Improvements in Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 12th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene
Gas.
We, EMILE CHESNAY, of 21 Boulevard Carnot, Dijon, France, Photographer,
and LOUIS PILLION, of 1 Place Saint Jean, Dijon, France, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the specifications of our Letters Patent No. 18,992, dated 27 August 1896 and
No. 20,090 dated 10 September 1896, we have certain improvements in apparatus for
generating and storing acetylene gas. Now the present invention has reference
to further improvements in apparatus designed for a similar purpose. According
thereto the automatic part or device therein described which acts as a counter-
weight to the gas holder and consists of a receiver containing water and -com-
municating with the gas generator is modified as follows:-
A fixed chamber or vessel which may be of any suitable geometrical form, is
connected to the generator by means of a pipe which may be flexible or rigid as
desired. The said vessel contains a 'quantity of water and communicates with the
generating vessel by means of a suitable connection so arranged that by changing
the water level in said generator vessel, the rate of decomposition of the carbide
can be controlled. The variation of level is not effected, by the-ascent or descent
of the automatic device as described in the applicant's first specification herein-
before referred to, but by ascent or descent which is made exactly proportionate
to the ascent or descent of the bell of the gas-holder, of a body which is located
in a fixed vessel and be either solid or hollow. This body, which may be any
convenient form, is caused to share the movements of the bell of the gas-holder
(hereinafter called the gas holder), by means of any suitable mechanical or other
device. The position of said body is so adjusted that the volume and pressure of
the water displaced by the descent of the gas-holder will cause an exactly pro-

page_text: portionate action of the water upon the carbide contained in the movable carbide-
holder, the inverse being the case when the gasholder ascends.
This new automatic device constructed and arranged as described may be applied
to either of the types of generators described in our said former specifications.
According to this invention we also provide a modified construction of generating
apparatus comprising two vessels of any suitable form and in one of which is
placed a movable carbide holder with piston or grating and support such as
described in our said former specifications.
The two vessels communicate with each other by means of two flexible or rigid
pipes. The entire apparatus is mounted to oscillate about an axis which is so
arranged as to suit the required rate of generation of gas by contact of water with
the carbide.
The oscillatory movement in one direction or the other and consequently the
bringing of the water into contact with or its removal from the carbide may be
produced automatically by the ascending or descending movement of the gas
holder which may be transmitted in any suitable manner to the two connected
chambers by hand or in any other way. A layer of oil, essence or other substance
insoluble in water, and having a density less than that of liquid as described in
the specification of our second application for Letters Patent No. 20,090 may
obviously be employed in the connected chambers.
To the various generators described in our said former specifications there may
be applied the combined gas generating and water vessels mounted to oscillate as
herein before described. The automatic device i.e., the movable water containing
vessel, whether mounted to oscillate or to rise and fall, may be provided at the
top with an air tight cover. By then connecting the upper part of the said
automatic device by means of a flexible pipe with the upper part of the gas
generating vessel an equality of pressures will be obtained in the two vessels. By
this means an exact equality of the levels of the liquid in the two vessels can be
ensured.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene
Gas.
We, EMILE CHESNAY, of 21 Boulevard Carnot, Dijon, France, Photographer,
and LOUIS PILLION, of 1 Place Saint Jean, Dijon, France, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
In the specifications of our applications for Letters Patent No. 18,992 dated
27 Aug. 1896 and No. 20,090 dated 10 Sept. 1896, we have described certain
improvements in apparatus for generating and storing acetylene gas. Now the
present invention has reference to further improvements in apparatus designed
for a similar purpose as we will now proceed to describe with the aid of the
accompanying drawings, which represent elevations, partly in section, of three
arrangements of apparatus according to the present invention.

page_text: Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the automatic part or device C described
in our said former specifications and which acts as a counterweight to the gas
holder and consists of a receiver containing water and communicating with the gas
generator is modified as follows:-
A fixed chamber or vessel A which may be of any suitable geometrical form, is
connected to the generator B by means of a pipe C which may be flexible or rigid
as desired. The said vessel contains a quantity of water and communicates with
the generating vessel B, by means of a suitable connection so arranged that by
changing the water level in said generator vessel, the rate of decomposition of the
carbide can be controlled. The variation of level is not effected, by the ascent or
descent of the automatic device as described in our first specification hereinbefore
referred to, but by ascent or descent, which is made exactly proportionate to the
ascent or descent of the bell of the gas-holder D, of a vessel or body E which is
located in the fixed vessel A and may be either solid or hollow. This body E
which may be of any convenient form, is caused to share the movements of the
bell D of the gasholder, (hereinafter called the gas holder) by means of any
suitable mechanical or other device such as the rods E E. The position of the
body E is so adjusted that the volume and pressure of the water displaced by the
descent of the gas-holder 1) will cause an exactly proportionate action of the water
upon the carbide contained in the movable carbide-holder B', the inverse being
the case when the gasholder ascends. An automatic device constructed and
arranged as described may be applied to either of the types of generators described
in our said former specifications.
Fig. 2 represents a modified construction of generating apparatus according to
this invention. It comprises two vessels B and C of any suitable form in one B
of which is placed a movable carbide holder D with piston or grating and support E
such as described in our former specifications.
The two vessels B, C communicate with each other, by means of two flexible or
rigid pipes F and G. The entire apparatus is mounted to oscillate about an axis X
which is so arranged as to suit the required rate of generation of gas by contact
of water with the carbide.
The oscillatory movement in one direction or the other, and consequently the
bringing of the water into contact with or its removal from contact with the
carbide, may be produced automatically by the ascending or descending movement
of the gasholder (not shewn) which may be transmitted in any suitable manner
to the two connected chambers, or by hand in any other way. Fis a pipe leading
to the gas holder. A layer of oil, essence or other substance insoluble in water,
and having a density less than that liquid as described in the specification of our
said application for Letters Patent No. 20,090 % may obviously be employed in the
connected chamber as shewn at H.
The automatic device i.e. the movable water containing vessel, whether mounted
to oscillate or to rise and fall, may be provided at the top with an air tight cover.
By then connecting the upper part of the said automatic device by means of a
flexible pipe with the upper part of the gas generating vessel an equality of pressure
will be obtained in the two vessels. By this means an exact equality of the levels
of the liquid in the two vessels can be ensured. An arrangement of this kind is
shewn in Fig. 3 in which B is the water containing device, A its air tight cover,
C the upper part of the gas generating vessel and B the flexible connecting pipe.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In apparatus of the type referred to for generating and storing acetylene gas
the means described with reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings for controlling the
action of the water under the carbide.
2. Gas generating apparatus substantially as described with reference to Fig. 2
of the drawings.

page_text: 3. Gas generating apparatus substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3
of the drawings.
Dated this 28th day of April 1897.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.