Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1898
A communication from SOCIÉTA ITALIANA PEL CARBURO DI CALCIO ACETILENE ED
ALTRI GAS, of 92, Piazza San Silvestro, Rome, in the Kingdom of Italy.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
All acetylene generators (i.e. all apparatus in which acetylene is produced by
bringing calcium carbide in contact with water), whether automatic or not, may
be divided into the following two classes; (a) generators in which water is poured
on the carbide (b) generators in which carbide is introduced into water.
The second class is preferable partly because the apparatus in which the carbide
falls into the water can be manipulated in an easier manner.
Leaving for the moment the non-automatic apparatus out of the question,
although it will be seen that the present invention may be applied to them, there
are special difficulties inherent to the construction of automatic acetylene generators
in which the carbide falls into water, partly owing to certain physical properties
of the carbide (its great hardness, the shape of the pieces of commercial carbide
etc.).
Among the acetylene generators in which the carbide falls into the water, those
in which the carbide is used in the shape of powder have not made much progress
although at first good results were expected from them.
The reason of this failure is not only the expense of pulverising the carbide, the
greater difficulty of preserving pulverised carbide or other drawbacks which it
would be superfluous to mention here, but chiefly the fact that carbide powder
differs from other powders by its very hygroscopic nature, its inclination to foru
irregular masses (especially in the presence of damp atmosphere produced
by the reservoir of water into which the carbide is to fall) thus making a sure
and regular working impossible.
Another largely used type of apparatus in which the carbide falls into the water,
is that in which carbide in small pieces is distributed in several compartments
which are periodically discharged, as required, by means of a device actuated by
the gas holder and causing their contents to be discharged into the water.
These apparatus have two principal defects.
1. Their management is very inconvenient and troublesome owing to the
necessity of subdividing the carbide into different compartments, exactly as in the
majority of the apparatus at present in use in which water is supplied to the
carbide.
2. The gas is produced violently and consequently under bad conditions, a con-
siderable quantity of gas being generated at the moment of discharge of one com-
partment, unless the compartments be of a very small capacity and there be a
large number of them, which greatly complicates the apparatus and its

page_text: manipulation. Finally, the gas holder in these apparatus must be capable of
holding at least all the gas produced by the discharge of the carbide from one
compartment.
An ideal apparatus would therefore be one which would fulfil the following
conditions:
(a). The charge to be effected by filling up a reservoir with pieces of carbide in
one operation, even during the working, when the reservoir is almost empty.
(b) The fall of carbide into the water to be regulated by the gas holder in an
almost continuous manner according to consumption of gas, and stopping as the
consumption ceases.
(c) The extraction of the hydrate of lime produced in the apparatus, even during
working and the replacement of the water abstracted with the residue.
In the apparatus forming the subject of the present application these three
conditions are perfectly fulfilled in a novel manner.
The apparatus will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing,
in which
Fig. 1 is a detail of the charging reservoir and of the feed mechanism for intro-
dhucing the carbide.
Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively an elevation and plan of a complete apparatus com
prising a carbide reservoir, clock work, feed mechanism, water reservoir, apparatus
for extracting the lime and other accessories.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the upper portion of the discharge pipe for the lime
residue.
Figs. 5 and 6 show the piston and valve for extracting the lime residue.
Fig. 7 is a detail view of the safety bell device.
The most important and characteristic part of the invention is constituted by
the mechanism for feeding the carbide to the water. The apparatus for extracting
the lime is also important and novel.
This feeding mechanism comprises a reservoir S terminating at the bottom in a
funnel provided with a horizontal circular opening. Underneath and at a certain
distance from said opening there is a horizontal disc D which is adapted to rotate
about a vertical axis passing through the centre of the opening of the funnel.
Against the upper surface of the rotatory disc 1) press two or other number of
helical blades P of a shape similar to that of the blades of a plough. These blades
are pivoted on hinges secured to the mouth of the funnel or to any other fixed
portion of the apparatus. The disc 1) and the accessories attached to it are enclosed
in an air tight casing.
A rotary motion is imparted from the outside by any means.
In the apparatus shown in the accompanying drawing the disc D is rotated by
means of a wheel secured to the spindle of the disc and actuated by a worm. V
the spindle of which projects from the casing C enclosing the feeding mechanism
and passes through a stuffing box E. The spindle of the screw or worm is driven
by a train of gearing R driven by a spring or weight.
The wheels diagrammatically shown in the drawing are simply clockwork
mechanism which has to be wound up from time to time. The speed of this
movement is regulated by a fly wheel (or any other regulating device) provided
with a stop operated by a cock not shown in the drawing and in its turn operated
by the bell of the gas-holder.
The casing of the feed mechanism C is mounted directly on the water reservoir G
in which gas is to be produced, and can if required be isolated from the latter by
a valve F which is closed from the outside by means of a spindle a and lever L.
In order not to make the drawing too complicated, an angle iron carrying a screw
is omitted from the drawing which serves to press the lever L down when the
valve is closed.
The carbide reservoir is provided at the top with an air tight cover A for the
filling of the reservoir, which, of course, must always remain closed during work-
ing. Two inspection openings 00 provided with glass are arranged at the top

page_text: of the reservoir enabling the quantity of carbide in the reservoir to be seen at any
time.
The working of the apparatus will be easily understood from the above description.
Having closed the valve F and stopped the rotation of the disc D by means of
the clock-work stop or brake the cover A is removed and the reservoir S filled
with carbide in small pieces.
The carbide first introduced will form in the space between the disc and the
mouth or bottom of the funnel a more or less regular truncated cone as shown in
Fig. 1 and the blades P will be partly covered by this mass. Then the cover A is
closed, is opened and the apparatus is ready to work.
In order to start the apparatus according to this invention it is sufficient to
release the clockwork mechanism. The disc D will then begin to rotate and the
carbide forming the truncated cone on the disc D will rotate with it while the
parts P opposing the movement of the cone will owing to their shape slowly push
the carbide to and over the circumference of the disc and will cause the carbide
to fall into the water in a continuous manner. It is evident that the carbide cone
will be constantly renewed until the receptacle becomes exhausted.
The quantity of carbide falling during the rotation of the disc D will vary
according to the size and speed of rotation of the disc. The size of the
orifice of the funnel and of the disc, and the distance between the latter and the
orifice of the funnel must be adjusted according to the maximum size of the pieces
of carbide to be used.
As carbide in large pieces as usually sold would require orifices and disc of
considerable dimensions which would be suitable only for apparatus constructed
for a very large consumption of gas, it will be found generally necessary to use
the carbide in small pieces. For very small apparatus the carbide can be crushed
or broken by a hammer on the spot, but it is preferable to buy the carbide ready
broken at the works where breaking apparatus could be used similar to those used
in mineralogical works for crushing ores. It must be pointed out that the cost
of such crushing even with the most primitive appliances is very insignificant.
It must be also remembered that even if in crushing a certain quantity of carbide
dust is produced, it can be utilised in this apparatus' which works equally well
with carbide in lumps or in powder, or lumps and powder mixed together.
It is clear that the smaller the carbide pieces, the smaller must be the dimensions
of the orifice of the funnel and of the disc, and the smaller the distance between
the funnel and the latter.
Returning to the description of the carbide feeding mechanism (Fig. 1) it will
be seen that it is always possible to fill the carbide reservoir during working by
first closing the valve F and then opening the cover A. The operation is effected
in a few seconds so that the gas-holder collecting the gas from the apparatus can,
however small it be, supply sufficient gas for consumption during recharging.
Only the same amount of gas contained in the casing of the mechanism and in the
carbide reservoir will be lost.
The valve F is also very useful during the period of rest of the apparatus for,
by closing it, the carbide on the disc is prevented from being attacked by the
damp atmosphere of the lower reservoir.
As regards the shape of this valve and the manner of manipulating it, they
may differ from those shown in the drawing, and it will be evident that in certain
cases in which overproduction due to the action on the carbide of the moisture
from the water reservoir, would be inconvenient, an arrangement can be made.
which the present application is intended to cover, whereby the gas-holder itself
after it has arrived at the upper end of its course, can close the valve by any
suitable means.
This device must be arranged so that when consumption recommences and the
bell redescends, the valve again opens, giving free passage to the carbide, which the
disc will begin to discharge when the descerding bell effects the release of the
clockwork mechanism.

page_text: Another part of the apparatus, which as stated before is also new and origina.
and important, consists in the arrangement provided to enable the hydrated lime
to be extracted even during the working of the apparatus.
The lime residue formed in the water receptacle by the reaction, collects on the
bottom of the reservoir itself, principally in the centre.
The funnel shape of the bottom assists this heaping up in the centre. In the
drawing the bottom is shown slightly inclined, but if the height of the apparatu.:
is no consideration, the inclination should be much greater.
From the centre of this base a pipe H extends and is connected, externally of
the apparatus, to a drain cock K (which may serve for totally or partially draining
the reservoir) and to a vertical tube M provided at the top with a friction or tight
fitting cover and a discharge outlet N shown in Fig. 4 in side elevation. Owing
to the arrangement of the vertical tube the cover is not indispensable as a hydraulic
seal is formed as may be seen in Fig. 2. However this cover is useful for avoiding
the exhalations of water and lime more or less impregnated with acetylene and
filling the tube M.
Although the extraction of the residue through the tubes H and M can be
effected, during the working of the apparatus, it is, however, preferable to do it
after a short period of rest since the deposit is then thicker and carries away a
smaller quantity of water which, being saturated with acetylene, has a certain
value, as for this saturation a certain quantity of carbide had to be used.
The extraction of the residue is effected by means of a piston Q provided with
valves, shown on a larger scale in Figs. 5 and G. This device consists of a rod
carrying a kind of piston valve consisting of two hinged half-discs, as clearly shown
in the drawing. By introducing said piston into the tube M and working it like
the plunger of a pump, the residue is extracted very easily and quickly.
The pipe T serves for introducing the water necessary to replace the water with-
drawn with the lime. This pipe forms a hydraulic seal like the pipe M and,
like the latter has a cover for preventing gas and odour from escaping.
The pipe T is attached to a bell with hydraulic closure, which acts as a safety
valve and enters the annular space of the part U (Figure 7) from which also
extends a pipe VI provided with a cock for removal of the gas. XX is the safety
bell, YY being the rest upon which the bell stands, the gas being prevented from
passing under the bell, by the hydraulic closure formed by said bell and its annular
tank V.
Water may be supplied to the tank G through the pipe T, which is hydrauli
cally tight, the plug on the top not being absolutely necessary but serves to
prevent escape of water saturated with acetylene. From the said Figure 7 it will
also be seen that in case of excessive pressure an outlet is provided by way of the
bell X and part U, and which thus act as a safety valve.
Besides the feeding mechanism described which causes the carbide to fall when-
ever the gas holder, having arrived at a certain limit of its descent, operates a
cord and disengages the clock-work mechanism; and besides the draining device
and the part U, for taking gas, there is also a man-hole B which serves for the
periodical cleaning of the apparatus and a hydrometer I. This apparatus may
also be provided with other small accessories such as a pressure gauge, cocks for
discharging the air contained in the apparatus at the moment of starting etc.,
which do not differ from those usually employed and which consequently are not
shown in the drawing.
The special characteristics of the new apparatus, its possible applications and
its chief advantages, will now be referred to, it being evident that the modifications
in the shape and arrangement of its parts and accessories may be made if desired
without departing from the spirit of this invention.
The most essential and characteristic portion of the apparatus is the feeding
mechanism with the rotating disc. Figures 2 and 3 show a type of generator with
a feeding mechanism with a rotating disc suitable for apparatus of small or great
dimensions. It is however not intended that the shape of the water-reservoir and the
arrangement of the different accessories cannot be modified.

page_text: The feeding mechanism with a disc operated by a clock-work or other motor,
can be applied whenever it is desired to produce acetylene by means of the carbide
falling into water, even when it is desired to manufacture large quantities as,
for instance for public lighting purposes or in works for carburetting coal-gas with
acetylene.
In such cases it may be sometimes convenient to replace the water-reservoirs by
closed troughs or brick work reservoirs.
The system of draining or drawing off the deposit may in these cases be different
from that shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and it may sometimes be found advisable to
adopt a different arrangement.
In some applications, and even in those mentioned above it will be found con-
venient to adopt this feeding mechanism to a non-automatic working apparatus
whenever it is preferred to turn the disc by hand for discharging carbide into water
in small quantities and in a nearly continuous manner, rather than in large masses
and at rare intervals.
The advantages of the feeding mechanism described are obvious and consist chiefly
in the simplicity, security and regularity of the working of the apparatus, in
producing a large output whereby the dimensions of the apparatus may be reduced,
and in the working of the apparatus requiring a minimum expenditure of power,
It will be sufficient to observe that a disc of a diameter slightly greater than
20 centimetres with carbide in not too small pieces discharges about 1 kg. of carbide
at each revolution.
Owing to the continuity and regularity of the discharge it becomes possible to
adopt gas holders of very small dimensions which hardly appear to move during
working, since the disc stops rotating at the slightest rising of the bell of the
gas holder.
The maximum capacity of the gas holder (although it is always a good rule to
use large gasholders) will be determined in accordance with the maximum
consumption that may take place during the few seconds required to fill the reservoir
with carbide, and in accordance with the small over production which may take place
during the periods of rest. This over production can even be prevented by closing
the valve under the disc, and as stated before this closing can be effected by hand
or automatically by the gasholder. The capacity of the gas-holder can for this
reason be considerably reduced.
Finally several modifications may be mentioned that may be made if desired in
the feeding mechanism which relate to the manner of driving the disc.
For instance, the spindle of the disc (which is short in the accompanying drawing)
can be continued by a tube either at the top across the carbide reservoir or at the
bottom across the water reservoir. The spindle being in this case vertical, the
stuffing box could be replaced by an ordinary hydraulic seal, by means of a bell
secured to the spindle immersed in an annular part. It is possible without using
long spindles, to replace the work in gear, as shown in the drawing, by conical
wheels or any other means which will enable the rotating disc to be operated from
the 'outside.
The following are the essential parts of the apparatus for which protection is
claimed.
The feeding mechanism with rotating disc with a charging reservoir provided
with an upper air-tight cover, a funnel shaped lower part open at the bottom, the
rotating disc and discharging blades, the casing containing the mechanism, and
valve for isolating the carbide reservoir, and apparatus for extracting the lime
residue or deposit and piston valves appertaining thereto.
As regards the feeding mechanism with rotating disc, all the reservations made
in this description are maintained and the right of constructing the above mechanism
of any dimensions that may be found suitable and of using any method for rotating
the disc, including that by hand is claimed, An isolating valve may be used
between the carbide reservoir and the water reservoir according to the method of
rotation chosen.

page_text: As regards the apparatus for extracting lime, it is pointed out that the shape of
the bottom of the water reservoir on which the lime settles can vary according to
circumstances, either the form itself or by attaching a discharge pipe to the lowest
point of the bottom.
Of course the fact that all the chief parts of the new invention have been particu-
larly mentioned does not imply that the perhaps less important but still original
and characteristic parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, such as the bell
safety valve and tube with cover for renewing the water, are not to be protected
under this patent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. Apparatus for manufacturing acetylene gas in which the carbide is fed into
a water reservoir from a carbide reservoir, by means of a continuous feeding device
comprising a rotating dise and discharging blades operated by hand or auto-
matically by any means, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for manufacturing acetylene gas of the character describe!
means for enabling the carbide reservoir to be isolated from the water reservoir,
during the stoppages of production or during rest, substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for manufacturing acetylene gas of the character described,
means for removing the lime deposit from the water reservoir without interrupting
the working of the apparatus substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for manufacturing acetylene gas a bell safety valve and means
for supplying fresh water to the reservoir, substantially as described and illustrated
in the drawing.
5. In apparatus for manufacturing acetylene gas means for removing the lime
deposit comprising a tube as M and a valve-plunger as Q and outlet as N, sub-
stantially as described.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for storing and feeding carbide in an acetylene gas generator substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for the manufacture of acetylene gas substantially as described or illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1808