US1296664A - Marine torch. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

G. R. HOLMESA MARINE TORCH. APPLICATION FILED NV.7,1918.

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i O s1 H a. v n rl@ v vewirLLvYnrin. HoLMEsor BALTIMORE, nuinYLAnTn.v

I"iraniani: Tonen.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented Mar, 11', 11919,

Application tiled November 7, 1918. Serial No. 261,523.v

To all whom it may, concern.' v

ysary to Beit known that I, GWYLLYM at the city of Baltimore, State 'of Maryland, have'invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Marine Torches, of which the following is a specification.

Thevpresent invention relates toY 'marine torches and more particularly to the type in which an illuminating gas is automatically generated land ignited when `the torch is launched into water. Usually, such torches have two chambers, -one containing the illuminant forming-material and the other the'ignitingmaterial, and thewater is admitted 'to the chambers through independent openings. As these openings must be sealed when the'torch is idle, it-is necessary to prol vide means Jfor breaking both seals when the torch is used. Furthermore, the opening for one of the chambers has usually been placed at the top of the torch, andas a consequence only small' quantities' of water enter the chamber and at irregular intervals, if at all. Thus where the opening for the igniter containing chamber is located at or near the top of the torch, and a material such as calcium phosphid is used, the small quantity of water entering causes a layer of lime to be formed on the phosphid, thereby preventing, the formation of the igniting gas, and often the small amount of water entering the top is not suilicient to generate suiicient gas for igniting purposes.

It is the principal object of the present invention to remedy these defects. To this end the invention comprehends the provision of a single opening in communication with both the igniter chamber and the illuminant chamber, in consequence of which it is necesbreak a single seal only. A further resides in the location of this opening. Preferably it is positioned below the water line of the torch, so that sufficient water will always be supplied to the chamfeature ber when the torch is in the water.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent froin the description taken in connection with the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a torch constructed in accordancewith the present invention; l y V Fig. 2 illustrates the manner of supporting thetorch when used in connection with a .lifepreserver Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation through the I R. HOLMES, ai-citizen of the United States, `and residing'.

illuminatingA gas burner shown in Fig."1;

and.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a modified form of the invention, the cap covering theburners having been removed. 'f

Referring to the drawings,

the torch com.

prises a buoyant container 10, the bottom 11 of which carries a weight 12 to cause the-f torch to maintain an upright position when floating in the water.v A vessel 13 isv ar-y ranged within the container 10 and is deterial 15, which usually is calcium phosphid. As shown, this vessel is cylindrical in form and has a tube 14 passing longitudinally through the same. A ring 16 has a nipple 17 screwed through the bottom l11 and the weight 12 and this nipple I.is extendedl through the bottom 18 of the vesselv 13 and has the lower end ofthe tube 14 telescoped signed to hold the igniter gas forming ma'Vv therein. The nipple'17 is hollow so that in i tube 14. As shown in Fig. 3, this burnerv is preferably of the iinpinging type.

It will be seen that the annularspace around the vessel 13 constitutes a.' chamber whichis used for the purpose of'holding an illuminating gas forming material 22 such as calcium carbid. lt is one of the principal ,features of the present invention to utilize the/opening through the nipple 17 for the purpose of supplyin water to both the gasilo this end the pipes 23y forming materials. are arranged in communication with the interior of the nipple 17 and extend through the illuminating gas material and are formed with apertures 24 for distributing water to the material. Within the vessel 13 the tube is formed with an opening 25 through its wall positioned near the bottom of the vessel and an opening 26 near the top thereof. Thus water entering through the nipple will pass through an opening l,25 "and coming in contact with the material V15 will generate an igniter gas which will rise and pass through they opening 26 tothe upper end of the tube. 1f desired, other openings 25 may be formed near the openings 25.

When the torch is not in use it is necessary to seal the opening through the bottom of the container, thatl is, the water inlet, so

ing flange 28 surrounding the dislied por-4 tion 20 of the head, and the chamber thus formed may be closed by a head 29 which has a peripheral flange .30 engaging the outside surface of the flange 28. The rod 28 projects through the head 29 and is formed with a ring: 31 at its upper end and with a collar 32 bearing against the undersurface of the head 29. When the torch is used with a life preserver it is designed to be supported by means of the rin 31. Thus the'entire weightis transmitted through the head 29 and this head is attached to the flange 28 in such a manner that it will support this weight and yet when the life prserver 33 is thrown into the Water the head 29wil1 be torn ofi from the flange 28. Such a fastening may be accomplished by weakly soldering the two parts together.

It will be observed that when the torch is torn from its fastening or supporting means, not only will the cap 2-9 Ibe removed, but the rod 28 will be drawn upward and out of the tube, thereby unsealing the opening 27. Hence, when the torch is launched into the water the opening 27 being free the water will enter therethrough and be distributed to the two chambers thereby generating the igniter gas in the vessel 13 and an illuminating -gas in the chamber 33. The igniter gas issuing from the upper end of the tube 14 will burn upon coming in contact with the air and will ignite the illuminating gas issuing from the burner 21. The torch will float in anA upright position in the water in the usual ina-nner and as the water inlet for both chambers is disposed below the water line sufficient water will be supplied to continuously generate gases in both chambers.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. et, instead of using a burner such as 2=1 illustrated in Fig. 1, the (lished portion 20 of the head is formed with a series of' openings 21 disposed around the upper end of' the tube 14, and the illuminating gas issuing through these openings is ignited by the gas burning at the upper end of the tube.

Although an embodiment of the invention has been described specifically it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited but includes modifications and .changes which come Within the scope of the append'- Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is 1. A marine torch including a container having two separate chambers, one adapted .to hold the igniter gas forming material to hold vthe igniter gas forming material and the otherthe illuminating gas forming material, both gases being generated by the addition of water, said container having an opening through i-tsbottom wall in communication with each of said chambers, said chambers being disposed so that water entering through said opening lwill flow to both the chambers when the container is placed in water, and releasable means normally closing said opening.

3. A marine torch including a. container having two separate chambers, one adapted to hold the igniter gas forming material and the other the illuminating gas forming material, both gases being generated by the addition of water,'said container having an opening through one of its walls in communication with each of said chambers, said chambers being .disposed so that water entering through said opening will flow to both the chambers when the container is placed in water, said opening being below the level of the water,and releasable means normally closing said opening.

4. A marine torch including a buoyant container having two separate chambers, one adapted to4 hold the igniter gas forming material vand the other the illuminating gas forming material, both gases being generated by the addition of walter, said container v having an opening through one of its walls in communication with each of said chambers, said chambers being disposed So that water entering through Said opening will illuminating gas forming material, bothv gases being generated by the addition of water, below the water line, means to admit water to said chambers, and means to seal said water admission means, adapted to be 6. A marine torch including a buoyant container adapted to hold illuminating gasY forming material, a centrally disposed vessel within said container adapted to hold igniter gas forming material and having at least a portionbelow thewater line, a water inlet in the bottom of the container having communication with thev interior of the container and vessel, means to close said inlet, and means extending from the top of the container through said vessel to open said inlet when the torch is launched.

7. A marine torch including a. buoyant container, a vessel within said container, a

tube extending from the top of the container through 'the bottom thereof and open at its lower end, said tube having an opening in ,its wall communicating with theinterior of the container and two openings communlcating with the interior of the vessel, one being near the bottom and the other the top of the vessel, an illuminating gas burner at the top of the container adjacent the upper end of the tube, a vcap inclosing the burner and upper end of the tube, means Vto close-the lower end of the tube, and means actuated by launching the torch to remove said cap and open the lower end of the tube.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

GWYLLYM R. HOLMES.

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