Improvements in Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene
Gas.
I, JAY WOODARD POWERS, Mechanical Engineer, 2306, Dupont Avenue, North
Minneapolis, Minn. U.S.A., 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:-
My invention relates to the production of acetylene gas and has for its objects,
first, the production of a device for generating gas wherein the generator is
separable from its accompanying gas holder, for the purpose of cleansing and
re-charging it; second, the production of a device for generating gas wherein the
generator, the gas holder and the connecting gas conduit are all water sealed
beyond the possibility of leakage; and third, the production of a device for
generating gas wherein gas is shut off between the generator and the gas holder,
and an escape pipe leading to the open air is opened by the act of disconnecting
the generator from the gas holder, thereby preventing an escape of gas from the
generator or the gas holder, but allowing the gas in the conduit between the
generator and the cut-off to escape, thus avoiding the odor of gas in the room.
These objects I attain through the use of the device herein shown and hereinafter
described.
In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention; Fig. 2, a top view
thereof; Fig. 3, a section of Fig. 2 taken on the line 3-3; Fig. 4, a section
of Fig. 1 taken on the line 4-4; Fig. 5, a vertical, and Fig. 6 a horizontal
section of a modified construction of my device; Fig. 7, a vertical, and Fig. 8, a
horizontal section of still another modification thereof.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, A being
he generator; B the gas holder; C, the gas conduit; D, the escape pipe; and
, the cut-off.
:
The generator A, consists of two principal parts, viz. a tank portion and a
over therefor. The tank portion, A, see Figs. 1, 3 and 7, is fashioned with a
ouble circumferential wall, thus dividing it vertically into a central chamber, a,
dapted to receive calcium carbide from which acetylene gas is made, and an
nnular chamber, b, adapted to hold water for sealing its cover.
The cover A¹, see Figs. 3 and 7, is fashioned with a single circumferential
all, c, adapted to enter the annular chamber, b, of the tank portion A, wherein
is water sealed. Affixed in this cover A¹ is a flue, d, preferably square in
oss-section, and curved outward or from the gas. holder, B, as shown. This
ue (d) is fashioned with double walls, thus dividing it vertically into an inner
amber, e, adapted to receive the outer (ingress) end of the gas conduit, C, and
outer chamber, f, adapted to hold water for sealing the same. The inner
amber
e, is open at its upper end to receive the said conduit, C, while its lower
d is closed by an upwardly closing valve, g. The outer chamber f is open at
upper end and closed at its lower end.

page_text: The gas holder B consists of two principal parts, viz.: a tank portion to hold
water and a bell floating therein. The tank portion B is not unlike those com-
monly used in expansible gas holders. The bell B2 is fashioned with a double
circumferential wall, the inner one being somewhat shorter than the outer one,
thus dividing it vertically into an inner chamber h, adapted to receive the gas,
and an outer chamber i, adapted to serve as an emergency chamber.
Affixed to the outer circumferential wall of the gas holder tank B1 is the cage
of a three way cock (the cut-off E) from which extends the ingress pipe j, leading
to the inner chamber h, the emergency pipe k leading to the outer chamber i of
the bell B2, and the escape pipe D leading to the open air.
The exit end of the gas conduit G is affixed in the key E¹ of the three way
cock E, and serves as a lever therefor, while its ingress end is downwardly turned
to enter the inner chamber e of the flue d. Affixed to the downwardly turned
ingress end of this conduit (C) is a depending sleeve 1, adapted to enter the outer
chamber of the flue where it is water sealed. Into this conduit (C) is affixed
a looped water pipe m which serves (in part) to convey water from the gas
holder B to the generator A for gas making purposes. A drip pipe n is pivotally
affixed to the outer circumferential wall of the gas holder tank B', and serves
(in connection with the looped water pipe m) to convey water to the generator A.
Its operation is controlled by the action of the bell B2 of the gas holder B to
which it is connected by means of the cord or chain o.
I operate my device as follows: First, I charge my generator with calcium
carbide, depositing the same in the central chamber, or if deemed preferable,
I. fill a pail with the calcium carbide and place it in the central chamber a.
Second, I put the cover A¹ in place by lowering its depending wall into the
annular chamber 6 of the tank portion A, where I water seal it. Third, I depress
the swinging gas conduit C, when its downwardly turned ingress end will enter
the inner chamber e of the flue d and depress the valve g at the lower end thereof
by deflecting its springs g', its sleeve 7 meanwhile entering the outer chamber f
of the flue & where it is water sealed. Fourth, I pour water into the looped
water pipe m, first filling its loop, after which it will overflow through the
downwardly-turned ingress end of the conduit Cinto the central chamber a of
the generator A, saturate the calcium carbide therein, and evolve acetylene gas
therefrom, which as it accumulates, will flow past the valve g through the
conduit C and into the central chamber from which it flows to the burners
through the pipes 7. Now, as the gas accumulates in the central chamber h,
it will lift the bell B2 which in turn (through the operation of the cord or chain o)
will raise the outer (discharge) end of the drip pipe n, above the water level in the
gas holder tank B', from which it draws its supply, thereby checking the flow of
water therefrom and suspending the generation of gas. Then, when the gas
so generated and stored is being exhausted at the burners, the bell B2 will slowly
fall and (through the operation of the cord or chain o) will carry the outer (dis-
charge) end of the drip pipe », below the water level in the gas holder tank B',
thereby letting more water flow therefrom into the looped water pipe m, through
the downwardly-turned portion of the conduit C, into the central chamber a of
the generator A, and saturate the calcium carbide therein, when the above
described operation will be repeated until all of the calcium carbide shall have
been saturated, and all of the gas therein shall have been set free. .
I remove, cleanse and re-charge my generator by raising the swinging gas
conduit C to the position shown by the dotted lines (see Fig. 1) thereby shutting
off communication between the generator A and the gas holder B, and, by the
same act, I open communication between the said generator A and the escape
pipe D, thereby letting the gas in the conduit C between the generator A and the
cut-off E, escape.
Now, as the gas conduit C is withdrawn from the flue d, the valve g will be
closed by the reflex action of its springs g, thereby closing the generator A
and rendering it odorless. It will be seen that the looped water pipe m, owing

page_text: to its peculiar configuration, is at all times gas tight, that the water can only be
discharged therefrom as an overflow from its sealing chamber (its loop). Hence,
the declared purposes of my invention are attained.
The inner circumferential wall of the bell, B2, which forms the central
chamber h, and the annular chamber i, being shorter than its outer circum-
ferential wall, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, will (in case of an over-
charge of gas in the central chamber h) be lifted out of the water in the gas
holder tank B, thus allowing a portion of the imprisoned gas in central (storage)
chamber to escape into the annular (emergency) chamber i, thence through the
emergency pipe k, the cut off E and the escape pipe D.
When the over charged chamber h has thus been relieved, the bell B³, will
fall by gravity until the lower portion of its inner circumferential wall (the
shorter one) is once more submerged, when communication. between the central
chamber h, and the annular chamber i, will be closed.
It will thus be seen that the emergency pipe k is an exhaust pipe for the
annular (emergency) chamber i, and that it communicates directly with the escape
pipe 1 by means of the cut off E (the three way cock) as shown by Fig. 4:
In the modifications shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the gas conduit C is connected
with the cover A2, and extends to and is water sealed in a cup p² surrounding
the outer end of the ingress pipe leading to the inner chamber h. In this
construction the gas conduit C and the ingress pipe ; are each provided with a
stop-cock q for shutting off or letting on the gas. In operating this construction
I connect the generator A with the gas holder B by lowering the outer depending
end of the gas conduit C into the cup p¹ of the ingress pipe j, and by opening
the stop-cocks qq, to let on the gas. I disconnect the generator A from the
holder B by closing the stop-cocks q-q and lifting it vertically until the outer
end of the gas, conduit C is released from the cup p¹ of the ingress pipe j.
gas
In the modification shown by Figs. 7 and 8, the gas conduit C is separable
both from the generator A and the gas holder B, its ingress end being water
sealed in a cup r surrounding an exit pipe s affixed in and leading outward from
the generator A, and its exit end being water sealed in a deeper cut t surrounding
an ingress pipe affixed to and leading inward to the interior of the gas holder B.
In operating this construction, I connect and disconnect the generator A and
gas holder B by raising or lowering the ingress end of the gas conduit C into the
sealing cup r, without removing its exit end from the deeper cup t.
In this construction one stop-cock q only is actually required for letting on
or shutting off the gas, although I have shown two cocks q both of which can be
shut when removing the conduit C.
Each and all of these modifications produce the same results, therefore, belong
to and are a part of my invention.
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 a device for generating and storing acetylene gas, the combination
with an expansible gas holder of a generator tank, a cover water sealed therein,
an adjustable gas conduit affixed to the said gas holder, extendible to and water
sealed in the said water sealed cover, a drip pipe pivotally affixed to the said gas
holder, and extensible to the said generator, and means for causing an inter-
mittent flow of water from the said gas holder to the said generator, substan-
tially as shown and described.
2. In a device for generating and storing acetylene gas, the combination with
the expansible gas holder of a generator tank, a water sealed cover thereon, a
valve protected flue therein, and means for water sealing a pipe therewith;
a jointed gas conduit sealed in said cover and extending to said gas holder; a
cut-off in said gas conduit; a looped pipe for supplying the said generator with
water and means for controlling the flow of water from the said gas holder

page_text: to the said generator by the rise and fall of the gasometer bell,, substantially as
shown and described.
20 of
3. In a device for generating and storing acetylene gas, the combination with
an expansible gas holder, of a water sealed generator; a conduit pivotally
affixed to the said gas holder, extendible to and water sealed with the said
generator, and, means for intermittently transferring water from the said gas
holder to the said generator, substantially as shown and, described.
4. In a device for generating and storing acetylene gas, the combination with
an expansible gas holder and water scaled generator, of a gas conduit affixed
to the said gas holder, extendible to and water sealed with the said generator.
5. In a device for generating and storing, acetylene gas, the combination
with a gas holder and a generator, of a gas conduit affixed to said gas holder,
extendible to and water sealed with the said generator, substantially as shown and
described.
6. In a device, for generating and storing acetylene gas, the combination with
an expansible gas holder having an emergency chamber therein, of a water sealed
generator; a conduit pivotally affixed to the said gas holder, extendible to and
water sealed with the said generator, means for intermittently transferring water
from the said gas holder to the said generator, and an escape leading from said
emergency chamber, substantially as shown and described.
7. In a gas generator; the combination with a generator and a gas holder; of a
gas conduit, the ingress end of which is affixed in the cover of the said generator,
and the exit end of which extends to, and is water sealed in the incased ingress
pipe leading to the interior of the said gas holder, substantially as shown and
described.
8. In a gas generating device, the combination with a generator and a gas
holder of a conduit, the ingress end of which is incased by and water sealed in a
pipe extending upward from the said generator, and the exit end of which is
incased by and water sealed in a pipe leading to and communicating with the
interior of the said gas holder, substantially as shown and for the purpose
specified.
9. In a gas generating device, the combination of a sealed generator, an
incased exit pipe extending upward therefrom and having a stop-cock therein,
an expansible gas holder having an incased ingress pipe, and a gas conduit
having a stop-cock therein, the ends of which are downwardly turned and water
sealed in the said incased exit and ingress pipes, substantially as shown and for
the purpose specified.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1899 -