Improvements in Acetylene Generating Apparatus
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Generating Apparatus,
JOSEPH SOMERS GOODWIN, 4A, Bethune Road, Stamford Hill, London, N.,
Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object to construct a safe & efficient apparatus for the
generation of acetylene gas, such apparatus being very compact so as to be suit-
for the lighting of railway carriages, or to be used for any other like purpose
where space is a consideration.
I will describe the generator as arranged to go underneath a railway carriage
for the purpose of supplying the same with acetylene gas.
It consists of an outer cylindrical casing, the proportion of width to depth
being about as 4 is to 1. It is divided horizontally by a partition near the
bottom. In the side of the outer case and immediately above the partition are a
number of circular openings. Into these openings are fitted cylinders horizontally
placed & running radially & inwardly. They are closed at the inside end. At
the other end where they are fixed to the outer case they are provided with a
removable cover that can be made gas tight. The object of these cylinders is to
hold the carbide receptacles.
These
The carbide receptacles nearly fit the cylinders, they are closed at one end &
have a removable cover at the other end. The sides are perforated.
receptacles are provided with handles to facilitate removal.
An opening is made in the partition aforesaid and a tube is fitted which
extends from the partition to nearly the bottom of the apparatus.
An opening is made in one of the cylinders in the side at its lowermost part
where it touches the partition through which the opening is continued. Another
opening is made in the side of the cylinder-that is uppermost, into this is fitted
a pipe. This pipe is bent downwardly and enters the next cylinder at a point
corresponding to the bottom opening in the first cylinder. A pipe is fixed to
the top of the second cylinder and connected to the bottom of the third cylinder,
and so on to the last cylinder. The pipe at the top of the last cylinder is fitted
with a tap and is provided with a well. A small pipe from the bottom of the
well leads through the bottom of the apparatus and is fitted with a blow off cock.
The pipe and well pass from the last cylinder through the upper compartment
of the apparatus (which contains the supply of water) & the pipe finally makes its
exit through the centre of the top casing where it is connected by a socket joint
to the gas service pipes. An opening is made in the last cylinder & through the
partition and is fitted with a tap.
The opening in the bottom of the first cylinder is also fitted with a tap. A
pipe from the top of the last cylinder but one, is connected to the pipe leading to
the gas service pipe, this is fitted with a tap. The pipe leading from the top of
the last but one cylinder to the bottom of the last cylinder is fitted with a tap.
All these taps are arranged to be operated from the outside and are for the

page_text: object of being able to cut out the last cylinder from the others or visa versa, so
that the apparatus may be charged whilst working. (By means of other pipes
and taps suitably connected any other cylinders might be cut out as required.)
An opening is made in the bottom of each cylinder & a tube is fitted & is carried
through the side of the outer case at which point a water guage is fixed down-
wardly, each guage being fitted with a blow off cock. An opening is made in
the top of the outer case to admit the supply of water. The whole apparatus is
to be supported underneath the railway carriage in such a way that it may
revolve on its perpendicular axis, the object being to enable the apparatus to be
fully charged from the permanent way, whichever side of the carriage is to the
platform.
From the construction of the apparatus it will be seen that it is automatic in
action, & that the water will not enter the second cylinder until the carbide is
exhausted in the first and so on. The water guages will show how far the water
has penetrated and so indicate from the outside which of the carbide receptacles
require replenishing.
A suitable governor is to be used in connection with the apparatus as the
pressure of water is variable.
It will be seen that if the purpose the apparatus is required for will permit
it being fixed, the outer casing may be rectangular & the carbide receptacles all
on one side.
Dal 11.
1000
I, JOSEPH SOMERS GOODWIN, of 4a, Bethune Road, Stamford Hill, in the County
of London, Commercial Traveller, 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 improvements in acetylene gas generators, the object
being to provide safe, efficient and compact apparatus more particularly adapted
for lighting railway carriages and other vehicles or where space is a consideration.
According to the invention I construct my apparatus of an outer casing which
may be cylindrical or of other suitable shape divided horizontally by a partition
near the bottom and provided with a number of openings leading into closed
chambers which may be of cylindrical or other suitable shape. In the case of
a cylindrical or approximately cylindrical casing the chambers are arranged
radially. Removable covers are provided for closing the lateral openings. The
calcium carbide from which the gas is to be generated by the action of water
introduced into the upper portion of the casing is packed in perforated receptacles
which are adapted to nearly fit the above mentioned chambers the said receptacles
being provided with removable covers for enabling the carbide to be introduced
and the lime to be removed when the receptacles have been exhausted. A tube
leads from the partition down nearly to the bottom of the apparatus thereby
placing the parts or compartments of the casing above and below the partition
in communication and an opening is made in the first of the series of chambers
so that communication is provided between this chamber and the lower portion
of the casing. The top of this chamber is placed into communication by a suitable
pipe or passage with the bottom of the adjacent chamber and so on, the last
chamber of the series being in communication with an outlet pipe. The last

page_text: chamber but one is also advantageously connected by a pipe with the outlet pipe
and cocks are fitted to the pipes at suitable points to enable the last chamber to
be cut off from the rest for the purposes of charging and cleansing whilst the
apparatus is still working. The outlet pipe is provided with a well having a
pipe fitted with a blow off cock. Each chamber is also advantageously provided
with a glass gauge having a blow off cock.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of an acetylene generating
apparatus constructed according to the invention:
Figure 2 is a part plan of the apparatus:
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 2 with certain parts removed; and
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 Figure 2:
Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a modified construction of apparatus; and
Figure 6 is a vertical section of the same.
Referring first to the arrangement illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 w is the casing
and is the partition which divides the said casing into upper and lower portions
or compartments c, d respectively. This casing is suitably mounted under
the floor of a railway carriage for example in such a manner that it can be
turned to make any part accessible for purposes of recharging. e, e are the
chambers which are provided in the interior of the upper part of the casing.
These chambers are here shewn wedge-shaped converging radially to the centre
of the casing, this shape being most suitable for the purpose of saving space
between the adjacent chambers, although the said chambers may be of any other
suitable shape, such for example as cylindrical. f, f are the covers which are
bolted over the openings in the side of the casing a leading into the said chambers,
these covers being of any suitable construction and not necessarily of the kind
here shewn. g (Figures 2 and 4) is the pipe which leads from the partition b
down to nearly the bottom of the portion of the casing and his the opening
leading into the bottom of the first of the series of chambers e, e, the said opening
being controlled by a cock or valve having an external handle h² so that com-
munication between the said chamber and the lower portion d of the casing a
can be controlled from the outside.
i, i are the carbide receptacles or holders, the said holders being advantageously
made of perforated sheet metal and having removable covers these holders
are constructed to practically fit the chambers e, e. j, j are the pipes or passages
connecting the upper part of each chamber (except the last of the series) with
the lower part of the adjacent chamber. is the gas outlet pipe which extends
from the last of the series of chambers and ¹ is the well fitted to the said pipe k
for collecting condensed water from the gas is a pipe extending down from
the well and is a pipe connecting the last chamber but one with the outlet
pipe k.
7 is the inlet for water into the upper portion of the casing a.
The apparatus operates as follows, that is to say, water being admitted into the
upper portion of the casing a flows down through the pipe into the lower
portion of the casing driving the air out through the carbide chambers. The
water rises in the said lower portion and gradually enters the first of the
chambers e, e so as to act upon the carbide contained in its holder i. Gas is
generated and flows through the connecting pipes j, j and into the gas outlet
pipe (the pipe 3 being closed) any moisture it contains being condensed by
the cold water surrounding the chambers and the said outlet pipe, most of the
water of condensation accumulating in the well from which it can be withdrawn
through a cock not shewn. When the carbide in the first of the series of
chambers e has been exhausted the water passes down the connecting pipe into
the next chamber so as to attack the carbide contained in it and so on until the
carbide in all the chambers has been exhausted.
When it is desired to recharge the chambers whilst the apparatus is in operation,

page_text: communication with the last chamber (before the said chamber is exhausted) is
cut off by means of the cock in the pipe leading to it, and communication is
opened between the compartment d and the said last chamber by means of a
passage controlled by a cock similar to the passage and cock hi fitted to the
first chamber. The covers f can then be taken off the disconnected chambers
and the carbide holders i removed so as to be emptied of residue and recharged
with carbide. To recharge the last chamber it is cut off from the others and from
the compartment and the gas generated is caused to flow through the pipe
into the pipe instead of directly into the said pipe which is cut off from the
last chamber.
Gauges m depend from each chamber and serve to indicate which chamber is
in operation as it will be clear that as the water gains access to each chamber
it fills the gauge glass and cannot be driven out by the gas; it will thus be
obvious that the last chamber exhausted in the last but one having a full gauge
glass, that is to say, that the chamber in operation is the last of the series having
water in the gauge glass.
In this
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a modified construction of apparatus.
arrangement the casing a instead of being made approximately circular as in
the above described apparatus is made rectangular, the chambers e, e extending
from front to back of the said apparatus. No gauge glasses m, m or condensed
water well are shewn in the drawings although it will be understood that these
parts can be employed if desired. With these exceptions the apparatus is essen-
tially the same as that hereinbefore 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. Apparatus for generating acetylene gas comprising a casing divided into
upper and lower compartments in communication with one another through the
medium of a pipe extending from the upper compartment nearly to the bottom
of the lower, chambers formed in the upper compartment, the said chambers
containing carbide holders and being connected to one another by pipes or
passages extending from the top of one chamber to the bottom of the adjacent
chamber, an outlet pipe leading from the last of the series of chambers, the first
of which is in communication with the lower compartment and means for supply-
ing water to the upper compartment, substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved apparatus
for generating acetylene gas herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1
to 4 and Figures 5 and 6 respectively of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th dow of Catalan 1900
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.