Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene or other GasTM Generated by the addition of a Liquid to a Solid.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene or other Gas™
Generated by the addition of a Liquid to a Solid.
I, EVAN EVANS, of Denbigh Street, Llanrwst, in the County of Denbigh, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its main object an apparatus for generating acetylene from
carbide and water so that there shall be a uniform pressure, and no waste. It is
also applicable for generating carbonic acid sulphuretted hydrogen and other
gases. The invention is based upon the principle of a gradual and regulated
addition of water to the carbide instead of as is usually the case a gradual addition
of carbide to the water. Secondly, whereas the regulation in most cases is effected
by increase of pressure of the gas, my gas does not materially increase in pressure,
but the valve is regulated by the quantity of gas in the gasometer. In place of
having the carbide all in a single receptacle the carbide is placed in a large number
of receptacles and no water can run into the second or any subsequent receptacle
until the first or the prior receptacles in their order have been first filled with water
Secondly whenever sufficient gas collects to fill the gasometer or raise the gasometer
to a given point or to lower the water in the gasometer to a given point, the valve
regulating the supply of water is closed.
In carrying out my invention I form a drawer or series of drawers divided into
compartments, these compartments following each other consecutively and each
having a lip delivering the water into the next following compartments and so on.
There may be a large number of these drawers and a large number of compartments
in each drawer. These drawers are filled to about one-third of their height with
calcium carbide and the water runs only into the first compartment. When the
calcium carbide in this compartment is all consumed the water over-flows the lip
of this compartment into the next and so on until all the compartments are done.
The drawers are so arranged that the last drawer is closed off from the others
until such time as the water begins to enter it when if desirable an alarum can be
attached to notify the caretaker. The supply to the first compartment of the first
drawer is then cut off and a separate supply to the last drawer is turned on, and the
communication between the drawers cut off, and the communication also from all
the first drawers with the gasometer. The drawers can now be taken out and re-
charges while the last drawer is being used up. Where a floating gasometer is
used the valve rod can be connected with the bell of the gasometer in such manner
that whenever the gasometer rises to a given point it automatically closes the
valve. Where the gasometer is not floating but fixed, I have a float in the gas-
ometer. This float has two chambers, a closed air chamber for flotative purposes
and another chamber water-sealed but supplied by pipes entering it with air from
the exterior. The gas rising in the gas chamber in which this float floats presses this
float down when the gas accumulates until its guided descent brings a valve
carried by it into contact with its seal, and thus closes the further escape of water

page_text: from the gasometer into the generating devices. In this particular case the gas-
ometer is filled occasionally by an outside stand-pipe to a uniform height.
Dated the 26th day of April 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene or other Gas
Generated by the addition of a Liquid to a Solid.
I, EVAN EVANS, of Denbigh Street, Llanrwst, in the County of Denbigh, 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 has for its main object an apparatus for generating acetylene
from carbide and water so that there shall be a uniform pressure, and no waste.
It is also applicable for generating carbonic acid and sulphuretted hydrogen and
other gases.
The invention is based upon the principle of a gradual and regulated addition of
water to the carbide instead of as is usually the case a gradual addition of carbide
to the water. And, whereas, the regulation in most cases is effected by increase
of pressure of the gas, my gas does not materially increase in pressure, but the
valve is regulated by the quantity of gas in the gasometer. In place of having
the carbide all in a single receptacle the carbide is placed in a large number of
receptacles and no water can run into the second or any subsequent receptacle until
the first or the prior receptacles in their order have been first filled with water.
Further whenever sufficient gas collects to fill the gasometer or raise the gasometer
to a given point or to lower the water in the gasometer to a given point, the valve
regulating the supply of water is closed.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of one form of apparatus;
Figure 2, a vertical section taken at right angles to Figure 1;
Figure 3, a sectional plan through ax;
Figure 4, a side elevation partly in section as seen from the side opposite to
Figure 1;
Figure 5, a vertical section of a detail to be hereinafter described;
Figure 6, an isometric view of one of the drawers or trays.
In these, A is the tank, B the gasometer, and C a series of drawers or trays
which in one form of apparatus are arranged in the lower portion A' below the
tank. These drawers are divided into compartments, as shown best in Figure 6,
following each other consecutively and each having a lip C₁ over which the water
runs into the next following compartments and so on. There may be a large
number of these drawers and a large number of compartments in each drawer.
These are filled to about one-third of their height with calcium carbide and the
water runs only into the first compartment c through perforations C³. When the
calcium carbide in this compartment is all consumed the water overflows the lip
of this compartment into the next and so on until all the compartments are done.
The water then passes into the next row of compartments ct by means of the cut
away portion ³ and so on until all the compartments in the drawer have been used

page_text: up, when the water rises into the second drawer. The drawers are so arranged
that the last one which in the drawing is marked D is closed off by a partition d
from the others until such time as the water begins to enter it, when if desirable
an alarum can be attached to notify the caretaker. The supply to the first drawer
and also the communication between it and the gasometer are then cut off and a
separate supply to the last drawer D is turned on and the communication between the
drawers cut off. The other drawers can now be taken out and re-charged while
the last drawer is being used up. Where a floating gasometer is used the valve
can be connected with the bell of the gasometer in such manner that whenever the
gasometer rises to a given point it automatically closes the valve. Where the
gasometer is not floating but fixed, I have a float in the gasometer. This float
has two chambers, a closed air chamber for flotative purposes and another chamber
water-sealed but supplied by pipes entering it with air from the exterior. The
gas rising in the gas chamber in which this float floats presses this float down
when the gas accumulates until its guided descent brings a valve carried by it
into contact with its seat, and thus closes the further escape of water from the
gasometer into the generating devices. In this particular case the gasometer is
filled occasionally by an outside stand-pipe to a uniform height. I prefer how.
ever the use of a floating gasometer as set forth in the drawings.
In these, E is the water pipe and F a valve controlled by the gasometer B which
bears on the lever F, as shown in Figure 2, G is a cock governing the supply of
water to the top tray or drawer D and G¹ a cock governing the supply to the lower
drawers or trays C, H is a pipe for conveying the gas from the lower drawers or
trays and H¹ a pipe for conveying the gas from the isolated drawer D to the gas-
ometer B. These pipes HH' are provided with valves h, Figure 1, at the top which
prevent the gas passing back again. Tubes I I¹ serve as guides for the gasometer
and one of them I is a hollow tube communicating by the outlet or supply pipe J¹
with the filter J, through which the gas passes to the cock j, Figures 3 and 1.
Holes K are provided in each socket or tube K¹ of the gasometer through which
the gas may pass to the pipe I, so that there cannot be any mistake when insert-
ing the gasometer as whichever socket is placed round the gas tube I communica-
tion will be made between the gasometer and the supply pipe. L, Figure 2, is a
pipe communicating with an escape pipe 1, Figure 3, and having a valve L' at
the top shown best in Figure 5 and M is a bifurcated projection on the inner
cylinder 6 of the gasometer which, when the gasometer rises to a given height or
when too much gas is being generated engages the valve and raises it up, thereby
allowing the gas to escape down the pipe L and out through the pipe 1. N is a
governor hole. The trays C are held gas tight in the tank A preferably by means
of plates O and 0¹ and tightening screws o, Figure 3, in a manner well known, but
any other equivalent device may be adopted. In order to place the valve L' on
the pipe L a screwed plug m, Figure 5, is removed from a socket 61 on the top
of the gasometer and afterwards screwed in so as to be gas tight.
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. The improvement in apparatus for generating acetylene or other gas generated
by the addition of a liquid to a solid, which consists in forming a plurality of
compartments for holding the generating solid, admitting the generating liquid
into the first compartment then from near the top of the first into the second and
so on through the series substantially as described.
2. The combination with a series of generating chambers substantially as
described in Claim 1, of a second and independent series of chambers as a reserve
whereby when the first series is exhausted, the second series can be turned on while
the first is replenishing.
3. In apparatus for the purposes described the arrangements of connections and

page_text: valves in combination with gasometer and generator substantially
illustrated.
Dated this 26th day of January 1898.
as described and
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents, of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London.