Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Feb., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
I, FRANÇOIS BERGER, of 66, Rue de Lyon, Vienne (Isère), in the Republic of
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an acetylene generator in which the gas is evolved
by the automatic discharge of calcium carbide in the form of grains into a large
volume of water which serves as a heat regulator.
The acetylene generator comprises a water reservoir divided into two super-
posed compartments. by means of a partition on which is mounted a cylinder.
The annular upper compartment forms the gasometer and also the purifier; the
lower compartment serves for evolving the gas.
In the upper compartment is a bell furnished with lugs to which is pivoted a
link having its free end a notch and a heel piece or projection. To the lower
end of the receiver for the carbide is fixed the distributor, said distributor
consisting of a box with conical passage eccentrically arranged and provided with
stuffing boxes in which revolves the spindle of the distributing valve. The
valve spindle is provided with a lever handle furnished with a wiper-pin and
tripping arm. This lever is operated by the aforesaid pivoted links. If desired
the distributing valve may be formed with two valve bodies arranged side by
side, said two bodies being arranged to revolve together; or the two valve bodies
may be disposed one above the other.
To the under part of the base of the distributor is fixed a cylindrical body
which is concentrically arranged to the bell. This cylinder is fitted with an
internal pipe serving for the passage of the carbides said pipe terminating at
its lower end with a disc having small perforations dividing the gas entering
the water in the upper compartment.
In order to allow of the deposit of lime being cleared out from the tank this
latter is fashioned funnel shaped at the lower end and is closed by a valve formed
of a disc of india rubber which is compressed between two metallic discs, the
one concave and the other convex, on a spindle provided with forked head. This.
spindle is pivoted by its forked head to an operating lever arranged externally to
said funnel and by means of which the valve can be opened or closed.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The receiver having been filled with the carbides, water is run into the bell
until it issues through a cock arranged on the lower compartment which
thereupon is closed, this being the indication that both the compartments are filled
to the desired extent. It will be understood that the water so supplied first
fills as far as it can the upper compartment and then overflows down the central
pipe-so-filling-the-lower-compartment-up-to-the-desired-wate level. The
apparatus is now ready to operate.
The hand lever is so keyed to the spindle of the distributing valve as to cause
the latter to admit carbide when the bell is nearly in its lowermost position. The
carbides fall into the water in the lower compartment and immediately gas is

page_text: evolved and rises up the central pipe presses upon the water in the seal, descends
below the disc and becomes divided and finally enters the water in the upper
compartment and collects in a purified condition under the bell. The gas causes
the bell to ascend and the latter thereby operates the lever through the inter-
vention of the pivoted link, so closing the distributor.
;
On the bell rising still further the tripping arm of the lever comes against
the heel on the link and thereby disengages the latter from the pin and the
bell is then free to ascend without further actuating the lever.
--If-the-bell-re-descends-on-account of-the- withdrawal-of-the gas-for-consumption
the link owing to its being constructed to form its own counterweight on the
pivoting point, has the natural tendency to re-engage with the pin of the
lever thereby causing this latter to participate in its downward movement and
so open the valve for delivery of a fresh supply of carbides.
Dated this 30th day of March 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Acetylene Generators.
I, FRANÇOIS BERGER, of 66, Rue de Lyon, Vienne (Isère), in the Republic of
France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to an acetylene generator in which the gas is evolved
by the automatic discharge of calcium carbide in the form of grains into a large
volume of water which serves as a heat regulator.
Referring to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the generator.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the carbide distributor.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line A B of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan of the closing valve for the distributor.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the operating lever of the distributor.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a modified form of distributor.
The acetylene generator comprises a water reservoir a divided into two super-
posed compartments.gh by means of a partition on which is mounted a
cylinder . The annular upper compartment g forms the gasometer and also
the purifier; the lower compartment h serves for evolving the gas.
In the upper compartment is a bell b furnished with lugs to which is
pivotted a link k having at its free end a notch s and a heel piece or projection t.
To the lower end of the receiver c for the carbide, is affixed the distributor d
shown in detail in Figures 2 to 5) said distributor consisting of a box with a
passage or passages eccentrically arranged and provided with stuffing boxes in
which revolves the spindle of the distributing valve m. This valve spindle is
provided with a lever handle n furnished with a pin u and tripping arm.
This
lever is operated by the aforesaid pivotted link k as will hereinafter be explained.
If desired the distributing valve may be formed with two valve bodies arranged
side by side as shown in Figure 6," said two bodies being arranged to revolve
together or the two valve bodies may be disposed one above the other as found
most desirable.
To the under part of the base of the distributor d is fixed a cylindrical body e

page_text: which is concentrically arranged to the bell b. This cylinder is fitted with an
internal pipe o serving for the passage of the carbide, said cylinder terminating
at its lower end with a disc having small perforations for the purpose of
dividing the gas entering the water in the upper compartment g.
In order to allow of the deposited lime being removed from the tank a, this
latter is made of funnel shape at the lower end, and is closed by a valve f formed
of a disc of india rubber which is compressed between two metallic discs, the one
concave and the other convex, on a spindle v provided with a forked head. This
spindle is pivotted by its forked head to an operating lever a arranged externally
to said funnel and by means of which the valve can be opened or closed as
desired.
The action of the apparatus is as follows
The receiver c having been filled with the carbide, water is run into the
bell until it issues through a cock q arranged on the lower compartment, which
thereupon is closed, this being the indication that both the compartments g
and h are filled to the desired extent. It will be understood that the water so
supplied first fills as far as it can the upper compartment, and then overflows
down the central pipe so filling the lower compartment up to the desired water
level. The apparatus is now ready to operate.
The hand lever n is so keyed to the spindle of the distributing valve d as to
cause the latter to admit carbide when the bell is nearly in its lowermost
position. The carbide falls into the water in the lower compartment h, gas thus
being immediately evolved which rises up the central cylindrical body e exerting
pressure upon the water in the seal, descends below the disc p becomes divided
and finally enters the water in the upper compartment and collects in a cooled
and purified condition under the bell b. The gas causes the bell to ascend and
the latter thereby operates the lever n through the intervention of the pivotted
link, so closing the distributor d.
ง
On the bell rising still further the tripping-arm of the lever n comes against
the heelt on the link k and thereby disengages the latter from the pin u the
bell being thus free to ascend without further actuating the lever n.
When the bell descends on account of the withdrawal of the gas for con-
sumption through the outlet pipe the link k owing to its being constructed to
form its own counterweight on the pivotting point, has the natural tendency to
re-engage with the pin u of the lever n thereby causing this latter to participate
in its downward movement and so open the valve for delivery of a fresh supply
of carbide.
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 an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the arrangement of a distri-
butor consisting of a box having an excentrically arranged passage the walls
of which are formed with stuffing boxes for the spindle of a distributing valve
operated by a lever from the exterior, with means for automatically opening
and closing the said valve in accordance with the requirements of the consumption
of the gas, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
2. In apparatus for generating acetylene gas the means for intermittently and
automatically operating the distributor consisting of the arrangement adopted
for disengaging and re-engaging the lever, said lever being furnished with a pin
such as and tripping arm z, in combination with an operating link k provided
with a notch s and heel piece t, substantially as and for the purpose-specified..
3. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the internal arrangement
whereby the gas is caused to pass through water for purifying and cooling the
same before being drawn off for consumption, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 4. The construction, and arrangement of draw-off valve operated by an
externally arranged lever substantially as herein before described and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Doted this 30th day of Decembo 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
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