Improvements in Gas Generators for Acetylene, Hydrogen, and such like Gases.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gas Generators for Acetylene, Hydrogen, and such
like Gases.
I, JOHN PERCIVAL, of 103, Miles Buildings, Edgware Road, London, Iron and
Tinplate Worker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows;
-
I first provide a gasometer tank dipping into same is the usual bell part, round
the inside of which is a projecting or thick portion to displace water, within the
tank outside the bell is a coil of pipes for the gas when generated to pass through
to be cooled before consumption. On the outside of the tank is arranged the gas
generator. This is preferably formed as a cylinder in communication by side
passage with the tank so that the water in cylinder and tank will be at the same
level. The top of cylinder is arranged to be removed at will and secured gas
tight by suitable means such as packing and thumb screws, within the cylinder
is provided a suspended perforated cage to hold the calcium carbide. The rod by
which the cage is suspended projects outside the cover and is fitted with a handle
or knob to enable the cage to be lifted out of the water to stop the generation of
gas. A pipe fitted with tap conducts the gas from upper part of cylinder into
the gasometer, when the pressure of gas lifts the bell and so withdraws the thick
portion from the water which consequently goes to a lower level, thereby with-
drawing the water from the cage, and automatically stopping the generation of
gas. On the pressure of gas being reduced by the gas being drawn off, the lower-
ing of the bell causes the water to rise to reach the calcium carbide when the
generation again takes place. A safety valve arrangement is provided which
acts automatically when the bell rises to a certain height, to cause the level of
the water to fali. This safety arrangement consists of a beut pipe, the bent
portion extending down to a distance so that when the water is at its lowest level
the end of the pipe will be out of the water, and thus allow the gas to escape into
the pipe, the pipe being carried outside the gasometer, and thus the gas will
escape into the air, but this escape will be at once stopped by the falling of bell
which will cause the water in tank to rise and seal mouth of pipe. The bottom
of generating cylinder is fitted with means to enable the bye products of the
carbide to be withdrawn. The above apparatus can be used for generating
hydrogen gas by adding acid to the water and substituting metal for carbide.
Dated this 11th day of March 1809
FREDERIC PRINCE,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Gas Generators for Acetylene, Hydrogen, and such
like Gases.
I, JOHN PERCIVAL, of 103, Miles Buildings, Edgware Road, London, Iron and
Tinplate Worker, 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 refers to improvements in apparatus for the production of
acetylene, hydrogen and such like gases, the improved apparatus comprising a
gasometer, the inverted bell of which serves not only for the storage of the pro-
duced gas, but is so arranged and constructed that its rise and fall in the tank,
regulates and governs the rate of production of the gas, or causes the production
to cease, this action is effected by permitting the rise and fall of the bell to
produce a variation of the level of the water or other liquid, in a gas generating
cylinder or cylinders, and thereby allowing the water when its level is relatively
raised in the generating cylinder, to act upon calcium carbide (if acetylene gas
is to be produced) or other material, the production of gas being discontinued by
the rise of the bell withdrawing the gas generator cylinder or cylinders, and
thereby causing the water level to be lowered within same.
A safety valve is also provided which acts automatically, when the inverted bell
has risen to a predetermined height.
Convenient means are provided for the insertion and removal of the calcium
carbide containers to and from the generator cylinders and the produced gas is
delivered in a cooled state by its passage through a coiled pipe immersed in the
gasometer tank.
My invention will be readily understood by describing the same with reference
to the accompanying drawings, whereon Figure 1, is a vertical longitudinal section
of my improved gas generator, Figure 2 is a horizontal section of same on the
line XY of Figure 1: Figure 3 is an end sectional elevation of the lower part of
the apparatus, and Figure is a detail view in plan hereafter referred to. Similar
letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawings.
According to my invention, I provide a gasometer tank A, to receive the
inverted bell B, and upon either side of the bell I form extensions A, of the tank,
(sce Figure 2,) within which latter extension, outside the tank proper A, there
are located my gas generator cylinders C. Each of these cylinders C, is open at
its lower end C, Figure 1, being fixed to and carried by the bell, the said lower
ends of the cylinders being in communication with the tank, so that the water
in the cylinders C, C, and the tank A, will be at the same level.
The tops C3, of the cylinders are arranged to be removed at will, and suitable
means are provided by which the said covers can be secured gas tight, such for
example as the packing rings (3, located between the covers C, and the flanged
tops of the cylinders C. The covers C³, may be secured by thumb screws, or the
like, but I prefer the angular section half rings such as 1), (see Figs. 1 and 4),
drawn together by bolts and nuts, by which action the covers C³, are tightly held
to the packing rings.
Within each of the cylinders I provide a perforated cage E, to hold the calcium
carbide, the rod E, by which the cage E, is suspended, passing through a stuffing
box in the cover C, and being fitted outside the cover with a handle or knob to
enable the cage E, to be raised completely out of reach of the water when it is
desirous to stop the generation of the gas.
Pics F, each fitted with stop cocks, extend between the upper parts of the

page_text: generator cylinders C, C, to the interior of the upper part of the bell B, where
the open ends of the pipes enter a water filled trough B', and the produced gas
passes through the water therein contained into the bell, being thereby filtered.
Within the tank I provide a coiled pipe G, the upper open end being within
the bell B, above the highest water level, while the lower end passes through the
bottom of the tank and communicates with a condensing box G¹, from whence a
pipe G³, extends controlled by a cock G³. The produced gas is conducted through
this coil G, box G¹, and pipe G2, becomes thoroughly cooled, and is delivered for
use by the pipe G³.
At the base of the tank A, Figs. 1 and 2, is a passage H, controlled by a cock H¹,
by which the bye products of the calcium carbide may be removed.
The weight of the bell B, and its attached parts may be counterbalanced by
weights J, in the usual manner and it will be readily understood that as the gas
is produced the bell will rise, taking with it the generator cylinders C, and thereby
the level of the water in the latter will become altered, that is as the bell B, and
the cylinders C, rise the level of the water will be lowered in the cylinders C,
and the production of the gas will be lowered or cease altogether. I may provide
around the inside of the bell B, a projecting or thickened portion, composed say
of an annular air tight chamber K, in order to cause a more rapid displacement
of the water and partial flotation of the bell, and thereby increase the difference of
the level of the water quicker than by the rise and fall of the bell only, but
in many cases I have found that this is not necessary, and therefore, in such cases,
the thickening of the walls of the bell, in order to produce such rapid displace-
ment may be dispensed with.
On the pressure of the gas being reduced by the said gas being drawn off the
consequent lowering of the bell B, causes the water to rise and reach the calcium
carbide when the generation of the gas is again automatically re-commenced.
The safety valve arrangement I provide is constructed to act automatically,
when the bell B, rises to a certain height, and to this end, the device consists of
a pipe L, carried by the bell B, and having its upper end closed, while its lower
end is open, and apertures are formed in the wall of the pipe L, at L¹, Figure 1.
The gas escape pipe M, extends from outside the tank, passes through the base of
same, and up the inside of the tube L, being open at the top. By this arrange-
ment when the bell rises to a certain height, the apertures of the otherwise water
sealed tube L will be brought above the water level, and the gas will escape into
the air by the pipe M, the escape being at once stopped by the falling of the bell.
Such apparatus can be employed for generating hydrogen gas by adding acid
and water and substituting metal for the calcium carbide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In gas generators for acetylene, hydrogen and such like gases, the com-
bination with gasometer, of generating cylinders carried by the inverted bell,
each cylinder at its lowest end being open to admit the water from the tank, a
cage to contain the calcium carbide or equivalent suspended within the hermeti-
cally sealed top of each cylinder, pipes extending between the upper parts of each
cylinder to the upper part of the interior of the bell and a stationary coiled pipe
located within the bell, fixed in the tank and extending from above the water
level, through the water to conduct the produced gases from the bell in a cooled
state for use where required, the bell serving not only for the storage of the pro-
duced gas but to regulate the rate of production, by its rise and fall producing
relative differences in the level of the water, all arranged and acting substantially
as described.
2. The combination with apparatus for the production and storage of acetylene
and like gas as claimed by Claim 1, of the arrangement of automatically acting
safety valve adapted to permit the escape of gas when the bell has reached å
predetermined height substantially as set forth."

page_text: 3. The particular arrangement and combination of parts composing my
improved gas generator for acetylene, hydrogen and like gases, all constructed and
acting as and for the purposes described and illustrated with reference to the
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this day 10th of December 1898.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
37, Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane, E.C., Agent for Applicant.