Improvements in and relating to the Generation of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Generation of Acetylene Gas.
I, ETTORE FENDERL, of 1, Graben 28, Vienna, Austria, Dipl. Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method for the production of acetylene gas from
calcium carbide and water and the apparatus for carrying out the same.
According to the invention, the carbide is, during its decomposition in the
mass of water surrounding it, freed from the coating of lime that forms, so
that the surface of the carbide always remains free and exposed to the action of
the water, which is constantly renewed by jets directed straight at the carbide.
In this way cold clean water always reaches the carbide, which is always
uniformly exposed and the complete decomposition of which therefore proceeds
regularly and under conditions which always remain the same, so that fluctuat-
ing gasification and post gasification are prevented and there can be no excessive
heating to cause dissociation of the gas or formation of polymeric compounds.
The apparatus for carrying out this method essentially comprises a generat-
ing device formed by a spiral or worm inside a sieve casing which is either
closed or completely surrounds or partly surrounds the said worm or spiral.
In the worm or on the casing there are fixed claws or catching pins (here-
inafter called claws) which effect the continuous sorting or sifting, turning, and
distribution of the pieces of carbide for the purpose of loosening the coating of
lime therefrom. At the same time cold fresh water is directed, by means of
jet pipes, upon the decomposing carbide and this water bathes or washes the
surfaces of the pieces of carbide and cools and purifies the gas that is being
liberated.
A conveying worm may be arranged under the generating device to move
forward continuously the lime slime that sinks down.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the under part of an acetylene generator pro-
vided with such a generating device. Fig. 2 shows a portion of the sieve casing
surrounding the worm, and its claws. Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate modified details
of the generating device. Figs. 5 and 6 represent in longitudinal and in cross
section respectively the lower part of a generator suitable for larger instal-
lations.
The generator comprises a receptacle A carrying in its lower part the bearings
for the shaft a the sorting or sifting and turning arrangement forms one part
of the generating device and is driven either by hand or by means of trans-
mitting mechanism. This arrangement, into which the carbide is fed through
a siphon like feeding hopper forming a water seal, comprises (Fig. 1) a
slightly conical sieve drum a², rigidly connected to the shaft a² by spiders a³,
and a sheet-metal strip a which is coiled along a screw surface and fastened to
the drum a, and which distributes the material along the drum as it revolves;
the loosening, sorting or sifting, turning over or turning of the still-undecom-
posed pieces of carbide, whereby the particles of lime are loosened from the

page_text: surfaces of the carbide in order to fall into the slime chamber c of the generator
through the openings in the drum a² is, during this, effected by arranging
claws or catching pins a on the sieve or drum or on the spiral or worm a.
Clean fresh water flows continuously for the purposes of supply, cooling and
purification through one or several tubes d to the places where the greatest
gasification takes place in the apparatus, and leaves the same through the siphon
overflow, which, for the purpose of preventing any escape of gas, consists of a
downwardly-bent tube f which dips into an open receptacle fi to a depth cor-
responding to the maximum pressure of gas. f is the discharge pipe for the
overflow water.
The lime slime, which sinks down through the holes of the sieve drum a² and
possibly also falls out at the end of the same, collects in the hopper-shaped
slime chamber c, which is separated by an inclined incomplete partition c¹ from
the other spaces or chambers of the generator for the purpose of confining the
slime and preventing dirty and clean water from mixing. A sieve or openwork
spring completes this separation and serves also to catch large foreign bodies.
A temporary opening of a mud-cock in the course of working is sufficient to
effect the discharge of the residuum without disturbance.
The sieve drum a³ may also be made cylindrical.
Figs. 3 and 4 show an apparatus of this kind in which the sieve drum a²
does not revolve but is rigidly connected with the generator A.
The spiral or worm a is full and is provided with claws a. The carbide is
fed through a feeding hopper b which discharges above the worm a.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate another example of a generator according to this
invention in which the lime slime, which sinks down to the floor of the appa-
ratus, is brought by a special conveying worm c to the slime chamber e, which
is closed at the top by a valve having wings of unequal length. Ordinarily
the water pressure, the resultant of which acts on the longer wing of the valve c³,
holds the valve closed; as soon, however, as a certain quantity of lime slime,
which slides down along the inclined wall has collected over or upon the shorter
wing of the valve, the valve opens and lets the lime slime sink down into the
separated slime chamber c. This oscillating valve also closes, when, on opening
the mud cock c, the upward pressure inside the slime chamber decreases.
Several tubes dd supply the water jets to the places where the greatest gasi-
fication takes place.
When the sieve casing a revolves, the worm a may or may not be rigidly
connected with it.
Improvements in and relating to the Generation of Acetylene Gas.
I, ETTORE FENDERL, of 1, Graben 28, Vienna, Austria, Dipl. Engineer, 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 a method for the production of acetylene gas from
calcium carbide and water and the apparatus for carrying out the same.
According to the invention, the carbide is, during its decomposition in the
mass of water surrounding it, freed from the coating of lime that forms, so

page_text: that the surface of the carbide always remains free and exposed to the action of
the water, which is constantly renewed by jets directed straight at the carbide.
In this way cold clean water always reaches the carbide, which is always
uniformly exposed and the complete decomposition of which therefore proceeds
regularly and under conditions which always remain the same, so that fluctuat-
ing gasification and post gasification are prevented and there can be no excessive
heating to cause dissociation of the gas or formation of polymeric compounds.
The apparatus for carrying out this method essentially comprises a generat-
ing device formed by a spiral or worm inside a sieve casing which is either
closed or completely surrounds or partly surrounds the said worm or spiral
In the worm or on the casing there are fixed claws or catching pins (here-
inafter called claws) which effect the continuous sorting or sifting, turning, and
distribution of the pieces of carbide for the purpose of loosening the coating of
lime therefrom. At the same time cold fresh water is directed, by means of
jet pipes, upon the decomposing carbide and this water bathes or washes the
surfaces of the pieces of carbide and cools and purifies the gas that is being
liberated.
A conveying worm may be arranged under the generating device to move
forward continuously the lime slime that sinks down.
In the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the under part of an acetylene generator pro-
vided with such a generating device. Fig. 2 shows a portion of the sieve casing
surrounding the worm, and its claws. Figs. and 4 illustrate modified details
of the generating device. Figs. 5 and 6 represent in longitudinal and in cross
section respectively the lower part of a generator suitable for larger instal-
lations.
The generator comprises a receptacle A carrying in its lower part the bearings
for the shaft the sorting or sifting and turning arrangement forms one part
of the generating device and is driven either by hand or by means of trans-
mitting mechanism. This arrangement, into which the carbide is fed through
a siphon like feeding hopper b forming a water seal, comprises (Fig. 1) a
slightly conical sieve drum a, rigidly connected to the shaft a' by spiders a³,
and a sheet-metal strip which is coiled along a screw surface and fastened to
the drum a², and which distributes the material along the drum as it revolves;
the loosening, sorting or sifting, turning over or turning of the still-undecom-
posed pieces of carbide, whereby the particles of lime are loosened from the
surfaces of the carbide in order to fall into the slime chamber e of the generator
through the openings in the drum a² is, during this, effected by arranging
claws or catching pins a' on the sieve or drum a² or on the spiral or worm a.
Clean fresh water flows continuously for the purposes of supply, cooling and
purification through one or several tubes d to the places where the greatest
gasification takes place in the apparatus, and leaves the same through the siphon
overflow, which, for the purpose of preventing any escape of gas, consists of a
downwardly-bent tube f which dips into an open receptacle to a depth cor-
responding to the maximum pressure of gas. 3 is the discharge pipe for the
overflow water.
The lime slime, which sinks down through the holes of the sieve drum a² and
possibly also falls out at the end of the same, collects in the hopper-shaped
slime chamber c, which is separated by an inclined incomplete partition cl from
the other spaces or chambers of the generator for the purpose of confining the
slime and preventing dirty and clean water from mixing. A sieve or openwork
screen completes this separation and serves also to catch large foreign bodies.
A temporary opening of a mud-cock in the course of working is sufficient to
effect the discharge of the residuum without disturbance.
The sieve drum a³ may also be made cylindrical.
Figs. 3 and 4 show an apparatus of this kind in which the sieve drum 2
does not revolve but is rigidly connected with the generator A.

page_text: The spiral or worm is solid and is provided with claws a¹. The carbide is
fed through a feeding hopper which discharges above the worm a.
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate another example of a generator according to this
invention in which the lime slime, which sinks down to the floor of the appa-
ratus, is brought by a special conveying worm e to the slime chamber c which
is closed at the top by a valve having wings of unequal length. Ordinarily
the water pressure, the resultant of which acts on the longer wing of the valve c
holds the valve closed; as soon, however, as a certain quantity of lime slime,
which slides down along the inclined wall has collected over or upon the shorter
wing of the valve, the valve opens and lets the lime slime sink down into the
separated slime chamber c. This oscillating valve also closes, when, on opening
the mud cock 3, the upward pressure inside the slime chamber decreases.
Several tubes dd supply the water jets to the places where the greatest gasi-
fication takes place.
When the sieve casing a revolves, the worm a may or may not be rigidly
connected with it.
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. The herein described method of producing acetylene gas from calcium
carbide and water, according to which the carbide, during its decomposition,
is continually moved in the mass of water surrounding it, and thereby freed
from the coating of lime that forms during the process so that the decompo-
sition of the carbide is completely effected and proceeds with constant intensity.
2. An acetylene generator for carrying out the method referred to in Claim 1,
comprising a spiral or worm a which is arranged under water and which moves
forward and distributes the decomposing carbide along the casing a that com-
pletely or partly surrounds the worm, the said worm or the casing having fixed
thereto pins or claws a, which sort or sift or turn over and loosen the carbide,
substantially as described.
3. An apparatus of the kind specified in Claim 2, in which the worm a is
rigidly connected to the revolving sieve casing a surrounding it, substantially
as described.
4. In an acetylene generator according to (laim 2, a feed pipe or pipes d so
arranged that clean cold water is supplied to the interior of the sieve casing a²,
that is to say, at that part of the apparatus at which the greatest gasification
takes place, substantially as described.
5. Apparatus for the generation of acetylene gas constructed arranged and
operating substantially as shown and described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 28th day of June 1899.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.