Improvements in and relating to Acetylene Lamps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left 1st June 1899-Accepted. 14th Sept.. 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Acetylene Lamps.
GEORGE MARSHALL, Mechanic, 152, Byron Road, Small Heath, Birmingham,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention consists in the new kind of acetylene lamps and the new
method of providing the gas within such lamps as hereinafter described.
In carrying out my invention in relation to the construction of a cycle lamp
I form the outside lamp-shell or container by preference of a round transverse
section such lamp-shell being constructed from a short piece of metal tube the
upper end of which is closed by means of a suitable cap, the lower end being
left open for a purpose hereinafter described.
From any suitable part of the front of the container is carried a gas conduit
leading into a conical shaped bonnet or flame reflector or into any other suitably
shaped flame reflector.
To the back part of the container is connected any suitable hinged frame and
socket by means of which my improved lamps can be secured to a cycle.
Having described the shell the reflector and the hanging socket frame I will
now describe the parts that are put into the lamp-shell as a means of providing
the gas.
provide a carbide of calcium cartridge formed by making a cylindrical case
from card-board or other suitable material such cylindrical case is lined with
any suitable absorbent material such as blotting paper.
I next provide a wick made from absorbent material such as blotting-paper
cotton-wick or any other suitable material.
Suitable top and bottom caps are secured to the cartridge case the lower cap
is pierced with a central wick-hole; the wick is placed in the centre of the
cartridge case and surrounded with packed carbide of calcium the wick extending
to a suitable length below or beyond the end of cartridge to admit of the wick
being placed in the water-vessel the cartridge so constructed is a complete port-
able cartridge, the cartridge cases may be perforated with small holes like a flour-
dredger to facilitate the ready escape of the gas from the cartridge.
I next provide a cylindrical can or water-vessel closed at the bottom and also
closed at the top excepting that a wick-hole is provided in the top cover.
Near the lower end of lamp-shell or container I connect one, two or more
spring-clips so constructed as to project over the lower end of lamp-shell.
To charge the lamp-shell or container I fill the water-vessel with water and
then place a cartridge on the upper end of water-vessel, passing the hanging ends
of cartridge wick through the wick-hole in water-vessel, I then introduce the
upper end of cartridge into the lower end of tubular lamp-shell and push
the cartridge upwards also the water-vessel until the water-vessel passes inside the
lamp-shell, the spring-clips would expand to permit the water-vessel to pass and
would spring back when the water-vessel had entered the shell so as to project
over the bottom of water-vessel and support such water-vessel in its working
position within the lamp-shell.

page_text: The action of the charged lamp is as follows:-
The wick introduced into the water-vessel conducts water up the centre of the
cartridge, the water absorbed by the wick and conveyed up the centre of the
cartridge through its whole length is conveyed by capilliary attraction to the
carbide of calcium which forms the cartridge the inner lining of absorbent
material surrounding the cartridge assists in attracting the water from the wick
and in distributing the moisture around and through the carbide of calcium, a
steady and continuous flow of gas is thus obtained such gas passing into the
lamp-shell or container along the gas conduit out through the burner, where the
required flame is obtained by combustion.
When the cartridge is exhausted so as to no longer discharge the required gas
and provide the required illuminating flame such exhausted cartridge would be
removed from the lamp-shell and replaced by a fresh cartridge.
The utilization of the wicked-cartridge in combination with a water-vessel
within a lamp-shell constitutes the essential novelty of my "improvements in and
relating to acetylene lamps" and I can provide lamp-shells or containers of any
required configuration suitable for use as table-lamps or hanging-lamps, the
cartridge barrel may in such cases be round, oval, or of any poligonal transverse
section the transverse section of the cartridge and its water-vessel being made to
correspond with the internal shape of the lamp-shell or container.
Dated this 13th day of September 1898.
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Agent for the Applicant.
I, GEORGE MARSHALL, of 152, Byron Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, Mechanic,
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:-
This invention has relation to acetylene lamps and other apparatus for gener-
ating acetylene gas, and also to calcium-carbide cartridges for use in connection
with such generators and has for its objects, to simplify the construction of the
apparatus and to provide a convenient and efficient means of conveying water or
moisture from a water reservoir to the carbide contained within a removable or
replaceable cartridge located within the interior of the lamp.
According to my invention I propose to employ a cartridge or container, adapted
to be placed within the upper part of the body of a lamp or portable generating
apparatus, above the water reservoir, and having supported by suitable means
within it a wick or strip of similar absorbent material passing outwardly through
a hole on the bottom of the cartridge and with its tail or lower end adapted to
depend into the water contained within the chamber. Moisture is thereby raised
by capilliary attraction up the wick to the carbide, which is decomposed and the
resulting gas escapes through perforations and the cartridge is conducted to the
burner.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a vertical section of an
acetylene cycle lamp constructed, and provided with an improved carbide cart-
ridge, in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 represents the body part of the lamp separated from the water reser-
voir and showing the carbide cartridge in elevation.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the said carbide cartridge separately.

page_text: Figure 4 is an underside plan of the cartridge, with the wick or absorbent
strip removed and showing the opening in the lower end through which the said
wick depends.
Figure 5 represents a plan of the said cartridge with the top cover removed.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawing.
The body part a of the lamp may be of a cylindrical or other convenient figure
and is closed at the top a', which may be fitted with a safety valve b, whilst the
bottom a², is open with the mouth thereof inside screwed at a³, to receive the
screwed neck c¹, of the water reservoir c, which is thereby detachably connected
to the said body part and constitutes the base or foot of the lamp. From the said
body part, which is adapted to receive the carbide cartridge d, (hereinafter further
referred to) and constitutes a holder for the generated gas, a gas pipe or passage e,
proceeds to the burner f, which is surrounded by a detachable or other cone and
reflector g, whilst to the back of said body, convenient means for connecting
the lamp to a cycle or other vehicle are provided, such as the bracket arms h,
with compensating spring h¹, and socket h².
The calcium-carbide cartridge consists of a casing or cylindrical box ‹, made
of cardboard or other suitable material, the top d², of which is open and fitted
with a perforated cap or lid, whilst the bottom 8, is provided with a small
hole or orifice d*, surrounded by a short sleeve or neck, adapted to telescope or
socket over or into a similar neck c', proceeding from an opening in the top 3,
of the water reservoir c, thus providing a convenient means of connecting the
cartridge to the water reservoir in such a manner that the latter supports the
former when in position. Thus, after the cartridge has been connected to the
container, the cartridge is passed into position through the open lower end of
the body, which is then closed by screwing in the water reservoir, a gas tight
joint being made between the parts by interposing a rubber sealing ring i, or
other convenient means.
6 is the wick or absorbent medium through which moisture is raised or con-
ducted from the water reservoir to the carbide j, within the cartridge, in which
the upper part of the wick is supported, either by means of a spiked prop k, pro-
ceeding from the bottom thereof, or otherwise, with the carbide being packed
closely around it so as to be readily decomposed to generate the gas required, by
the moisture from the wick, whose lower end passes through the sleeved openings
communicated between the cartridge and the neck, with the free tail end thereof
depending into the water.
This water-conducting medium may consist of a strip of any suitable material,
such as ordinary cotton wick, linen, blotting paper or the like, and the cartridge
as a whole is inexpensively produced so that when its contents have been
decomposed by the moisture conveyed thereto, the exhausted cartridge is removed
a new one containing a new charge of carbide is substituted in its place.
If desired I may place within the casing or shell of the cartridge preferably
around the inside walls thereof, a lining of blotting paper or like material which
it assists in attracting the moisture from the wick to and through the surrounding
carbide.
The improvements herein described are applicable to other kinds of lamps, such
as hanging or table lamps, and the cross sectional shape and size of the cartridge
or container may be varied to suit the internal shape and capacity of the gener-
ating chamber within which it is to be placed.
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:
First In apparatus for the generation of acetylene gas, the employment of
a calcium-carbide cartridge, adapted to be placed within the generator and having
located inside it and passing through a hole in its bottom, a wick or absorbent

page_text: medium whose tail or lower end (when the cartridge is in use) depends into a
water vessel disposed underneath, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly In apparatus for the generation of acetylene gas, the combination
with a calcium-carbide cartridge, of an internally located wick or water con-
ducting medium depending through a neck or sleeve proceeding from the bottom
of the cartridge, and adapted to take into or over another neck on top of the
water container, into which the said wick langs, substantially as described and
set forth.
Thirdly: In carbide cartridges for acetylene lamps, the combination with a
shell or casing provided with a water conducting wick proceeding from its interior
through an opening in the bottom, of a spike or support for retaining the said
wick in its proper position, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 31st day of May 1899.
GEORGE MARSHALL.
By Henry Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.