Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generating Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generating Apparatus.
A communication from abroad by LESLIE WARD, of St. Georges Street, Cape
Town, Cape Colony, Electrical Engineer.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House,
Victoria Embankment, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated
to me from abroad) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in acetylene gas generating apparatus
by means of which certain advantages are obtained and it has reference more
particularly to generators of that type in which water is supplied to the calcic
carbide and in which the pressure of the gas generated forces back superfluous
water for the time being.
In carrying the invention into effect a tank is employed which is divided by
means of a horizontal plate into two separate tanks one lying over the other and
which for the purposes of this specification I shall hereinafter refer to as the upper
tank and the lower tank respectively. A circular opening is cut in the said hori-
zontal plate and to the edge of said opening is attached the upper end of a cylin-
drical tube or funnel which latter extends downward to near the bottom of the
lower tank and in such manner that when water is in the said tank a water seal
is constituted. Within the said tube or funnel is the carbide chamber consisting
of a cylindrical vessel passing through the bottom of the lower tank. The gas
supply pipe extends upwards and is preferably coiled within the upper tank for
cooling and condensing purposes. At a suitable part of the said pipe a gas cock
is fitted. A water pipe fitted at any suitable part with a tap or cock passes from
the bottom of the carbide chamber to a part within and near to top of the lower
tank. The carbide chamber which is designed to receive the carbide cage con-
taining the carbide is closed at the bottom by a lid or cover articulated or hinged
in any desired manner and this lid is furnished with or has attached to it a drain
cock. Just above the said lid a rod is loosely placed in a direction diametrical
with respect to the carbide chamber and in line with the lower part of the water
tube so that at will it may be slid along into the said pipe or when fixed diametri-
cally across the opening of the carbide chamber it serves as a support for the
carbide cage. The carbide cage consists of two hollow cylinders each cut away
through a part of the periphery and placed one within the other so that they may
have the same geometric axis and the inner be capable of rotation within the
outer and each of the said parts may be perforated to any desired extent. The
inner part of the cage may be divided by partitions into any desired number of
compartments.
When desired certain of the parts of this apparatus may be multiplied in num-
ber. For example, with a sufficiently large tank several carbide chambers may
be employed and these may be arranged in a step up or step down fashion.

page_text: Having thus described a typical form of this invention it is to be understood
that it is not to be construed as limited to the precise details of construction men-
tioned, as it is obvious that anyone skilled in the art to which the invention per-
tains may modify the details thereof to a considerable extent without departing
from its spirit.
Doted this 10th day of ivoust 1909
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generating Apparatus.
A communication from abroad by LESLIE WARD, late of St. Georges Street, Cape
Town, Cape Colony, and now of Elswick Court Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne,
Electrical Engineer.
I, JAMES GRIEVE LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I. Mech. E., of Norfolk House,
Norfolk Street, London, W.C., in the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me
from abroad) 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 improvements in acetylene gas generating apparatus
by means of which certain advantages are obtained and it has reference more
particularly to generators of that type in which water is supplied to the calcic
carbide and in which the pressure of the gas generated forces back superfluous
water for the time being.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood I have appended
hereto a sheet of drawings in which,
Figure I is a central vertical section of the apparatus with the pipes 10 and 12
shown in elevation.
Figure II is an underneath plan of the carbide chamber with the cover shown
as moved on one side.
Figures III and IV are sections of the carbide cage with the two cut away
cylinders in different positions.
Figure is a plan of the carbide cage.
In carrying the invention into effect a tank 1 is employed which is divided by
means of a horizontal plate 2 (which in order to overcome the difficulty of manu-
facture in attaching the periphery of such a plate to the sides of the tank 1, I
provide with cylindrical sides 3 as will be hereinafter more fully described), into
two separate tanks one, 4, lying over the other, 5, and which for the purposes of
this specification I shall hereinafter refer to as the upper tank and the lower
tank respectively. A circular opening 6 is cut in the said horizontal plate and
to the edge of said opening is attached the upper end of a cylindrical tube or
funnel 7 which latter extends downward to near the bottom of the lower tank
and in such manner that when water is in the said tank a water seal is constituted.
Within the said tube or funnel is the carbide chamber 8 consisting of a cylin-
drical vessel passing through the bottom 9 of the lower tank. The gas supply
pipe 10 extends upwards and is preferably coiled within the upper tank for cool-
ing and condensing purposes. At a suitable part of the said pipe a gas cock 11
is fitted. A water pipe 12 fitted at any suitable part with a tap or cock 13 passes
from the bottom of the carbide chamber to a part within and near to the top of
the lower tank. The carbide chamber which is designed to receive the carbide

page_text: cage 14 containing the carbide is closed at the bottom by a lid or cover 15 articu-
lated or hinged in any desired manner and this lid is furnished with or has
attached to it a drain cock 16. Just above the said lid a rod 17 is loosely placed
in a direction diametrical with respect to the carbide.chamber and in line with
the lower part of the water tube so that at will it may be slid along into the said
pipe or when fixed diametrically across the opening of the carbide chamber (on
the bottom flange of which its head may rest) it serves as a support for the car-
bide cage. The carbide cage consists of two hollow cylinders perforated to any
desired extent or formed of wire gauze or the like on wire frames each cut away
through a part of the periphery and placed one within the other so that they
may have the same geometric axis and the inner 18 be capable of rotation within
the outer 19. This is more clearly shown in Figures III and IV where it will
be seen that each cylinder is cut away as aforesaid, the outer cylinder at the
part 20 and the inner at the part 21. In Figure III the cage is shown open
that is to say with the cut away parts of the cylinders coinciding. In Figure IV
the cage is shown closed and with the cut away parts at opposite sides of the cage.
The inner part of the cage may be divided by partitions 22 into any desired
number of compartments 23.
I have herein before mentioned that on account of difficulty of manufacture,
particularly in galvanizing, instead of attaching the periphery of the plate 2 to
the wall of the tank 1, I provide the said plate 2 with cylindrical sides 3. This
gives the device a form resembling that of a gas holder bell but it does not fulfil
the functions of a gas holder bell for the reason that it is not designed to rise.
and fall in tank 1. On the contrary I cause it to be fixed in such manner that
it cannot rise and fall. This is effected by attaching to one part of the side 3 a
lug or projection 24 and to the bottom 9 of the tank a lug-cock 25, so that when
the plate 2 is pressed into its lower position and then given an angular
turn on its geometric axis, lug 24 will come under lug-cock 25 and rise and fall
in the tank will be prevented. 26 is a cock for emptying the tanks of water.
In order to charge the apparatus let us assume that the carbide cage has been
taken out and opened so that its cylinders take up the position shown in
Figure III. Carbide is now placed on the partitions 22 and the inner cylinder is
then turned round through an angle of 180 degrees to the position shown in
Figure IV. Water is poured into the upper tank and flows down between the
carbide chamber 8 and cylinder 7 until the lower tank 5 is full and this pouring
in of water is continued until it reaches a level a few inches above plate 2.
Cock 13 being closed the carbide cage is now inserted within the carbide cham-
ber and the rod 17, previously pushed along the horizontal portion of tube 12
so as to be out of the way, is now pulled back into the position shown in Figures I
and II, one end resting within the pipe 12 and the other end above the bottom
flange of the carbide chamber. The carbide cage is now supported on said rod
and the cover 15 is now closed and cock 16 shut. Everything is now ready for
operation.
When desired to bring the apparatus into operation cock 13 is opened so that
water passes down pipe 12 from the lower tank 5 and rises within the carbide
chamber. Here it comes in contact with the carbide in the lowest compartment
of the carbide cage and acetylene gas is generated. As soon as gas is generated
it presses back the water away from the carbide until cock 11 is opened when
the consumption of gas reduces the pressure in the carbide chamber and water
again rises therein and further gas is generated and so on. Should any excess
of gas be generated the extra pressure will force the surplus gas up pipe 12 and
this gas will collect at the top of the lower tank 5, displacing a certain amount
of water which latter will be forced up funnel 7 and raise the level of the water
in the upper tank 4. Should pressure in the carbide chamber again be reduced
water will travel down funnel 7 from upper tank 4 and rise in lower tank 5 30
that the gas trapped therein will be forced down pipe 12 into the carbide cham-
ber again and water will flow down pipe 12 into the carbide chamber and generate

page_text: a further quantity of gas. So the cycle of operations goes on until the carbide in
the carbide cage is exhausted. To replenish this with carbide cocks 11 and 18
are closed and cock 16 opened. Any water in the carbide chamber or in the lower
portion of pipe 12 will thus escape. The cover 15 is now opened, rod 17 is slid
along the horizontal portion of pipe 12 and the carbide chamber is free to drop
out into the hands to be again filled and replaced as hereinbefore described.
When desired certain of the parts of this apparatus can be multiplied in
number. For example, with a sufficiently large tank several carbide chambers
may be employed and these may be arranged in a step up or step down fashion
in a manner well understood in the art.
Having thus described a typical form of this invention it is to be understood
that it is not to be construed as limited to the precise details of construction men-
tioned as it is obvious that anyone skilled in the art to which the invention per
tains may modify the details thereof to a considerable extent without departing
from its spirit.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
(as communicated to me from abroad) and in what manner the same is to be
performed, I declare that what is claimed is:-
1. In an acetylene generator the arrangement and combination of parts sub-
stantially as set forth."
2. The combination of upper tank, lower tank, funnel, carbide chamber with
one pipe passing therefrom to lower tank and having a cock therein and gas
supply pipe with cock substantially as set forth.
3. The carbide cage substantially as set forth.
4. The employment of a rod for supporting the carbide cage substantially as
set forth.
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