Improvements in Acetylene Lamps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Acetylene Lamps.
JAMES RITCHIE, Rose Cottage, Grantham Road, Smethwick, Staffordshire,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention is an adaptation of acetylene gas, generated from "calcium
carbide,' for lighting houses and other purposes where a portable light is
required. The lamp consists of a base, gas holder, cistern, and burner with globe.
In the base are fixed the generator or generators, pipes, and taps for water and
gas. It is made in a portable form and can be carried from room to room and
stand on table. There cannot be any possible over-pressure of gas whatever,
even by any wilfull disarrangement of the taps. The generators, pipes, and taps
are placed inside the base of lamp, and arranged so as to generate and cool the
gas, there being a recess for waste water, keeping the carbide dry when no gas
is being consumed so that no gas will be generated. The whole working auto-
matically as explained in accompanying description.
The lamps can be made, in a variety of forms to suit the requirements of
customers, but in them all the same mode of manipulation, in the generation
of gas, storeage of gas cooling, pressure, recess for waste water, and arrangement
of pipes.
I claim for these lamps to be a practicable application of acetylene gas for
lighting houses or for any purpose where a light is required, being portable,
easy trimmed, requiring no wick, and giving 15 to 20 times the light of an
ordinary paraffin oil lamp, and so far as I know, like no other acetylene gas
lamp in existance.
The lamps consists of four generators and connecting pipes and taps, and two
chambers which may be either round or square. The lower chamber is made
water and gas tight, the upper chamber is watertight but open at the top, the
top of bottom chamber being the bottom of upper chamber. The lower chamber
is 6 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep, the upper chamber is 7 inches deep
and made globular in shape and of the same capacity as the lower chamber.
The bottom of lower chamber projects 1 inch beyond the chamber and square
the corners, rounded off to suit the circle of generators.
WATER PIPES.
In the lower chamber there are five water pipes. One is 5 inch in diameter
and fixed into the top of lower chamber and reaches the bottom of same and gas
tight at but open at bottom making a communication between lower and upper
chambers. The other four pipes are 5/16 inch in diameter and used to conduct
water to generators, they are let through the bottom of lower chamber and fixed
to same, one water pipe to each generator which are marked 1, 2, 3, 4. No. 1 is
the shortest pipe. No. 2 is the next, No. 3 the next, No. 4 the longest and reaches
to of the depth of chamber from the top. 3 inch is is the difference of height
of each pipe, these pipes convey water to the generators through the bottom
037

page_text: of lower chamber and descend three inches below returning by a bend and rises
to inch from the bottom of lower chamber and ending in a corner piece, with
a tap intervening, the corner pieces are connected with generators by a pipe.
GAS PIPES.
There is only one gas pipe, with connections with the generators, this pipe is
let in through the bottom of and up through lower chamber then through the
top into upper chamber, and with a bend returns to lower chamber through the
bottom of upper chamber, under the lower chamber this pipe is connected by a
Tpiece to a pipe running horizontal and ending at each side 12 inch from
edge of bottom, with a T piece at each end, these are connected with the gene-
rators with a tap intervening.
The pipe leading gas to burner is let through and fixed in the bottom of upper
chamber and carried to the top and fixed to suitable cross piece fixed in top of
upper chamber to carry tap and burner.
GENERATORS.
There are four generators to this lamp which are round, the outer shell is
three inches in diameter and four inches deep open at the bottom and closed at
top there is a brass screw 3/8 inches in depth at bottom with a flange ¼ inch
wide, the receiver and cap or manhole cover is combined, the cap being hollowed
in the centre to form a recess for waste water and the feet of lamp, a perforated
removable bottom is placed 3 inch from the bottom of receiver, and on this is
placed the calcium carbide, the receiver is screwed into the outer shell of
generator, a rubber washer intervening to make a gas tight joint. There is a
space of inch between the outer shell and receiver. Inside the top of generator
is fixed a finely perforated pipe in a circular form and connected with corner
piece of water pipe as described. This pipe is arranged so as to spray the water
on carbide in receiver, and also to allow a portion of water to run into the 1/4 inch
space between the outer shell and receiver thus acting as a jacket to keep the
generator cool, the water in the ½ inch space does not come in contact with the
calcium carbide, the outlet for gas is a pipe fixed at the top of outer shell of
generator and connected with T piece of horizontal gas pipe with a tap inter-
vening. The generators are placed at the rounded corners of bottom of lower
chamber and fixed with a small screw bolt with mushroom shaped brass nut,
the bolt is let through a hole in the centre of the top of generators with a suitable
washer under its head and through a hole in projected part of bottom of lower
chamber and brass nut screwed firmly down, the whole forming the feet of lamp,
and cased with sheet metal with the tap handles projecting outside.
A guage
glass is fixed at top of lower chamber and 2 inches from the bottom of same
and marked with height of inlet of the water pipes.
This lamp is termed a 6 inch lamp.
MODE OF WORKING THE LAMP.
The lower chamber is filled full of water which is introduced at the top of
upper chamber, the gas tap being opened and the burner removed to allow the
air to escape. All the generator's are charged with carbide, and caps screwed up
tight. All the gas taps are then opened first then the tap of the lowest water pipe
is opened for 3 seconds then closed for 3 seconds or until the water descends
below the lowest mark on guage glass, then open all the water taps, no more
gas will be generated until gas is consumed, then gas will be generated in
the following manner, when the water tap is opened water descends through the
pipe and is sprayed on carbide in generator and gas is immediately generated 5
which is conducted by the gas pipe up through the lower chamber and into the
upper chamber returning by a bend in the pipe to the lower chamber, which
displaces the water in lower chamber up through the ¾ inch pipe into the upper

page_text: chamber until the water descends below the inlet of the lowest pipe then the
gas ceases to be generated, the water in the upper chamber now acts as pressure
and gradualy displaces the gas as it is consumed in the lower chamber until
the water rises to the inlet of water pipe then the water once
more descends
to generator and more gas is generated displacing the water as before, and will
so act until the carbide in the generator is exhausted then the water in lower
chamber will rise until it reaches the second lowest pipe inlet, when it will act
in the same manner as described and will so act automatically until all the
carbide in all, the generators is exhausted. The generators can be recharged
when exhausted by closing the taps and unscrewing the cover and taking out
receiver and emptying residue and refilling and fixing into generator again.
Sufficient water must be added when recharging to compensate for waste water.
HORIZONTAL GENERATOR.
A horizontal generator is best suited to a one generator lamp, which is placed
inside at the bottom of lower chamber and fixed with manhole outside, thus it
is surrounded with water, the generator has a drawer as receiver for the carbide,
with a perforated bottom so constructed as to leave a recess for waste water.
The inlet of the water pipe is the depth of the chamber from the top and is
conducted outside then bent downwards with tap, then lower down conducted
inside again with bend near the bottom of chamber then turned up on to top of
generator and connected with a perforated pipe running along the top of inside
of generator for spraying water on the carbide. The gas is conducted by a pipe
from the generator through the shell of lower chamber then
a tap, then
further up conducted through shell of upper chamber, then down through
bottom of upper chamber into lower chamber and fixed.
The pipe conducting gas to burner is fixed in bottom of upper chamber and
conducted through shell of upper chamber then a tap, then conducted lower
down and through shell of lower chamber then in a horizontal position passed
through the shell at other side of lamp thus conducted to burner where required;
a 8 inch pipe is fixed between upper and lower chamber being let through the
bottom of upper chamber and made gas tight, but open at bottom to admit of
the circulation of water between the two chambers.
The generator manhole cover is a screw cap, or fixed in the ordinary way or
by lever and cam.
The whole working automatically in the same way as described for four
generator lamp.
The lamps to be made of any suitable material.
Improvements in Acetylene Lamps.
I, JAMES RITCHIE, of Rose Cottage, Grantham Road, Smethwick, Staffordshire,
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 the construction and arrangement of acetylene gas
lamps, in which the generator or generators may be made to assume either a
vertical or horizontal direction.

page_text: In order to more clearly explain this my invention I have appended hereunto
illustrative drawings upon which are figures and numbers of reference similar
numbers referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part.
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate my invention as arranged with vertical generators;
Fig. 1, being a vertical sectional view on line A-B see Fig. 2; while Fig. 2,
is a vertical sectional view on line C-D see Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, is a cross
sectional plan view of Fig. 1, on line E-F, see Fig. 1.
Figs. 4 and 5, illustrate my invention as arranged with a horizontal generator;
Fig. 4, being a side vertical, sectional view on line G-H see Fig. 5, and Fig. 5,
is rear view of same.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 & 3, it will be seen that 7, is the base. 8, are the
generating chambers in which is placed the carbide holder 8ª, such holders
being removable by screw cap 9, or other convenient method. 10, is a water
chamber, which is charged from its upper surface in any suitable manner.
The water thus charged into the chamber 10, descends the pipe 11, and thence
flows through the side openings 12, from such pipe, into the gas and water
chamber 13. In this chamber 13, are vertical pipes 14, 14, 14b and 14°, whose
heights vary in regular graduating, 14, being the highest and 14° the lowest.
Therefore the water when rising in the chamber 13, first reaches and overflows
into and down the pipe 14° and thence to the spray pipe 15 which is directly
over the generator and having perforations or the like upon its underside, so
that the water is discharged spray fashion upon the carbide in the holder 8ª.
Such discharge may be controlled or shut off by means of tap 16. It will be
observed that each of the pipes 14, 14, 14 and 14°, terminate with a similar
spray pipe 15, and controlled by similar tap 16. Having thus delivered water
to the carbide, gas is quickly generated and thence passes through tap 17, into
pipe 18, and thence by pipe 19, into chamber 13, and thence through pipe 20,
to the burner. Should the accumulation of gas exceed the consumption, it will
be readily seen that a pressure will soon be set up above the water in chamber 13,
which will force down and drive back the water, until the water level falls below
the top of the pipe 14°, when the automatic supply of water to the generator
will thus be cut off.
It will now be seen that if the consumption is more than one generator can
supply a second tap 16, or more-may be opened, when the flow of water into
the chamber 13, will necessarily pass down the successive pipes 14, 14, and 14º,
as their respective heights are reached. It may here be observed that when any
of the generators have become exhausted the water pipes to such may be cut
off by means of their respective taps 16, when the remaining generators may
then follow into use. 21, is an ordinary gauge glass to indicate the amount of
water in the chamber 13.
Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the arrangement is prac-
tically the same except that the several parts are modified as to their precise
shape and position. One generater 8b, only is shown, and the carbide holder 8,
takes somewhat the form of a drawer, which may be moved in and out. when the
cap 9, is removed.
In this case, as before the water is charged into the
chamber 10, and passes thence down the pipe 11, and through openings 12, into
chamber 13. In this case the generator is situated in the said chamber 13.
The water now rises until it reaches and enters the pipe 14, and thence passes to
spray pipe 15, where it is discharged as before stated upon the carbide.
being now generated it passes upwards from the generator direct into vertical
pipe 19, and thence into chamber 13, and again thence by pipe 20, to burner 22.
In this also should the generation of gas exceed the demand, pressure ensues
in chamber 13, and drives back the water to a level below the orifice of pipe 14,
and thus again automatically cuts off the supply of water.
Gas
Again. Referring to the carbide holder 8, its bottom plate 23, is removable,
and is also perforated, and below it is the well or recess 24, hence as the water
falls on the carbide, it may drain through and what is not taken up thereby

page_text: drains into the said recess 24, thus keeping the carbide not unnecessarily wet.
It will be seen that in Figs. 4 and 5, ihe same conditions exist, inasmuch as
the bottom of the holder is also perforated and the waste drains into the well
or recess below it formed by the concavity of the regenerating chamber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the samo is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. The combination with a base 7, having one or more generators 8, and
water chamber 10, of the gas and water chamber 13, having delivery
pipes 14, 14, 14 and 14° leading to generators, and gas pipes 19 and 20, all
substantially arranged and combined with their accessory parts as shown and
described in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
2. The modified combination and arrangement of horizontal generator, and
water chamber, with the gas and water chomber and their communicating water
and gas pipes, substantially as herein described and shown upon the drawings
in Figs. 4 and 5.
3. The combination of the carbide holder having a perforated bottom and a
drain into which the waste water may collect from the said holder substantially
as herein described and shown upon the drawings.
Dated this 97th day of October 1898
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent, 12, Cherry Street, Birmingham.