Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene from Calcium Carbide and Water.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct.,
1897
DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for the Production
of Acetylene from Calcium Carbide and Water.
We, THOMAS THORP of Whitefield in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, and
THOMAS GARDINER MARSH of Examiner Buildings, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Gas Engineer, 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 object to provide improved apparatus for the production
of acetylene from calcium carbide and water in which improved apparatus gas is
produced only in direct ratio to its consumption or drawing off from the outlet of
the apparatus and in which there is no escape or loss of gas during the recharging
of the same,
Our improved apparatus is constructed in accordance with that system in which
the carbide is fed into water in a sufficient quantity or at a sufficient rate to keep
up the required supply of gas, and our improvements are applicable to apparatus
constructed according to said system,
An apparatus embodying our improvements is herein after described and illus-
trated by the two sheets of drawings attached hereunto.
Our improvements for governing the production of gas consist in valve mechanism
in conjunction with a variable capacity chamber or holder of the inverted bell type
and an improved valve which is operated by the fall and rise of the bell at certain
parts of its travel through the aforesaid valve mechanism..
Our further improvements for preventing the escape of gas during the recharging
of the apparatus consist in forming a gas tight charging chamber or upper hopper
having an external charging door or lid, and a valve at the bottom orifice leading
into a lower hopper which door and valve are connected together by suitable
mechanism in such a manner that the charging door cannot be opened until the
valve is closed and the valve cannot be opened when once closed before the charging
door is closed.
Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 represents an improved apparatus em-
bodying our improvements, in sectional elevation. Figure 2 represents the same
apparatus in end elevation. Figure 3 represents views of the improved valve
illustrated in elevation in Figure 2. Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent several views
of one example of construction of valve mechanism for preventing the escape of
gas during the recharging of the apparatus.
P is a vessel which is formed of metal and is divided into three compart-
ments a, b, c; a forming the generator and b and c forming superposed hoppers.
The lower compartment or generator a is separated from the middle compartment
or lower hopper b by a funnel shaped partition or shoot a¹ having a central
orifice a fitted with a special valve a³ constructed and operated as hereinafter
described. The lower part of the compartment a is preferably contracted and is
fitted with a suitable valve or cock at. There is also fitted a water level guage a³,
and a charging syphon a or other suitable device for water is conveniently disposed.
[Price 8d 1

page_text: From the compartment a above the water level a' there is a duct or passage a³
leading to the gasholder hereinafter described.
The compartment or lower hopper b is directly above the generator a and formed
by the funnel shaped partition or shoot a¹ in the vessel p and is separated from the
compartment or hopper c by a flap valve blereinafter described.
The compartment or upper hopper c has its outlet or lower orifice closed by the
flap valve aforesaid.
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This flap valve is preferably formed with an inclined seat as shewn in Figure 1.
The acting faces may be ground or one may be faced with a flexible packing as
shewn by Figure 1.
.1
The upper part or mouth of the compartment or shoot e is fitted with a suitable
gas tight lid c which is preferably hinged at and provided with a flexible
packing and a hinged catch hereinafter described. The hinge pin 2 of the
flap valve is fixed to and moves with the valve. It is passed through a suitable
stuffing box or other gas tight packing in the wall of the vessel p and fitted with
a hand lever 3 of the first order. To the end of the lever bis hinged a vertical
bar which is partly supported in position by a bridge guide 66 against the inside
of which it is pressed by a spring 67 capable of sliding upon the outer wall of the
generator. Upon the vertical bar 5 is a nose 8 in such a position that it lies
beneath the bridge when the bar is in its lowest position. The upper end of
the bar is formed with a forked slide or guitle 69 shewn in section in Figure 7
and having a projection 610 at its extremity. There is a nose d projecting from the
face of the vessel l'. On each side of this nose there is a three toothed catch d¹
mounted upon a pin do passing through the nose, and there is also a spring on
each side of the nose d for the purpose of retaining the catch in the position shewn
in Figure 5 when the catch 'c is free. Figure 4 is a side elevation representing
the lid c closed and locked when the flap valve is open. Figure 5 is also a
similar side clevation shewing the lid unlocked after the flap valve b has been
closed: Figure 6 represents a front elevation of the locking mechanism and
Figure 7 is a cross section through Figure 4. Figure 8 represents an end view
of the catch c'. This catch is provided with a forked projection Figures 4, 5
and 8, and a tee shaped projection 6, Figures 4, 5, 7 and 8. It will be observed in
Figure 5 that when the bar b is up as far as it will travel the projection 610 rests
against the projection of the catch d' and the nose 18 on the bar 65 rests upon
the bridge ; and the 'hane 63 cannot consequently be moved to open the flap
valve owing to the bar 65 fixed to the handle being held up by the nose 68.
But when the forked projection of the catch presses against the toothed
catches the nose of each catch rises above the projections 610 of the bar 65 and
permits the end 6 of the said bar to move back when pressed by the projection co
thus allowing the nose 8 to pass behind the bridge and the forked slide 6º to pass
over the tee projection and so lock the catch c in the position shewn on Figure 4,
Previous to this locking the catch c seals the lid c¹ of the hopper c as the projec-
tion of of the catch. c is first pressed under the nose d and by it held down.
Referring now to Figures 1, and 3, represents the gas holder consisting of a
variable capacity chamber preferably of the inverted bell type as illustrated. This
consists of a tank e having a central stand pipe f and a weighed bell g. The stand
pipe f is in communication with the duct or passage as which communicates with
the generator a hereinbefore referred to.
.
A depending rod of suitable length is fixed to the bell g. Its lower end
terminates with a head, and there is a guide f¹ fixed in the standpipe to keep
the bell central in the tank e. In the bottom of the duct as there is mounted in
suitable bearings h a rocking bell-crank h¹ in a suitable position for being acted
upon by the head of the depending rod gl. One extremity of the bell crank
lever is connected by means of a knuckle joint to a coupling rod connecting
the said bell crank lever with the special valve a³ hereinafter described. The other
extremity of the lever h¹ is formed to come in contact with the head 7 of the
danonding rod al

page_text: There is fitted to the lever a hinged catch which gives way to the head. g3
of the rod g in its descent but on the ascent of the rod the catch is caught by the
head by which the lever is moved back and its motion is communicated to the
valve a.
The special valve a³ covers preferably a square orifice a around which is fixed
a rim of suitable bristles a10, the surface covered by the ends of the bristles being
curved to the radius due to the centre all, at which centre is hinged the valve a
having a smooth valve, face. The coupling rod 9 is hinged to the underside of
the valve a³. This valve is shewn in plan in Figure 3.
To commence the production of acetylene, water is first supplied to the lowest
compartment, say through the syphon pipe or pillar, The lid c is then unlocked
by moving the handlo downwards by which the flap valve is closed, the bar b
is raised and the guide thereon is slid off the tee-projection of the catch. This
operation allows the said catch to be pulled from under the nose d and so leave the
lid free to be raised. A charge of granulated carbide may now be placed in the
upper hopper c and the lid e tightly closed and held by pushing the projection c
of the catch et under the nose as shewn in Figure 4.
b
The flap valve may now be opened to permit of the carbido passing into the lower
carbide hopper 6 by raising the handle which at the same time locks the catch
of the lid. Unless the said catch is pushed under and held down by the nose & the
handle cannot be moved and the flap valve 1 cannot be opened as it is necessary
to lift the catches clear of the end projection of the bar and to do this the li
must be tightly closed and the part of the catch e pushed under the nose in order
that the forked projection of the said catch shall engage the catches and move
them clear of the end of the bar and also that the part of the catch ct shall press
back the bar until the nose 68 thereon shall be clear of the bridge 70. The carbide
being passed into the hopper b, it rests upon the valve and if the holder is not
held up its weight will by its depending rod press upon the ends of the bell crank
lever and throw its end 2 over thus opening the valve a³ and allowing some
As gas is generated
granulated carbide to fall into the water in the generator a.
immediately carbide comes into contact with water, the bell g almost immediately
rises and in doing so, the head g² of the depending rod is caught by the catch
of the bell-crank lever h¹ by which the end of the said lever is thrown back
again, immediately closing the valve a³. As the gas is drawn from the holder t
and the bell g falls, the operation is repeated until all the carbide is acted upon or
all the water decomposed.
The valve and operating mechanism herein before described may be applied to
acetylene generators not provided with. interlocking lids and valves, and the
arrangement of a carbide hopper with an interlocking lid and outlet valve may be
used in combination with other arrangements of generators in which the carbide is
fed into the water. We do not confine ourselves to the special devices or details
of the mechanism for alternately closing and opening the lid and outlet valve of
the carbide hopper, but these may be replaced by their equivalents producing the
same interlocking effect.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declared that what we
claim is:-
Firstly. In apparatus for generating acetylene from calcium carbide and water
in which the carbide is fed into water, the use and arrangement of a charging
hopper fitted with a gas tight charging lid above and a gas tight hand operated
outlet valve opening downwards below in combination with suitable catch
mechanism operated by the valve handle by which the aforesaid lid is unlocked
only when the flap valve is closed and which flap valve cannot be opened before
the lid is tightly closed and secured.
Secondly. The construction and arrangement of charging hopper and valve and
lid locking mechanism for permitting only the alternate opening and closing of

page_text: the charging lid and the outlet or discharge valve in apparatus for producing
acetylene by feeding calcium carbide into water substantially as herein before
described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings and for the purpose set
forth.
Thirdly. The improvement in valves for permitting the passage of granulated
calcium carbide for use in apparatus for the production of acetylene Ly feeding
calcium carbide into water which consists in facing one of the valve acting surfaces
with suitable bristles substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated and
for the purpose set forth.
Fourthly. In apparatus for producing acetylene by feeding calcium carbide into
water, the improved construction of valve actuating mechanism for starting and
stopping the feed of calcium carbide into the generator by means of the variable
capacity holder substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 3 of the
drawings.
Fifthly. The improved construction of apparatus for producing acetylene from
calcium carbide and water, substantially as herein before described and illustrated
with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
Datad this 20th
A
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,