Improvements in and connected with Means for the Utilization of Acetylene Gas in Motors and Ordnance, and for Producing Explosions, and for other purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 29th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Means for the Utilization of
Acetylene Gas in Motors and Ordnance, and for Producing
Explosions, and for other purposes.
We WILLIAM GOWLLAND, Optician, and CHARLES SEPTIMUS GOWLLAND,
Optician, both of 192 Highbury Hill, in the County of London, do herebý
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention, we employ acetylene gas as a motive power for
driving motors, producing explosions, discharging ordnance, blasting and other
purposes.
The gas may be employed by itself expansively, to take the place (say) of
steam in steam engines, or it may be mixed with air or other gas or gases to
form an explosive mixture, for use in the same way as ordinary gas in gas
engines.
We prefer to make the acetylene gas as required for use, and in order to do this
we have the carbide of calcium (from which the acetylene is generated) in any
desired form and admit water in sufficient quantity to generate the gas at the
required rate, or the carbide may be gradually added to the water, with the
same object in view. We may however employ the gas ready made and stored
up in a suitable chamber under pressure, and allow it to escape into the engine as
required.
The reservoir containing the carbide of calcium and water, or separate vessels
for each of these may be attached to or form part of the motor, or can be fixed-in
any other convenient position.
The reservoir containing the gas as generated is made to communicate with the
cylinder by suitable tubes and valves.
In the case of explosion motors, the gas may be first used expansively if desired
(to start the motor) and then explosively, or it may be used alternately expansively
and explosively.
In the case of ordnance, we should employ the gas under pressure, or generate it
as required and allow it or a mixture of it with oxygen or other gas or air to enter
the breech, and on igniting the mixture or allowing the pressure to bear upon the
projectile the latter would be discharged.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of June 1896.
BROWNE & Co.,
9 Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Means for the Utilization of
Acetylene Gas in Motors and Ordnance, and for Producing
Explosions, and for other purposes.
We WILLIAM GOWLLAND, Optician, and CHARLES SEPTIMUS GOWLLAND
Optician, both of 192 Highbury Hill, in the County of London do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
Price 8d.1

page_text: performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
According to this invention, we employ acetylene gas as a motive power for
driving motors, producing explosions, discharging ordnance, blasting and other
purposes.
The gas may be employed by itself expansively, to take the place (say) of
steam in steam engines, or it may be mixed with air or other gas or gases to
form an explosive mixture, for use in the same way as ordinary gas in gas
engines.
We prefer to make the acetylene gas as required for use, and in order to do this
we have the carbide of calcium (from which the acetylene is generated) in any.
desired form and admit water in sufficient quantity to generate the gas at the
required rate, or the carbide may be gradually added to the water, with the
same object in view. We may however employ the gas ready made and stored
up in a suitable chamber under pressure, and allow it to escape into the engine as
required.
The reservoir containing the carbide of calcium and water, or separate vessels
for each of these may be attached to or form part of the motor, or can be fixed in
any other convenient position.
The reservoir containing the gas as generated is made to communicate with a
cylinder by suitable tubes and valves.
In the case of explosion motors, the gas may at first be used expansively if
desired (to start the motor) and then explosively, or it may be used otherwise.
In the case of ordnance, we should employ the gas under pressure, or generate it
as required and allow it or a mixture of it with oxygen or other gas or air to enter
the breech, and on igniting the mixture or allowing the pressure to bear upon the
projectile the latter would be discharged.
And in order that our said invention may be better understood I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawing accompanying this
specification in which
Fig. 1 shews vertical section of one form of apparatus for generating acetylene
gas, Fig. 2 similar view of another form of generator,
Fig. 3 a partly sectional elevation of a generator in combination with an
engine, and
Fig. 4 sectional elevation of one way of applying this invention to ordnance.
The same letters of reference denote the same parts in all the views.
a shews generator of any shape consisting preferably of two chambers b and c,
the former to contain the water and the latter the carbide. In the case of the
generator shewn at Fig. 1, the chamber b containing the water is above the
chamber c which holds the carbide of calcium, in the generator shewn at Fig. 2
the positions of b and c are reversed. d is a corrugated metal diaphragm,
connected by meaus of a rod e to a cock or plug f, controlling the supply of either
water or carbide, as the case may be, from the upper chamber b or c.
g is an inlet
for carbide, and h an inlet for water. The tension of the diaphragm d may be
regulated by means of a spring o as shewn at Fig. 2. i Fig. 1 is a sprinkler for
distributing the water over the carbide.
It will be seen that when the gas is being generated too rapidly, the pressure in
the generator rises, and this pressure, acting upon the corrugated diaphragm d,
causes the rode to actuate the tap or plug f thus shutting off the supply of water
or carbide as the case may be, or vice versa.
In Fig. 3 a generator a such as either of those described is formed in the base of
a horizontal engine j.
With reference to Fig. 4, a is a generator or reservoir fitted to a gun k, I shews
the projectile. A small quantity of gas is passed into the breech by means of a
suitable valve m, mixes with a certain amount of air, is ignited by means of the
electrodes n n, and discharges the projectile l. The gas or mixture might be used
expansively only.

page_text: 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 improvements. in and connected with means for the utilization of
acetylene gas in motors and ordnance, and for producing explosions and for other
purposes, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. The combination of an acetylene gas generator and engine.
3. The combination of an acetylene gas engine with a generator, the latter being
constructed and operated so as to generate the gas as required for use.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of April 1897
BROWNE & Co.,
9 Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
BROWNE & Co.,
9 Warwick Court, Gray's Inn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.