Improvements in and connected with Acetylene Gas Generator, Purifier, and Container.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Acetylene Gas Generator,
Purifier, and Container.
THOMAS ROW FOWLER 6 Woodville Terrace Liverpool Engineer I do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new and improved apparatus for generating, purifying
& storeing acetylene gas automatically from Calcium Carbide. To ensure this I
specially construct a simple and safe apparatus, particulars as follows.-
I provide a cylinder with double walls for holding water, and an inverted cylinder
between those two walls; underneath the inner cylinder, and surrounded by water, I
have a chamber containing lime, charcoal or any other suitable purifier.
From the top of the inner cylinder, and connected with the purifying chamber is
a flow pipe for the gas, which being purified passes out to the mains by another pipe,
each pipe being provided with a stopcock. Attached to the top, inside of the inverted
cylinder, is a perforated receptacle fitted with a trap and gland, through which slides
a vertical rod attached to another perforated receptacle for holding the calcium
carbide, this latter receptacle may either have one or more compartments, or a set of
distinct receptacles, so that they may be used singly or together according to the
quantity of gas required to be manufactured. The generating of gas is caused as
follows. Both cocks are turned on and the rod attached to the receptacle containing
calcium carbide is lowered until the calcium carbide touches the water in the inner
cylinder, gas is generated, and the blow off cock should then be immediately closed.
The holder or inverted cylinder filled with gas then rises; automatically stopping
further action until some of the gas is consumed.
The rod may then be still lowered a little, when the calcium carbide again reaches
the water, and generating proceeds as before.
The action may also be suspended altogether by raising to its full height, the rod
to which is attached the receptacle containing the calcium carbide, when all the gas
can be used out of the generator.
I also if required use one or more cylinders, or holders of the same construction
for storing the gas; connected with the generating cylinder by suitable cocks, so that
there may be a constant supply of gas during re-charging the generating cylinder.
Dated this Eighth day of December 1896.

page_text: MIDEM DIBUITICATION.
Improvements (in and connected with Acetylene Gas Generator,
Purifier, and Container.
I, THOMAS ROW FOWLER, formerly of 6 Woodville Terrace, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, but now of 19, Harcourt Avenue, Seacombe, in the County of Chester,
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 a new and improved apparatus for generating, purifying
and storing acetylene gas from calcium carbide. After being charged with carbide
and set in action as hereafter described the generation proceeds automatically,
depending on the amount of gas withdrawn for use or storage. The main advantages of
my invention lie in the safety with which it may be used, and the portability of the
apparatus.
Referring to the drawings.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through my apparatus. Figs. 2 and 3 are details.
A is a cylindrical upright vessel having inner walls A¹. The annular space between
them is filled to near its top with water and in this water floats an inverted cylinder
or bell B. At the top of bell B, I provide a lid C, which may be screwed into a
flanged ring C, attached to said bell. A screwed rod D passes through a nut and
stuffing box C in lid C, and at its lower end carries one or more cages E, in which
the carbide is placed. In my Provisional Specification I have described the rod D as
simply sliding through said stuffing box, but I find that it is more certain to retain
its place if threaded. The cages E are provided with simple means such as bayonet
joints for fastening to the rod D and to each other. I make each cage E conical, that
is, wider at top than bottom, and carrying at top a pair of inwardly projecting pins or
lugs e which pass upwards through recesses e in the bottom of the cage above, a
slight turn serving to retain their relative positions. See Figs. 2 and 3, which are
plan views of the top and bottom respectively, the latter also showing a plate
attached to the bottoin of rod D. One or more of such cages E may be filled, and
inserted into the generator at a time, according to the quantity of gas likely to be
required. I provide an outer cage F, affixed inside top of bell B, which surrounds
the cages E and is intended as a safeguard in case by chance one or more of said cages
should become detached. The various dimensions of the different parts of the
apparatus are so proportioned that in such an event, when the bell B rises owing to
generation of gas, the bottom of outer cage F will be well above the surface of the
water in the inner cylinder A¹.
Beneath the bottom of inner cylinder A' the purifying chamber, which may be
killed or emptied through a man hole provided with lid G. The purifying material
(such as a mixture of lime and charcoal) is contained in baskets H. If desired,
especially in the smaller sizes of the machines, I may employ a single cage H,
attached direct to lid G, and in that case I prefer that it shall be higher than those
shown, and project up further into the body of the apparatus, the walls of the
purifying chamber being modified in shape to accomodate it, and consequently being
surrounded by the water in inner cylinder A¹. (See dotted lines, Fig. 1.)
I provide a safety valve I, whose exit tube J, passes through the bottom of the
apparatus. For the sake of clearness in the drawings this tube J is shown broken off
short. When the apparatus is in use in an enclosed room, tube J may be connected
with the outside air by a length of flexible pipe. Safety valve I is of any suitable
construction and is brought into action when the bell B rises above a predetermined
limit. The valve I have shown is opened by being lifted from its seat by means of a

page_text: yoke K, attached to the bottom of cage F, and, rising and falling therewith. When
it is desired to completely remove bell B from the top of the apparatus, the yoke K
is withdrawn by being slid along a slot k, so as to clear valve I. A pipe L leads from
near the top of inner cylinder A¹ to the purifying chamber, whilst the exit of the gas
therefrom is provided for by pipe M, having a cock m. I provide drip or drain
cocks N, for use in getting rid of condensed water.
I may use the apparatus in some cases without a safety valve, but where such is
employed, I provide depending pipe R', perforated at top, which acts as a guide to
prevent turning or wabbling of the bell. The apparatus is provided with handles P
for lifting purposes.
The mode of action is as follows.
Water is placed in the inner cylinder and in the annular space around it, and the
bell B is then placed in position. One or more cages E charged with carbide are
then inserted, and the lid C screwed down, the apparatus being then ready for use.
When it is desired to commence the generation of gas, the rod D is screwed down a
little and the lower layer of the carbide thus brought into contact with the water.
The first increment of gas is allowed to run to waste, being mixed with air, and
therefore explosive, but after a few seconds the gas is sufficiently pure to use. As
the generation continues the bell B rises and thus lifts the carbide clear of the
water and as the gas is withdrawn for storage or use it again falls, and so on. The
production of the gas may be suspended or regulated with the greatest nicety by
means of the screwed rod D.
I also, if required, use in addition to the apparatus described above' one or more
cylinders or holders of similar construction, for storing the gas. They may be
connected with the generation cylinder by pipes or tubing, and provided with cocks,
so that there may be a constant supply of gas during the recharging of the carbide
cages. I am aware that there have been numerous devices suggested for the
automatic generation of acetylene and that some of the parts of the apparatus above
described have hitherto been used, and I make no claim for such taken separately,
but,
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,
1. The combination of an apparatus for generating acetylene, with a purifying
chamber contained therein and surrounded by water, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus such as described, a series of detachable cages adapted to contain
carbide, and so constructed that one or more may be used as desired, substantially as
described.
3. In apparatus such as described, the combination of one or more detachable
cages D, with a screwed rod F to support them and to adjust their position within
the generator, substantially as described.
4. The outer cage F, which acts as a safeguard, substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of October 19017
CHARLES COVENTRY,
Patent Expert, Applicant's Agent.