Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 20th June, 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
[Communicated from abroad by JULIEN GRAND, of 41, Rue Victor Hugo, Lyon,
in the Republic of France, Engineer.]
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene Gas.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to special arrangements introduced into the construction
of an acetylene gas generator operating by means of the carbide falling into
the water.
In the greater number of apparatus of this kind, the carbide container or dis-
tributing funnel is arranged directly within and at the centre of the apparatus.
As this arrangement presents numerous disadvantages, it has appeared to me to
be more practical (whilst constructing the apparatus with one body only which
serves as its base) to arrange upon this body two distinct parts, that is to say,
the gasometer dome or bell and the carbide container or distributing funnel upon
which the said dome acts. By this means, the carbide reservoir is not subjected
to the action of the water vapours in the body of the apparatus and it is inde-
pendent and is thus capable of being rapidly removed in case of need; in addition
to this, inspection and maintenance of the apparatus are facilitated, the move-
ments of the distributing lever are more under control, this latter being capable
of actuation by hand at will. In short, the apparatus which forms the subject
of this invention constitutes an improvement upon and simplification of all
carbide distributing appliances hitherto constructed.
My improved apparatus consists of a double circular casing one of which is
arranged within the other in such a manner as to constitute a water joint within
which joint is displaced a dome the weight of which determines the pressure of
the gas which is thus rendered constant. This double casing is rigidly fixed upon
a reservoir containing the decomposing water. Upon the side of this reservoir
is arranged the gas supply cock, which is in communication by means of a pipe
with a central vertical tube drawing the gas from the upper part of the apparatus
after it has been purified, the said gas having for this purpose been caused to
pass through any suitable purifying medium such as coke, iron filings, and so
forth, which is arranged within the casing.
At the side of this double casing is fixed, likewise upon the water reservoir and
therefore above the decomposition water, the hollow support at the upper part of
which is mounted by means of a screw, bayonet or other suitable joint the carbide
distributor. Within this distributor is provided a vertical guide tube in which
slides the rod of a loaded valve closing downwardly by its weight alone, the
aperture for the escape of the carbide from the distributor. The upper extremity
of this rod is provided with a fork for the purpose of connecting the said rod with

page_text: a pivoted operating lever. The object of this lever is to raise the valve when the
dome bears against the extremity of the said lever. A stop arranged upon the
upper part of the distributor serves to render the lever immovable when desired
and so prevent the distributor from acting..
The joint between the valve rod and the carbide distributor may be formed in
any appropriate manner, for example by means of an arrangement consisting of
an india rubber washer, which, being fixed at its circumference to the distributor
and at its centre to the valve rod between two nuts or washers, follows the move-
ments of the said rod. The connection may however be made by means of a water
oil, glycerine or other joint, such arrangement consisting of a double tube forming
the centre of the distributor between the walls of which a second tube which forms
a bell so to speak and is fixed to the valve rod, permits of the displacement of
this latter.
Either of these arrangements enables the valve rod to be freely displaced
whilst at the same time a perfect joint avoiding any escape of gas is obtained.
The apparatus is also provided with an exhaust pipe enabling the calcium
water to escape, a stirring board for use when the calcium water is too thick to
pass off readily, a clearing out door, a water level tube, a cock likewise indicating
to what level the decomposition water should rise, a stopper closing the aperture
through which the granulated carbide is introduced into the distributor and a
water supply cock.
The operation is as follows:-
The base or decomposition water reservoir being filled with water up to the
water level cock the purifying medium placed within the envelope, the dome or
bell placed in its water joint and this joint filled with liquid, it is only necessary
to remove the plug on the distributor and introduce within this latter the desired
quantity of granulated carbide and then replace the plug. Having effected this
it is only necessary to press lightly upon the lever in order to produce a few
initial distributions of carbide. Some grains of the carbide thus falling into the
water, acetylene gas is immediately formed which, as it cannot escape, raises the
bell slightly after having passed through the purifying medium. At this point
the gas cock should be opened in order to allow the mixture of gas and air, which
is formed upon first starting the apparatus, to escape from this latter, as the
said mixture is non-combustible. In a few moments the burners may be lighted
and the gas required to supply them is thenceforth supplied automatically as
required.
Owing to the escape of gas from the bell to the burners resulting from the
pressure of the said bell, the latter will gradually descend, but in so doing strikes
against the distributing lever thereby momentarily raising the valve and per-
mitting a small quantity of carbide to escape from which arises a fresh instan-
taneous production of a certain quantity of gas which will cause the bell to again
rise and thus stop the escape of the carbide, and so on in succession.
The importance of this apparatus will readily be understood, since it enables
the capacity of the distributing reservoir to be increased without increasing
the diameter of the hell, the two parts being quite distinct and independent.
It may also be charged whilst in operation, all that is necessary to enable this to
be effected is that a certain quantity of the gas produced should be stored up in the
bell whereupon the distributing lever is fixed by means of its stop, the plug
is rapidly unscrewed and the distributing funnel filled whilst the gas which has
been previously produced and accumulated in the bell is being consumed.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene Gas.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 special arrangements introduced into the construction
of an acetylene gas generator operating by means of the carbide falling into
the water.
In the greater number of apparatus of this kind, the carbide container or dis-
tributing funnel is arranged directly within and at the centre of the apparatus.
As this arrangement presents numerous disadvantages, it has appeared to me to
be more practical (whilst constructing the apparatus with one body only which
serves as its base) to arrange upon this body two distinct parts, that is to say,
the gasometer dome or bell and the carbide container or distributing funnel upon
which the said dome acts. By this means, the carbide reservoir is not subjected
to the action of the water vapours in the body of the apparatus and it is inde-
pendent and is thus capable of being rapidly removed in case of need; in addition
to this, inspection and maintenance of the apparatus are facilitated, the move-
ments of the distributing lever are more under control, this latter being capable
of actuation by hand at will. In short the apparatus which forms the subject
of this invention constitutes an improvement upon and simplification of all
carbide distributing appliances hitherto constructed.
The apparatus is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a central vertical section through the same.
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view, and
Figure 3 shows a modification which may be introduced in the construction
of the apparatus.
My improved apparatus consists as shown in Figure 1 of a double circular
casing A, A and A¹, A¹, the latter of which is arranged within the former in
such a manner as to constitute a water seal arrangement within which is dis-
placed a dome B the weight of which determines the pressure of the gas which
is thus rendered constant. This double casing A A, A A¹, is rigidly fixed upon
a reservoir C containing the decomposing water said reservoir being of sufficient
capacity as to prevent heating. Upon the side of this reservoir is arranged the
gas supply cock 1, which is in communication, by means of a pipe J¹, with a
central vertical tube J drawing the gas from the upper part of the apparatus after
it has been purified the said gas having for this purpose been caused to pass
through any suitable purifying medium R, such as coke, iron filings and so forth,
which is arranged within the casing A' A'.
At the side of this double casing is fixed, likewise upon the water reservoir C
and therefore above the decomposition water, the support D at the upper part
of which is mounted by means of a screw, bayonet or other suitable joint Q the
carbide distributor E E. Within this distributor is provided a vertical guide
tube P in which slides the rod S₁ of a loaded valve S closing downwardly by its
weight alone, the aperture for the escape of the carbide from the distributor.
The upper extremity of this rod S¹ is provided with a fork L for the purpose of
connecting the said rod with an operating lever O pivoted at M. The object of
this lever is to raise the valve S when the dome B bears against the extremity
of the said lever. A pin N* passing through the stop or bracket N arranged upon

page_text: the upper part of the distributor serves to render the lever O immovable when
desired and so prevent the distributor from acting.
The joint between the valve rod S¹ and the carbide distributor E may be formed
in any appropriate manner, for example by means of the arrangement represented
in Figure 1 consisting of an india rubber washer V, which being fixed at its
circumference to the distributor and at its centre to the rod S₁ between two nuts
or washers, follows the movements of the said rod. The connection may however
be made by means of a water oil, glycerine or other joint as represented in
Figure 3, such arrangement consisting of a double tube X forming the centre
of the distributor between the walls of which a second tube Z which forms a bell
so to speak and is fixed to the valve rod S¹, permits of the displacement of this
latter.
Either of these arrangements enables the valve rod to be freely displaced
whilst at the same time a perfect joint avoiding any escape of gas is obtained.
The apparatus is also provided with an exhaust pipe G enabling the decom-
position water to escape, a stirring board G¹ for use when the decomposition water
is too thick to pass off readily, a cleaning out door H, a water level tube, I, a
cock I likewise indicating to what level the decomposition water should rise, a
stopper K closing the aperture through which the granulated carbide is introduced
into the distributor and a water supply nozzle T.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The base or decomposition water reservoir C being filled with water up to the
water level cock I, the purifying medium R placed within the envelope A¹ A',
the dome or bell B placed in its water joint or seal and this joint filled with liquid,
it is only necessary to remove the plug K on the distributor and introduce within
this latter the desired quantity of granulated carbide and then replace the plug K.
Having effected this it is now necessary to press lightly upon the lever O in
order to produce a few initial distributions of carbide. Some grains of the carbide
thus falling into the water, acetylene gas is immediately formed which, as it
cannot escape, raises the bell B slightly after having passed through the purifying
medium. At this point the gas cock F should be opened in order to allow the
mixture of gas and air, which is formed upon first starting the apparatus, to escape
from this latter, as the said mixture is non-combustible. In a few moments
the burners may be lighted and the gas required to supply them is thenceforth
supplied automatically as required.
Owing to the escape of gas from the bell to the burners resulting from the
pressure of the said bell, the latter will gradually descend, but in so doing strikes
against the distributing lever O thereby momentarily raising the valve S and per-
nitting a small quantity of carbide to escape from which arises a fresh instan-
taneous production of a certain quantity of gas which will cause the bell to again
rise and thus stop the escape of the carbide, and so on in succession.
The importance of this apparatus will readily be understood, since it enables
the capacity of the distributing reservoir to be increased without increasing
the diameter of the bell, the two parts being quite distinct and independent.
It may also be charged whilst in operation, all that is necessary to enable this to
be effected is that a certain quantity of the gas produced should be stored up in the
bell B whereupon the distributing lever is fixed by means of its stop N, the plug K
is rapidly unscrewed and the distributing funnel filled whilst the gas which has
been previously produced and accumulated in the bell is being consumed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. The hereindescribed improvement in apparatus for the production of
acetylene gas characterised by a water reservoir of large capacity intended to
contain the decomposition water in sufficient quantity to prevent the possibility
of heating; the said reservoir supporting a gas containing bell or dome which is

page_text: displaced in a water joint formed by a double concentric tube or envelope between
the walls of which the bell moves, the purifying and drying substances being
arranged within the said double tube thereby causing the said bell and tube to
serve a twofold purpose, that of gas container and purifying column.
2. The arrangement consisting in mounting side by side upon the decom-
position water reservoir, the gas holder or gasometer and the carbide distributor
in the manner described and for the purposes specified.
3. The method of distributing the granulated carbide by means of the gaso-
meter dome itself, by means of an external lever of any suitable form arranged
in any appropriate manner and provided with a stop for enabling the carbide
distributing valve to be fixed.
4. The arrangement within the carbide distributor of a valve automatically
closing by downward motion owing to its own weight, the aperture for the dis-
charge of the carbide without the assistance of any mechanisin such as springs,
levers or the like.
5. The two constructional modifications above described and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 3 of the devices for forming a joint between the rod S¹ of the dis-
tributor valve and the distributor itself, consisting either of an india rubber washer
or of a water or other liquid joint X Z, the whole substantially as above described
and for the purposes specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.