the effect of shocks and jarring, and
the proportion of ozokerite may be varied for that purpose according to the use
to be made of the cartridge.
The said generators may either form a part of the consuming apparatus or be
separate from the same and they comprise essentially a vessel for the water, a
second vessel located underneath the former and serving as a passage either for
the water or for the gas as the case may be, and a third vessel placed inside the
first-named vessel and intended to receive the carbide cartridge; the said third
vessel is provided with an outlet tube for the gas, the said tube having a cock,
while the first-named vessel communicates with the atmosphere. The water
finds its level in the first and third vessels through the intermediate or second
vessel by virtue of the principle of vessels which communicate, and by reason of
the difference of pressures on the free surfaces of the water.
In an acetylene lamp for bicycles the third vessel is placed in the interior of
the first and concentrically to the same; the second vessel is located below the
two other vessels; it communicates with the first or outer vessel containing the
water, by means of a tube extending to near the bottom of each of the said
vessels.
The tube may be provided with a cock and a second means of communication,
consisting of a simple hole, is provided in the wall which separates the second
and third vessels. From the upper part of the third vessel, intended to receive
the carbide cartridge, leads a tube to convey the gas. The said tube extends to
a burner and is provided with a cock. The carbide cartridge is placed within a
split-tube closed at the top by means of a hollow stopper or lid which very closely
fits the opening of the third vessel.
A reflector is fixed on the lamp and carries in front a lens to converge the rays
of light emanating from the burner. The said reflector is fixed by means of a
lise also forming a reflector which is fixed to a screw and which presses the first
reflector against a socket, soldered to the casing of the lamp, and in which engages
the said screw by means of this arrangement, the weight of the reflector is not
at all thrown on the burner. The said burner is provided at its lower end with
a cock by means of which the condensed water carried forward by the gas can be
run off from time to time.
The first vessel is filled by pouring the water through an upper inlet usually
provided with a stopper having a small hole for the purpose of making the pressure
at the inside the same as that at the outside.
The lamp being charged and the burner being opened, the water passes from
the first vessel into the second through the pipe, then rises, through the inlet into
the third vessel, were it comes into contact with the carbide cartridge. The acety-
lene gas, produced by the decomposition of the carbide, is given off through the
tube which leads to the burner. The difference between the level of the water in
the first vessel and the level of the water in the third vessel corresponds to the loss
of pressure caused by the flow of the gas through the said tube, the burner and
the cock on such tube; by closing the latter more or less completely, a greater
or less increase of pressure is obtained in the interior of the third vessel and the
water is forced back, through the second into the first vessel, the evolution of
the gas being decreased at the same time.
If the cock is completely closed the water completely leaves the third vessel
and partially the second vessel in case the gas should continue to be given off for
a few moments, the latter vessel would become quite empty and the surplus gas
would escape through the pipe leading from the first to the second vessel then
through the water and the hole in the stopper.
The cock with which the said pipe may or may not be provided, allows of slow-
ing down or stopping, at will, the passage of the water between the first and third
vessels.
In order to facilitate the cleaning of the tube which holds the carbide when the
latter has been spent, the said tube is slit at one side and thus tends to open or

page_text: spring out of itself; the lower part is held closed by means of a fixed ring, but
the upper part, which takes into the hollow part of the stopper, springs out when
the said stopper is taken out, and thus allows of the residue being easily removed
from the said tube.
On the other hand, for the purpose of reducing the extent of surface on which
the water can act each time a fresh cartridge is put in, the base of the said tube
is preferably made tapering.
The application of our invention to railway lighting, offers the great advantage
of enabling the plant now existing to be made use of. The lamp, intended for
the interior lighting of cars, comprises, as does the bicycle lamp, a vessel for the
water and a lower vessel serving as a passage for the water and the gas, but it
also comprises several other vessels for the carbide, instead of a single vessel as
in the former case.
The said carbide vessels are in communication with each
other, at their upper part, by means of tubes one of which is provided with a branch
pipe opening into a chamber provided at the bottom of the vessel, on a part of
the circumference of the latter, and which is closed by a horizontal partition.
An outlet tube for the gas leads from the said chamber to the burner arranged
under the lamp. The bottom and the outer wall of the carbide vessel are formed
by the former or old oil-lamp, the bottom of which constitutes the reflector.
The outer casing and the glass-globe of the oil-lamp are also maintained and made
use of without modifying them in any way.
The burner is provided with a glass chimney placed above the same, and also
with a wire-chimney passing through the centre of the first vessel which is made
of tubular shape to allow of such passage.
This form of our lamp also comprises a tube, having a cock, to connect the
first and second vessels together, holes at the bottom of each third or carbide vessel,
tubes for the cartridges, with their hollow stoppers provided with bails, a filling-
stopper having a passage for the air, and, lastly, a discharge cock provided in a pipe
leading from the bottom of the hereinbefore described chamber to carry off the
condensed water carried forward by the gas.
Our house-lamp, like the forms of lamp hereinbefore described, consists of a
first and second vessel for the water, a third vessel for the calcium carbide, a con-
necting tube with its cock, a hole at the bottom of the carbide vessel, a filling-
stopper, a split-tube to receive the carbide cartridge, and a burner with its cock.
The said burner is located directly above the lid or hollow-stopper into which
takes the split tube and which closes the upper opening of the carbide vessel.
The general arrangement of the fixed generator is the same as that of the forms
of lamp above described except that in this form of our lamp, and by reason of
the greater gas pressure which is produced, the carbide vessel is closed by means
of a special cover or stopper provided with an air-tight padding and a tightening
screw.
The operation of all these forms of lamps is the same as that described with
reference to the bicycle lamp. They possess the common advantage of not being
liable to freeze when in use on account of the carbide of calcium tube being
located in the interior of the water vessel; the charging with the cartridges is
easily and cleanly effected as is also the case with the removal of the residues;
the acetylene gas is given off with great regularity, even when starting the lamp:
finally the lamps are of small compass and very handy the three vessels of which
they are composed being contained in a common casing whereby loss of space is
prevented.

page_text: Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators and in Carbide Cartridges
for use therewith.
We, LOUIS AMÉDÉE FALLOT, of S, Rue Fallet, Courbevoie, Manufacturer, and
EUGENE DELAUNAY, of 53, Avenue Montaigne, Paris, Surgeon, both in the Re-
public of France, 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:-
-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of acetylene
gas generators for portable and other lamps, and also in the preparation of calcium
carbide to be used in the said generators.
In order to regulate the action of the water on the calcium carbide by making
the said action slower, and also to better ensure the preservation of this product
we reduce the carbide into a homogeneous powder, which after being worked up
with a proper quantity of ozokerite, forms a sort of paste easy to mould into
cartridges and which possesses remarkable properties.
The cartridges thus prepared and provided each with a cover of blotting-
paper are used for the production of acetylene gas in fixed or portable generators
constructed with a view to such use, and forming a part of the consuming apparatus
or separate from the same.
We have shown in the accompanying drawings several types of lamps having
generators, and also a fixed generator of acetylene gas made on the same principle
of construction.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a bicycle lamp:
Figure 2 shows in vertical section the arrangement of a lamp for lighting
the interior of a car:
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x-x of Figure 4.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on the line y y of Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents a vertical section of a house lamp.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of part of another house lamp; and
Figure 7 is a vertical section on the axial line of a fixed generator.
"
The generator comprises essentially a vessel a for the water, a lower vessel b
serving as a passage sometimes for the water and sometimes for the gas and a
vessel e placed inside the first-named vessel and intended to receive the carbide
cartridge the latter vessel is connected to a gas outlet tube provided with a cock,
while the first-named vessel communicates with the atmosphere. The water
finds its level in the vessels and through the medium of the vessel by virtue
of the principle of vessels in communication and by reason of the difference of
the pressures on the free surfaces of the liquid.
The carbide cartridges are prepared in the following manner: the calcium
carbide is pulverized to a suitable degree of fineness, and the powder thus obtained
is worked up until it becomes perfectly homogeneous. In this condition the
carbide is mixed with a quantity of melted ozokerite which may vary from 100
to 200 grammes to each kilogramme of carbide (for manufacturing slow dissolving
carbide cartridges we use 150 to 200 gr. of ozokerite and for quick dissolving
cartridges 100 to 125 gr. per kilogramme of carbide) care being taken to heat
the carbide previously in order to expel all trace of moisture and prevent
instantaneous solidification at the time of mixing. The mass obtained is stirred
so as to render it homogeneous and, before becoming cool, it is moulded into
cylindrical sticks of the dimensions required for their particular use. The said
sticks or cartridges are each provided with a cover of blotting-paper, cloth, or
any other suitable material pervious to water.

page_text: In a cartridge thus prepared, the particles of carbide are covered with a thin
layer of ozokerite, a substance on which water has no action and which, on that
account, prevents the carbide from being too rapidly attacked by the water.
There would be no attack were all the grains of carbide to be covered with a
sufficiently thick layer of ozokerite; but, on account of there being certain points
of contact at the surface of the cartridge, where the carbide is uncovered despite
the working up of the mass during the preparation the reaction can commence
and the swelling and heat which ensue facilitate the attack of the adjacent
particles and the reaction continues from one to another.
It will be understood that the greater the proportion of ozokerite the slower
will be the attack, and also that the more the mass has been rendered homogeneous
by the operations of pulverization, mixture, and kneading, the more regular will
be the attack.
The use of carbide thus mixed with ozokerite, in the form of sticks or cartridges,
offers the further advantage of being able to charge the lamps with ease, rapidity,
and cleanliness.
The consistence of the said cartridges must be such as to prevent the disin-
tegration of the particles of carbide under the effect of shocks and jarring, and
the proportion of ozokerite may be varied for that purpose so as to give the cart-
ridge a consistence suitable to its use.
The general arrangement of the generators, in which the cartridges of carbide
agglomerated with ozokerite are to be used, has already been explained: and to
make it fully understood we will describe four forms of it fitted up to serve
various purposes.
The acetylene lamp for bicycles shown in Figure 1 comprises three vessels a, b, c,
the latter, c. of which is placed in the interior of the first named vessel a and con-
centrically to the same: the vessel is located below the two other vessels; it
communicates with the outer vessel a, containing the water, by means of a tube d
extending to near the bottom of each of the said vessels. The tube d may be
provided with a cock d', as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.
A second means of communication, consisting of a simple hole ce is provided in
the wall which separates the vessels b and c.
From the upper part of the vessel e, intended to receive the carbide cartridge,
leads a tube f, to convey the gas.
This tube extends to a burner g and is provided with a cock h.
The carbide cartridge is placed within a split tube 7 closed at the top by
means of a hollow stopper or lid which fits very closely in the opening of the
vessel c.
A reflector m is fixed on the lamp and carries in front a lens m¹ to converge the
rays of light emanating from the burner g. The said reflector is fixed by means
of a disc ms, forming a reflector which is fixed to a screw m³ and which presses
the reflector m against a socket m' soldered to the casing a of the lamp, and in
which engages the screw m³ by means of this arrangement, the weight of the
reflector is not at all thrown on the burner.
The burner is provided at its lower end with a small discharge cock g¹ by
means of which the water of condensation carried forward by the gas can be run
off from time to time.
The vessel a is filled by pouring water through an upper inlet usually provided
with a stopper n having a small hole n¹ for the purpose of making the pressure
at the inside the same as that at the outside.
The lamp being charged and the burner being opened, the water passes from the
vessel a into the lower vessel through the pipe d. then rises through the inlet e
info the vessel c. where it comes into contact with the carbide cartridge. The
acetylene gas, produced by the decomposition of the carbide, is given off through
the tube f and feeds the burner q. The difference between the level of the water
in the vessel a and the level of the water in the vessel corresponds to the loss of
pressure caused by the flow of the gas through the tube f. the burner and the

page_text: cock h; by closing the latter more or less completely, a greater or less increase
of pressure is obtained in the interior of the vessel c, and the water is forced
back through the vessel b into the outer vessel a, so that the giving off of the gas
is decreased at the same time.
If the cock his completely closed, the water completely leaves the vessel c and
partially leaves the vessel b; in case the gas should continue to be given off for
a few moments, the latter vessel would become quite empty and the surplus
gas would escape through the tube d. then through the water and the hole in
the stopper n.
The cock d', with which the tube d may or may not be provided, allows of slow-
ing down or stopping, at will, the passage of the water between the vessels a
and c.
In order to facilitate the cleaning of the tube when the carbide it. contains
has been spent, the said tube is slit at one side and forms a spring so that it tends
by itself to open out; the lower part is kept closed by means of a fixed ring,
but the upper part, which takes into the hollow part of the stopper k, opens when
the said stopper is taken out, and thus allows of the lime residue being easily
removed.
On the other hand, for the purpose of reducing the extent of surface on which
the water may act at the commencement of each operation upon a fresh cartridge
the base of the tube is preferably made tapering; but we can, if required, make
the said tube of cylindrical shape through its entire length, as shown in Figure 2.
The lamp shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 illustrates the application of our inven-
tion to railway lighting and offers the great advantage of enabling the plant now
existing to be made use of.
The said lamp, intended for the interior lighting of cars, comprises, as does the
bicycle lamp, a vessel a for the water and a lower vessel b serving as a passage
for the water and the surplus gas, but it comprises several vessels c for the carbide,
instead of a single vessel. The said vessels c are in communication with each
other, at their upper part, by means of tubes f¹, one of which is provided with a
branch pipe opening into a chamber f³, provided at the bottom of the vessel,
on a part of the circumference, and which is closed by a horizontal partition f*.
An outlet tube f for the gas leads from the said chamber to the burner g, arranged
under the lamp. The bottom and the outer wall of the vessel bare formed by
the former or old oil lamp-body, the bottom of which constitutes the reflector.
The outer casing and the glass-globe 7 of the old lamp are also retained without
modification.
The burner g is surmounted by a glass chimney r and also by a metal
chimney, passing through the centre of the vessel, which for this purpose
is made of annular shape.
This lamp also comprises a tube d, having a cock to connect the vessels a
and 6 together, holes e at the bottom of each vessel c, tubes 7 for the cartridges i,
with their hollow stoppers provided with bails kl, a filling-stopper having a
passage for the air, and, lastly a cocks provided in a pipes, leading from the
bottom of the chamber f³, to discharge the water of condensation carried forward
by the gas.
The third modification shown in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings is a
house-lamp. Like the forms of lamp hereinbefore described, it consists of a
vessel a for the water, a lower vessel b, a vessel e for the calcium carbide, a con-
necting tube d with its cock d', a hole e at the bottom of the vessel c, a filling-
stopper n, a split tube / to receive the cartridge, and a burner g with its cock h.
The said burner is located directly above the lid or hollow-stopper k, in which the
tube fits and which closes the upper opening of the vessel c.
Figure 6 illustrates a modification in which the intermediate vessel is reduced
to small dimensions and is placed at the side, and against the lower part, of the
carbide vessel c: the aperture which forms communication between the two
vassel is made at the base through the all which divides them.

page_text: The aperture 2 through which the water from the vessel a enters the vessel b
can be closed to the required extent by means of a regulating screw d³ which is
operated from the outside of the lamp.
The general arrangement of the fixed generator shown in Figure 7 is the same
as that of the forms of lamp above described; the letters of reference are the
same, a being the water vessel, e the carbide vessel, the intermediate vessel,
dande the connecting pipe and orifice, f the outlet-pipe for the gas, n the filling
plug or stopper, the cartridge tube with its lid having a bail . However,
in this apparatus by reason of the greater pressure of the gas produced, the vessel c
is closed by means of a special cover or stopper t provided with a gas-tight pack-
ing and a pressure screw f'.
The operation of all these apparatuses is the same as that described with reference
to the bicycle lamp. They possess the common advantage of not being liable to
freeze when in use, on account of the carbide of calciumi vessel being located in
the interior of the water vessel; the charging with the cartridges is easily and
cleanly effected, that being also the case with the removal of the residues; the
acetylene gas is given off with great regularity, even when starting the lamp;
finally, these apparatuses are not cumbersome, the three vessels of which they
are composed being contained in a common casing without useless space.
We wish it to be understood that we can modify the forms and dimensions of
these apparatuses according to the various purposes for which they may be re-
quired, while at the same time maintaining the principle of construction which
is common to the four modifications hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. An acetylene gas generator adapted for the employment of agglomerated
carbide in the form of cartridges, chiefly comprising a water vessel in communi-
cation with the atmosphere, one or more carbide vessels placed within the water
vessel and an intermediate vessel communicating with the water vessel and with
the bottom of the carbide vessel or vessels, in combination with one or more split
cartridge carrying tubes which are introduced into the carbide vessel or vessels,
the whole operating on the principle of vessels in communication and by reason
of the difference of the pressures borne by the free surfaces of the water, sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. The use in an acetylene gas generator of the kind referred to in Claim 1,
of carbide cartridges agglomerated with ozokerite and prepared by pulverizing
the carbide, working up the powder and mixing and stirring with ozokerite in a
heated state, moulding the resulting paste into the form of cartridges and covering
the said cartridges with a pervious casing such as blotting paper, substantially
as set forth.
3. In an acetylene gas generator of the kind referred to in Claim 1, a cartridge
carrying tube split in the direction of its length and forming a spring, in com-
bination with a movable cover which fits over its upper end, and with a fixed
bottom provided with a small aperture, the tube tending to open itself and as-
sume a conical shape when the said cover is removed for the purpose of facilitating
the egress of the residues from the spent carbide, substantially as set forth.
4. A lamp for velocipedes, or acetylene gas generator, of the kind referred to
in (laim 1 comprising an outer vessel for containing water and an inner vessel
for the carbide, an intermediate vessel placed beneath the two former vessels, a
tube with a cock establishing communication between the water vessel and the
intermediate vessel, an aperture establishing communication between the inter-
mediate vessel and the carbide vessel, a split cartridge carrying tube, the cover
of which serves at the same time to close the carbide vessel, in combination with
a burner and a reflector, substantially as herein before described with reference
to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.

page_text: 5. A lamp or acetylene gas generator for illuminating the interior of railway
cars constructed according to Claim 1 and in which several carbide vessels are
arranged within the water vessel in combination with an intermediate vessel
partly constituted by the reflector which surmounts the burner, substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying
drawing.
6. A house lamp or acetylene gas generator constructed according to Claim 1
and in which a burner is fixed directly over the cover of the carbide carrying tube
which cover serves at the same time to close the carbide vessel, substantially as
herein before described with reference to Figure 5 of the accompanying drawing.
7. A house lamp or acetylene gas generator constructed according to Claim 1
and in which the intermediate vessel is placed against the lower part of the car-
bide vessel, an adjusting screw allowing of regulating the admission of water
through an aperture made in the upper part of the said intermediate vessel,
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 6 of the accom-
panying drawing.
8. A fixed acetylene gas generator constructed according to Claim 1 and in
which the carbide vessel is closed by a tightly packed cover and pressure screw,
substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to Figure 7 of the accom-
panying drawing.
D1091 s W. 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.