Improvements in the Manufacture of Carbide of Magnesium.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1898-Accepted, 3rd Sept., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Carbide of Magnesium.
JOHN EDWARD TENISON WOODS, of Chantry Road, in the County of London,
Engineer and Chemist, and WILLIAM ASCROFT BYROM, of 32, Great St. Helens, in
the City of London, England, Gentleman, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of carbide of
magnesium for the commercial production of acetylene gas and has for its object
a process whereby such carbide can be produced economically and on a large scale.
This process comprises two stages that is to say 1. The production of the gaseous
mixture necessary to make carbide of magnesium; 2. The production of carbide
of magnesium proper.
In carrying out the first stage of our improved process, we fill a number of
retorts, provided with suitable connections as well as with an inlet and an outlet
pipe, with hydrated oxide of iron or bog iron ore and we heat them to a tempera-
ture of about 1000 F. We then cause a current of crude petroleum vapor
produced, in a separately heated vessel, to pass through these retorts whereby the
iron oxide is reduced to spongy iron, while a certain quantity of steam is formed
and some free carbon is deposited. The gas escaping from the outlet pipe of the'
last retort consists chiefly of acetylene (C2H2) and Marsh gas (CH) and is
conveyed to and stored in a suitable gas holder. A current of steam being subse-
quently allowed to pass through the retorts kept at the temperature aforesaid the
spongy iron is converted again into iron oxide and free hydrogen is generated
from the decomposition of the steam which takes place and partly combines with
the free carbon deposited forming both acetylene (CH2) and Marsh gas (CH),
the gas escaping at the outlet consisting now of acetylene, Marsh gas, and a large
quantity of hydrogen all of which is conveyed to the gas holder above mentioned.
These gases intermingle in the gas holder and constitute the gaseous mixture the
production of which is the first step of our process. The retorts and connections
are of the same description as the plant used for manufacturing illuminating gas
and being well known need not be described here.
To carry out the second part of our process i.e. the manufacture of carbide of
magnesium we use the apparatus illustrated in the Specification of our Complete
Application No. 14453 A.D. 1898 a mixture of fine charcoal and magnesian lime-
stone being fed in the crucible or furnace of this apparatus which is supplied
with air and the gaseous mixture stored in the gas holder above mentioned in the
manner set forth in the specification aforesaid.
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. The process for reducing a mixture of magnesium limestone and carbon
indo conhide of magnesium substantially as herein described and shown.

page_text: 2. The improvements in and connected with the manufacture of carbide of
magnesium substantially as herein described and shown and for the purpose set
forth.
DE KATOW & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.