Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in Manufacturing Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1898-- Accepted, 7th Jan., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in Manufacturing
Acetylene Gas.
We, RENÉ VEZIN, and ALPHONSE OUDRY, both of 95, Boulevard Beaumar-
chais, Paris, France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for use in the manufacture
of acetylene gas without the production of heat.
To make the invention readily understood a form of apparatus according to
this invention will be described by way of example.
The apparatus chiefly consists of a gas-holder the size of which will be selected
according to the importance of the installation and to the number of burners to be
supplied. This gas-holder is guided in its vertical movements by wheels rolling
on standards connected by a top cross stay. The bell of the gas-holder is pro-.
vided at the top with a chamber in which may be arranged weights so as to
regulate the pressure according to the length of gas pipes and number of burners
to be supplied. This arrangement enables the gas to be supplied to the burners
at a uniform and constant pressure. A tube serves for the outlet of the acetylene
gas from the gas-holder a cock serving to shut it off when desired.
The gas-holder is also provided with an upwardly extending tube communi-
cating with the generator or vessel in which the gas is produced which tube
brings the gas from the latter into the bell or gas holder. This generator chiefly
consists of a receptacle of a cylindrical or other suitable shape at the top of which
is arranged the carbide magazine. This magazine terminates at the bottom in
a funnel. At the top it is provided with a cap with transparent windows say of
mica enabling the discharge of the carbide and the quantity remaining in the
magazine to be seen at any time. On the top of the cap there is a cock com-
municating at the bottom with the carbide magazine and at the top with the
reserve chamber or filler.
This reserve chamber is a receptacle screwed at the bottom on to the cock and
closed at the top in an air-tight manner by means of a plug or otherwise. This
reserve chamber enables the apparatus to be charged while it is working so that
carbide can be introduced into the magazine when the latter is empty or almost
empty. The bottom opening of the funnel of the magazine is closed by a conical
or other valve by means of which the supply of carbide to the generator is
regulated. This valve is mounted at the top of a vertical spindle secured to a
horizontal lever pivoted to one side of the generator. These levers are arranged
within tubes forming a communcation with the vessel in which the bell is con-
tained. The free end of the horizontal pivoted lever terminates close to the
outer wall of the gas-holder bell so as to be adapted to engage with a tappet
secured to said wall. The top end of the vertical tube terminates in a closed
disc or cap and serves as a seat for a spring tending to apply the valve on the
end of the vertical rod against the opening of the funnel so as to prevent the

page_text: falling of the carbide into the water contained in the generator. The valve may
have at its top a rod provided with pins for the purpose of preventing the heaping
or blocking of the carbide at the orifice of the funnel. This method of closing
may be however any other than by means of a spring for instance a balance-
weight may be used the closing device being simply an auxiliary part of the
distributing lever.
The generator may be provided with an opening closed by means of an air
tight plug. This opening serves during the fitting up of the apparatus for the
ready regulation of the height of the vertical spindle of the lever and of the
tension of the spring.
A syphon like tube enables the necessary water for the supply of the generator
to be introduced even during the working of the apparatus after having dis-
charged the residuary products of the carbide. This discharge is effected by
means of an inclined plane or passage arranged at the bottom of the generator
at the end of which there is placed a draining cock or plug of any desired descrip-
tion for discharging the lime and water.
A pressure gauge and a water gauge may be employed to complete the
apparatus.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-Assuming the apparatus to be
working the carbide falls into the water in the generator through the opening
of the bottom of the carbide holder. The acetylene gas generated passes through
the communicating tube into the gas holder bell which rises. As soon as the bell
rises its tappet releases the end of the lever and the valve closes the carbide dis-
charge opening under the influence of the spring. When owing to consumption
the bell of the gas holder again descends the tappet again presses against the lever
and the valve is consequently opened. The carbide again begins to fall into
the generator and a fresh quantity of acetylene is generated. The bell rises again
and the valve closes as before and so on.
It will thus be seen that the apparatus works in a continuous manner and that
owing to the removable balance weights the pressure of gas in the pipes may be
varied or arranged as desired.
It must be pointed out that the movement of the end of the horizontal arm of
the lever is preferably double that of the vertical arm. This arrangement has
been made with a view of enabling the bell to descend quickly in case the
apparatus is forced in order to enable the opening of the carbide holder to be
effected slowly and without shocks. In any case the quantity of carbide intro-
duced into the generator is always in proportion to the speed of the movement
of the bell or which is the same thing to the consumption of the gas.
Thus it is possible to obtain:
1) A very small reserve or production of gas.
2) Automatic working without stoppage whatever be the number of burners
alight or amount of consumption of gas.
3) An absolute uniformity of pressure.
4) A sufficient quantity of water to act upon the carbide introduced.
5) Automatic introduction of carbide in proportion to the consumption of gas.
6) Facility of charging and emptying the apparatus during working.
7) Absence of moisture or vapours of water which could attack the carbide,
which is entirely separated from the gas producing vessel.
8) A volume of water at least ten times greater than the charge of carbide
so as to obtain gas without heat.
The amount of the carbide introduced is such that it can fill the gas-holder
with acetylene without generating an excess of gas. Moreover the carbide
automatically falls into the water only at the moment when the gas holder is
nearly empty, whereby the existence of a large reserve of gas when the apparatus
is stopped is avoided.
The two cylinders of the generator and gas-holder are arranged side by side
and connected by a bed-plate on which the whole apparatus rests. The two

page_text: cylinders are also preferably connected at the top by means of a ring or otherwise
and are supplied with the requisite amount of water, the water in the gas-holder
also entering the inverted T tube with which it is in communication.
The apparatus may be also constructed with only one receptacle the same
working devices being used.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for use in Manufacturing
Acetylene Gas.
We, RENE VEZIN and ALPHONSE OUDRY, both of 95, Boulevard Beaumar-
chais, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
1
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for use in the manufacture of
acetylene gas without the production of heat.
To make the invention readily understood, a form of apparatus according to
this invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in
which
Figure 1 is an elevation: and
Figure 2 a vertical section.
The apparatus chiefly consists of a gasholder A the size of which may be se-
lected according to the importance of the installation and to the number of
burners to be supplied. This gasholder is guided in its vertical movement by
wheels a rolling on standards B connected by a top cross-stay Z. The bell of the
gas-holder is provided at the top with a chamber C in which may be arranged
weights c so as to regulate the pressure according to the length of gas-pipes and
number of burners to be supplied. This arrangement enables the gas to be
supplied to the burners at a uniform and constant pressure. A tube D serves
for the outlet of the acetylene gas from the gas-holder A a cock d serving to
shut it off when desired.
The gas holder is also provided with an upwardly extending tube E communi-
cating with the generator or vessel F in which the gas is produced, which tube
brings the gas from the latter into the bell or gas holder A. This generator
chiefly consists of a receptacle of a cylindrical or other suitable shape, at the
top of which is arranged the carbide-magazine f. This magazine terminates at
the bottom in a funnel. At the top it is provided with a cap G with transparent
windows g say of mica, enabling the discharge of the carbide and the quantity
remaining in the magazine to be seen at any time. On the top of the cap there
is a cock h communicating at the bottom with the carbide magazine and at the
top with the reserve chamber or filler h¹.
This reserve chamber is a receptacle screwed at the bottom on to the cock and
closed at the top in an air-tight manner by means of a plug or otherwise. This
reserve chamber enables the apparatus to be charged while it is working, so that
carbide can be introduced into the magazine when the latter is empty or almost
empty. The bottom opening f¹ of the funnel of the magazine is closed by a
conical or other valve I by means of which the supply of carbide to the generator
is regulated. This valve is mounted at the top of a vertical spindle i secured to
a horizontal lever pivotted to one side of the generator 22. These levers are

page_text: arranged within tubes J J¹ forming a communication with the vessel in which
the bell A is contained. The end of the pivotted horizontal lever terminates
close to the outer wall of the gas-holder bell as as to be adapted to engage with
a tappet J secured to said wall. The top end of the vertical tube terminates in
a closed disc or cap and serves as a seat for a spring K tending always to apply
the valve I on the end of the vertical rod against the opening of the funnel so as
to prevent the falling of the carbide into the water contained in the generator.
The valve I may have at its top a rod provided with pins for the purpose of pre-
venting the heaping or blocking of the carbide at the orifice of the funnel. This
method of closing may be, however, any other than by means of a spring for
instance a balance weight may be used, the closing device being simply an
auxiliary part of the distributing lever.
The generator may be provided with an opening closed by means of an air-
tight plug L. This opening serves during the fitting up of the apparatus for the
ready regulation of the height of the vertical spindle of the lever and of the
tension of the spring.
A syphon-like tube M enables the necessary water for the supply of the
generator to be introduced even during the working of the apparatus, after having
discharged the residuary products of the carbide. This discharge is effected by
means of an inclined plane or passage arranged at the bottom of the generator
at the end of which there is placed a draining cock or plug N¹ of any desired de-
scription for discharging the lime and water.
A pressure gauge O and a water gauge P may be employed to complete the
apparatus.
The working of the apparatus is as follows. Assuming the apparatus to be
working, the carbide falls into the water in the generator through the opening f¹,
at the bottom of the carbide holder. The acetylene gas generated passes through
the connecting tube E into the gas-holder bell which rises. As soon as the bell
rises, its tappet J₁ releases the end of the lever, and the valve I closes the car-
bide discharge opening f under the influence of the spring. When owing to
consumption, the bell of the gas-holder again descends, the tappet J" again
presses against the lever and the valve I is consequently opened. The carbide
again begins to fall into the generator and a fresh quantity of acetylene is
generated. The bell A rises again and the valve I closes as before and so on.
It will thus be seen that the apparatus works in a continuous manner and that
owing to the removable balance weights C¹ the pressure of the gas in the pipes
may be varied or arranged as desired.
It must be pointed out that the movement of the end of the horizontal arm
of the lever is preferably double that of the vertical arm i. This arrangement
has been made with a view of enabling the bell to descend quickly, in case the
apparatus is forced, in order to enable the opening of the carbide holder to be
effected slowly and without shocks. In any case, the quantity of carbide intro-
duced into the generator is always in proportion to the speed of the movement
of the bell, or, which is the same thing, to the consumption of the gas.
Thus it is possible to obtain:
1) A very small reserve or production of gas.
2) Automatic working without stoppage, whatever be the number of burners
alight or amount of consumption of gas.
3) An absolute uniformity of pressure.
4) A sufficient quantity of water to act upon the carbide introduced.
5) Automatic introduction of carbide in proportion to the consumption of gas.
6) Facility of charging and emptying the apparatus during working.
7) Absence of moisture or vapours of water, which could attack the carbide,
which is entirely separated from the gas producing vessel.
8) A volume of water at least ten times greater than the charge of carbide
so as to obtain gas without heat.

page_text: The amount of carbide introduced is such that it can fill the gas-holder
with acetylene without generating an excess of gas. Moreover, the carbide
automatically falls into the water only at the moment when the gas holder is
nearly empty, whereby the existence of a large reserve of gas when the apparatus
is stopped is avoided.
The two cylinders of the generator and gas-holder are arranged side-by-side
and connected by a bed-plate on which the whole apparatus rests. The two
cylinders are also preferably connected at the top by means of a ring, or otherwise
and are supplied with the requisite amount of water, the water in the gas-holder
also entering the inverted T-tube with which it is in communication.
The apparatus may be also constructed with only one receptacle, the same
working devices being used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
-;
1. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of acetylene gas comprising a hori-
zontal lever pivotted about a fixed point and operating by a vertical spindle a
valve or other closing device serving to regulate the supply of carbide to the water
in a generating vessel substantially as described.
2. In an acetylene gas generator two communicating tubes arranged in the
shape of an inverted T forming with the receptacle of the gas-holder, com-
municating water vessels with similar water levels the horizontal rod or of the
carbide supply valve being placed in the horizontal tube and its end extending
towards the wall of the gas-holder bell, so as to be acted upon when said bell
descends below a certain limit, by a tappet thereon, whereby the valve of the
carbide magazine is opened, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus of the kind described a carbide magazine provided with a
funnel and arranged above the water vessel said magazine being closed by a cover
provided, if desired, with windows and with an opening in which is mounted
a cock for the purpose of introducing carbide into the magazine through a clos-
able funnel on to said cock, substantially as described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete
acetylene gas generator substantially as described or illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
D
th: Kil
1000