Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators and Gasometers.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators and Gasometers.
We, EDWIN HENRY MADDOCK and WILLIAM JONES, both of 186, Park Road,
in the City of Liverpool, Acetylene Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an acetylene gas gasometer and generator
combined, in which the space for gas shall be relatively large and in which
there can be numerous generators, and each one of these generators can be re-
charged while the apparatus is being in use. The apparatus consists as usual of
a cylinder or other vessel, having. another inverted vessel rising within it. The
outer vessel is preferably double bottomed or there is a space below the bottom
sufficiently large for a pipe to traverse through this space from side to side. This
pipe is formed sloping and has a cock at each end, the ordinary service cock
and a drip cock to be opened when required to draw off any condensed moisture.
A branch from this pipe rises up the centre of the vessel to a height equal pre-
ferably to near the top of the gasometer or interior vessel. The interior vessel
consists of a central cylinder with an annular exterior chamber. The central
cylinder can be open at the bottom or closed at the bottom as desired. If it be
closed it will contain more gas and we arrange it with a stuffing box hole at the
bottom surrounding the central tube of the exterior chamber, or preferably it
has a central tube itself loosely surrounding the central tube of the exterior
chamber and rising to about the same height. In speaking of two concentric
cylinders it is obvious as will be seen hereafter that any other form of chamber
would, do,. but no other form is as strong or convenient as a cylinder, thus the
gasometer chamber, previously called the central cylinder could be a rectangular
chamber and the other chamber containing the generators could be also rectangular
and. ranged along one side or even two or more sides of the gasometer chamber.
We will describe it however as it exists in our experimental device. The outer
chamber is divided by numerous partitions, four in the model, into compartments
and is open at the bottom. In each of these compartments is a generator of any
ordinary description. The form we prefer is a perforated cylinder rising through
a gas-tight joint at the top, the cylinder being arranged with a slightly conical
upper part to fit into this gas-tight joint and a conical plug caps the generator,
this conical plug being of such size that when the generator is taken out it can
be used as a plug for the hole left by the generator. The generator has a
perforated bottom either fixed or loose or has a solid bottom and numerous per-
forations round the sides immediately above it. There are perforations also near
the top. Each of these generators is filled with carbide and the external chamber
is partially filled with water. This water rises up in each compartment until it
covers the lower part of the generators. From each compartment containing a
generator a pipe having a cock or a valve which only opens with a pressure towards

page_text: the gasometer connects the compartment of the annular chamber with the gaso-
meter, consequently gas can freely escape out of the compartment into the central
gasometer compartment, but cannot repass the valve back again or if there be
a cock it can pass into the central chamber only when the cock is open.
The mode of action is as follows:-
-
The generators being partially hlled with carbide, water is poured into the
outer chamber to a height above the bottoms of the generators. The water rises
in among the carbide and immediately generates gas. This gas flows over into
the gasometer until a little positive pressure is produced in the gasometer. The
pressure now increases in each compartment in which a generator is at work and
drives the water out of this compartment causing the entire inner vessel to rise
up. When the generators however have risen out of the water no more water can
get to the carbide, consequently the generation of gas stops to be renewed again
as soon as the pressure has fallen to the required amount when water again
enters the bottoms of the gasometers and the rise takes place again. At any time
a generator can be withdrawn from the apparatus, its plug inserted in the hole
and the generator cleared of lime, refilled and again inserted. If water gets into
the service pipe and produces a flickering effect this is remedied at once by
opening the drip cock and allowing the water to escape. If desired a cock can
be placed in each plug and supplied with a burner, so that any compartment can
be brought down to the pressure of the atmosphere before its gasometer is removed
and thus the minimum escape of gas into the air is prevented.
Dated this 7th day of October 1896
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in acety
We, EDWIN HENRY MADDOCK and WILLIAM JONES, both of 186, Park Road,
in the City of Liverpool, Acetylene Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object an acetylene gas gasometer and generator
combined, in which the space for gas shall be relatively large and in which
there can be numerous generators, and each one of these generators can be re-
charged while the apparatus is being in use.
The invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation and Figure 2 a plan.
The apparatus consists as usual of a cylinder A. or other vessel having another
inverted vessel B rising within it. The outer vessel is preferably double bottomed
or there is a space C below the bottom sufficiently large for a pipe D to traverse
through this space from side to side. This pipe is formed sloping and has a
cock EF at each end (the ordinary service cock E for outlet of gas and a drip
cock to be opened when required to draw off any condensed moisture). A branch
from this pipe D rises up the centre of the vessel to a height equal preferably to
near the top of the gasometer or interior vessel B. The interior vessel B consists
of a central cylinder H with an annular exterior chamber I. The central
cylinder H can be open at the bottom or closed at the bottom as desired. If it
be closed it will contain more gas and we arrange it with a stuffing box hole at
the bottom surrounding the central tube of the exterior chamber, or preferably it
has a central tube itself loosely surrounding the central tube of the exterior

page_text: chamber and rising to about the same height. In speaking of two concentric
cylinders it is obvious as will be seen hereafter that any other form of chamber
would do, but no other form is as strong or convenient as a cylinder, thus the
gasometer chamber, previously called the central cylinder, could be a rectangular
chamber and the other chamber or generators could be also rectangular and ranged
along one side or even two or more sides of the gasometer chamber. The outer
chamber is divided by numerous partitions, L L, tour in the model, into compart-
ments and is open at the bottoni. In each of these compartments is a carbide
holder of any ordinary description M. The form we prefer is a cylinder perforated
in its lower part, rising through a gas-tight joint at the top, the cylinder being
arranged with
a slightly conical upper part to fit into this gas-tight
joint and a conical plug M caps the holder, this conical plug being
of such size that when the carbide holder is taken out it can be
used as a plug for the hole left in the generators. The holder has
a perforated bottom either fixed or loose or has a solid bottom and numerous
perforations round the sides immediately above it. There are perforations also
near the top. Each of these holders is filled with carbide and the external
chamber is partially filled with water. This water rises up in each compartment
or generator until it covers the lower part of the holders. From each compartment
containing the holder a pipe N, having a cock, or a valve which only opens with
a pressure towards the gasometer, connects the compartment of the annular
chamber with the gasometer, consequently gas can freely escape out of the com-
partment into the central gasometer compartament, but cannot repass the valve
back again or if there be a cock it can puss into the central chamber only when
the cock is open.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The holders being partially filled with carbide, water is poured into the outer
chamber or generator to a height above the bottoms of the holders. The water
rises in among the carbide and immediately generates gas. This gas flows over
into the gasmeter until a little positive pressure is produced in the gasometer.
The pressure now increases in each compartment or generator in which a holder
is at work and drives the water out of this compartment, causing the entire inner
vessel to rise up. When the generators however have risen out of the water no
more water can get to the carbide in the holders, consequently the generation of
gus stops to be renewed again as soon as the pressure has fallen to the required
amount, when water again enters the bottoms of the gasometers and the rise takes
place again. At any time a holder can be withdrawn from the apparatus, its
plug inserted in the hole and the holder cleared of lime, refilled and again inserted.
If water gets into the service pipe and produces a flickering effect this is remedied
at once by opening the drip cock and allowing the water to escape. If desired
a cock can be placed in each plug and supplied with a burner, so that any com-
partment can be brought down to the pressure of the atmosphere before its gas-
meter is removed, and thus the minimum escape of gas into the air is prevented.
It will be obvious that if the gasometer chamber be closed at the bottom it
will be of limited use in storing gas. There is however abundant space therein
for purifying agents. In ordinary practice however it can be quite open at the
bottom and thus nearly the entire space be utilised for storing and giving out gas,
water taking the place of gas as the gasometer sinks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The arrangement of a gasometer having a floating inverted chamber or bell
with numerous compartments open to the water at bottom and each carrying a
generator delivering into a common gas chamber, whereby while one or more
generators are being recharged the remainder can still be supplying gas.
2. In an apparatus of the kind claimed in the preceding claim the arrangement

page_text: of conical or expanding 'top to the carbide holders and conical or expanding
seal and a conical or expanding plug capable of filling either the seal or the holder,
whereby while a holder is being re-charged its plug can be used to close the seal
substantially as described.
3. In an apparatus of the kind 'claimed in the first claim the arrangement of
"T-shaped gas delivery pipe with downward sloping drip branch and drip cock
substantially as and for 'the purposes described.
4. The combined arrangement and construction of acetylene-gas generator and
gasometer substantially as described and illustrated.
Datedithis 7th day of July.1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Matichester, Birmingham, and London.