US643111A - Acetylene-lamp. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. l3, I900.

W- P. GBABY.

AGETYLENE LAMP.

(Applicatiori filed Dec. 6, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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NE STATES ATENT FFICE.

\VILLIAM P. CRARY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE EDXVARD MILLER dc COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

ACETYLENE-LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,111, dated February 13, 1900.

' Application filed December 6, 1898. Serial No- 698,411- (No model.)

To all whom zit may concern.-

-Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. CRARY, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York'city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Acetylene Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates more particularly to that class of lamps in which the water-reservoir and generating-chamber form part of the lamp-bod y and casing of a portable whole, and has for its object increased efficiency, better facilities for conveniently charging and discharging, and more complete control of the water-supply.

The invention as I have carried it out in a bicycle or driving lamp consists of a receptacle below, also serving as the generatingchamber, in direct communication with the burner above, and a reservoir for water located in rear of the burner. The water is led to a low point in the receptacle, and the controlling-valve is located at this low point. Means are provided for operating the valve from an easily-reached point on the exterior of the casing, preferably on the upper face of the reservoir, and for easily and quickly discharging the residuurnfrom the reduced carbid and replacing it with active material.

The invention also consists in certain details of construction and novel arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show a preferred form of the invention.

Figure l is a central vertical section, partly in elevation, through a bicycle lamp constructed in accordance with my invention, the non-essential portions being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a corresponding top or plan view with certain portions removed or omitted. The remaining figures are on a larger scale and show portions detached. Fig. 3 is a vertical section; and Fig. 4 ahorizontal section, partly in plan view.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

A is the body of the lamp, which may be of any approved design and equipped, as usual, with reflector, lens, lightingapertures, and other appurtenances.

B is the reservoir, forming part of the body and located in the rear thereof. It is a circular chamber adapted to receive water through a filling-tube B, closed by a perforated screwcap B The filling-tube is mounted with freedom to revolve and is held against removal by the collars B B engaging above and below the horizontal disk or flange B secured to the upper face of the reservoir and inclosing the upper end of the tube. An arm 13, forming an extension from the upper collar B ,is provided with a thu mb-piece B by which the filling-tube may be partially rotated, and a series of notches b in the rim of the disk 13 receives a detent on the under face ofthe arm and serves to hold the tube in any required position. The lower end of the tube is open, but is bridged across at B and provided with a small rectangular opening 17, as shown. The lower portion of the reservoir is in communication, through the orifice W, with a flat rectangular casing C, forming part of the lower portion of the lamp-body and extending inwardlya little beyond the axial line of the burner D and receptacle F. The latter is a thin shell of brass or other suitable material screw-threaded at F to form a tight junction with the threaded ring E, attached to the lamp-body and having an upward extension E, fitted with a central gas-tube E terminating in any suitable burner D. The

casingC lies a little below the gas-tube E allowing sufficient space for the passage of gas to the burner, which space is preferablyloosely packed with cotton-wool e, serving to par tially obstruct the passage, and thus prevent the transmission to the burner of sudden changes in pressure due to shocks or violent vibrations,while allowing sufficient gas to flow through to supply the burner at all times. From the lower face of the casing 0 extends a tube C, lying in the axial line of the receptacle F and reaching nearly to the bottom of the latter and ending in a longitudinally-adjustable valve-seat G. It will be observed that water from the reservoir fills the casing C and tube C and is delivered at the desired low point in the receptacle. A tapered valve G,provided with a screw-thread Giis adapted to pass through a spider C which may be correspondingly screw-threaded and supported to the tube 0 by arms in any well-known manner. The valve G is raised and lowered to increase or diminish the flow by turning the valve-stem G inclosed in the tube 0, which stem may have its upper end squared and extended into the casing O. The valve may be operated by a segmental gear H loosely mounted on the squared portion G of the stem, meshing into an idle intermediate spur-gear H having a spindle H which in turn meshes with a gear H fixed near the lower end of a rod I-I, having a squared upper end H matching to the hole I) in the bridge B in the filling-tube 13, above described. The lower end of the rod H is received in a bearing or socket C in the bottom of the casing O, and all the gears lie within the latter and are held in place by the flat curved spring C one surface of which may bear against the gears, while the other side may bear against the inner wall of the case 0. The spring 0 may be perforated to re ceive the spindles of the gears. It will be seen that on turning the arm B the motion is communicated through the tube B, rod II, and the several gears to the valve G, and the latter will be correspondingly raised or lowered by its screw-thread G relatively to the seat C the squared upper end rising and sinking idly through the aperture in the gear H, and thus governing the flow of water to the interior of the receptacle.

J is a cup of thin sheet metalfitting loosely within the receptacle F and adapted to receive the calcium carbid in crushed or gran ulated form. Its upper edge J is rolled or curled inward, as shown, to provide an abutmentfor avolute spring K of large diameter secured at the lower end to an annular disk or follower K, resting upon the carbid M and exerting its force expansively to hold the latter down and prevent its displacement by changes in the position of the lamp and follow the upper surface as the volume of carbid lessens by consumption.

L is a circular disk lying in the bottom of the cup J and having an upwardly-project ing foraminated tube L secured to its central boss L. The tube is preferably wrapped in a thin covering L of muslin or other fabric and incloses the downwardly-projecting Water-supply tube 0 and valve-chamber G. It serves to hold the carbid away from the water-tube and prevent the clogging of the orifice in the latter, particularly by the spent carbid in the form of a thick paste. It also performs an important function in the removal of such residuum from the cup J by grasping the tube L and lifting it from the cup. A large part of the spent carbid will be lifted out and the remainder may be removed by rinsing under a flow of water. In charging the cup the disk L is first placed therein and then the required amount of carbid added in the annular space surrounding the tube L The follower K is then inserted, and the upper convolution of the spring K is engaged beneath the edge J and the cup placed in the receptacle E, which is screwed to place with the water-tube 0 Within the tube L The arm B being then turned in the direction to lower the valve and close the orifice, the cap B is removed and clean water poured through the filling-tube B until the tube C, casing O, and a portion of the reservoir B are filled. Then on turning the arm in the direction to raise the valve water is admitted to the cup and acting upon the carbid occasions the development of gas, which fills the receptacle or generating-chamber and escaping through the cotton 6 to the tube E may be ignited at the burner, as usual. The flow of Water and consequent volume of gas is easily controlled by the arm, and the position of the latter when determined is held by one of the series of notches b engaging the detent.

I attach importance to the location of the valve. By placing it at the extreme lower end of the water-tube I am able to shut off the supply instantly, leaving no accumulation to escape slowly in small drops after the valve has been closed and continue for an indefinite period the evolution of the gas. Another advantage due to that construction lies in the fact that the water is under a pressure of a column measured by the vertical distance between the valve and the level in the reservoir, thus insuring a quick response when the valve is raised but slightly, and as the valve is at the extreme end of the tube there is no idle space to be filled with gas under pressure endeavoring to escape through the tube and thus obstruct the flow.

By forming the abutment for the spring K in the cup J, I am able to detach the latter with its contents as a whole and avoid the annoyance caused by the sudden expansion of a loose spring when released.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions within Wide limits Without departing from the invention.

The materials employed may be varied indefinitely, and other valve-operating mechanism may be substituted for the gears shown.

Iclaim-- 1. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gasgenerating chamber, a water-supply pipe, an elongated valve therein, a space around said valve, an adjustable valve-seat carried by said pipe, an opening in said seat in line with said valve, and adapted to be closed thereby, and a water-distributin g pipe around said valve and seat and within said gas-generating chamber.

2. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gas generating chamber, a water-supply pipe, an elongated valve therein, means to move said valve longitudinally, a space around said valve, an adjustable valve-seat carried by said pipe, an opening in said seat in line withsaid valve and adapted to be closed thereby and a Water-distributing pipe around said valve and seat and within said gas-generatin g chamber.

3. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gasgenerating chamber, a water-supply pipe, an elongated valve therein, means to move said valve longitudinally, a water-space around said valve, a valveseat carried by said pipe and means to move said valve-seat longitudinally thereon, an opening in said seat in line with said valve and adapted to be closed thereby, and a water-distributing pipe around said valve and seat and within said gas-generating chamber.

4. In a gas-lamp, a water-chamber, a gasgenerating chamber, a water-supply pipe, an elongated tapered valve therein, means to move said valve longitudinally, a water-space around said valve, a valve-seat carried by said pipe, means to move said seat longitudinally thereon, an opening in said seat in line with said valve, said opening being of less diameter than the greatest diameter of said valve and a water-distributing pipe around said valve and seat and within said gas-gencrating chamber.

5. The lamp-body A, reservoir B forming part thereof, receptacle F below said body, casing O comm unicatiug between said reservoir and receptacle, the downwardly-extending tube 0 from said casing, a screw-valve G at the lower end of said water-tube, a valve-stem G inclosed in the latter and reaching into said casing, a rod I-I extending downwardly in said reservoir into said casing, and a train of gears H H H inclosed in the casing and communicating motion from said rod to said stem to raise and lower said valve, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as herein specified.

6. In a lamp of the character set forth, the receptacle F, cup J therein having the inwardly-curled upper edge J, a disk L having an upwardly-extending central foraminated tube L secured thereto and lying in said cup, a water-tube inclosed in said foraminated tube, an annular follower inclosing the latter, and a coiled spring attached to said follower and abutting against said curled edge, all combined and arrangedto serve substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

7. The lamp-body A, reservoir B, revoluble filling-tube B and bridge 13 having the rectangular aperture b, the casing C, recep tacle F and watertube 0 extending to a low point in the receptacle from said casing and out of line with said filling-tube, a screwvalve G near the lower end of said watertube, a valve stem Gr inclosed therein, the gear H engaging the upper squared end G of the valve-stem, a gear H meshing therewith and with the gear H, the rod H secured to the latter and having its upper squared end H engaged with the lower end of said fillingtube, the spring 0 for holding the gears, the said casing inclosing said gears and spring and forming an open connection between said reservoir and water-tube, all combined and arranged to serve substantially as and for the purposes herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V. P. ORARY.

Witnesses:

CHARLES R. SEARLE, FR. F. SUOHULZE,

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