Improvements in Acetylene Gas Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Apparatus.
I, JOHN ST. LEGER MCGINN, of No. 30S, St. James Street, in the City of
Winnepeg, in the Province of Manitoba, Dominion of Canada, Agent, 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:
The object of the invention is to improve the construction of acetylene gas
apparatus, with a view to greater efficiency and increased safety.
To these ends, the invention may be said, briefly, to consist in the construc
tion, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and
illustrated, and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings, in which like symbols indicate the same
parts, in all the figures,
Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of my improved apparatus;
Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof; taken on line 2. 2, Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of my improved generator on a larger
scale, taken on line 3, 3, Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation of the means for supporting the carbide con
taining cups;
Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view of one of the cups:
Fig. 6 a detail vertical sectional view of the means for operating the valve of
the water-supplying device;
Fig. 7a detail plan view of the star wheel forming a part of said water-
supplying device.
My improved apparatus consists of a generator, a gas holder, improved means
for connecting the generator and holder together, and means, actuated by the
expansion or contraction of the gas-holder, for supplying water to the generator.
My generator consists of a circular casing divided diametrically into a number
of compartments. This chamber communicates with the gas holder through a
novel sealing chamber and other connections.
Each of these compartments contains mechanism for automatically immersing
a fresh supply of calcium carbide in water automatically supplied to said com-
partment, when the pressure of gas in the holder is decreased below what is
required to serve the consumption.
This casing, 5, rests upon the floor of the building, and is constructed with a
pocket, 9, at its upper end, which receives the pendant peripheral flange, 10,
of a cover.
This cover consists of a circular plate, 12. having, besides said flange 10, a
vertically-projecting flange, 13, having a segment thereof, increased in height.
as at 14.
A pair of vertical tubes 15 and 16, equal in length to one another and to the
A cylin-
segment 14. project upwardly from a pair of openings in said cover.
drical cap, 17, fits over each of these tubes, the cap fitting over tube 16 being
weighted. The tube 15, and the cap 17 are enclosed by a pipe 18, soldered at

page_text: its lower end to the cover, while the upper end thereof projects upwardly above
the tube 15, and has an encircling pipe 20, secured at its lower end thereto,
a short distance above the lower end thereof, and with its upper end on a level
with the upper end of the pipe 18, thus forming an elongated pocket 19. -
A pipe 21, about equal in length to said pipe 18, is supported rigidly by,
and communicates with, the gas conducting pipe 22, with its lower end taking
downwardly into the pocket 19 a sufficient distance to provide an effective
water-seal, as, will be presently described; while a water-conducting tube 23,
having a flared upper end, is soldered to the side of the pipe 21.
A pair of walls 25, equal in height to the segmental wall 14, are soldered
at their radially outer edges to the side edges thereof, at their bottom edges to
the cover 12, and at their radially inner edges: to the tuber 20; and the lower
end of the pipe 18, thus constituting a sealing chamber 26: while said lower
end of the said pipe 18, and the upper end of the segmental wall 14, are per-
forated respectively, as at 27 and 28; and the upper end of the pipe 20 is per-
forated as at 29.
A series of radial partitions, 30, 31, 32 and 33 (constituting the diametrical
divisions, of the generating chamber before referred to), extend- from the
bottom of the casing to within a short distance of the top thereof, thus form-
ing centrolineal sub-chambers 34, 35, 36, and 37, respectively, and said three
first mentioned partitions are provided respectively with overflow openings,
38, 39, and 40, respectively, near the upper ends thereof, while the segmental
wall of the sub-chamber 34 has a corresponding opening, 41, near its upper
end. A series of tubular conductors 42, 43, 44, and 45, are formed in the
interior of said sub-chambers, and extend from the said respective openings to
within a short distance of the floor of the casing..
Within each sub-chamber, a removable cup-supporting frame is located, and
consists of a pair of standards 46, semicircular in cross section, supported
between top and bottom rectangular frame pieces, 47 and 48, respectively, and
vertically slotted longitudinally thereof, as at 49, from one frame piece to the
other.
The edges of each standard are diagonally slotted, as at 50, and a lever, 51
is fulcrumed, as at 52, to the standard, and supported by a stop 53 upon said
standard, to normally extend horizontally on a line about midway of the upper
end of each adjacent pair of slots, and with one end projecting towards the
centre of the casing, and the other end intersecting the said slot 49..
My improved carbide-containing cup consists of an enclosing cup portion, 54,
in which is secured, concentrically thereof, a cylindrical section, 55, constituting
the carbide carrier proper, and having its upper edge notched, as at 56, the
enclosing cup having a series of perforations 57 about midway of the height
of the inside section 55, which is greater in height than the enclosing cup 54;
while the space between said inner and outer portions receives the lower end
of a cover in the form of an inverted cup 58, equal in depth to said inner
portion 55, and having a series of, notches 59 at its lower edge.
}
f
A pair of rigid pins, 60, project from each side of the enclosing cup 54, and
take into the diagonal slots 50, and a vertically-arranged staple-like projection 61
takes into the vertical slot 49, and receives the short end of the lever 51, which
retains the cup against displacement.
The upward movement of the cover, relatively to the cup body, is restricted
by a link rigidly connected to the said cover, and having a sliding connection
with the body..
This link consists of a piece of wire, 160, soldered at its upper end to the
top of the cover, and having its lower end bent to form a loop 161, adapted to
take over the uppermost of the pins 60.
A float, 62, triangular in plan view, is located in the inside corner of each
sub-chamber, where it is localized, and guided (in guideways formed by verti-
cally arranged angular stripes 63, secured to the sides of the partitions), during

page_text: an upward movement, imparted thereto by water supplied to the said chamber,
as will be presently described.
The gas-holder consists of an enclosing casing, in which a gas-receiving
drum 71 is located, this drum being of the usual dome form, and fits over a
second dome-like structure 72, the lower edges whereof are connected by an
annular diaphragm, 73, to the lower edge of the enclosing casing.
This casing is constructed in two parts, 70 and 170; the upper part 70 has
an encircling bead 171 near the lower end thereof. In fitting the parts together,
the lower edge of the upper part is slipped over the upper end of the lower part,
until said bead comes into contact with said upper bead, and a strip, 172, is
soldered, at its upper and lower edges respectively to said bead 171 and the
upper end of the part 170.
A vertical tubular section, 74, is formed centrally of the innermost 'dome,
and communicates by a horizontal pipe 75, with the lower end of the space
between said inner dome and the outer casing.
The drum has a tube 76 extending from a central opening in the top thereof,
downwardly into the tubular passage formed by said tubular section 74, to
which it, approximately, corresponds in length, and said tube 76 has a pair
of holes, 175, near the lower end thereof.
The gas conducting pipe, 22, from the generating chamber, is taken into the
enclosing casing at a point below the diaphragm 73, and upwardly through the
innermost dome-like structure, and through the top thereof, to communicate
with the space between said structure and the drum; and the second gas con-
ducting pipe 180 leads from said space, between the structure and drum, to a
point where the gas is to be distributed for consumption.
At the top of the enclosing casing a blow-off pipe, 181, is taken from the
interior thereof to the open air.
The water for sealing purposes is supplied to the space between the said
structure and the outer casing, through a pipe 80, formed on the exterior of the
casing, and leading from the lower end of said space upwardly to a
point about
on a level with the point at which it may be desired to keep the water seal.
Water for generating purposes is received. into a feeder 82 (see Figs. 1, 6
and 7) through a pipe 83, that extends to any suitable source of supply.
Within the feeder or box 82, is a horizontal partition 81, having an opening 85.
A rotary valve 184, having an opening 84 therein, rests on said partition 81, and
is provided with a stem 86, that extends through a tube 87, and out of the
lower end of the feeder 82. On the flanged end of this tube, 87, is loosely
mounted a four-armed, or star wheel, 88, Fig. 7,-which has pendent bifur-
cated arms 89, that engage a rod 90, passing through the stem 86. The arms
of this wheel are formed of metal rods, bent to present somewhat of a pear
shape equal at its greatest depth to the diameter of the hub of the wheel.
It is apparent that, as the star-wheel rotates, the valve 85 must be rotated
also. Such rotation is effected by contact with the arms of the wheel of one
arm of a bell-crank lever 95, fulcrumed to a bracket 96, mounted upon the gas
holder, and actuated by a compound lever 97 and 99, fulcrumed upon the
upper end of standards 98 upon the top of the holder. This compound lever is
connected by a rod 197 to one end of a lever 198 fulcrumed in the pipe 75,
adapted to be pressed down by the lower end of the tube 76, when the gas is
almost exhausted from the gas chamber. A rod, 101, is secured at its lower
end within the tube 76, and has a signal or indicator, 100, at its upper end, to
indicate the extent of expansion or contraction of the gas-holding chamber.
It is further apparent that a part revolution of the wheel will permit the flow
of water from the upper to the lower compartment of the feeder 82, whence it
will flow through a pipe 104 into a shute 105, automatically tilted into position
by the action of the before-mentioned lever 97, through a slot 106 in the lower
end of a rod 107, through which the before-mentioned bell-crank. Jever 95 is
also actuated.

page_text: This shute guides the water into a water distributor 108, whence it flows
either by the pipe 109 to the first water seal of the generator illustrated, or
by the pipe 110 to another generator, not shown.
This distributor consists of a receptacle 108, having a transverse angular
partition 112, upon which a tiltable shute rides. This latter shute consists of
a long central plate 111, having parallel wings 113 on each side, and two short
bottom plates 114, that stand at an obtuse angle to the central and longer plate.
By tilting this shute, the water can be caused to run through either one of the
pipes 109 or 110.
The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows, it being supposed that
the cups are charged with carbide, but no gas yet generated; the lever for actuat-
ing the water supply being under such circumstances in the position indicated
in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
The water will flow into the distributor as beforementioned, and thence
through the water conductor 23, until the sealing space between the pipes 18
and 20 is filled, when it will overflow through opening 29 into the sealing
chamber 26, and fill it up to its overflow opening 28, through which it will
How into the pocket 9, which is, in turn, filled to overflow opening 41, through
which it finally finds its way into the chamber 34. The water will continue to
flow into this chamber until a sufficient depth is provided to cause the float to
impinge upon the lever of the lowermost cup, thereby releasing said cup, and
causing same to be precipitated into the water, where the air naturally con-
lained beneath the cap 58 will cause said cap to rise from its seat, and suffi-
ciently to allow the water to flow into the cups and attack the carbide therein,
the wire loop 161 restricting the upward movement of the caps, and still retain-
ing same in such a position that they will, when the carbide has been exhausted,
fall back to their seats.
Meanwhile, gas will have been generated, and will have passed through
pipe 15 (raising the cap 17) to the drum of the gas holder, which will in rising
tilt the lever for actuating the water supply device, and the shute, to the posi-
tion shown in full lines in Fig. 1, thus turning off the water.
When the gas has been to a certain extent exhausted by consumption, the
above will be repeated again and again, and cup after cup dropped, until all
the calcium carbide in the first sub-chamber has been exhausted, and the water
has flooded that chamber, and flows through the overflow opening to the adjoin-
ing sub-chamber. wherein a similar action takes place, and from that sub-
chamber to the next, in a similar manner, until every cup in all four sub-
chambers has been dropped, and the carbide therein exhausted.
In order to have access to the generator, after the contents have been exhausted
the valvular cap 17 of pipe 16 should be first removed, and the cover then raised
from the body portion, until the lower edge of the depending flange clears the
upper edge of the outer wall of the pocket 9, when the body portion can be
withdrawn along the floor from beneath the cover.
In so raising the cover, the pocket 19 will be drawn up over the pipe 21, to
accommodate which, a sufficient distance between the lower ends of said pipe
and pocket has been provided, thus constantly maintaining the seal of the
point of connection between the parts of the gas conductor constituted by said
pipes 18 and 21.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination with a casing, of a plurality
of calcium carbide cups in the casing, and having guided movement therein,.
and means for engaging the cups to independently support them, said means
being disengaged from the cups by the rise of water in the casing as set forth.
2. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination with a casing, of a plurality

page_text: 5
means for engaging the cups to independently support them, and a float in the
cups in the casing, and having guided movement therein,
said casing for disengaging the supporting means from the cups, substantially
as described.
3. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination with a casing, of a plurality
of calcium carbide cups, provided with projecting staples, and having guided
movement in the casing, pivotted levers engaging said staples, and a float in the
said casing, and operating to disengage the levers from the staples, substan-
tially as described.
.
4. An acetylene gas generator, comprising a generator casing independently
supported, calcium carbide cups in the said casing, a float in the casing for
successively releasing the said cups, and carrying the calcium carbide into the
water, and a water measuring device for delivering a measured quantity of
water into the said casing, to cause the float to rise and release a cup, substan-
tially as shown and described.
5. An acetylene gas generator comprising the generator casing, independently
supported calcium carbide cups in the said casing, a float in the casing, for suc-
cessively releasing the said cups, and carrying the calcium carbide into the
water, and a holder into which the generated gas passes from the casing, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
6. An acetylene gas generator comprising a generator casing connected with
a water supply, a frame held in the said casing, a series of calcium carbide cups
carried by said frame, and arranged one above the other, levers carried by the
frame, and normally supporting the cups in position, and spaced apart, and a
float in the said casing and arranged to rise with the water accumulating therein,
the said float being arranged to trip the said levers successively, and release
the cups one after the other substantially as shown and described.
7. In a generator containing water for decomposing purposes, means con-
trolled by the exhaustion of the gas from the generator, for supplying water to
said generator, a series of temporarily closed carbide carrying cups; means for
hermetically sealing said cups, while closed and means actuated by the rising
water in said generator, for automatically successively opening said cups to the
said water, for the purpose set forth.
8. An acetylene gas generator, comprising a body portion and a cover, a
ube extending upwardly from said cover, and communicating with the interior
f said body portion; a controlling valve for said tube; means for sealing said
alve while the generator is not operating; a vertical tubular section extending
pwardly from the cover, and encircling said tube; a gas conducting pipe;
nd means for connecting one end of said pipe to said tubular section, for the
urpose set forth.
9. An acetylene gas generator, comprising a body portion and a cover, a
be extending upwardly from said cover, and communicating with the interior
f said body portion; a gas conducting pipe communicating with said tube;
id pipe being formed in two parts, one of said parts having an elongated
aling pocket, and the other part taking into said pocket, for the purpose
t forth.
10. An acetylene gas generator comprising a body portion and a cover, a pair
tubes 15 and 16, extending upwardly from said cover and communicating
th the interior of said generator; a sealing chamber formed to enclose said
bes, and having an overflow opening near its upper end; a controlling valve 17
each of said tubes, one of said valves being operated by the rising gas pres-
re in the generator, the liquid in said sealing-chamber sealing said valves;
verticular tubular extension 18 from the floor of said sealing chamber, and en-
cling said tube 15, and communicating at its lower end through perfora-
n 27 with said sealing chamber; an encircling pocket 19, formed upon the
per end of said tubular extension, and having an overflow opening 29 near
upper end; a tubular section 21 taking downwardly a short distance into

page_text: said pocket, and communicating at its upper end with a gas conducting pipe 22;
a depending peripheral flange 10 upon said cover; the body of the generator
having a pocket 9 formed at. its upper end to receive said depending flange,
the outer wall of said pocket being of greater height than the generating
chamber, and the upper end of said generating chamber being formed with an
overflow opening 41; means for supplying water to the pocket 19 of said vertical
tubular extension; a series of predetermined quantities of calcium carbide
located within said generator; and means actuated by the water, as it rises in
said generator, for successively submerging said quantities in the water, for
the purpose set forth.
1
11. An acetylene gas generator consisting of a cirular casing having a
pocket 9 at its upper end and an overflow opening 41; a radial partition 30.
having overflow opening 38, a radial partition 31, having overflow opening 39;
a radial partition 32, having overflow opening 40; and a radial partition 33; a
removable frame located in each sub-chamber, and comprising one or more
vertical standards, semi-circular in cross section, and each having a series of
diagonal slots in the edges thereof, and a series of longitudinal slots 49; a series
of cups; a series of lateral pin projections upon the sides of said cups, and
taking into said diagonal slots; a staple-like projection 61 upon each cup, and
taking into said longitudinal slot; a series of levers 51, fulcrumed to said
standards, and taking, at one end, into the portion of said staple-like projections
protruding through said slots; and a float guided in the inner angle of each
sub-chamber, for successively moving said levers; a removable cover for said
casing a pair of tubes extending upwardly from said cover, and communi-
cating with the interior of said casing: a sealing chamber formed to enclose said
tubes, and having an overflow opening to said pocket 9; a controlling valve
for each of said tubes, one of said valves being operated by the rising gas pres-
sure in the generator, the liquid in said sealing chamber sealing said valves;
a vertical tubular extension from the floor of said sealing chamber, and en-
circling said automatically valve-controlled tube, and communicating at its
lower end with said sealing chamber; an encircling pocket formed upon the upper
end of said tubular extension, and having an overflow opening near its upper
end; a tubular section taking downwardly a short distance into said pocket,
and communicating at its upper end with a gas-conducting pipe; a depending
peripheral flange upon said cover, taking into said pocket 9, the outer wall of
said pocket 9 being of greater height than the generating chamber, and upper
end of said generating chamber being formed with an overflow opening; and
means, controlled by the exhaustion of the gas in said generator, for supplying
water to the pocket of said vertical tubular extension, substantially as described,
and for the purpose set forth.
12. A gas holder, comprising an expansile chamber consisting of a movable
dome; and means for sealing the lower end of said movable dome, a casing en-
closing said expansile chamber; a tube extending into said sealing means
from an opening in the top of the movable dome, and having its lower opening
above the lower end of said movable dome, said opening being closed by said
sealing means, and opened at the time said chamber expands to its maximum
degree; a constantly open blow-off pipe leading from said casing to the open
air; and a pair of gas-conducting pipes leading respectively to and from said
chamber, substantially as described.
13. A holder for acetylene gas, consisting of an enclosing casing having upper
and lower parts 70, 170, a bead formed upon the lower end of the upper part;
an interior dome-like structure 72; an annular diaphragm 73, connecting the
lower edges of said inner dome and casing; a movable dome 71; the tubular
section 74; the horizontal pipe 75; the tube 76, having apertures 175; the
tube 78; an egress pipe from said casing: a pair of gas-conducting pipes
leading from the space between the tops of the inner and movable domes, down-
wardly, and out of the lower end of the casing; a rod secured at its lower end

page_text: to the lower end of the tube 76, and projecting upwardly through the top of the
casing; a signal piece secured to the top of said rod, to indicate the quantity
of gas in the holder; a lever 198 fulcrummed within the pipe 75, adapted to be
engaged by the lower end of said tube 76, to move a rod 197 that may be con-
nected to and operate the means for supplying the water.
Dated this 6th day of December 1899.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.