Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators.
I, JULES KREMER, of Gilly (Charleroi), in the Kingdom of Belgium, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the acetylene gas generator forming
the subject of my former Patent No. 26776 of 1897, the object being to prevent
the wedging or jamming of the regulating rod in passing through the carbide
and to facilitate the maintenance of the apparatus in a perfectly clean condition
and to allow of the discharge of the mud and deposits during the working of the
apparatus without necessitating a fresh supply of the whole of the water which
may be contained therein, at the same time preventing atmospheric air from
entering the gas-holder during this operation.
In my former apparatus the carbide contained in the distributing hopper com-
pletely closed the passage for the regulating rod, the result of which was that
when the said rod moved with the gas holder it met with a certain resistance
occasioning slight jerks at a normal pressure of the gas.
In order to remedy this objection I make a kind of passage for the rod through
the mass of carbide by providing the rod with an extension consisting of a very
thin part reaching to the top of the gas holder, and I, in a great measure, free it
from triction against the mass of carbide by surrounding it with a fixed sheath
designed to prevent contact of the carbide with the said upward extension of the
said rod and the rod itself.
Moreover in order to facilitate the maintenance of the apparatus in a perfectly
clean condition I arrange underneath the generator proper a small vessel, com-
municating with the generator by means of a cock having a large passage, and
designed to serve as a receptacle for the mud and deposits which always result
from the decomposition of the carbide of calcium. This vessel is of relatively
small capacity and when it is filled with mud or deposit communication with the
generator proper can be cut off so that the water and the deposit in the said vessel
can be discharged and the vessel again filled with clean water before putting
it again into communication with the generator without in any way interrupting
the working of the latter.
Instead of placing the gas holder as hitherto in a receptacle provided with an
internal cone I place it in an annular space between two chambers.
In the upper part of the inner chamber I mount the distributing hopper upon
cross pieces and in the centre of the said hopper I arrange a cylindro-conical
sheath open at its lower part and provided at its upper part with a small aperture
sufficient to allow of the passage of a thin rod fixed to the top of the gas holder
beneath the charging vessel arranged as in my said former Patent.
The thin rod carries at its lower end the rod which serves to stop the aperture
of the hopper.
The other parts of the apparatus are the same as those described in my said
former Patent.

page_text: As will be readily understood the carbide introduced into the hopper by the
charging vessel can only reach the aperture through the annular space separating
the lower end of the sheath from the aperture of the hopper; the rod will conse-
quently move with a minimum amount of friction; moreover, owing to the thin
rod serving to fix the regulating rod to the top of the gas holder the entrance of
the regulating rod into the carbide will be very much facilitated.
On the other hand the arrangement of the two chambers, the second of which
replaces the conical sieve formerly employed, allows of effectually preventing the
passage of the gas under the gas holder and at the same time allows of considerably
simplifying the internal construction of the apparatus and of reducing to a
large extent the quantity of water necessary to be kept in the apparatus.
Dated the 23rd day of August 1898.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, JULES KREMER, of Gilly (Charleroi), in the Kingdom of Belgium, 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:
-
This invention relates to improvements in the acetylene gas generator forming
the subject of my former Patent No. 26776 of 1897, the object being to prevent
the wedging or jamming of the regulating rod in passing through the carbide
and to facilitate the maintenance of the apparatus in a perfectly clean condition
and to allow of the discharge of the mud and deposits during the working of the
apparatus without necessitating a fresh supply of the whole of the water which
may be contained therein, at the same time preventing atmospheric air from
entering the gas-holder during this operation.
In my former apparatus the carbide contained in the distributing hopper com-
pletely closed the passage for the regulating rod, the result of which was that
when the said rod moved with the gas holder it met with a certain resistance
occasioning slight jerks at a normal pressure of the gas.
In order to remedy this objection I make a kind of passage for the rod through
the mass of carbide by providing the rod with an extension consisting of a very
thin part reaching to the top of the gas holder, and I, in a great measure, free it
from friction against the mass of carbide by surrounding it with a fixed sheath
designed to prevent contact of the carbide with the said upward extension of the
said rod and the rod itself.
Moreover in order to facilitate the maintenance of the apparatus in a perfectly
clean condition I arrange underneath the generator proper a small vessel, com-
municating with the generator by means of a cock having a large passage, and
designed to serve as a receptacle for the mud and deposits which always result
from the decomposition of the carbide of calcium. This vessel is of relatively
small capacity and when it is filled with mud or deposit communication with the
generator proper can be cut off so that the water and the deposit in the said vessel.
can be discharged and the vessel again filled with clean water before putting
it again into communication with the generator without in any way interrupting
the working of the latter.

page_text: To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to
the accompanying drawing which represents a vertical section of my acetylene
gas generator embodying my present improvements.
Instead of placing the gas holder as hitherto in a receptacle provided with an
internal cone I place it in an annular space between two chambers A, A¹.
In the upper part of the inner chamber A' I mount the distributing hopper C
upon cross pieces B₁ and in the centre of the said hopper I arrange a cylindro-
conical sheath F open at its lower part and provided at its upper part with a small
aperture sufficient to allow of the passage of a thin rod t fixed to the top of the gas
holder beneath the charging vessel K arranged as in my said former Patent.
The thin rod t carries at its lower end the rod T which serves to stop the
aperture of the hopper C.
The other parts of the apparatus are the same as those described in my said
former Patent.
As will be readily understood by reference to the drawing the carbide introduced
into the hopper C by the charging vessel K can only reach the aperture O through
the annular space separating the lower end of the sheath F from the aperture
of the hopper; the rod T will consequently move with a minimum amount of
friction; moreover, owing to the thin rod t serving to fix the regulating rod T to
the top of the gas holder the entrance of the regulating rod T into the carbide will
be very much facilitated.
On the other hand the arrangement of the two chambers A, A¹, the second, of
which A replaces the conical sieve formerly employed, allows of effectually
preventing the passage of the gas under the gas holder D) and at the same time
allows of considerably simplifying the internal construction of the apparatus and of
reducing to a large extent the quantity of water necessary to be kept in the
apparatus.
Underneath the generator proper A the bottom of which is preferably conical
I arrange a vessel N of small capacity connected to the generator A by a ball
valver operated through the medium of a hand wheel. This vessel N is provided at
its lower part with a discharge pipe V and at the side with a tube U extending
upwards along the side of the generator to a point above the normal level of the water
contained in the said generator. This tube U terminates at its upper part in a
double funnel I, I placed above a valve or cock r, the funnel I being provided
with holes, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.
When the apparatus is working normally the valve is opened and the valve pl
closed, the generator A and the vessel N containing a certain quantity of water
the level of which reaches the valve r¹.
As the carbide of calcium is decomposed by the water the lime and muddy
deposits collect in the vessel N. After the apparatus has been working for a
certain time the muddy mass contained in the vessel N should be discharged.
The ball valve r is then lowered and the valve opened in order to allow the
atmospheric pressure to be exerted upon the contents of the vessel N. The cock
on the discharge pipe V is opened and the contents of the vessel N allowed to pass
away. The vessel N is then again filled with fresh water until the level in the
tube D reaches that of the water in the generator A. During the filling the
air contained in the vessel N, rises through the tube U all around the stream of
water introduced through the funnel I and escapes through the holes in the
funnel I. The valve is then closed and the valve r again opened. The working
then continues as before, the deposits, as they form, again collecting in the vessel N.
Owing to this arrangement only a relatively small quantity of water mixed
with the deposit in the vessel N is lost at each discharge.
This advantage is very important considering the ready solubility of the
ácetylene, and the economy that is effected by discharging the whole of the deposit
with a minimum waste of liquid.
Owing to this arrangement the working of the generator can be continued
without any interruption during the discharge of the mud and deposits.

page_text: 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. Providing the rod serving to stop the aperture of the distributing hopper
with an extension of much less thickness than that of the said rod and fixed to the
top of the gas holder, and surrounding the said rod in its passage through the
hopper with a cylindro-conical sheath fixed to the walls of the hopper and designed
to prevent contact of the carbide with the said rod for the major part of its length,
the whole being for the purpose of lessening the risk of the distributing rod
becoming jammed or wedged and of facilitating its passage in the hopper sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. Replacing the cone heretofore employed for preventing the passage of the
gas under the gas holder by a second cylindrical chamber forming in the interior
of the outer receptacle of the apparatus an annular space in which the gas holder
can move, substantially as set forth.
3. For the purpose of allowing the mud and deposits to be discharged during
the working of the generator proper without necessitating the whole of the water
contained in the generator being replaced, the arrangement beneath the generator
of a vessel of relatively small capacity, communication between which and the
generator can be cut off during the time required for the discharge of the mud and
the contents of which can then be replaced by fresh water introduced through a
suitable filling tube, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 23rd day of May 1899.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.