Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 6th May, 1898--Accepted, 25th June, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas.
I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL, of 29, Bexley Road, Erith, in the County of
Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me from abroad by Messrs. Josse and Defays, of Lille, France) to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of acetylene gas by allowing water to
act on calcium carbide and consists of an apparatus whereby the gas is produced
automatically according to the rate of consumption and also continuously as the
evolution of the gas is not stopped when recharging and cleaning the gas
generator.
It comprises essentially two or more gas generators containing the calcium
carbide, a gasometer for storing and equalising the pressure of the gas, a water
tank or reservoir in communication with the gas generators through the medium
of a special form of mercurial valve adapted to be operated by the movement of the
bell of the gasometer and of a washer or purifier through which the gas passes on
its way to the burners.
The gas generators consist essentially of suitably shaped receptacles adapted
to be closed by a lid so as to make a gas tight joint, preferably by means of a water
seal and also to contain a series of shallow trays which rest one on another and
which contain the calcium carbide. The bottoms of these trays may be perforated
in any suitable manner but they are preferably formed with cone shaped pro-
jections on each side, the apices of the cones being cut off or formed with holes or
perforations. It will be seen that the bottom of one tray forms the lid of the one
immediately below it. Suitable plug cocks are provided at or near the bottom
of the generators to allow of the unused water and chalk being drawn off and also
to allow of the escape of air when the generator is started after being recharged.
On the lower outside casing or fixed portion of the gasometer is fixed the mer-
curial valve. This valve is constructed on the principle of the difference in the
densities of liquids in the present case on the difference between the density of
mercury and water and as mercury has a density of 13.5 and water only of 1 it
is necessary that the water column shall be 13.5 times higher than that of mercury
in order that it shall overcome the resistance of the mercury.
In carrying this principle into effect for the present invention I use a suitably
shaped receptacle adapted to contain water and within this receptacle is suspended
another receptacle containing mercury. This outer receptacle is fixed to the
outside casing or fixed portion of the gasometer.
Dipping into the mercury contained in the inner receptacle is an open tube or
pipe for leading or conducting the water from the tank or reservoir, the water
in which is preferably kept at a uniform level by means of a ball cock or the like.
The end of this tube which dips into the mercury is preferably bevelled. The
inner receptacle is kept in its normal position, that is with the mercury covering
the end of the water tube by means of a spring so that no water is able to pass

page_text: from the tank or reservoir into the said receptacle. At or near the bottom of the
outer or fixed receptacle is a two way cock which can communicate by means of
pipes with either one of the gas generators which are situated below the mercurial
valve. The pipes enter the gas generators in any suitable position but their free
or delivery ends are situated at or near the tops of the generators, means being
provided to prevent the entering water from splashing and attacking the calcium
carbide contained in any but the lowest tray which has been unacted upon.
A rod carrying the receptacle containing the mercury is acted upon by means
of a projecting stop or bracket carried by the upper portion of the gasometer when
the said portion of the gasometer nearly reaches its lowest position, that is to say,
when there is very little gas left in it.
pro-
It will thus be seen that as the gas is expended the gasometer will sink and thus
operate the rod and so depress the mercury containing vessel which will cause the
end of the water pipe to become uncovered more or less and so allow a certain
portion of water to flow in from the tank or reservoir, the water overflows the
inner receptacle into the outer one and so raises the height of water contained
therein and therefore increases the pressure and so allows an equivalent amount
of water to flow into one of the gas generators which will act on the calcium car-
bide and generate gas which is led from the upper portion of the said containers
by means of pipes into the gasometer. The bell of the gasometer will then raise
and the stop thereon will no longer engage with the rod of the mercury contain-
ing receptacle, which will be returned to its normal position by means of the afore-
mentioned spring and so prevent more water from flowing into the generator until
the bell of the gasometer again descends.
It will be understood that only one of the generators is used at one time so as to
allow of one being recharged or cleaned whilst the other is generating. The two
or more generators are however connected to one another by means of pipes in such
a manner that should the carbide become exhausted in one of the generators the
water will flow into the next and thus prevent the interruption of the generation
of the gas.
Any suitable form of safety valve may be provided on the gasometer to prevent
it from exploding, a simple form being an open pipe preferably having its lower
end bevelled and a length slightly shorter than the bell of the gasometer so that
its bevelled end is normally covered by the water seal but is uncovered before the
bell reaches the limit of its ascent and so allows the gas to escape or to be led away.
The gas after leaving the gasometer and before being distributed for consump-
tion is made to pass through any suitable form of scrubber or purifier and is also
preferably dried.
cues in and relating to the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas.
I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL, of 29, Bexley Road, Erith, in the County of
Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication
to me from abroad by Messrs. Josse and Defays, of Lille, France) 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 improved apparatus for generating acetylene gas

page_text: whereby the gas is produced automatically according to the rate of consumption
and also continuously as the evolution of the gas is not stopped when recharging
and cleaning the gas generator.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation-partly in
section of an apparatus constructed according to this invention, and Figure 2 is
an enlarged view of the mercurial valve or water regulating device.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The apparatus consists of two or more gas generators A, A, adapted to contain
the calcium carbide, of a gasometer B for storing and equalising the pressure of
the gas, of a water tank or reservoir C in communication with the gas genera-
tors A, A, of a special form of mercurial valve I controlling the supply of water
to the generators A, A, and operated by the movement of the bell 13 of the gaso-
meter B, and of a washer or purifier E through which the gas passes before it is
consumed.
a
The gas generators A, A,-which are of any suitable size and shape are each
closed by a lid A¹ having deep flanges adapted to enter a recess a¹ in the top of
the chamber A containing water or other fluid and thus make an hydraulic seal.
In the top of the lid A is a depression which forms an annular recess a² on its
inner side for a purpose which will presently be made clear.
Each generator A contains a series of shallow trays a³ to hold the calcium
carbide. These trays rest one on another and have downwardly curved exterior
flanges at and coned shaped perforated projections in the bottoms so as to allow
the gas to ascend and also to allow the water to drain away from the calcium
carbide, the arrangement being such that the bottom of one tray forms the lid of
the one immediately below it. Suitable plug cocks Y are provided at or near the
bottom of the generators to allow of the unused water and chalk being drawn off
and also to allow of the escape of air when the generator is started after being
recharged.
On the exterior of the gasometer B is fixed the mercurial valve D. This valve
is constructed to act on the principle of the difference in the densities of liquids,
in the present case on the difference between the density of mercury and the
density of water which is as 13.5 to 1 so that it is necessary that the water column
shall be 13.5 times higher than that of the mercury in order that it shall overcome
the resistance of the mercury.
In carrying this principle into effect for the present invention I use a suitably
shaped vessel d adapted to contain water, and within this vessel is suspended
another vessel d' containing mercury X. Dipping into the mercury X contained
in the inner vessel d¹ is an open tube or pipe c connected to the water tank or
reservoir C, the water in which is preferably kept at a uniform level by means
of a ball cock or the like. The end of this tube c which dips into the mercury X
is preferably bevelled as shown. The inner vessel is suspended by a rod G.
passing through suitable guides a one fixed to the outer part of the gasometer B
and the other carried by the lid of the vessel d, and it is, kept in its normal position,
that is with the mercury covering the end of the water tube c by means of a
spring acting between one of the bearings and a collary on the rod G so that
no water is able to pass from the tank or reservoir C into the vessel d' until the
said vessel is depressed by the action of the sinking bell B' of the gasometer.
At or near the bottom of the vessel is a two-way cock which is connected by
means of suitable pipes F, F, with the gas generators A, A, which are placed below
the level of the mercurial valve D. The pipes F, F, enter the gas generators A, A;
in any suitable position but their orifices f, f, are situated at or near the tops of
the generators, the downwardly curved flanges a being provided to prevent the
water delivered by these pipes from splashing and attacking the calcium carbide
contained in any but the lowest tray which has been unacted upon.
The rod G by which the vessel d¹ containing the mercury is suspended is acted
upon by means of a projecting stop or bracket H carried by the bell B¹ of the
1..
2

page_text: gasometer B when the said bell nearly reaches its lowest position, that is to say
when there is very little gas left in the gasometer.
It will thus be seen that as the gas is expended the bell of the gasometer will
sink and thus operate the rod G and so depress the vessel d¹ containing the mercury
which will cause the end of the pipe c to become uncovered more or less and so
allow a certain proportion of water to flow into the said vessel & from the tank
or reservoir. After the vessel d¹ is full the water overflows into the outer vessel d
and so raises the height of water contained therein and thereby increases the
pressure and thus allows an equivalent amount of water to flow into one of the gas
generators, which acting on the calcium carbide generates gas which is led from
the upper portion of the said generator by means of pipes J into the gasometer.
The bell B of the gasometer will then rise and with it the stop H thus allowing
the rod G of the vessel d containing the mercury to return to its normal position
by means of the spring and so prevent more water from flowing into the
generator until the bell of the gasomieter again descends.
In order that the water may not be carried into the pipes J the orifices of the
said pipes are carried sufficiently high to terminate in the annular recess a³ in
the lids A where a cushion of gas always exists.
It will be understood that only one of the generators is used at one time so as to
allow of one being recharged or cleaned whilst the other is generating. The two
or more generators are however connected together by means of a pipe K so that
should the carbide become exhausted in one of the generators the water will flow
into the next and thus prevent the interruption of the generation of the gas.
Any suitable form of safety valve may be provided on the gasometer to prevent
it from exploding, a simple form being an open pipe preferably having its lower
end bevelled and of a length slightly shorter than the bell of the gasometer 80
that its bevelled end is normally covered by the water seal but is uncovered
before the bell reaches the limit of its ascent and so allows the gas to escape or to
be led away.
The gas is conducted from the gasometer B by means of the pipe b to scrubber
or purifier E of any suitable construction but preferably one capable of also
drying gas.
It will be understood that the water allowed to pass from the reservoir C to the
generators A, A, through the mercurial valve I) attacks the calcium carbide not
already acted upon nearest to the bottom of the generator and that after a given
quantity is passed the supply is cut off again until the calcium carbide acted upon
by the increase in the height of the water in the generator owing to the intro-
duction of the last quantity allowed to pass the mercurial valve is exhausted, when
the generation ceases and consequently the gasometer becomes emptied thus
actuating the mercurial valve and allowing a further supply of water to pass to the
generator or generators.
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) An apparatus for generating acetylene gas consisting essentially of two or
more generators adapted to contain the calcium carbide, connected with each
other and with a gasometer, the water being supplied to the generators and con-
trolled through the medium of a mercurial valve operated by the descent of the
bell of the gasometer substantially as set forth.
(2) An apparatus for generating acetylene gas consisting of two or more
generators adapted to be closed by means of lids making hydraulic seals therewith
and having trays adapted to contain the calcium carbide so arranged with respect
to each other that the bottom of one forms the lid of the one immediately below it,
the trays being also provided with downwardly curved outstanding flanges and coned
shaped perforated projections in their bottoms, the water being supplied to either
of the generators by means of a two-way cock and controlled by means of a mer-

page_text: curial valve consisting of a vessel adapted to contain water having another vessel
containing mercury suspended within it, of an open tube connected with a water
tank dipping into the mercury, the inner vessel being suspended by means of a
spring controlled rod and adapted to be depressed by means of a stop formed on the
bell of the gasometer so arranged as only to act when the gasometer is empty or
nearly so, of pipes for connecting the generators with the gasometer and also with
each other or not, as set forth.
(3) In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, supplying and controlling the
water to the generator or generators by means of a mercurial valve consisting
essentially of a vessel adapted to contain water having another vessel containing
mercury suspended within it, and having the open end of a water supply pipe
terminating in the mercury, the inner vessel being suspended by means of a spring
controlled rod adapted to be depressed so as to uncover the end of the water supply
pipe, through the emptying of the gasometer, as set forth.
(4) In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the use of loosely fitting
trays adapted to hold the calcium carbide within the generator or generators, so
arranged that the bottom of one tray forms the lid of the one immediately below it,
and providing the bottoms of said trays with cone-shaped perforated projections,
as set forth.
(5) An apparatus for generating acetylene gas constructed, arranged and adapted
to operate substantially as herein before described and shown.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc.M. Inst.C.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.