Improvements in or relating to Miners' and other Lamps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1899-Accepted, 15th Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Miners' and other Lamps.
I, LEROY SUNDERLAND BUFFINGTON, Architect, of 336, Boston Block,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America, at present residing at 28,
Brompton Square, South Kensington in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to miners' and other lamps its object being to effect an
improved construction of lamp especially suited to the application of acetylene to
Buch lamps.
According to this invention an acetylene generator is attached to the lower
portion of the lamp in such a manner that it may be readily detached therefrom
for the purpose of cleaning, etc. The acetylene generated in this portion of the
apparatus is conducted into a chamber to which the outside atmosphere can only
find access by traversing wire gauze, as is usual in such lamps, the acetylene being
burnt in this chamber. The wall or walls of the combustion chamber
may be
formed of ordinary glass or of a simple glass cylinder as is usual, but it is
preferred to employ a construction according to this invention whereby the wall
or walls are provided with longitudinal passages which serve to convey air to the
flame. The wall is composed partially or wholly of a translucent material, and
its inner or outer surface or both are preferably corrugated so as to offer a more
or less prismatic surface. The combustion chamber is preferably placed
immediately above the generating chamber and the chimney or other outlet for
the products of combustion is supported above the combustion chamber. Wire
gauze is provided in all places where necessary in the usual manner to afford
security from fire. A further object of this invention is to provide a means for
igniting the jet of gas in the combustion chamber electrically so as to render it
unnecessary to open the lamp in order to light it. This may conveniently be
effected by a short length of platinum wire heated to incandescence by an electric
current, the connecting wires carrying the current to and from the platinum
being brought to contacts externally to the combustion chamber. Means are
preferably provided whereby, without opening the lamp, the platinum wire may
be brought into the required position over the jet when the lamp is to be lighted
and may be moved away from the flame after ignition has taken place. Instead
of a wire heated to incandescence two discharge points may be employed between
which a spark is passed in order to light the jet of issuing gas.
One construction of lamp according to this invention will now be described by
way of example.
The acetylene generator forming the lower portion of the lamp consists of a
cylindrical vessel which is detachably connectel to the combustion chamber, and
which may for security be locked thereto at will. Within the generating
chamber is an inner receptacle in which the calcium carbide is placed, the bottom
of this inner receptacle being a preferably in the form of an inverted cone.
receptacle may with advantage be lined with absorbent material.
This
The receptacle has no communication with the surrounding portion of the

page_text: generating chamber, except through an opening at the apex of the cone, which is
at the lowest point of the receptacle: This opening communicates with the
surrunding portion of the generating chamber through a pipe which is provided
with a suitable valve:: The annular space between the carbide receptacle and the
outer wall of the generating chamber serves to contain water which finds access
to the carbide chamber through the said pipe and opening which communicate
with the lowest portion of the generating chamber. When the valve on the pipe
is opened the water thus finds entrance to the carbide chamber by reason of its
own weight, and an excessive pressure of gas in the carbide chamber tends to
drive the water back and to stop the generation of gas. The carbide is preferably
prepared in the form of a cartridge such as is described in the Specification of
Letters Patent No. 23802 of 15th October 1897 granted to me. The carbide
chamber is provided with an upward extension which projects substantially
air-tight into the combustion chamber and the gas generated in the carbide
chamber escapes through an opening in this extension to the burner.
The combustion chamber is closed at its upper and lower extremities by metal
discs. The burnt gases escapes through perforations in the upper disc. The
lower disc has a central perforation through which the upward extension of the
carbide chamber projects, and is further provided with a circumferential wall
which in turn supports an inwardly projecting flange. The external periphery
of the circumferential wall is screw-threaded and engages with a metal ring
which supports the chimney by means of metal rods. The inwardly projecting
flange of this lower disc serves to support the glass wall of the combustion
chamber, and if one having longitudinal passages as hereinbefore described is
employed, this flange is provided with perforations which correspond to the
outlets of these passages. When the disc forming the lower closure of the
combustion chamber is screwed in position it clamps the glass cylinder or wall
up against the lower rim of the chimney, this lower rim being provided with
openings to correspond with those at the top end of the passages in the cylinder.
The upper and lower openings of these passages are covered by wire gauze, to
prevent the flame from passing out to any inflammable gases in the surrounding
atmosphere. Instead of the glass having longitudinal passages herein before
referred to, a plain cylindrical glass may be employed, in which case the supply
of air to the burner may be effected through perforations in the circumferential
wall hereinbefore referred to of the lower disc of the combustion chamber, these
perforations being also protected by wire gauze.
The ignition device may be formed by a short spiral of platinum wire carried
between the extremities of two curved conducting arms insulated from another.
The other extremities of these arms are attached to a supporting pin or bush of
insulating material which pin or bush passes substantially air-tight through the
wall of the combustion chamber at or near to its lower edge and upon the outer
end of the pin contacts are provided in connection with the curved arms aforesaid
by which contacts, current can be taken to and from the platinum spiral. The
pin or bush is capable of rotation and serves by its rotation to raise the arms
so as to bring the platinum spiral above the jet or to depress, them so that they.
lie on the floor of the combustion chamber conformably with the curvature
of its walls.
The construction of glass wall with longitudinal perforations is also suitable
for use with miners' lamps in which oil is burnt. The chimney employed may be
of any suitable or well-known construction.
A

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Miners' and other Lamps:
I, LEROY SUNDERLAND BUFFINGTON, Architect, of 336, Boston Block,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America, at present residing at 28,
Brompton Square, South Kensington 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 particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to miners' and other lamps its object being to effect an
improved construction of lamp especially suited to the application of acetylene to
such lamps.
According to this invention an acetylene generator is attached to the lower
portion of the lamp in such a manner that it may be readily detached therefrom
for the purpose of cleaning, etc. The acetylene generated in this portion of the
apparatus is conducted into a chamber to which the outside atmosphere can only
find access by traversing wire gauze, as is usual in such lamps, the acetylene being
burnt in this chamber. The wall or walls of the combustion chamber may be
formed of ordinary glass or of a simple glass cylinder as is usual, but it is
preferred to employ a construction according to this invention whereby the wall
or walls are provided with longitudinal passages which serve to convey air to the
flame. The wall is composed partially or wholly of a translucent material, and
its inner or outer surface or both are preferably corrugated so as to offer a more
or less prismatic surface. The combustion chamber is preferably placed
immediately above the generating chamber and the chimney or other outlet for
the products of combustion is supported above the combustion chamber. Wire
gauze is provided in all places where necessary in the usual manner to afford
security from fire. A further object of this invention is to provide a means for
igniting the jet of gas in the combustion chamber electrically so as to render it
unnecessary to open the lamp in order to light it. This may conveniently be
effected by a short length of platinum wire heated to incandescence by an electric
current, the connecting wires carrying the current to and from the platinum
being brought to contacts externally to the combustion chamber. Means are
preferably provided whereby, without opening the lamp, the platinum wire may
be brought into the required position over the jet when the lamp is to be lighted
and may be moved away from the flame after ignition has taken place. Instead
of a wire heated to incandescence two discharge points may be employed between
which a spark is passed in order to light the jet of issuing gas.
The construction of translucent wall with longitudinal perforations is also
suitable for miners' lamps in which oil is burnt. The chimney employed may
be of any suitable or well-known construction.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of an acetylene lamp showing a convenient
form of construction according to this invention, say on the line 1-1 of
Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
ike letters indicate like parts in both figures.
The acetylene generator forming the lower portion of the lamp consists of a
cylindrical vessel A, detachably connected to the combustion chamber B by
flanged ears A' engaging slotted lugs F8 on the under edge of the lower supporting
ring F of the combustion chamber. The vessel A is formed in two compartments,
a central recipient C in which the calcium carbide is placed, surrounded by a
chamber D to contain water. The carbide recipient C, which may with advantage

page_text: be lined with absorbent material is preferably cone-shaped at the bottom, and
communicates with the water chamber D through a pipe C', issuing from the
lowest point of the carbide recipient, and provided with a valve operated
through the valve steam C³. When the valve C³ is operated the water in the
chamber D enters the carbide recipient C through gravity and an excessive
pressure of gas in the carbide recipient tends to drive the water back and check
the generation of the gas.
The carbide recipient is provided with a screw cover C formed with an upward
extension C which projects into the combustion chamber and into the top of
which the burner E is fitted.
The carbide is preferably prepared in the form of a cartridge C such as is
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to me No. 23802 dated
15th October 1897; it may be held in place by a spring (7.
The water chamber D is provided with a plug A² for filling purposes and
provision is made for admitting air to the same, say by a passage Cs in the valve
stem. The top of the combustion chamber B is formed by a metal disc F having
a central perforation F1 for the escape of the combustion gases, and a groove or
recess on its under side for the reception of the upper end of the transparent
side wall of the combustion chamber; air inlet holes F are formed within the
recess corresponding with air passages in the combustion chamber wall to be
hereinafter described. The top side of the disc F is formed with an upwardly
extending flange F having holes F5 for the supply of air to the combustion
chamber.
Two or more rods F6, four are shown in this instance see Figure 2, connect
the disc Frigidly with a ring F7 screw threaded internally to receive a disc G
which forms the bottom of the combustion chamber. The ring F7 is provided
with lugs F8 slotted to engage the ears A¹ of the generator A.
The edge of the disc G is screw threaded and the upper surface of the dise has a
wall G extending upwardly and supporting an inwardly projecting flange G2,
grooved at G³ to receive the lower end of the transparent wall of the combustion
chamber, holes G* corresponding wit.. air in-let
in the later being
provided within the groove.
The disc G is provided with a central opening hai
"ged edge G5 to form
a practically air-tight joint with the extension C³ of the generator, which extends
through it.
The glass side wall H of the combustion chamber is provided with a plurality
of longitudinal passages H' of which the upper and lower openings when the wall
is in position between the discs F and G coincide respectively with the holes F³ G‘
in said discs, forming with the holes 15 the air inlet for the combustion chamber;
all the holes FB and G are covered with gauze.
The wall H is preferably formed with a prismatic outer surface as shown in
Figure 2. It is clamped in position between the two discs F and G by screwing
the disc G within the ring F7, washers being interposed between the glass ends
and the disc so as to make a practically air-tight joint.
Although preferably the wall H is homogeneous and constructed of glass, as
shown, it may be built up of tubes and transparent plates.
Any suitable chimney may be employed: a convenient form is shown in
Figure 1 comprising an outer casing J rivetted or otherwise secured to the flange
F and provided with a row of holes J at the top for the escape of the products
of combustion. An inner chimney J2 carries the combustion gases to the upper
portion of this casing and is protected by a gauze cover J³.
Instead of the glass wall H having longitudinal passages as above described, a
solid cylindrical glass may be employed, in which case the supply of air to the
burner may be effected through perforations in the wall G₁ of the disc G. as shown
in link lines in Figure 1, these perforations being covered with gauze: the holes
FF3 and G are in this case dispensed with.
It is evident that instead of an acetylene generator such as is hereinbefore

page_text: described, other lamps, such as an ordinary miners' oil lamp, may be employed, if
they be provided with an upward extension such as C5, which carries the burner,
to fit within the flange G³ of the lower disc, and ears to engage the lugs F8 of the
ring F7.
Other devices to attach the generator to the combustion chamber may be
employed in place of the ears A¹ and lugs F8, for instance the cover C might be
screw-threaded to engage a threaded extension of the underside of the disc G.
The ignition device may be formed of a short spiral K¹ of platinum wire
carried between the extremities of two curved conducting arms or wires K³, K³.
The wires are carried in a pin or bush K, revolvably secured in a substantially
air-tight manner in the wall G¹ of the disc G. Contacts being provided on the
outer end of the pin in connection with the arms K2 K3 by which current can be
taken to and from the platinum spiral.
Normally the curved arms lie on the floor of the combustion chamber, as shown
in Figure 2, but by giving a quarter rotation to the pin K, the platinum spiral
is brought directly over the burner E, as shown in Figure 1, and by passing an
electric current through the same, the lamp is 'lighted, when by turning the pin
back the spiral is removed from the flame.
Instead of a platinum spiral the arms may be provided with two discharge
points and a spark passed in order to light the lamp.
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:
1. In a lamp a solid transparent wall for the combustion chamber having air
passages such as H¹ formed in it substantially as described.
2. Admitting air to the combustion chamber of a lamp through passages such
as H¹ formed in or forming part of the solid side wall of the chamber substantially
as described.
3. In a lamp a combe amber wall such as H provided with air passages
such as H', and having a prismatic shaped exterior substantially as described
or illustrated in the tying drawings.
4. In a lamp a combustion chamber comprising a top disc such as F and a
bottom ring such as F7 rigidly connected together, a bottom disc such as G G¹ G²
and a transparent wall such as H clamped between the two discs substantially
as described.
5. In a lamp a combustion chamber, comprising a top disc such as F with
air inlet holes such as F3 F5 and a bottom ring such as F7 rigidly connected
together a bottom disc such as G G¹ G2 with air holes such as G and a trans-
parent wall such as H having air passages such as H¹ clamped between the two
discs substantially as described.
6. In a lamp an electrical igniting device, comprising a rotatable plug such
as K curved conductors such as K2 K3 and an igniter K¹ arranged and operating
substantially as described.
7. The complete lamp substantially as described or illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.