Improvements in Safety Acetylene Lamps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Safety Acetylene Lamps.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL BOND, of Crown Works, Booth Street, Handsworth, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, 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 relates to the combination and arrangement hereinafter explained
of the parts of lamps for burning acetylene.
Lamps constructed according to my invention are especially suited for use in
imines as safety lamps or for use in mines as naked or unprotected lights, but
are also applicable to other purposes where a safety acetylene lamp is desirable.
I will for instance describe these improvements in connection with a miner's
lamp, and in order to more clearly do this I have appended hereunto an illustrative
sheet of drawings with figures, and numbers of reference thereon, which refer
to the same thing or part throughout the several views.
Fig. 1, is a part view in elevation of a miner's safety lamp, constructed according
to this our invention.
Fig. 2, is a part sectional view of the lamp showing the several operating
members.
Fig. 3, represents a portion of the lamp-about the compound stopcock-in
vertical section, the said section being taken in a plane at right angles to that
of the sectional part of Fig. 2.
Fig. 3, is an enlarged part sectional view of the stop cock showing relative
positions of the water and gas passages in the position of both being open.
Fig. 3b, is a similar view to Fig. 3", but showing the water passage closed but
the gas still open, Fig. 3, shows a similar view, but with both passages closed.
Fig. 2, is a sectional view of a modified arrangement of water supply to the
carbide chamber, and Fig. 2b is a sectional plan view of same.
Figs. 2° and 2d, are further modified details relative to the water supply.
The body of the lamp consists broadly of two chambers 4, 4ª, the one being
situated above the other, and connected to each other in a separable manner, as
for instance by means of a stud and slot fastening 5 &c.
The upper chamber 4, is filled with water through the elbow pipe 6, having
screw cap 7, in which is made a back pressure outlet (or safety valve) hole S. In
the lower chamber 4", is carried a removable vessel 9, which serves as the
carbide holder, and which may if desired be covered by asbestos or the like
casing 9. The upper chamber 4, has a central pipe 10, terminating at its one end
with burner 11, and communicating at its other end with the generating vessel 9,
by means of the stop cock 12. This stopcock also furnishes the means for the
water supply from chamber 4, to the vessel 9, by means of passage 13 and pipe 14.
In the stop cock are made two passages 13 and 15, the former as a water supply
from the chamber 4 to carbide holder 9, and the latter as a gas passage from the
carbide holder &c. to the burner 11. Upon reference to Figs. 3, 3b and 3º, it will
be noticed that the passage 15, is made much wider than merely to embrace the
passage 15, and the opening into pipe 10, for the following reason:-In the

page_text: Figures 3, 3 and 3, the passage 13, is shown in dotted lines. In Fig. 3ª, it
will be seen that the passage 13, is open to permit water supply, and passage 15,
also permits gas to pass to pipe 10 &c. When however it is desired to discontinue
the use of the lamp, the stopcock is turned around as seen in Fig. 3b, by which the
water is cut off, but the gas passage is still open, which permits the completing
of consumption of the gas generated by the water already supplied. By a
further turn of the stopcock into the position shown in Figs. 3, both passages
are shut off. I now further provide the two down pipes 17 and 18, the latter
enclosing the other with a small annular space between them.
It will be noticed that these pipes are carried from the upper part of the lamp,
that is to say they are carried quite independently of the carbide holder 9, so that
when the latter is removed there is no central supply pipe (as is usual) to interfere
with the thorough cleaning of the said chamber. In cases where there is a cover
used directly upon the carbide holder, the said pipes may be carried from such
cover in a similar manner.
In the pipe 18, and near the top are outlet perforations 19, so that the water
travels down to the bottom of pipe 17, and rises in pipe 18, until its exit at 19.
Upon this pipe 18, is now carried the sliding flange 20, which is slightly convex
upon its upper surface, and having perforations 21, around it. Hence when the
vessel 9, is charged with carbide, and the water flows therein, the swelling of the
carbide carries the flange 20 upwards, the said flange providing a more equalizing
means of distribution of the water. It will be understood that the water upon
issuing from holes at 19, trickles down the sides of pipe 18, some passing between
it and the flange sleeve 22, and the remainder of it spreading itself over the
flange 20, and dripping over its outer edge or through perforations 21.
This
sleeve, also furnishes a protection to the perforations 19, when the carbide has
raised it upward, or otherwise the carbide itself would enter and clog the said
holes. In the plate 23, are also perforations 24, so that the condensation from the
generated gas in its passage upward past the edge of the plate 23 &c., falls upon
the upper surface of plate and percolates back through said perforations 24.
Figs. 2 and 2 show a modified arrangement in the water distribution, in which
is carried the tubular ring 25, having outlets 26, which latter are preferably so
placed that the water is directed on to the sides of the vessel 9. This tubular
ring is connected to central supply passage 14, by means of tubular arms 27.
In this case instead of placing the outlets 19", in the same position as those of 19,
as shown in Fig. 2, they are made to issue at the same level as the tubular
arms 27. Thus the water is discharged at the outer edge simultaneously with a
central discharge.
When it is desired to burn the gas under somewhat strong pressure in order
to obtain a strong light, the gas frequently finds an easier escape in forcing back
the water supply, and thus finds its way into the chamber 4 &c.
In order to obviate this, I augment the number of water pipes by adding
such as 17" and 18, see Fig. 2, in which it will be seen that the water passes
down 17, then rises in 18, discharging itself at the top into pipe 17ª, where
again it descends to the bottom and further rises in 18", until it discharges finally
at 19. The number of pipes thus used will be determined by the character of
lamp required. Thus the back pressure of gas is met with an increased resistance.
Instead of having a water flow annular space between the pipes 17 and 18, and 17"
and 18, I may let such pipes almost fit each other, but provide grooves 28,
upon the surface of such pipe for the passage of the water as seen in Fig. 2.
In order to facilitate the attachment of the carbide holder when charged with
carbide, I form a screw blade 29, upon the outer water supply, pipe, so that
it shall more readily bore its way towards the bottom of the carbide.
The usual construction of the lamp in other details, special for its use as a
miner's lamp will be added in the usual manner,
specially designed for miner's may be made without the appliances neces-
while lamps not
sary for miner's lamps, but with the usual details necessary for their adaptation to

page_text: any particular design, also it will be readily understood that although I have
shown the stopcock with improvements thereon, I may use other forms of water
supply instead of such stopcock with the. several other improvements herein
described and claimed.
I am aware that lamps have been made whose construction, broadly speaking
have been somewhat on these lines, and therefore I do not herein claim such
construction and arrangement broadly, and I am also aware that compound stop
cocks have been similarly used for simultaneous gas and water control, and
therefore I do not claim such parts broadly, but—
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1. In lamps for burning acetylene gas in which two chambers 4, 4ª, are
used, the combination and arrangement with the water supply, of an inner pipe 17,
outer pipe 18, having outlets 19, and of sleeve flange 20, with perforations 21,
constructed and operating substantially as set forth and shown.
2. In acetylene lamps the combination in a compound stopcock such as 12,
for supplying water and controlling gas of the two dissimilar passages 13 and 15,
the one being so much wider than the other, as and for the purposes specified.
3. Increasing the back water pressure by means of a series of supply pipes 17,
18, 17 and 18", substantially as set forth and shown.
4. The combination with the water supply in such lamps of the tubular supply
ring 25, constructed and arranged substantially as set forth and shown.
5. Carrying the depending water supply pipes into the carbide holder from the
upper part of the lamp or from its cover so as to be independent of such holder
substantially as set forth and shown.
6. The employment of water supply pipes fitting into each other and provided
with exterior channels such as 28, as set forth and shown in Fig. 2d.
Dated this 25th day of July 1899.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent, 158, Edmund Street, Birmingham.