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

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of
Acetylene Gas.
We, EDWARD BALDWIN PYM, of 29, Bramham Gardens, South Kensington,
Electrical Engineer, and JOHN GORE, of 124, Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell,
Civil Engineer, both in the County of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to apparatus for use in the manufacture of acetylene gas
and it comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
In apparatus of this class as heretofore constructed it is found that the pressure
of gas in the mains varies considerably. Now one object of this invention is to
obviate this defect and to this end we arrange, between the generator and the
chamber or holder from which the gas is directly used, a chamber which for
convenience of description we will term the first storage chamber into which the
gas passing from the generator flows and in which the pressure of the gas may
vary to any desired extent. This first storage chamber communicates with a second
chamber directly in communication with the gas mains and containing a hollow
float which is supported by gas admitted within it and which as it gradually
empties and so drops operates a valve to admit more gas from the first storage
chamber. With this arrangement the pressure of the gas passing to the mains is
only that caused by the weight of the float.
Instead of a float we may use a flexible diaphragm.
In order to prevent the excessive generation of gas from injuring the apparatus.
the valve herein before referred to may be arranged to act as a safety valve when
the pressure reaches a certain limit. When the valve acts in this capacity the
hollow float is lifted so that a dip pipe upon it is above the water level thereby
allowing the excess of gas to escape through a suitable outlet.
The admission of water to the generator and the consequent generation of gas is
controlled by the gas pressure which acts upon a check valve normally held open
under a head of water, and closes the said valve when the pressure of gas exceeds
that of the bead of water.
In order to prevent the possibility of gas passing this check valve and entering
the water tank we preferably employ a multiple valve, that is to say, a valve
having two or more valves and seats.
We preferably provide our apparatus with two generators adapted to be used
alternately and so arranged that when the calcium carbide in one generator is
exhausted the water will automatically be caused to flow into the other generator.
Suitable cocks are provided between the water tank and the generators and
arranged so that when one is opened the other is closed and vice versa.
Dated this 12th dar of Rahm 1806
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Use in the Manufacture of
Acetylene Gas.
We, EDWARD BALDWIN PYм, of 29, Bramham Gardens, Kensington,
Electrical Engineer, and JоHN GORE, of 124, Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell,
Civil Engineer, both in the County of London, 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 :-
Our invention relates to apparatus for use in the manufacture of acetylene gas
and it comprises the improvements hereinafter described.
In apparatus of this class as heretofore constructed it is found that the pressure
of gas in the mains varies considerably. Now one object of this invention is to
obviate this defect and to this end we arrange, between the generator and the
chamber or holder from which the gas is directly used, a chamber which for
convenience of description we will term the first storage chamber into which the
gas passing from the generator flows and in which the pressure of the gas may
vary to any desired extent. This first storage chamber communicates with a
second chamber directly in communication with the gas mains and containing
a float which is supported by the gas and which as it gradually drops operates a
valve to admit more gas from the first storage chamber. With this arrangement
the pressure of the gas passing to the mains is only that caused by the weight of
the float.
Instead of a float we may use a flexible diaphragm.
In order to prevent the excessive generation of gas from injuring the apparatus
the valve herein before referred to may be arranged to act as a safety valve when
the pressure reaches a certain limit, the excess of gas escaping through a suitable
outlet.
The admission of water to the generator and the consequent generation of gas
is controlled by the gas pressure which acts upon a check valve normally held open
under a head of water and closing when the pressure of gas exceeds that of the
head of water.
We preferably provide our apparatus with two generators adapted to be used
alternately and so arranged that when the calcium carbide in one generator is
exhausted the water will automatically be caused to flow into the other generator.
Suitable cocks are provided between the water tank and the generators and
arranged so that when one is opened the other is closed and vice versa.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of our duplex generator; and,
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same the section being taken on the
line 2-2 Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the storage chambers:
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the check valve which we employ with our
apparatus, the said figure being drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1 to 3:
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the said valve.
a, a' are the duplicate generator chambers which are mounted on a suitable
framing b and each provided with a cover c the said covers as shewn being fixed
by means of the pivot bolts d and wing nuts d' so as to permit of readily removing
and replacing them after the withdrawal of a spent charge and the introduction of
a new charge.
In practice the charges of calcium carbide are placed in baskets which can be

page_text: is
introduced within and removed from the generator chambers with facility.
the water inlet pipe containing a valve e and provided with two branches f, f
leading to the generator chambers a, a' respectively, the said branches, con-
taining cocks g, g' respectively, the levers of which cocks are connected by a rod h
in such a manner that when one is closed the other is opened. Each branch f, fis-
also provided with a cock fo for a purpose hereinafter described.
i, are by-passes around the cocks g, g' respectively, the said by-passes being
arranged above the level of the said cocks so that the water level has to rise before
the water can flow through the said by-passes. j. are the pipes through which
the gas generated escapes from the generator chambers, the said pipes being
connected with a common pipe k which leads te the storage chamber L, Figure 3.
Each of the pipes j, contains a valve m for shutting off communication between
the generator and the storage chamber.
The operation of this part of our apparatus is as follows:-Assume the
generator chambers to each contain a charge of calcium carbide and the rod / to
be in the position shown in Figure 1 so that the valve g is open and the valve g¹
closed. Water from the pipe e will now flow through the branch pipe into the
generator chamber a so that gas will be given off in the said chamber and pass
through the pipes and to the storage chamber 1, Figure 3. As the calcium
carbide becomes spent the level of the water will rise in the chamber a until finally
the latter will become full so that no more gas will be generated. The branch f
then gradually fills with water and the water also rises through the by-pass and
enters the generator chamber a' so that the generation of gas is only delayed for
the short time that the branch fand the by-pass are filling with water. The
generation of gas in the chamber a will now go on until the calcium carbide in the
said chamber a' is exhausted. Before this takes place, however, the attendant
who works the apparatus will have discovered by means of a gauge with which
each of the chambers a, a' is provided that the said chamber a is full of water.
He thereupon closes the cock in the branch pipe and the valve m in the gas
discharge pipe j so that the said generator chamber a is entirely cut off from both
the water supply and the storage chamber. The cover c of the chamber a is then
taken off and a new charge of calcium carbide is introduced into the said chamber
the water having been previously drawn off. The cock and valve m of the
pipe are then again opened and the rod h is moved over to close the cock g and
open the cock g so that the water will be prevented from flowing into the
chamber a through the branch f whilst the water which enters the chamber a' will
then flow directly through the branch' instead of over the by-pass i. When all
the calcium carbide in the chamber a is exhausted the water will flow through
the by-pass i into the chamber a after which the attendant will close the cock
in the branch and the valve m in the gas pipe " and introduce a new charge
into the said chamber a' which will be ready for use in the mauner hereinbefore
described after the charge in the chamber a has been exhausted.
n, Figure 3, is the second storage chamber from which the gas, the pressure of
which varies considerably in the storage chamber 1, is delivered at a substantially
uniform pressure, o is the passage through which the gas passes from the chamber
to the chamber n and p is the pipe through which the gas passes to the burners.
The top of the chamber a as shewn is formed of a flexible diaphragm g having
fixed to its centre a weight r sliding upon a guide pin a, the said diaphragm y rising
and falling together with the weight r under any slight variations of the gas
pressure in the chamber n. In the passage o is arranged the valve t around the
stem of which is a spring u which tends to move the said valve towards its seat, and
in connection with the upper end of the valve stem is a lever which is operated
by the weight r to open the said valve more or less according to the position of the
weight and the diaphragm q. When the pressure in the chamber n is more or
less relieved by the passing out of gas through the pipe p the diaphragm with the
weight will drop, for instance, to the position shewn in Figure 3 so that the
valve t will be opened to allow the desired quantity of gas to enter the chamber n.

page_text: If, however, only a small quantity of gas is used the diaphragm will rise to close
the valve considerably, and if no gas at all is being used the diaphragm will rise
with the valve r high enough to completely close the said valve.
The stem of the valve t is loosely connected with the lever so that the said
valve is free to rise against the pressure of the spring u under any excess of pressure
in the chamber Z independently of the lever v. The gas which passes the valve t
in this way escapes through the pipe we which dips into a liquid seal x in the bottom
of a chamber to the upper part of which is connected a pipe for conveying
the gas to the atmosphere.
It will be understood that the height of the water seal above the lower end of
the dip pipe w is suited to the maximum pressure which must be permitted within
the chamber n.
In order to obviate as far as possible the excessive generation of gas we employ
.as hereinbefore stated, a check valve. This check valve, which is indicated by the
letter y in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a chamber z, Figures 4 and 5, with which
the water supply pipe e communicates and which also has connected to it the
branches f,. On the nozzle through which the water from the pipe e enters
the chamber z we fix an india-rubber nozzle 2 which is flattened at the end.
pressure of the gas in the storage chamber at all times acts upon the water issuing
through the pipe e. If the pressure in the storage chamber is greater than that
of the water this pressure will flatten the end of the nozzle 2 so that no water can
pass through it. When, however, the pressure of the water is greater than the
pressure of the gas the water will flow through the said nozzle.
The
We wish it understood that no claim is made to this special construction of valve
in this application as it forms the subject matter of an application of a later date
No. 19214 of 1896.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas the employment of two
storage chambers into one of which the gas from the generator directly passes and
into the other of which the gas is admitted from the first storage chamber through
the medium of a valve the movements of which are controlled by a float or
diaphragm moved by the gas in the said second storage chamber, substantially as,
and for the purpose, described.
2. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas wherein two storage chambers
arranged as described in the preceding claiming clause are employed and wherein
a valve controls the flow of gas from one chamber to the other, the arrangement
of the said valve so that it may serve also as a safety valve, substantially as
described.
3. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas a duplex generator the
two chambers of which are connected with a water supply through branch pipes
provided with cocks or valves having by-passes around them whereby when the
charge of one generator is exhausted the water will automatically flow into the
other generator, substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
4. The improved apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas consisting of
the parts constructed and combined, substantially in the manner hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and operating as, and for
the purposes, set forth.
D
101
.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.