Acetylene Gas Lamps and Generators.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
Acetylene Gas Lamps and Generators.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DENNIS, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of
America, Architect, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to acetylene gas lamps and generators. The object of the
invention is to provide a gas generator which, from its form and construction, is
particularly adapted to be made in small sizes and is peculiarly useful when
embodied in the form of a table, or a hanging or a wall bracket, lamp. The
further and particular object of the invention is to provide a generator or lamp
which may be filled or charged with the greatest ease, and by any person, whether
experienced in their use or not. Further, to provide a lamp which is absolutely
and positively self regulating, and, hence, at all times, safe. And further, to provide
a lamp, the outside of which will be cool, so that it may be carried from place to
place with comfort. With these enda in view, the invention consists, generally, in
an acetyleno gas lamp or generator, comprising a suitable upright support: or
standard, with two tanks arranged thereon, and connected by a suitable duct or
passage, ono of said tanks, being a water container, and the other tank having
carbide sheil or holder arranged in its lower end easily removable therefrom, and
the water being taken from said duct and sprayed or dropped into said shell or
holder in the second tank, to generate gas from the material therein, which gas is
preferably used. in burners arranged on the upper end of said support, though a
single lamp or generator may be used in a room with small pipes leading therefrom
to other parts of the room, and furnished with suitable burners. . Such an
arrangement would be followed in lighting cars.
The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is an elevation of an acetylene gas lamp, embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof enlarged.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan viow of the water distributor used above the removable
shell or holder in the generator tank or portion of the lamp.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line - of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section of a modified and improved form of my gas lamp.
Fig. 6 is a vertical. section ou. the line of Fig. 5.
As shown in the drawings the lamp comprises the two tanks or cylinders 5 and 6
arranged on a vertical support, preferably a standard 3 but if desired a wall bracket
may be substituted instead. One cylinder or tank is for the water while the other
is the generator proper. The tanks both have enlarged upper parts 17, 16 as
shown to increase their capacity but more particularly for their better appearance.
The lamp shown in Figs. 1 to 4 will be first described as it is for the simpler. form.
The water cylinder has a filling opening 7 and a plug 8 at the top while in its.
bottom is a small condensation pocket 9 which may be drained by means of the
drip cock 10.normally closed. In: tho water tank 5 is the condenser coil 14. The
gas enters at the top and is discharged at the bottom into the pocket 9. From
thence it is carried off by the pipe 11 which extends from the pocket to the upper
part of the tank and then up through the hollow standard 3. On the upper end
מי
617

page_text: pipe 4.
the pipe connects with the gas burne
There are two removable parts in the generator tank 6; one a deep shell or
holder and the ether a basket in its upper part. The first is to hold the gas
producing material. The holder comprises the tube 34 and the end piece 35 in
which latter there is preferably a depression and a perforated falso botton 36
In the top of the bolder is a screen for the purpose of preventing the cl. gging of
the distributor by the material in the holder. The lower part of the tank is
double walled having the interior cylinder 25 so that a water leg 24 is formed
between the holder and the outer wall to keep the latter cool. This water leg
is fed from the water tank 5 by a pipe 38. In the pipe 38 is a valve 39 by which
the flow of water is controlled. The water leg is closed at the bottom 26 bat
is open at its upper end so that the water therefrom may overflow the top of the
wall 34 and fall into the shell or holder. To prevent the slopping of the water
by a sudden jar or movement of the lamp there is preferably a ring 27 with
perforations 28 at the top of the water leg. The holder is held in place by friction
with the walls of the cylinder 25 and to prevent the escape of gas a rubber
packing ring 35 is arranged on the holder and fits into the annular groove at the
bottom of the cylinder 6 when the holder is forced upward into the same.
In the upper part of the tank 6 is a distributor 32 permanent above the top of
the holder and adapted to spread the water, evenly over the material in the holder.
This distributor is an inverted cone fixed on the upper edges of the wall 25 and
havig holes at irregular points to which small troughs lead the water from the top
of the water leg. The distributor is better shown in Fig. 3. Above the holder is
a gas space cut off preferably from the upper part of the tank 6 by a partition or
floor 15. The space above this is the gas chamber proper and the gas enters the
same through the purifying material contained in the basket 22'. This basket has
a neck 22 Sitting down into the hole 21 in the floor 15. A screen bottom 23
prevents the material from falling into the lower part of the tank. The tank 6
has a large opening in its top to allow the basket to be lifted out by the bail 22"
when it is desired to renew the material therein. An ornamental cap 18 having a
packing 20 closes the opening. From the gas chamber the gas is conducted by the
pipe 14 to the condenser coil 14 and thence to the burners after it is relievod of
the moisture formed in generating the gas in the generator tank. As better shown
in Fig. 4 the valve 39 has a thumb piece 40 by which it may be turned. It also
has a short lever 41 which is adapted to engage with a lug 43 on the bottom 35 of
the holder. The engagement is easily broken when it is wished to draw out the
holder. When fixed as shown any outward movement of the holder caused by an
over pressure of gas in the tank will at once close the water valve, thereby
preventing any chance of danger from high pressures or the escape of gas into
the room.
This regulating or cut off device in this or a similar form is an
important feature of my invention. A modification of the same is shown in
Figs. 5 and 6 and will be described in connection therewith.
The lamp shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is of an improved form, and is particularly
designed for furnishing gas for a large number of burners and for places where
the lamp or generator is not watched as closely as in onse of a table lamp. It is
for large rooms and railway or steamship uses and is therefore mado automatic, in
its action throughout. It is only necessary to fill the water tank and the holder or
shell and turn on the water to the latter. The lamp takes care of itself after that.
The modifications in the structure are not marked in any special feature but the
improvement over the simpler device is noticeable throughout. Thus to ensure a
greater head of water while keeping the tanks of the same height, the water tank
is provided with a gas chamber in its lower part and also with the purifier basket,
if one is used. If the basket is not filled, the lower chamber is a gas and
condensation chamber only. This is often the case as with a good quality of
calcium carbide the purifying substance may be dispensed with. A further change
is noted in the addition of a movable gas holder to the gas generator by which

page_text: varying outputs or gas are accommodated without changing the pressure B
burners.
Referring to the Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings 2 and 3 represent the two tanks.
They are joined and held in a vertical position by a casting 34 which may be a
part of the wall bracket shown in Fig. 6. Or a standard may be fixed in a socket
(see dotted lines) formed on the side or bottom of the casting. The water tank 3
has a floor or bottom 17 and contains the condenser coil 19. The tank is filled
through the opening 18 in its top. The pipe 47 of the coil connects with the
duct 30 in the casting 34. The other end of the coil is fastened in the sleeve.
or coupling 21 in the bottom. 17. The purifier basket or cartridge 27 has a
bottom which closes the lower end of the tank or cylinder 3 but it is not held
in place by friction as the carbide holder is, but br the hollow stem or tube 29.
This tube is held in a spider 30 which is a part of the bottom and at its upper
end is threaded to engage with the threaded sleeve 21. As the device is turned
the bottom is drawn tightly up to compress the packing 31. The basket has a
screen bottom 28 and beneath this is a hopper or space 32 for the water of
condensation, which is drained therefrom on opening the cock 26. The outlet for
the gas from the chamber 23 is through the pipe 22 leading through tho duct 37
to the gas burner pipe 24. The tank 2 has a water leg as in the other lamp the
same being made by the short cylinder 4 and the bottom ring 5. The holder is
the same as in the simpler lamp except that it preferably has a drip cock 11 by
which the condensation may be drained without taking out the holder. The
packing ring 6 is placed around the cylindrical part of the holder, resting on the
projecting edge of its bottom 8. The distributor cone 12 is simply perforated and
is fixed below the upper edge of the cylinder 4 in which there are preferably
holes 13 through which the water enters from the water leg. The water is fed
to the water leg, from the water tank 3, through the duct 35 in the casting 34.
In the duct is the valve 38 to control the flow. 20 represents the gas outlet pipe
opening above the water in the generator and leading downward to the gas duct 36
which connects with the condenser coil in the water tank. The top of the tank 2
is made by a movable gas holder 15 adapted to rise and fall and having a top or other
part 16 weighted to ensure the pressure of gas which is required to force the samne to
the burners. The movement of the gas holder is employed for the regulation of the
water supply as indicated in Fig. 6. The water valve has a lover handle 39 the end
of which is preferably weighted at 46 to cause the same to fall when released.
40 represents a light spring preferably enclosed in telescoping tubes on the side of
the tank.
At the upper end, the spring is detachably connected with the gas
holder by a link 43, while at its lower end it is connected to the lever 39 by a hook
or link 45 which may he readily disengaged when it is wished to shut off the water
and the lights without regard to the amount of gas in the device. The spring will
stretch before it will overcome the weight of the lever, after which tho levor will
be raised slowly with the gas holder. If the holder continues to rise the valve
will be entirely closed. But the spring will allow the holder to rise still further
until the gas is all taken up from the damp carbide in the holder. The spring
may be balanced by another one 41 on the opposite side of the generator. Or
the lever may be made in the form of a yoke with removable springs on both sides.
The general operation of the lamp is obvious.
It is only remarked that automatic regulation of the production of the gas does
not depend entirely on the mechanical regulators but is at most times maintained
through, or by virtue of the forcing back of the water in the water leg by the
pressure of the gas on the surface of the water in the water leg, whoreby
the water is prevented momentarily from entering the carbide holder until the
limited production of gas and its continued consumption lessen the pressure of gas
in the chamber.
It is obvious that a number of modifications of my invention would readily
uggest themselves to one skilled in the art and I therefore do not confine the same
to the preciso constructions herein shown and described.

page_text: claim is :-
CLAIMS.
1. In a gas generating lamp, the combination of two adjacent vertical tanks, oue
for water and the other for gas-producing material; of a dust or pipe connecting
said tanks, and provided with a valve through which the water is conveyed,
from the water tank to the material in the other tank, and the tank for gas-
producing material being provided with a movable part, movable by gas pressure
within the tank, and adapted to actuate said valve, as and for the purpose
specified.
2. The combination in an acetylene gas lamp, of a vertical support with water
and generator tanks or cylinders arranged on opposite sides of said support and
connected by a water duct leading from the water tank to the upper part of the
other tank or cylinder, the last mentioned tank having a gas outlet and having an
open lower end, and a shell or holder adapted to be inserted in the open end of said
tank and having a lower end, which when the said shell is in place forms the
bottom of said tank, said shell being readily removable to permit the filling or
emptying thereof, substantially as described.
3. The combination in an acetylene gas lamp or generator of two tanks or
cylinders suitably supported in substantially the same horizontal plane and having
their lower ends connected by a valved duct, with a holder or shell removably
arranged in the lower part of one of said tanks and having a lower end forming the
bottom thereof, a water space or channel leading upward from said duct to deliver
water from the other tank into the top of said holder or shell, and forming a
column of water which will be depressed by an excess of gas pressure, whereby the
water supply is interrupted and the lamp or generator made self regulable,
substantially as described.
4. The combination in a gas generating lamp, of a pair of independent tanks or
cylinders, one to contain water and the other being a generator, of a shell or
holder movable in said generator tank and adapted to contain gas producing
material, a water duct connecting the two tanks, a valve provided therein and
means whereby said shell being moved by gas pressure, operates said valve,
substantially as described.
5. The combination of a water supply tank with a gas or generator cylinder or
tank into the upper part of which the water is fed, said cylinder having a gas
outlet and having an open lower end, and a shell or holder for gas producing
material, said holder fitting in the lower part of said generator cylinder and
beld therein by friction and readily removable, substantially as described.
6. The combination, with a gas cylinder or tauk having a gas outlet at its top,
and also provided with water supply or distributing means in its upper portion, of
a shell fitting in the lower portion of said gas cylinder and having a lower end
which closes or constitutes the bottom of the said gas cylinder, shoulders provided
on the lower ends of the cylinder and the said shell, and a flexible packing carried
by one part and bound between said shoulders when the shell is inserted,
substantially as described.
7. The combination, in a gas lamp, of a vertical support or standard, with the
two tanks or cylinders supported therefrom and connected by a duct, one of said
tanks having an opening in its top and adapted to contain water, said cylinder
also containing a gas condenser having a connection with the upper part of the
other tauk, a gas burner or burners connected with said condenser, said other or
the second 'tank being provided in its upper part with water supply or distributing
menus connected with said duct, the second tank having a gas-tight or closed top
and an open lower end, through which the material is inserted, and movable means
for closing said lower end, substantially as described.
8. The combination in a gas lamp, of the two separate tanks, one a generator

page_text: having an open lower end, and the other a water container, with a "material"
shell adapted to be inserted upward into the said generator, a dnct between the
tanks, a water distributor in the generator, and a water leg in the walls of the
generator to cool the same and supplied from said water tank, substantially as
described.
9. The combination in a gas lamp, of the two tanks or cylinders, one for water,
and the other the generator, with a material shell or space within the latter, an
nnnular water leg provided between the walls of the cylinder and said shell or space
and of less height than the cylinder, means for circumferentially feeding the water
from said water leg to said shell or space, and said water leg being connected with
said water tank, substantially as described.
10. The combination in a gas lamp of the two vertical tanks or cylinders,
arranged side by side, one for water and the other the generator, with a material
space in said generator, a water distributor in the upper part of the generator, and
above or over said space to drop water upon the contents thereof, a water leg in
the walls of the generator, to keep the lower outer walls of the generator cool, and
means to supply both said distributor and said water leg with water from the said
water tank, substantially as described.
11. In a gas generating lamp, the combination, with the tank or chamber provided
with a gas outlet, of a water leg surrounding or in the walls of the said tank means
to supply water thereto, and said water leg having an opening or openings at or near
its top, through which the water may fall into the space between the inner walls of
the water leg, and whereby the surface of the water is exposed to the pressure of
gas, to be forced down thereby aud cut off the wator foed or flow, substantially as
described.
12. In a gas generating lamp, the combination, with the tank having an open
lower end, of a shell having a closed bottom and adapted to be inserted into said
open lower end of said tank, a disk having drip openings, troughs leading thereto,
and means for supplying water to the same, substantially as described.
13. The water distributor for gas generating lamps comprising the conanve disk
having drip holes and the troughs leading thereto, substantially as described.
14. In an acetylene gas lamp, the combination, of a suitable tank or chamber
provided in its upper part with ineans for slowly feeding water into its lowor part,
said tank having an open lower end, and an independent or removable material
shell or holder, having an open top, and fitting up into said tank and having a
lower end or bottom constituting the bottoin of said tank or chamber, and a support
for the tank which permits the freo removal of said sholl, substantially as described.
15. In a gas generating lamp, the combination with the tank or cylinder, of a
movable shell provided therein and adapted to be forced out by pressure of gas
within said tank, means for supplying water to said shell, valve for controlling
the flow of water, a valve lever, and a lug upon said shell to engage the same,
whereby when the shell is moved by gas pressure said water valve is closed
automatically, substantially as described.
16. In a gas generator, the tank or chamber having the removable top and the
open bottom, and an intermediate partition, in combination with a removable shell,
adapted to be inserted into said tank, through the open lower end thereof, meaus
for supplying water to the interior thereof, and a purifier basket above said partition
and having a neck or sleeve projecting through the partition and communicating
with the space boneath it, said basket being removable through the top of said tank
or chamber, substantially as described.
17. In a gas generating lamp, the combination of a tank or cylinder open at both
its upper and lower ends, and having a water leg in its walls, of a water tank
wherefrom said water leg is supplied, a shell or holder adapted to be inserted in
the open lower end of said tank or cylinder, to contain gas producing material
and to close the lower end of said cylinder, means for conducting or spreading the
water from the water leg upon the material in said holder, and the movable gas

page_text: holder closing the top of said tank or cylinder and adapted to rise and fall in
Said water leg, which lattor serves as a water seal, substantially as described.
18. In a gas generating lamp, the combination with a tank or cylinder having
a space in its lower part to hold gas producing material, the walls of said tank
or cylindor being provided with a water leg at its top, a movable gas holder
adapted to rise and fall in said water leg, which serves as a water seal, means for
conducting the water from said water leg to the material in the lower part of said
tank or cylinder, a supply tank, a water duct or pipe connecting the same with the
water leg, a valve in said duct or pipe, a valve lever and a yielding connection
between the same and said gas holder, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
19. A gas generating lamp, the combination with the adjacent vertical tanks or
cylinders, one to contain water and the other gas, of a pipe or duct connecting the
same, a water leg in the gas tank and into which the water flows from the water
tank, a valve in said duct or pipe, both of said cylinders having open lower ends,
removable shells or holders to be inserted therein and to contain gas producing
material and purifying material, respectively, a inovable gas holder provided in, or
forming the top of the gas cylinder, means for spreading the water from the water
leg upon the material in the shell or holder in the gas tank, and a spring connecting
the gus holder with said valve, to automatically operate the same, substantially as
described.
20. An acetylene gas lamp, substantially as described and as shown in
Figures 1 to 4.
21. An acetylene gas lamp, substantially as described and as shown in
Figures 5 and 6.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1897.
GEORGE BARKER,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent.