Improvements in Apparatus for the Automatic Supply of Carbide of Calcium in the Production of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 1st Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 24th May, 1898-Accepted, 2nd July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Automatic Supply of Carbide of
Calcium in the Production of Acetylene Gas.
I, FRANÇOIS ANTOINE KIEFFER, of 109, Rue du Bac, Paris, France, Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1
This invention relates to apparatus for the automatic supply of carbide of
calcium proportionately to its consumption in the production of acetylene gas.
The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 of which represents a vertical section and Figure 2 a horizontal section
of the apparatus taken on line 1-2 Figure 1. Figure 3 is a detail view of the
float. Figure 4 is a vertical section and Figure 5 a horizontal section on
line 3-4 Figure 4 of a modified form of the apparatus. Figure 6 is a detail
view of a modified form of float. The same letters of reference indicate the same
parts in all the figures.
The apparatus consists essentially of a closed container for the carbide
suspended within a water tank and provided at its upper part with an inlet for
the carbide and at its lower part with an outlet controlled by a weighted valve
whose opening and closing are dependent on the fall and rise respectively of the
container within the tank.
In the drawings, f is the container for the carbide, mounted in the bell b
which is supported on an annular water seal contained between the outer and
inner walls a and c of a water tank having a discharge outlet for the spent
carbide in its hopper-shaped bottom, this outlet being provided with a cock d.
e is a cock for regulating the level of the water in the tank. The container f has
a hopper-shaped bottom provided with an outlet g closed by a flap valve / hinged
to the side of the opening and acted upon by a float connected to the valve
by an armi i hinged to the valve, the position of the float k relatively to valve h,
and consequently the extent of opening of the valve being regulated by adjusting
arm i on a quadrant (see detail Figure 3). The container f is hermetically
closed by a cover m which may be provided with a cock n for supplying the
carbide to container f from a hopper o as the operation proceeds.
The following is the action of the apparatus:-Water is first introduced into
vessel c until it begins to escape by cock e which is then closed, after which a
sufficient quantity of carbide of calcium previously reduced to small pieces is
placed in container f. The float being buoyed up by the water in vessel c,
D977

page_text: opens valve h and allows the carbide to fall through the opening g into the water
contained in the tank. An evolution of acetylene gas is thus produced which
raises bell band with it the container f and so causes the valve h to oscillate
and close opening g thus for the time being cutting off the supply of carbide.
In proportion as the acetylene gas contained in bell b is delivered for consump
tion through pipe (which may be placed at any suitable point of the apparatus)
the bell descends together with the carbide container carried thereby. During
this downward movement the valve h opens by the action of the float k so as to
allow a small quantity of carbide to drop into the water contained in vessel c
when a fresh evolution of gas takes place, after which the bell. again rises and
the valve closes, and so on, a supply of carbide proportionate to the consumption
of acetylene gas being automatically ensured.
The opening and closing of the outlet of the carbide container f may be
obtained in various ways, as for example by means of a ball q, as shewn in
Figures 4 and 5, which falls and so closes the aperture when the container rises
and is caused to uncover it when the bell descends, by striking against a hori
zontal rod r fixed across the vessel c in the position shewn. The ball q may be
connected by means of a vertical rods to a float t provided with a conical
spreader u for distributing the carbide, as shewn in Figure 6. The vertical move-
ment of the ball g is regulated by means of the vertically adjustable cross bar v
carried by rod s. The ball q also may be provided with a cone on its upper side.
Dated this 1st day of September 1897.
A..M. & WM. CLARK.
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Automatic Supply of Carbide of
Calcium in the Production of Acetylene Gas..
I, FRANÇOIS ANTOINE KIEFFER, of 109, Rue du Bac, Paris, France, Inventor,
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 the automatic supply of carbide of
calcium in an acetylene gas generator, proportionately to the consumption.
The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawing accompanying
my Provisional Specification Figure 1 of which represents a vertical section of
the apparatus and Figure 2 a horizontal section taken on line 1-2 Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a detail view of the float. Figure 4 is a vertical section and
Figure 5 a horizontal section, on line 3-4 Figure 4, of a modified form of the
apparatus. Figure 6 is a detail view of a modified form of float.
letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
The same
The apparatus consists essentially of a closed container for the carbide
supported within the bell of a gas generator and provided at its lower part with
an outlet controlled by a valve whose opening and closing are dependent on the
fall and rise respectively of the carbide container within the tank as hereafter
described.
In the drawings f is the carbide container mounted in the crown of the bell b
which dips into an annular water seal contained between the outer and inner
walls a and c of a water tank which is hopper-shaped at bottom and provided
with a discharge outlet and cock d for the spent carbide, and with a cock e for

page_text: regulating the level of the water within the tank. The carbide container f has
a hopper-shaped bottom provided with an outlet which in Figure 1 is closed by
a flap valve h acted upon by a float k whose arm i is hinged to the valve and is
adjusted rigidly in position relatively thereto by being pinned to a quadrant
as shewn in Figure 3, so as to regulate the extent of opening of the valve. The
container f is hermetically closed by a cover m and may be surmounted by a
supply hopper o capable of being put in connection with the container by a
cock n for supplying the carbide to container f as the operation proceeds.
The action is as follows:-Water having been filled into the tank until it runs
out at cock e which is then closed, a sufficient quantity of carbide of calcium
in small pieces is filled into container f. The float resting at the surface of
the water the valve h is raised and the carbide falls through the opening into
the water. The acetylene gas then generated raises bell b and container f until
the float, being no longer supported by the water, allows the valve h to close,
thus for the time being cutting off the supply of carbide. As the acetylene gas
contained in bell 6 is delivered for consumption through pipe (which may be
placed at any suitable point of the apparatus) the bell descends along with the
carbide container until the action of the float k opens the valve so as to allow a
small quantity of carbide to drop into the water when a fresh evolution of gas
takes place, after which the bell again rises and the valve closes, and so on, a
supply of carbide proportionate to the consumption of acetylene gas being
automatically ensured.
The valve controlling the opening and closing of the outlet g of the carbide
container may be otherwise operated, as for example it may be a ball g as
shewn in Figures 4 and 5 which falls into and closes the aperture and is caused
to open it when the bell descends by meeting a bar r fixed across the tank cas
shewn. Or the ball valve q may be connected by a vertical rods to a float t
provided with a conical spreader as shewn in Figure 6 for preventing the
carbide lodging thereon, the extent of the opening movement of the ball valve q
being limited by an adjustable cross bar on rod s. The ball valve
also may
be coned on top.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
―
An apparatus for the automatic supply of carbide of calcium to an acetylene
gas generator, characterized by the combination with, the carbide container
carried by a bell, of a valve controlling the supply of carbide to the generator
and connected to a float so that its opening and closing is dependent upon the
fall and rise of the bell as specified.
1000
A. M. & WM. CLARK.
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.