Improvements in Apparatus for Making Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th July, 1897
CL OLL
4000
Annanted Ath lune 1808
Improvements in Apparatus for Making Acetylene Gas.
We, JOHN AYKROYD and BARNARD AYKROYD, both of Cullingworth, near Brad-
ford, in the County of York, Plumbers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for making acetylene gas.
For this purpose we employ an apparatus consisting of an upper and lower
water vessel divided by a horizontal partition and preferably of a cylindrical form.
A gas holder is placed in the upper vessel which is free to rise as it becomes filled
with gas and to fall when the gas is withdrawn on the same principle as an ordinary
gasometer employed for storing illuminating gas.
A detachable generator is provided the cover of which is preferably permanently
fixed to the upper water vessel. Any suitable means is provided for readily attach-
ing or detaching the generator to the cover to enable the generator to be emptied
and recharged with calcium carbide or its equivalent and to form a gas tight
joint between the cover and the generator. The gas passage from the generator
is connected to the cover and passes up above the maximum level of the water
in the upper vessel and then down and enters the lower vessel at or near the bottom.
The gas passage from the lower vessel is connected to the top of such vessel and
reaches up above the maximum level of the water in the upper vessel.
The water supply passage between the generator and the upper vessel leaves the
latter at a point below the minimum working level of the water therein and is
then bent down a suitable distance to form a trap or water seal, then up again and
is connected to the cover of the generator. This passage is fitted with a valve
normally kept closed by a spring and a lever is provided arranged to be operated
by a projection on the holder and open the valve to admit water to the generator
when the holder falls to a certain point. Provision may be made for adjusting
the point when the said valve is opened.
In operation the water level in the lower vessel is kept below the level of the
said cross partition so as not to interfere with the passage of the gas. This is
effected by fitting the filling aperture a suitable distance below the level of the said
partition.
A safety device is fitted to the generator consisting of a bent pipe in the form
of a water trap and connected to a ventilating pipe. Between the end of the said
trap and the ventilating pipe an enlargement is provided into which the water from
the trap is forced, in case of excessive pressure, leaving a free passage to the
ventilating pipe and it is so arranged that when the abnormal pressure subsides
the water flows back into the trap.
To prevent the holder being raised by the gas to such a height that the gas
would escape at the bottom we connect an escape pipe to the top of the holder and
this pipe passes down to a suitable distance of the bottom of the holder. Conse-

page_text: quently when the holder is lifted to a certain point gas can escape up this pipe
and its upper end is connected to a ventilating pipe.
Two or more generators may be fitted to each apparatus.
D
1 1
improvements in apparatus for Making Acetylene Gas.
We, JOHN AYKROYD and BARNARD AYKROYD, both of Cullingworth, near Brad-
ford, in the County of York, Plumbers, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 apparatus for making acetylene gas.
To fully describe our invention reference is made to the accompanying sheet
of drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of
referénce indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures.
Figure 1, represents an elevation of our improved acetylene apparatus fitted
with two generators.
Figure 2, is a side view; Figure 3, is a back view and Figure 4, is a plan view
of the same.
The apparatus is provided with an upper water vessel A and a lower one B
divided by the horizontal partition C. A gas holder D is placed in the upper
vessel which holder is free to rise as it becomes filled with gas, and to fall when
the gas is withdrawn, on the same principle as an ordinary gasometer.
The generators E and E2 are detachably connected by the bolts and thumb
screws F, F and F, F to the covers G, G which latter are permanently fixed to the
sides of A, consequently the generators may be readily removed to empty or re-
charge them. The gas passage H from each generator is connected to the generator
cover and passes up above the maximum level of the water in A and then down
again and enters B at or near the bottom. The gas passage J from the lower
vessel B leaves that vessel just below the partition C.
The water supply passage K between the generators and the upper vessel A
leaves the latter at a point below the minimum working level of the water therein
and passing down a suitable distance branches out on each side. These branches L
are then curved upwards and are bent over and coupled to the covers G, G. The
branch pipes bent in this way in conjunction with the lower part of K form water
traps or seals.
A valve M is fitted in the top of the pipe K and the valve spindle N
extends up through the guide sleeve O on the top of the pipe and the projecting
end is fitted with a spiral spring N³ arranged to normally hold the valve up against
its seat. A lever or arm P mounted upon a stud Q secured to A projects over and
rests upon the valve spindle N and the free end of the arm carries an adjustable
stud R the head of which lies beneath the projecting flange S of the holder D;
therefore when the holder falls to a certain point the flange S engages the head of
the stud R and depressing the arm P opens the valve sufficiently to admit water
io the generators. Taps T are fitted in the branches L to disconnect either one or
both of the generators from the water supply passage.
The water passage U (Figure 3) fitted with a tap V connects the vessels A and B
and the latter is supplied with water thereby. In operation the water in the
lower vessel is kept below the level of the said cross partition so as not to interfere
with the passage of the gas. This is effected by providing an over flow pipe a

page_text: trapped at b and rising up to the required point allows any water in B above that
point to escape. The pipe a is connected to the "Tee" a coupled to the "Tee"
pipe e inside B, a branch h descends from the lower side of e to well below the
water level in B and a branch i from the upper side of e passes through C up
inside to the top of A. A pipe ; closed at the top is secured inside the holder D
and fits over the pipe . The pipe j does not reach down to the bottom of the
holder consequently when the holder rises to a certain point the bottom of the pipe j
rises above the water in A and gas can escape up such pipe, down the pipe 2,
through the branches of the Tees e and d and up the pipe n from which it is con-
veyed to the open air. This arrangement prevents the holder being raised to such
a height that the gas could escape at the bottom. The gas passes from B to A up
the pipe W which extends up above the level of the water in A.
A safety device may be fitted to each generator consisting of a water trap r in
the gas pipe H as shown on the right hand side of Figure 3. An enlargement t
is connected to the outer limb of this trap into which the water from the trap is
forced, in case of excessive pressure, leaving a free passage to the ventilating
pipe preferably connected with the open air, and when the abnormal pressure
subsides the water flows back into the trap.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
_
1. An acetylene apparatus having an upper water vessel containing a gas holder
and a lower water vessel into which the gas first passes and communicating with
the upper vessel by a gas passage opening into the latter above the maximum level
of the water therein, substantially as herein shown and described, and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
2. An acetylene apparatus having a detachable generator and having the gas
and water passages connected to the cover, substantially as herein shown and
described.
3. The combination of the pipe į with the pipes i and n coupled together and
operating substantially as herein shown and described and illustrated.
4. The improved acetylene apparatus arranged and operating substantially as
herein shown and described.
Dated this 7th day of April 1898.
DRACUP & NOWELL,
Patent Agents, Bradford.