Improvements in Acetylene Lamps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Lamps.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM HEDGELAND, of No. 253, Wabash Avenue, in the City
of Chicago, in the County of Cook, in the State of Illinois, United States of
America, Gentleman, 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 improvements in acetylene lamps, and my object
therein has been to produce a very practical form of lamp which will be economical
in cost, durable, little likely to get out of order, and very sensitive in its self
regulation of the generation. The nature of the invention is fully set forth
below, and is also shown in the accompanying drawing forming a part of my
specification.
The drawing, which gives a central vertical section of a lamp embodying the
invention, shows the invention as applied to a lamp having a cylindrical body
containing the water, the carbide and the means for regulating the generation.
It may, however, be used in a lamp of any suitable form, and indeed the water
and carbide may be in vessels made entirely separate save that they communicate
with each other by the necessary gas and water passages. In the lamp illus-
trated the water tank is shown at A, the carbide holder in which the generation
takes place at B, and the equalizing chamber through which the water ebbs and
flows in obedience to the varying gas and water pressures at C. While the water
tank and equalizing chambers are annular in form and surround the carbide
chamber, it will be understood that such arrangement is not a necessary feature
of the invention. The equalizing chamber is also shown as located below the
water tank, and it is desirable that the chamber should be located in a lower
plane than the tank in order that the pressure from the tank may be exerted
upon the water in the chamber. The water is admitted to the tank at the vented
nozzle D, and moves from the tank into the equalizing chamber through the pas-
sage or tube E which extends to the bottom of the chamber and is closed by a
valve rod F, the upper end of which may be extended through the top of the tank
and be threaded therein.
The bottom of the carbide or generating chamber is preferably flanged out-
wardly and a water tight packing G positioned between the flange and the bottom
of the outer cylinder of the lamp, and the entire chamber may be made remov-
able and be held in place by providing it with a collar H and giving such collar
a threaded engagement with the inner surface of the shell J forming the inner
wall of the water tank, such threaded engagement enabling the compressing
of packing G to any extent necessary.
The carbide chamber forms the inner
wall of the equalizing chamber.
For the automatic regulation of the generation, the short horizontal passage
or chamber K is employed in conjunction with the gas pipe or passage L and
water passage M. The passage K is located above the bottom of the carbide
chamber, and it is open at one end against the side of the body of carbide,

page_text: such end being guarded by a screen N, removably secured to the body of the
passage by a flanged nut O. The pipe L extends from the upper or gas holding
parts of the lamp into the top of the passage K, and the water passage M ex-
tends upwardly from the equalizing chamber to the bottom of passage K. It
will be seen from this construction that the gas and water find entrance to the
passage in close proximity to the entrance to the carbide chamber, and that
the gas is thus enabled to quickly force the water back from the carbide when-
ever its pressure becomes excessive; also that as soon as the gas pressure weakens
sufficiently to permit it, the water will re-enter passage K from below and find
ready access to the carbide through screen N; also that all the water in passage K
is enabled to move back into passage M when the gas pressure becomes excessive,
thereby preventing the imprisoning of water between the water entrance M and
the screen at such times and rendering certain a cessation of the generation;
also that the gas which may be in passage K when the water pressure becomes
the greater so as to cause the water to force the gas back, has free
opportunity to retreat by passage L, and consequently cannot obstruct the access
of the water to the carbide.
The top of the carbide chamber is protected by a screen P, which is preferably
removable. The burner tube is shown at R, the reflector at S, the hood at T,
the lens at U and the bracket for securing the lamp to the bicycle at V.
To start the lamp, the tank and the carbide holder being duly charged, the
valve F is opened, and the water then flows from the tank A into equalizing
chamber C, and as soon as it has filled the latter, it rises through passage M into
the horizontal passage K, and flows through the latter to the carbide. The gas
now generated rises through the chamber B and screen P to the burner and fills
the space immediately above and around chamber B, and it also enters passage L,
and whenever the pressure becomes excessive it moves down said passage L and
expels the water from passage K, and thus stops the generation. It may also
force the water in the chamber C either wholly or partially back into the tank.
As soon as the gas pressure relaxes, the gravity of the water in the tank again
forces the water to rise in the equalizing chamber and passage K, so that genera-
tion will be resumed. In these movements the water ebbs and flows through
chamber C, and the equilibrium or pressure between the gas and the water is
quickly established.
While I have described what I deem a desirable construction of the lamp, it
will be understood that the construction may be considerably varied without
departing from the invention or the claims.
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:--
a means of
1. The combination with the burner and generator of an acetylene lamp, of
a horizontal passage opening into the generator and serving as
admitting water to the carbide, and a gas passage admitting gas to said water
feed passage at its junction with the generator, whereby the gas is enabled when
its pressure becomes preponderating to force all the water away from the car-
bide, substantially as specified.
2. In an acetylene lamp, a generating chamber having an opening above its
bottom whereby water may be fed to the side of the carbide, an equalizing cham-
ber communicating with the water supply of the lamp and located in a plane
lower than the plane of said water opening in the generating chamber, an
upward passage for the water connecting the equalizing chamber to said water
opening, and a passage or duct conducting the gas to said connecting passage in
immediate proximity to said opening into the generating chamber, whereby all
the water in said connecting passage is quickly forced back from the carbide
when the pressure becomes excessive, substantially as specified.
3. In an acetylene lamp, the combination with the generating chamber con-

page_text: taining the carbide, of an equalizing chamber connected to a source of water
supply, an upward water feed passage from the equalizing chamber to the genera-
ting chamber, and a second passage connected to the gas holding parts of the
lamp and communicating with said water passage at its junction with the
generating chamber, whereby the gas is enabled to quickly force the water away
from the carbide, substantially as specified.
4. In an acetylene lamp, the combination with the generator and the burner,
of a short horizontal passage or chamber opening into the generator at the side
of the body of carbide, said passage receiving water from below and also receiving
gas under pressure above the water, whereby the gas is enabled to quickly force
the water back from the carbide without being itself imprisoned between the water
supply and the carbide, substantially as specified.
5. In an acetylene lamp, the combination with the generator and the burner,
of a short horizontal passage or chamber opening into the generator at the side
of the body of carbide, said passage receiving water through an opening in its
bottom, and also receiving gas under pressure through an opening in its top,
substantially as specified.
Dated 1 1
P T
1000
FREDERICK WILLIAM HEDGELAND.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
FREDERICK WILLIAM HEDGELAND.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.