Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Carbide of Calcium.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Carbide of Calcium.
We, JOSEPH WILLIAM KELLY, of George House, Gainsborough Road, Victoria
Park, in the County of London, Land and Estate Agent, and HENRY ROANTREE,
of 6, Stonefield Street, Islington, in the County of London, Agent, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for the production of
carbide of calcium and has for its object to greatly reduce the cost of such
production and to utilize the waste products or gases.
In the processes hitherto employed for the production of carbide of calcium a
mixture of chalk and coke has been used which is placed in a crucible or pot and
subjected to intense heat by means of carbon pencils or electrodes in connection
with an electric battery or dynamo and surrounded by the said chalk and coke.
the product being formed by the action of the electric arc within the said crucible'
or pot.
Now according to our invention we employ a furnace or muffler of any suitable
shape having a brickwork foundation and provided at the top with an outlet flue.
Into this furnace is placed through openings in the sides two carbon blocks of
suitable shape and size the inner or forward ends of which are slightly raised by
supports and meet together in the centre of the furnace.
One of these blocks is connected by a wire with the positive pole of a dynamo
or electric battery and the other carbon block is similarly connected with the
negative pole so that a current may be set up and an electric arc formed between
the said blocks. The front of the furnace is formed with an opening to permit
the entrance of a man for adjusting the position of the carbons which opening
may be covered by coloured glass to enable the interior to be inspected.
We also form the front of the furnace with an opening for receiving and feeding
into the same a pencil whose front end is brought into contact with the arc
formed between the carbon blocks.
This pencil is formed by a mixture of chalk or lime and coke or coal breeze
in equal parts or thereabouts well pulverized and mixed an compressed into shape.
The arc is produced by a current of about 1,800 or 2,000 amperes more or less
so as to create an intense heat which acting upon the said pencil generates car-
bonic acid and carbonic oxyde gases thus forming the carbide of calcium which
flows down an inclined portion of the hearth to an opening at the back from
whence it may be removed as desid each pencil or block as it is consumed being
replaced by another one fed forwa in its place. The carbonic acid and car-
bonic oxyde gasses pass away by the outlet flue and are collected by any suitable
means and converted by the agency of air into carbonic acid.
L
Tana 1900

page_text: wires d', da to the opposite poles of a dynamo or battery. e is the central opening
leading to the furnace or chamber e', and f is the inclined hearth in the latter
for feeding the carbide of calcium formed by the electric are to the opening fl
at the back.
The opening e is fitted with a coloured glass cover or plate e sliding in guides e
and serving as a spy hole. is the specially prepared pencil or block of chalk
and coke breeze which is passed through an opening in the furnace front.
The carbons & rest at their inner ends upon the blocks a¹ and meet together
in the centre of the chamber e¹ so as, by reason of the electric current passing
through the same, to produce the arc which consumes the aforesaid pencil or
block and thus produces the carbide of calcium.
The latter is collected through the opening f¹ at the back in a suitable
receptacle from whence it is removed without further trouble the carbonic acid,
carbonic oxyde and other waste products passing away through the flue c to be
converted into carbonic acid or any other bye products.
By means of our invention we dispense with the use of a separate crucible or
pot containing chalk and coke for each operation, it simply being necessary to
supply fresh carbons or prepared pencils when the old ones are consumed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
(1) Apparatus for the production of carbide of calcium comprising a furnace in
which are placed two carbon blocks electrically connected for producing an electric
are between their meeting points, and a pencil or block specially prepared by a
mixture of chalk or lime and coke or coal breeze, and fed through an opening in
the furnace, towards the said electric arc at right angles to the carbon blocks,
thereby causing, by the intensity of the current producing the arc, the incan-
descence of the said pencil or block substantially as described.
(2) In a furnace for the production of carbide of calcium the combination of
the brick foundation a, the upper part or arch 6 provided with the escape flue c
the carbon blocks d, d, resting on blocks a' and electrically connected by the
wires d', ², the front opening e fitted with the glass cover or spy-hole e² held in
guides, the chamber e, sloping hearth f, back outlet opening f, and prepared
pencil or block g, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(3) In the manufacture of carbide of calcium the use of specially prepared
pencils substantially as herein described.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1898
J. B. FLEURET,
5, Hatton Garden, Holborn Circus, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.