Improvements in Acetylene Lamps.
Year: 1897

page_text: ADIUNAL OF EVITICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Lamps.
I, FRANZ SCHMID, of IX. Althangasse No. 9, Vienna, Austria, Hardware
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the usual acetylene lamps of every kind, in which the combustible, that
is to say, the acetylene gas produced from calcium-carbide (Ca C₂) by sprinkling
the latter with water, the great inconvenience arises that by the sprinkling of
the carbide, the quantity of water supplied cannot be exactly determined and
maintained, and is therefore often too great, resulting in an irregular distribution,
whereby on the one hand the development of gas is subject to considerable varia-
tions, and on the other hand a residue of milk of lime is produced which necessi-
tates frequent cleansing of the lamp.
The present invention relates mainly to improvements and arrangements
whereby a uniform development of acetylene gas, which is absolutely necessary
for the steady and uniform burning of the lamp is effected and a residuum in
form of a powder is obtained. It consists in the employment of means whereby
the water is distributed uniformly upon the surface of calcium carbide presented
to it and of a special distributing valve for accurately regulating the quantity
of water admitted.
In applying my invention for example to a lamp with lateral flame and reflector
chamber, such as a lamp for bicycles &c., I construct gas producing apparatus
of which the upper part constitutes a water reservoir while the lower part constitutes
the gas producing chamber, containing a removable receptacle containing the
calcium carbide the vessel being conveniently introduced from below and secured
by screwing. The water is admitted from the reservoir into the carbide receptacle
through a special construction of valve, which will allow of the very accurate regula-
tion of the water supply. The valve consists for this purpose firstly of a threaded
plug screwed into the bottom of the reservoir and having one or more small
channels formed through it, through which the water can flow on to the acetylene.
The regulating device consists of a disc or plate of felt or other felt-like material that
is pervious to water, such as cloth, and which owing to its elastic and capillary
nature, allows of a very accurate regulation of the water supply, by compressing
the same to a greater or less degree and thus modifying its capillary nature.
This valve is actuated by means of a rod passing up through the top of the
reservoir, and either acting directly upon the valve or serving as a key for turning
a screw whereby the valve is more or less firmly pressed down on to its seat such
pressure being assisted by a spring. The water dripping through this valve
device does not flow, as heretofore, directly on to the calcium carbide, but falis
first on to a spreading device of felt or other suitable pervious material which, on
account of its great capillarity absorbs the water uniformly over its entire surface,

page_text: and consequently distributes such water uniformly over the whole surface of the
carbide immediately below it. By this mode of distribution, on the one hand a
very uniform generation of gas will be effected and on the other hand the solid
residue will be in a pulverulent form, which will not dirty the lamp to such an
extent as before, and will not obstruct the penetration of the water to the lower
portions of the charge.
L
According to one arrangement, more particularly applicable to cycle and other
lamps that are subject to a jolting motion the said permeable distributing disc
is placed directly upon the surface of the carbide, and over the same is placed
a perforated metal disc or grating upon which presses a helical spring for holding
the disc in position. The gas generated is preferably discharged from the upper
part of the carbide.chamber through a tube or channel leading to the burner, the
inner orifice of which tube is preferably also covered with a piece of felt or
other suitable permeable material that will prevent the entrance of any solid
matter into the tube. The regulation of the gas pressure is effected by the pro-
vision in the walls of the gas chamber of a valve device similar to that of the
water reservoir, namely a perforated screw plug: on the outer end of which is a
disc of felt &c. that is more or less pressed upon by a disc on the screw, so that
when excessive gas pressure is produced, a portion of the gas will escape through
the felt disc: In the reflector chamber of the lamp I provide a subsidiary reflector
placed at an angle below the burner, so as to reflect upward and forward the down-
ward directed rays of light. The chimney of the reflector chamber is also made
to serve as a reflector by forming it of two bridge shaped plates arranged at right
angles to each other and one within the other, the outer one having its rear part
placed at an angle to the vertical its inner surface being made to constitute a
reflector.
In some cases I arrange a number of the above described reflectors round the
reflector chamber, so as to reflect the light in several directions.
According to another modification of the above described lamp the carbide
receptacle is so arranged that the exhausted pulverulent residue can be discharged
from the receptacle into the surrounding chamber, so as to enable the former to
be filled with fresh carbide again when required. For this purpose, according
to one arrangement the carbide receptacle instead of being contained entirely
within the gas chamber below the water reservoir is arranged in a slanting
position projecting down from the outside through the one side of the water
reservoir and into the gas chamber, the lower end being closed by a grating on
which is placed a felt or other permeable disc in such a position that the water
dripping from the water supply valve will fall on to it, whence it will be distri-
buted to the lower part of the charge of carbide; as this becomes exhausted and
converted into the pulverulent condition, it falls through the grating into a recep-
tacle at the bottom of the gas chamber, and the upper part of the charge of carbide
then gradually descends either by gravity alone, or aided by spring pressure,
acting against a loose disc placed on the upper end of the carbide charge.
According to another arrangement the carbide receptacle is arranged vertically
below the water reservoir as in the first construction, but the charge rests upon
a disc
carried by a helical spring below, which tends to force the charge upward.
The
felt disc covering the upper end of the charge is pressed by the latter
against a fixed perforated diaphragm through which the water drips onto the
felt.
As the upper part of the charge assumes the pulverulent condition, it is
forced up over the top edge of the receptacle by the spring pressure and falls
to the bottom of the surrounding chamber.
The said perforated diaphragm or grating and felt covering is preferably made
either convex or angular or concave so as to afford increased surface for the
carbide, and to facilitate the discharge of the pulverulent residue.
T
When the apparatus is required to 'supply comparatively large quantities of
acetylene for a considerable length of time, the receptacle containing the car-
bide is divided by partitions into a number of separate compartments, each covered
1

page_text: with a separate permeable disc and grating and pressed upon by a separate
spring, and the water drips from the valve of the reservoir into a funnel with
radially bent spout, this funnel being carried by a stem passing centrally down
through the carbide chamber to the outside, where it can be turned round so as to
bring the spout; successively over each of the compartments in order when the
charge of one compartment is exhausted to bring the next compartment into
action, and so on in rotation.
For insuring that the revolving funnel shall be brought accurately over each
successive compartment the stem carrying 'the same has an external spring arm
which is made to spring into a series of notches or recesses formed on the under
surface of the lamp and each corresponding in position with the middle of a
compartment.
Dated this 15th day of November 1807
I, FRANZ SCHMID, of IX. Althangasse No. 9, Vienna, Austria, Hardware
Manufacturer, 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:_
In the usual acetylene lamps of every kind, in which the combustible, that
is to say, the acetylene gas produced from calcium-carbide (Ca C₂) by sprinkling
the latter with water, the great inconvenience arises that by the sprinkling of
the carbide; the quantity of water supplied cannot be exactly determined and
maintained, and is therefore often too great, resulting in an irregular distribution,
whereby on the one hand the development of gas is subject to considerable varia-
tions, and on the other hand a residue of milk of lime is produced which necessitates
frequent cleansing of the lamp.
The present invention relates mainly to improvements and arrangements
whereby a uniform development of acetylene gas, which is absolutely necessary
for the steady and uniform burning of the lamp is effected and a residuum in
form of a powder is obtained. It consists in the employment of means whereby
the water is distributed uniformly upon the surface of calcium carbide presented
to it and of a special distributing valve for accurately regulating the quantity
of water admitted.
It has already been proposed to cause the water in acetylene lamps to percolate
through a porous compressible material, and to employ means for compressing
the said material so as to regulate the rate at which the water is supplied to
the calcium carbide. It has also been proposed to employ a receptacle for the
calcium carbide with a grating through which the spent residue is pressed by
the action of a spring or weight. According to the present invention a porous
compressible material and a receptacle with a grating are also used in the manner
indicated. The invention does not, however, consist essentially in the use of
these devices, but in the specific arrangements and constructions particularly
described below and pointed out in the claims.
In applying my invention for example to a lamp with lateral flame and reflector
chamber such as a lamp for bicycles &c., I construct gas producing apparatus
of which the upper part constitutes a water reservoir while the lower part con-
stitutes the gas producing chamber, containing a removable receptacle containing
the calcium carbide, the vessel being conveniently introduced from below and

page_text: secured by screwing. The water is admitted from the reservoir into the carbide
receptacle through a special construction of valve, which will allow of the very
accurate regulation of the water supply. The valve consists for this purpose firstly
of a threaded plug screwed into the bottom of the reservoir and having one or more
small channels formed through it, through which the water can flow on to the
carbide. The regulating device consists of a disc or plate of felt or other felt-like
material that is pervious to water, such as cloth, and which owing to its elastic
and capillary nature, allows of a very accurate regulation of the water supply, by
compressing the same to a greater or less degree and thus modifying its capillary
nature.
On the accompanying drawings are shewn acetylene lamps constructed according
to the present invention.
In the arrangement shewn in vertical section at Fig. 1 the upper part of the
lamp casing constitutes a water reservoir a while in the lower part is fitted a
receptacle screwed into the casing from below and containing the calcium
carbide k.
The water is supplied to the carbide through a special valve, so constructed
that the supply of water can be regulated with the greatest nicety. The valve
consists of a screw threaded stem c which is screwed into the bottom of the reser-
voir a and is formed with one or more longitudinal grooves d through which the
water can descend into the receptacle b. The regulating device is a disc or
plate e of felt or other more or less permeable and compressible material, such
as cloth &c. which, in being compressed to a greater or less degree, will very
accurately regulate the quantity of water penetrating through it.
This device is regulated by means of a rod f which is connected either directly,
or by a socket as shewn, to the head of the screw c, and is pressed down upon
the same by a spring h. The stem passes through the top of the casing where
it carries a button by means of which the screw can be turned and thus its
head be made to compress the disc e to a greater or less degree.
The water penetrating through the valve device falls first upon a distributing
dise of felt or other permeable material which, by means of its capillary nature
causes the water to be distributed uniformly over its entire surface, whence it
supplied in a correspondingly uniform manner over the whole surface of the
carbide.
By this mode of distributing the water, on the one hand a very uniform pro-
duction of gas is insured, and on the other hand a pulverulent residue is obtained,
which does not dirty the lamp to such an extent as a pasty condition, and which
allows the water to penetrate readily to the lower layers.
In the drawing the felt disc is shewn lying directly upon the carbide and over
it is placed a perforated metal disc or sieve., which is pressed upon by a helical
spring m bearing with its upper end upon the conical bottom of the water chamber.
By this means the felt disc is maintained in its stretched condition, and the car-
bide charge is prevented from being disturbed by any jolting to which the lamp
may be subjected. The gas produced is preferably drawn off through a pipe n
from the highest point of the gas chamber, above the charge of carbide, the per-
forated upper end of the pipe being covered with felt or other porous material.
The pipe n leads directly to the burner in the reflecting chamber o of the lamp.
The regulation of the gas pressure is effected by a valve device, shewn at Fig. 3,
which is applied to the gas chamber, and which like the water supply valve,
consists of a screw with longitudinal grooves p, a porous disc r being provided
between the head of the screw and the casing, so as to be more or less compressed
thereby.
In the case of an excessive gas pressure occurring in the chamber, the excess
of gas will force its way through the porous disc r to the outside and escape, thus
reducing the pressure to the normal degree. Under the lamp chamber is pro-
vided a reflector which reflects upward and so utilises the rays of light that
otherwise escape downwards.

page_text: Fig. 1 shews a farther improvement which consists in constructing the chimney
of the chamber o to act as a reflector. The chimney consists for this purpose
of two bridge shaped caps o¹ o2 of which o¹ is fixed in the longitudinal direction of
the chamber, while the other, o2 is fixed in the transverse direction, or at right
angles to v
The inner surface of the back part of o¹ is formed as a reflector, which by its
position reflects all the rays falling onto it forward through the lens, thus
increasing the lighting power of the lamp.
A similar arrangement of reflectors may be provided all round the lamp chamber
so as still farther to increase the lighting effect.
In the modified constructions shewn at Figs. 2, 4 and 5, provision is made for
enabling the pulverulent residue of the carbide to be discharged from the carbide
receptacle into a separate space, so as to always present fresh carbide to the action
of the water. In the carriage lamp shewn in vertical section at Fig. 2, the carbide
is contained in a receptacle b, in which it is made to descend, either by gravity
alone or by the aid of a spring m. At the lower end of this chamber is a grating
against which is suspended the felt disc k for distributing the water which is
supplied as before through the regulating valve. The gas produced collects in
the chamber wand is led to the burner by a pipe n, the perforated end of which
is covered with felt, as in the first case. The pulverulent carbide residue falls
through the grating, between this and the felt disc, on to the bottom of the
chamber whence it is removed from time to time.
The gas pressure can be controlled by a valve device as before. The bottom
screwed cap of the chamber w is fixed to the stem of an ordinary carriage lamp.
In Fig. 4 the grating is placed directly below the supply valve e of the water
reservoir, the felt. disc being arranged below it. The charge of carbide is
forced upward in the receptacle 6 by means of a spring m so that the upper surface
is pressed against the felt disc. By this means as the pulverulent residue is
formed at top it is pressed away laterally and escapes between the upward curved
surfaces of the felt and grating and the upper edge of the receptacle 6 and falls
into the surrounding chamber. In the modified form of the carbide chamber
shewn in vertical section at Fig. 5 the top of the chamber b is closed by a conical
grating on which is laid a conical felt disc k. In this case the pulverulent
residue is forced upward through the grating, between this and the felt disc, and
falls down into the surrounding chamber.
The apparatus shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5 are only applicable to lamps
intended to burn only a few hours, as the charge of carbide is limited in bulk.
For lamps that require to burn for a longer time, it is necessary to make the sur-
face of the carbide of considerable extent, and to divide this into several separate
parts which are consecutively brought into action.
1.
Such an arrangement is shewn at Fig. 6 in vertical section, and at Fig. 7 in
part sectional plan. The general construction and action is similar to Fig. 1,
the, main difference being in the carbide receptacle b, which is divided by par-
titions into a number of separate compartments, each of which contains a
charge of carbide covered by a porous plate k and a perforated plate or grating 1,-
on which presses a spring m. The upper ends of all the springs bear against a
plate 1, secured to the top of the receptacle 6 by any suitable means such as a
bayonet joint fastening.
In this arrangement each charge of carbide is successively supplied with water,
the arrangement being such that as one charge becomes exhausted, the next one
s put in action. For this purpose, the water flowing from the reservoir falls into
funnel 2 terminating in an elbow spout 3 and having fixed to it a rod 4 which
passes down through a central tube 5 in the receptacle 6 and through a stuffing
box to the outside of the casing, where it has fixed on it a handle or a lever arm 6
by which the funnel 2 can be turned round, the bottom of the casing having a
ing of holes 3 into which springs a stud 7 on the arm 6; the holes 8 are so
1.

page_text: arranged that when the arm is shifted from one hole to another, the spout 3 of
the funnel is brought exactly over the middle of a fresh charge of carbide: "
Other suitable arrangements may be employed for shifting the water supply
from one charge to another.
た
As in the previous arrangements, the gas is taken from the upper part of the 5
gas chamber by a pipe n which leads it to the burner. If the separate compart-
ments containing the carbide have each a considerable area, it is advantageous to
provide several spouts 3 for insuring a uniform distribution of the water.
As the carbide deteriorates if exposed long to the action of the atmosphere, it is
of advantage to enclose each charge for the lamp in a closed metallic capsule
or cartridge of a size corresponding to the receptacles b and which is opened when
wanted, and placed in the receptacle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention..
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
1. In an acetylene lamp, the use of a regulating valve for the supply of water 1
to the carbide, consisting of the combination of a screw c, screwing into the dis-
charge hole of the water reservoir and having one or more longitudinal grooves d
and a disc e of felt or other permeable material, which is more or less compressedi
by the screw, substantially as described.
.
2. In an acetylene lamp, the use of an appliance for uniformly distributing thei
water supply over the carbide, consisting of a disc of felt or other suitable porous
material on to which the water flows from the water reservoir and which supplies
the water uniformly to the carbide so as to produce a pulverulent residue, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In an acetylene lamp constructing the carbide receptacle with a number of
separate compartments so arranged relatively to the water supply, that this is made
to act consecutively on the carbide in each compartment, substantially as described
4. In an acetylene lamp, the combination, with a carbide receptacle divided into
separate compartments, of a water distributing device consisting of a funnel 2
arranged below the water supply valve, and having one or more spouts 3 which
can be turned by a rod 4 passing to the outside of the casing so as to be brought
consecutively over each of the charges of carbide, substantially as described.
5. In an acetylene lamp a regulating valve device for preventing excessive gas
pressure, consisting of a screw q with one or more longitudinal grooves screwing"
through a hole in the gas chamber, and operating in combination with a disc
of felt or other porous material, substantially as described.
6. In an acetylene lamp an arrangement of carbide receptacle wherein the
charge of carbide is caused either by gravity or by one or more springs to be fed
forward against a grating or perforated plate where the supply of water is effected"
and through which the pulverulent residue of the carbide is discharged into a
chamber below, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 2, 4 and 5 of
the drawings.
"
JTJA
7. In an acetylene lamp, the use of a reflector j below the lamp flame for
reflecting upward the light rays that would otherwise be lost, substantially as
described.
20:1)
8. In an acetylene lamp constructing the chimney of the lamp chamber o of a'
combination of two bridge shaped caps o¹, o, of which the inner surface of o¹is
formed as a reflector, substantially as described.
9. The combination of several reflectors o¹ such as referred to in the preceding
claim round the lamp chamber o, for.increasing the lighting power substantially.
as.described.