Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application in the United Kingdom, 18th Feb., 1897..
Complete Left, 18th Nov., 1897-Complete Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
асебулоце.
We, EMILE GOSSART, and HENRY CHEVALLIER, both of Fampoux (pas de Calais), in
the Republic of France, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain arrangements by means of which we have
succeeded in improving of facilitating considerably the use of the apparatus described
in the Specification of our application for Letters Patent No. 27574 of 1896.
.
In order that an acetylene gas apparatus may give a steady flame without bursts
of intensity or sınoke, and in order that it can be closed and opened at pleasure
without great excess of inner pressure rendering the lamp dangerous and without
disagreeable smell, it is known that a slow reaction of the carbide and of the water
must be produced and one must be able to interrupt this action at pleasure.
The difficulty of the solution of the problem is that the carbide of, calcium is not
only attacked by the water, but also by superhydrated .lime, even when the latter. is
to all appearance dry.
Only the first hydrate Ca 0 H2 O does not act upon the carbide. In a perfect
lamp, the reaction at each movement must be translated by the equation:-
Ca C2 + 2 H2 O Ca O H2O + C2 H2 or (64 gr. carbide + 36 gr. water
74 gr. lime + 26 acetylene).
In a word one must consume minute by minute less water than carbide by about
two thirds.
We approach these proportions by means of the following contrivances.
1. By distributing the carbide upon two or more stories so that each thin layer
is attacked at once, excepting that of the bottom; from below by the vapor
and from above by the capillary tubes, the latter being the essential organs of our
device for producing gas.
2. By the distributing upon the large layers of carbide the drops of these tubes,
by means of their falling upon a water shed, varnished in such a manner that it is
little wetted by the drops and that the latter roll like drops of water upon a red
hot plate.
Our additional distributing arrangement consists therefore especially of a sieve
which carries axially the one under the other two cones with opposed tops, the one
tubular which receives the drops the other pointed and with varnished surface which
causes them to roll in all directions..
As the closure of these lamps must be perfect in order to avoid the escape of
acetylene and must also be easily obtained, we have adopted most generally the very
tight closure which is realized by the application of a rounded border of the receiver
of the carbide upon a groove of the cover. This groove is provided with a ribbon of

page_text: vulcanised caoutchouc. A pressure screw turns in a nut having arms which hook
firmly on the carbide receiver. Any combination for the applications and use of a
screw give us also good results.
.
The following are a few improvements of details which have great importance
for the regular working of the lamp.
The cover and the metallic supports of the capillary tubes are coated with black
cloth or felt in order to avoid the condensation on their surface of the vapour of
water in the interior thus avoiding the sudden and unforeseen fall of large water
drops so formed which are sufficient to give violent bursts to the flame especially
when the lamp is shaken.
The surface of the carbide receiver is coated with dull black in order to favour
its emissive power and to disperse as much as possible the heat of the interior
reaction in proportion with its production. In more expensive models a covering
fixed on the top and below gives a cooling air current.
The capillary tubes used are of glass but protected by a metallic covering.
Their inner diameter is about 1 mm. According to the discharge of the lamp one
may calculate easily the number of drops. for one minute at about 5 cgr. for each
drop by means of the formula of Poiseuille, of which we have determined the
H. d4
coefficient for glass and which we have verified; n (drops per minute) - € 10
1
H being the pressure in decimeters of water, d the inner diameter in millimeters
the length of the capillary tube in meters.
These tubes are proportioned in length to the burner which is fitted to the lamp.
The same lamp can have groups of burners and tubes for instance for 5, 10, 15,
20, or 100 candles the two corresponding parts being marked with the corresponding
number.
The interior construction. of all our apparatus is substantially the same, whatever
be their power, from the smallest lamp of 4 to 5 candles such as the invisible lainps
which we introduce in the hollow steering rods of bicycles up to large apparatus
for 20, 50, etc. burners.
The water receiver and the carbide receiver, instead of being connected by solid
tubes for the gas and the water, are connected by joints in metal or caoutchouc.
The gas here, on account of its great discharge, rises along a serpentine pipe of
large surface across a mass of water more considerable than that which the reaction
requires. The pressure in the apparatus is maintained constant by the mariotta
tube of the water receiver. The water regulation in capillary drops is made by a
tube which rises up to a level corresponding to the flowing of the water necessary
for the number of kilograms of carbide used. One is thus certain never to make an
injurious froth even if one forgets to close the water cock.
Gas apparatus for a larger number of burners than 20 are in several rows, and
several couples of tube groups placed in two or three different azimuths distribute
the water upon the sieves, provided equally with their umbrella like funnels.
Lateral doors allow of placing or removing the carbide upon these sieves.
Although in these gas apparatus with large discharge, the automatic regulation
of the capillary drops continues to such point as to allow the facultative working
of 20, burners or only one burner for example it may be preferable to connect to
them in certain installations a gas holder for dessication, cleansing and safety. We
use then the gas holder or gasometer "with very movable bell which will hold the
smallest overproduction of gas after the water is turned off, and in case the latter is
forgotten produce automatic stoppage of this water supply.
The good working of our apparatus is not only shown by the steadiness of the
flame, but also by the state of absolute dryness of the remaining carbide, or of the
lime produced. Thus is explained the possibility of opening and closing our lamps
at pleasure without fearing smell or explosion.
Dated this 18th day of February 1897.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Means for Producing and Burning
Acetylene.
We, EMILE GOSSART, and HENRY Chevallier, both of Fampoux (Pas-de-Calais), in
the Republic of France, Manufacturers, 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 certain arrangements by means of which we have
succeeded in improving or facilitating considerably the use of the apparatus described
in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 27574 of 1896.
In order that an acetylene gas apparatus may give a steady flame without bursts
of intensity or smoke, and in order that it can be closed and opened at pleasure with-
out great excess of inner pressure rendering the lamp dangerous and without
disagreeable smell, it is known that a slow reaction of the carbide and of the water
must be produced and one must be able to interrupt this action at pleasure.
The difficulty of the solution of the problem is that the carbide of calcium is not
only attacked by the water, but also by superhydrated lime, even when the latter is
to all appearance dry.
Only the first hydrate Ca O H2O does not act upon the carbide. In a perfect
lamp, the reaction at each movement must be translated by the equation: Ca C2 +
2 H2 O = Ca (OH) 2 + C2 H2 or (64 gr. carbide + 36 gr. water =
74 gr
lime +26 gr. acetylene).
In a word one must consume minute by minute less water than carbide by about
two thirds.
We approach these proportions by means of the following contrivances.
;
1. By distributing the carbide upon two or more stories so that each thin layer is
attacked at once excepting that of the bottom, from below by the vapor and from
above by the capillary tubes the latter being the essential organs of our device for
producing gas.
2. By the distributing upon the large layers of carbide the drops of these
tubes, by means of their falling upon a water shed, varnished in such a inanner that
it is little wetted by the drops and that the latter roll like drops of water upon a red
hot plate.
Our additional distributing arrangement consists therefore especially of a sieve
which carries axially the one under the other two cones with opposed tops, the one
tubular which receives the drops the other pointed and with varnished surface which
causes them to roll in all directions.
As the closure of these lamps must be perfect in order to avoid the escape of
acetylene and must also be easily obtained, we have adopted most generally the very
tight closure which is realized by the application of a rounded border of the receiver
of the carbide upon a groove of the cover. This groove is provided with a ribbon of
vulcanised caoutchouc. A pressure screw turns in a nut having arms which hook
firmly on the carbide receiver. Any combination for the application and use of a
screw gives us also good results.
:
:
The following are a few improvements of details which have great importance for
the regular working of the lamp.
The cover and the metallic supports of the capillary tubes are coated with black
cloth or felt in order to avoid the condensation on their surface of the vapour of water
n the interior thus avoiding the sudden and unforeseen fall of large water drops so
formed which are sufficient to give violent bursts to the flame especially when the
amp is shaken.

page_text: The surface of the carbide receiver is coated with dull black in order to favour its
emissive power and to disperse as much as possible the heat of the interior reaction in
proportion with its production. In more expensive models a covering fixed on the
top and below gives a cooling air current.
The capillary tubes used are of glass but protected by a metallic covering. Their
inner diameter is about Imm.. According to the discharge of the lamp. one may
calculate easily the number of drops for one minute at about 5 cgr. for each drop by
means of the formula of Poiseuille, of which we have determined the co-efficient for
glass and which we have verified n (drops per minute) = 10 H d4.
H being the pressure in decimeters of water, d the inner diameter in millimeters, l
the length of the capillary tubes in meters,
These tubes are proportioned in length to the burner which is fitted to the lamp.
The same lamp can have groups of burners and tubes for instance for 5, 10, 15, 20,
or 100 candles the two corresponding parts being marked with the corresponding
number.
The interior construction of all our apparatus is substantially the same, whatever
be their power, from the smallest lamp of 4 to 5 candles such as the invisible lamps
which we introduce in the hollow steering rods of bicycles up to large apparatus
for 20, 50, etc. burners.
For the large apparatus the water receiver and the carbide receiver, instead of being
_connected by solid tubes for the gas and the water, are connected by joints in metal or
caoutchouc. The gas here, on account of its great discharge, rises along a serpentine
pipe of large surface across a mass of water more considerable than- that which the
reaction requires. The pressure in the apparatus is maintained constant by
à Mariotta tube of the. water receiver. The water regulation in capillary drops is
made by a tube which rises up to a level corresponding to the flowing of the water
'necessary for the number of kilograms of carbide used. One is thus certain never
to have an excess of water even if one forgets to close the water cock.
Gas apparatus for a larger number of burners than 20 have several superposed
sieves and several couples of tube groups placed in two or three different azimuths
distribute the water upon the sieves, provided equally with their umbrella like
funnels. Lateral doors allow of placing or removing the carbide upon these sieves.
Although in these gas apparatus with large discharge, the automatic regulation of
the capillary drops continues to such point as to allow the facultative working of 20
burners or only one burner for example it may be preferable to connect to them in
certain installations, a gas holder for desiccation cleansing and safety. We use then
the gas holder or gasometer" with very movable bell which will hold the smallest
overproduction of gas after the water is turned off, and in case the latter is forgotten
produce automatic stoppage of this water supply.
66
The good working of our apparatus is not only shown by the steadiness of the
flame, but also by the state of absolute dryness of the remaining carbide or of the
lime produced. Thus is explained the possibility of opening and closing our lamps at
pleasure without fearing smell or explosion.
The annexed drawing shows as an example a vertical section of a lamp with
capillary,autoregulator, to which our improvenients are applied.
In this example the water receiver A is connected with the cover C¹ of..the
generator C by means of the water feeding and the gas escape tubes b and D. The
water feeding tube is provided with a tap; it ends under the cover in a small box,
on which the capillary tube B is fixed. The water which leaves this tube drop after
drop falls into a funnel E from whence it arrives on a varnished or glazed cone F
which distributes it on the carbide filling the bottom of the generator.
The disengaged acetylene traverses a layer of carbide contained in a sieve G where
it dries before arriving at the escape tube D; should it then still contain water, the
latter would condense during the passage in the refrigerating spiral tube d; the
water, condensed in this spiral tube returns to the generator where it falls on
the varnished cone D¹ which divides it and prevents it from falling in large drops

page_text: The funnel E, the distributing cone F and the sieve G are connected together and
form a whole which rests on supports H fixed in the receiver C; these parts can
be easily removed after having removed the cover C¹. The latter is provided with
feet c' which allow of placing it on some surface or on the ground without injuring
the capillary tube, it has at its periphery a groove which is provided with a
caoutchouc washer and in which the rounded border of the receiver C is placed.
bow with screw I allows of pressing the cover sufficiently on the receiver in order to
obtain a hermetical closure; for this purpose this bow ends at the two ends in clasps.
which press against corresponding supports, with which the receiver C is exteriorly
provided.
A
The water admission tube Bb serves as safety valve in case of exaggerated
pressure, and in order to prevent the acetyléne which is disengaged through this tube
from igniting in the water receiver A; the latter is covered with a cap a of metal
gauze, in the manner of the Davy lamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
:-
'
1. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which the carbide is
distributed in several superposed layers which are all attacked from above by the
falling water drops and from below, with exception of the under layer by the
water vapour carried by the acetylene, the said generator being combined or not with
a gas holder.
2. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which the water drops
fall on a cone which distributes them on the carbide.
3. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which under the under
orifice of the gas-escape-tube (this tube passing in a spiral in the water receiver) there is
arranged a cone serving for distributing on the carbide the water which is condensed
thereon especially in the part of this tube which is in the water receiver.
4. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which the water which
leaves the capillary tubes drop after drop falls into a funnel, whence it arrives on a
cone which distributes it on the carbide filling the bottom of the receiver, whilst the
disengaged acetylene traverses a carbide layer before arriving at the escape tube.
5. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which the water receiver
is closed at its upper part by a metallic gauze which prevents the flame from
spreading into its interior; essentially in the manner and for the purpose stated.
6. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which the walls of the
carbide receiver, or gas generator, are coated interiorly with black cloth or felt for the
purpose stated.
7. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which the walls of the
carbide receiver, are coated exteriorly with dead black for the purpose stated.
8. An acetylene generator with capillary autoregulator, in which the carbide
receiver, is surrounded with a double covering open at the under and upper end, for
the purpose of creating an air current round the gas generator, for the purpose
stated.
9. The improved construction for producing and burning acetylene and the
details thereof as described in the present Specification and shown in the annexed
drawing.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicants, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand