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

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 19th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Automatic Production of
Acetylene Gas.
I, ALFRED HENRI BARTHEZ, of the Hamma, Algiers, Africa, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for the automatic
production of acetylene gas for domestic and industrial purposes, such as forms
the subject of my former application for Letters Patent No. 9294 dated April 12th,
1897 (date claimed 22nd September, 1896).
The present improvements consist in extending the carbide feed-tube or shoot.
for a certain distance below the surface of the water in the gas generator, and
disposing beneath the delivery orifice thereof a distributing cone down the side
of which the carbide will roll and be spread upon a grid arranged in the generator.
With this improved arrangement the acetylene disengaged cannot have access by
way of the feed-shoot to the receiver which contains the distributing bucket-
wheel described in the application above referred to, so that it becomes unnecessary
to hermetically close this receiver, which may be opened for recharging without
allowing the acetylene stored in the generator to escape.
Further, according to the present improvements the gas-generator and gas-
holder may be two separate receivers.
'
I will now describe, by way of example, an apparatus embodying the improve-
ments which constitute the subject of the present application.
The gas-generator consists of a receiver mounted on feet and closed by a bell
making a hydraulic joint or lute with said receiver by means of an annular water
container on the generator in which it slides. The generator is fed with water by
means of a funnel-tube which opens to the interior thereof, and the acetylene
formed is led to the gas holder by way of a tube provided with a drain-cock at its
lowest part.
A stopcock is also provided at the bottom of the generator through
which the deposits of lime may be drawn when necessary.
At a certain distance below the surface of the water in the generator is provided
a grid carrying at its centre a cone upon which the carbide discharged from the
distributor falls, and rolling down this cone, is spread uniformly upon the grid.
The distributor consists of a bucket-wheel pivoted in a chamber supported above
the generator on rods and communicating with it by means of the feed-shoot upon
which the bell of the generator slides. The receiver can be closed on top by a
door or cover.
Each bucket of the distributing wheel is closed by a hinged cover which, bed-
ding on india-rubber, makes a hermetic-joint when pressed against the edges of
the bucket by the shorter arm of a two-armed lever carried by the wheel and
arranged to turn on its axis so as to disengage the bucket cover." This is effected
during the rotation of the wheel, when the longer arm of the lever engages an
abutting piece in the form preferably of a spring-return inclined stop projecting
into the distributing chamber. The cover of the corresponding bucket opens then

page_text: by its own weight, and the charge of carbide from the bucket thus opened falls
through the feed-shoot upon the cone and spreads upon the grid in the gas
generator.
When it is desired to stop the working of the apparatus it suffices to move the
said spring stop-piece out of the path of the bucket closing levers, and so conse
quently prevent the opening of the buckets. This displacement of the stop piece
is effected by moving an exterior button.
The invention also comprises mechanism for turning the buckets of the wheel,
one by one, in accordance with the movements of the gas-holder bell.
For this purpose upon the shaft upon which the bucket wheel is keyed, outside
the receiver, a ratchet wheel is fixed, the movement of which in one direction only
is governed by a detent. On the bucket wheel shaft is loosely mounted a lever
furnished at one end with a counterweight; to the other end of it is attached a
cord which passes over guiding pulleys and is fixed at its other end to the bell of
the gas-holder. This lever carries a pawl which turns the ratchet
wheel, and in consequence the bucket-wheel, when the bell of tho
holder descends. The movement of the lever in the other direction
is limited by a stop in such a manner that the angle of rotation given to the
bucket-wheel by this lever at each descent of the gas-holder bell is exactly equal to
that corresponding to a bucket.
An indicating pointer, moving over a scale shows at any time, how many buckets
remain charged. The time for recharging the buckets is thus readily ascertained.
The quantity of gas stored in the gas-holder after the fall of the contents of one
bucket, is, moreover, always more than sufficient to feed the burner during
recharging.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows;-
For charging the distributor, the exterior operating button is drawn outward
so as to change the position of the spring stop-piece clear of the fastening levers;
then the cover at the top of the receiving chamber is opened, and the uppermost
bucket filled and closed, then the wheel is turned a little to bring an empty bucket
uppermost, this bucket is then filled and closed, and so on until all the buckets are
filled. The wheel is then turned so as to bring the indicating pointer in front
of a figure (say "12") on the scale and the distributor receiver door closed.
When the working is to commence, the exterior operating button is pressed in
and the ratchet wheel turned by hand until the indicating pointer reaches the
division (say "1"); a bucket is then emptied and the bell (of the gas-holder) then
fills, so permitting the pawl lever to return under the action of the counterweight.
At the end of the next descent of the bell the chain or cord is pulled and also the
pawl lever, so that a fresh change of carbide will fall into the generator. Working
will continue automatically in this manner so long as all the buckets are not empty
or the stop button is not drawn outward so as to prevent oscillation of the closing
levers during the rotation of the bucket-wheel as described.
When the output of the apparatus is to be small, the gas generator may serve
also as gas-holder; in this case, in working, the bell slides on the feed-tube and
to this bell is attached the lower extremity of the cord or chain for operating the
pawl lever in the manner and with the result above described.
Dated the 6th day of November 1897
Improvements in Apparatus for the Automatic Production of
Acetylene Gas.
I, ALFRED HENRI BARTHEZ, of the Hamma, Algiers, Africa, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
-
This invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for the automatic
production of acetylene gas for domestic and industrial purposes, such as forms
the subject of my former application for Letters Patent No. 9294 dated April 12th,
1897 (date claimed 22nd September, 1896).
The present improvements consist in extending the carbide feed-tube or shoot
for a certain distance below the surface of the water in the gas generator, and
disposing beneath the delivery orifice thereof a distributing cone down the side
of which the carbide will roll and be spread upon a grid arranged in the generator.
With this improved arrangement the acetylene disengaged cannot have access by
way of the feed-shoot, to the receiver which contains the distributing bucket-
wheel described in the application above referred to, so that it becomes unnecessary
to hermetically close this receiver, which may be opened for recharging without
allowing the acetylene stored in the generator to escape.
Further, according to the present improvements the gas-generator and gas-
holder may be two separate receivers.
I will now describe, by way of example, the apparatus illustrated in the accom-
panying drawing which embodies the improvements which constitute the subject
of the present application.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus, Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in
section, and Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views on an enlarged scale of the inclined
plane which causes the opening of the buckets.
The gas-generator consists of a receiver A mounted on feet and closed by a bell B
making a hydraulic joint or lute with said receiver by means of an annular water
container a on the generator in which it slides. The generator is fed with water
by means of a funnel tube C which opens to the interior thereof, and the acetylene
formed is led to the gas holder by way of a tube C provided with a drain-cock at
its lowest part. A stop cock a¹ is also provided at the bottom of the generator
through which the deposits of lime may be drawn when necessary.
At a certain distance below the surface of the water in the generator is provided
a grid J carrying at its centre a cone K upon which the carbide discharged from
the distributor falls, and rolling down this cone, is spread uniformly upon the
grid.
The distributor consists of a bucket-wheel D pivoted in a chamber E supported
above the generator on rods e and communicating with it by means of the feed-
shoot Fupon which the bell B of the generator slides. The receiver can be closed
on top by a door or cover E¹.
Each bucket of the distributing wheel is closed by a hinged cover d, which,
bedding on india-rubber, makes a hermetic joint when pressed against the edges
of the bucket by the shorter arm of a two-armed lever d¹ de carried by the wheel
This is
and arranged to turn on an axis da so as to disengage the bucket cover.
effected during the rotation of the wheel, when the longer arm of the lever
engages an abutting piece in the form preferably of a spring-return inclined stop d'
5 projecting into the distributing chamber E. The cover of the corresponding
bucket opens then by its own weight, and the charge of carbide from the bucket
thus opened falls through the feed-shoot F upon the cone K and spreads upon
the grid J in the gas generator.
5
When it is desired to stop the working of the apparatus it suffices to move the
said spring stop piece out of the path of the bucket closing levers d¹d and so
consequently prevent the opening of the buckets. This displacement of the stop
piece is effected by moving an exterior button d³.
The invention also comprises mechanism for turning the buckets of the wheel,
one by one, in accordance with the movements of the gas-holder bell.
For this purpose upon the shaft D' upon which the bucket wheel is keyed, out-

page_text: side the receiver, a ratchet wheel G is fixed, the movement of which in one direction
only is governed by a detent g¹. On the bucket wheel shaft is loosely mounted a
lever H furnished at one end with a counterweight h; to the other end of it is
attached a cord h¹ which passes over guiding pulleys and is fixed at its other end
to the bell M of the gas-holder. This lever carries a pawl H¹ which turns the
ratchet wheel, and in consequence the bucket wheel, when the bell of the holder
descends. The movement of the lever in the other direction is limited by a stop I'
in such a manner that the angle of rotation given to the bucket wheel by this
lever at each descent of the gas-holder bell is exactly equal to that corresponding
to a bucket.
An indicating pointer L, moving over a scale, shows at any time, how many
buckets remain charged. The time for recharging the buckets is thus readily
ascertained. The quantity of gas stored in the gas holder after the fall of the
contents of one bucket, is, moreover, always more than sufficient to feed the burner
during recharging.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows;.
:~
For charging the distributor, the exterior operating button d is drawn outward
so as to change the position of the spring stop-piece d clear of the fastening
levers ; then the cover E at the top of the receiving chamber E is opened,
and the uppermost bucket filled and closed, then the wheel D is turned a little to
bring an empty bucket uppermost, this bucket is then filled and closed, and so on
until all the buckets are filled. The wheel is then turned so as to bring the indi-
cating pointer L in front of a figure (say "12") on the scale and the distributor
receiver door E¹ is closed.
When the working is to commence, the exterior operating button d is pressed
in and the ratchet wheel G turned by hand until the indicating pointer reaches
the division (say "1"); a bucket is then emptied and the bell M (of the gas holder)
then fills, so permitting the pawl lever H to return, under the action of the counter-
weight h. At the end of the next descent of the bell, the chain or cord h¹ is pulled
and also the pawl lever H, so that a fresh charge of carbide will fall into the
generator A. Working will continue automatically in this manner so long as all
the buckets are not empty, or the stop button do is not drawn outward so
prevent oscillation of the closing levers d¹ ds during the rotation of the bucket
wheel D as described.
as to
When the output of the apparatus is to be small, the gas generator A may serve
also as gas-holder; in this case, in working, the bell B slides on the feed-tube F
and to this bell is attached the lower extremity of the cord or chain h¹ for operating
the pawl lever H in the manner and with the result above described.
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 herein before described improvement in automatic apparatus for the
production of acetylene of the kind referred to in the Specification of Letters
Patent No. 9294 of 1897 which consists in extending the carbide feed-tube or
shoot for a certain distance below the surface of the water in the gas generator
for the purpose of preventing the access of the acetylene to the casing of the
distributor.
2. The improvement in automatic apparatus for the production of acetylene of
the kind referred to in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 9294 of 1897 which
consists in the arrangement below the water level in the gas generator and beneath
the delivery orifice of the carbide feed-tube or shoot above referred to of a dis-
tributing cone which serves to spread the carbide discharged from the said feed-tube
or shoot upon a grid arranged in the generator substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.

page_text: 3. The several arrangements in combination and in detail of the apparatus
hereinabove described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this Nineteenth day of April 1898.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Associate Agent for the Applicant, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.