Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas.
I, MARTIN WAGNER, of Nogent on the Marne, in the Republic of France,
Director, 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 acetylene gas illuminating apparatus arranged to
operate at from 0 to 25 centimetres water-pressure and capable of operating either
continuously or with intermittent stoppages.
As a result of numerous experiments I have ascertained that in order to utilize
acetylene gas in an economical and practical manner in small-sized apparatus of
the class to which this invention relates it is expedient in view of the small
quantity of the carburet contained in the gas producer to use the same at a
uniform pressure without however storing up any gas-pressure, say in consequence
of stoppages produced by turning off the gas tap, or by other manipulations hereto-
fore resorted to, which however have failed to ensure reliable or safe operation.
In order to obviate this drawback we have devised an arrangement the operation
whereof as an illuminating device is controllable at will, so that its light may
either be intensified or stopped altogether, the stoppage being either continuous
or intermittent.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the improved lamp:
Figure 2 is a plan view of the upper part:
Figure 3 is a plan thereof with the water chamber shown in horizontal section.
Figure is an interchangeable plug for the discharge of over-produced gas,
and
Figure 5 is a sectional plan of the base of the apparatus.
The body of the lamp consists of a nickle-plated steel-tube closed at its ends by
two screw-plugs G G, such lamp comprising three main parts enclosed in an
envelope or casing A common to all, which is divided into three superposed com-
partments used as follows:
(1) In the lower part there is placed the gas producer containing the carburet-
basket or cage B. This basket is constructed of thin perforated sheet-metal or
wire gauze so as to permit water to pass through, and is raised upon two small
supports or feet b, one centimetre higher, so that the bottom of the cage or basket
is located above the water-delivery orifice of the feed pipe C and also above the
orifice of the over-production pipe D. The water supplied through the feeding
tube acts upon the carburet, and gas is produced and escapes through the upper
part of the gas producer into a tube E extending through the feeding chamber F.
Should too large a quantity of gas be evolved, and not consumed, such gas will
exercise pressure upon the water which will rise into the feeding vessel F, and a free
passage being afforded, the gas will pass off through the over-production pipe D
until equal pressure is restored. This over-production pipe leads from the lower
part of the gas producer to the top of the vessel or chamber F, with the result
[Price 8d.]

page_text: that, should the feeding tap e and gas discharge-tap e be closed, any water that
may be contained in the gas producer may without any further manipulation rise
into the feeding chamber and prevent unnecessary gas-production, as well as a
stoppage of the gas supply. The feed pipe C is fitted with a tape which serves
to control the passage of the water from the water-reservoir F to the gas producer.
The lower part of the gas producer is closed by a screw plug G which is taken off
when it is desired to remove the carburet cage or basket, which may be charged
or emptied at will. In the centre of the said screw-plug there is fitted a tap g
which serves to draw off the water contained in the gas producer should it be
desired finally to discontinue the operation of the lamp.
(2) The water-feeding vessel or chamber contains the water intended to
produce gas by its ac'ion upon the carburet. In the lower part of this chamber
there is an outwardly extending pipe which serves to conduct water into the gas
producer. There also passes through the said feeding-chamber, from top to
Lottom, a pipe E, through which the gas is conveyed from the gas producer into
the purifier, for which purpose the said pipe connects the upper part of the gas
producer with the lower part of the purifier. The water contained in the feeding-
chamber serves to cool and condense the gas.
(3) The purifier H contains special chemicals placed upon a rose k and adapted
to purify the gas before it is consumed. The purifier therefore receives the gas
as it issues from the upper part of the gas producer and after it has passed through
the feeding chamber, such gas entering the lower part of the purifier, and passing
through the purifying agents therein, before it is consumed.
In the centre of the purifier a pipe extends from the top to the lower part
of the same, which pipe serves to fill the feeding chamber. This pipe, at its upper
end is provided with a funnel I closed by a screw-plug i in which a perforation 7,
about one millimetre and a half in size, is formed for the passage of the air required
for the automatic feeding of the lamp whilst it is in operation, such perforation
also affording a passage for gas in case of over-production or stoppage,
The apparatus hereinabove described may be carried out in different shapes
according to the purpose for which it is designed to be used: thus it may he
round in the case of cycles, or oval, square or rectangular for portable lamps for
private use.
Where this apparatus is intended for use in dwelling houses, the plug i. Figure 1,
may be replaced by one constructed as shown in Figure 4, in which case a flexible
tube may be fitted to it, adapted to conduct the over-produced or surplus gas to
the outside.
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―
Acetylene gas illuminating apparatus consisting of a tube closed at both ends
and forming three superpose compartments, the first or lowermost of which serves
as a gas producer: the intermediate one being the water-feeding chamber while
the topmost compartment acts as a purifier; the said gas producer coinmunicating
(1) with the purifier through a gas tube E; (2) with the water reservoir F through
a tube controlled by a tap and (3) with the atmosphere, in case of overproduc
tion through the tubes D and ; the apparatus being provided at the bottom with
a discharge tap and at the top with a gas outlet tap.
Dat: 001 doy of Navam. 1807
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.