An Improved Device for Generating and Burning Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Generating and Burning Acetylene Gas.
I, ALEC BROWETT, of 8, The Grove, Stroud Green, in the County of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide a device for generating and burning
acetylene gas which device is so economical in first cost that it can be thrown
away after use and replaced by a fresh one it being as readily applied and used
as an ordinary candle.
According to my invention I provide a case of thin metal or other incom-
bustible material which is preferably cylindrical and I perforate it with a hole
or with holes at top and at bottom and in it I place carbide of calcium there
being a porous material such as blotting paper placed between the bottom of
the interior of the case and the charge of carbide the said porous material being
dish-shaped or with a turned up edge which seals itself against the case under
the pressure of the gas and prevents the escape of gas at the lower orifice. There
are preferably discs or pieces of blotting paper or other porous material at inter-
vals between the portions of the charge. On the case with its contents being
placed in a vessel containing water the water enters by the lower opening and
coming into contact with the carbide of calcium generates gas which is ignited
at the top orifice. The device can be made of various lengths to give various
times of burning and it can be readily used with existing lamps for cycles or the
like by removing the burner from the oil vessel and using the said vessel as the
water vessel in which the said charged case is placed.
Dated this 14th day of September 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.
COMPLETE DIEUIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Generating and Burning Acetylene Gas.
I, ALEC BROWErr, of S, The Grove, Stroud (ireen, in the County of London,
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:-
The object of my invention is to provide a device for generating and burning
acetylene gas, which device is so economical in first cost that it can be thrown
away after use and replaced by a fresh one, being as readily applied and used

page_text: as an ordinary candle. I will describe my invention with reference to the accom-
panying drawing which shews, in Figure 1, a vertical section of a device made
in accordance with my invention. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the lower
part. A is a case of thin metal, or other incombustible material. It may be
of any convenient shape, but it is preferably cylindrical, with the ends secured
thereto in any convenient way. It is perforated with a hole a (or with holes,)
at top and with a hole a², (or holes), at bottom, and in it I place carbide of
calcium, there being a porous material, such as blotting paper, placed between
the bottom of the interior of the case and the charge of carbide, as shewn at B,
the said porous material being dish-shaped, or with a turned up edge, (as shewn
at 6), which seals itself against the interior of the case under the pressure of the
gas generated, and prevents the escape of gas at the lower orifice a². In order
to prevent the expansion of the carbide during decomposition from pressing
upon the blotting paper so as to obstruct the orifice a² I prefer to place. a small
arched piece of metal d, shewn separately in Figure 3, over the blotting paper,
it being so shaped as to allow free access of water. It is shewn as having curved-
up parts where it rests on the blotting paper to prevent risk of cutting it.
There
are preferably, (but not necessarily), discs, or pieces, c, of blotting paper, or other
porous material, at intervals between the portions of the charge. On the case
with its contents being placed in a vessel containing water, the water enters by
the lower opening a, and coming into contact with the carbide of calcium
generates gas which escapes and can be ignited at the top orifice a. The device
can be made of various lengths to give various times of burning, and it can
be readily used with existing lamps for cycles, or the like, by removing the burner
from the oil vessel and using the said vessel as the water vessel in which the said
charged case is placed. It can also be made in large sizes, and may be coupled
to a tube for conveying the gas generated to gas engines, or other place of
utilization. To prevent the small orifice a, (or orifices), being clogged by dust
before the device is used I may put a wire, or thread, in the orifice to be with-
drawn before the device is used; or I may cover the interior side of the orifice
with fine muslin, or the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
A device for generating acetylene gas, the said device consisting of a case
made of incombustible and non-porous, or impermeable, material and perforated
for the admission of water and for the burning, or exit, of gas, and provided,
at the water inlet orifice, with means which will permit water to enter but which
will prevent the exit of gas at the said water inlet orifice, substantially as herein-
before described.
1 L
121
1
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.