Improvements in Protective Coverings for Compressed Cakes containing Granulated Calcium Carbide.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
Improvements in Protective Coverings for Compressed Cakes
containing Granulated Calcium Carbide.
I, GUSTAF DILLBERG, of 77, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales,
Electrician, 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 has for its object to so treat calcium carbide that when granu-
lated, and compressed, a cake thereof may be stored or forwarded by any ordinary
means without the protection of specially prepared wrappers or air-tight tins
or packing.
It is well known that moisture easily affects the carbide, and the moisture
contained in the air speedily deteriorates it. Thus air-tight packages have been
considered necessary in which to preserve the requisite quality of the carbide.
Though such protection is more or less effective it is bulky and cumbersome.
To be able to adopt the principle hereinafter described it is necessary first to
granulate the carbide and then compress it into a cake, pill, lozenge, cartridge,
or other shape which may be desired, which I herein for convenience will refer
to as a cartridge. This carbide cartridge is ready for use for illuminating pur-
poses as soon as it is moulded, and when so used it of course requires no special
protection, but if afterwards kept for a time, the moisture of the atmosphere
speedily deteriorates it, and soon renders it useless, unless it is well protected.
Instead of employing protective means as above referred to, I prefer to treat
the carbide cartridge as follows. A liquid or plastic adhesive substance which
ultimately hardens is applied to the exposed surfaces of the cartridge, thus
forming a coating impervious to moisture of the air or even the action of water
if immersed in that liquid. Such a coating may consist of various substances
as employed to exclude air or moisture from various articles in daily use, such
as varnish, paint, wax, resin or a combination of such materials. Thus pro-
tected the cartridges may be packed and stored or forwarded by land or sea
without any further protection against deterioration from the action of external
moisture, and becomes an article of practical utility as well as a commercial
commodity.
When the cartridge is to be used for illuminating purposes, before being
immersed in water, the covering or part thereof must be removed, thereby
exposing an acting surface to the water, ensuring the requisite generation of
gas per unit of time which may be desired, thus obviating the use of any
specially constructed generators, wherever these coated cartridges are employed.
A cartridge thus made and protected may be kept for any time, and is always
ready for immediate use; it may be carried by land or sea; in a persons pocket
if desired; may be kept in damp places even in water without deterioration,
and whenever required for use, it is only necessary to fracture, break or remove
a part or the whole of the covering according to the acting surface required,

page_text: such surface being equivalent to the force and quantity of acetylene gas required
at the time. By this means one cartridge may be used to feed one burner for
a given time, or a number of burners for a proportionate acting period without
the use of any special regulators.
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 combination with a cartridge containing calcium carbide, an adhesive
coating which ultimately solidifies and forms a solid crust impervious to moisture
and air, substantially as described and for the purpose herein set forth.
2. In combination with a cartridge containing calcium carbide, an adhesive
coating which ultimately forms a solid crust around it impervious to moisture
and air, and which crust must be fractured, broken, or partially removed before
the cartridge will generate the requisite acetylene gas when in contact with
water, substantially as described and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 6th day of June 1898.
GUSTAF DILLBERG.