Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1898
I, JEAN SCHNEEWEIS, of No. 25, Frankfurterstrasse, Hanau-on-the-Main, in the
Empire of Germany, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention relates to apparatus for generating acetylene gas from carbide of
calcium and its object is to provide a hand apparatus simple in construction and
easily operated.
The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates in vertical section at Figure 1
and plan at Figure 2 the improved apparatus.
The apparatus represented on Figures 1 and 2 consists of an open sheet metal
box A with a sloping bottom B and a similar sloping partition C arranged in a
reverse direction over the said sloping bottom.
The bottom B and partition C form between them an opening D and this opening
is closed by a door or valve E. The valve E is operated as shown by means of an
external handle or lever G, the valve being pivotted about the axis of the handle. In
operation the vessel A. is filled with water to approximately the level shown and this
level is considerably above the opening D.
The pieces of carbide are thrown into the upper portion of the vessel and slide
down the partition C through the valve E and down the bottom B into the lowest
portion of the vessel A and the carbide therefore passes the opening D. It is
evident that the acetylene generated is collected underneath the partition C and
passes up into the exit pipe H.
In filling the vessel up with water it is preferred to use a solution with any of the
well known substances which prevent freezing and it is evident that as the vessel A
contains water up to the level shown, the valve E and its opening D is sealed and
rendered gas tight.
When it is necessary to renew the water and to remove the sediment caused by
the exhausted carbide it is only necessary to add fresh water while keeping the mud
cock F open.
As this apparatus does not require to be taken apart when adding fresh carbide
or when cleaning (as is usually the case) it is evident that after the air is once
removed from the inner portion of the vessel upon the first operation of the
generator, then air is never again admitted so that the acetylene gas generated is
perfectly free from admixture with air.
The generator is perferably connected in any well known manner (not shown in
the drawings) to a gasometer with a floating receiver or bell. The position of such
receiver or bell of course indicates visibly whether sufficient gas is in reserve or not
so that when a further supply is required it is only necessary to introduce several
pieces of carbide by hand into the vessel A.
The herein before described acetylene generator requires no more attention than
that given to automatic apparatus and it avoids the evident disadvantages of the

page_text: .
automatic apparatus as it does not require to be taken apart when re-filling or clean-
ing and has no moving mechanism likely to get out of order when working.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. An improved acetylene generator consisting of an open vessel filled with
water having no automatically moving mechanism and mechanical sealing arrange-
ments but constructed with a sloping bottom and sloping overhead partition to
serve as guides for the introduction of the carbide, these two portions forming
between each other a passage to a chamber enclosed by the water employed and
further enclosed by a flat valve or door operated when required from the exterior
of the generator.
2. The improved acetylene generator substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated ms 20th day
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.