US1743166A - Miner's lamp - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 14, 1930. F. STATLER MINER S LAMP Filed Feb. 6, 1929 ///I V/////////// I INVENTOR Patented Jan. 14, 1930 UNITED STATES T OFFIQE MINER/S LAMP Application filed February 6, 1929. Serial No. 337,938.

This invention relates to improvements in acetylene lamps and especially to miners lamps of this character.

One of the difficulties encountered in using miners lamps is that the carbide, while generating gas, ascends to the water feed valve and clogs the latter so that it cannot be closed fully, and in many cases the slaked carbide hardened about the valve, seriously interferes with the flow of water when the valve is subsequently opened.

Now it is one of the objects of this invention to provide means for at all times completely enclosing and protecting the water valve against the carbide so that the valve will always freely operate thereby avoiding the loss of time in taking the lamp apart and cleaning the valve.

. hen the valve is opened and gas is being generated, the valve is most often clogged and hence it is a feature of my invention to afford an increased degree of completely enclosing protection to the water valve when the latter is opened, this feature of the device being automatic in its action.

The invention has many other features and objects which will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying drawing and which will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claim.

In the drawing: I

Fig. 1, is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of a miners lamp and illustrating the manner in which the device of my invention is applied thereto.

Fig. 2, is a View on an enlarged scale showing the bowl portion and illustrating the water valve closed.

Fig. 3, is a similar view with the valve 40 opened.

Fig. 4, is a. view of the device of my in vention detached from the lamp and looking from below, in Fig. 1. p s

Like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the different figures of the drawing.

The device of my invention is shown applied to a well known type of lamp, as illustrated, but it will be understood that the invention is equally adapted for all other types.

As shown, a carbide holding and gas generating bowl is indicated at 1, the same having abottom 2 and an open top 3. An attaching flange 4, of the usual type, is shown and is adapted to coact with clips 5, whereby the bowl may be rotatively turned into or out of connection with a superposed lamp structure, which will next be described.

The lamp structure, which is shown in elevation, is generally indicated at 6 and the same is suitably equipped with a water chamher having a filling cap 7. The lamp reflector is shown at 8 and a suitable gas passage or chamber will be provided, and which is notshown, but which has an intake at 9 in the bottom wall 10, of the structure, and communicates with the bowl 1, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Depending from the lamp structure is the usual water feed tube 11, which may be reduced, as shown at 12, and 79 which is provided with a downwardly facing valve seat 18 through which water may be delivered to the carbide in bowl 1. A valve closure operating rod 14 extends upwardly through said tube and is provided with an operating arm 15, on top of the lamp structure, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. When arm 15 is shifted in one direction, the wateris shut off, and when shifted in another direction, the water'is free to flow into the bowl, 80 as is common to many types of lamps.

I provide a valve closure which is indicated at 16 and which is rigidly attached to said rod 14 so that when said rod is turned in one direction, the closure 16 will engage 35 said seat 13 and shut off the flow of water to the bowl 1, as shown in Fig. 2. This movement of the closure toward a shut off position, is an upward movement. Vhen the rod 14 is turned in another direction, to unseat the closure 16, movement of the'latter will be downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. I have shown lugs 17, on'the closure 16, which engage the tube 11 and serve to guide the closure although this is not'absolutely essential in all forms of the invention.

Said closure tapers downwardly and forms an elongated inverted conical extension 18 and on the apex 19, thereof, 1 provide a carbide agitating stem 20, which extends 1.00

downwardly into the carbide and agitates the latter, as the closure is turned.

My improved protector includes a sleeve 21 which encloses the feed tube 11 from seat 13, upwardly, with a considerable extent of clearance so that there can be no restriction of flow of water from 13. The upper end of said sleeve 21 terminates in a flange 22 which actually forms a top for the interior of the bowl 1. The peripheral portion 23, of said flange is suitably interposed between shoulders 24 and 25 of the lamp structure and bowl, respectively, so that when the bowl and lamp are detachably connected, the protector will be firmly secured in the position shown. When the bowl is detached from the lamp structure, the protector will be free to also be removed. Pertorations 26, in flange 22, permits the gas to flow f om bowl 1 to opening 9, and therefrom into the lamp structure;

The remaining portion of the sleeve 21 is in the form of an inverted truncated cone 27 which terminates in 'a discharge opening 28 at its apex, through which the stem 20 extends, and through which opening the water egresses to the carbide. here is the fullest or maximum clearance between the wall 27 and the closure 18, which are shown parallel, when the closure is in an upward or water shutoff position, as shown in Fig. 2. Yet, even in this position, the sleeve structure, which comprises the parts 21 and 27, always completely encloses and thereby functions to protect the valve device from ingress thereto of carbide, in a very eificient manner. There is least danger of carbide entering and clogging the valve when the valve is closed. The only entrance the carbide would have, would be upwardly through opening 28, and this is always partially closed by stem 20,

Now when the closure 18 is lowered to discharge water into the bowl 1, the space or vclearance between 27 and 18 is restricted to a minimum, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. This restriction is not such as would interfere with passage of water to the bowl, as the amount of water released when the valve is opened is very little, in any event. However, when water is being released, there is a condition of agitation in the bowl 1, as a result of generation of gas, and at that time, the very greatest protection is desired against carbide or gas particles lodging around andabout the valve closure, more especially when the latter is open. P It will also be noted that this protection is immediately adjacent the part to be protected.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the one single'valve closure 18, functions in a dual capacity. It coacts with seat- 13 to control the flow of water, and it coacts with cone 27, of the protector, to restrict ingress passage of gas into the protector'by closing the spaceso nearly as just to permit egress of water therethrough and as the restricted space in Fig. 3, is approximately only sufficient to permit down flow of water, there is practically no chance whatever of gas or carbide particles entering the protector through opening 28. It will also be noted that when the apex 19 reaches the position shown in Fig. 3, it closes the opening 28 so nearly completely that only water could possibly pass downwardly therethrough and hence gas and particles could not pass upwardly the-rethrough. In the drawing, the extent of opening of the water valve has been very greatly exaggerated in order to illustrate the operation of the invention as in actual practice, the valve closure would be spaced from seat 13 only about one sixty fourth of an inch for a full open adjustment of the water valve. Further, the stem 20, functions, inaddition to the apex 19, in substantially but not com pletely closing the opening 28 against ingress of gas to the protector. By reason of the fact that stem 20, extends down into the carbide, it serves to agitate the slaked carbide to loosen the same, in a manner that will be clearly understood.

It is believed that the invention will be clearly understood frointhe foregoing description, and while I have herein shown and described one specific form of my invention,

1 do not wish to be limited thereto except for such limitations as the claim may import.

I claim r In combination, an acetylene lamp comprising, a carbide holding and gas generating bowl, a lamp structure detachably mounted on said bowl andsaid structure having a bottom wall provided with an opening for passage of gas from said bowl into said structure, a water feed tube depending from said structure into said bowl and having a .1

lower end valve seat, a valve closure movable upwardly to engage said seat to shut off water to said bowl, said closure having an elongated conical lower portion provided with a carbide agitating stem projecting from the apex thereof, and a valve protecting device comprising a sleeve surrounding said feed tube and having a conical lower .end in full clearance relation to the conical portion of said closure when the latter is in an upward shut off position and restricting the clearance space when said closure is in a downward open position, said stem being of sufficient length to extend through said protecting device irrespective of the position of said closure, and said protecting device having a perforated flange disposed abreast of said bottom wall and being secured between said bowl and structure.

In witness whereof, I hereby afiix my Signature. s

" CHARLES F. STATLER.

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