IC-N 
 
 ' ' Y 
 
 
LIBRARY 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 Class 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 / 
 
 GENERATORS, BURNERS AND 
 ELECTRIC FURNACES 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM E. GIBBS, M.E. 
 
 SECOND EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED 
 
 DIVERSITY J 
 
 OF / 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 D. VAN NOSTRAN 7 D COMPANY 
 
 LONDON 
 CROSBY LOCKWOOD AND SON 
 
 1899 
 
COPYRIGHT, 1899, BY 
 D. VAN NOSTRAND COMPANY 
 
 TROW DIRECTORY 
 
 PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY 
 NEW YORK 
 
v* 
 
 V 
 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION, . . \ * 
 
 ACETYLENE (INTRODUCTION), .... i 
 
 ACETYLENE (HISTORY), 4 
 
 DANGERS OF ACETYLENE, g 
 
 EXPLOSIVENESS, g 
 
 ACETYLIDE OF COPPER, n 
 
 Toxic PROPERTIES, IJ 
 
 EFFECTS UPON THE EYES, ^ 
 
 ELECTRIC FURNACES, ....... 15 
 
 A CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC FURNACE,. ... 26 
 
 GENERATION OF ACETYLENE, 35 
 
 THE DRY PROCESS GENERATOR, 4I 
 
 THE WET PROCESS GENERATOR, 49 
 
 THE PLUNGER, ? . . 55 
 
 IMPURITIES OF CARBIDE AND ACETYLENE, . . 63 
 
 GENERATORS, 69 
 
 FIRST CLASS, . ... . . . . 70 
 
 SECOND CLASS, . ... . . . . . 95 
 
 THIRD CLASS, . . ' . . . * . . . . 99 
 
 ACETYLENE LAMPS, . . . m 
 
 50(>26 
 
iv CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 ACETYLENE BURNERS 119 
 
 AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS, 129 
 
 CONCLUSION, . .147 
 
 FIRE REGULATIONS, , . 151 
 
 LIST OF UNITED STATES PATENTS, . , . .155 
 
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION 
 
 WHEN the first edition of this treatise was written, 
 in the months of January and February, 1898, a host 
 of acetylene generators was appearing. New types 
 and modifications of older forms were being put 
 upon the market, while hundreds were rushing into 
 the new field opened by the production of calcium 
 carbide. The apparent simplicity of fhe gas-making 
 process from this new substance was sufficiently at- 
 tractive to excite the interest of inventors generally, 
 and to develop a large number of worthless gener- 
 ators, constructed by those having little mechanical 
 knowledge and no ability to solve the difficulties 
 encountered. 
 
 The early machines were of the type originally 
 known as " briquet hydrogen " now known as the 
 plunger or dip generators. The next to appear 
 were the dry generators, so-called, in which water 
 was sprinkled or dripped upon the carbide some- 
 times now called drip machines. These were an 
 enormous step in advance of the plunging machine, 
 but with the overcoming of the earlier objections 
 other corresponding difficulties were encountered ; 
 and later, when the wet process or chute generator 
 was introduced, it was thought that a great step in 
 advance had been made. This opinion was in the 
 main correct, as has been shown by the investiga- 
 
VI INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION 
 
 tions of those who have seriously and understand- 
 ingly studied the problem ; but the same thing 
 happened in this case that occurred when the dry 
 machine was substituted for the plunger. Where 
 certain objections were overcome, others were en- 
 countered ; and while all types of machines, and 
 especially the latter two, were excellent gas pro- 
 ducers, they were difficult of management, and some 
 of them were dangerous. The gradual addition of 
 parts for protection against each element of danger 
 or inconvenience has made the machines safer, more 
 efficient, and durable. At the same time, it has made 
 them more likely to become disarranged. 
 
 The complications which have grown out of the 
 older and simpler forms of generators have not, 
 however, rendered possible the charging of the dry 
 machine with carbide, without the introduction of 
 air or the opening of the reservoir containing an 
 explosive mixture of air and acetylene. This, with 
 such machines, is the greatest fault, and is the one 
 which has been most difficult to overcome. 
 
 With the wet machine, the loss of gas during the 
 passage of the carbide down the chute, even if the 
 same be filled with oil, is very considerable when 
 using finely powdered carbide ; and this has not been 
 overcome. The waste of gas is perhaps not of great 
 importance; but the possibilities which exist for its 
 admixture in explosive quantities with air in the room 
 containing the generator, and the odor which it is 
 sure to cause, make the generators of either type 
 most unpleasant companions in the house. 
 
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION Vll 
 
 The solution of this problem of getting the car- 
 bide into the generator without the admission of air 
 or the emission of gas is of the first importance. 
 
 An almost equally difficult problem, but one of 
 less moment, is the removal of the residuum from 
 the machine. The paste or semi-liquid substance 
 which must be removed from the dry machine, and 
 the thin, creamy sludge from the wet machine, are 
 both difficult of management. It has been proposed 
 to wash the residuum into the sewer; but, on the 
 other hand, it has been suggested that the lime 
 would make an insoluble soap with the grease al- 
 ways present in the drains, which would eventually 
 clog them. In country districts, the use of a small 
 cesspool built especially for the purpose of contain, 
 ing the sludge seems a suitable expedient. Indeed, 
 in communities where cesspools are used for the 
 disposal of sewage, there should be no objection to 
 draining directly into them. The lime is an excel- 
 lent disinfectant, and similar properties are claimed 
 for the acetylene which the water holds in solution. 
 
 The author, in the first edition of this book, advo- 
 cated strongly the use of an out-door generator built 
 within a cistern. Those which he constructed upon 
 this plan for his own use and for experimental work 
 have given no trouble, and have been extremely sat- 
 isfactory. The same, or even larger, losses of gas 
 while the carbide passes down the chute are present 
 in this machine, which must have a water-seal of 
 considerable length ; but being remote from the place 
 where the lights are used, it causes no inconven- 
 
Vlll INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION 
 
 ience. The expense of the installation, however, is 
 many times that of the portable machine. There 
 seems no reason why a small frost-proof building 
 should not be substituted for the underground con- 
 struction. It has often been proposed to fill the gas- 
 holder with oil, and to protect the generator by 
 means of non-conducting material. In that case the 
 heat set free by the reaction between the carbide 
 and the water can be prevented from escaping, 
 and would maintain a sufficiently high temperature 
 to prevent the freezing of the generator in cold 
 weather. The author has been unable to verify this 
 condition, for lack of sufficiently cold climate. 
 
 In this latter form of out-door generator, it would 
 be necessary, in the event of using a dry machine, to 
 employ a saturated solution of brine for the exciting 
 fluid. 
 
 The abandonment of some of the earlier types of 
 machines, and the dissatisfaction which even the 
 best of the more modern ones have given from 
 these causes, makes it imperative that some radical 
 changes be made before the generator can be de- 
 clared a complete success. 
 
 Means must be provided whereby carbide, coarse 
 or fine, or in any condition in which it usually comes 
 from the works, can be put into the generator abso- 
 lutely without the loss of gas or admission of air. 
 
 Means must also be provided for removing the 
 residuum under the same conditions, and, in the case 
 of the wet machine, without breaking the seal 
 through which the carbide enters the chute. Diffi- 
 
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND EDITION ix 
 
 cult as these problems seem, they are both possible 
 of solution ; and upon them the most strenuous ef- 
 forts of the inventor should be expended. Their 
 solution will at once make the use of the genera- 
 tors within houses as safe as the use of kerosene 
 lamps, and will entirely remove the disagreeable 
 elements of odor and lime-stains. Until this is ac- 
 complished, the user of acetylene must tolerate its 
 inconveniences for the sake of its incomparable 
 light. 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 INTRODUCTION 
 
 IN an attempt to set forth the facts concerning 
 the development of the kindred industries of calcic 
 carbide production and the generation of acetylene 
 therefrom, it must be borne in mind that both proc- 
 esses, so far as their industrial application is in- 
 volved, are of very recent date. 
 
 Whatever is written about either must be con- 
 sidered as an exposition of the art so far only as 
 it is known at the moment of writing. Revision 
 or even radical change of ideas may be expected 
 from time to time as continued experiment brings 
 to light new facts about these hardly known sub- 
 stances. 
 
 A recent serious explosion of liquefied acetylene 
 prompts the writing of what follows, since it would 
 seem that ignorance or neglect of the admonitions 
 of earlier experimenters was to blame for an ac- 
 cident which cannot but prejudice many against the 
 use of a valuable and safe ilium inant. 
 
 Since the French have been unusually keen in 
 the pursuit of information concerning calcium car- 
 
2 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 bide and acetylene, and have not only devised many 
 machines for generating the gas, and furnaces for 
 producing the carbide, but have made public the 
 results obtained, their books and pamphlets on the 
 subject have been freely drawn upon for details of 
 foreign practice. 
 
 As for the American gas generators, a description 
 of types of those which the author has been able to 
 discover from an examination of the United States 
 Patent Office records, direct interviews with the 
 manufacturers or inquiry among the carbide dealers 
 is included ; but, since hundreds are experimenting 
 in this field, and since two or three new generators 
 are patented in this country each week, it is quite 
 impossible to include the most recent ones. 
 
 Suffice it to say that, in the very nature of the 
 problem involved, generators may all be divided 
 into three classes, and that any new machine can 
 differ from the existing forms only in matters of 
 detail. 
 
 For the production of acetylene it is necessary 
 to bring calcic carbide into contact with water in 
 some kind of vessel from which the resulting gas 
 may be conveyed for use. 
 
 Whether the carbide is thrown into water, or the 
 water is poured upon the carbide, is in general terms 
 a matter of indifference, the result being practically 
 the same. 
 
 When, however, the renewal of the carbide be- 
 comes necessary in order to keep up a continuous 
 supply of gas, complications immediately enter the 
 
INTRODUCTION 3 
 
 problem, which becomes still further involved when 
 the removal of the lime resulting from the'reaction 
 is attempted. 
 
 The generation of a quantity of acetylene is a 
 very simple matter. The devising of means for 
 delivering a constant supply of gas, supplying calcic 
 carbide to the generator and removing the lime 
 therefrom has taxed the ingenuity of some of our 
 ablest inventors. 
 
 The ideal machine has certainly not yet been in- 
 vented, but existing forms are being constantly im- 
 proved, and at the present writing, the safe, efficient 
 and cheap lighting of houses by acetylene is an ac- 
 complished fact. 
 
HISTORY 
 
 ALTHOUGH only recently become of commercial 
 importance, acetylene has been known chemically 
 since 1836, when the chemist Edmond Davy an- 
 nounced the discovery of " a new gaseous bicar- 
 buret of hydrogen and of a particular compound of 
 carbon and potassium, or carburet of potassium," in 
 the British Association Reports, 1836, pt. 2, p. 62. 
 
 In 1861, the German chemist Wohler prepared 
 calcium carbide by heating a mixture of lime and 
 carbon in the presence of zinc. 
 
 Berthelot,in his classic synthesis of a hydrocarbon, 
 passed hydrogen through a receiver in which an 
 electric arc was maintained between carbon elec- 
 trodes. The hydrogen combined with the vaporized 
 carbon to form acetylene (C 2 H 2 ), which was passed 
 through an ammoniacal solution of copper, where 
 acetylide of copper (C 2 H 2 Cu 9 O) was precipitated. 
 
 Berthelot, in 1866, obtained carbide of sodium by 
 gently heating metallic sodium in an atmosphere of 
 acetylene. The acetylene, being absorbed, produced 
 C 3 H 2 Na, and, upon being raised to a red heat, the 
 hydrogen was driven off, leaving sodium carbide 
 (C 2 Na) as a heavy, dark, stone-like mass, which gave 
 off acetylene when thrown into water. 
 
 Others since then have formed various carbides, 
 
 4 
 
HISTORY 5 
 
 which have been used in the laboratory as a conven- 
 ient means of producing acetylene. 
 
 In a note to the Academic des Sciences, presented 
 on December 12, 1892, Moissan, who had been ex- 
 perimenting with the electric furnace, made the 
 statement that " If the temperature of the electric 
 furnace reaches 3,000 the material of the furnace 
 itself, the quick-lime, melts and runs like water. At 
 this temperature the carbon rapidly reduces the 
 oxide of calcium and the metal is set free in abun- 
 dance. It combines easily with the carbon of the 
 electrodes to form carbide of calcium, fluid at this 
 heat, which is easily recovered." 
 
 In March, 1894, Moissan presented to the Aca- 
 demic a sample of pure crystalline calcium carbide 
 which he had obtained by submitting a mixture of 
 powdered lime and carbon to the action of the 
 electric furnace. 
 
 Prior to this time, in America experiments had 
 been conducted with the electric furnace on a very 
 extensive scale. The Cowles furnace was being 
 used for the production of aluminum, and carborun- 
 dum produced in the electric furnace had become 
 an article of commerce. Mr. Thos. L. Willson had 
 built a plant containing an electric furnace, with 
 which he was experimenting upon further improve- 
 ments in the production of metals and alloys. 
 
 According to the most authentic reports, the dis- 
 covery by him of calcium carbide was an incident 
 in his search for a flux which should prevent the 
 spattering of the molten alloys in the furnace from 
 
O LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 interfering with and short-circuiting the arc. The 
 use of lime and carbon for this purpose naturally re- 
 sulted in the production of calcium carbide. While 
 others, no doubt, produced unwittingly the same 
 substance, none had noticed its character or taken 
 advantage of the future which it promised until Mr. 
 Willson was impressed by its possible commercial 
 value. 
 
 The French unanimously accord the discovery of 
 the crystalline carbide to the chemist Henri Mois- 
 san, and urge most ably the validity of his claims to 
 the discovery of the substance. 
 
 The whole matter has been taken up by the 
 Progressive Age, of New York, in a series of articles 
 published during the summer of 1898, in which the 
 claims of both Moissan and Willson are very fairly 
 set forth. The bulk of the testimony would seem 
 to show that Moissan had produced the carbide in 
 small quantities in a laboratory furnace prior to its 
 discovery by Willson ; but had it not been for Amer- 
 ican foresight and enterprise, the commercial im- 
 portance of calcium carbide as a factor in lighting 
 would probably for a long time have remained hid- 
 den in the foreign laboratories. There is no doubt 
 that to Willson belongs the credit of the discovery 
 of calcium carbide in its commercial form, and for 
 the industrial purposes of gas-making. 
 
 It is not to be wondered, when we consider the 
 possibilities opened up by the electric furnace, that 
 many experimenters hit upon the same facts and 
 were experimenting along the same lines ; and it is 
 
HISTORY 7 
 
 if 
 
 only charitable to believe that the claims of each in- 
 ventor are based upon his honest belief. 
 
 Since the first edition of this book was written, 
 many other experimenters have been discovered 
 who, between the years 1836 and 1894, made some 
 contribution to Science concerning the properties 
 of acetylene. None, however, conceived the possi- 
 bility of using the gas industrially until the electric 
 furnace had become a factor of modern manufactur- 
 ing arts ; and while such honor is due them as the 
 chemist usually receives for his discoveries, their 
 work, viewed from an industrial stand-point, is of 
 little importance. 
 
 The investigator who wishes to decide for himself 
 the relative merits of the claims for priority of in- 
 vention of calcium carbide is referred to Perrodil's 
 text-book on acetylene and calcium carbide, a trans- 
 lation of which was published in Progressive Age, 
 and the numbers of Progressive Age in which the 
 claims of Willson are set forth. 
 
DANGERS OF ACETYLENE 
 
 Two or three years ago, when the commercial 
 production of acetylene was first attracting general 
 attention, the most diverse and exaggerated ac- 
 counts of its dangerous properties were published. 
 By some it was declared to be intensely poisonous, 
 by others frightfully explosive, while a third faction 
 announced that it readily formed explosive com- 
 pounds with the metals of the pipes and gasometers 
 necessary for its use. 
 
 Since the truth concerning this gas is now well 
 known, it seems needless to enter upon a detailed 
 description of the dangers then predicted, and it 
 will be sufficient excuse for the misinformation so 
 generally disseminated to say that much of the early 
 carbide was very impure. 
 
 No doubt the gas resulting from its decomposi- 
 tion contained all kinds of undesirable substances, 
 some explosive, some toxic, and some tending to 
 favor the formation of the detonating acetylides of 
 metals. 
 
 Now, however, that we may be sure of the purity 
 of our carbide, the dangers attending the use of 
 acetylene have been exactly determined. 
 
 Without going into the details of the experiments 
 conducted by the ablest chemists of the time, or re- 
 
 8 
 
DANGERS OF ACETYLENE 9 
 
 lating the experiences of those who have labored to 
 bring into vogue the practical and industrial appli- 
 cation of acetylene, it will suffice to present a 
 synopsis of the dangers attending the use of this gas 
 and the means for obviating them : 
 
 EXPLOSIVENESS. 
 
 Acetylene, as alarmists are so fond of stating, is 
 an endothermic substance, which means that in its 
 production a certain quantity of heat is absorbed 
 and disappears. This heat, or its equivalent in some 
 other form of energy, exists in the substance, tend- 
 ing and striving to reassert itself upon provocation. 
 For this reason the gas, under certain conditions, is 
 an unstable body. It tends to resolve itself into its 
 component elements, carbon and hydrogen, and 
 when such dissociation is by any means brought 
 about without the presence of other substances, the 
 result is a certain quantity of hydrogen and a mass 
 of finely divided carbon. 
 
 This dissociation can be effected in a body of 
 acetylene gas at atmospheric pressure by the 
 detonation therein of a small quantity of fulminate 
 of mercury or other violent explosive, AND BY NO 
 
 OTHER MEANS. 
 
 Heat, flame, the electric spark or the electric 
 arc itself will not, according to the most careful ex- 
 periments, produce an explosion under these con- 
 ditions. 
 
 When the gas is condensed, however, it becomes, 
 
IO LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 with each increment of pressure, more and more 
 unstable, and, in consequence, more easily exploded 
 until the point of liquefaction is reached, when it be- 
 comes as dangerous as the high explosives. 
 
 The disastrous results which have invariably 
 followed the attempts to liquefy acetylene should 
 be sufficient warning against this procedure. 
 
 The only place where there is any excuse for 
 compressing acetylene is in the chemical labora- 
 tory, where its properties are being studied by those 
 skilled in dealing with unstable compounds, and 
 where explosions are expected and provided for as 
 a matter of course. 
 
 Taking it for granted that, until the dangers at- 
 tending the use of liquid acetylene have been over- 
 come, the gas under a pressure only slightly above 
 that of the atmosphere will be used in machines for 
 industrial lighting, we may state that, so long as 
 acetylene is unmixed with any other substance, it 
 cannot be exploded by the means usually at com- 
 mand. 
 
 An admixture of air with acetylene at once alters 
 the case, for then we have the same conditions 
 which determine the explosion of a mixture of the 
 ordinary illuminating gas with air. 
 
 The two gases then behave in nearly the same 
 manner, becoming more and more inflammable as 
 the proportion of air increases until the mixture 
 contains about one part of gas to four of air, when 
 it becomes explosive. 
 
 The mixture remains explosive until the proper- 
 
DANGERS OF ACETYLENE II 
 
 tions are one of gas to twenty of air, after which the 
 dilution is too great for the propagation of flame. 
 
 In each stage the acetylene mixture is somewhat 
 more dangerous than the house-gas mixture, simply 
 because its explosion in each case is rather more 
 violent. With a properly constructed generator, 
 however, there should be no chance for the ad- 
 mixture of air with the gas in any proportion, no 
 matter how small and apparently harmless ; and, 
 since many generators obviate entirely the admis- 
 sion of air to the system at the same time that they 
 fulfil all the other requirements of successful gas- 
 production, there can be no excuse for taking the 
 slightest risk on this point. 
 
 ACETYLIDE OF COPPER. 
 
 The presence of ammonia in the gas favors the 
 formation in the gas fixtures of this explosive salt. 
 Well-washed gas should not combine with the small 
 proportion of copper found in the ordinary fixtures. 
 The substance is not easy to make, even in the lab- 
 oratory, and the amount which could by any chance 
 form in the fixtures is very small. 
 
 The use of copper should, of course, be debarred 
 for any part of the system, and especially for the 
 generator or gasometer. 
 
 TOXIC PROPERTIES. 
 
 A most elaborate series of experiments conducted 
 in France upon men and various lower animals has 
 shown conclusively that acetylene is slightly less 
 
12 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 poisonous than the ordinary coal-gas in general 
 use. 
 
 In experimenting upon dogs, it was found that, 
 when the animals were removed from the influence 
 of acetylene before they had been fatally poisoned, 
 recovery was more rapid than when they were sub- 
 jected to the effects of ordinary illuminating gas un- 
 der the same conditions. An examination of blood 
 samples taken every few moments showed that acet- 
 ylene was rapidly eliminated from the system. 
 
 It was also found that fatal results were not pro- 
 duced by the prolonged inhalation of acetylene and 
 air mixtures unless the gas existed in the propor- 
 tion of more than twenty per cent. 
 
 The author may say that, while he is unusually 
 susceptible to the effects generally produced by in- 
 haling noxious gases, he has experienced no incon- 
 venience whatsoever from breathing day after day 
 an atmosphere rich in acetylene. 
 
 The danger to be apprehended from leaving the 
 tap of a burner carelessly turned on is too remote 
 to require serious consideration, since the leakage 
 of half a foot of acetylene an hour would require, in 
 an air-tight room eight feet square by eight feet 
 high, fifty hours to produce a mixture of only five 
 per cent, of gas. 
 
 The odor of acetylene is so peculiar that a very 
 small leak is quickly noticeable. The odor, which 
 is quite indescribable, is decidedly unpleasant, re- 
 minding one somewhat of garlic, or onions. 
 
 The products of the perfect combustion of acety- 
 
DANGERS OF ACETYLENE 13 
 
 lene consist solely of vapor, of water, and carbonic 
 acid. ' In the case of incomplete combustion, in 
 addition to these products, carbon monoxide, car- 
 bon, and hydrogen are produced. 
 
 The latter statement is equally true of any of the 
 combustible illuminants, but the amount of carbon 
 monoxide given off from the acetylene flame of the 
 standard burner will be only one-tenth part of that 
 from ordinary gas. 
 
 Experiments similar to those mentioned above 
 have shown that animals are affected in about the 
 same degree by inhaling the products from the com- 
 bustion of equal quantities of acetylene and illumi- 
 nating gas. 
 
 In the case of neither gas need any fear be enter- 
 tained of the effects of inhaling the products of 
 combustion of burners used for lighting. Cases of 
 injury from this cause have happened, indeed, with 
 illuminating gas, but only when used in large quan- 
 tities, for heating, in a gas stove without proper 
 provision for ventilation. 
 
 EFFECTS UPON THE EYES. 
 
 When the incandescent electric lamp came into 
 use there was a general complaint that it "hurt the 
 eyes." Later, the Welsbach mantle suffered under 
 the same imputation. 
 
 One rarely hears either blamed for eye injuries at 
 the present day, 
 
 The intensely bright light of acetylene will cer- 
 
14 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 tainly be more than either of the others the object 
 of a similar complaint. 
 
 A careful observation of the advent of all these 
 lights has led the author to believe that, so long as 
 a light is a novelty, and so long as individuals, 
 prompted by curiosity, continue to look directly at 
 the flame or other source of light, they will quite 
 naturally be temporarily dazzled and partially 
 blinded. 
 
 As soon as the novelty wears off and they are 
 content to look at the objects illuminated, the com- 
 plaint ceases to be heard. 
 
 Man for some thousands of years has had for his 
 type of light the sun, and it is without doubt true 
 that the sunlight is yellow. He takes most kindly to 
 a yellow light, which is the reason the electric arc is 
 so unpleasant, with its bluish tint and moonlight 
 effect, and also the reason that the Wellsbach seems 
 green to most of us. As a matter of fact, the acety- 
 lene flame is very like sunlight, and its effect on the 
 eyes cannot but be beneficial, on account of its 
 perfect steadiness. 
 
 The only disagreeable feature is, that from its 
 small size, it casts a rather sharp shadow, which 
 makes it unpleasant when burned without a diffusing 
 globe or shade. 
 
ELECTRIC FURNACES 
 
 EVER since the beginnings of chemistry, the fol. 
 lowers of that science have sought means for pro- 
 ducing intense heat. 
 
 A charcoal fire urged by bellows or an alcohol 
 flame intensified by the blowpipe, was used for this 
 purpose by the early experimenters. 
 
 Then came, with the advent of illuminating gas, 
 the Bunsen burner and the blast lamp in various 
 forms as an important step in advance, and finally 
 the oxy-hydrogen jet with which platinum and irid- 
 ium could be fused. 
 
 Each improvement led to increased knowledge of 
 the more refractory substances, but investigators 
 still longed for a source of heat, which not only 
 would be more intense, but which should be free 
 from the disadvantages of a highly oxygenated flame. 
 The extreme temperature of the electric arc had 
 long been known and had been utilized in a small 
 way in researches upon refractory materials in con- 
 junction with spectroscopic analysis. During the 
 past few years, however, the production of electric 
 currents of immense quantity has become an estab- 
 lished industry, and it has been possible to so mag- 
 nify the small arcs of a decade ago, that an entirely 
 new and most important piece of apparatus has been 
 
 15 
 
10 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 developed. The result is seen in the electric fur- 
 nace, which may vary in size from a small crucible, 
 in which is maintained the arc of an ordinary street 
 light, to those huge creations of the carbide works, 
 where a thousand horse power of energy is con- 
 verted into the sun-like radiance which fills the space 
 between the carbons. 
 
 The electric furnace consists, in its simplest form, 
 of a crucible of refractory material, within which an 
 electric arc may be maintained between the ends of 
 two carbon electrodes, which enter the crucible for 
 that purpose. 
 
 FIG. i. Siemens Furnace. 
 
 FIG. 2. Moissan Furnace. 
 
 The substance to be treated, generally in the form 
 of grains, or in powder, is placed in the crucible in 
 such position that it may be traversed by the elec- 
 tric arc, to whose intense heat it is subjected. The 
 electrodes are sometimes placed in a horizontal posi- 
 tion, sometimes vertically, and, again, inclined. 
 
 When horizontal, they may enter the crucible 
 
ELECTRIC FURNACES I/ 
 
 through holes in its wall, or the crucible may be so 
 shallow that they pass over its upper edge. 
 
 When vertical, the lower electrode may enter the 
 bottom of the crucible through a hole, or may con- 
 sist simply of a block of carbon laid on the bottom, 
 or the bottom of the crucible, or the crucible may 
 itself be the electrode, provided it is a conduct- 
 or of the current, while the other electrode de- 
 
 FIG. 3. Moissan Furnace. 
 
 scends through a hole in the cover when a closed 
 crucible is used, or is guided centrally of the cru- 
 cible by external mechanism in the case of an open 
 furnace. 
 
 The Siemens furnace, Fig. i, has a graphite 
 crucible embedded in a mass of refractory material 
 intended to prevent radiation. The crucible forms 
 the lower electrode. There is a vent for the gases. 
 
18 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 The upper electrode is operated by a magnified arc- 
 lamp mechanism. 
 
 FlG. 4. Willson's Furnace. 
 
 The first Moissan furnace. Fig. 2, has horizon- 
 tal electrodes manoeuvred by hand. The crucible is 
 so shallow that the electrodes pass over its upper 
 edge. 
 
ELECTRIC FURNACES 
 
 The second form of Moissan furnance, Fig 
 
 3, is like the first except that a hole is cut at right 
 angles to the electrodes entirely through the fur- 
 nace, near the bottom of the crucible. By inclining 
 
 FIG. 5. King Furnace. 
 
 the furnace, it may be made continuous in action. 
 The charge is fed in at the upper end of the cross- 
 hole, and, after passing through the crucible, the 
 product issues at the other side. 
 
 Willson's furnance, Fig. 4, has an outer casing 
 
20 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 of brick (A), a crucible of carbon (B), a lower elec- 
 trode of broken carbon, an upper electrode (C), with 
 a wheel and screw h, g, for moving it, a tap-hole (D), 
 and an iron base-plate, to which one pole of the 
 generator is connected. 
 
 The King furnace, used at the carbide works at 
 Niagara, N. Y., is on a more elaborate plan, although 
 the additions to its mechanism are of importance 
 only in giving ease of charging and removing the 
 product. The crucible is contained in a small iron 
 car, which may be run out on a track when desired 
 and another substituted for it without loss of time. 
 Suitable chutes allow the lime and coke mixture 
 used for making the calcic carbide to be delivered 
 to the furnace ; flues carry off the gases of combus- 
 tion. The car carrying the crucible is given a 
 backward and forward motion during the action of 
 the current, in order to distribute the contents and 
 to make the action of the arc uniform. The upper 
 electrode is formed of a number of carbons clamped 
 into a massive connector. 
 
 King & Wyatt have patented a process for form- 
 ing calcium carbide, in which, in lieu of an electric 
 furnace, the mixture of lime and coke is placed in 
 a heap on an iron plate which rests on the ground 
 and forms the lower electrode. The upper electrode 
 is supported on a light crane and is lowered down 
 through the centre of the pile. 
 
 The carbide forms as a nugget in the centre of 
 the mixture, from which it is removed by means of 
 a pair of tongs. 
 
ELECTRIC FURNACES 
 
 21 
 
 Some furnaces are provided with movable bot- 
 toms for dumping the charge. Others have a tap- 
 
 
 FIG. 6. Bullier Furnace. 
 
 hole for drawing off the molten carbide, but the 
 best practice seems to consist in starting the furnace 
 with the arc at the bottom, raising the electrode 
 
22 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 from time to time, and allowing the carbide to build 
 up in the shape of a block until a considerable 
 thickness is obtained. The current is then shut off, 
 the upper electrode drawn out of the furnace, and 
 
 Furnace used at Spray. 
 
 the crucible removed for cooling, while a fresh one 
 is put in place and the electrode lowered. 
 
 The Bulller furnace. Fig. 6, is one having a 
 dumping bottom. The sides are vertical, of fire- 
 clay. The iron bottom serves as the lower electrode. 
 The upper electrode is, as usual, of carbon, which 
 
ELECTRIC FURNACES 
 
 FIG. 8. Pictet Furnace. 
 
 penetrates the centre of the mass of lime and carbon 
 contained in the furnace. As it is raised, there is 
 formed about its end a cavity, into which the con- 
 tents of the furnace fall, little by little. The block 
 
24 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 of carbide, which occupies the centre of the mass at 
 the end of the reaction, is dropped into a car by 
 opening the bottom of the furnace. 
 
 The furnaces used in the carbide works at SPRAY, 
 Fig. 7, are of the Willson type, but are double, and 
 are covered by an arched flue, through which the 
 gases escape. The carbons are composed of six 
 blocks, each four inches square and a yard long, 
 held in a clamping head and bound together by an 
 iron sheath. In this arrangement, each furnace 
 must be allowed to cool before the calcium carbide 
 is removed. 
 
 M. Raoul Pictet has proposed a furnace, Fig. 8, 
 in which the mixture of lime and coke is acted on, 
 first, by a current of heated air at D, then by an 
 oxy-hydrogen flame, G, as it reaches a lower level, 
 and finally by the electrodes I, I, which melt the 
 carbide. A hole in the bottom of the furnace allows 
 the product to drop through into a receptacle, L. 
 
 This is, apparently, an unsatisfactory method, be- 
 cause the coke must be in excess in order to com- 
 pensate for that burned out of the mixture, and the 
 ash which results from the combustion materially 
 interferes with the proper formation of the carbide. 
 
 Several attempts have been made to produce a 
 continuous furnace, but, as yet, with unpromising 
 results. 
 
 The continuous process would certainly be a gain 
 in the economical production of carbide, if it could 
 be made to work successfully. 
 
 A small portion only of the coke and lime would 
 
ELECTRIC FURNACES 2$ 
 
 be under action at a time, which, as soon as con- 
 verted, would be automatically removed from the 
 furnace ; the necessity of maintaining the mass of 
 carbide at a high temperature until all was con- 
 verted would be obviated, and the loss of time in re- 
 charging furnaces and waiting for the carbide to 
 cool would be avoided. 
 
A CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC FURNACE 
 
 SINCE the foregoing chapter was written. Mr. C. 
 S. Bradley, of New York, has patented a continu- 
 ously-acting electric furnace, which seems to satisfy 
 perfectly the conditions of uninterrupted carbide 
 production. 
 
 The description of this furnace (Figs. 9 and 10), 
 and its operation is taken from the patent specifica- 
 tion at considerable length, because, in a general 
 way, it is an excellent account of the manner in 
 which carbide is produced : 
 
 " The object of the invention is to permit a con- 
 tinuous and uninterrupted operation of the furnace, 
 and withdrawal of the product, and to protect said 
 product from the action of the air when at a high 
 temperature. 
 
 " The furnace is especially designed for employ- 
 ment in the manufacture of metallic carbides. It 
 comprises a receptacle for the charge to be oper- 
 ated upon, in which it inserts an electrode, means 
 being provided for continuously moving the recep- 
 tacle with relation to the electrode so as to bring 
 fresh portions of material under the action of the 
 electric current. The construction which it is pre- 
 26 
 
A CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC FURNACE 2? 
 
 ferred to employ comprises a rotary wheel or annu- 
 lus, into which projects at one side an electrode, 
 and provided with means for preventing the ma- 
 terial from spilling, and means for supplying fresh 
 material to be acted upon by the current, and facil- 
 ities for removing the product, the whole being so 
 arranged that the operation may be carried on in an 
 uninterrupted manner, the furnace constantly form- 
 ing fresh additions to the product and permitting 
 the latter to be removed as frequently as may be 
 necessary. The wheel is preferably turned by 
 power-driven machinery, and is provided with a 
 hollow periphery, to which are attached over an arc 
 covering the lower part of the wheel buckets form- 
 ing throughout said arc a closed receptacle for the 
 material to be operated upon. Said buckets are ar- 
 ranged to be withdrawn or opened when they reach 
 the discharge-end of the wheel-arc. The material, 
 in the form of powder or granules, is supplied to 
 the side of the wheel which contains the electrode 
 or electrodes. The electric arc, or the limits of the 
 space within which the electric action on the ma- 
 terial takes place, are wholly within the mass of 
 pulverized material, so that a wall of unchanged 
 or unconverted material will surround the product 
 of the furnace, and the motion of the wheel in such 
 direction as to surround the converted material by 
 a body of unconverted material, and thus exclude 
 air until the converted mass has become sufficiently 
 cool to permit its removal and further treatment for 
 packing for shipment or storage. In the formation 
 
28 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 FIG. 9. 
 
A CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC FURNACE 
 
 FIG. 10. 
 
30 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 of a carbide ot calcium, for example, an intimate 
 mixture of ground lime and ground carbon is sup- 
 plied to that side of the wheel-arc into which the 
 current is introduced, and is fused, permitting the 
 carbon and calcium to combine, and forming a pool 
 of liquid carbide of calcium within the wheel-rim, 
 which pool is surrounded by a mass of uncombined 
 mixed carbon and lime, which acts as an efficient 
 heat-insulator, keeping the walls of the receptacle 
 comparatively cool. As the wheel turns, the pool is 
 withdrawn from the neighborhood of the electric 
 arc, or region of electrical activity, and the liquid 
 carbide cools and solidifies under a superincumbent 
 and surrounding mass of material, which prevents 
 access of air and thus prevents wasteful consump- 
 tion of carbon by combustion. Thus a core of solid 
 carbide of calcium is formed within a granular or 
 pulverized mass of material, said core growing in 
 length as the receptacle recedes from the electrode 
 until it emerges from the other end of the wheel- 
 arc, when the removable sections of the wheel-rim 
 may be taken off one at a time, permitting the pul- 
 verized material to fall away from the solid core of 
 carbide, which may be broken off or otherwise re- 
 moved periodically. Thus the formation of carbide 
 goes on continuously without necessary interruption 
 for recharging or removal of the product. 
 
 " Fig. 9 is a sectional view on a plane at right 
 angles to the wheel-axis. Fig. 10 is a sectional view 
 on a plane parallel to the wheel-axis. 
 
 " I represents a wheel formed in sections and 
 
A CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC FURNACE 3 1 
 
 bolted together, and having a horizontal axis 
 mounted in boxes at or near the floor-level. The 
 rim of the wheel is concave in cross-section, and is 
 provided at intervals with pivoted latches (3, 3 a ) to 
 engage studs (4, 4 a ) on semi-cylindrical sections of 
 plate-iron (5) to support them on the wheel. Auxili- 
 ary plates of thin sheet-iron may be bent around 
 the joint between the sections on the inside of 
 the wheel-rim, to prevent the pulverized material 
 from sifting through the cracks at the joints. The 
 wheel may with advantage be made about fifteen 
 feet in diameter, and the rim and plate-iron sections 
 of such proportions as to form a circular receptacle 
 of thirty-six inches in diameter. The inner wall of 
 the wheel-rim is provided with holes at intervals to 
 receive copper plugs (6) connecting with the several 
 plates of a commutator (7) by conductors (6 a ), on 
 which bears a brush (8) connecting with one pole 
 of an electric generator (9). The other pole of the 
 generator connects with a carbon electrode (10) 
 about four inches in diameter mounted in a sleeve 
 (11) provided with a screw-thread on the outside, 
 which engages an internally threaded sleeve (12) 
 secured to a bevel-gear (13) meshing with a gear 
 (14), on the axis of which is a crank (15) for adjust- 
 ing the electrode. The electrode and its regular 
 ing mechanism are mounted on a framework ad- 
 jacent to the wheel-pit, so that the electrode may 
 be fed into the receptacle formed by the wheel-rim 
 and the rim sections when partly consumed. 
 
 " 16 is a feed-hopper provided with a spout (17) 
 
32 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 projecting into the wheel-rim, and a gate (18) for 
 regulating the supply of mixed material to be acted 
 upon. 
 
 "The wheel-pit is preferably provided with sloping 
 sides, so that any powdered material which drops 
 from the wheel, at its discharging end or elsewhere, 
 may slide by gravity to a conveyer (19), the buckets 
 of which return it to the feed-hopper, to again pass 
 through the furnace. 
 
 " The wheel is preferably connected with an elec- 
 tric motor by speed-reducing gearing. Said motor 
 is shown diagrammatically at 20. The motor- 
 shaft carries a worm (21) acting on a spur-gear (22), 
 on the shaft of which is secured a worm (23) mesh- 
 ing with another gear (24), on the shaft of which is 
 a third worm (25) meshing with a gear on the wheel- 
 shaft. By this mechanism, a very slow speed of the 
 wheel may be maintained, a complete revolution 
 being made once in five days. In using the appa- 
 ratus, the rim-sections are latched over the wheel-rim 
 over an arc covering the lower part of the wheel, 
 and the gate of the feed-hopper is opened. A charge 
 of intimately mixed pulverized carbon and lime, in 
 proper proportions to form carbide of calcium, falls 
 into the receptacle around the wheel-rim and accu- 
 mulates until the top of the electrode is immersed 
 therein. The circuit of the dynamo-electric ma- 
 chine may then be closed and the electric motor 
 thrown into operation. As the charge is moved 
 away from the electrode, intense heat is created and 
 the refractory material fuses, forming a pool of 
 
A CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC FURNACE 33 
 
 liquid carbide of calcium, or other compound, de- 
 pending on the nature of the furnace-charge. As 
 the wheel turns, the pool gradually recedes from the 
 electrode and slowly cools while inclosed within 
 walls of refractory, uncombined material on all sides, 
 the cool product forming a bottom for the liquid 
 compound. Thus a continuous core of the product 
 is formed, new rim-sections being added by a work- 
 man at intervals of a few hours. The electrode, at 
 starting, should project well into the receptacle, and, 
 as the wheel turns, the electrode rises relatively to 
 the charge, and, when it reaches a point near the 
 top of the rim-section, a new rim-section is hung on 
 the wheel by means of the next set of supports, and 
 a strip of sheet-iron is bent around the joint between 
 the rim-sections. The gate of the hopper is then 
 opened and the rim filled, or partially filled, with 
 material. As this material in its powdered state is 
 a very poor conductor of electricity as well as of 
 heat, the immersion of the electrode does not inter- 
 fere with the heating action. When a new rim-sec- 
 tion is added on the electrode side of the wheel, one 
 is removed at the other side. Thus the process 
 continues until the solid core of the furnace product 
 appears at the discharge-end 'of the wheel, when a 
 rim-section is taken off and the powdered material 
 falls into the pit, leaving a pillar of solid product 
 projecting vertically, which may be broken off or 
 otherwise removed. Solid carbide of calcium is a 
 conductor of electricity, and the copper plugs make 
 a good contact with the same, thereby constituting 
 
34 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 the carbide itself one of the electrodes. The action 
 of the commutator leads the current to a point of 
 the carbide core close to the electrode, and thereby 
 prevents unnecessary resistance, which would inter- 
 vene if the plugs were more widely spaced. The 
 conducting plugs (6), which are remote from the arc, 
 help to carry the current, and thus heating of any 
 one contact with the carbide core is reduced.' 
 
GENERATION OF ACETYLENE 
 
 THE calcium carbide of commerce comes to us in 
 air-tight cans of various sizes. The usual pack- 
 age holds either fifty or one hundred pounds. Upon 
 opening the can, we find a heavy, dark-colored, 
 stone-like substance in lumps of various sizes. The 
 largest pieces are the size of one's fist, while the 
 smallest are in the form of grains broken from the 
 larger pieces in shipment and travel. The specific 
 gravity of calcic carbide is 2.22. Its fracture presents 
 a crystalline surface like that of broken cast-iron, but 
 almost immediately loses its lustre when exposed to 
 the air, becoming covered with a film of lime. 
 
 Upon dropping into a tumbler of water a piece of 
 the carbide as large as a hickory-nut, a surprisingly 
 violent reaction takes place. Acetylene is rapidly 
 generated at the surface of the carbide, and, rising 
 in the form of bubbles, throws the water into violent 
 ebullition. A considerable amount of heat is lib- 
 erated at the surface of reaction, which may boil 
 the water in the tumbler if the piece of carbide is 
 large. 
 
 The whole mass of liquid, which is rapidly 
 whitened by the lime set free, is in such violent 
 commotion and is sosoujft/bythe issuing gas that 
 many bubbles carry away sufficient heat to break as 
 
 35 
 
36 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 little puffs of steam before the water has reached the 
 boiling-point. The issuance of steam must not, how- 
 ever, be confounded with the appearance of the first 
 bubbles which arise, and which being charged with 
 finely divided lime give off a white dust which looks 
 much like condensed steam. If this experiment is 
 repeated upon a larger scale, with several pounds 
 of carbide and a pailful of water, the phenomena are 
 more striking. In this case the nature of the vapor, 
 which rises soon after the reaction begins, may be 
 discovered by noting that it does not disappear like 
 steam, and it will be found, upon putting the hand 
 into the bubbling water, that the liquid which seems 
 to be boiling is quite cold. 
 
 The violence of the reaction is surprising, even 
 after seeing it many times. The water during the 
 reduction of the carbide is in a state of the most vio- 
 lent commotion. Bubbles rise in great masses to 
 the surface of the liquid, but there instead of burst- 
 ing, as one might expect, they roll over and over 
 among themselves, and seem to the eye to go down 
 again into the places whence they came. As the 
 carbide is exhausted there is a gradually lessening 
 disturbance of the water until the end of the reac- 
 tion, when a thin stream of individual bubbles rises 
 to the surface where each may be seen to break in 
 the way one might expect. 
 
 The water, after the reaction has ceased, is left 
 white and thick with lime, which gradually settles 
 to the bottom of the containing vessel. If the water 
 is then decanted the lime remains in the form of a 
 
GENERATION OF ACETYLENE 37 
 
 semi-fluid paste, which flows easily. A few pieces 
 of impure carbide, together with an occasional nod- 
 ule of glistening carbides and silicides of various 
 metals may be found at the bottom of the fluid. 
 The latter are formed in the electric furnace from 
 the various impurities contained in the lime and 
 coke. 
 
 When calcium carbide and water are brought to- 
 gether, a very simple mutual disintegration takes 
 place. The reaction results in two new substances, 
 namely hydrated lime and acetylene. 
 
 Chemically expressed the formula is: 
 CaC 2 + 2H 2 O = CaOH a O + C 2 H 2 
 
 Calcium carbide 2 molecules of water Hydrated lime Acetylene 
 
 Considering the molecular weights : 
 
 CaC 2 + 2(H 2 0) = CaOH 2 + C 2 H 3 
 
 40+24 2(2 + 16) 40+16+2+16 24+2 
 and reducing these to decimal relation we find 
 CaC, + 2H 2 = CaOH 2 + C 2 H 2 
 
 62.5 + 37-5 56.25 = 115.625 + 40.625 
 
 100 pounds + 56.25 115.625 + 5.81 cu. ft. 
 
 calcic carbide water slaked lime acetylene 
 
 A certain quantity of heat is set free during the 
 generation of acetylene, which in the method de- 
 scribed is manifested by a rise in the temperature of 
 the water into which the carbide is dropped. 
 
 A more striking way in which to show the libera- 
 tion of heat that attends the decomposition of cal- 
 cium carbide, is to dip a small piece, held between 
 the thumb and finger, into water and then to quickly 
 withdraw it therefrom. As the moisture reduces 
 
38 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 the carbide, the temperature rises to such a degree 
 that the piece must soon be dropped. When water 
 is supplied to a considerable portion of calcic car- 
 bide, drop by drop, or in such small quantity that the 
 carbide is not wholly submerged, the temperature 
 of the inner portions of the mass may rise several 
 hundred degrees, even reaching a red heat. If a 
 wooden pail is filled with carbide and a small quan- 
 tity of water poured on the mass, the pail may take 
 fire after an hour or more. 
 
 Under these conditions the acetylene is given off 
 with clouds of steam and vapor, the gas has a strong 
 odor of ammonia, and the reaction seems more vio- 
 lent than in the case where the water was in excess. 
 
 The total amount of heat liberated is of course 
 the same in each case, provided equal weights of 
 carbide are used ; but in the first instance the water 
 which surrounds the carbide is put into violent mo- 
 tion by the rising gas, so that every ounce of it is 
 successively brought into contact alternately with 
 the carbide and with the walls of the containing ves- 
 sel, where its heat may be conducted away. Besides 
 this, the specific heat of water is so great, that its 
 temperature is raised less than that of other bodies 
 by the same cause. 
 
 So long as the carbide is surrounded by freely 
 moving water, it is doubtful if its temperature could 
 rise to a point at which the gas would be decom- 
 posed, for water at the boiling-point has remarkable 
 heat-absorbing capacity, provided its circulation is 
 maintained. 
 
GENERATION OF ACETYLENE 39 
 
 When the carbide is in excess, however, the water 
 which is supplied forms a paste with the reduced 
 lime, and surrounds the carbide with a non-conduct- 
 ing coating. The issuing gas affords the only exit 
 for the heat, and not only comes off at a high tern- 
 perature, but is often partly decomposed while the 
 unreduced carbide increases constantly in tempera- 
 ture. 
 
 Moissan has shown that when the liberation of 
 acetylene is attended by a considerable rise of tern- 
 perature the gas is partly decomposed into sub- 
 stances having a similar structure, known as poly- 
 mers, such as benzine, styrolene, anthracene, tar and 
 naphthalene. 
 
 Acetylene is then said to polymerize, and the gas 
 is partly changed into benzine vapor. If the tern- 
 perature rises still further the elements of the gas 
 are separated ; hydrogen is given off, and carbon, in 
 a state of fine powder, is set free. 
 
 The simplicity of the process of making acetylene 
 from carbide would lead one to suppose that the 
 construction of a generator for supplying the gas in 
 the quantities required for lighting buildings would 
 be an easy matter. Such, however, is not the case, 
 and indeed so great are the difficulties encountered 
 in producing a generator which may be depended 
 upon for an unfailing and uniform supply of pure 
 gas, that although hundreds, nay thousands, have 
 labored upon the problem, it is safe to say that to- 
 day not a single generator can be purchased which 
 may be called a perfect apparatus. 
 
4O LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 The conditions to be satisfied in an ideal generator 
 are as follows : 
 
 First Safety : 
 
 A From explosion of confined gas due to pres- 
 ence within a closed generator. 
 
 B From fire risks. 
 
 Second Economy : 
 
 A In the yield of gas, whereby the maximum 
 output of acetylene is obtained from each pound of 
 carbide, and where all waste in using or recharging 
 the generator is avoided. 
 
 B In the production of a pure gas free from poly- 
 mers or other products of decomposition, which 
 lower the candle-power per cubic foot. 
 
 Third Ease of management: simplicity. 
 
 Fourth Non-liability of the apparatus to get out 
 of order when put in the care of unskilled per- 
 sons. 
 
 The construction of a generator possessing in full 
 all these requirements is a difficult matter. So far as 
 is known it has not been done. It is proposed to 
 discuss the problem point by point, but it will first 
 be necessary to describe the lines along which ex- 
 periments have progressed and upon which existing 
 generators have been built. 
 
 Acetylene has hitherto been made by either the 
 " dry process " or the " wet process." 
 
THE DRY PROCESS GENERATOR 
 
 In the "dry process" generators a large quantity 
 of calcium carbide is placed within a gas-tight reser- 
 voir where it is automatically sprinkled with small 
 successive charges of water, the intention being 
 that the addition of water shall be proportional to 
 the yield of gas. 
 
 Generators built upon this plan consist usually of 
 a separate generator and gas-holder, so arranged 
 that at each downward movement of the gas-hold- 
 ing bell a small quantity of water will be admitted 
 to the generators in which it will fall in small 
 streams upon the carbide contained therein. 
 
 A typical generator of this class is shown on the 
 page following. 
 
 The generator proper, A, is an iron box closed by 
 a gas-tight door. Within it is a pan for holding the 
 carbide, B, and a sprinkler, C, fed with water 
 through the pipe, D, and cock, I, from the tank, J. 
 
 The generator is surrounded by a bath of cold 
 water, E, which contains a coil of pipe for cooling 
 the gas on its way to the gas-holder, L. 
 
 A safety-pipe, T, leads to a water-seal, G, which 
 relieves any accidental rise of pressure of gas in the 
 generator, and also serves as an escape for the 
 water which is condensed upon the cool walls of 
 the generator. 
 
 The gas, after passing through the cooling-coil, is 
 
 41 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 washed by bubbling up through the water in the 
 washer, S, and thence flows down to the three-way- 
 cock, H, where any moisture it contains is drained 
 off to the safety-seal, G, by the pipe, V. This pipe 
 acts in emergencies as a safety vent as well as a 
 draining pipe, and should be of ample size. From 
 the cock, H, the gas passes to the bell, L, of the 
 gas-holder. Thence, it is taken to the burners by 
 way of delivery-pipe, M, past the drainage-tube, U, 
 through the dryer and filter. 
 
 The cock, I, is normally held shut by a spring, 
 but is opened by the pressure of a finger, W, pro- 
 jecting from the bell when the latter sinks to a 
 predetermined point. 
 
THE DRY PROCESS GENERATOR 43 
 
 In some dry generators, such as that of Dicker- 
 son (Fig. 21), there is an arrangement whereby the 
 quantity of water entering the generator is definitely 
 measured at each descent of the gas-holder bell. In 
 the " Niagara" generator, a " tip-tank" is used. 
 This fills with water from a constant source, and at 
 each descent of the bell is emptied into the gene- 
 rator. 
 
 The gas-holder should be provided with separate 
 inlet and outlet pipes. Moisture is carried into the 
 house-piping when one pipe is made to answer both 
 functions. Either pipe may be made, however, to 
 act as a guide to the bell, or the safety-pipe may be 
 used for this purpose. Some prefer to have an in- 
 dependent guide consisting of a central rod or of a 
 pair of rods one at each side of the bell, as in Figs. 
 38 and 26. 
 
 The gas-holder should be provided with a safety 
 pipe, which telescopes into a larger tube carried 
 by the bell. When the bell is so full of gas that the 
 orifices near the lower end of the outer tube have 
 risen to the surface of the water contained in the 
 gas-holder, any further supply enters these holes 
 and is carried to the seal G and thence to the outer 
 air, where it is discharged. The gas on its way to 
 the burners should pass through a dryer, in order 
 that moisture may not be carried into the filter nor 
 into the house-pipes, where it may condense and 
 give trouble by cutting off the supply of acetylene, 
 or may freeze and burst the pipes. 
 
 A filter is shown at Q, consisting of a cylinder of 
 
44 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 loosely woven but thick fabric, through which the 
 gas passes. 
 
 This is a really necessary attachment, although 
 rarely used. Without it the finely divided lime, 
 which always comes into the gas-holder with the 
 acetylene, gives trouble by entering the house-mains 
 and eventually clogging the burners. Indeed this is 
 the principal cause of burner stoppages, and for this 
 reason it is also advisable to insert into the base of 
 each jet a small pledget of cotton as an additional 
 filter. 
 
 In a plant installed by the author, ten per cent, of 
 the hundred burners used needed cleaning daily, 
 until these filters were used, since which time none 
 has shown signs of clogging. 
 
 In order to make clear the other difficulties which 
 may arise with this class of generator, even the ideal 
 one figured herewith, they will be described in detail. 
 
 Beginning at the reservoir, J, the water-supply 
 may fail. This may be avoided by connection 
 through a ball-valve with the town supply, whereby 
 the level is kept constant. 
 
 The cock, I, which is held shut by a spring, may 
 fail to close or may leak, causing a waste of gas. 
 The remedy for this is to use a " tip-tank " or a 
 measuring cock as in Fig. n. 
 
 The cooling coil may clog with lime or the prod- 
 ucts of polymerization. In that case gas wastes 
 through the safety-seal, G. The cure is a large coil 
 easy of access for cleaning. Means for flushing the 
 coil with water might be devised. 
 
THE DRY PROCESS GENERATOR 45 
 
 The three-way cock may leak or become clogged. 
 If, however, the seal, S, is so arranged that it cannot 
 become dry, the cock may be discarded. The seal, 
 however, introduces another difficulty. 
 
 When the gas bubbles violently through the seal 
 a rhythmic disturbance is set up in the gas-holder 
 which makes the lights near the generator flicker, 
 and sometimes is violent enough to extinguish them. 
 If the seal is abandoned the three-way cock, or its 
 equivalent, must be retained, and vice versa. 
 
 The retort cannot be entirely filled with carbide. 
 Consequently at each charging a quantity of gas es- 
 capes when its door is opened and an equal quantity 
 of air is shut up in the generator each time the door 
 is closed. 
 
 The issuance of gas is an element of danger, al- 
 though not a great one when the generator is intel- 
 ligently managed. The entrance of air, however, 
 lowers the candle-power of the gas, and may be suf- 
 ficient in quantity to produce an explosive mixture 
 in the bell. 
 
 It certainly does produce an explosive compound 
 in the generator, but the fear that the heating of the 
 carbide, which attends the production of gas in this 
 type of machine, may ignite the mixture, is probably 
 groundless. 
 
 The yield of gas from freshly introduced carbide 
 is so rapid, that the air is swept out of the retort 
 before the temperature of the carbide has reached 
 a dangerous point. 
 
 The air space is none the less an objectionable 
 
4 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 feature in any generator, and should be cut down to 
 the least proportions possible. No way has as yet 
 been discovered for avoiding- it in the " dry ma- 
 chines." 
 
 The trap, G, may clog with lime to such a degree 
 as to become inoperative as a means for relieving 
 excessive pressure. It may, however, be flushed 
 out occasionally by pouring water into the retort. 
 There is no danger of its getting dry, for all the 
 moisture in the system should drain to it. 
 
 The door of the retort may leak, in which event 
 a dangerous quantity of acetylene may escape. A 
 vertical retort closed by a cover having a water-seal 
 prevents this trouble, provided the seal is maintained 
 at a constant level by a float-valve or by constant 
 vigilance. 
 
 Gas continues to be generated after the water- 
 supply ceases, in an amount too large for the bell to 
 contain, and is wasted. 
 
 When a machine of this character is started with 
 a fresh charge of carbide, little difficulty is met in 
 regulating the water-supply automatically to flow to 
 the carbide, and generate gas in proportion to the 
 amount used. 
 
 After being in action a short time, however, the 
 lime disengaged forms a protective and absorbent 
 coating over the blocks of carbide, which takes up 
 the water as fast as delivered until it becomes satu- 
 rated. It is then only that the water gets free ac- 
 cess to the carbide. 
 
 Consequently the machine responds slowly to the 
 
THE DRY PROCESS GENERATOR 47 
 
 addition of separate increments of water. On the 
 other hand, when the supply of water is shut off, the 
 carbide, being hygroscopic, continues to absorb 
 moisture from the wet lime, causing the evolution 
 of gas to continue for a longer time than was in- 
 tended. 
 
 This action causes irregularity in the working of 
 the machine, and when coupled with the fact that 
 the hot lime absorbs a larger quantity of water than 
 it can hold when it has cooled, makes machines 
 operated on this principle unsatisfactory. 
 
 The polymerization of acetylene by the rise of 
 temperature in a machine of this class is probably 
 its worst feature. When a large quantity of carbide 
 is charged into the retort, and is then acted on by 
 successive small additions of water, the tempera- 
 ture may rise to the point at which the acetylene is 
 changed as generated into other substances such 
 as benzine or may even reach a red heat, at which 
 the gas is split up into carbon and hydrogen. In 
 the latter case both phenomena are present as a rule. 
 Lampblack collects in the water-seal, and benzine 
 may be detected in the gas-holder. 
 
 The loss of illuminating power is not the only re- 
 sult of these changes. Certain oily or tar like prod- 
 ucts are condensed in the pipes, and are carried by 
 the benzine vapors to the burners, where they soak 
 into the lava tips, there to carbonize and eventually 
 stop up the jets. Much of the trouble given by the 
 clogging of the burners is due to this cause. 
 
 An index of the amount of decomposition taking 
 
48 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 place in the generator is the discoloration of the 
 lime residuum. If it is nearly white or of a bluish 
 tint all is probably going well, but the appearance 
 of red or yellow spots and patches of discoloration 
 indicates that the temperature has been too high. 
 
 It is a matter of some doubt, however, at just 
 what temperature acetylene begins to decompose. 
 
 The makers of dry machines invariably affirm that 
 the importance of the matter is much exaggerated, 
 while the manufacturers of wet generators aver that 
 it is the most important fault corrected by their plan 
 of operation. 
 
 The water-jacket has been abandoned in many dry 
 generators, as being nearly useless in keeping the 
 carbide cool. The carbide is generally placed in a 
 pan which is then slipped into the generator. The 
 water-jacket is, in this case, too remote from the 
 carbide to absorb much of the heat which is set free 
 locally at the point of reaction only. 
 
 When a water-jacket is not used, the cooling coil 
 through which the gas passes is sometimes placed 
 directly within the gas-holder. 
 
 The dryer through which the acetylene passes on 
 its way to the filter is preferably filled with calcium 
 carbide, which, in addition to absorbing the mois- 
 ture from the gas, gives up more gas in so doing. 
 
THE WET PROCESS GENERATOR 
 
 This is shown diagramatically above, in connec- 
 tion with a gas-holder. The generator consists of 
 a cylindrical can, closed by a top which is pierced 
 with two holes one for the exit of gas into delivery 
 pipe, B, and the other for the entrance of a chute 
 which depends through the top of the generator to 
 a point considerably below the surface of the water, 
 and is of such shape that a piece of carbide dropped 
 into its upper end will be delivered into the gener- 
 ator at a point where the rising bubbles of gas can- 
 not re-enter the chute nor escape, except by the gas- 
 pipe, B. 
 
 49 
 
SO LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 While in the dry machine a measured, small quan- 
 tity of water is periodically delivered to a large 
 mass of carbide, the action in the wet generator is 
 exactly the reverse. The carbide is dropped in 
 small, measured quantities into an excess of water. 
 The generator may be of the very simple type 
 shown in Figs. 36 and 37, in which case the carbide 
 is dropped down the chute whenever the bell has 
 nearly reached the lower limit of its travel. The 
 bell, however, may be made to automatically per- 
 form this operation in a number of different ways. 
 In the diagramatic figure, the descent of the bell turns 
 a ratchet-wheel which moves the circle of small car- 
 bide cans (M) one by one, over the top of the chute 
 (F), at which point a latch is tripped and the con- 
 tents of each can is delivered successively down the 
 chute into the generator. The gas which bubbles 
 up rapidly through the water contained in generator, 
 A, passes by way of the pipe, B, to the Tee at C, 
 where any water or moisture which is carried over 
 with the gas drains into the trap, D ; the gas then 
 rises through the three-way cock and enters the gas- 
 holder. The arrangement of the safety and delivery 
 pipes is the same as described in the dry machine, 
 both being drained into trap D. 
 
 The safety-pipe (E) is carried out of doors, prefer, 
 ably to top of building. 
 
 The top of the chute is extended laterally to ac- 
 commodate vent pipe, G, which should also be car- 
 ried to the highest convenient point outside of the 
 building. A sharp upward draft will normally exist 
 
THE WET PROCESS GENERATOR 51 
 
 in this pipe, and will carry away any gas which 
 .rises through the chute during the fall of the car- 
 bide into the generator. 
 
 A filling box is built upon the side of the gener- 
 ator, with which it communicates by a short up- 
 turned pipe (I). Water is added from time to time 
 through this box, which also allows the water-level 
 to be seen. A water-glass in this situation soon be- 
 comes so coated with lime, that it is useless. 
 
 A baffle plate (J) surrounds the entrance of the 
 delivery pipe (B), in order to prevent the entrance 
 of water thereto. This plate is funnel-shaped, hav- 
 ing a hole in its centre below the water-line. Water 
 or lime, which enters the side holes in the baffle 
 plate, drains away by the central hole. 
 
 At the bottom of the generator is a valve through 
 which the reduced lime in the form of thick cream 
 may be drawn out, and at L is a grating which pre- 
 vents the unreduced pieces of carbide and other im- 
 purities from falling through into the lime-chamber. 
 These are occasionally removed through the hand 
 hole, K. 
 
 There are certain drawbacks to the generation of 
 acetylene by this type of machine, and certain acci- 
 dents which may happen. 
 
 The gas in the holder is kept from returning and 
 passing out through the chute (F) entirely by the 
 fact that the chute forms, with the water in the 
 generator, a water-seal. 
 
 If, through carelessness in allowing the water in 
 the generator to get low, or by reason of a leak in 
 
52 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 the generator, the seal at the bottom of the chute is 
 broken, the gas in the holder immediately escapes 
 into the chute, and is thence carried out and wasted 
 through the vent pipe (G). This trouble may be ob- 
 viated by connecting the filling tank (H) with a con- 
 stant water-supply, and maintaining its level by 
 means of a float valve, but in that case it seems sim- 
 ply to be adding another element of complication, 
 which in its turn may get out of order. 
 
 A leakage in the draw-off cock or hand-hole re- 
 sults in the soiling of floors with the milk of lime 
 which is formed in the generator. 
 
 When carbide is dropped into this type of ma- 
 chine the evolution of gas is very rapid, and the 
 surface of the water in the generator is so disturbed 
 by the issuing bubbles that if the water-level is too 
 high, a very considerable quantity of water and 
 lime is carried bodily into the pipe, B, and forced by 
 the rush of gas in some cases as far as the bell of the 
 gas-holder. It is for this reason that a separate de- 
 livery pipe is quite necessary, as the moisture or 
 free water will settle in the gas-holder before reach- 
 ing the delivery pipe. Ordinarily the trap (D) takes 
 care of the water which is thrown into pipe B, pro- 
 viding the latter is of ample area. 
 
 Of course, the trap may clog, but by completely 
 filling the generator with water, the pipe and trap 
 may be flushed and the lime driven out. 
 
 The three-way cock may leak, but the safety-pipe, 
 which is connected with it, prevents the gas from 
 entering the house. Fortunately, in this class of 
 
THE WET PROCESS GENERATOR 53 
 
 generators there is almost no rise in the tempera- 
 ture of the carbide, and the gas is very thoroughly 
 washed by bubbling up through the water in the 
 generator. 
 
 In case any part of the mechanism which delivers 
 carbide to the generator fails to work, the machine 
 is rendered inoperative and the supply of carbide 
 ceases. This is a good feature in a machine which 
 is somewhat more complicated than the dry machine. 
 
 Of course, no air can by any possibility enter the 
 gas-holder, unless the chute-seal is broken, but there 
 is with each charge of carbide a certain amount of 
 gas lost up the chute during the passage of the car- 
 bide through the water into the generator. Usual- 
 ly this loss of gas is insignificant, but if the carbide 
 is in very small pieces they sink slowly through 
 the chute, and the loss may be as large as half the 
 amount of gas which would be generated from that 
 charge, and in that case the reaction which takes 
 place in the chute is so violent that the water is car- 
 ried up in a great mass of bubbles and foam, which 
 sometimes overflows the top of the chute, spatter- 
 ing lime and water freely about in the vicinity of 
 the machine. The only way which has been discov- 
 ered thus far to prevent this difficulty is to use car- 
 bide broken into lumps of fairly uniform size. When 
 it becomes necessary to use finely broken carbide, 
 the boiling over and loss of gas may be prevented 
 by enclosing this fine carbide in a common paper- 
 bag, which may be dropped either by hand or auto- 
 matically down the chute. In the course of about 
 
54 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 thirty seconds the paper is sufficiently wet for the 
 evolution of gas to begin; the bag soon bursts open 
 and the gas is given off rapidly. 
 
 Unfortunately, the manufacturers will not as yet 
 sort the carbide into pieces of uniform size. This 
 is perhaps the only product of a similar character 
 which cannot be so procured. Almost every other 
 material which is broken for ease of shipment or 
 use, such as coal or stone, may be purchased in 
 pieces of nearly any size desired. It is understood 
 that in the new works at Niagara Falls and else- 
 where, the carbide will be put through screens by 
 which it will be separated into different grades. 
 
THE PLUNGER 
 
 There is another class of generators, which, al- 
 though nearly obsolete in this country, was much 
 used in the first days of lighting by acetylene. 
 
 In these generators the carbide in considerable 
 quantity is suspended over a large body of water 
 within a gas-tight vessel, and is so arranged that it 
 is alternately immersed in and withdrawn from the 
 liquid. 
 
 In some instances the carbide is suspended from 
 the top of a movable bell, as in Fig. 29, whereby it 
 is lowered and raised in turn from the water. In 
 others, as in Fig. 30, the water rises and falls in re- 
 lation to the carbide. This method of generating 
 acetylene is, perhaps, the worst that could be de- 
 vised, as it has all the faults of the others with no 
 redeeming traits. It is almost impossible to design 
 such a generator which can be recharged without 
 great waste of gas. 
 
 Then the evolution of gas is extremely uneven, 
 being violent at first and rapidly becoming less as 
 the carbide is exhausted. 
 
 The carbide is entirely withdrawn from the water 
 after each immersion, so that it is not only removed 
 from its cooling influence, but the moisture taken up 
 with the carbide drains away, leaving it in the best 
 possible condition for generating heat. 
 
 55 
 
5^ LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 The tendency for the water to be thrown into the 
 mass of carbide by the violence of the reaction fol- 
 lowing its first immersion, necessitates the use of 
 impervious plates which divide the charge into 
 thin layers. Even then the water is thrown up 
 around the sides of the charge, and more gas is 
 given off than can be used or the holder contain. 
 For experimental use, where a small quantity of 
 acetylene is occasionally required, this generator is 
 convenient. It may be very small, is the simplest of 
 any, and may be considerably improved in the uni- 
 formity \vith which it generates gas by covering the 
 water with a thick layer of oil. Under these con- 
 ditions and where the generator is small, it is very 
 satisfactory for use in the laboratory. 
 
 Professor Vivian B. Lewes, the leading English 
 authority on acetylene, sums up the generator sit- 
 uation in the following words: 
 
 "The generators of the third class are undoubted- 
 ly the best, as with the water kept in excess and 
 charged at the rate of eight pints per hour for each 
 pound of carbide decomposed, it is impossible for 
 the temperature to rise above the boiling-point of 
 water. To ensure this, however, there must be a 
 false bottom to the generator, capable of being oc- 
 casionally rocked, about a foot to eighteen inches 
 above the true bottom, the lime sludge being drawn 
 off from the bottom, and water admitted pro rata 
 from above. If there is no false bottom and a big 
 charge of carbide is introduced, it becomes so 
 coated with lime that the melting-point of tin may 
 
THE PLUNGER 57 
 
 be reached in the interior of the mass, but under all 
 conditions this class of generator yields the purest 
 gas, as the acetylene, having to bubble through the 
 lime-water formed in the generator, is washed free 
 from most of its impurities. 
 
 " The generators of the first class, in which water 
 is allowed to drip or flow on to the carbide, have 
 several drawbacks. A popular fallacy with the 
 makers of automatic generators of this class is that 
 when the water-supply is cut off the generation of 
 gas ceases, whereas in fact it continues for an hour 
 to an hour and three-quarters longer, although the 
 rate at which the gas is evolved gradually gets 
 slower and slower until it ultimately ceases, this con- 
 tinuation of generation being partly due to conden- 
 sation of water vapor on to the undecomposed car- 
 bide as the generator cools and the decomposition 
 of water mechanically held by the slaked lime, 
 while, if the temperature be very high the slaked 
 lime is itself dehydrated. In this class of generator 
 the temperature frequently rises to a sufficient de- 
 gree to cause the formation of benzine, while in 
 some cases tar is produced. 
 
 " Overheating, when it reaches this point, is readily 
 detected by the appearance of the lime left in the 
 generator; this should be practically white, but if 
 it is found to be yellow, serious overheating has un- 
 doubtedly taken place, while the appearance* of oil 
 or tar in any part of the apparatus is a still more 
 damning proof of its unfitness. 
 
 " The worst offenders as regards overheating are 
 
58 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 to be found in the second group, where the alternate 
 dipping of the carbide into water and its removal as 
 the bell rises allows the action to proceed without 
 any cooling influence being brought to bear upon 
 it, and it frequently happens that under these con- 
 ditions the wuole charge of carbide becomes red 
 hot, tar vapors, hydrogen, various hydro-carbons 
 and benzine vapors are mixed with the acetylene, 
 and its illuminating value drops by leaps and bounds 
 until its light-giving properties are no better than 
 those of a good oil gas, while the burner tips become 
 choked and smoking and general discontent reigns 
 supreme." 
 
 Returning now to our list of conditions which 
 the ideal generator should fulfil, we shall be able to 
 find what elements are present or lacking in existing 
 machines, and along what lines further development 
 is likely to proceed. 
 
 In the matter of safety from explosion due to 
 pressure of gas in the generator, it need only be said 
 that at the present day no generators are made in 
 which a dangerous rise of pressure could take place. 
 Danger from explosion of the gas in the generator 
 by coming in contact with fire is, however, a more 
 real hazard. 
 
 In the dry machines the retort must be opened in 
 order to insert fresh carbide. During this opera- 
 tion the gas within the retort escapes, while air 
 gradually takes its place, making both within the 
 retort and in its immediate neighborhood an explo- 
 sive mixture. In the wet machines the same things 
 
DISCUSSION 59 
 
 happen when the water is drawn off for recharging. 
 Theoretically, this is unnecessary in the latter class 
 of apparatus ; but in practice it nearly always hap- 
 pens, and considerable skill is required to prevent 
 its occurrence. In both machines gas may leak from 
 the cocks, and in the wet generator some is always 
 lost during the passage of the carbide down the 
 chute. This may be removed by the ventilator ; 
 but, on the other hand, under certain conditions of 
 wind and weather a " back draft " will exist which 
 drives the gas into the room containing the ma- 
 chine. 
 
 The clogging by frost of the safety-pipe leading 
 from the gas-holder has been suggested as one 
 source of danger. If the safety-pipe is properly 
 drained, however, this cannot happen, and is men- 
 tioned as a caution only against generators which 
 are poorly made. 
 
 The installation of any generator should include 
 the construction of a specially ventilated room or 
 closet of sufficient size to contain the complete ap- 
 paratus, and a small quantity of carbide for im- 
 mediate use. With this precaution and the living 
 up to the hard and fast rule that the room shall not 
 be entered by artificial light, any modern acetylene 
 generator, be it wet or dry, is, in the opinion of the 
 author, entirely safe as a primary cause of fire. 
 
 In the matter of economy and maximum yield of 
 gas, both classes of generators are deficient, with a 
 slight advantage in favor of the wet generator. 
 
 Both waste some gas. The dry machine loses 
 
60 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 an appreciable quantity at each opening of the re> 
 tort, with the further disadvantage of entrapping a 
 like amount of air. In addition to these channels 
 of waste, there is in the dry generator the ever-pres- 
 ent trouble of over-production and waste through 
 the safety pipe; and in some a considerable degree 
 of polymerization takes place, with its attendant in- 
 conveniences of clogged burners and lowered can- 
 dle-power. 
 
 In the wet generator there are two causes of loss 
 in economy. The first results from the time which 
 is taken for the carbide to sink through the chute, 
 during which process the acetylene escapes up the 
 vent pipe. 
 
 When carbide in large pieces is used, or when the 
 carbide is protected by being previously immersed 
 in oil, the loss is small ; but with the fine or dust- 
 like material which constitutes several per cent, of 
 each package of carbide the loss is greater than the 
 available yield. 
 
 This fine carbide, even when made into a paste 
 with kerosene oil, generates acetylene with almost 
 explosive rapidity. The water is driven up the 
 chute, the seal is often broken ; and not only is the 
 greater part of the intended charge of gas lost, but 
 that in the bell also. In this event the lights go out, 
 and the generator is temporarily disabled. 
 
 A smaller loss occurs by reason of the solubility 
 of acetylene in the " sludge," which must be often 
 removed from the generator. This is small, however 
 from one-half to one per cent, in usual practice. 
 
DISCUSSION 6 1 
 
 If the " sludge" is allowed to become too thick 
 with precipitated lime, even the large pieces of 
 carbide sink with difficulty through the chute, and 
 the loss of gas during the charging process is 
 great. 
 
 In ease of management the dry machine, when it 
 performs its functions properly, has some advan- 
 tage. It is more quickly charged by those accus- 
 tomed to it than is the wet machine. 
 
 On the other hand, the by-products of the dry 
 machine are intensely disagreeable, as compared 
 with the "sludge " of the wet generator, and ordi- 
 narily require handling more often. 
 
 The dry machine is certainly simpler in its best 
 form than the wet, but neither is really complicated. 
 All the pipes and connections are permanent fix- 
 tures, and each generator has only one or at most 
 two cocks or valves. 
 
 To offset the devices whereby water is fed to the 
 dry generator, the wet machine has some simple 
 form of ratchet mechanism for dropping carbide 
 into the water. Either is simple enough to be un- 
 derstood by those to whom the attendance of the 
 apparatus is generally entrusted, and neither is like- 
 ly, except through gross carelessness, to get out of 
 order. 
 
 Before acetylene as an iiluminant takes the place 
 which it is destined eventually to occupy, material 
 changes must be made in the method of its genera- 
 tion. 
 
 At the present writing, the problem does not 
 
62 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 seem an easy one, nor does its solution seem im- 
 mediately probable. 
 
 The gas-holder, with its inlet and exit pipes, its 
 safety appliances and drainage system, is all that can 
 be desired, and is, withal, extremely simple and dur- 
 able. 
 
 In the author's opinion, the crux exists in accom- 
 plishing, without undue complication, three things. 
 
 The first is to introduce the carbide into the gen- 
 erator without loss of gas or admittance of air. 
 
 The second is to remove the lime under the same 
 -conditions ; and the third is to devise a means in the 
 dry generator for the prevention of over-production 
 and heating. 
 
 Until these desiderata are accomplished facts, the 
 generation of acetylene will be at best a disagree- 
 able performance, tolerated for the sake of the un- 
 rivalled light to be obtained from the gas. 
 
 In spite of its difficulties, the problem is not in 
 the least hopeless, neither is there any insurmount- 
 able obstacle in the way of its accomplishment ; 
 and it is to be fully expected that as the interest 
 in acetylene becomes wider, as the demands for per- 
 fection in generators become imperative, more per- 
 manent apparatus will take the place of that which 
 has temporarily served to tide the new illuminant 
 over the period of its infancy. 
 
IMPURITIES OF CARBIDE AND ACETY- 
 
 LENE 
 
 In the manufacture of calcium carbide, in spite of 
 the most careful effort, it is practically impossible to 
 obtain either lime or coke which is entirely pure. 
 For this reason the carbide, and, consequently, the 
 acetylene generated therefrom, is alway contam- 
 inated with other products. The amount of im- 
 purities in the gas is generally so small as to be neg- 
 ligible. The principal impurities in the carbide are 
 of importance from the fact that they are not acted 
 upon by water, and when the carbide is converted 
 into gas they remain within the generator either in 
 the form of* lumps, like pieces of clinker, or of 
 rounded nodules of various sizes. The nodules are 
 of two kinds, one small and non-magnetic, which 
 upon examination appears to be principally graph- 
 ite, reduced from the coke by the intense heat of 
 the furnace ; the other nodules are hard, white, and 
 glistening on the surface, sometimes showing signs 
 of rust when exposed to dampness, generally possess- 
 ing magnetic properties, and are of a hardness suf- 
 ficient to scratch glass. 
 
 These nodules contain silicon and iron, with some- 
 times traces of aluminum and magnesia. They are 
 
 63 
 
64 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 somewhat similar to carborundum in their proper- 
 ties. 
 
 The contamination of acetylene, which results 
 from the use of an impure carbide, was at one time 
 considered a very serious element of danger. The 
 only danger which could result from an admixture 
 of foreign substances with acetylene, would be the 
 possibility of forming in the mixture a self-igniting 
 gas or compound of gases. 
 
 There are two gases phosphoretted hydrogen 
 and siliciuretted hydrogen which are spontane- 
 ously inflammable upon contact with the air. Either 
 of these may exist in acetylene produced from car- 
 bide which contained calcium phosphide or silicide. 
 
 The experiments, however, of Professor Vivian 
 Lewes have shown that either of these gases would 
 have to be present in a very large proportion in 
 order to make an explosive mixture with the acety- 
 lene. He examined twelve samples of carbide from 
 different sources in which the percentage of phos- 
 phoretted hydrogen ranged from a trace to nearly 
 two and a half per cent., and found none under the 
 most favorable conditions capable of producing a 
 self-igniting gas. He discovered, also, that an act- 
 ual admixture might be made containing as high as 
 eighty per cent, of phosphoretted hydrogen intro- 
 duced separately into acetylene without producing 
 a self-igniting mixture. 
 
 It is believed that no authentic instance of acci- 
 dent from the self-ignition of acetylene has been re- 
 corded, and in the American carbide the proportion 
 
IMPURITIES OF CARBIDE 65 
 
 of calcic phosphide is, by careful selection of the 
 materials, kept down to a minimum. 
 
 Nearly all acetylene which has not been carefully 
 washed, shows the presence of a small quantity of 
 ammonia together with some sulphuretted hydro- 
 gen. 
 
 The ammonia is detrimental in that it favors the 
 production of acetylide of copper in the cocks of 
 the burners, making them turn with difficulty after 
 a time ; but it is so easily removed by passing the 
 gas through water, together with the sulphuretted 
 hydrogen which accompanies it, that neither of these 
 impurities need exist in the gas made in a well- 
 managed generator. 
 
 It is said that much of the European carbide, 
 manufactured upon the Continent, contains suffi- 
 cient phosphoretted hydrogen to produce an irrit- 
 ating vapor of phosphoric acid in the rooms in 
 which the gas is burned. In this country there has 
 been no report of a similar trouble. As a matter of 
 fact, the impurities which have been most often 
 noted in the gas are due to overheating in the gener- 
 ator. When acetylene is subjected to a high tem- 
 perature it splits up, as is well known, into certain 
 polymers, such as benzine, styrolene, naphthalene, 
 anthracene, tar and oily hydrocarbon. The decom- 
 position is more complete as the temperature is> 
 higher, and is nearly in the order of the substances 
 given above. At a red heat carbon is separated in 
 the form of lampblack, and hydrogen is set free. 
 The objection to a gas containing impurities is 
 
66 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 chiefly that of the money loss, owing to the poor 
 yield per pound of carbide. 
 
 The benzine vapor, hydrogen and other volatile 
 products, resulting from too high a temperature in 
 the generator, not only do not of themselves give 
 luminous flames when burned in an acetylene jet, 
 but they actually, by dilution, reduce the candle- 
 power of the remaining gas. 
 
 In addition to these disadvantages, the benzine 
 vapor is the frequent cause of the clogging of burn- 
 ers. It exists in the form of vapor condensed within 
 the pipes, and is carried to the burners by the outrush 
 of acetylene. There it is deposited upon the steatite 
 tip of the jet, and after being absorbed is carbonized 
 and causes a contraction in the jet orifice. Jets 
 which have once become smoky from this cause, 
 rarely recover their original power of illumination, 
 even if carefully cleaned. It is probable that a cer- 
 tain amount of the benzine, and other liquid which 
 has been absorbed by the steatite tip, remains there 
 and is gradually carbonized and driven into the ori- 
 fice by successive heating of the burner. 
 
 The very general use of bicycle acetylene lamps, 
 which are made entirely of brass, has caused the 
 theory of the formation of acetylide of copper to 
 fall into disrepute. In these lamps, however, brass 
 is always used and not copper ; and the lamps are, 
 as a rule, nickel plated, both inside and out. The 
 charges of carbide are frequently renewed, and the 
 lamp, by constant washing, is kept relatively clean. 
 
 The experiment of Bullier, who found that a pol- 
 
IMPURITIES OF CARBIDE 67 
 
 ished copper plate was practically uninfluenced by 
 acetylene for a considerable length of time, has con- 
 tributed to the general feeling that the formation 
 of acetylides is an exploded idea. 
 
 The author has experimented carefully upon this 
 subject and is entirely satisfied, as a result of his 
 work, that acetylide of copper is formed with great 
 readiness whenever ammonia is present in the gas, 
 in the presence of moisture. He furthermore finds 
 that a polished copper or brass surface is much less 
 affected than is one which has been already cor- 
 roded and covered with oxide. He finds also that a 
 surface fresh from the file or the turning lathe, cov- 
 ered with minute tool-marks, almost immediately 
 shows the red coloration peculiar to acetylide of 
 copper when subjected to the action of nascent 
 acetylene. 
 
 It is not pretended that any real danger exists 
 from this formation in the gas fixtures and pipes, 
 but the gradual corrosion of the stop-cocks is annoy- 
 ing, and the author is convinced that it is a frequent 
 cause of leakage. It is certainly inadvisable to use 
 either copper or brass in the construction of the 
 generator. 
 
 Another impurity almost always present in ace- 
 tylene which has been recently produced, is a fine 
 dust thrown off from the lime in the process of de- 
 composition. This cloud of lime-dust is so light 
 and its particles are so fine that it remains suspended 
 in the gas for hours, and unless special care is taken 
 to remove it by filtration through cotton or other 
 
68 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 fabric, the dust enters the pipes and eventually clogs 
 up the burners, and assists in cutting out the stop- 
 cocks. 
 
 Another impurity which is of almost universal 
 occurrence is air. In small proportions this has no 
 other ill effect than to lower the candle-power of the 
 gas, but it certainly should be excluded if, for no 
 other reason than the fact that in certain propor- 
 tions it makes an explosive mixture. 
 
 It will be understood that if the generator con- 
 tains a certain quantity of air, this goes over into 
 the gas-holder with the first gas which is generated, 
 and there will be a time at the beginning of the gas- 
 making when the mixture is explosive. The admis- 
 sion of air to the gas in any quantity is certainly in- 
 advisable, and may be dangerous. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 IN the earlier stages of experiment with acetylene, 
 before suitable burners were devised, it was consid- 
 ered necessary to mingle a certain proportion of air 
 with the gas, either in the generator or in a special 
 mixer, before it reached the distributing pipes. 
 Since this practice has been entirely given up, on 
 account of its danger, it will be unnecessary to more 
 than mention such apparatus as something to be 
 carefully avoided. 
 
 The same may be said of such generators as de- 
 liver the gas under considerable pressure, and of the 
 various machines for reducing it to a liquid form. 
 
 Generators for the production of acetylene gas 
 under the very slight pressure necessary to send it 
 to the burners may be divided broadly into three 
 classes, each of which has many modifications, and 
 in each of which the various operations have been 
 performed in devious ways. 
 
 Some of the variants scarcely come under the 
 classes into which they have arbitrarily been di- 
 vided, but, as they are not numerous, it seems un- 
 necessary, so long as they retain salient features of 
 any one type, to classify them separately. 
 
 The three types of generator may be classed as 
 follows : 
 
 69 
 
7<D LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 ist. Generators which have the generator and 
 gasometer separate, and in which the gas is pro- 
 duced by supplying water gradually and in meas- 
 ured quantity to a considerable portion of carbide 
 contained in a closed vessel. 
 
 2d. Generators which contain both the carbide 
 and water, with means for immersing and withdraw- 
 ing the carbide successively by a relative move- 
 ment of the carbide and water. 
 
 3d. Generators provided with means for drop- 
 ping .measured quantities of carbide into a large 
 volume of water. 
 
 GENERATORS OF THE FIRST CLASS. 
 
 Dickerson Generator (Fig. 11). In this genera- 
 tor, which was one of the first invented, a gasometer 
 is connected by a pipe to a sealed chamber contain- 
 ing a layer of carbide and having within it a perfo- 
 rated tube communicating with a reservoir of water 
 and closed by a measuring stop-cock. This cock is 
 operated by the rise and fall of the gasometer bell. 
 The plug of the cock is hollowed out and has two 
 slots at right angles to each other. When one slot 
 is in a vertical position, it is open to the water- 
 reservoir. Water enters and fills the hollow of the 
 plug. Upon the descent of the gasometer bell, the 
 cock is rotated, the reservoir is shut off, and the 
 second slot is brought into position to deliver the 
 water in the hollow plug to the tube which con- 
 veys it to the carbide. As the gasometer rises, the 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 parts resume their first position and the operation is 
 repeated until the carbide is exhausted. In order 
 to deliver the vyater quickly to the carbide, the axis 
 of the cock is provided with a weighted lever, so 
 that when the cock is turned pasta certain point the 
 weight falls, turning it the rest of the way. 
 
 Generator of Janson and Leroy (Fig. 12). 
 This generator has a gasometer which is provided 
 with two retorts or generating chambers, either one 
 of which may be put in action or cut out by means 
 of the cocks r, r, C, C. 
 
 FIG. II. Dickerson's Generator. 
 
 An elevated tank of water communicates with the 
 retorts by means of a tube containing a cock (R) 
 kept closed by a spring. When the bell of the 
 gasometer falls, a finger (D) with which it is pro- 
 vided opens the cock (R) and delivers water to one 
 of the retorts. When the carbide in that retort is 
 exhausted, the further descent of the bell rings an 
 electric alarm, warning one to so turn the cocks as 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 to put the other retort into action. The first may 
 then be disconnected, opened, cleaned of lime and 
 recharged. 
 
 Ca 
 
 C 2 
 
 C a 
 
 c. 
 
 GASOMETER 
 BELL 
 
 t 
 
 FIG. 12. Janson and Leroy Generator. 
 
 The Bon Generator (Fig. 13) has a cock (r') 
 operated by the rise and fall of the gasometer bell. 
 A reservoir of water is placed on top of the gasom- 
 eter and is provided with a water-gauge, so that, if 
 a quantity of water is placed therein sufficient to 
 decompose the carbide placed in the generator, an 
 inspection of the gauge will show how nearly the 
 charge is exhausted. The water descends by the 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 73 
 
 tube G and falls into a funnel (G') which conducts 
 it by an inverted siphon to the carbide. 
 
 The carbide is placed in a pan (F) which is divided 
 into compartments, numbered from i to 12 in the 
 
 FIG. 13. Bon Generator. 
 
 lower figure. Each compartment contains such a 
 weight of carbide that the gas which it disengages 
 will just fill the bell of the gasometer. If too great 
 a quantity of water enters, it attacks the carbide in 
 the first compartment only, so that there is no over- 
 production of gas. Each compartment communi- 
 
74 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 cates with the one before and the one following by 
 means of a notch cut in one of its walls. 
 
 The water falls always into the first compartment, 
 and, after the carbide it contains is decomposed, 
 overflows into the next, and so on until all are suc- 
 cessively filled. The pan containing the carbide is 
 placed in an outer case containing water, which 
 keeps it cool and acts as a seal in conjunction with 
 the bell (H) held in place by a bar (A). 
 
 The gas enters the holder by a curved pipe (D) 
 below the water line ; it is washed by bubbling up 
 through the water. A dryer (L) in the delivery-pipe 
 may be filled with any absorbent of moisture or, as 
 is sometimes the case, with lumps of carbide, which 
 not only absorb the moisture but give off additional 
 gas. 
 
 The Souriou Generator (Fig. 14). This is 
 provided at its base with a circle of retorts each 
 containing sufficient carbide to generate gas enough 
 to fill the gasometer. 
 
 Each retort is provided with a weighted lever 
 controlling its water-supply, and each lever is nor- 
 mally held in position by a latch to close the cock 
 which it operates. The latches are successively 
 opened by the motion of the gasometer bell. 
 
 The Clausolles Generator. This has a single 
 retort surmounted by a reservoir of water. A cock 
 connecting the two is operated by the gasometer 
 bell as it rises and falls. In this machine it is in- 
 tended that the admission of water shall be proper- 
 tional to the gas used. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 75 
 
 The only novelty is a tube open at both ends, 
 which projects from the top of the bell and extends 
 downward to nearly its entire depth. In case of 
 
 FIG. 14. Souriou Generator. 
 
 over-production, the lower end of the tube is lifted 
 out of the water before the bell is quite full, allow- 
 ing the surplus gas to escape. By this means the 
 spattering of the water, which attends the escape of 
 gas from the under edge of the bell itself, is avoided. 
 
7 6 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 The Voigt Generator (Fig. 15) differs from 
 the last only in having the controlling cock actuated 
 by a rack and gear-wheels, and in passing the gas 
 through a cooling coil on its way to the holder. 
 
 FIG. 15. Voigt Generator. 
 
 The Humilly Generator (Fig. 16) is an inge- 
 nious arrangement of this type of machine. The 
 gasometer in this machine is small and acts prin- 
 cipally as a regulator. The generator consists of 
 a tightly closed bell weighted with a lead disc (p). 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 77 
 
 Within is a basket of carbide, through which a tube 
 (C) projects and is surmounted by a conical distrib- 
 utor (I). The retort is immersed in the water con- 
 tained in the outer vessel by which it is kept cool. 
 Some of the water finds its way up to the tube C, 
 
 FIG. 16. Humilly Generator. 
 
 whence it runs down the inclined surface of the cone 
 I and drips upon the carbide. As the pressure 
 increases the flow of water is arrested. 
 
 An improved form of this generator is shown in 
 Fig. 17, in which the carbide is divided up among a 
 number of pots having holes through their sides at 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 different levels. By this device the water enters 
 one pot after another, so that only a small amount of 
 carbide is acted upon at a time. 
 
 FIG. 1 7. Humilly Generator. 
 
 The Exley Generator (Fig. 18), which has been 
 much used, is on a similar principle, but has the 
 carbide contained in two retorts (R, R') fastened to 
 the side of the water-vessel A, with which they 
 communicate by means of tubes (T, T). 
 
 In action, the cock v is closed, while v l , v*, v 6 are 
 open. The water coming- through the hole O 
 passes by the pipe T to R', where it attacks the car- 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 79 
 
 bide. The gas generated passes by way of the pipes 
 D', D to the upper part of the reservoir (A), where 
 it displaces the water, forcing it into B by way of 
 the drop-tube P. As gas accumulates in A, the 
 level of the water sinks until the hole O is reached, 
 ns 
 
 FIG. 1 8. Exley Generator. 
 
 when no more can enter the retort. The gas is led 
 to the burners through the cooling-coil (S). When 
 the contents of retort R' is exhausted, the water in 
 A rises, as gas is used, until it flows through the 
 branch pipe and open cock (V) to the retort (R), 
 where the same action takes place as before. 
 
8o 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 When this happens, which may be determined 
 by the reading of the water-glass attached to the 
 apparatus, the first retort is opened and recharged. 
 During this process the cocks v\ v* are closed. 
 
 FIG. 19. Gillet & Forest Generator. 
 
 Safety-pipes having valves (X) to prevent return of 
 the gas to the retorts are provided. There is con- 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 Si 
 
 siderable unnecessary complication about this gener- 
 ator, and, as the level of the liquid determines the 
 pressure of the gas, a fluctuating delivery results. 
 
 The Gillet & Forest Generator (Fig. 19) op- 
 erates on the same principle of displacing the level 
 of water contained in the gas-holder. The retort 
 
82 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 (G) contains a basket of carbide (P), and is closed 
 by a cover and screw (A). Water enters by the 
 small tube c, while gas leaves by tube C. As gas 
 accumulates in the holder, the water is forced into 
 the upper section. When the level of the water in 
 the lower part reaches the mouth (o) of the tube (<;), 
 the flow ceases and a fairly close regulation is for a 
 time effected. 
 
 The Deroy Generator (Fig. 20) is said to give a 
 very regular output of gas. It consists of a gasom- 
 eter (15) with bell (17), to which are connected two 
 retorts (1,2) by curved pipes (8,9), which convey 
 the gas first through a washer (3). 
 
 FIG. 20 A. 
 
 Water trom a reservoir, fed from a second reser- 
 voir (14), enters retort i by way of the cock 6. 
 The retorts contain carbide subdivided into separate 
 cells (Fig. 2OA) by a series of discs and rings, so that 
 the different portions are at various levels. The 
 water, as it rises in the retort, can reach only one cell 
 
GENERATORS 83 
 
 at a time, and it is intended that the contents of each 
 cell shall, when decomposed, fill the bell with gas. 
 
 The supply of water to the carbide is controlled 
 by the pressure in the retort and the level of the 
 liquid in the reservoir, which is provided with an 
 overflow (16). When retort i is exhausted, the 
 
 FlG. 21. Chesnay & Pillion Generator. 
 
 water rises until it flows by the curved tube 7 to re- 
 tort 2. No. i may then be recharged. 
 
 Before that is done, the cock 6 is turned to sup- 
 ply directly retort 2. 
 
 The Generator of Chesnay & Pillion has the 
 usual arrangement (Fig. 21) of retort and gasometer. 
 
 The novelty which makes it worthy of notice is 
 that the reservoir of water is raised and lowered b} 
 the bell, being suspended therefrom by a cord and 
 connected to the retort by means of a rubber 
 
8 4 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 tube. T. O'CONNOR SLOANE, of New York, has 
 made a very pretty application of the same idea for 
 lantern projections. It may be here remarked that 
 the acetylene light answers admirably for the magic 
 lantern, and, with a small generator of this type, is 
 convenient and cheap. 
 
 In Ragot's Generator a very ingenious ar- 
 rangement is shown. 
 
 A' 
 
 FIG. 22. Ragot's Generator. 
 
 In order to avoid the varying weight of the full 
 and empty reservoir of the last machine, he supports 
 the reservoir of water and moves the flexible outlet 
 leading from it by the rise and fall of the bell. This 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 is illustrated by Fig. 22, which also shows the pair of 
 retorts used and the means for putting either one 
 into operation alternately. 
 
 La Phare Generator. In this generator (Fig. 
 23) an elevated .water-supply (E) is connected by a 
 
 M N 
 FIG. 23. La Phare Generator. 
 
 flexible tube to the first of a series of retorts (G, G) 
 containing carbide in superimposed pans. Each 
 retort is connected by a rubber tube to the next in 
 series, and the last by way of a wash-bottle (K) to the 
 gasometer. A cock (D, D), normally held closed by a 
 
86 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 spring, is opened by a cord (C), which is pulled when 
 the gasometer bell sinks to a certain point. Water 
 enters the first retort, from which the gas passes by 
 way of the opening Z through the other retorts to 
 the gasometer. When the first retort is exhausted, 
 the water overflows into the second, and so on. The 
 first retort is then disconnected from the series and 
 the water-tube connected to the second. A water- 
 supply pipe and float-valve keep the reservoir D 
 always full. 
 
 The Springfield Generator. This machine, 
 which was perhaps the first to recognize the desir- 
 ability of storing acetylene in an underground gas- 
 holder, is shown in Fig. 24. 
 
 This generator is of the intermittent type, requir- 
 ing to be recharged with carbide each time the gas- 
 holder is emptied. Owing to the unequal pressure 
 upon the gas in the holder, corresponding to differ- 
 ent water levels, a pressure-regulator is required in 
 the main delivery-pipe. 
 
 A and A' are iron tanks, each having a capacity 
 sufficient to hold the gas generated by one charge 
 of the generator. 
 
 B, the generator, is a cast-iron cylinder. 
 
 C, the lid or cover of the generator. 
 
 E is a gallery supplied with mercury, in which 
 the lip of the lid is immersed when the generator 
 is closed, in order to make a gas-tight seal. 
 
 F is a clamp for holding the lid shut, and forms 
 the lever of the gas-cock (D). If desired, this may 
 be secured with a padlock. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
88 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 G is a galvanized iron pail or bucket, containing 
 the carbide of calcium. 
 
 H is a similar bucket; containing water. 
 
 I is a handle, controlling a valve in the bottom of 
 the water-bucket and reaching the top of the bucket. 
 
 The return bend (J) is screwed off and water is 
 poured in until the lower tank (A') is full, leaving 
 the upper tank (A) nearly or quite empty. This 
 supply of water is permanent. This introduction of 
 water will be accomplished best when the lid (C) of 
 the generator is removed and the clamp (F) lies 
 horizontal, which will furnish a vent for the air in 
 tank A'. 
 
 The pail G, partially filled with carbide of cal- 
 cium, is placed in the generator first. The handle 
 I being turned, the water in the pail H will run 
 slowly down into the pail containing the carbide, 
 and gas will immediately begin to generate. The 
 cover C should be placed in position and fastened 
 with the clamp F immediately after opening the 
 valve I. 
 
 The gas formed by the decomposition of the water 
 in contact with the carbide will accumulate on the 
 surface of the water in the tank A', and the water 
 will all be forced up into the tank A. The tank A' 
 will be full of gas, and the tank A full of water. 
 
 The gas is now ready for use. 
 
 A pressure-gauge is located inside the building 
 lighted, at any convenient point from which may be 
 determined by a glance, at any moment, how much 
 gas remains in the machine. A pressure-regulator 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 located within the building lighted insures the deliv- 
 ery of the gas to the burners at a proper pressure. 
 
 The Napheys Generator. In the upper sec- 
 tion of the steel tank is suspended a cylindrical steel 
 
 FIG. 25. Napheys Generator. 
 
 cage. The cage is supported by a shaft which passes 
 through a stuffing-box (X) and has attached to it a 
 large gear-wheel. This in turn is geared to a crank, 
 
90 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 and turning the latter slowly revolves the cage. 
 Carbide is placed into the cage through ports A, A, 
 and the slide doors I, I, which are then slid back into 
 place, and then the ports A, A clamped, so as to be 
 air-tight. 
 
 The auxiliary reservoir K is supplied with water 
 from any available source, either the city supply or 
 house tank. Salt is placed therein to prevent freez- 
 ing, if the water is exposed during cold weather. 
 Water falling by gravity passes through cock M, 
 automatic-regulator L, check-valve F, cock N, and 
 pipe G to sprinkler-pipe R, R. The latter should 
 be perfectly level, so as to spray all parts of the 
 carbide evenly. As the water comes in contact 
 with the carbide it is rapidly decomposed and acety- 
 lene generated. Cock T is then opened to allow 
 the air contained in the generator to escape. This 
 accomplished, cock T must be closed. The acety- 
 lene finds exit through pipe W, passing through 
 valve E, and the gas-pressure regulator G to H, 
 where house connection is made. It also operates 
 the indicator C, and, if pressure should for any rea- 
 son become too high, would escape through the 
 safety-valve D. As the pressure rises in the tank 
 it correspondingly rises in water-pipe Q and the 
 automatic-regulator L. When a certain pressure 
 is reached, the regulator L automatically cuts off 
 the water-supply, preventing any further admission 
 of water upon the carbide. 
 
 Each day the cage should be turned over. This 
 allows the residuum (slaked lime) which has accumu- 
 
GENERATORS 91 
 
 lated on top to fall through the cage to the bottom 
 of the generator. From there it is withdrawn 
 through port B. 
 
 The openings in the safety-valve and mercury 
 blow-off are to be piped out-doors. A whistle may 
 be attached to the end of the pipes if desired, so that 
 in case either are brought into operation instant no- 
 tice will be given and the disarrangement stopped. 
 
 The Wallace Generator (Fig. 26) has been 
 used to a limited extent in this country. 
 
 It consists of a cast-iron retort shown at the left 
 of the cut closed by a door bearing upon a rubber 
 gasket, a gasometer, water-supply kept at constant 
 level by a ball-float valve, a cooling-coil within the 
 reservoir through which the gas flows on its way to 
 the holder, and a pair of water-seal safety devices, 
 one below the retort and one at the bottom of the 
 gasometer. 
 
 The generator is charged by placing in the retort 
 a pan containing about fifteen pounds of carbide. 
 The door is closed and the cock leading to the 
 gasometer through the cooling-coil is opened. 
 
 The water-valve is then opened, allowing water 
 to spray upon the carbide. 
 
 A heavy, annular weight suspended over the ga- 
 someter is lifted by the rising bell at a certain point 
 in its travel. When this happens, the pressure of gas 
 in the retort is somewhat increased, and, as the level 
 of water in the reservoir is very slightly above the 
 top of the retort, its flow is arrested. 
 
 A pressure-gauge is attached to the machine, which 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 FIG. 26. Wallace Generator. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 93 
 
 is also safeguarded against excessive pressure by the 
 water-seals contained in the two safety-cans. 
 
 FIG. 27. The "Criterion" Generator. 
 
 The "Criterion" Generator (Fig. 27). This 
 generator consists of a stand for carrying the car- 
 bide-holders and a gasometer for regulating the 
 supply of water, keeping the gas pressure constant 
 and taking care of the surplus gas. A condenser 
 
94 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 for cooling the gas is at the base of the gasometer. 
 The water-regulator is placed on the side of the 
 gasometer, from which the water supply is taken, 
 except in large generators, in which a separate water 
 tank is used. 
 
 The carbide-holders are made in various sizes and 
 are attached to the stand by pipes which radiate 
 from a central upright, but each holder is on a 
 different level from the others; four, eight, or twelve 
 of these holders, according to size, can be conve- 
 niently arranged in sets of four, one set above the 
 other, the gasometer being of the same capacity for 
 any number of holders of a given size. 
 
 As the gas is used, the gasometer descends, the 
 water-regulator is opened and water is admitted to 
 the stand and flows into one of the carbide-holders. 
 In the small generators the gas passes into the stand 
 by the same pipe through which the water enters 
 the holder, then into the gasometer and to the 
 burners. If an excess of gas is formed, the gasom- 
 eter rises and the supply of water is automatically 
 shut off. 
 
 When the carbide in one of the holders is ex- 
 hausted, the water rises into the next holder. 
 
 In case of too sudden generation of gas the water 
 instantly stops flowing into the holder, because the 
 rush of gas over the water in the same pipe holds 
 the water back and prevents the formation of gas 
 until wanted. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 95 
 
 SECOND CLASS. 
 
 Generator of Allemans & Stemmer (Fig. 
 28). A funnel-shaped vessel (G), having a gas-tight 
 cover, depends into a closed case (T). The carbide is 
 
 FIG. 28. Generator of AllemanS & Stemmer. 
 
9 6 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 inserted in a conical basket. Water from an elevated 
 reservoir enters T until the carbide is reached, 
 when the pressure of the gas 
 generated regulates the supply. 
 The conical mass of carbide is 
 intended to equalize the pro- 
 duction of gas by bringing a 
 larger surface into action as the 
 carbide is more and more ex- 
 hausted. 
 
 d'Arsonval has designed a 
 remarkably good generator for 
 experimental use. It consists 
 (Fig. 29) of an outer case con- 
 taining a bell. Within the bell 
 is hung a basket of carbide, in- 
 troduced through a water-sealed 
 cover. The water in the gasom- 
 eter is covered with a layer of 
 oil. When the bell sinks, the car- 
 bide suspended from it enters the 
 V 3 water, giving off gas, and, under 
 
 08 a constant rate of use, it soon 
 
 finds a position in which it re- 
 mains stationary, the production 
 being then just sufficient to 
 supply the demand. 
 
 When gas is no longer used, the production con- 
 tinues for a short time, the bell is lifted, and with it 
 the carbide. The oil, as the carbide passes through 
 it, displaces the water which had previously been 
 
 FIG. 29. d'Arsonval 
 Generator. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 97 
 
 absorbed, preventing further action. When the 
 carbide is lifted entirely out of the liquid, the layer 
 of oil, by preventing evaporation of the water, keeps 
 the moisture from slowly producing gas. Genera- 
 tors on the same principle, without the layer of oil, 
 
 FIG. 30. Gabe Generator. 
 
 are much used for lantern-work, but the gradual 
 evolution of gas when not in use is a serious draw- 
 back and is entirely overcome by this simple ex- 
 pedient. 
 
9 8 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 FIG. 31. Gabe Generator. 
 
 The Gabe Generator exists in two forms: 
 The industrial model (Fig. 30) has a basket of car- 
 bide hung in a bell contained in a large outer case 
 filled with water. The operation is obvious. The 
 gas goes through a washer to a gasometer, or is 
 
GENERATORS 99 
 
 taken directly to the mains. In the smaller model 
 (Fig. 31), the carbide is contained in a number of 
 baskets in the top of a rising and falling bell. One 
 after another is pushed down by means of the rod 
 from which it is suspended until it enters the water. 
 When all are exhausted, the generator must be put 
 out of service while being recharged. The simplic- 
 ity and cheapness of this type of machines recom- 
 mend them to experimenters, but the fact that the 
 bell must be opened and any gas remaining therein 
 lost before recharging makes them unfit for practi- 
 cal application on an extended scale. 
 
 THIRD CLASS. 
 
 The carbide chute machine seems to offer the best 
 solution of the problems involved in making a con- 
 tinuously acting generator, because in it the carbide 
 may be added and the lime removed without ad- 
 mitting air or interrupting the production of gas. 
 Moreover, since there is always a relatively large 
 quantity of water surrounding the carbide, no heat- 
 ing takes place. 
 
 Some of the earlier generators of this class required 
 the use of granulated or powdered carbide, and al- 
 though this form is not now in vogue, these machines 
 are interesting. They will be first described. 
 
 The Marechal Generator (Fig. 32) consists of 
 a closed case (B) on which is mounted the hopper 
 (A) filled with powdered carbide. A sort of stop- 
 cock (R), having a pocket in its circumference, is ro- 
 
100 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 tated by the movement of the piston (P), which the 
 fluctuating pressure of the gas causes. At each 
 
 FlG. 32. Marechal Generator. 
 
 movement a small quantity of carbide is delivered 
 to the tube (G) and by the movement of the link (S) 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 101 
 
 is allowed to fall into the water at the base of the 
 machine. 
 
 The Thivert Generator (Fig. 33) has a hopper 
 (A) and reservoir (C) carried by the bell of a gasom- 
 
 FlG. 33. Thivert Generator. 
 
102 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 eter. The mouth of the reservoir is kept closed 
 by means of a disc (F) and weighted lever (H). 
 
 Upon the descent of the bell, the weight rests on 
 the bottom, raising the lever and depositing a small 
 amount of the pulverized carbide in the water. As 
 soon as the bell rises, the cover (F) is closed by the 
 weight. Deposited lime is drawn off through the 
 large cock S. 
 
 The Bouneau Generator (Fig. 34) is on the 
 same plan, except that the weight is attached di- 
 rectly to a conical plug which 
 closes the mouth of the carbide 
 receiver. When the bell sinks 
 the plug is lifted, letting car- 
 bide fall into the water. 
 
 Leroy & Janson have placed 
 the hopper and valve within 
 the gasometer in order to 
 avoid the varying weight on 
 the bell which results from 
 carrying the carbide on that 
 FIG. 34. Bouneau Generator, member of the apparatus (Fig. 
 
 35). As the bell descends, a 
 
 rod (L) is pressed, opening the valve (M), which 
 allows carbide to issue. The gas passes by tube 
 (D) to a drier (E) rilled partly with pumice-stone and 
 having a layer of calcium carbide, in lumps, in the 
 upper part. 
 
 The Lequeux Generator is made in several 
 ways. A simple form for industrial use is shown in 
 Fig. 36. One or more inclined tubes communicating 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 103 
 
 through a water-seal with a gasometer are divided 
 by a central partition extending from the top down- 
 ward to a point well below the level of the water 
 contained in each. Carbide is dropped by hand 
 through an opening on the lower side of the parti- 
 s 
 
 GASOMETER 
 
 FIG. 35. Leroy & Janson 
 Generator. 
 
 FIG. 36. Lequeux Gener- 
 ator. 
 
 tion at the top of the tube. It falls to the bottom, 
 and the gas which is disengaged, rising vertically, 
 enters the part above the partition B, from which 
 it issues by tube C. 
 
 Waste lime is removed through the opening E. 
 
 Another form is shown in Fig. 37, in which the 
 chute K projects from the side of the generator A. 
 A cover, closed by a water-seal, closes the generator, 
 
104 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 Lequeux Generator. 
 
 which contains, at the bottom, a bucket for remov- 
 ing the lime bodily. Carbide in lumps is dropped 
 down the chute K into the bucket. Gas accumulates 
 in B while the water is displaced into the chute. 
 C is the delivery-pipe, dipping below the surface of 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 105 
 
 FIG. 38. Lequeux Generator. 
 
io6 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 FIG. 39. Societe le Gaz Acetylene. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 ID/ 
 
 water in a combined seal and washer contained in 
 the base of the generator. The exit-pipe F may be 
 joined to the burners by a rubber tube. This gen- 
 erator, which is one of the best, is shown in combi- 
 nation with a gasometer in Fig. 38. In this ar- 
 rangement the water-seal (G) is 
 multiple. 
 
 La Socfete le Caz Acety- 
 lene has built a larger and more 
 important generator, shown in 
 Fig- 39, to be used in conjunc- 
 tion with a gasometer. The 
 drawing is self-explanatory. A 
 central tube (E) answers as a 
 chute, below which there is 
 placed a conical deflector (C). 
 The generator is filled to the 
 line D with water. The vessel 
 B, in which the generator 
 rests, is filled with water. The 
 lime is drawn off through R. 
 
 The Patin Generator 
 (Fig. 40) differs from the Le- 
 queux only in having its chute 
 filled with oil, which floats on 
 
 the water and delays the disengagement of gas from 
 the carbide dropped into it. The plan is of doubtful 
 advantage, as the carbide is constantly carrying 
 oil into the generator, where it is broken up and 
 changed into a disagreeable scum, which is difficult 
 to remove and dirty to handle. This generator is 
 
 FIG. 40. Patin Generator. 
 
io8 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 conical at its bottom, where it communicates, by 
 means of a large cock, with a lower vessel filled 
 with water, into which the larger part of the lime 
 
 FIG. 41. Seguin and de Perrodil Generator. 
 
 drops. When sufficient deposit has accumulated, 
 the cock is closed and the lime removed from the 
 settling-tank. 
 
GENERATORS 
 
 109 
 
 The Seguin and tie Perrodil Generator 
 
 consists (Fig-. 42) of a pair of concentric cylindrical 
 vessels (A and B) filled with water. A chute (C) pro- 
 vided with a funnel (E) permits the introduction of 
 the carbide, which falls into the basket G. The car- 
 
 FIG. 42. Bertrand-Taillet Generator. 
 
 bide is placed in a distributor (D) turning 1 on an axis 
 and provided with a ratchet-and-pawl mechanism 
 operated by the fall of the gasometer bell. Each 
 time the bell descends, the lever T engages with a 
 tooth of the ratchet D, whereby the wheel is rotated 
 until one of its compartments is brought over the 
 
HO 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 chute and the contents dropped into the generator. 
 This is a truly continuous machine in every sense. 
 It suffices to keep the distributor pockets filled with 
 
 carbide, and to occasion- 
 ally remove the deposit of 
 lime, to keep it in operation 
 indefinitely. 
 
 The Bertrand-Taillet 
 Generator is made in two 
 forms. One requires a sep- 
 arate gasometer of con- 
 siderable size, as shown in 
 Fig. 42. 
 
 A vessel ( R ) is sur- 
 mounted by a dome (O) 
 having a tubulure (E) for 
 the introduction of carbide 
 and a screw-operated valve 
 closing its mouth. The 
 carbide is emptied wholly 
 or in part into the water 
 by manoeuvring the valve- 
 wheel. 
 
 The other form is shown 
 in Fig. 43. It consists of 
 a gasometer having in its 
 
 bell a number of pockets closed on the outside by 
 tight covers, and by hinged bottoms within the 
 bell. The bottoms are held shut by weights hang- 
 ing from chains of various lengths, so that the con- 
 tents of the pockets are deposited in the water suc- 
 cessively by the repeated descents of the bell. 
 
 FIG. 43. 
 Bertrand-Taillet Generator. 
 
ACETYLENE LAMPS 
 
 MANY forms of portable acetylene lamps have been 
 designed, but none, thus far, has been very success- 
 ful. While the light is in every way desirable, there 
 is some fear of the lamp itself existing in most 
 minds, and even if this is overcome it must be ad- 
 mitted that the best acetylene lamps are troublesome 
 to manage. They require a greater degree of intel- 
 ligence for their successful handling than do the or- 
 dinary oil-lamps, and, in consequence, it is scarcely 
 advisable to trust servants to keep them in operative 
 condition. In addition to these drawbacks to their 
 use, there is the unavoidable odor from the spent 
 carbide, which diffuses itself throughout the room 
 in which the lamp is recharged. In spite of these 
 objections, there are lamps on the market which are 
 most attractive in appearance and for which the 
 manufacturers claim immunity from danger or odor. 
 
 In a well-made acetylene lamp the danger from 
 fire or explosion should be very slight, for the entire 
 amount of carbide used for one charge does not 
 usually weigh more than a few ounces. This, if the 
 gas from it was all generated at once, could produce 
 not more than three or four cubic feet ; and, as the 
 rate of generation is at a maximum rarely more 
 
 in 
 
112 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 than enough to supply one burner, the chance for 
 dangerous leakage is small. 
 
 Again, in case of explosion of 
 the gas in the lamp, the shock 
 would scatter the carbide and 
 water harmlessly about, whereas 
 the explosion of an oil-lamp is 
 generally followed by a shower 
 of burning oil. 
 
 Lamp of Decretet and Le- 
 jeune (Fig. 44). The carbide is 
 placed in a closed generator (G) 
 in a perforated basket (S). The 
 generator is placed in the body 
 of the lamp, which is filled with 
 water. The water, which serves 
 both for cooling and for generat- 
 ing the gas from the carbide, 
 enters the generator by the tube 
 D, rises to the top of the car- 
 bide and drips thereon. As pres- 
 sure accumulates, the water- 
 supply is arrested and the valve 
 at the top of tube D closes by 
 its own weight. Re is a safe- 
 ty-valve. Two funnel-shaped 
 
 FIG. 44. Decretet and plates (c/i) are supported above 
 Lejeune Lamp. the carbide-holder, which re- 
 
 ceive the moisture carried off 
 
 by the gas, and from which it drips back upon the 
 carbide. 
 
ACETYLENE LAMPS 
 
 Lamp of Cossart and Chevallier (Fig. 45). 
 This is one of the simplest and best lamps yet de- 
 signed. The water which is contained in the upper 
 chamber falls drop by drop through the bent capillary 
 tubes upon a mass of carbide placed in the bottom of 
 the lamp. The amount of water is so small that the 
 lime is reduced in the form of a dry powder. About 
 five ounces of carbide forms the charge. In case of 
 increased pressure the flow of water 
 is arrested, and in the event of an 
 abnormal increase the gas would 
 pass out and escape by way of the 
 capillary tubes. It is said that, 
 in full operation, the temperature 
 of the carbide never rises above 
 125 F., and that the water-supply 
 is so sensitive that, as the flame is 
 turned down, the drops fall less and 
 less frequently until they stop, when 
 the flame is turned out. It is also 
 claimed that the production of gas 
 stops at the same moment. There 
 are no valves, cocks, or other com- 
 plications. Nothing more simple 
 could be desired. 
 
 The Trouv^ Lamp (Fig. 46) consists of an outer 
 vase within which is a small stationary bell, and in 
 that is hung a basket of carbide, which may be raised 
 or lowered by a handle seen on the right of the lamp. 
 As gas is produced, the water is driven out of the 
 inner bell and rises in the outer vase. The basket 
 
 FIG. 45. Gossart and 
 Chevallier Lamp. 
 
114 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 of carbide must be occasionally lowered a little 
 deeper into the water. A layer of oil on the water 
 within the bell, on the principle of d'Arsonval's 
 
 FIG. 46. Trouve Lamp. 
 
 FIG. 47. Ttirr Lamp. 
 
 generator, would certainly improve the steadiness ol 
 action of this lamp. 
 
 In the Tlirr lamp this has been done (Fig. 47). 
 
ACETYLENE LAMPS 
 
 The lamp is somewhat larger than the Trouve, and 
 
 the basket of carbide is suspended by a cord, but 
 otherwise the arrangement is the same. 
 
 The lamp devised by Captain Nou is in reality a 
 small gasometer and generator (Fig. 48). 
 
 FIG. 48. Nou Lamp. 
 
 FIG. 49. Claude and Hess Lamp. 
 
 It is said to be very steady in action, but large and 
 unwieldy. Within the outer case is a small gasom- 
 eter (D) with annular water-seal and the usual bell 
 
Il6 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 (C). As the bell rises and falls a moulded stick of 
 carbide (A) dips into and is withdrawn from the 
 cup of water (B). R is a reservoir, from which B 
 draws its supply. 
 
 Lamp of Claude and Hess. This lamp (Fig. 
 49) has given excellent results, and were it not for 
 the doubtful keeping qualities of pulverized carbide, 
 as well as the uncertainty of getting it of good qual- 
 ity in the first place, would be the best lamp yet 
 devised. 
 
 Its construction is simple. An outer vase con- 
 tains water in its lower portion, while within its neck 
 is suspended a funnel for holding the pulverized 
 carbide. 
 
 A conical plug (C) closes the opening of the funnel. 
 From it a rod passes through the cover of the fun- 
 nel and is attached to the centre of a thick rubber 
 diaphragm (J, J), which forms the air-tight cover of 
 the lamp. Above the diaphragm a spring (R) presses 
 down upon it. 
 
 When the diaphragm sinks, the plug C is pushed 
 down, allowing carbide to fall into the water, and, as 
 soon as gas is generated, the ensuing pressure pushes 
 up the diaphragm and stops the hole through which 
 the carbide issues. The gas reaches the burner 
 through the central tube around which the spring 
 is coiled. 
 
 A continuous slight working up and down of the 
 diaphragm takes place as the lamp burns, which 
 dusts the carbide slowly and regularly into the 
 water. 
 
ACETYLENE LAMPS 1 17 
 
 The Buffmgton Acetylene Lamp consists 
 of a generator and burner arranged in the form of a 
 student-lamp. The upper half of the generator con- 
 tains a water-reservoir, which is provided at its 
 bottom with a needle-valve. 
 
 The carbide, enclosed in a cartridge, is intro- 
 duced into the lower part of the generator by re- 
 moving the bottom. A water-seal, contained in 
 the removable part, prevents a dangerous rise of 
 pressure. 
 
 The lamp is started, stopped and regulated by 
 means of a small lever on top of the generator, 
 which controls the water-supply. 
 
 The lamp burns without odor, and the light is 
 very satisfactory. 
 
 The Electro, a compact and light acetylene 
 bicycle lamp, is shown by Fig. 50. 
 
 The spherical reservoir is filled with water, which, 
 by means of a needle-valve, is allowed to drop upon 
 the cartridge of carbide contained in the lower 
 cylinder. 
 
 The gas is consumed in a small burner located in 
 the focus of a parabolic reflector. 
 
 The lamp is charged by unscrewing the milled 
 bottom portion of the generator, inserting a car- 
 tridge containing about an ounce of carbide, in grains, 
 and filling the reservoir with water through a hole 
 in the top. 
 
 It is intended that the gas shall be generated as 
 used, no gasometer or other compensating device 
 being used. 
 
Il8 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 A fairly close regulation may be obtained by 
 means of the needle-valve. 
 
 The quantity of carbide is so small that its tem- 
 perature is not seriously raised by the disengagement 
 of acetylene. The lamp is designed to burn for 
 three hours at each charging. 
 
 It seems only fair to state that acetylene lamps are 
 regarded with suspicion by many insurance com- 
 
 FIG. 50. 
 
 panics, and that some refuse risks on property in 
 which they are operated. 
 
 The intending purchaser of any acetylene appa- 
 ratus should therefore assure his position by obtain- 
 ing the consent of the company which writes his 
 insurance to the use of the generator or lamp which 
 he expects to install. 
 
ACETYLENE BURNERS 
 
 THE ordinary house gas-burners, consuming from 
 2 to 10 feet of gas per hour, will not serve for light- 
 ing by means of acetylene. While an ordinary 5-foot 
 burner with a good quality of illuminating gas is 
 rated at i6-candle power, the consumption of a half- 
 foot per hour of acetylene properly burned gives a 
 flame of fully 25 candles. 
 
 Acetylene is a gas so rich in carbon, moreover, 
 that special forms of burners are necessary for con- 
 suming it without smoke and with a maxim of lumi- 
 nosity. 
 
 A half-foot burner of the ordinary type gives a 
 fairly good light with acetylene for a time, but it 
 soon becomes clogged with a deposit of carbon ; and, 
 while the flame when burning at a maximum is very 
 satisfactory, it is not so bright as that given by spe- 
 cial burners, nor can it be turned. down without 
 smoking. 
 
 A burner which aims to avoid the deposition of 
 carbon in the gas-outlets is made as shown in the 
 section, Fig 51. 
 
 In it the gas-exits are about three-eighths of an inch 
 apart and are inclined towards each other at an angle 
 of 90. The exits themselves are very small, but a 
 
 119 
 
I2O 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 counter-bore enlarges their outer orifices to a diam- 
 eter of about a thirty-second of an inch. 
 
 The issuing jets of gas impinge on each other, pro- 
 ducing a flat flame. It is expected that the rush of 
 gas through the air shall carry with it sufficient 
 oxygen for perfect combustion, and that the enlarged 
 outer orifices shall not be clogged by a slight de- 
 posit of carbon. 
 
 This burner, in spite of these precautions, deposits 
 carbon on that part which is between the jets, and 
 which is comparatively cool. 
 
 FIG. 51. 
 
 FIG. 52. 
 
 The carbon deposit grows in the course of an hour 
 to such size as to deflect the jets, when the flame be- 
 gins to smoke. 
 
 A better form has two slender tubes which, issu- 
 ing from a common base, curve toward each other 
 (Fig- 52). 
 
 The flame is of the same character as that of the 
 last-mentioned burner, but the deposit of carbon is 
 
ACETYLENE BURNERS 121 
 
 prevented so long as the burner is not turned down 
 low. 
 
 In other burners these jets have variously shaped 
 apertures (Fig. 53), but none causes a sufficient mixt- 
 ure of air with the flame to give the best results. 
 
 Various expedients have been suggested for dilut- 
 
 FIG. 53. 
 
 ing the gas. Among early experimenters the bold 
 attempt was made to mix air with the acetylene in 
 the gas-holder, but this having resulted in several 
 accidents through the ignition of the explosive 
 mixture so produced, carbonic acid and, afterward, 
 nitrogen were tried. 
 
 The last gas gave the best results, but was 
 troublesome to prepare and increased the expense of 
 operation. 
 
 Finally, however, by adopting the principle of the 
 Bunsen burner (Fig. 54), it was found possible to 
 mix any desired proportion of air with the gas as it 
 
122 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 issued from the burner. A further development 
 consisted in making each burner double, with jets 
 inclined toward each other, as in 
 the types last- mentioned. This 
 burner, which has been patented 
 in this country, is nearly all that 
 can be desired. 
 
 Its flame is intensely bright, it 
 can be turned down without smok- 
 ing, and deposits no carbon unless 
 left turned down very low. In 
 that case a little ring of hard car- 
 bon is likely to form at the exits 
 of the jets, but the burner, even 
 then, does not smoke. 
 
 The burners are of the form 
 shown in Fig. 55, being of brass, 
 with so-called lava tips. The tips 
 are veritable little Bunsen burn- 
 ers. A central small aperture 
 leads from the base of the tip to 
 a point opposite the constricted 
 neck of the burner, beyond which 
 point the bore is considerably 
 enlarged. From the constriction, 
 four inclined apertures enter the 
 enlarged bore. 
 From this construction it follows that the gas, in 
 issuing from the small jet into the larger bore, causes 
 a slight reduction of pressure therein, which induces 
 a flow of air through the side openings. 
 
 FIG. 54. 
 
ACETYLENE BURNERS 123 
 
 The incoming air and gas mingle and burn on 
 leaving the tip. The two jets, meeting each other, 
 flatten out into a fish-tail shape, and in so doing ex- 
 cite a still further flow of air to their surfaces. 
 
 When the burner is turned fully on, the luminous 
 flame does not extend quite to the tips of the jets. 
 The mixture of gas and air next to the jets is not at 
 a suitable temperature for depositing carbon. 
 
 The burner illustrated in Fig. 55 is the invention 
 
 FIG. 55. 
 
 of Mr. Edward J. Dolan, of Philadelphia, who has 
 devoted much time to experimental work on the 
 combustion of acetylene. Other forms of burners 
 invented by Mr. Dolan are illustrated in the follow- 
 ing figures: 
 
 Fig. 56 shows a burner which has a lava tip (A) 
 provided with a deep, vertical slot (B). A small 
 passage (C) delivers the acetylene to the slot (B) at 
 an acute angle. The gas impinges on the wall of 
 the slot (B), and, in its passage to the top of the 
 burner, draws along with it a current of air. The 
 mixture of air and acetylene burns in a fish-tail flame 
 
124 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 without smoke. The gas-orifice is below the point 
 at which carbon can be deposited. 
 
 Fig. 57 shows the same burner having two gas- 
 outlets. It is probably a better form. 
 
 Fig. 58 is a burner for consuming a larger quan- 
 tity of acetylene than is generally burnt in one unit. 
 The tip (G) of this burner has two small Bunsen 
 type of jets inclined toward each other, and, in addi- 
 
 FIG. 56. 
 
 FIG. 57. 
 
 tion thereto, is provided with a vertical gas-outlet 
 situated between the other two. 
 
 A gas-heater by the same inventor is shown in 
 
 Fi g. 59- 
 
 The entire structure consists, substantially, of two 
 annular castings, of which i represents the base and 
 outer portion, and 2 represents the inner ring, form- 
 
ACETYLENE BURNERS 
 
 125 
 
 ing the completed burner. The inner ring screws 
 into the outer by a suitable thread, as at 6. There 
 is an annular gas-chamber (7), formed by suitable cir- 
 cular slots cut in these two rings, which, when joined 
 
 FIG. 58. 
 
 together, make the chamber indicated. This com* 
 municates with the gas-supply pipe (3). The upper 
 ring (2) is cast with a series of sectors (8) projecting 
 
126 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 FIG. 59. 
 
ACETYLENE BURNERS 12; 
 
 above the horizontal surface of the ring-. They have 
 between them openings (4) extending down to such 
 horizontal surface, and also transverse slots (5) com- 
 municating with the openings or channels (4). The 
 small gas-openings (3) are arranged in the centre of 
 the transverse slots (5), as will be readily seen from 
 the plan, the inner ring (i) being suitably cut for that 
 purpose. Of course these gas-openings can be 
 arranged in either ring, or may be formed between 
 the joined rings. By simply unscrewing the inner 
 ring, the apparatus is readily cleaned. 
 
 In operation, air is mingled with the gas in the 
 slots (5), and combustion occurs only above the 
 upper surface of the joined rings, the gas burning 
 there when mingled with a suitable quantity of air 
 to form the desired flame. The material ordinarily 
 employed for the structure is iron, but other mate- 
 rials may also be used. 
 
 The ordinary Bunsen burner, made considerably 
 smaller than usual and provided with an adjustable 
 air-inlet, gives a long, slender, luminous flame, which 
 is said to be very effective for groups of lights. 
 
 Unless the outer orifice of the Bunsen burner is 
 smaller than a quarter of an inch, the flame snaps 
 back and burns in the tube. With a larger supply 
 of air, the true, colorless Bunsen flame is produced 
 from acetylene, and is much hotter than that of or- 
 dinary gas. It may be used with advantage in the 
 laboratory for many operations which usually re- 
 quire the blow-pipe. 
 
 Almost every conceivable form of burner and 
 
128 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 tip has been tried, but it seems unnecessary to de- 
 scribe or figure those which have been found unsat- 
 isfactory. 
 
 It may be predicted with a reasonable degree of 
 certainty, from what we already know of the proper, 
 ties and composition of acetylene, that it will be nec- 
 essary, in all successful burners, to use the Bunsen 
 principle for mingling air with the gas as it leaves 
 the jet. 
 
 Many forms of burners have already been de- 
 signed on this plan, which allows considerable lati- 
 tude in its application. 
 
 A rather wide experience with acetylene burners 
 has shown that the stop-cocks very rapidly cut and 
 become leaky. This is partly due to the deposition 
 of lime carried over from the generator, and partly 
 to the formation of acetylide of copper in the cock 
 itself. 
 
 It is advisable, and indeed almost necessary, to 
 occasionally remove the plugs of the cocks and lu- 
 bricate them with a stiff mixture of bees-wax and 
 tallow, or with some waxy lubricant containing 
 graphite. The graphite composition used upon the 
 chains of bicycles may with advantage take the place 
 of other lubricant. 
 
 Cocks which are allowed to become dry, and 
 which turn with difficulty in their sockets, soon 
 after begin to leak and emit the peculiar odor of 
 acetylene ; and after this happens there is no cure 
 but regrinding. 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 
 
 THE author's experiments with generators began 
 with a small apparatus constructed on the principle 
 of the hydrogen lighter (Fig. 29), in which a reser- 
 voir was partly filled with water having a layer of oil 
 about six inches deep floating thereon. A bell de- 
 scended into the outer vessel. It had an opening 
 through which a perforated can, filled with calcium 
 carbide, could be introduced and adjusted in height 
 by means of a rod passing through a stuffing-box. 
 This affair worked remarkably well on a small scale. 
 The oil, into which the carbide was lifted by the 
 rising bell, effectually displaced the water and 
 stopped the evolution of gas. When one or two 
 burners were in operation, the bell descended until 
 the carbide was partly immersed in the water, the 
 degree of immersion being such as would supply 
 the gas at the rate used. 
 
 In this respect the device was very satisfactory, 
 and was quite self-regulating. The carbide being 
 introduced in a finely perforated can, the amount of 
 lime which escaped into the water was small. The 
 disadvantages were such as to preclude the use of 
 the apparatus for anything more than experimental 
 work. 
 
 129 
 
130 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 TIG. 60. 
 
 In the first place, the introduction of fresh carbide 
 involved the loss of the remnant of gas contained in 
 the bell. Secondly, the petroleum-oil used absorbed 
 gas readily, and as easily gave it off, causing a strong 
 odor of acetylene to issue from the machine. This 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 131 
 
 could be overcome, however, by having the oil 
 within the bell only and never permitting the edge 
 of the bell to rise to a height sufficient to allow of its 
 escape. 
 
 Thirdly, the use of strong brine was necessary in 
 winter to prevent the freezing-up of the machine, 
 which was kept out of doors. 
 
 FIG. 6 1. 
 
 The use of oil in this way must have occurred to 
 many, and the discovery, only recently, that the 
 identical machine had been devised a year earlier in 
 France by d'Arsonval was not surprising. 
 
 The next expedient tried was the immersion of 
 the carbide in oil at the bottom of a reservoir, and 
 the addition of the water thereto in a small stream, 
 which, sinking through the oil, attacked the carbide. 
 The carbide was contained in a series of cans, any 
 
132 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 one of which could be brought under a stationary 
 bell in turn, and there receive the water which en- 
 tered the bell through a small pipe, and which had 
 its flow regulated by the rise and fall of a gasometer 
 connected to the generator (Fig. 60). 
 
 Uneven production of gas, bad odor, and general 
 mussiness caused this plan to fail in practical appli- 
 cation. 
 
 The plan is unusually attractive, and, with improve- 
 ments, may yet offer a simple solution of the problem 
 of the generation of acetylene. 
 
 Experiments showed that it was not only desirable, 
 but necessary, to have any machine for generating 
 acetylene in sufficient quantity for domestic lighting 
 removed and quite isolated from inhabited buildings. 
 Aside from the possible element of danger, there was 
 the disagreeable odor, which is quite inseparable from 
 the use of calcium carbide. Very little smell is no- 
 ticed in charging a properly constructed machine, 
 but the removal of the spent lime, always charged 
 with a strong odor of gas, is, to say the least, un- 
 pleasant unless conducted in the open air. The 
 gaseous odor has a peculiarly lingering and diffusive 
 character. A little of it goes a long way, and to 
 some it is intensely disagreeable. The isolation of 
 the generator means that it must be placed in a 
 separate building sufficiently protected from the 
 weather, or so heated, as to prevent the freezing- 
 up of the machine, or it must be placed in a vault 
 underground. 
 
 The last-mentioned proceeding seems the more 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 133 
 
 desirable, since all danger of freezing is removed 
 when the surface of the water in the generator or 
 gas-holder is three feet or so under the surface of 
 the ground ; and in addition to this advantage is that 
 of avoiding the erection of a separate and probably 
 unsightly or undesirable building. 
 
 The only disadvantage arising from this disposi- 
 tion of the generator is the difficulty of removing 
 the lime resulting from the action of the water on 
 the calcium carbide. 
 
 The so-called " chute " type of machine lends itself 
 particularly to underground use. 
 
 The first machine of this kind experimented with 
 consisted of a sheet-iron cylinder three feet in diam- 
 eter by seven in height. A chute entered the lower 
 portion of the cylinder, which was buried in the 
 ground. 
 
 From the bottom of the cylinder a two-inch pipe 
 led with a gentle curve to the surface of the ground, 
 where it was surmounted by a common pump. An 
 inverted bell within the cylinder formed the gas- 
 holder. 
 
 It was found necessary to add a deflector within 
 the cylinder, since the evolution of gas was some- 
 times so rapid that bubbles would be driven to the 
 sides of the cylinder and rise outside the bell. 
 
 The carbide was at first dropped down the charg- 
 ing-pipe by hand. As the capacity of the bell was 
 twenty cubic feet, and as it was undesirable to allow 
 it to become entirely empty of gas before refilling, it 
 was customary to add the carbide in charges of 
 
134 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 about three pounds, which were simply dropped 
 from a tin-can into the charging-pipe. 
 
 A lively evolution of gas immediately followed, 
 lasting about ten minutes, when the carbide was all 
 reduced and the bell full of gas. 
 
 After using a hundred pounds of carbide, the pre- 
 cipitated lime was pumped out into a couple of gal- 
 vanized-iron cans, from which, after the lime had 
 settled to the bottom, the water was decanted back 
 into the generator. 
 
 An agitator was incorporated into the machine. 
 The central part of its lower extremity was fitted to 
 the bottom of the pump suction-pipe, thereby pre- 
 venting lime from settling and becoming impacted 
 therein. The handle of the agitator passed up 
 through the bell, for which it formed a guide. In 
 use, the agitator was gently revolved a few times 
 and then lifted up a few inches. The pump was im- 
 mediately put to work, and no difficulty was found 
 in removing the lime in the form of a thin paste. 
 
 Later developments showed the desirability of 
 making the operation of the machine continuous. In 
 order to accomplish this end, an automatic device 
 was added which emptied the contents of a sealed 
 can of carbide into the charging-tube whenever the 
 bell sank to a certain point. Figs. 62, 63. 
 
 At first the expedient of soaking the carbide in 
 kerosene was tried, and the charging-pipe, or chute, 
 was, after the manner devised by Hospitallier, partly 
 filled with kerosene, which floated upon the water. 
 
 Two objects were attained by this procedure. 
 
AUTHOR S EXPERIMENTS 
 
 135 
 
 FIG. 62. 
 
136 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 FIG. 63. 
 
 The carbide in the original package was protected 
 by the oil from the action of the atmosphere, so that, 
 when a fresh can was opened, the pouring 1 in of a 
 gallon of oil rendered the use of an air-tight cover 
 unnecessary. 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 137 
 
 The layer of oil in the charging-pipe, by forming 
 a coating on the carbide in its passage down the 
 chute, delayed the action of the water until the 
 generator was entered. 
 
 Continued experiment showed that the oil which 
 entered the generator with the carbide was so 
 changed in structure that it formed a thick, unsightly 
 scum on the surface of the water under the bell, 
 which retarded the disengagement of gas and was a 
 most disagreeable feature when it became necessary 
 to clean the machine. This scum finally became so 
 troublesome that the use of oil was reluctantly 
 abandoned. 
 
 The cans containing the carbide on the distributor 
 were furnished with rubber washers, on which the 
 cover bore, making an air-tight joint after the fash- 
 ion of the ordinary glass fruit-jars. It was also 
 found that the descent of the carbide through the 
 chute was so rapid that practically no gas was given 
 off until the generator was reached. 
 
 The distributor above mentioned consisted of a 
 horizontal disc turning freely on a rod which passed 
 through its centre. It was pierced near its edge 
 with a row of holes, each of which held, by means of 
 a bayonet-joint, a carbide can four inches in diameter 
 by seven inches deep. The cans were held top 
 down, and the cover of each was held shut against a 
 rubber washer by means of a spring latch. 
 
 A ratchet and pawl, operated by the fall of the 
 gasometer bell, brought each can in turn over the 
 charging-pipe, where its latch was tripped, and the 
 
138 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 contents dropped down the chute into the gener- 
 ator. 
 
 A sufficient number of cans was provided to hold 
 the contents of a one-hundred-pound package of car- 
 bide, which, on being opened, was at once distributed 
 among them and sealed by closing the air-tight 
 covers. 
 
 Once a week the empty cans were removed from 
 the distributor and replaced by full ones. A glance 
 showed which were empty, since the covers hang 
 down after the latch is tripped. 
 
 At the time that this machine was constructed, it 
 was thought to possess some advantages over others, 
 inasmuch as it was non-freezing, had no valves nor 
 cocks, could not accumulate pressure, and was auto- 
 matic in action. 
 
 It was seen, however, after due consideration, that 
 in ignorant hands there was one possibility of acci- 
 dent. If, in pumping out the lime, the level of the 
 water in the gasometer was unduly lowered, it might 
 happen that the bell would reach the bottom of its 
 travel. Further pumping would create a vacuum, 
 tending to draw the flame of any lighted burners 
 back into the piping and eventually to the bell. 
 That this can happen seems doubtful, but it has 
 been said to have occurred under certain conditions. 
 At all events, the lights would go out and air would 
 enter the system. Continued pumping would lower 
 the level of the water below the edge of the bell, 
 allowing air to enter. If, under these circumstances, 
 the generator was refilled with water without having 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 139 
 
 taken the precaution to draw off the mixture of air 
 and gas from the bell, the conditions would favor an 
 explosion if a flame was brought into proximity with 
 the smallest leak or imperfect joint. 
 
 In order to guard against just such conditions, 
 various forms of machine were devised. 
 
 Some had the generator and gasometer separate, 
 while others provided for the removal of the lime 
 by lifting-out cans, into which the precipitate was 
 directed. 
 
 After many experiments, the original form of ma- 
 chine as last described was finally adopted, and the 
 very simple expedient tried of making a small hole 
 through the wall of the pump suction-pipe at the 
 lowest intended water-level, since it was found that 
 the pump removed the lime perfectly and with less 
 labor than any other method. 
 
 The generator finally took the form shown in the 
 last engraving, after passing through the interme- 
 diate stage shown in Figs. 62 and 63. 
 
 The gas generating and holding portion of the 
 acetylene machine is contained in a cylindrical cis- 
 tern of iron or brick, of an area determined by the 
 amount of gas required. 
 
 The cistern is partly filled with water, the surface 
 of which is below the line of frost. 
 
 A gasometer-bell occupies the upper portion of 
 the cistern, which it nearly fills, and rises or sinks in 
 the water as gas enters or is drawn from it. 
 
 This bell is provided at its upper part with an air- 
 tight, annular flotation-chamber, the use of which 
 
140 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 141 
 
 will be described later, and has at its lower edge a 
 heavy rim of iron, for the purpose of giving suffi- 
 cient pressure to the gas contained therein. 
 
 The bell contains a central tube, open at the bot- 
 tom, which projects for some distance above the top 
 of the flotation-chamber and serves as a duct for 
 leading the gas from the bell to a second smaller 
 concentric tube fixed in the cistern. 
 
 This second tube has openings above the water- 
 line of the cistern, and is connected with the system 
 of piping and burners where the gas is used. Its 
 upper end telescopes into the tube of the gas-holder, 
 for which it forms a guide. 
 
 A " chute," contained in the wall of the cistern, 
 directs the calcium carbide dropped into it to the 
 generating portion of the machine, located at the 
 bottom of the cistern. 
 
 The cistern is covered by a drum of iron, into 
 which the gasometer may rise. This drum is closed 
 on top, but is provided with a vent-pipe leading into 
 the ventilator of the small iron building which cov- 
 ers the whole machine. 
 
 On a circular track around the circumference of 
 the drum travels a series of small cans. 
 
 Each can has a hinged bottom provided with a 
 rubber washer and held shut by a latch. Since the 
 cans, when closed, are air-tight, the carbide within 
 them is entirely protected from the air until the mo- 
 ment when it is needed, at which time the gasometer 
 bell, in its descent, by means of a ratchet-and-pawl 
 mechanism, carries a can of carbide over the chute, 
 
142 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 trips the latch and drops the contents into the bot- 
 tom of the cistern. 
 
 The gas evolved by the reaction between the water 
 and the calcium carbide rises through the large 
 quantity of water above it, being directed into the 
 bell by means of the deflector. It reaches the bell 
 cool and thoroughly washed. 
 
 As the bell rises and falls, carbide is automatically 
 fed to the generator, canful by canful, so long as any 
 remains. 
 
 The removal of the deposit of lime, which is neces- 
 sary only at long intervals, is effected by means of a 
 pump and a suction-pipe which reaches the bottom 
 of the cistern. 
 
 A small hole is bored through the suction-pipe at 
 the normal level of the water in the cistern. 
 
 The process of removing the lime consists in first 
 adding water to that in the cistern until the level is 
 raised a couple of feet. 
 
 The pump is then operated as long as it removes 
 lime and water. 
 
 When the water in the cistern has been reduced 
 by pumping to its normal level, air enters the small 
 hole in the suction-pipe, stopping the action of the 
 pump. 
 
 Consequently, the water-line can never by care- 
 lessness be brought below the point intended. 
 
 The operation of the ratchet, and consequent feed- 
 ing of carbide, when too much water is contained in 
 the cistern, would be undesirable, causing over-pro- 
 duction and waste of gas. 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 143 
 
 This is prevented by the flotation-chamber con- 
 tained in the bell, for, since the bell cannot sink below 
 the water-level, it cannot fall far enough to operate 
 the can-moving mechanism unless the water-line is 
 normal. 
 
 The gas-delivery pipe has a branch extending into 
 the ventilator of the covering-house, with a cock for 
 allowing the gas contained in the bell to be drawn 
 off, if desired. 
 
 A loop of pipe around the cock contains a mer- 
 curial seal, which automatically discharges any sur- 
 plus gas in case its pressure exceeds four inches of 
 water. 
 
 The covering-house protects the machine from the 
 weather, and prevents access to the working parts by 
 unauthorized persons. It also provides ample stor- 
 age-room for a supply of calcium carbide, and a 
 place in which the carbide may be transferred from 
 the original packages to the air-tight cans in which 
 it is supplied to the machine. 
 
 A sufficient number of cans is provided, in addi- 
 tion to those in use, to hold the contents of a one- 
 hundred-pound package of carbide. 
 
 The carbide cans are held in place on the charg- 
 ing-wheel of the machine by a simple fastening, 
 which permits the empty ones to be easily removed 
 and full ones substituted. 
 
 It is necessary to pump out the lime only twice a 
 year when the machine is supplying the ordinary 
 demands for a dwelling-house in which there are 
 from twenty-five to thirty burners. 
 
144 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 In suburban places, it answers perfectly to dis- 
 pose of the lime by pumping the contents of the ma- 
 chine into a hole dug in the ground. The water 
 disappears in a short time by seepage leaving 
 the lime at the bottom of the hole, which is then 
 filled with the earth previously taken out. A hole 
 three feet deep is ample in most soils. In many 
 cases, a smaller one will do as well. 
 
 Instead of making the outer case of iron, it may 
 be built up of brick laid in portland cement, or it 
 may be formed of earthern pipes, which may be ob- 
 tained of any diameter up to three feet. 
 
 In giving this machine, which contains about forty 
 cubic feet of water, its initial charge of calcium car- 
 bide, it is a noteworthy fact that the first four or 
 five pounds of the substance thrown into the chute 
 fail to cause more than two or three inches rise of 
 the gasometer bell. 
 
 In other words, the solubility of the gas in the 
 water is so readily effected that, until a consider- 
 able degree of saturation has taken place, very 
 few of the bubbles of gas which are generated at 
 the base of the machine reach the surface of the 
 water. 
 
 The action reminds one of the " singing " stage of 
 a kettle which is set to boil, where the bubbles of 
 steam generated at the bottom of the kettle are con- 
 densed by the cooler upper portion of the liquid be- 
 fore they reach its surface. 
 
 Two inferences may be drawn from these facts: 
 First, that the renewal of the water should be 
 
AUTHOR'S EXPERIMENTS 145 
 
 avoided as much as possible, or that a saline solu- 
 tion which absorbs only five per cent, of its volume 
 of gas should be used. 
 
 Second, that a source of danger from explosions 
 exists in this body of gas-charged water. 
 
 Suppose a leak had been discovered in the bell of 
 the gasometer. A careless individual might let all 
 the gas escape, and then, in order to easily reach 
 the bell, might draw it out of the water, letting air 
 enter as it was raised. He might then, without re- 
 moving it from the liquid, attempt to mend the 
 leak with a soldering-copper or a blow-pipe, under 
 the impression that there was no gas in the bell. 
 In reality, as the bell was raised, the pressure on 
 the water would be diminished, so that a certain 
 amount of gas would be set free and would min- 
 gle with the air in the bell, forming an explosive 
 mixture. 
 
 On the other hand, in the usual routine of gas mak- 
 ing and using, the large body of water is a decided 
 safeguard, preventing, as it does, any appreciable rise 
 of temperature of the carbide or gas, and therefore 
 guarding against any decomposition, while at the 
 same time it gives the gas a thorough washing on 
 its way to the bell. 
 
 The gas generated from the lumps of carbide 
 leaves them in a continuous stream of small bubbles. 
 There is no violent, sudden or explosive action vis- 
 ible. Although the evolution of acetylene is rapid, 
 the gas is broken up into very small bubble units. 
 From this it follows that, while the surface of the 
 
146 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 water, as seen when the bell is removed, is thrown 
 into violent commotion, and is in every part in brisk 
 ebullition, the water itself is not thrown into the air, 
 but rolls over and over as the bubbles leave its sur- 
 face. 
 
CONCLUSION 
 
 AFTER a careful study of the United States patent 
 specifications of the acetylene generators, which will 
 be found at'the end of this volume, the author is im- 
 pressed with the curious fact that they may all be 
 included in the first two classes. 
 
 The greater number are of that variety in which 
 the carbide is contained in a closed receptacle, to 
 which water is fed in small quantities. 
 
 The remainder are of the type which the French 
 call " briquet hydrogen." They have the carbide 
 suspended in a basket within the gas-holder, with 
 means for alternately immersing and withdrawing it 
 from the water contained therein. With the excep- 
 tion of one machine, which occupies an intermediate 
 position, there is none in which the carbide in small 
 charges is dropped into a large quantity of water. 
 This class of machine, which has been named the 
 " chute generator," offers certain advantages which 
 cannot be obtained with the others. 
 
 The French and German experimenters upon 
 acetylene, who have earnestly sought the best means 
 of gas-production, report uniformly in favor of the 
 chute generator. When properly made and in- 
 stalled, however, this machine is rather expensive. 
 
 147 
 
148 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 This is especially so when means are provided 
 for the periodical removal of the deposited lime, and 
 when the generator is made of sufficient capacity to 
 supply gas continuously over a prolonged space of 
 time. 
 
 The American public, as a whole, is unusually well- 
 informed concerning the development and progress 
 of recent inventions. It wishes, moreover, to encour- 
 age the introduction of such novelties as contribute 
 to its comfort, save its time, lessen its labbr, improve 
 its health, or in any way render more easy the pur- 
 suit of happiness. 
 
 That the American is by nature an inventor is a 
 proof that he meets with support from his fellows. 
 Coupled, however, with the desire to look with 
 favor upon all that which is new and meritorious, 
 there is constantly in the demand of the public a 
 cry for cheapness. 
 
 The advent of the acetylene light has satisfied this 
 requirement with an illuminant of unprecedented 
 excellence. That having been accomplished, there 
 seems to be no good reason why further demands 
 for a cheap generator, unless entirely consistent with 
 safety and durability, should meet with encourage- 
 ment. One of the most attractive features of acety- 
 lene production is the ease with which the gas may 
 be generated in quantity sufficient for a demonstra- 
 tion of its properties. It seems unfortunate, how- 
 ever, that the performance of the crudest and most 
 flimsy generator should be, to the uninitiated, so 
 satisfactory, for while, as has been said, the public 
 
CONCLUSION 149 
 
 is in sympathy with new devices, it lacks the techni- 
 cal knowledge to differentiate between the good and 
 poor machine upon their respective showings. 
 
 The inventor is little to blame who, stimulated by 
 competition and the inability to sell any but the 
 cheapest generator, reduces the size and cost of his 
 machine to the lowest possible limits. 
 
 Acetylene is, until " something happens," a sub- 
 stance so easily managed, so capable of control and 
 apparently so unlikely to manifest its latent affini- 
 ties, that the vigilance of the experimenter becomes 
 relaxed. He attempts things in his increasing con- 
 fidence which he would consider dangerous had his 
 experience been more varied. 
 
 The very simplicity of acetylene production, 
 which renders the construction of cheap and unreli- 
 able generators possible, has acted as a check to the 
 further development of the art. 
 
 The public, in making cheapness the most impor- 
 tant feature of a machine, is, perhaps, also blameless, 
 in default of more general technical information. 
 
 As acetylene becomes more generally used and 
 the public becomes better informed concerning the 
 properties of the gas and of the carbide, it will be 
 placed in a position to decide for itself how much 
 risk it is warranted in taking. 
 
 In the meantime, the responsibility should be 
 made to rest with the fire insurance companies. It 
 does, in fact, rest there now, for it is true that safe 
 and efficient generators are not lacking. It is also 
 true that the insurance companies, through the 
 
150 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 boards of fire underwriters, employ experts to pass 
 judgment upon the machines submitted to them. 
 
 Unfortunately, the experts in some cases have not 
 paid that heed to the increasing use of acetylene 
 generators which its importance would seem to 
 demand. Any laxity in this matter will, however, be 
 corrected when the companies who write insurance 
 upon property containing machines of doubtful 
 safety learn by costly experience the error of their 
 ways. 
 
 As a guide to the experimenter who is seeking to 
 devise an acetylene generator, the requirements of 
 the New York Board of Fire Underwriters are here 
 reprinted. 
 
 These requirements, in the main well devised to 
 prevent the use of dangerous machines, are certainly 
 very exacting, but in the present state of the art a 
 conservative attitude is the only one which is quite 
 safe. 
 
 As more experience is gained, the requirements 
 will, no doubt, be changed from time to time, in order 
 to keep abreast of the developments. 
 
 As a temporary measure, at least, they seem all 
 that ca-n be desired. 
 
REQUIREMENTS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE NEW YORK BOARD OF FIRE UNDERWRITERS 
 
 FOR THE 
 
 Installation of Acetylene Gas Generators 
 
 AND FOR THE 
 
 STORAGE OF A LIMITED SUPPLY OF CALCIUM CARBIDE. 
 
 1. Plans and specifications in detail of Acetylene Gas Gen- 
 erators must be submitted to this Board for approval, and a 
 copy of the same placed on file in this office. If the plans are 
 approved, a special examination of the generating- apparatus 
 will be made (at the expense of the applicant), and if it is 
 found to be in compliance with the following 1 requirements, a 
 certificate of approval will be granted : , 
 
 2. The generating apparatus must be located in an out- 
 side, fireproof and well-ventilated building, where it will not 
 be an exposure to any adjoining property. The buildings in 
 which generators having a capacity of more than twenty-five 
 pounds and not exceeding one hundred pounds of calcium 
 carbide are placed, shall not be located within ten feet of any 
 other building ; and the buildings in which generators having 
 a larger capacity than one hundred pounds and not exceeding 
 five hundred pounds of calcium carbide are placed, shall be re- 
 stricted to a distance of not less than twenty-five feet from any 
 other building, and these shall have the constant supervision 
 of a competent person. 
 
 3. The dimensions of the generator building must be con- 
 fined to the requirements of the apparatus, and the limited 
 
152 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 supply (hereinafter mentioned) of surplus calcium carbide, 
 which must be packed in water-tight metal cans, and said 
 buildings shall be located as follows : 
 
 For generators with capacity of more than twenty-five 
 pounds and not exceeding one hundred pounds of calcium car- 
 bide, and, in addition, one hundred pounds of surplus carbide 
 not less than ten feet from other buildings. 
 
 For generators with capacity of over one hundred pounds, 
 and not exceeding five hundred pounds of calcium carbide, 
 and, in addition, not over five hundred pounds of surplus car- 
 bide not less than twenty-five feet from other buildings. 
 
 The storage of calcium carbide on premises, other than in 
 generator building, is absolutely prohibited. 
 
 4. In constructing the building, dryness and ventilation 
 must be secured. To meet these requirements, the floor must 
 be raised above the grade on which the building is located, and 
 suitable drainage provided. Ventilation is to be obtained by 
 air passing from the outside of building through holes at the 
 floor and through a pipe at least six inches in diameter, at the 
 roof. The said pipe must extend at least four feet above the 
 roof, and must be topped with a guard-cap, and if there be any 
 building within ten feet of said pipe, then the ventilating pipe 
 must be carried four feet above the roof of the higher building. 
 
 5. The maximum pressure of gas stored in a gas-holder 
 shall be limited to eight inches of water, and both the gener- 
 ator and gas-holder shall have water safety-seals (not to ex- 
 ceed the same limit) in connection with escape pipes of not 
 less than one and one-half inches in diameter. The escape 
 pipes must be connected above the roof with the ventilating 
 pipe of the building in which the generator is located. 
 
 6. A generator in which the gas is both generated and 
 stored (the maximum pressure of which shall not exceed five 
 pounds per square inch) and having no water-seal, shall be 
 tested to withstand a hydraulic pressure of twenty pounds per 
 square inch. The generator shall have a pressure-gauge, also 
 
REQUIREMENTS OF FIRE UNDERWRITERS 153 
 
 a safety-valve (not less than one and one-half inches in dia- 
 meter) adjusted to release the pressure of gas should it rise 
 above the prescribed maximum limit. An escape pipe must 
 be affixed to the safety-valve, and connected above the roof to 
 the ventilating 1 pipe of the building- in which the generator is 
 located. A certificate attesting- the hydraulic test is to be 
 placed on file in this office. 
 
 7. The pressure of the gas shall be regulated at the gen- 
 erator or gas-holder, so that it will not exceed four inches of 
 water on the pipes inside of the building to be lighted. A mer- 
 curial seal, set to that pressure, must be attached to the sup- 
 ply-pipe at the generating building. A stop-valve shall be 
 placed on the supply-pipe at the place where it enters the in- 
 side of the building to be lighted. 
 
 8. All generators and gas-holders shall be connected by 
 at least one and one-half inch escape pipes and stop valves with 
 the ventilating pipe at the roof of the building, through which 
 the gas can be conveyed and discharged with safety on the out- 
 side of the building. 
 
 9. Generators must be constructed so that they can be 
 charged with calcium carbide at all times without allowing 
 the gas to escape into the building. 
 
 10. Generators shall be filled with calcium carbide by day- 
 light only, and all generating apparatus must be in charge of 
 persons who are familiar with their operation and are fully 
 competent to manage them under all circumstances. 
 
 11. No artificial light, except a wire-guarded incandescent 
 electric light, may be used inside of the building in which the 
 g-as is generated, and no heat except low-pressure steam. 
 
 12. All acetylene gas generators, and all receptacles con- 
 taining acetylene gas, shall be made of iron or steel through- 
 out. 
 
154 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 13. The residuum of the calcium carbide when removed 
 from the generator must be deposited in a safe location out- 
 side of the building apart from any combustible material. 
 
 LIQUID ACETYLENE. 
 
 14. The storage of liquid acetylene in any building, or the 
 use of liquid acetylene gas, is absolutely prohibited. 
 
UNITED STATES PATENTS ON 
 
 Calcium Carbide and Acetylene Apparatus 
 
 CARBIDE AND ELECTRIC FURNACES. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 INVENTOR. 
 
 TITLE. 
 
 492,767 
 Reissue 
 11,473 
 541,137 
 541,138 
 
 551,461 
 
 Reissue 
 11,511 
 552,036 
 
 552,890 
 555,796 
 557,057 
 
 560,291 
 562,402 
 
 563,527 
 563,528 
 571,084 
 
 572,636 
 
 578,685 
 
 583,498 
 587,138 
 
 Jan. 28,1893 | 
 
 Feb. 26,1895 ) 
 June 18, 1895 
 June 18, 1895 
 
 Dec. 17, 1895 
 
 Oct. 22, 1895 
 Dec. 24, 1895 
 
 Jan. 14, 1896 
 Mar. 3, 1896 
 Mar. 24, 1896 
 
 May 19, 1896 
 June 23, 1896 
 
 July 7, 1896 
 July 7, 1896 
 Nov. 10, 1896 
 
 Dec. 8, 1896 
 Mar. 9, 1897 
 
 June 1, 1897 
 July 27, 1897 
 
 Acheson, Edward G . . < 
 
 Willson, Thomas L 
 Willson Thomas L 
 
 Production of artificial, 
 crystalline, carbonace- 
 ous materials. 
 Calcium carbide process. 
 Product existing in crys- 
 talline calcium carbide. 
 Art of producing calcium 
 carbide. 
 
 Calcium carbide process. 
 Material for incandescent 
 conductors. 
 Manufacture of calcium 
 carbide. 
 Compound of magnesium 
 and calcium carbide. 
 Process and apparatus 
 for producing metallic 
 compounds by electric- 
 ity- 
 Electrical furnace. 
 Process of forming calci- 
 um carbide. 
 Process of producing cal- 
 cium compounds. 
 Process of manufacturing 
 hydro-carbon gas. 
 Composition of matter 
 for manufacturing cal- 
 cium carbide. 
 Electric furnace. 
 Process and apparatus 
 for producing calcium 
 carbide. 
 Manufacture of carbide 
 of calcium. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for manufacturing me- 
 tallic carbides. 
 
 Clarke William C 
 
 Willson, Thomas L. . . . . 
 Bohm, Ludwig K. 
 
 Clarke, William C 
 
 Whitehead, C . . 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 
 Acheson, Edward G 
 King, William R., and 
 Wyatt, Francis. 
 Willson, Thomas L 
 
 Willson, Thomas L 
 
 E 1 d r i d g e , Hilliary, 
 Clark, Daniel J., and 
 Wambaugh, Mahlon W. 
 Hewes, James E 
 
 Whitney, Edwin R 
 
 Morehead, James T 
 Roberts, Isaiah L 
 
 
 155 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 
 CARBIDE AND ELECTRIC FURNACES Co ntinued. 
 
 NUMBEB. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 INVENTOR. 
 
 TITLE. 
 
 587,343 
 587,509 
 
 588,012 
 
 588,866 
 589,592 
 
 589,967 
 
 590,514 
 597,945 
 
 535,944 
 
 541,429 
 541,428 
 541,427 
 541,526 
 542,320 
 
 550,162 
 552,027 
 552,028 
 
 551,815 
 552,048 
 
 55-3,375 
 552,099 
 
 552,101 
 552,100 
 553,443 
 
 Aug. 3, 1897 
 Aug. 3, 1897 
 
 Aug. 10, 1897 
 
 Aug. 24, 1897 
 Sept. 7, 1897 
 
 Sept. 14, 1897 
 
 Sept. 21, 1897 
 Jan. 25, 1898 
 
 Mar. 19, 1895 
 
 June 18, 1895 
 June 18, 1895 
 June 18, 1895 
 June 25, 1895 
 July 9, 1895 
 
 Nov. 19, 1895 
 Dec. 24, 1895 
 Dec. 24, 1895 
 
 Dec. 24, 1895 
 Dec. 24, 1895 
 
 Dec. 31, 1895 
 Dec. 31, 1895 
 
 Dec. 31, 1895 
 Dec. 31, 1895 
 Jan. 21, 1896 
 
 Strong George S 
 
 Electric furnace. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for making metallic 
 carbides. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for making metallic 
 carbides. 
 Means for manufacturing 
 carbides. 
 Composition of matter 
 for manufacturing cal- 
 cium carbide. 
 Composition for manu- 
 facturing calcium car- 
 bides. 
 Process of producing me- 
 tallic carbides. 
 Electric furnace. 
 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for producing and lique- 
 fying acetylene gas. 
 Process and apparatus for 
 producing gas. 
 Automatic gas-holder re- 
 lief-valve. 
 Apparatus for production 
 of gas. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for manufacture of gas. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for manufacture of gas. 
 Gas-governor. 
 Process of generating gas. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 gas. 
 Apparatus for manufact- 
 ure of gas. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for mingling gases. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 gas. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 and supplying gas. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 gas. 
 Process of carburetting 
 water-gas. 
 
 Roberts, Isaiah L 
 
 Roberts, Isaiah L . . 
 
 Kenevel, Jeannott W. . . 
 Blum, Sylvain 
 
 Heath, Robert F. S 
 Cowles, Alfred H 
 
 Bradley C S 
 
 GENERATORS. 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N.. 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N.. 
 Dickerson, Edward N.. 
 Dickerson, Edward N.. 
 Dickerson, Edward N.. 
 Willson Thomas R 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 Willson, Thomas L 
 Willson, Thomas L 
 
 Parns worth, Ezra 
 Dickerson, Edward N. . . 
 
 Jones, Charles C 
 Clarke William C 
 
 Clarke William C 
 
 Clarke William C . 
 
 Willson, Thomas R 
 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
 GENERA TORS Continued. 
 
 157 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 INVENTOR. 
 
 TITLE. . 
 
 553 550 
 
 Jan 28 1896 
 
 Willson Thomas L 
 
 Process of producing il- 
 
 553,781 
 555,149 
 
 555,198 
 555,212 
 
 556 115 
 
 Jan. 28, 1896 
 Feb. 25, 1896 
 
 Feb. 25, 1896 
 Feb. 25, 1896 
 
 Mar 10 1896 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 
 Willson, Thomas L 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 
 Turney E T 
 
 luminating gas. 
 Apparatus for producing 
 gas. 
 Process for and apparatus 
 for burning liquefied 
 gas. 
 Process of making and 
 consuming gas. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 for producing illumi- 
 nating gas. 
 Process of and apparatus 
 
 556,736 
 
 Mar. 24, 1896 
 
 Clarke, William C.. .. 
 
 for producing illumi- 
 nating gas. 
 Method of and apparatus 
 
 556 737 
 
 Mar. 24 1896 
 
 Clarke William C 
 
 for generating acety- 
 lene. 
 Method of generatin 01 il- 
 
 556,910 
 
 Mar. 24, 1896 
 
 Wilkinson, A. W 
 
 luminating gas. 
 Process of manufacturing 
 
 556,911 
 
 Mar. 24, 1896 
 
 Wilkinson, A. W 
 
 gas. 
 Process of manufacturing 
 
 558,746 
 
 559,846 
 560 405 
 
 April 21, 1896 
 
 May 12, 1896 
 May 19 1896 
 
 DeSieghardt, O.T 
 
 Gray, G. J., and Hitch- 
 cock, W. F. 
 Fuller, H. F 
 
 gas. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 and storing acetylene 
 gas. 
 Apparatus for manufact- 
 uring acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 560,549 
 560,784 
 561,208 
 561,701 
 562,040 
 
 May 19, 1896 
 May 26, 1896 
 June 2, 1896 
 June 9, 1896 
 June 16, 1896 
 
 Seward, O. G., Mille, O. 
 E., and Ham, M. J... 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N" . . 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 Sergeant, H. C 
 
 Automatic gas generator. 
 Valve-lockingmechanism 
 for gas generators. 
 Automatic acetylene gas 
 apparatus. 
 Process of producing 
 acetylene gas. 
 Gas generator 
 
 562,401 
 562,911 
 
 June 23, 1896 
 June 30 1896 
 
 King, W. R., and Wy- 
 att, F. 
 Potter J. C 
 
 Apparatus for generating 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 563,457 
 563,980 
 
 July 7, 1896 
 July 14 1896 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 Morley J. H . .. 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 Acetylene ""as generator. 
 
 563,981 
 
 July 14 1896 
 
 Morley J. H 
 
 Acetylene "'as generator. 
 
 564,684 
 565,157 
 566,660 
 
 July 28, 1896 
 Aug. 4, 1896 
 Aug. 25, 1896 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 Dickerson, Edward N . . 
 Clarke H B ... 
 
 Gas-mixing device. 
 Gas-mixer. 
 Acetvlene generator and 
 
 566 901 
 
 Sept. 1 1896 
 
 Fuller H F 
 
 bicycle-lamp. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 567,641 
 
 Sept. 15, 1896 
 
 Eldridge, H.., 
 
 Gas-generating apparatus 
 
LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 GENERATORS Continued. 
 
 NUMBEB. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 INVENTOR. 
 
 TITLE. 
 
 567,773 
 
 569,273 
 
 Sept. 15, 1896 
 Oct. 13, 1896 
 
 Rossback-Rousset, F . . . 
 Bucher, A. S 
 
 Gas-generating lamp. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 509,208 
 
 Oct. 20, 1896 
 
 Exley, J. H 
 
 Apparatus for manufact- 
 
 571,269 
 
 Nov. 10, 1896 
 
 Janeway, J. L 
 
 uring acetylene. 
 Process of manufacturing 
 
 571,576 
 
 Nov. 17 1896 
 
 Porter, J. C 
 
 gas. 
 Gas generator 
 
 572,113 
 573996 
 
 Dec. 1, 1896 
 Dec 29 1896 
 
 Hill, W. P., and H. D.. 
 Owen R. L 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 Gas-distributing appara- 
 
 573,938 
 
 Dec. 29 1896 
 
 Waite, JohnH 
 
 tus. 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 574 601 
 
 Jan. 5 1897 
 
 Casgrain, H. E 
 
 Acetylene gas generating 
 
 575 281 
 
 Jan. 12 1897 
 
 Buffington L. S. . 
 
 lamp. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 
 575 474 
 
 Jan 19 1897 
 
 Fuller Henry F 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Gas generator for acety- 
 
 575,677 
 
 Jan, 19 1897 
 
 Fuller, Henry F 
 
 lene. 
 Method and apparatus for 
 
 575,885 
 575,884 
 576,386 
 
 Jan. 26, 1897 
 Jan. 26, 1897 
 Feb. 2, 1897 
 
 Fourchotte, M. C. A.... 
 Fourchotte, M. C. A. ... 
 Voisard, E. P . . , 
 
 generating acetylene 
 gas. 
 Apparatus for producing 
 acetylene gas. 
 Apparatus for producing 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 576,585 
 576,826 
 
 Feb. 9, 1897 
 Feb. 9, 1897 
 
 Kidder, Moses W 
 Sergeant, H. C 
 
 Apparatus for generating 
 acetylene gas. 
 Generator for making 
 
 576 529 
 
 Feb. 9 1897 
 
 Addicks W. R. 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Apparatus for manufact- 
 
 576 827 
 
 Feb 9 1897 
 
 Sergeant H C . 
 
 uring gas. 
 Acetylene gas holder 
 
 576,893 
 576,955 
 
 577,051 
 
 577,803 
 
 Feb. 9, 1897' 
 Feb. 9, 1897 
 
 Feb. 16, 1897 
 Feb. 23, 1897 
 
 Reynolds, D. J 
 Deuther, J A 
 
 Matthews, Charles, Jr.. 
 Willson Thomas L . . . . 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 Method of and apparatus 
 for generating gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 Process of producing and 
 
 577,706 
 
 Feb. 23, 1897 
 
 Archer, G. S., and Bur- 
 
 consuming hydro-car- 
 bon gas. 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 577,762 
 
 Feb. 23, 1897 
 
 Lawrence, R. S 
 
 Apparatus for increasing 
 
 578,055 
 578,847 
 578,972 
 
 Mar. 2, 1897 
 Mar. 16, 1897 
 Mar. 16, 1897 
 
 Fuller, Henry F 
 Wilcox, Clementina H. . 
 
 candle-power of gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 579,702 
 579,689 
 
 Mar. 30, 1897 
 Mar. 30, 1897 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N... 
 Vincent, J. A 
 
 Acetylene gas producing 
 apparatus. 
 Acetylene gas producing 
 
 
 
 
 apparatus. 
 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
 GENERATORS Continued. 
 
 159 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 INVENTOR. 
 
 TITLE. 
 
 580 624 
 
 \prill3 1897 
 
 Napheys EC 
 
 Acetylene gas producing 
 
 580 650 
 
 April 13 1897 
 
 Reynolds D J 
 
 apparatus. 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 581 020 
 
 April 20 1897 
 
 Dennis William H 
 
 Acetylene gas generating 
 
 581 699 
 
 May 4 1897 
 
 Doddridge, A. F 
 
 lamp. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 
 582,274 
 582546 
 
 May 11, 1897 
 May 11 1897 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N. . . 
 Patterson J J 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Apparatus for gasifying 
 and controlling lique- 
 fied or compressed gas. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 
 582 548 
 
 May 11 1897 
 
 Rand Charles E 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Process of generating 
 
 583,582 
 583,761 
 
 June 1, 1897 
 June 1, 1897 
 
 Rhind, Frank 
 Mitchell, F. A . 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Gas generating lamp. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 584 339 
 
 June 15 1897 
 
 Exley, J. H 
 
 Apparatus for manufact- 
 
 584,772 
 584931 
 
 June 22, 1897 
 June 22 1897 
 
 Dickerson, Edward N., 
 and Suckert, J. J. 
 Fuller H F. 
 
 uring acetylene gas. 
 Apparatus for burning 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 584,946 
 
 June 22, 1897 
 
 Luckenbach, R 
 
 Acetylene gas apparatus. 
 
 585,625 
 
 June 29 1897 
 
 Dougherty, J. F 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 585642 
 
 June 29 1897 
 
 Gallagher, J. C 
 
 Gas generator for lamps. 
 
 586 194 
 
 July 13 1897 
 
 Matthews, C. , Jr 
 
 Acetylene gas apparatus. 
 
 586 517 
 
 July 13 1897 
 
 Hawley, C. G 
 
 Acetylene gas lamp. 
 
 587,914 
 588230 
 
 Aug. 10, 1897 
 Aug 17 1897 
 
 Becherel, C. F. J. B . . . . 
 Mackusick E. F 
 
 Apparatus for producing 
 acetylene gas. 
 Process of generating gas 
 
 588 535 
 
 Aug 17 1897 
 
 
 from carbide. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 588 593 
 
 Aug 24 1897 
 
 Morency D. C 
 
 Apparatus for generating 
 
 589 404 
 
 Sept 7 1897 
 
 Bettini G. 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas lamp. 
 
 589 713 
 
 Sept 7 1897 
 
 Gallagher J C 
 
 Process and apparatus for 
 
 589,799 
 
 Sept. 7, 1897 
 
 Taylor, George 
 
 generating acetylene 
 gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 590,441 
 
 Sept. 21, 1897 
 
 Reynolds, D. J 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 590 674 
 
 Sept 28 1897 
 
 Strom A A 
 
 Apparatus for generating 
 
 590,592 
 590 941 
 
 Sept. 28, 1897 
 Sept 28 1897 
 
 Pyle, H. L., Lichten- 
 stein, L. , and Brison, 
 J. C. 
 Beck Charles W 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Apparatus for generating 
 acetylene gas. 
 
 Lamp for generating and 
 
 590 955 
 
 Oct 5 1897 
 
 Beck Charles W 
 
 burning acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas lamp. 
 
 59l'l32 
 
 Oct 5 1897 
 
 Handshy, H. M 
 
 Acetvlene gas lamp. 
 
 591,367 
 592083 
 
 Oct. 5, 1897 
 Oct 19 1897 
 
 Beck, Charles W 
 Dupee, J. C 
 
 Acetylene gas lamp. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 592.084 
 
 Oct. 19. 1897 
 
 Dupee, J. C . . . 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
i6o 
 
 LIGHTING BY ACETYLENE 
 GENERATORS Continued. 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 INVKNTOB. 
 
 TITLE. 
 
 592,759 
 
 Nov. 2, 1897 
 
 Bellamy, C. H 
 
 Apparatus for generating 
 
 593,122 
 593,628 
 
 Nov. 2, 1897 
 Nov. 16, 1897 
 
 Raymond, J. M., and 
 Lemley, L. E. 
 Williams, B. F 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 Generator for acetylene 
 
 594,175 
 
 Nov. 23, 1897 
 
 Hellwig, Otto S 
 
 gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 594,826 
 
 Nov. 30 1897 
 
 Ferguson J. S 
 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 594,849 
 
 Dec 7 1897 
 
 Bettini G. 
 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 595,119 
 
 Dec 7 1897 
 
 Couper J. H. 
 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 595,230 
 595,451 
 
 Dec. 7. 1897 
 Dec. 14, 1897 
 
 WMttemore, L. D., Jr.. 
 
 Choquette, C. P., and 
 Morin A. M 
 
 Combined lamp and 
 acetylene generator. 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 595,621 
 
 Dec. 14 1897 
 
 Gobron A 
 
 Acetylene gas generating 
 
 595,668 
 
 Dec. 14 1897 
 
 Bryant H 
 
 lamp. 
 Acetylene gas machine. 
 
 595,816 
 595,924 
 596,139 
 
 Dec. 21, 1897 
 Dec. 21, 1897 
 Dec. 28, 1897 
 
 Lebrun, G., and Cor- 
 naille, P. 
 Ruhe, W. A., and Bur- 
 bank, H. S. 
 Bolton, Werner . . . 
 
 Apparatus for producing 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas apparatus. 
 
 Process of generating 
 
 596,144 
 
 Dec. 28 1897 
 
 Dolan E J 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Burner for rich, gases 
 
 596,138 
 
 Dec. 28, 189? 
 
 Blanchard, D. R. 
 
 especially acetylene 
 gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 596,112 
 
 Dec. 28, 1897 
 
 Henkle, L., and God- 
 dard, F. H. 
 
 Acetylene gas burner 
 
 596,577 
 
 Jan. 4, 1898 
 
 Dolan, E. J 
 
 
 596,578 
 596,703 
 
 Jan. 4, 1898 
 Jan. 4, 1898 
 
 Dolan, E. J 
 Harrison, P. R 
 
 Acetylene gas burner. 
 Acetylene gas generating 
 
 596,937 
 
 Jan. 4, 1898 
 
 Kerr, J. G... 
 
 lamp. 
 Acetylene gas apparatus. 
 
 597,291 
 
 Jan. 11, 1898 
 
 Leede, J 
 
 Acetylene gas apparatus. 
 
 597,495 
 
 Jan. 18, 1898 
 
 Dolan, E. J . . 
 
 Acetylene gas heater. 
 
 597,937 
 
 Jan. 25, 1898 
 
 Bell, H. J 
 
 Acetylene generator. 
 
 598,048 
 
 Jan. 25, 1898 
 
 Carter, R. F 
 
 Apparatus for producing 
 
 598,213 
 
 Feb. 1,1898 
 
 Wilson, C. L.,.Unger, J. 
 W., Muma C., Brosi- 
 us, A. P. , and Kuchel, 
 J C 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 598,767 
 
 Feb. 8 1898 
 
 Carter R F. 
 
 Apparatus for producing 
 
 598,837 
 
 Feb. 8, 1898 
 
 Appleby, E 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas apparatus. 
 
 598,868 
 599 074 
 
 Feb. 8, 1898 
 Feb 15 1898 
 
 Hardwick, J. L., and 
 Manville, S. O 
 Dederick Z P 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
 599,098 
 
 Feb. 15, 1898 
 
 Hanotier, V., and Hos- 
 telet, G. 
 
 Apparatus for producing 
 acetylene gas. 
 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
 GENERATORS Continued. 
 
 161 
 
 NUMBER. 
 
 DATE. 
 
 INVENTOR. 
 
 TITLE. 
 
 599,198 
 
 Feb. 15, 1898 
 
 Serres, L 
 
 Lamp for generating 
 
 599,270 
 
 Feb. 15, 1898 
 
 Stein, A. K 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Apparatus for venerating 
 
 599,347 
 
 Feb. 22, 1898 
 
 McMurray, P . . .... 
 
 acetylene gas. 
 Acetylene gas generator 
 
 599,394 
 
 Feb. 22, 1898 
 
 Laun, H. W, and E. E. . 
 
 Acetylene gas generator. 
 
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THIS 
 
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