An Improved Method of Securing an Automatically Controlled Supply of Water to the Carbide of Calcium in Acetylene Gas Generators.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 12th May, 1900
Date of Application, 23rd May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th Feb., 1900-Accepted, 12th May, 1900
An Improved Method of Securing an Automatically Controlled Supply
of Water to the Carbide of Calcium in Acetylene Gas Generators.
THOMAS GASKELL ALLEN, Jr., Acetylene Gas Engineer, Washington House,
Nairn, Scotland, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A flexible tube, which is capable of changing its position or form without dis-
connection, is attached at one end to the inlet pipe of the carbide chambers
and, at the other end, either to the side of the gas holder or to a float at the sur-
face of the water within the gas holder. In either case, as the gas-holder des-
cends with the outflow of gas the end of the flexible tube is gradually submerged
and the water in the gas holder begins to flow slowly through the flexible tube
into the carbide chamber, resulting in the immediate evolution of gas. This
gas in turn passes into the gasometer and causes the gas-holder to rise, hauling
with it, above the water, the flexible tube attached to its side, or allowing the
float supporting the flexible tube to rise again to the surface of the water, and
the flow of water is thus automatically stopped. The outlet into the carbide
chamber is always some distance above the lowest level of the tube, so that a
standing column of water is maintained to prevent the back-flow of gas from the
gasometer when the carbide chamber is opened.
The advantage claimed for the above method is that it secures a regular supply
of water to the carbide chambers, automatically controlled by the gas holder,
without the use of uncertain valves or without the displacement of water by
the gasholder and the consequent inequality of gas-pressure at the burner.
20
1000
An Improved Method of Securing an Automatically Controlled Supply
of Water to the Carbide of Calcium in Acetylene Gas Generators.
I, THOMAS GASKELL ALLEN, Jr., Acetylene-Gas Engineer, of Washington House.
Nairn, N.B., 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:-
Referring to the drawing accompanying the specification, a flexible tube (a),
capable of shifting its position without disconnection, is joined, at one end, to
the inlet pipe (b) of a carbide chamber (c), and fixed, at the other end, either

page_text: directly to the side of a rising and falling gas-holder at (d), or to a movable
float (E) which, in turn, is attached by flexible chain (f) to the side of the gas-
holder at (h) H. In either case, as the gas holder (L) descends with the outlet of
gas, it gradually draws the end of the flexible tube at (d) beneath the surface
of the water (I) supporting the gas-holder and thereby causes a stream of water
to flow through the flexible tube (a), into the carbide chamber (c), which results
in the immediate evolution of gas. This gas, in turn, is led back through
pipe (K) into the gas-holder (L) causing it to rise again, and haul with it, above
the surface of the water (I), the open end of the flexible tube at (A) or to rise
and relieve the downward stress on the float (E), thereby allowing it to rise again
to the surface of the water (I). The flow of water to the carbide chamber is
thus automatically started & checked according to the gas consumption. In all
cases the flexible tube (a) is sufficiently drooped into a U shape as to maintain
a standing column of water to check any back flow of gas through the water
inlet (b).
In methods previously adopted this automatically controlled supply of water
to the carbide chamber is secured either by means of valves, opened and closed
by the falling and rising gas-holder; or by means of displacement chambers in
the gas-holder, which, when submerged by the falling gas-holder force up the
water level above the water inlet of the carbide chamber. In the former case
there is the constant risk of the valves becoming inoperative, and, in the later
case, the displacement of water is invariably attended by a diminution of pres-
sure in the gas-holder and necessitates in consequence, the use of governors to
preserve, a steady flame at the burner. It is claimed that the above described
method effects the same purpose as the previous methods, without any of their
attendant disadvantages.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the said is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The use of a flexible tube for securing an automatically controlled supply of
water to a carbide chamber. instead of either valves or displacement chambers,
thereby avoiding any complicated and uncertain mechanism and at the same
time maintaining an even pressure in, the gas-holder.