Improvements in Lamps or Apparatus for use in Burning Acetylene Gas,
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 29th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lamps or Apparatus for use in Burning
Acetylene Gas,
We, READ HOLLIDAY, Edgerton, Huddersfield, and READ HOLLIDAY & SONS
LIMITED, Chemical Manufacturers, of Huddersfield, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to lamps or apparatus for use in burning acetylenc
gas produced in the lamps by the action of water on calcium carbide or a similar
body, and consist in bringing the water into contact with the carbide by the use
of a capillary syphon, that is to say water is conducted by means of a wick or
capillary action to a higher level than the carbide and by the continuation of
the same or another wick or capillary conveyor attached to it the water is drawn
downwards into contact with the carbide, the descending wick can be opened out
and distributed over or amongst the carbide so as to secure the best and most
even production of the gas, the supply of water being stopped or regulated by
a valve at one end of a tube which (preferably) is that which serves as wick holder
for the ascending water.
03
A
1000
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Lamps or Apparatus for use in Burning
Acetylene Gas.
We, READ HOLLIDAY, Edgerton, Huddersfield, and READ HOLLIDAY & SONS
LIMITED, Chemical Manufacturers, of Huddersfield, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
These improvements relate to lamps or apparatus for use in burning acetylene
gas produced in the lamps by the action of water on calcium carbide or a similar
body and consist in bringing the water into contact with the carbide by the use
of a capillary syphon, that is to say-water is conducted by means of a wick, or
capillary action, to a higher level than the carbide and by the continuation of
the same or another wick, or capillary conveyor, attached to it the water is drawn
downwards into contact with the carbide; the descending wick can be opened out
and distributed over or amongst the carbide so as to secure the best and most
CD077

page_text: for the ascending water.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows an external side view of the lamp,
Figure 2 shows a plan view of the same,
Figure 3 shows a vertical sectional view taken on the line a-a of Fig. 2,
and of Fig. 4; and Figure 4 shows a plan view of the middle portion of the
lamp with the cover E removed.
A is the carbide chamber, B is the reservoir for water formed by the outer water-
tight wall B and the inner wall B2, leaving the carbide chamber A referred to
within the inner wall and completely isolated from the water in the space between
those walls except by means of the vertical passage afforded by the tube B³ between
the two. This tube is filled by a capillary syphon, consisting of a wick C which
has contact with the water and passes up to and down into contact with the
carbide in the chamber A. The tube B3 is formed at the top end with a seating B
for a valve D mounted on a screwed stem D' which engages a correspondingly
threaded screw opening in top of the cover E, and is furnished with a milled
head 12.
When this valve D is screwed down, by turning the button Ds, tightly on to
its seat on tube B4, the flow of water, which is the natural capillary suction, is
checked, or entirely stopped, dependent upon the tightness of the junction of
those two surfaces with the wick fibres pinched between.
The cover E is connected to the body of the lamp at e by a hinge, and at e¹ by
a forked projection, which projection receives between its arms, the screw stem b¹
hinged at b² to the outer wall of the lamp. This screw stem 6' is locked to the
fork e by the screwed button 63, whilst for opening the cover, in order to gain
access to the internal parts of the lamp, the button is loosened and the screw stem
carrying it is swung clear thereof.
The cover E is formed with an annular recess in which is held an annular ring
of india rubber or other suitable packing material, which ring, when the cover is
pressed into closed position, forms a tight packing between those parts. The
shaped tube G serves to convey the gas generated in chamber A to the burner H,
said burner being socketted in the junction piece G¹ connecting the pipe G thereto.
G2 is a screw stopper to open or close the outlet G3, in the junction piece G¹,
to let out any liquid.
B is a screw tubular passage communicating between the water chamber B
and the outer air and into this tube fits the nipple B the fine opening in which
serves as an outlet to relieve any pressure in such chamber.
I is a supporting device for the lamp body to the bracket of the "machine,"
but any other usual, or suitable device for the purpose may be employed to
effect its support.
J is the burner chamber, which is here shown provided with a hinged lid or cover J¹.
Between the burner chamber, in rear of the burner, and the adjoining wall of
the water chamber B is interposed an insulating layer of asbestos j through which,
and the respective thicknesses of metal B and J, the rivets j, j¹, pass.
J2 is an outlet for the products of combustion and J3 is an asbestos shield provided
to shield the same.
J is the lens in the cover J¹.
By these means it will be seen that the feed of water is attained by the controlled
use of the capillary action of the cellular tissue of a fibrous material or wick
whereby the water is raised in uniform, and easily regulated quantities from the
water reservoir and deposited on and amongst the carbide or gas producing
material of a similar nature, instead of by utilizing the flow of liquid under
pressure with its attendant difficulties of regulation and wastefulness.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;-
1. The method of supplying the water to and amongst the calcium carbide for
the production of acetylene gas in lamps or apparatus for burning the same, by
means of the capillary action of a wick or syphon to conduct the water to a higher
level than the carbide and thence to said carbide, so as to effect a uniform distri-
bution of the water there amongst, as set forth.
2. The construction, or arrangement, and combination of parts of a lamp, or
apparatus for burning acetylene gas so that the water may be brought into uniform
and regulated contact with the carbide of calcium, or the like, by the use of a
capillary syphon or wick and thereby conveyed from the water reservoir to a
higher level than the carbide and thence distributed to and amongst the carbide,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The construction and use of a lamp or apparatus for burning acetylene gas
with the use of capillary action to supply the water for effecting the evolution of
the gas, substantially as set forth and shewn by the drawings.
Dated the n day of Augus
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicants.