Method of and Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1896-Accepted, 2nd May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Method of and Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
I, WILLIAM CHALMERS CLARKE, of No. 18 John Street, of the City and
County of New York, State of New York, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 generally to the use of acetylene gas as an illuminating gas,
and is more especially intended to be used in connection with the production of such
gas by the mutual decomposition of water and an acetylide or carbide, such as the
material known as carbide of calcium. As is well known, this material, which may
be taken as a type of others of kindred composition and similar nature, when
brought in contact with water, is decomposed, together with the water, giving off
as the gascous product of decomposition acetylene gas. This gas burns with a
flame of great brilliance and luminosity, and hence is well adapted for use as an
illuminant, and the object of my improvements is to provide a safe, simple and
convenient means and method for its production and application for illuminating
purposes.
To this end, I use in order to form the gas, charges or quantities of the gas
forming material of such relatively limited size, that the gaseous product of each
charge will be sufficient to fill, or not more than sufficient to fill, at a safe pressure,
an expansible gas holder, from which the gas is supplied to the burners. I also in
forming the gas, bring quickly into contact with such a charge or quantity of the
gas forming material, a quantity of water sufficient to effect the desired decom-
position, so that the whole charge is quickly decomposed, and the resulting gas
driven by its own pressure into the gas holder, the solid products of decomposition
remaining in the generating chamber or vessel in which the decomposition takes
place, from which they can subsequently be removed.
In order to provide a supply of gas which shall be continuous, and not liable to
interruption by reason of the introduction of fresh charges of gas generating
material, or other manipulations to which the apparatus may require to be subjected,
I provide a series of generating chambers, each of which discharges the gas
generated therein into an expansible gas holder common to all the generators, and
each of which is connected with a tank adapted to hold a supply of water sufficient
to effect the decomposition of the contents of the generating chamber with which it
is connected, when brought in contact therewith. The flow of water from the
several tanks to the generating chambers is controlled by the movement of the gas
holder in such a manner that the several generators are brought into operation in
succession as gas is required.
A form of apparatus suitable for practising my method, and embodying the
mechanical features of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
which shows the side elevation thereof.
Referring to the drawing, A indicates a gas holder of any usual or suitable
construction. B, B', are cylindrical generating chambers, disposed around the gas
holder, A, and each adapted to receive a cartridge or vessel containing carbide of
calcium, or similar gas generating material. I have shown in the drawings only
two generating chambers, but others may be added as desired, and they may be placed
in any desirable or convenient positions, in proximity to the holder, as in a circle
around it. The generating chambers, B, are closed with caps, a, a', &c., which are
held in place by swinging yokes, b, b, &c., and set screws, c, c¹, &c.

page_text: In
Each of the generating chambers is connected by a pipe, D, in which is a check
valve, d, closing towards the chamber, with the gas holder, A. Each generating
chamber is also connected with a water tank, F, located above the chamber.
the pipe, E, is a trap or water seal, e, to prevent the escape of gas through the
pipe, and a valve, i, to the stem of which is connected an arm, E, projecting towards
the gas holder, A. The arm, G, is so balanced that when it is raised and the
valve, f, is closed, it will so remain as long as it is undisturbed, but when the centre
of gravity is displaced by slightly depressing the end of the arm, it will fall,
throwing the valve, f, wide open, and so remaining until again lifted.
This may
be easily accomplished by means of a weight or ball, g, adapted to travel freely
upon or within the arm. When the end of the arm, G, is raised, the valve, f, is
closed, and the ball, g, lies at the end of the arm, G, which is nearest to the valve,
and the centre of gravity is so placed that the arm remaius upraised, and the valve.
closed. On slightly depressing the end of the arm, G, however, and thus
disturbing the equilibrium of the ball, g, the ball rolls to the outer end of the
arm, G, throwing it down, and fully opening the valve, f, so that the contents of
the tank, F, are quickly discharged into the chamber, B. Upon the gas holder, A,
are carried arms, H, H', and are adapted to make contact with the ends of the
arms, G, G¹, &c.
Each of the generating chambers, B, B', &c., is supplied with the same arrange-
ment of water tank, connecting pipe, valve, balanced arm, &c., as is indicated by
the primed letters in the drawing.
The relative elevations of the arm, H, H', &c., and the arms, G, G', &c., are
such that the arms come in contact in succession as the holder stands at different
levels.
From the holder, A, a gas pipe, I, leads to the burners to be supplied.
In order to prevent overcharging of the holder with gas, as by the accidental
discharging of more than one generator at the same time, I may connect with the
holder a pipe, K, which discharges into the open air, and is normally closed by a
valve, k, to which is connected a weighted arm, L.
When the holder is full by an excess of gas above its normal maximum elevation,
it comes in contact with the arm, L, lifting it, and opening the valve, k, so
that the excess of gas is discharged until the holder settles and falls away from
the arm, L.
In using the apparatus, the holder, A, is first lifted, preferably by charging one
of the generating chambers with carbide of calcium, and pouring into the chamber
through the water tank, and connecting pipe, sufficient water to effect the decom-
position of the carbide. The gaseous product of decomposition passes through the
pipe, E, into the holder, A, its escape through the pipe, E, being prevented by the
water seal, e, filling and lifting it. The several generating chambers, or as many of
them as may be desired, are then charged with the carbide, which for this purpose
is preferably packed in a perforated cartridge, or placed loose in vessels adapted to
be slipped into the generating chambers, which are then closed by means of the
caps, a, a, &c., the swinging yokes, b, b', &c., and set screws, c, c', &c. Preferably
the relative sizes of the cartridge or containing vessel, and the generating chamber,
and the quantity of carbide employed, are so proportioned that when the carbide is
decomposed the solid products of decomposition substantially fill the generating
chamber, so that all the gas produced is forced over into the gas holder.
The valves in the pipe, E, E', &c., being closed by lifting the arms G, G¹, &c.,
each of the tanks, F, F, &c., is filled with a quantity of water sufficient to effect
the decomposition of the entire charge of carbide in the corresponding generating
chamber.
When by reason of the consumption of the gas the holder, A, has so far settled
that one of the arms, as H, comes in contact with the corresponding arm, G, the
valve, f, controlled by the arm, G, is thrown open, and so remains until the arm, G,
is lifted, the water in the tank, F, is discharged into the generating chamber, B,
and all the carbide therein is decomposed, the resulting gas passing into the

page_text: holder, A, which is again lifted, and this operation is repeated with each of the
generating chambers in turn. The position of the arms, G, GI, &c., at any time,.
will indicate which of the charges have been exhausted, and the generators con-
taining these can then, at any time, be cleaned out, and fresh supplies of gas
forming material inserted, ready to be again acted upon. The escape of gas from.
the holder, while a generator is being re-charged, is prevented by a check valve
in the connecting gas pipe, which is closed by the pressure of the gas in the
holder.
While I prefer to bring together the water and carbide by discharging the
former into a generating chamber, in which the latter is contained, it will be
apparent that, as far as my method is concerned, the same results will be obtained
by dropping or discharging a proper quantity of carbide into a generating chamber,.
in which a proper quantity of water is contained, under suitable conditions, and I
do not wish to limit my invention in this respect.
Such a device is particularly adapted for use in lighting small local plants, such
as country houses, the apparatus being simple and economical, and not liable to.
get out of order, and the method of operation being easily understood.
By means of my invention also, I obtain a high degree of lighting efficiency-
from an apparatus of small size, which will occupy but little space in an ordinary
cellar, and can easily be set in a vault constructed outside of the building lighted,
considerations of the highest practical importance. Each pound of carbide of
calcium will, when combined with the proper quantity of water, develop about
five cubic feet of approximately 240 c.p. gas, so that with an expansible gas holder,.
holding only twenty-five feet, surrounded by ten small generating chambers, each
holding only five pounds of the carbide, I am able to prepare, store and use the-
equivalent of 3,000 feet of 20 c.p. gas, without other attention than is required
for the original charging of the generating chambers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a gas generating apparatus, the combination of an expansible gas holder,.
a series of gas generating chambers, a corresponding series of water vessels, and
means actuated by the movements of the gus holder for successively discharging
the contents of the water vessels into the gas generating chambers, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The hereinbefore described method of generating and supplying illuminating-
gas, which consists in charging a series of generating chambers severally con-
nected with an expansible gas holder, with a series of charges of carbide of
calcium, of such limited quantity that the gaseous product of the decomposition of
each charge will be not more than sufficient to fill such holder, and by the successive
downward movements of such bolder as the gas is drawn therefrom, causing the
discharge into each of such chambers in succession of a quantity of water sufficient.
to effect the decomposition of the charge therein.
3. The herein before described method of generating and supplying illuminating
gas, which consists in discharging into a generating chamber containing a charge
of carbide of calcium, a quantity of water sufficient to effect the decomposition
of such charge, causing the gaseous product of decomposition to pass into an
expansible gas holder, and by the falling movement of such holder, as the gas is.
drawn therefrom, effecting the successive decomposition of a series of such charges.
in the same manner.
4. The hereinbefore described method of generating and supplying illuminating
gas, which consists in bringing together in a closed generating chamber a charge.
of carbide of calcium and a quantity of water sufficient to effect the decomposition.
of such charge, and discharging the gaseous products of combustion into an
expansible gas holder, and by the downward movements of such holder, as the
gas is drawn therefrom, bringing together in succession a series of such charges of

page_text: carbide and water, whereby a series of gas into such holder is produced, and a
constant supply of gas is maintained.
5. The hereinbefore described method of generating acetylene gas, which
consists in bringing together water and a metallic carbide, which, upon contact
with water, produces a fixed gas, in measured quantities, so proportioned as to 5
effect the practically entire decomposition of both.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.