Improvements in Acetylene-lamps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1899-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1899
[Communicated from abroad by ELECTRO LAMP Co., a corporation organized and
existing under the laws of the State of West Virginia, and having its place
of business at 10, Broadway, Now
York, United
United States of America!]
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Improvements in Acetylene-lamps.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
purticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement : —
My invention relates to lamps, and more especially to bicycle lamps, in which
acetylene gas is burned.
My invention has for one of its objects to provide a direct and continuous supply
of water to the carbide.
Another of its objects is to provide a container for the carbide, so that any
amount of carbide within the capacity of the container may be used in the lamp.
I will describe a lamp and container embodying my invention, and then point
out the novel features thereof in a claim.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lamp embody-
ing my invention.
Figure 2 is the vertical section of the same, and showing a container for carbide
located therein which is also in vertical section.
Figure 3 is a detailed side elevation showing the manner of securing the
reflector to the body of the lamp.
Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the regulating valve.
Figure 5 is a detailed view of the valve seat.
Figure 6 is a detailed vertical section of the valve seat.
Figure 7 is a detailed vertical section of a container.
Similar letters of reference refer to corresponding parts in all of the figures.
A represents the lower part of the lamp casing which contains the carbide or
carbide container, and A¹ the water reservoir surmounting the part A. These two
parts of the casing may be formed in any desired manner and of any contour.
The lower part is provided with a detachable bottom a which is held to the
bottom A by means of a bayonet joint. A rubber backing a³ is interposed betweeen
the two parts to make a gas tight joint. Interposed between the parts A and A'
is a closure B forming a valve seat. It is provided with a screw threaded open-
ing b, a conical opening b¹ for the end of the valve, and a passage through
which water passes to the carbide. It is also provided with a pointed projecting
portion or nozzle 63 which as shown in Figure 2 projects into the carbide container.
This projection or nozzle is just to one side of the passage bs, and it is provided with
a passage 6 which forms a continuation of the passage b².
The advantage of this formation of the valve seat is that it forms a direct means
for conducting water to the carbide, thus obviating a gravity feed, which is objec-

page_text: tionable by reason of capillary attraction, that causes the water to spread over the
valve seat and thus prevent a constant feed to the carbide.
of
C represents a combined valve and filter. It comprises a perforated tube c, one
end of which is screw threaded for engagement with the screw threaded part
the valve seat. C¹ represents the needle valve which is adjusted in the conical
opening 61 to regulate the supply of water. The adjustment of the needle valve
is obtained by turning the tube o. The valve is held in the tube e by the cylindric
portion suitably secured in the tube.
The upper end of the tube c is provided with perforated funnel part c³, into which
the water is introduced from the reservoir. It has secured to it a milled wheel c',
by which the valve tube c is adjusted. represents a milled wheel or closing the
upper end of the tube c. It is provided with an opening for permitting the
escape of air from the reservoir A when it is being filled with water.
D represents a cloth or other filtering device surrounding a perforated tube c,
the purpose of which being to prevent any sand, dirt or sediment reaching the
opening and passage to clog them or to cause any wear occasioned by the
valve working in its seat.
E represents a reflector of the lamp which is detachably secured to a projecting
portion e carried by the part A of the lamp casing. The reflector is provided with
a screw threaded extension e¹ which passes through the projection e and is held
therein by a nut e³.
A gas passage e³ is provided in a projection e which communicates with the
interior of the part A, and it is closed by a tip e at its other end, which projects
through an opening in the reflector. e represents air openings provided in the
reflector at the point where it is attached to the casing. These openings, together
with the openings at the rim of the reflector prevent any smoky combustion.
Frepresents the container for carbide. Its body fis preferably cylindrical and
is provided with a removable top f and a removable bottom. The lower edge
of the body is preferably provided with a flange f³ against which the bottom
bears to make a better joint. f represents a perforated tube that is preferably
secured to or integral with the bottom, and which extends upwardly therefrom
within the body f. The water from the reservoir enters this tube and escapes
through the perforations therein to attack the carbide and thus generate gas.
A filtering or absorbing material f is preferably provided within this tube.
The top fis provided with a funnel portion fo, which, when the tube is in position,
extends into the tube f. The funnel is also so arranged as to have the projecting
portion of the valve seat extend into it.
represents a disc located within the body f and supported from the top fl
by means of a spring B. This spring is adapted to compensate for the swelling
of the carbide.
Discs of absorbent material are provided within the body on the top and
bottom of the carbide. The lower disc may be arranged as shown in the drawing.
The disc and absorbent discs fare each provided with a central opening through
which a perforated tube extends.
Perforations f10 are provided in the top fl through which the gas generated
within the container escapes into 'the chamber A.
fil represents a bead on the body of which, besides serving as a rest for the top,
serves also to indicate the greatest height that the container should be filled with
carbide.
The operation of the device is as follows:
-
The water is poured in at the top of the lamp to fill the reservoir, 'and, passing
through the filtered diaphragm, reaches the annular space between the valve stem
and the outer tube, the air in said space being expelled through the upper air
openings or vents.
The container containing the carbide is then placed inside the casing, as shown
in the drawing, and the bottom fastened in position. In that position the project-
ing portion of the valve seat extends into the funnel portion of the top of the con-

page_text: tainer. The valve stem is then turned to permit a downward flow'of water, and the
water, as it issues from the valve opening, follows a projecting portion and thus
flows continuously from the reservoir into the container.
After the carbide has been exhausted the container is removed and a new charge
of carbide easily inserted.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
any foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a lamp the combination of a casing, containing calcium carbide, a water
reservoir surmounting the same, a valve seat interposed between the two, said
valve seat having a passage extending-through it for the passage of water, a pro-
jection on said seat for conducting the water directly to the carbide, and a valve
for controlling the passage in said seat, substantially as shown and described.
2. In a lamp, the combination of a casing, containing calcium carbide, a water
reservoir surmounting the same, a valve seat interposed between the two, said
seat having a water passage extending through it, a projection and nozzle on said
seat, located to one side of said water passage, and provided with a passage forming
a continuation of said water passage, and a valve for controlling said water passage,
substantially as described.
3. In a lamp, the combination of a casing for containing calcium carbide, a
water reservoir surmounting the same, a closure interposed between them, and
having a passage for water formed therein, a valve for controlling said passage,
a perforated tube surrounding said valve, and a filtering medium surrounding said
tube, substantially as described.
4. In a lamp, the combination of a casing for containing calcium carbide, a
water reservoir surmounting the same, a closure interposed between them and
having a passage for water formed therein, a valve for controlling said passage, a
perforated tube enclosing said valve, a filtering medium surrounding said tube
and a perforated funnel carried by said tube substantially as described.
5. In a lamp the combination of a casing for containing carbide, a water reser-
voir surmounting the same, a valve seat having a water passage formed in and
interposed between said casing and reservoir, a drip extension on said seat, a valve
for closing said passage, and a filtering medium surrounding said valve substan-
tially as described.
6. A container for carbide, comprising a body, a removable top and bottom for
said body, a perforated tube carried by said bottom and extending within the body,
and a disc within said body yieldingly supported from said top, substantially as
described.
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