Improvements in Carbide-supply Holders for Acetylene Generation, and in Lamps to be Used in Connection therewith.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
Improvements in Carbide-supply Holders for Acetylene Generation,
and in Lamps to be Used in Connection therewith.
We, FREDERICK SUNDERLAND, of 80, Lionel Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturer, and GEORGE MARSHALL, of 21, Byron Road, Small Heath, near
Birmingham, aforesaid, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has relation to holders or cartridges for containing a supply of
calcium carbide to be used in the generation of acetylene gas, and in detail
improvements in lamps adapted to be used therewith, and the objects of the
invention as regards the cartridge part, are first to provide means which admit
of the swelling or expansion of the carbide, on water or moisture being supplied
therewith, without bursting the casing; secondly to facilitate the supply and
even distribution of moisture to and throughout the whole of the carbide charge,
and thirdly, to enable the absorbent tail, by which water is fed to the charge of
carbide, to be easily introduced into the water, whilst the part of the invention
relating to acetylene lamps, has for its object to simplify the construction of such
apparatus and to render the same more efficient in use.
The improved cartridge preferably consists of a cylindrical and open topped
enclosure made of paper or other material and with the open end closed by a lid
or otherwise and having directed up the middle of it, a porous and absorbent
tube made of paper fabric or the like, into the hollow of which, the upper end
of a tail or filament of fibrous material, takes, and up which water is drawn, by
capillary attraction from a suitable and separate reservoir into which the said
absorbent tail depends. The top, bottom and sides of the interior of the recep-
tacle are lined with blotting paper or other absorbent substance for the purpose
of evenly transmitting or distributing moisture from the feed tail and central
porous tube to the carbide enclosed by the said porous material.
The bottom or the top of the container, or both of them may be domed or
cupped inwardly, so that when the carbide charge expands or swells on being
decomposed by the admitted moisture, the pressure exerted thereby acts on the
cupped surface and tends to flatten the same instead of bursting out the side
walls of the receptacle as usually occurs. The cupping of the bottom also
prevents the abnormal generation of gas by the inadvertent splashing of water
onto the underside thereof from the reservoir.
The lower end of the water feed tail is weighted by a shot or piece of lead or
other heavy material which will compel the said tail to hang down straight and
admit of it being readily introduced, in a bad light or under other adverse
circumstances, into the restricted entrance of the water chamber.
According to the second part of the invention, this water chamber may extend
into the bottom part of the body of the lamp and may rise from a suitable foot,
which thereby forms the base of the lamp. The said base may screw into or be
otherwise attached to the tubular shell body part of the lamp, the crown of which
is provided with a relief valve opening outwardly into the atmosphere and being

page_text: pressed onto its seating, against the internal pressure of the generated gas, by
means of a spring. The carbide cartridge is placed inside the upper part of the
lamp, with suitable perforations made-if necessary-through, its walls for gas
to escape through and with its tail dipping into the water and thereby supplying
moisture to the carbide which is decomposed and the gas evolved passes away
through a conveniently disposed pipe to the burner, which may be located within
a detachable reflector cone, which is preferably made removable for the purpose
of cleaning out the burner.
When the lamp is to be used as a cycle lamp, then it is preferably hung or
supported upon a compensating spring back provided with the ordinary attach-
ment socket.
Dated this 22nd day of Fahmu 1900
Improvements in Carbide-supply Holders for Acetylene Generation,
and in Lamps to be Used in Connection therewith.
We, FREDERICK SUNDERLAND, of 80, Lionel Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturer,-and-GEORGE MARSHALL of 21 Byron-Road, Small Heath,-near
Birmingham aforesaid, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has relation to holders or cartridges for containing a supply of
calcium carbide to be used in the generation of acetylene gas, and in detail
improvements in lamps adapted to be used therewith, and is, in part, a develop-
ment or an amplification of the invention described in the Specification of former
Letters Patent applied for by one of the present applicants and bearing date
the 14th day of September 1898 No. 19518.
The objects of the present invention, as regards the cartridge part, are first
to provide means which admit of the swelling or expansion of the carbide on
water or moisture being supplied thereto without bursting the casing; secondly,
to facilitate the supply and even distribution of moisture to and throughout the
whole of the carbide charge, and thirdly, to enable the absorbent tail, by which
water is fed to the charge of carbide, to be easily introduced into the water, whilst
the part of the invention relating to acetylene lamps, has for its object to simplify
the construction of such apparatus and to render the same more efficient in use.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a vertical section of an
acetylene cycle lamp constructed and provided with an improved carbide cartridge,
in accordance with our invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the casing of the carbide cartridge separately.
Figure 3 is a section of the paper lining thereof.
Figure 4 is an elevation of the cartridge with its lid or cover raised.
Figure 5 is an underside plan of the cartridge, with the wick or absorbent
strip removed and showing the opening in the lower end through which the said
wick depends.
Figure 6 represents a plan of the cartridge with the top cover removed.
Figure 7 is a view showing how the absorbent tail of the cartridge is introduced
into the water reservoir.

page_text: According to our invention, we propose to employ a carbide cartridge or con-
tainer, adapted to be placed within the upper part of the body of a lamp above
the water reservoir, and having supported by suitable means within it a wick
or strip of similar absorbent material passing outwardly through a hole in the
bottom of the cartridge and with its tail or lower end adapted to depend into
the water contained within the chamber. Moisture is thereby raised by capillary
attraction up the wick to the carbide, which is decomposed and the resulting gas
escapes through perforations of the cartridge and is conducted to the burner.
The interior of the said cartridge is lined around the sides and bottom with
blotting paper or other absorbent substance for the purpose of evenly distributing
moisture from the water feed wick to the portions of the carbide lying further-
most from the centre, whilst a false bottom to the casing is domed or cupped
inwardly, so that when the carbide charge expands or swells on being decomposed
by the admitted moisture, the pressure exerted by it tends to flatten the cupped
bottom instead of acting upon the sides of the receptacle.
The introduction of the absorbent tail into the water is facilitated by weighting
the end thereof.
The body part of the lamp may be of a cylindrical or other convenient
figure and is closed at the top a¹, which may be fitted with a safety valve b,
whilst the bottom a², is open with the mouth thereof inside screwed at a³, to
receive the screwed neck eto, of the water reservoir c, which is thereby detachably
connected to the said body part and constitutes the base or foot of the lamp.
From the said body part, which is adapted to receive the carbide cartridge d,
(hereinafter further referred to) and constitutes a holder for the generated gas,
a gas pipe or passage e, proceeds to the burner f, which is surrounded by a
detachable or other cone and reflector g, whilst to the back of the said body,
convenient means for connecting the lamp to a cycle or other vehicle are provided,
such as the bracket arms h, with compensating springs h and socket h².
The calcium-carbide cartridge consists of a casing or cylindrical box d', (prefer-
ably made of metal) the top 2, of which is open and fitted with a cap or lid d
perforated at 8, with holes which, when brought coincident with the gap d³, by
the turning of the lid, admit of the free escape of gas. but when these perfora-
tions are opposite to the solid walls of the casing, moisture is prevented from
gaining access to the carbide contained therein. The closed bottom do is
provided with a small hole or orifice d, surrounded by a short sleeve or neck d³,
adapted to telescope or socket over or into a similar neck c¹, proceeding from an
opening 2, in the top 3, of the water reservoir c, thus providing a convenient
means of connecting the cartridge to the water reservoir in such a manner that
the latter supports the former when in position.
de is the wick or absorbent medium, made of a strip of linen, cotton paper or
the like, and through which moisture is raised or conducted from the water
reservoir to the carbide j, within the cartridge, in which the upper part of the
wick is supported, either by means of a spiked prop n, proceeding from the
bottom thereof, or otherwise, with the carbide being packed closely around it
so as to be readily decomposed to generate the gas required, by the moisture
from the wick, whose lower end passes through the sleeved openings com-
municating between the cartridge and the neck, with the free tail end thereof
depending into the water. To keep the wick straight and for facilitating the
introduction of the depending tail end thereof through the small entrance to
the water reservoir, the same may be provided with a small lead weight k.
The top or lid of the casing is also provided with a sleeve d', adapted to socket
into or over that of the water reservoir to support a cartridge, in an inverted
position within the lamp during such times that the absorbent wick is not
required to depend into the water for supplying moisture to the carbide for
generating gas.
Arranged within the casing or shell of the cartridge preferably around the
inside walls thereof, is a lining of blotting paper or like material m, which it

page_text: .
assists in attracting the moisture from the wick to and through the surrounding
carbide, whilst o, is the domed false bottom, which may either be formed as a
part of the absorbent lining or be made separately from any material which
will readily yield to the pressure exerted by the swelling carbide.
The improvements herein described are applicable to other kinds of lamps,
such as hanging or table lamps, and the cross sectional shape and size of the
cartridge or container may be varied to suit the internal shape and capacity of
the generating chamber within which it is to be placed..
Figure 8 represents a modified form of cartridge, made wholly of paper and
having a domed false bottom o, in accordance with our improvements. This
domed or cupped bottom is made fast to the sides of the casing, which, being
itself made of absorbent material, requires no lining of blotting paper or the
like.
When this cartridge is to be used in connection with a wick tail for absorbing
water to the carbide contained therein, the bottom and false bottom may be
provided with suitable piercings or sleeves such as shown in Figures 1 to 6, but
when water is to be allowed to drop or trickle thereinto from a reservoir arranged
above it, then the lid is perforated at points, as may be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
carbide cartridges for acetylene lamps, providing the interior of
the same with a domed or inwardly cupped end made of a material which will
yield to the pressure exerted by the swelling of the carbide-when-being decomposed=
by moisture, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Secondly-In carbide cartridges having an absorbent wick, providing the
lower end of the said wick with a weight by which it is kept straightened out
when in use, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Thirdly: The improvements in carbide holders or cartridges for use in
connection with acetylene lamps, substantially as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 6th day of June 1899
FREDERICK SUNDERLAND,
GEORGE MARSHALL,
By Hy. Skerrett,
24, Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.