Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas.
I, VINCENZO SARDI, of Corso Regina Margherita, No. 153, Turin, in the Kingdom
of Italy, 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 an apparatus for producing acetylene gas automatically
and continually.
It is known that acetylene gas is produced by the contact of carbide of calcium
with water.
The invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings in
which:
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of same.
Fig 3 is a plan on a-b Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a plan on cd Fig. 2.
Figs. 5, 6, 7 represent three modifications of the apparatus on a smaller scale.
Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 a is an iron vessel with a cone shaped bottom provided
with an exit tube a¹ (having a screw tap) for discharging the deposit. The inside of
the vessel may be tinned or leaded or varnished and the vessel may rest on a cast iron
support having three feet a², the feet being secured thereto by screws so that they
may be removeable. a³ is a cock to remove the water from the vessel. a' is a cast
iron ring with three vertical projections a. bare three iron uprights fixed to projec-
tions and also to a top cast iron ring b¹ on which are fixed three double brackets b²
carrying pulleys 3. c is a gas bell which may be tinned leaded or varnished on the
top of which are fixed three double brackets c¹ carrying pulleys c² whose pivots are
adjustable in horizontal slots c³ of the brackets c¹. d are three ropes passing on pulleys c³
attached by one end to projections c¹ and by the other end to balancing weights d¹.
e is a small cock fixed on top of bell c to draw off the gas. f is a compound white
metal collar situated centrally of the bell c. f is a metal tube fixed to collar fand
passing downwards. 2 is another metal tube fixed to collar f and passing upwards.
fs is a metal tube having a bell mouth fixed by a cast iron ring f4 to tube f g is a
metal bell having a gland g' at its top. h is a tube with an adjustable noveable top
and bottom containing the carbide of calcium said tube having its surface perforated
with holes. To the top of this hole is fixed a metal rod / passing through the
gland g and having a handle h². i is a cast iron ring to which are attached three
tee iron or similar bars ' fixed at their lower end to a channel shaped cast iron ring ¿²
carrying three double brackets 23 with wheels are three cast iron hanging
brackets fixed to ring i and carrying each a pulley over which passes a rope 12
attached to balancing weights 13. m is a bell shaped conical valve with a reversed

page_text: compound white metal collar or tube m³ secured to it (in which water is contained as
shown and into which tube f passes) and three compound hard metal guides m²
which work against the bars. The collar or tube m³ has three projections m³ to
which are attached the ropes 12. n are three L angle iron pieces attached by screws
to the bottom of bell c to carry the ring 2 water valve and frame inside of the bell in
such a way that by taking off these pieces n the water valve and its fraine may be
taken out and cleaned when necessary.
The vessel a being filled with water up to say three or four inches from the top and
the exit tube a¹ and cock as being closed as well as the cock e on top of the gas bell,
water is introduced in the space between tubes f2 f3 and the bell g is plunged in the
vessel, air is removed from bell e by opening cock e after which it is closed and by
means of handle h² and rod h¹ the carbide of calcium tube is forced down so that its
bottom touches the water contained in vessel a and the production of the gas
commences.
The gas that is thus produced causes the bell c to rise together with the tube contain-
ing the carbide of calcium which is thus removed from contact with the water so that
no more gas is produced. If the gas produced is drawn out by cock e the bell a will
drop and the carbide of calcium will touch the water again and consequently more
gas will be produced and so on.
When the charge of carbide of calcium is consumed a new supply is put in tube A
without stopping the operation of apparatus because when the tube is taken out
the water valve m which has been previously forced down rises to the position shown
in the drawing and the gas contained in bell c cannot come out on account of the
seal produced.
If the apparatus he left charged and idle for several days in such a position that
the carbide of calcium is out of contact of water a small quantity of gas will still be
produced on account of the evaporation of the water and the bell e will consequently
rise gradually and reach the top of the frame, after which the excess of gas that may
still be produced will on account of over pressure force its way across the water and
expand out the peculiar smell of the gas giving the alarm before any danger of
accident might arise.
The device for containing the carbide of calcium may also be fixed on a level with
the vessel a in an adjoining vessel a as shown in Fig. 6 which vessel communicates
with the main vessel the bell c being connected with the carbide of calcium tube by
means of a flexible india rubber pipe provided with two cocks as shown.
Fig. 5 shows a somewhat different arrangement of apparatus the principle however
being the same as in Fig. 1. In this the tube f containing carbide is made longer and
closed at its bottom: a cock o operated from the outside of bell c by a long rod
and handle allows water from vessel a to enter tube f¹ and a cock o' fixed to tube f¹
and operated from the outside of bell c allows gas to pass from tube f to bell c, this
arrangement taking the place of the water valve m. The apparatus being charged
with carbide and water and the two cocks o o¹ being open the apparatus begins to
work and gas is produced and by shutting cock o the gas production is stopped.
Fig. 7 represents a modification of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 in which cock of
is done away with and tube f' is open at the bottom so that water is always in contact
with the carbide: cuck o' may also be made to work automatically.
The advantages of the apparatus as described are; that the charging of the carbide of
calcium may be effected quite safely without stopping the working of it even during
the burning of the gas produced: that the pressure of gas in the apparatus is quite
constant and continual, and its production proportional to the amount consumed so
that by simply shutting the exit cock the production of gas is stopped automatically:
that the apparatus is quite safe and in no 17 y is there danger of explosion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-

page_text: 1. In apparatus for the continuous and automatic production of acetylene gas, the
combination of the various parts as indicated at Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed
drawings, of which the principal features are, vessel a, bell c, dip tube g, carbide
holder h attached to and moveable with tube g, the conical water valve m, all substantially
as described.
1. In apparatus for the continuous and automatic production of acetylene gas a
vessel-containing water, a gas bell therein and a tube holding the carbide of
enleinm arranged-substantially as-described.
2. The combination-with-the-vessel-gas-bell-and tube-referred to in the preceding
claim, of a conical water valve supported by a frame and suitably guided and
balanced-and-a-tube fixed-inside the gas bell, substantially as and-for-the-purpose
described.
3. The combination-with-the vessel, gas-bell and tube referred to in Claim 1-of-u
water valve-consisting of a tube-fixed-to-the-gas bell on the outside, an outer tube
secured to--the first and a bell having a-gland-substantially-as-and-for-the
purpose-described.
4. The combination with a vessel-und-gas bell of a perforated tube for the-carbide
having an-adjustable top-and-bottom, a surrounding tube-and a rod with a handle
for-operating the perforated tube arranged substantially as and for the purpose
described.
5. The--combination with a vessel--gas-bell--and tube of a secondary vessel
connected with-the-first-vessel-in-which-is-situated a-tube-holding the carbide-of
ealcium two-cocks-and-a-flexible tube substantially as described and illustrated-in
Fig-6
6. The combination with the vessel gas bell and tube referred to in Claim 1 of
two-cocks fixed-to-the-tube-substantially as and for the purpose-described--and
illustrated in Fig. 5:
7. The combination-with-the-vessel gas bell-and-tube-referred to in Claim 1-ot
a-cock-fixed-to tube-substantially-as-and-for the-purpose-described and illustrated
in-Fig. 7
8. The general arrangements and constructions--of-apparatas-for-the--production
of neetylene-gas substantially-us-described--and--illustrated in the figures of the
drawings.
D
LOOG