Improvements in the Process for the Manufacture of Carbide of Calcium, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by JAMES ELLICOTT HEWES, 421, Chestnut Street,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Electrical and Mechanical Engineer.]
Improvements in the Process for the Manufacture of Carbide of
Calcium, and Apparatus therefor.
I, GEORGE BOWER, St. Neots, Hunts, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows; —
The object of my invention is to effect a material saving in the heat required
for effecting the combination of those ingredients which combine for the pro-
duction of carbide. To this end my invention consists in the application to the
promotion of the reaction of the heat developed by the combustion of those gases
which are generated by the chemical combination."
In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated partly in section and partly
in elevation one type of furnace adapted for use in practising my process. In the
drawings a is a furnace provided with means for heating it, for example, with
electrodes b and c of which the electrode b may be adjustable, for example, by
means of mechanism as a comprising a screw c², provided with a counterweight c³
and a hand wheel c. These electrodes are provided with circuit connections
which are illustrated and well understood. d and d¹ are connections for intro-
ducing blasts, streams, or jets of air with or without the addition of gaseous fuel
through the walls and into the interior of the furnace a.
In the practise of my invention, the material e containing those ingredients
which are destined by their combination to form carbide of calcium are placed
in the furnace a after having been formed into briquettes, cakes, or pastiles
which provide between them spaces in which the combustion of gas hereinafter
described may occur. The effect of the application of heat and of the ensuing
chemical combination is among other things the generation of gas, mostly carbon
monoxide. Air admitted to the interior of the furnace causes the combustion of
such gas in, around and between the briquettes, cakes, or pastiles and the con-
sequent development of heat which promotes the chemical reaction. The admission
of air, as described, results in the conversion of the carbon monoxide into carbon
dioxide which is accompanied of course by the generation of heat. In some cases
more carbon than is required for the production of the carbide may be introduced
into the furnace and such excess of carbon may be consumed by the admission of
appropriate quantities of air. On the other hand the supply of air may be in-
creased or diminished so as to control the amount of carbon, if any, consumed in
the furnace.
1
1000

page_text: Improvements in the Process for the Manufacture of Carbide of
Calcium, and Apparatus therefor.
I, GEORGE BOWER, St. Neots, Hunts, 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:-
The object of my invention is to effect a material saving in the heat required.
for effecting the combination of those ingredients which combine for the pro-
duction of carbide. To this end my invention consists in the application to the
promotion of the reaction of the heat developed by the combustion of those gases
which are generated by the chemical combination.
In the drawings which accompanied my Provisional Specification I have illus-
trated partly in section and partly in elevation one type of furnace adapted for
use in practising my process. In the drawings a is a furnace provided with
means for heating it, for example, with electrodes b and c of which the electrode b
may be adjustable, for example, by means of mechanism as e comprising a
screw provided with a counterweight and a hand wheel . These electrodes
are provided with circuit connections which are illustrated and well under-
stood, d and d' are connections for introducing blasts, streams, or jets of air with
or without the addition of gaseous fuel through the walls and into the interior of
the furnace a.
In the practise of my invention, the material e containing those ingredients
which are destined by their combination to form carbide of calcium are placed
in the furnace a after having been formed into briquettes, cakes, or pastiles
which provide between them spaces in which the combustion of gas hereinafter
described may occur. The effect of the application of heat and of the ensuing
chemical combination is among other things the generation of gas, mostly carbon
monoxide. Air admitted to the interior of the furnace causes the combustion of
such gas in, around, and between the briquettes, cakes, or pastiles and the con-
sequent development of heat which promotes the chemical reaction. The admission
of air as described results in the conversion of the carbon monoxide into carbon
dioxide which is accompanied of course by the generation of heat. In some cases
more carbon than is required for the production of the carbide may be introduced
into the furnace and such excess of carbon may be consumed by the admission of
appropriate quantities of air. On the other hand the supply of air may be in-
creased or diminishes so as to control the amount of carbon, if any, consumed in
the furnace.
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. The process which consists in making cakes, pastiles, or briquettes of carbide
producing materials, passing a current of electricity between electrodes and
through the cakes, pastiles, or briquettes to effect chemical combination of their
ingredients and generate combustible gas, and supplying air to and through the
mass, whereby combustion of the gas is effected between and around the cakes,
pastiles or briquettes and the reaction promoted, substantially as described.
2. The process which consists in making cakes, pastiles or briquettes of carbide
producing materials, passing a current of electricity between electrodes and

page_text: through the cakes, pastiles or briquettes to effect chemical combination of their
ingredients and generate combustible gas, and supplying gaseous fuel to and
through the mass, whereby combustion of the gas is effected between and around
the cakes, pastiles, or briquettes and the reaction promoted, substantially as
described.