Apparatus for the Automatic Generation of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Automatic Generation of Acetylene Gas.
We, EUGENE GABRIEL VILLEJEAN, M.D., of the Hotel-Dieu, Place du Parvis,
Notre Dame, Paris, France, and HENRI JEAN JOSEPH FROSSARD (Chemist), of
1, Rue Auber, Paris, France, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the automatic generation of acetylene
gas from calcium carbide and at a pressure below one atmosphere and in such
manner that the production of gas is limited proportionally to the rate of
consumption.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which we have illustrated
two types of apparatus as examples. Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a
portable lamp and Figure 2 a vertical section of a gas generator suitable for a gas
supply by means of service pipes. Figure 3 is a modification and Figure 4 is a
detail view of the capillary regulator, drawn on a larger scale.
The object of the Invention is attained by means of a water supply regulator
comprising a capillary tube a of which the diameter, to suit the rate of How, is
found by Poiseuille's formula:— D=q1
HK
The size of the drops is regulated by Tate's Law and in order to increase their
number per minute, with the object of diminishing the chances of fluctuation
of the flame, the conical nozzle of the capillary tube is made of as small a diameter
as possible and is connected to said tube by means of a screw coupling and com-
pressible washer. The regulator tube is provided with a valve chamber b
containing a float c (Figure 4) a rubber ball for example, said chamber being made
in halves screwed together and luted with cement to prevent leakage. A constant
pressure of gas is obtained by maintaining constant the height of the column of
water in the regulator. This result is obtained by converting the water reservoir d
into a Mariotte's bottle, for which purpose two tubes are provided, one e which
rises from. the lower reservoir f to the burner its lower end being bevelled and
having a hole at g so as to permit of the drops of water of condensation
falling without causing the flickering of the flame. The other tube h extends from
the cover of the Mariotte's bottle to the regulator which is a continuation of it.
and is pierced with two rows of holes i placed about one centimetre apart, the
upper row i for the admission of air to the vessel d and the lower row / for the
passage of water to the regulator, the active level being in the plane of the upper
row of holes i. Within the tube is a valve 7 operated by a screw rod m working
through the cap pierced with one or more air admission holes n serving to close
the passage of water into the regulator, no other valve being necessary as the
supply of water is regulated by the consumption at the burner.

page_text: It will be understood that the forms of apparatus in which the above described
devices are embodied may be greatly varied, those shewn in the drawings being
merely examples.
In the portable lamp the water reservoir forms the upper part of the lamp body
while the lower part f contains the gas generated and the holder r for the calcium
carbide seated in the removable base o which is unscrewed for charging, the joint
being made gas tight by an indiarubber packing 2. The carbide is placed on a
conical tray of wire gauze placed point downwards within the holder r.
water is introduced through a filling hole s closed by a cap.
The
The generator shown in Figure 2, which is more especially intended for use
in lighting railway carriages and lighthouses, is also constructed of two superposed
containers d and f as before, which are separated by a dome t forming the bottom
of water reservoir d upon the under side of which the aqueous vapours formed
become condensed, the water being thereby heated and prevented from freezing.
If necessary, the gas may be caused to pass through a worm u with a similar object.
When the heating of the water is not necessary the two vessels may be made
separate, as shewn in Figure 3. The water is introduced at a filling orifice s
closed by a cap and air is admitted through holes n. v is an emptying hole, a is an
indiarubber packing for the joint between the chambers f and d which are con-
nected together by a bayonet fastening and secured by wing nuts y.
holder z water gauge graduated in hours.
", q carbide
The action is as follows:-A cartridge of prepared carbide, or a charge of carbide
in lumps, having been placed in position the water chamber is filled with filtered
water and if the apparatus has not been before in use, the regulator is primed by
unscrewing the capillary nozzle and the water allowed to flow by raising the piston.
until the jet is of the full diameter of the tube and the ball floats. The nozzle is
then screwed on, care being taken to see that the water trickles from it. The
upper and lower parts are then connected and water allowed to run on to the carbide
whereupon acetylene gas is generated and the internal pressure rises and immedi-
ately it equals that of the column of water equilibrium is established, the water is
driven back, and the rubber ball rises, arrests the supply of water, and prevents
the entrance of gas into the water chamber. As the pressure is diminished by the
consumption of gas at the burner it no longer balances the column of water in the
regulator, the ball falls and allows water to flow in, and so on.
The water on contact with the carbide decomposes it but the reaction is so rapid
that the lime formed according to the equation—
is at once disintegrated, is dried by contact with the adjacent carbide, passes
between the lumps of carbide, and falls to the bottom of the casing. Apertures
prvided at the base of the carbide holder permit the water of condensation, which
trickles down the inner walls of the apparatus, to be absorbed by the lime formed
and to decompose the fine particles of carbide which may have fallen through the
meshes of the cone.
In order to extinguish the light it is only necessary to close the valve when the
production of gas ceases, the lamp continuing to burn until the internal pressure
corresponds to that of the atmosphere when the flame expires. If a cock be provided
on the gas pipe the closing of it will cause the internal pressure to increase and the
float to close the water supply tube. As a precaution the valve should also be shut
when the pressure would be slightly raised but never to a dangerous extent. The
apparatus is inexplosive, and easily operated without the use of parts liable to get
⚫out of order.
Tdth: 20th day of Tonum 1907
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.

page_text: We, EUGÈNE GABRIEL VILLEJEAN, M.D., of the Hotel-Dieu, Place du Parvis,
Notre Dame, Paris, France, and HENRI JEAN JOSEPH FROSSARD (Chemist), of
1, Rue Auber, Paris, France, 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 apparatus for the automatic generation of acetylene
gas from calcium carbide at a pressure below one atmosphere and in such
manner that the production of gas is limited proportionally to the rate of
consumption.
Reference is to be had to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification
in which we have illustrated two types of apparatus as examples. Figure repre-
sents a vertical section of a portable lamp and Figure 2 a vertical section of a gas
generator suitable for a gas supply by means of service pipes. Figure 3 is a
modification and Figure 4 is a detail view of the capillary regulator, drawn on a
larger scale.
The object of the Invention is attained by means of a water supply regulator
comprising a capillary tube a of which the diameter, to suit the rate of flow, is
found by Poiseuille's formula
D= q
in which D
=
=
HK
=
=
diameter of tube in millimetres ; q the quantity of water per second
in cubic millimetres; the length of the tube in millimetres; H
the pressure
in millimetres of mercury; and K = a constant depending on the nature of the
liquid.
The size of the drops is regulated by Tate's Law and in order to increase their
number per minute, with the object of diminishing the chances of fluctuation
of the flame, the conical nozzle of the capillary tube is made of as small a diameter
as possible and is connected to said tube by means of a screw coupling and com-
pressible washer. The regulator tube is provided with a valve chamber b
containing a float c (Figure 4) a rubber ball for example, said chamber being made
in halves screwed together and luted with cement to prevent leakage. A constant
pressure of gas is obtained by maintaining constant the height of the column of
water in the regulator. This result is obtained by converting the water reservoir d
into a Mariotte's bottle, for which purpose two tubes are provided, one e which
rises from the lower reservoir f to the burner, being bevelled at its lower end and
having a hole at g so as to permit of the drops of water of condensation
falling without causing the flickering of the flame. The other tube h extends from
the cover of the Mariotte's bottle to the regulator which is a continuation of it
and is pierced with two rows of holes i k placed about one centimetre apart, the
upper row i for the admission of air to the vessel d and the lower row k
for the passage of water to the regulator, the active level being in the plane of the
upper row of holes i. Within the tube is a valve operated by a screw rod m
working through the cap which is pierced with one or more air admission holes n
and serving to close the passage of water into the regulator, no other valve being
necessary as the supply of water is regulated by the consumption at the burner.
It will be understood that the forms of apparatus in which the above described
devices are embodied may be greatly varied, those shewn in the drawings being
merely examples.
In the portable lamp (Figure 1) the water reservoir d forms the upper part of the

page_text: lamp body while the lower part f contains the gas generated and the holder r for the
calcium carbide seated in the removable base o which is unscrewed for charging, the
joint being made gas tight by an indiarubbe packing p. The carbide is placed on a
conical tray of wire gauze placed point downwards within the holder r.
water is introduced through a filling holes closed by a cap.
The
The generator shown in Figure 2, which is more especially intended for use
in lighting railway carriages and lighthouses, is also constructed of two superposed
containers d and f as before, which are separated by a dome t forming the bottom
of water reservoir d upon the under side of which the aqueous vapours formed
become condensed, the water being thereby heated and prevented from freezing.
If necessary, the gas may be caused to pass through a worm u with a similar object.
When the heating of the water is not necessary the two vessels may be made
separate, as shewn in Figure 3. The water is introduced at a filling orifice s
closed by a cap and air is admitted through holes n. v is an emptying hole, a is an
indiarubber packing for the joint between the chambers f and d which are con-
nected together by a bayonet fastening and secured by wing nuts y.
holder z water gauge graduated in hours.
r, q carbide
The action is as follows:-A cartridge of prepared carbide, or a charge of carbide
in lumps, having been placed in position the water chamber is filled with filtered
water and if the apparatus has not been before in use, the regulator is primed by
unscrewing the capillary nozzle and the water allowed to flow by raising the valve
until the jet is of the full diameter of the tube and the ball floats. The nozzle is
then screwed on, care being taken to see that the water trickles from it. The
upper and lower parts are then connected and water allowed to run on to the carbide
whereupon acetylene gas is generated and the internal pressure rises and immedi-
ately it equals that of the column of water equilibrium is established, the water is
driven back, and the rubber ball rises, arrests the supply of water, and prevents
the entrance of gas into the water chamber. As the pressure is diminished by the
consumption of gas at the burner it no longer balances the column of water in the
regulator, the ball falls and allows water to flow in, and so on.
The water on contact with the carbide decomposes it but the reaction is so rapid
that the lime formed according to the equation
*
is at once disintegrated, is dried by contact with the adjacent carbide, passes
between the lumps of carbide, and falls to the bottom of the casing. Apertures
provided at the base of the carbide holder permit the water of condensation, which
trickles down. the inner walls of the apparatus, to be absorbed by the lime formed
and to decompose the fine particles of carbide which may have fallen through the
meshes of the cone.
In order to extinguish the light it is only necessary to close the valve when the
production of gas ceases, the lamp continuing to burn until the internal pressure
corresponds to that of the atmosphere when the flame expires. If a cock be provided
on the gas pipe the closing of it will cause the internal pressure to increase and the
float to close the water supply tube. As a precaution the valve / should also be shut
when the pressure would be slightly raised but never to a dangerous extent. The
apparatus is inexplosive, and easily operated without the use of parts liable to get
out of order.
By reversing the connections of the tubes on the valve chamber herein before
referred to, the rubber float valve may be replaced by a ball valve of greater density
than water. In this case the capillary nozzle is attached to a swan-neck connected
to the top of the chamber b in place of the tube a whilst the lower upwardly curved
end of the water supply pipe from the feed reservoir is connected to the lower end
of chamber b so that the ball is pressed upon its orifice by the gas pressure and raised
by the weight of the column of water when the pressure falls. The ball may be
mounted on a stem and be guided in its vertical movement.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is::
1st. The herein described apparatus for automatically regulating the production
of acetylene gas at a constant pressure, consisting of a direct acting capillary
regulator of the pressure on a capillary tube of calculated dimensions substantially
as specified.
2nd. The herein described apparatus for the automatically regulated generation
of acetylene gas at a constant pressure consisting in the combination of a water
reservoir directly superposed upon the gas generating chamber containing the
carbide so that the water supply is warmed by the heat of the reaction and the
condensation of aqueous vapour effected, the water and gas generating chambers
being connected by a direct acting capillary regulator whereby the water supply
is so governed that the pressure of gas is maintained constant as described.
Dated this 30th day of October 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.