A PORTABLE ACETYLENE-WELDING OUTFIT.
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During our visit last. week to South London, we called in at the Lead office and works of the Acetylene Illuminating Co., Ltd., 268-270, South Lambeth Road, S.E., with the intention of inspecting the new series of portable welding equipments, which the company has leeently put on the market.
The D.A. outfit is essentially suitable for classes of work requiring a system which is extremely mobile, such, for instance, as breakdowns en the road, in which cases the whole plant can he put in the back of a motorcar and quickly transported to the scene of action.
The equipment consists of two eyiinders carrying acetylene dissolved in acetone, each cylinder being previously filled with a porous substance. This substance has a porosity of 80 per cent., which is the highest allowed by Home Office regulations. Only one of these cylinders is used at a. time, the other being employed in eases of emergency. A third cylinder is supplied, and this is filled with oxygen.
A blow-pipe is provided, having nine different-sized tips, graded for welding various thicknesses of metal, and, if necessary, an additional M etal-cutting blow-pipe can be added. The whole outfit is mounted on a trolley, but can be easily detached from it.
A short deserit,tion of the method by which D.A. cylinders are filled may be of interest to our readers. The gas is produced in three large generators of the carbide-to-water type, ther . thoroughly washed, cleansed and dried by passing through six purifying processes, during which the sulphur and phosphorus are removed.
The resulting gas has only a very ..slight odour compared with that normally obtame.d from a generator of the ordinary type. It is then_ stored in four small gasometers, from which it is taken to the compressors. Here it is compressed Lo 150 lb. per ;ci. in. in two stage, and is cooled intermediately. A. series of pipes front the gasometers conveys the gas to the cylinders. These cylinders, although, in practice, subje.cted to a pressure of only 150 lb., are tested to 800 lb. The oxygen cylinders, which are loaned, are supplied by manufacturers who specialize in the production of pure oxygen.
During our visit we were interested to observe _some welding and cutting in progress. One of the pieces operated on was aei in. plate, which can be cut at the rate of 30 ft. per hour. To show the efficient control of this generating plant, we were told that 80,000 gallons of water is saved per month by forcing the water out of the lime residue, and using it. again and again.
Both the gas cylinders are fitted. with automatic pressure regulators operated by diaphragms, and the delivery pressures can be varied by special adjustment -of these but the pressure is constantat any setting.
The special cutting blow-pipe is fitted with an auxiliary oxygen jet, wIjoh is brought into action when the material to be cut is heated to the required extent.