Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Acetylene or the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 19th May, 1899
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Acetylene
or the like.
I, THOMAS Row FOWLER, of 19, Harcourt Avenue, Seacombe, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the manufacturing of acetylene and
has for its object a convenient and safe plant. My apparatus comprises two
generators adapted to work alternately connected with a common gas container.
These generators are preferably of the kind shown and described in the Complete
Specification of my application for Patent No. 14742, dated June 18, 1897, with
this difference that the water feed pipe from the tank, instead of simply passing
through the outer wall of the generator is carried upwards in the annular space
to a slightly greater height than the water level in the tank, so that when once
filled with water this pipe remains normally full, and thus air bubbles are avoided
as will be seen later in this description.
The general arrangement of the present apparatus resembles that above men-
tioned, the chief difference being in the construction of the water feeding devices,
and in the carbide cages, and in addition the supply cocks of the two generators
are made interlocking as hereafter described.
My improved container consists of three main portions: the bottom or tank
which is fed with water from a main or other source, the level being automatically
maintained by a ball tap the upper portion which is fed with water when
necessary at intervals: and the bell, which rises and falls in the said upper por-
tion. The upper portion may be double walled and the inner wall support the
coiled pipe as described. U bends and drip pipes are provided to remove con-
densed water. So far the parts described do not differ materially from my
previous device.
Instead of providing a lifting valve to control the entrance of the water supply
pipes for each generator, I cause said water supply pipes to join an upright pipe
whose top end is bent over within the tank and enters near the top an upright
preferable cylindrical vessel, open at top and affixed to the central portion of
the tank bottom. I will term this the cylinder. Its upper edge is slightly above
the water level in the tank and it has a central vertical pipe within it whose
lower end communicates with the tank water. An inverted cylinder, closed at
top and hereafter termed the displacer telescopes within said cylinder and is
carried by a depending rod passing through the top of the bell, and having an
externally operated mill nut or screw device whereby the height of said displacer
relative to the bell may be regulated.
A central sleeve or upright tube is provided in the upper portion of the con-
tainer to allow the passage of the displacer downwards into the cylinder, when
commencing operations, and the bell supports a similar sleeve of slightly larger
diameter which dips into the water in said generator and thus acts as a gaa

page_text: check or water scal. It will be seen that both generators receive their water
through the upright pipe in the first instance, each being provided with a con-
nection with the same, and each having a cock, hereafter termed the feed cocks.
The mode of action of the feeding devices is as follows. When water is placed
in the tank it rises also in the central upright pipe and flowing over its top
nearly fills the cylinder. The water is unable in that position to reach the top
of the vertical pipe connected to the feed pipes by reason of its level being higher
than the level of the water. When the displacer sinks or is lowered into the
cylinder it slightly depresses the level of the water therein, as regards the hollow
interior of the displacer but the top of the central inner pipe prevents much escape
of water by reason of being nearly at the top level. The rest of the water dis-
placed therefore rises around the displacer between it and the inner side of the
cylinder, and the water thus lifted flows down the common feed pipe, and thus
feeds the generator that is in action at the time. On the efflux of gas caused by
this feed taking place, the bell, and with it the displacer rises, and more water
flows into the cylinder by the central pipe, and so on. The amount of water fed
for a certain fall of the bell may be regulated to a nicety by adjusting the relative
positions of the latter and the displacer.
In my aforementioned specification I described each generator as having three
cocks, synchronously actuated by the movement of a lever handle, which latter
also when in its upright position locked its generator lid in place. In the present
invention I provide an additional cock to each generator also synchronously
actuated, to wit, on the branch feed pipe of each. These feed cocks are not
rigidly connected to the others of the series but are always turned in one direc-
tion by means of a ratchet and pawl arrangement and the said feed cocks are
rigidly connected together by a transverse rod or bar in such manner that when
one is open the other is closed.
The effect of this mechanism is as follows. When the handle of one generator
is pulled down so as to allow its lid to be removed, its feed cock is shut and that
on the other generator opened. When the handle is again raised it still leaves
the cock shut and when it is desired to open the other generator its handle being
pulled down cuts it off from the container and from the feed supply, while at
the same time placing the first named in action again.
It will thus be seen that only one generator feed supply can be open at a time
and that the action of operating its lever so as to open it at once stops the feed
and puts the other generator in action. The action of the other of the cocks is
similar to that mentioned in my former specification.
My improved carbide cages are of solid sheet metal, preferably cylindrical and
having a bottom diaphragm a little distance from the lower edge of the sides.
An upright tube is fastened to said bottom and there is a through way up
said tubes. Perforations or serrations are provided around the lower edges.
The water fed rises up the outside and in the tubes and flows down to the carbide.
It is therefore necessary that the feed water shall reach to nearly the top of the
cage before touching its contents, and this construc. does a deal to obviate the
capillary rising of the water from cage to cage as they are attacked one at a time,
whilst the super-imposed tubes offer a free exit to the nascent gas which is thus
not compelled to percolate through the layers of carbide above."
I prefer that the upright portion of the coiled pipe mentioned in my previous
specification shall be covered by an inverted cap which normally floats in the
water around it. The issuing gas raises this cap and bubbles up beneath its edge,
whilst it will effectually prevent back flow of gas by being pressed down in the
water should the pressure in the container exceed that in the coiled pipe.
Dated this 18th day of May 1898

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Acetylene
or the like.
I, THOMAS ROW FOWLER, of 19, Harcourt Avenue, Seacombe, in the County
of Chester, Engineer, 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:-
:-
My invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene, and has
for its object to produce a complete and convenient plant.
The main features of my apparatus resemble those described in the Specifica-
tion of a former patent granted to me, viz., No. 14742 of 1897, and the objects of
the present invention are to improve the construction and to render the devices
more certain and smooth in action.
My apparatus comprises two or more vessels in which the gas is generated and
hereafter termed the generators, adapted to be used alternately; and a gas con-
taining vessel or gasometer, connected to the generators, and hereafter termed
the container. The bell of the container floats in water and rises and falls accord-
ing to the amount of gas generated or used. On the bell descending past a cer-
tain point through the withdrawal of gas, water is automatically fed to the
generator which is in action at the time, and this attacks the carbide of calcium
which is contained within said generator, and which is held within removable
cages therein.
The main objects of my invention are to improve the construction and action
of such apparatus, and to provide a plant which is safe and convenient in use,
and shall require a small amount of attention; and in which interlocking and
simultaneous movements are assured.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my container, showing also one generator in
place. Parts are broken away and parts are in section to show the interior of
the container. The bell 5 is omitted from this view.
Fig. 2 is a section of my container the bell 5 being shown as nearly in its
lowest position.
Fig. 3 is a section of my generator taken on a plane as at right angles to Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a section of a portion of Fig. 3, at right angles thereto. The car-
bide cages are omitted from Fig. 3 for the sake of clearness.
Like numerals indicate corresponding parts in all the figs.
Usual couplings, unions and flanges are used in the building of my apparatus.
I provide a tank 1 having a continuation 2, the latter being termed the bell
tank, and a partition 3 between them. The tank 1 and bell tank 2 are sepa-
rately supplied with water. The various water levels are shown by a chain
dotted line. The water level in tank 1 is regulated by means of a ball cock,
not shown, and the bell tank may be fed at intervals, by hand, as desired. The
bell 5 floats in the bell tank 2. A central open hollow tube or shaft 6 is carried
by and penetrates partition 3. Its top is located as shown a little distance
above the top of bell tank 2, while its bottom dips into water contained in a
cylinder affixed to the bottom 8 of tank 1. A sleeve 9 depending from the top
of bell 5 telescopes with relation to central shaft 6. An upright pipe 10 is
located within cylinder 7 and is elbowed as shown, its lower horizontal limb 11
passing through the side of cylinder 7 and communicating through the water
in tank 1. A snifting pipe 12 is attached to the top of bell 5 and rises and falls
with it, its outer end being open to the atmosphere. From near the top of

page_text: cylinder 7 a water pipe 13 is carried through the bottom 8 of tank 1, its use
being to carry water from said cylinder 7 to feed the generators as hereafter
described. A cock 14 controlled by a long stem 15 and hand wheel 16, the
latter being accessible from outside, is provided on water pipe 13 so that when
desired the outflow from cylinder 7 may be arbitrarily closed entirely.
Water pipe 13 terminates in a four way union 17 from which other pipes 18,
19, and 20 branch. Pipe 18 serves to carry water to the right hand generator.
pipe 19 to the left hand generator, and pipe 20 leads to the scrubber hereafter
described.
The mode of action of this part of the apparatus is as follows. The tank 1
contains water up to the level shown and the cylinder 7 being in free communi-
cation with said water by means of pipe 10, 11, also contains water up to the
same level. Presuming the bell 5 to be well raised by reason of contained gas
the lower end of snift pipe 12 will be well above the level of water in
cylinder 7, and as bell 5 descends by reason of gas being withdrawn, the air
contained in central shaft 6 and sleeve 9 will escape by snift pipe 12, its only
means of exit, as the water in bell tank 2 forms a water seal around that por-
tion of central shaft 6 which lies above partition 3, and the water in cylinder 7
fulfills a similar function around that portion which lies therein. On the bell 5
and snift pipe 12 continuing to descend the lower end of the latter dips beneath
the surface of the water in cylinder 7 which thus seals it, and on the bell
dropping still lower, the confined air above the surface of the water in cylinder 7
becomes slightly compressed and exerts a pressure on said surface. The
immediate effect of this is to cause a small portion of the water to flow down
tube 10, but when the level is lowered as far as the mouth of said tube no more
can escape and, the pressure still increasing, forces the water up the annular
space between the sides of central shaft 6 and cylinder 7. The water rises in
this annular space until it reaches the top limb of pipe 13, down which pipe it
flows to the four-way union 17 from which it proceeds to the generators and
scrubber as below described. I wish to point out that whenever the bell 5
descends sufficiently to cause the mouth of snift pipe 12 to be covered by the
water in cylinder 7, a slight further drop will feed water from said cylinder to
the four-way union 17, the further course of the water being explained hereafter.
On gas being generated in consequence of the feed of water the bell 5 rises and
the pressure on the surface of the water in cylinder 7 being again normal or
atmospheric, a further supply of water enters said cylinder by pipe 11, 10, and
so on.
I consider the above described means of feeding water to the generators by
means of a falling bell to be superior to those devices which act by the opening
of cocks or valves. These are liable to become choked, or to leak or to get stuck
or otherwise disabled an additional advantage lies in the fact that when cocks
or valves are used there is generally a sudden impact and consequently a check
to the bell's descent which causes an immediate variation in the pressure of gas
in the service pipes, and this in actual practice is a serious drawback. With
my apparatus the change in pressure is slight, and owing to the comparatively
large volume of air compressed, the action is smooth and gradual.
In my Provisional Specification I described my device as having a moving
displacer which rose and fell with the bell and whose lower end, when the bell
descended, was pressed into the water in the cylinder (7), which water was thus
caused to rise and flow down the pipe (13). In practice I find that the movement
of the displacer may be dispensed with as being unnecessary as the fall of the bell
compresses a volume of air in the central shaft 6 and this is caused to press on
the surface of the water in cylinder 7 and causes the water to feed. Instead
therefore, of employing a moving displacer I continue the shaft 6 down through
the bottom of bell tank 2. The downward continuation takes the place of the
walls of the displacer above referred to and effects the same purpose in that it
confines the area of water surject to pressure on the downward movement of the

page_text: water rises.
together with said cylinder an annular space, up which the
I use in combination with the above described container, two generators. The
right hand one only is shown and it is connected to the container by two pipes.
One of these 18, serves to convey the water to the generator from the four-way
union 17, and the other pipe 21 conveys gas from the generator to the con-
tainer. Pipe 19 serves to convey water from the four way union 17 to the left
hand generator, and the pipe 22 brings gas from it to the container.
Each generator comprises an outer casing 23 having an inner casing 24.
Pipe 18 passes through the outer wall 23 and terminates in the annular space
within it. The water fed into this space rises until it reaches the top of a
descending pipe 25 whence it flows along a horizontal branch 26 beneath the
inner casing 24, and thence up another upright portion 27 and through a hole 28
into the interior of inner casing 24. The pipes 25, 26, and 27 are preferably
cast in the side of inner casing 24. The object of this arrangement is that after
the generator has been emptied for cleaning or re-charging there shall always
remain some water to act as a seal and prevent escape of gas and this is effected
by the pipe 25, 26, 27, which will constantly contain water even if the rest of
the generator is emptied. A cock 29 serves to cut off the water supply from that
generator of the pair which is not in action. The left hand generator has also
a cock and the two are rigidly connected together by a rod 30 in such manner
that when one is open the other is closed, and vice versa. A gas exit cock 31
serves to close pipe 21 and is opened or closed by handle 32. I provide a drain
cock 33 for the purpose of clearing out the water from the generator when the
charge is spent, and a similar cock 34 is provided to clear out the residue of gas
which joins the stream of water issuing from cock 33, the two cocks being con-
nected by pipe 35. A continuation of pipe 35 (marked 36) is led away to a drain
or other place outside the building where the apparatus is located.
The levers 40, 41, 42, and 43 of the cocks 29, 31, 33, & 34 respectively, are
all coupled together by rod 37. Cock 29 differs from the others in that its
lever 40 is not rigidly attached to its spindle, but is trunnioned thereon and is
free to rotate idle upon it. A continuation 44 of plug of 29 carries a ratchet
wheel 38 fixed upon it, over which hangs a pawl 45 carried on a cross piece 46
between levers 42 and 40. It will be thus seen that when the handle 32 is pulled
down cock 31 is closed, thus shutting off communication of the gas space of the
generator with the container, while waste cocks 33 and 34 are opened thus
allowing the remnants of gas and the water in the generator to run to waste.
Water feed cock 29 is also closed by ratchet 38 and pawl 45, and this cock being
connected by rod 30 with a similar cock on the left hand generator as above
described, opens the latter, and thus allows the water to feed to said left hand
generator, which it is intended shall be charged before the right hand generator
is opened.
After the right hand generator is run dry the lid may be removed, the spent
carbide removed and another charge inserted. The handle 32 is then placed in
its upright position again, and this, while closing cocks 33 and 34, and opening
gas exit cock 31 leaves cock 29 closed, as pawl 45 during the return movement
rides over ratchet wheel 38. I prefer that ratchet wheel 38 shall have two
teeth 39 only placed at an angle of 180 degrees or the half part of a circle with
each other, the teeth on the wheel of the left hand generator being pitched at
right angles to those on the right hand generator. After the left hand
generator has been placed in action as above described, any further or mistaken
movement of the handle 32 of the right hand generator will not affect the
cocks 29, but as soon as the carbide in the left hand generator is spent and its
handle is pulled down its pawl will mesh with its ratchet, and this by rod 30
will open cock 29 on the right hand generator, which it is intended shall by that
time have been recharged. The lid 47 is held down in place by a cross lever 48

page_text: and thumbscrew 49, and a claw 50 carried on lever 41 (see Fig. 3) enters the
space between the wings of the thumbscrew when handle 32 is in its upright
position. It will be seen that it is thus impossible to remove lid 47 unless
handle 32 is pulled down and the cocks 29, 31, thereby closed. Lid 47 is hung
on trunnions 51 on to cross lever 48 which is pivoted to a lug 52 cast in one with
inner wall 24 of the generator. A gas tight. fit is assured by rubber washer 53.
The scrubber comprises a casing adapted to contain water. The pipes 21, 22
terminate in depending branches 54 and 55 which dip below the surface of the
water and the entering gas is thus forced to bubble through on its way to pipe 55"
which leads to above the top of the water in bell tank 2. The scrubber is sup-
plied with water by pipé 20 leading from four way union 17. The water in the
scrubber also serves as an efficient water seal to pipes 55, 54, and thus acts as
an efficient seal against back flow of gas from the container, or from one generator
to another. AU-shaped bend is provided in the course of pipe 18 and a similar
one (not shown) is applied to pipe 19. The object of this is to prevent the water
flowing from the pipe 20, in case of leaking or disconnection of the generator,
and thus allowing escape of gas. It also serves to maintain a head of water in
pipe 18. A small air pipe 57 (whose upper end is bent inwards and passed
through the side of tank I for neatness) allows free communication between the
top of U-bend 56 and the air, and allows any air to escape and thus to prevent
the water in the tubes becoming "air-locked." 58 shows the gas exit or service
pipe leading from the container.
61 (Fig. 2) shows the overflow pipe or safety valve arrangement which comes
into operation when the bell rises above a predetermined height owing to over-
production of gas. It is shielded by sleeve 62 attached to bell 5 and whose
lower end dips into the water in bell tank 2 and thus seals pipe 61. One or more
holes 63 are pierced in sleeve 62 and when these reach above the surface of the
water the gas passes through them and thence to the escape pipe 61. A drip
pipe 64 for condensed water is provided.
;
My improved cages for containing the carbide consist of cylindrical vessels 65
each having a bottom 66 a short distance above its lower edge. An upright
central tube 67 passes through bottom 66 and when the cages are super-imposed
tubes 67 form an uptake for the nascent gas which passes up them and is thus
in great measure prevented from percolating through the layers of carbide above,
and this is an advantage as it diminishes the partial spending thereof by steam.
The water enters the cages by flowing through holes 68 and up the tubes 67,
and runs over the edges thereof. It will be seen that it is thus necessary for
each cage to be completely surrounded with water before the contents can be
directly attacked by the water, and this tends towards coolness.
The series of cages may conveniently be strung on a headed rod 69.
To first start the apparatus a little water may be fed to the first generator by
hand.
I am
aware that prior to this application safety valves or overflow devices
similar to what I have shown have heretofore been made and I therefore make
no claim to that part of the apparatus, but ;
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene, two generators each having
water inlet, gas exit, and drain cocks, so connected together as to be simul-
taneously operated by a common handle, the water inlet cocks of the pair being
also connected together in such manner that the act of closing either of them
will open the other, substantially as described.
2. In combination with apparatus such as described in Claim 1, a tank 1, bell
tank 2 located above it, cylinder 7 within the latter, shaft 6 connecting the
two tanks, means such as pipes for the inlet and outlet of water, sleeve 9 adapted

page_text: to rise and fall about said shaft, and snift pipe 12 for the entrance of air into said
sleeve when the latter rises, substantially as described.
3. The improved plant for the manufacture of acetylene, arranged and operating
substantially as described, and taken as a whole.
Dated this 17th day of February 1899.
CHAS.
COVENTRY,
Patent Expert, Applicant's Agent