New or Improved Apparatus for Generating and Utilising Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Apparatus for Generating and Utilising
Acetylene Gas.
I, LAURITZ PETERSEN HVIID, of 115, Vesterbrogade, Copenhagen, in the Kingdom.
of Denmark, Inventor, 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:---
My invention relates to apparatus for producing and utilising acetylene gas the
said apparatus being readily portable and especially suitable for cycle lamps, carriage
lamps, table lamps and the like.
In the accompanying drawings I illustrate my invention as applied to a cycle lamp
and a table lamp. Of these drawings,
Figure 1 shows a cycle lamp and
Figure 2 a table lamp.
The generator consists of a cylindrical metal receptacle A provided with holes to
permit of free play of the india-rubber bag E, and closed at the bottom by a soldered
A lid C can be screwed
plate B. The top edge is provided with an outside thread.
on the receptacle and to secure airtightness an india-rubber packing a is used. On
the lid the outlet gas tube bis arranged and provided with a cock c.
outlet pipe is a cartridge of water proof cotton in order to prevent liquid or vapour
from reaching the burner.
Under the
In the receptacle is a funnel D and below the funnel an india-rubber bag E is
arranged. The bottom of the funnel is closed by a slightly convex india-rubber
membrane d provided with a small fissure.
The pipe b is provided with a small hole surrounded by an india-rubber ring m
which acts as a safety valve. The most practical working pressure in my generator is
fifteen pounds per square inch and if the pressure should rise higher the gas will
escape through the safety valve. In the funnel D) a net or grid h is placed a little
distance above the membrane. When the apparatus is to be used the prepared
carbide is placed on the net or grid h and a certain quantity of liquid is poured over
it; then the lid is screwed on.
After a few seconds the evolution of acetylene begins whereby the liquid is pressed
through the fissure in the membrane & down into the india-rubber bag. When the
decomposition begins the pressure in the funnel and in the india-rubber bag increases
whereby the latter expands. The liquid in the funnel is forced through the
membrane and away from the carbide so that the decomposition ceases almost in the
second that the normal pressure is reached. When the gas is lighted the volume of
the gas contained in the funnel and in the bag is diminished whereby the bag on
account of its elasticity contracts which again forces the liquid through the
membrane up to the carbide. More gas is then produced whereby the volume is
again increased.
When the generator is charged there is, so to speak, no atmospheric air left after
the lid has been screwed on, so that the conditions for the formation of an explosive
mixture is excluded. As the pressure at the same time does not exceed fifteen
pounds, and as there is besides the safety valve also the elastic india-rubber bag, it

page_text: will be easily understood that the apparatus is safe however unskilled the manage-
ment of it may be.
1-3
The safety valve is used in case the pressure in the funnel should suddenly become
too high. It is however difficult to suppose that such a thing could happen unless
the generator should have been kept for some time in an inverted position.
The membrane is so arranged as to prevent small pieces of carbide from falling down
into the bag as well as to prevent the fluid from coming into contact with the carbide
in case the generator should be upset after the full pressure is attained.
The table lamp (Figure 2) differs only from the cycle lamp shown on Figure 1 in
that a cylindrical drying chamber K is placed above the funnel though separated
from same by a partition provided with sinall holes. Above the drying chamber K is
the outlet pipe provided with safety valve and cock as already described, although
these have undergone some slight mechanical alterations to make them more fit for
this special use. In the drying chamber may be used either calcium carbide or
quick-lime or the like for the drying of the gas.
In the apparatus herein specified I prefer to employ the process set forth in the
Specification accompanying my Application for Letters Patent filed simultaneously
with the present Application.
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. The new or improved apparatus for producing acetylene gas substantially as set
forth.
2. In an apparatus for producing acetylene gas, the combination of a receptacle
as A provided with orifices as k, a funnel as D provided with a membrane as d,
an elastic bag as E and a grid or support as h substantially .a
as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination of an outlet pipe
as b with a safety valve as m attached to a lid or cover or end piece such as C
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the employment of a funnel or
chamber closed by an elastic membrane provided with a fissure substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
5. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth with refer-
ence to Figure 1.
6. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth with refer-
ence to Figure 2.