Improvements in or connected with Acetylene Gas Lamps.
Year: 1899

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by RICHARD CALVERT Haws, of Okanagan Landing,
British Columbia, Marine Engineer.]
Improvements in or connected with Acetylene Gas Lamps.
I, Jons R, Haws, of 16, South Castle Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Shipowner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates chiefly to portable table lamps, although it may be
applied to other lamps, and has for its object to provide appliances simple in
construction and easily detachable for charging or cleaning whereby .acetylene
gas may be automatically generated in volume according to requirements.
For these purposes I provide a hollow base piece into which can be placed
a wire cage or holder for the.carbide of calcium from which the gas is generated.
The cage is provided with a spring which presses the carbide upwards as it is
used, the residue falling to the bottom of the base piece. Around the base
piece is an annular space into which water is poured to form a water jacket.
On the base piece is placed a basin or container having depending from the
underside thereof a cylinder or bell which dips into the water in the annular
space and forms a water seal which prevents escape of gas externally from the
hollow base. On the upper side of the bottom of the basin I place a chamber
or gasometer secured to the basin preferably by a bayonet joint or the like.
A small hole or holes is or are provided in the side of the chamber near to the
bottom. In the centre of the bottom of the basin I provide a pipe leading from
the hollow base piece into the gasometer. Such pipe has a small hole in the side
thereof above the bottom of the basin. The burner of the lamp is preferably
attached to the top of the gasometer, a cock being provided to regulate the
supply of gas to the burner. When water is poured into the basin it passes
through the holes in the side of the gasometer, then through the hole in the
central pipe from whence it drops on to the carbide in, the holder. As the :gas
is generated thereby it flows up the central pipe into the gasometer and as the
pressure increases, the water in the gasometer is driven back through the holes
in the side thereof into the basin thereby stopping the supply of water through
the central tube to the carbide and preventing excessive generation of gas. As
the pressure is reduced by the gas being burnt, water is again.admitted to the
carbide, and more gas is generated. The action is thus automatic.

page_text: Improvements in or connected, with Acetylene Gas Lamps,
I, John R. Haws, of 16, South Castle Street, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Shipowner, 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 chiefly to portable table lamps although it may be
applied to other lamps and has for its object to provide appliances simple in
construction and easily detachable for charging or cleaning whereby acetylene
gas may be automatically generated in volume according to requirements.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Fig. 1 is a
side elevation and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portable lamp or generator
constructed according to my invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the base
piece alone of the generator. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the water basin and
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the gasometer. a is a hollow base piece preferably
of metal into which can be placed a wire cage or holder for the carbide of
calcium from which the gas is to be generated. The cage is provided with a
spring which presses against a support d on which the carbide e rests, and
raises such carbide upwards as it is used, the residue falling to the bottom of
the base piece thus doing away with any need for shaking. Around the base
piece is formed by means of an outer cylinder f an annular space g into which
water is poured to form a water jacket which keeps the base piece cool. On
the base piece is placed a basin or container / having depending from the under
side thereof a cylinder or bell which dips into the water in the annular space
and forms a water seal which prevents any escape of gas externally from the
hollow base. By simply lifting away the basin with its attached bell the base
piece is exposed for cleaning out and insertion of a fresh charge of carbide. On
the upper side of the bottom of the basin I place a chamber or gasometer j
secured to the basin by a bayonet joint or the like as shown at k, l, m, where k
are pins attached to the gasometer and are recesses in a socket or projection m
from the bottom of the basin. The pins enter the recesses and by turning the
gasometer partly round the pins go into the horizontal parts of the recesses
and the gasometer is securely held. By this means the gasometer may be most
readily removed when desired. A small hole or holes is or are provided in
the side of the gasometer near to the bottom. At the centre of the bottom of
the basin, I provide a pipe o leading from the hollow base piece into the gaso-
meter, such pipe has a small hole in the side thereof above the bottom of the
basin. is the burner preferably attached to the top of the gasometer, a cock
or tap being provided to regulate the supply of gas to such burner. When
water is poured into the basin his passes through the holes n in the side of the
gasometer rises up in the gasometer, till it reaches the hole through which
hole some water drops on to the carbide e in the holder b. As the gas is
generated thereby it flows up the central pipe o into the gasometer, and as the
pressure increases, the water in the gasometer is driven back through the holes n
into the basin thereby stopping the supply of water through the hole p to the
carbide and preventing excessive generation of gas. As the pressure is reduced
by the gas being burnt, water is again admitted to the carbide and more gas is
generated. The action is thus automatic. No excessive pressure can be pro-
duced in the apparatus because if all the water in the gasometer is driven out
into the basin the gas can then escape through the holes but the hole
the central pipe should be at such a height that all the water will not be driven
out of the gasometer before generation of gas is stopped.
in

page_text: I do not confine myself to the particular arrangements described as it will be
obvious such may be varied and that instead of the burner being attached to
the gasometer the gas may be led away by a tube to a separate burner or burners,
but,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In acetylene gas lamps or generators the combination of a hollow base
piece, a cage and spring support for the carbide of calcium, a water jacket round
the base piece, a water containing basin having a cylinder or the like dipping
into the water jacket, and a gasometer attached to the interior of the basin by
a bayonet joint substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. In acetylene gas lamps or generators the combination of a hollow
base piece, a water containing basin having a gasometer therein; and a water
seal between the base piece and water basin substantially as and for the pur-
pose set forth.
Dat this Tante 45th an of November 1900
W. B. JOHNSON,
4, Clayton Square, Liverpool, Agent.