Acetylene Gas Lamp.
Year: 1895

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Acetylene Gas Lamp.
I, FRITZ ROSS BACH-ROUSSET of Tempelhof near Berlin, Germany, 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 :-
This invention relates to a lamp in which acetylene gas obtained in the
decomposition of carbide of calcium by means of water, is burnt.
In the drawing which shews the lamp of this invention in vertical section, a is
an outer casing, b a pressure casing, ca carbide of calcium container, d a wick or
wicks, e a spring, el a spring catch or pawl, f the burner, 9 a water container,
and h a float with valve i.
The container c in which carbide of calcium is placed is normally pressed
upwards by the spring e and moves downwards against the resistance of the spring
according as the volume of the decomposed carbide of calcium increases, its upward
movement being limited by the spring catch el taking against one of the
projections or the like provided on a tubular part which encloses the spring e,.
said catch being disengageable when desired by any ordinary suitable means.
The water for the decomposition of the carbide of calcium is drawn partly from
the water in the lower part of the casings through the wicks d and distributed in
fine particles over the carbide of calcium and is partly supplied direct from the
water container g past the valve i which is operated by the float h the water first
falling upon the guide cone k and then spreading out on to the wick. Upon the
commencement of the evolution of the gas the float lifted by the water will open
the valve i and water flow past this to the carbide of calcium through the wicks d
in the form of fine particles. When the requisite gas pressure is attained the float
falls by reason of said pressure lowering the level of the water and the valve i
closes, the further supply of water then taking place through the wicks, so that the
supply of water to the carbide of calcium is regulated automatically by the pressure
of the gas, or only one of these two ways for the supply of the necessary water for
the decomposition of the carbide of calcium may be adopted namely the float and
valve appliance for the larger kind of lamps and the wick appliance for the:
smaller kind.
The wicks may be lifted out of the water and thus completely stop the
production of gas by raising the burner tube through the stuffing box or
gland for by making the burner tube telescopic and sliding the lower part of
the same upwards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
An acetylene gas lamp in which acetylene gas is obtained by the decomposition
of carbide of calcium in the manner that the water required in the decomposition is,.
proportionately to the quantity of gas burnt at the burner or to the pressure of
the same, drawn through wicks and supplied direct from a water container past a
valve operated by a float, or is conducted to the carbide of calcium by one of these-
means, substantially as described and shewn.
Doted thin 17th day of T 1905
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant