Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Generating Acetylene Gas.
I, WILLIAM CHALMERS CLARKE, of No. 82 John Street of the City and
County of New York, State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates particularly to the production of acetylene gas by the
mutual decomposition of water and a metallic carbide, such as carbide of calcium
and the object of my improvements is to enable the gas generating elements to be
introduced into and brought together in a gas generating chamber without permitting
the escape of any of the generated gas which is very quickly formed upon contact
of the water with the carbide.
To this end I provide a vessel adapted to contain a quantity of water sufficient
to effect the decomposition of the charge of carbide employed and of such
proportions that it can be introduced into the upper part of the gas generating
chamber above the charge of carbide contained therein. This water vessel is
provided with a valve normally closed so as to prevent the exit of the water from
the vessel, and means are provided, which are operated by the act of closing the
gas generating chamber after the charge of carbide and the water vessel are inserted
therein, whereby, when the chamber is closed the valve is opened and the water is
discharged upon the carbide.
By this means no water is brought into contact with the carbide until the chamber
is so far closed that no gas can escape when the valve is opened and the contents of
the water vessel are discharged.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Fig. 1, shows a vertical section of a gas generating chamber embodying my
on the line -
invention. Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section of the same
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows a modification of the means for opening the valve of the water
vessel and
Fig. 4 shows the attachment of such a gas generating chamber to a lamp
post.
Referring to the drawings, A indicates a gas generating chamber consisting
essentially of a vertical tube provided with upper and lower closing caps a, a².
Bis a water vessel adapted to be placed in the upper part of the chamber A in
which it is supported upon the projections c, c. The vessel B is provided with a
valve in the bottom thereof which is normally closed and water tight. Attached
to the cover a is a prod D which when the cover is in position projects downward
into the chamber and is of such length that when the cover a is in place the prod D
will press against and open the valve b.
In using the device the lower end of the chamber A is closed with the cap a¹ and
the charge of carbide to be used is placed in the lower part of the chamber. The
water vessel B containing a sufficient quantity of water to effect the decomposition
of the carbide is then placed in the upper part of the chamber resting upon the
supports c, c. The cover a is then placed in position and screwed down until when
it is so far in place that any escape of gas is impossible the prod D comes in contact
with and opens the valve b, whereupon the water is discharged from the vessel B

page_text: upon the carbide in the chamber, thereby effecting its decomposition and the
consequent generation of gas when the gaseous contents of the chamber are
exhausted, or it is desired to renew the charge, the cap or cover a is unscrewed and
the water vessel B is removed. The cap a¹ is then removed and the lime resulting
from the decomposition of the carbide is removed through the lower opening of the
chamber. The lower opening of the chamber is then closed with the cap a¹ and the
chamber is charged as before. Instead of having the prod D connected to, or forming
a part of, the cap a it may, as in the modification shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings,
be connected to the cap a and project upwardly into the chamber A. In this case
the water vessel B is removably connected in any suitable manner to the cap a
and the valve b is arranged to open upwardly so that when the cap a is screwed
down into place the water vessel B descends with it until the valve b comes in
contact with the upwardly projecting point of the prod D and is thereby opened
and the water is discharged upon the carbide in the same manner as with the
arrangement first described.
In either case the opening of the valve in the water vessel is effected by the act
of closing the chamber and no contact of the water and carbide can take place until
the chamber is so far closed that there can be no escape of gas, though the carbide
is contained loose in the chamber and the water is freely discharged thereon so that
its complete decomposition is quickly effected.
Such an arrangement is particularly adapted for use in connection with plants
of small capacity, such as may, for example, be used in operating a street lamp as
I have shown in the drawings.
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. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination of a tubular
generating chamber having removable end caps, a water vessel adapted to be
inserted in said chamber and removable therefrom, a valve in the water vessel and
a projection from one of the end caps of the chamber operating as such cap is
secured in place, to open the valve in the water vessel, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
2. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination of a tubular
generating chamber having removable end caps, a removable water vessel adapted
to be contained in said chamber, a valve in the water vessel and means operated by
the closing of the chamber for opening such valve, substantially as and for the
..purposes set forth.
3. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination of a gas
generating chamber, a water vessel adapted to be inserted in said chamber and
removable therefrom, a valve in the water vessel and means operated by the
closing of the chamber for opening such valve, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Dated this 6th day of August 1896.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.