Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
Date of Apprical
23rd Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators.
We, HUGH KERR SPENCE of 24 Fowler Terrace, Edinburgh; and ANDREW
BEVERIDGE, WILLIAM GARDNER BEVERIDGE and SAMUEL MURDOCH BEVERIDGE all
of 85 Nether Street, Kirkcaldy, Manufacturing Ironmongers, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in Acetylene Generators and has for its
object the production of a generator which when once started continues its action
automatically, that is to say it automatically gives the required supply of water
te the carbide chambers when required and when two carbide chambers are
employed when the one chamber is exhausted the other chamber is automatically
brought into action.
The generator when provided with two carbide chambers is as follows:-
We employ a round or other shaped tank closed at the bottom but having a
removable top. Inside the tank is a gas containing bell. The vessel is filled
with the water to the required height and the bell dips into it; the bell rising and
falling according as the bell is being filled and being exhausted respectively.
The centre of the tank has an upright tube which acts as a guide for the bell; the
said tube fitting easily within another tube fitted within the centre of the drum,
the said outer tube being secured to the inside of the drum at the top thereof and
the lower end of the tube being supported by means of radial stay rods. The inside
of the tank is provided at the one side thereof with an upright gas pipe which
leads the generated gas from the inside the bell, down through the lower end of
the generator and out of the gas supply pipes to the premises to be illuminated
or whatever purpose the generated gas is required. At the said lower end of the
generator is a cock for turning off and on of the supply of gas from the generator.
Below the bottom of the tank is a-rectangular or other shaped box to contain the
two carbide vessels. The carbide chambers are situated side by side immediately
below the bottom of the tank. The front of each of the chambers is provided
with gas tight doors lined with rubber or other material and by means of a cross
bar and tightening screw similar to what is used for the door of ordinary gas
retorts, the chambers can be readily hermetically closed. The vessels to contain
the carbide may be made of sheet iron and preferably consist of a trough fixed
within a rectangular box or frame with a hinged handle for readily drawing the
boxes out for re-charging. Within the space between the two carbide chambers
are valves for allowing the necessary quantity of water to be supplied to the
carbide. Each of the valves is operated by an upright rod which extends from
the valve at the bottom of the water tank to a certain height up the side of the
water tank with a hinged projection or catch piece at top of the rod at such a
height from the bottom of the tank as to engage with actuating stops provided at
the top part of the bell. The arrangement is such that after the apparatus has
been first started (as hereinafter explained) it operates automatically in the
following manner.

page_text: The bell being fully charged and in its highest position, as the bell descends
according as the generated gas is consumed, one projection on the bell strikes
the projection which is on the ton of one of the valve rods by which means the
valve is opened and a supply of water allowed to run into the one carbide chamber.
When that one carbide chamber is exhausted the other stop on the hell is auto-
matically caused to strike the projection at the top of the other valve rod to supply
the necessary amount of water to the other carbide chamber. The particular
mechanism for effecting this is hereinafter referred to.
There is a branch gas pipe between the two carbide chambers and each chamber
is supplied with an independent valve for opening and shutting the communica-
tion between the carbide chamber and the gas containing bell. In order to ensure
that when the one carbide chamber is opened to be re-charged, the gas connec-
tion is turned off, we connect an actuating handle to each of the
carbide chamber valves which handle is on the outside of the apparatus.
The said handles are provided with an elongated lever portion and the arrangement
is such that when the lever portion is across the face of the door of the carbide
chamber the gas connection is open, but when it is turned round so as to be free
of the front of the chamber door the gas connection is cut off, this arrangement
ensures that the doors of the chambers can never be opened until the gas has been
cut off. The water supply from the water tank to the carbide chambers is pre-
ferably by means of a pipe of small diameter, with a small nozzle at the end,
the said pipe being led from the hottom of the water tank along the top of the
carbide chamber at the inside thereof and the nozzle projects downwards so that
the water drops down to the centre of the carbide.
Referring back to the automatic arrangement by means of which the one carbide
chamber is started after the other is exhausted, it is as follows:-
That side of the hell is preferably made flattened so as to facilitate the mounting
and working of the various hinged tappets and stops. At the top of the said flat
piece of the hell there is a fixed horizontal plate piece. Lying flat on the front
of this plate piece is another plate, which is held in guides and which is made to
move side ways. The one end of this movable plate has a stop which comes in
contact with the projection on the top of one of the water valve rods. Immediately
ahove the two projections on the top of the valve rods is a horizontal arm piece
which is pivotted at the centre of its length to the side of the water tank. The
pivotting pin of this arm is passed through the shell of the tank to a handle on the
nutside thereof. To start the apparatus this handle is operated in the one
direction which lowers the one arm of the lever and presses down the projection
on the top of the one water valve rod; this allows a supply of water to fall on to
the carbide. The generated gas immediately passes into the hell which rises
until the hell is filled which can be indicated by means of a rod or indicator fixed
en the top of the bell and passing through the cover of the water tank. As the
gas is consumed the hell descends until the one stop on the side of the bell strikes
the projection which is at the top of the water valve rod. The said valve ie thus
opened again and another supply of water is dropped on the carbide thus generating
another supply of gas. The hell thus rises again automatically and the same
action goes on until the gas in that one chamber is nearing exhaustion.
This exhaustion causes the hell to fall to such a lowness that a V shaped stop
at the centre of the sliding bar on the hell strikes one of two projections which
are fixed to the side of the water tank at a point below the top of the water
valve rod. Owing to the V shape of the bell stop, the sliding bar on the bell is
shifted to the one side. This shifting brings another stop on the other end of the
sliding bar in contact with the top of the other water valve rod whereby the said
valve is opened and the supply of water given to the other carbide chamber whereby
the same action takes place as with regard to the other carbide chamber. The
exhausted chamber can then be opened and re-charged.
The projection on the top of the water valve rod is provided with a spring so
that in its normal position the water valve is closed and only opened by the

page_text: striking of the valve stop. In order to indicate which carbide chamber is in
action, we provide an indicator at the outside of the water tank, this indicator
may be actuated by means of an upright rod fixed to the front of the V shaped
stop of the bell slide piece. A small fork piece fits loosely on to this rod which
fork piece swivels on the one arm of a pivotted pointer, the end of which pointer
is bent and projects through a slot in the shell of the water tank; the extended
length of the guide rod working the pointer no matter what may be the height
of the bell within the tank.
In order to check any excess of gas pressure in the bell a "let off" upright gas
pipe may be fixed within the water tank, which pipe telescopes within a larger pipe
depending from the top of the bell and the arrangement is such that when the bell
rises to a certain height the excess of gas pressure is allowed to escape down
through the said upright pipe through the bottom of the water tank.
Although we have described the apparatus with a double carbide chamber, it
is to be understood, that the apparatus can also be worked with a single carbide
chamber only, in which case of course the automatic mechanism for changing the
action from the one chamber to the other would not be required.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1896.
JOHNSONS,
115 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Petitioners' Agents.
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators.
We, HUGH KERR SPENCE of 86 Mid Street Kirkcaldy formerly of 24 Fowler
Terrace, Edinburgh; and ANDREW BEVERIDGE, WILLIAM GARDNER BEVERIDGE
and SAMUEL MURDOCH BEVERIDGE all of 85 Nether Street, Kirkcaldy, Manufactur-
ing Ironmongers 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 relates to improvements in Acetylene generators and has for its
object the production of a generator which when once started continues its action
automatically, that is to say it automatically gives the required supply of water
to the carbide chambers when required and when two carbide chambers are
employed when the one chamber is exhausted the other chamber is automatically
brought into action.
But in order that our said invention may be more readily understood and easily
carried into effect we will proceed to describe the same with reference to the.
accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section and
Fig. 2.a section of a generator constructed in accordance with our said invention.
Fig. 3 is a front view and
Fig. 4 a plan of a detail.
Referring to the said drawings, which illustrate the generator provided with
two carbide chambers, we employ a round or other shaped tank A closed at the
bottom but having a removable top a. Inside the tank A is a gas containing.
bell B. The tank A is. filled with water to the required height and the bell B
dips into it; the bell rising and falling according as the bell is being filled and
being exhausted respectively.
Guides C are secured at intervals to the inside of the tank A in order to guide
the bell as it rises and falls.
The inside. of the tank is provided at the one side thereof with an upright gas

page_text: pipe C which leads the generated gas from the inside of the bell, down through
the lower end of the generator into the chamber D, which is surrounded by water
whereby the gas is cooled, then through an ordinary coil D and out of the gas
supply pipes to the premises to be illuminated or for whatever purpose the
generated gas is required.
At the side of the generator is a cock E for turning off and on the supply of gas
from the generator. Below the bottom of the tank is a rectangular or other
shaped box or casing F to contain the two carbide chambers F; a space being
left below, between and around the said chambers for containing water whereby
the chambers are kept cool. The carbide chambers are situated side by side
immediately below the bottom of the tank and are each provided at the front with
gas tight doors f lined with rubber or other material and by means of a cross
bar f and tightening screw f2 similar to what is used for the door of ordinary
gas retorts, the chambers can be readily hermetically closed. The vessels to
contain the carbide may be made of sheet iron and preferably consist as shewn, of
a trough fixed within a rectangular box or frame with a hinged handle for readily
drawing the boxes ont for re-charging.
Upon the top of the rectangular box F, within the space occupied by the two
carbide chambers F, are situated valves G for allowing the necessary quantity
of water to be supplied to the carbide; the said valves being enclosed by a semi-
circular casing or tank G' secured to the side of the tank A. Each of the valves G
are operated by an upright rod g working in guides g and provided with adjustable
nuts g; the said rods being formed with a slotted portion G2 within which work
the ends of two hinged projections or catch pieces secured within the tank A;
the said projections H engaging with actuating stops provided at the top of the
bell. The arrangement is such that after the apparatus has been first actuated
(as hereinafter explained) it operates automatically in the following manner.
The bell being charged and in its highest position, as the bell descends according
as the generated gas is consumed, one projection on the bell strikes one of the
projections which operate the valve rods by which means one of the valves is
opened and a supply of water allowed to run into the one carbide chamber. When
that one carbide chamber is exhausted the other stop on the bell is automatically
caused to strike the projection operating the other valve rod to supply the
necessary amount of water to the other carbide chamber. The particular
mechanism for effecting this is hereinafter referred to.
There is a branch gas pipe J between the two carbide chambers F¹ which are
connected to the bell gas supply pipe J by a pipe j: a trap being provided for
1unning off any moisture formed. Each chamber is also supplied with an inde
pendent cock or valve J for opening and shutting the communication between the
carbide chamber, and the gas containing bell and in order to ensure that when the
one carbide chamber is opened to be re-charged, the gas connection is turned off,
we connect an actuating handle to each of the carbide chamber valves J which
handle is on the outside of the apparatus. The said handles are provided with an
elongated lever portion K and the arrangement is such that when the lever portion
is across the face of the door f of the carbide chamber F the gas connection is
open, but when it is turned round so as to be free of the front of the chamber door
the gas connection is cut off, this arrangement ensuring that the doors of the
chambers can never be opened until the gas has been cut off. The water supply
from the water tank G' to the carbide chambers is preferably by means of a pipe k
of small diameter, with a small nozzle k at the end, the said pipe being led from the
bottom of the water tank along the top of the carbide chamber at the inside thereof
and the nozzle projects downwards so that the water drops down to the centre of the
carbide.
Referring back to the automatic arrangement by means of which the one carbide
chamber is started after the other is exhausted, is as follows:-
At the top of the one side of the bell B there is a fixed horizontal plate piece L.
Lying flat on the front of this plate piece is another plate L' which is held in

page_text: guides and which is made to move side ways. The one end of this moveable
plate has a stop which comes in contact with one of the hinged projections H of
the water valve rods g. Situated at the upper ends of the valve rods g is a
horizontal arm piece or lever M which is pivotted at the centre of its length to the
side of the water tank G. The pivotting pin of this arm or lever is passed' through
the shell of the tank G¹ to a handle on the outside thereof. To start the
apparatus this handle is operated in the one direction which raises the one arm
of the lever M and lifts the water valve rod; this allows a supply of water to fall
on to the carbide. The generated gas immediately passes into the bell which rises
until the bell is filled which can be indicated by means of a tube or indicator M²
fixed within the bell B the end m of which passes through the cover b of the
water tank A. As the gas is consumed the bell descends until the
ene stop on the side of the bell strikes one of the hinged projections H
which is at the top of the water valve rod. The said valve is thus opened again
and another supply of water is dropped on the carbide thus generating another
supply of gas. The bell thus rises again automatically and the same action goes
on until the gas in that one chamber is nearing exhaustion.
This exhaustion causes the bell to fall to such a lowness that a V shaped stop N
at the centre of the sliding bar L' on the bell B strikes one of two projections P
which are secured to the inner side of the water tank A at a point below the top
of the water valve rods; the said projections P being pivotted and weighted so as
to allow the bell to rise. Owing to the V shape of the bell stop N the sliding bar
on the bell is shifted to the one side. This shifting brings another stop on the
other end of the sliding bar L' in contact with the projection H of the other water
valve rod whereby the said valve is opened and the supply of water given to the
other carbide chamber whereby the same action takes place as with regard to the
first carbide chamber. The exhausted chamber can then be opened and
re-charged.
In order to indicate which carbide chamber is in action, we provide an
indicator Q at the outside of the water tank, this indicator may be actuated by
means of an upright rod Q fixed to the front of the V shaped stop of the bell
slide piece. A small fork piece q fits loosely on to this rod which fork piece
swivels on the one arm of a pivotted pointer R, the end r of which pointer is bent
and projects through a slot in the shell of the water tank; the extended length
of the guide rod working the pointer no matter what may be the height of the
ball within the tank.
In order to check any excess of gas pressure in the bell a "let off" upright gas
pipe S may be fixed within the water tank A which pipe telescopes within the
larger pipe M depending from the top of the bell and the arrangement is such
that when the bell rises to a certain height the excess of gas pressure enters the
pipe M by the aperture m from which it is allowed to escape down through the
said upright pipe S through the bottom of the water tank.
Although we have described the apparatus with a double carbide chamber, it is to be
understood, that the apparatus can also he worked with a single carbide chamber
only, in which case of course the automatic mechanism for changing the action
from the one chamber to the other would not be required; and also that we do not
limit ourselves to the precise details described as it is obvious that any mere
modification of the same may be employed without departing from the scope of
cur invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The improved acetylene gas generator, substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
2. In acetylene gas generators the arrangement by which the generation of
the gas is carried on automatically after being started, that is to say that after

page_text: the carbide in the one chamber has been exhausted, the other chamber is put into
operation, substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The arrangement of the two carbide chambers F side by side within the
casing situated below the tank A and providing each chamber with the gas tight
door f operated by the cross bar fi and tightening screw f substantially as
hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
4. In acetylene gas generators, the arrangement of the carbide containing
vessels with the water supply pipes k, substantially as herein before described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
5. In acetylene gas generators, providing the handles of the cocks J with an
elongated lever portion K arranged and operating, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
6. In acetylene gas generators, providing the upper ends of the rods g of the
valves G situated in the tank G, with slots G2 within which work the ends of the
hinged projections H operated by the stops 1, 18, upon the gas bell B, substantially
as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
7. In acetylene gas generators, the combination of the sliding plate L, upon the
bell B having stops 1, 1, and the V shaped stop N with the projections P pivotted
within the tank A, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described
and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
8. In acetylene gas generators, the indicator Q operated by the rod Q upon the
sliding plate L' substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
9. In acetylene gas generators, the upright gas pipe S telescoping within the
pipe M3 depending from the top of the bell B, substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 91st day of Nov 1907
JOHNSONS,
115, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.