Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1899-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1899
Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
JOSEPH SOMERS GOODWIN, of No. 4A, Bethune Road, Stamford Hill, in the
County of London, England, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to construct an acetylene generator capable of
supplying a number of burners with acetylene gas in such a manner as to obtain
a thoroughly uniform, constant and safe working and to enable lighting instal-
lations to be set up in large establishments or buildings at a comparatively low
price.
My improved generator works automatically, that is to say that as soon as the
pressure in the gas holder increases beyond a predetermined figure, the water is
withdrawn from the calcium carbide in the generator and hence the evolution of
acetylene gas is arrested until this pressure has been reduced to a given extent
when the water is again brought into contact with the carbide of calcium. More-
over a salient feature of my invention is the hermetical closing of the acetylene
gas generators by means of a water seal whereby no acetylene gas can escape.
My improved acetylene generator consists of a central gas holder containing a
bell to the top of which is suspended a weight inside the gas holder by means
of a chain having such a length that the weight rests normally on the bottom
of the gas holder and is only lifted when the bell has risen to a determined
height. This gas holder is surrounded at the top with a tray provided with two
or more openings leading downwardly to an equal number of closed metallic
cylinders or wells designed to contain the acetylene generators. This tray is
divided by vertical partitions into as many compartments as there are wells.
The generators consist of an outer cylinder or water reservoir provided with a
central tubular neck and in which is introduced an inner and shorter cylinder
or carbide of calcium receptacle; this reservoir being open at the bottom. The
carbide receptacle has a perforated bottom and an upper central tube or neck
perforated at the side and entering the neck aforesaid; the said receptacle is
suspended in the water reservoir; the said tube extending throughout the height
of the said receptacle. A central pipe passes through each well as well as
through the water reservoir and the carbide receptacle contained therein and is
provided with a tap and is bent under the gas holder and jointed by a suitable
connecting pipe to a delivery pipe passing through this holder wherein it extends
nearly to the top of the same. A gas supply pipe standing likewise vertically
in the gas holder and forming a pendant to the delivery pipe aforesaid passes
through the bottom of the said holder and is bent at right angles thereunder
so as to ascend along the outer side thereof to a given height whereat it is con-
nected to a gas supply tap; the said pipe being provided at the bottom with a
blow off cock. Another pipe jointed to the pipe connecting the delivery pipes
is likewise bent at right angles under the bottom of the gas holder and ascends
along the outer side thereof in order to be provided with a tap designed to act
as a blow off cock.

page_text: Each well is supplied with water from the compartment in the tray wherein it
is located so that when the apparatus is working water may be allowed to trickle
down the well up to a suitable height thus forming a water seal as above stated
designed to fully withstand the pressure on the gasholder.
It will be readily understood that owing to the peculiar arrangement of the
gas delivery and supply pipes, these pipes will be properly cooled.
When only two wells and generators are used the latter are made to operate
alternately so that when the first is exhausted the second is automatically brought
into operation in consequence of the depression by the sinking gas bell of a
rod arranged on the gas holder and connected outside the same by a lever or
equivalent device to the tap handle of the generator hitherto idle.
Dated this 7th day of September 1898.
DE KATOW & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
JOSEPH SOMERS GOODWIN, of No. 4A, Bethune Road, Stamford Hill, in the
County of London, England, Commercial Traveller, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My improved generator is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a central sectional elevation, Fig. 2 an underside view (with the pedestal
omitted) and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan on line AA of Fig. 1 drawn at a smaller
scale, and showing the wells only.
This generator consists of a large tray a carrying a central reservoir b and
four metallic cylinders or wells formed integrally therewith. The reservoir b
is carried by a pedestal p and contains a concentric cylinder d bolted thereto
at the bottom and a gas holder e capable of moving in the usual manner between
the casings and d and provided at the top with a ring 7 to which is secured a
vertical chain r the other end of which is secured to a screw eye q' attached to
a weight w. Each cylinder or well e contains a water reservoir f suitably sup-
ported and open at the bottom and a carbide receptacle y likewise suitably sup-
ported and furnished with a perforated bottom or sieve and with lateral perfora-
tions, a central vertical pipe extending upwardly throughout the well c, the
reservoir and the receptacle g right up to the top of the tray a.
Below the
well this pipe h is provided with a stopcock and extends downwardly in order
to be connected to one of the horizontal cross pipe i¹ jointed together by a
Tpiece or connection j. Connected to this pipe is an upright excentric inlet
pipe which extends through the bottom of 6 to nearly the top of the cylinder d.
Another vertical but excentric outlet pipe k forming a pendant to the pipe l
passes through the bottom of the reservoir b and is connected to a short pipe m
to which is also jointed the acetylene gas supply pipe n provided with a stop-
cock. Water is poured in the tray a and trickles down the wells c so as to
form a water seal, ascend in the reservoir f and come through the sieve bottom
of the receptacle g into contact with the carbide contained therein. Water is
likewise poured into the casing band forms the usual water seal for the gas
holder or belle, the levels of water in a and f being indicated in Fig. 1. σ is
a blow off cock.
My improved generator belongs to that class in which water is brought into
contact with the carbide not in the form of spray, jets, stream or the like, but

page_text: in that of a solid fluid mass caused to ascend and descend bodily by hydrostatic
pressure.
The gas evolved from the carbide receptacles g enter the pipes and is con-
veyed through the pipes i or and into the gas holder e. Fig. 1 shows that
holder in its uppermost position wherein under the pressure of acetylene gas the
bell has raised the weight while the pressure in the water reservoir f has
caused the water to descend and occupy the level shown, when the evolution of
acetylene practically ceases; the bell affording ample accommodation for any
atter formation of acetylene gas, from the still damp carbide. As the acetylene.
gas is being withdrawn from n for consumption, the volume of gas is thereby
decreased, the holder e descends and the weight w drops on the bottom of b
whereupon the water in the reservoir f ascends and comes again into contact
with the carbide in the receptacles g, when gas is again evolved; the operation
of the generator being thus thoroughly automatical and uniform and a steady
and constant supply of acetylene gas being furnished by the supply pipe n.
simplicity of construction and compactness of this generator is such as to render
it an eminently fit and safe apparatus for household purposes.
The
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. In acetylene generators, in which a volume of water is first raised in con-
tact with the carbide of calcium and is subsequently withdrawn therefrom by
hydrostatic pressure, the combination of a tray or water container with a number
of casings or wells each containing a water reservoir and a carbide receptacle,
with a central gasometer having a weighted gas holder and suitable tubular con-
nections, inlet, outlet and supply pipes, substantially as herein described and
shown, and for the purpose set forth.
2. The improved acetylene generator arranged constructed and operating sub-
stantially as herein described and shown.
Dated this Tenth day of July 1899