Process for the Agglomeration of Carbides.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
Process for the Agglomeration of Carbides.
I, GEORGES DE ROUSSY DE SALES, of 133 Cours Gambetta, Lyons (Rhone), France,
Captain of Cuirassiers, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings
and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My invention consists in agglomerating metallic carbides by surrounding them
with a substance impervious (or nearly so) in order to preserve them intact till
required for use, and also at the same time to regulate the evolution of the gases which
they give off when brought into contact with water or other liquids.
The process is specially applicable to carbide of calcium for use in the production of
acetylene gas.
In carrying out my invention I agglomerate such bodies in a suitable form,
constituting an article of commerce which I call "acetylene cartridges."
These cartridges are made in the form of a sheath or casing, of cardboard, paper, or
metal, capable of containing pieces of calcium carbide, and designed to prevent the
latter from expanding or swelling by regulating the action of the water, or other
liquid, thereon. The mode of manufacture hereinafter described, is equally applicable
to any other metallic carbide.
I ram a sufficient quantity of calcium carbide, in pieces of a size proportionate to
the desired yield of gas, into a rigid sheath or casing A. This sheath or casing, which
is shown in the accompanying drawing, may be made of zinc, tinplate, varnished
The said
cardboard, waxed paper, or other suitably prepared impervious material.
sbeath or casing is open at its two ends and is split longitudinally from end to end.
I fill the interstices between the pieces of calcium carbide in such casing with ordinary
bitumen mixed with tallow (about 3% to 5%), or fine grain sand, so as to render it
less brittle. I thus obtain an agglomerate which, by reason of the imperviousness of
the sheath or casing, is preserved free from damp, and in the interior of which the
filling material ensures the contact between the several pieces of carbide while
preventing the existence of empty spaces between such pieces. The purpose of the
longitudinal slit is to enable the water to penetrate to the interior layers-c, c,—
a, a, b, b. If the sheath or casing were not provided with the slit, the lime produced
by the reaction would form a cushion which it would be difficult for the water to pass
through. (Such undivided casings may, however, be employed when it is desired to
obtain a very slow action). Moreover, it enables cracks or openings to be formed
at c, c, a, a, b, b, in the filling material so as to facilitate the escape of gas which
has been liberated, and thus accelerates the action of the water.
In order to obtain a very quick action, it is advisable to use only sand for
filling in.
After having completely filled the said sheath or casing, the two ends thereof and
the slit are covered with paper, previously rendered impervious, which is slit or cut
at the moment the cartridge is to be used; or waterproof fabric (which has been
treated with tar for example) may be employed for the same purpose, and which can
be torn off when the cartridge is required for use.
Cartridges for rapid action (200 to 300 litres per hour) may be provided with
several slits, and the cartridge casing is, in this instance, preferably made of wire
netting

page_text: In every case care must be taken to guard against the expansion, and the the separa-
tion of the pieces of carbide, which must be kept in contact with one another and
covered in.
The following substances are the most suitable filling materials :-
Tar for very slow action.
Bitumen for slow action.
Sand, such as used for pottery (sable de grés)—for rapid action.
Generally speaking the materials suitable for this purpose are those which do not
contain water, and which solidify by cooling and not by evaporation.
The arrangement adopted allows the water to act only in succession on the several
pieces of carbide contained in the cartridge, and with more or less rapidity according
to the imperviousness of the filling material employed and to the size of the openings
in the cartridge casing, viz. the slit, and diameter.
:
It should be noticed that this process of agglomerating carbides is entirely different
to any process called "coating," as the use of coated pieces of carbide would prevent
the action of the water between it and those in contact with it. Far from being
coated, some of the pieces present large surfaces of contact with each other; and it is
clear that a cartridge containing coated pieces of carbide would be unsuitable for
producing gas. In cartridges filled, say, with compressed fine sand, the part played
by the fitting material in preventing the formation of water pockets is obvious, but
clearly the placing of pieces of carbide into sand cannot be called coating. The sand
and pieces of carbide rammed into the cartridge, constitutes an agglomerate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The herein described process of agglomerating metallic carbides, substantially as
described, and for the purpose, set forth.
2. In the process of agglomerating metallic carbides, such as calcium carbide,
imbedding the pieces of carbide in a suitable agglomerating material more or less
impervious to water, so as to enable the latter to act with less or more rapidity on the
carbide.
3. As a new article of commerce, the cartridge consisting of a sheath or casing
open at both ends and provided, or not, with a slit or slits, and filled with pieces of
carbide, after which an agglomerating material is rammed in, and said slit or slits, as
well as the ends, are covered with a waterproof material, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
ROSTO
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 5ª Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.