Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application; 7th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Apr., 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1997
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The General
Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London, Patent Agents,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me by La Compagnie
Continentále d'Éclairage par le Gaz Acetylène et ses Applications Industrielles of
51 Rue Vivienne, Paris, in the Republic of France) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for the production of acetylene under such
conditions that the gas is produced in successive quantities without the risk of the
total quantity so produced by the reaction of the water and the calcium carbide
exceeding the capacity of the gasométer or gas holder in which it is stored.
With
this arrangement if the valves or cocks regulating the consumption be closed when a
fresh charge of water and calcium carbide has been fed to the apparatus the gas
produced will be stored in the gasometer which is at least of sufficient capacity to
hold the quantity of the gas so produced.
According to my invention I provide a gas generator formed of a vessel or receiver
preferably of metal and provided with a cover having a hydraulic joint and being
formed of a cylinder or bell held in place by a pivoted bar. This receiver is divided
into a number of compartments by partitions; the first of these compartments
communicates with the second by an opening made in the upper part of the partition.
The second communicates with the third, the third with the fourth and so on in such
a manner that the water introduced into the first compartment for the production of
the gas successively overflows from one compartment to another.
The several compartments of the receiver each contain the required quantity of
calcium carbide for the production of a certain volume of gas.
A tube puts the space beneath the bottom of the receiver in communication with
the exterior to allow of the escape of the air so as to enable the receiver to be lowered
to the full extent. The gasometer into which the acetylene flows through the pipes
is constructed of an outer cylinder in which a cylinder moves, being guided by a
central rod. The pipe which enters the gasometer is bent so as to dip into the
water in the same in order that the gas may be washed by bubbling through the
water. The gas passes out by a pipe and is conducted to the mains after having
been passed through a purifier hereinafter described.
The water necessary for the manufacture of the gas is contained in a tank and is
conveyed to the generator in the following manner. A pipe provided with a cock
conducts the water into a funnel on a syphon which conveys it to the first
compartment of the generator. The plug of the cock is provided with a lever and a
weight arranged so as to keep it open.
When the cylinder of the gasometer is in its lowermost position, the weight opens the
cock which allows the water to flow from the tank into the generator. The water
entering the first compartment of the generator fills it; the action of the water on
the carbide produces a certain quantity of gas which passes into the cylinder and
raises it, whereby it acts on the lever of the cock and closes it, so as to shut off
the supply of water and thereby avoid an overproduction of gas. When, by reason
of the consumption of the gas, the cylinder falls, it ceases to act on the lever of the

page_text: cock which is thereby again opened by the action of the weight and allows a fresh
quantity of water to flow into the generator.
The water therefore flows from the first compartment into the second and so on, the
said flow being effected automatically by successively opening and closing the inlet
cock. When the carbide contained in one compartment of the generator is used up,
the water which flows into this compartment overflows into the next, acting on the
material contained therein, and this process is continued until all the carbide contained
in the generator is used up.
The water tank shews the consumption of gas from the time the apparatus was
charged and thereby the quantity of carbide which remains in the apparatus; to
this end it suffices to observe the level of the water in a water gauge.
In order that it may be guided by the rod, the cylinder is provided with a socket
or bush around which are arranged cylindrical weights which are supported on
a frame.
When passing from the gasometer by the outlet tube, the gas flows to the bottom
of the purifier which is of brass or lead and divided into two superposed compartments;
the lower compartment contains pieces of pumice stone or any other suitable spongy
material impregnated with a saturated solution of sulphate of copper, or of any other
soluble salt, such as lead acetate, silver nitrate, etc., which forms a phosphide of
copper or of the metal contained in the solution with the phosphoretted hydrogen
which may be contained in the acetylene. The spongy material may be washed
with pure water and used any number of times. The solution with which the spongy
material is impregnated is removed from time to time.
The purifying or washing process is completed by arranging in the second part of the
apparatus spongy material impregnated with substances which absorb the vapours.
which are disengaged by the reaction of the phosphorus on the copper in the other
compartment of the apparatus.
The upper half of the purifier is filled with broken pieces of a substance such as
calcium carbide which absorbs water vapour so that the acetylene gas issuing from
the apparatus is both pure and dry.
Dated this 7th day of July 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
ETE SPECIF
TION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production of Acetylene.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the Firm of G. F. Redfern & Co., The
General Patent Office, No. 4, South Street, Finsbury, in the County of London,
Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to
me by La Compagnio Continentale d'Eclairage par le Gaz Acetylène et ses
Applications Industrielles, of 51, Rue Vivienne, Paris, in the Republic of France,)
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 apparatus for the production of acetylene under such
conditions that the gas is produced in successive quantities without the risk of
the total quantity so produced by the reaction of the water and the calcium carbide
exceeding the capacity of the gasometer or gas holder in which it is stored. With
this arrangement if the valves or cocks regulating the consumption be closed when
a fresh charge of water and calcium carbide has been fed to the apparatus the gas
produced will be stored in the gasometer which is at least of sufficient capacity to
hold the quantity of the gas so produced.

page_text: To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to the
accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of a suitable form of apparatus for the production of
acetylene which I give by way of example to illustrate my invention:
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the same:
According to my invention I provide a gas generator formed of a vessel or
receiver A preferably of metal and provided with a cover B having a hydraulic joint
and being formed of a cylinder or bell held in place by a pivoted bar Z. This
receiver A is divided into a number of compartments by partitions a, a; the first
of these compartments communicates with the second by an opening b made in
the upper part of the partition. The second communicates with the third, the third
with the fourth and so on in such a manner that the water introduced into the first
compartment for the production of the gas successively overflows from one compartment
to another.
The several compartments of the receiver A each contain the required quantity of
calcium carbide for the production of a certain volume of gas.
The gasometer into which the acetylene flows through the pipes e, f is constructed
of an outer cylinder C in which a cylinder D moves, being guided by a central rod g..
The pipe which enters the gasometer is bent so as to dip into the water in the same
in order that the gas may be washed by bubbling through the water. The gas passes
out by a pipe and is conducted to the mains after having been passed through a
purifier E hereinafter described.
The water necessary for the manufacture of the gas is contained in a tank K and is
conveyed to the generator in the following manner. A pipe provided with a cock m
conducts the water into a funnel n ou a syphon o which conveys it to the first
compartment of the generator A. The plug of the cock m is provided with a lever p
and a weight q arranged so as to keep it open.
When the cylinder D of the gasometer is in its lowermost position, the weight q.
opens the cock m which allows the water to flow from the tank K into the.
generator A. The water entering the first compartment of the generator fills it;
the action of the water on the. carbide produces a certain quantity of gas which
passes into the cylinder D and raises it, whereby it acts on the lever p of the cock m
and closes it, so as to shut off the supply of water and thereby avoid an over-
production of gas. When, by reason of the consumption of the gas, the cylinder
falls, it ceases to act on the lever of the cock m which is thereby again opened
by the action of the weight y and allows a fresh quantity of water to flow into
the generator A.
The water therefore flows from the first compartment into the second and so on,
the said flow being effected automatically by successively opening and closing the
inlet cock. When the carbide contained in one compartment of the generator is
used up, the water which flows into this compartment overflows into the next,
acting on the material contained therein, and this process is continued until all
the carbide contained in the generator is used up.
The water tank K shews the consumption of gas from the time the apparatus was
charged and thereby the quantity of carbide which remains in the apparatus; to
this end it suffices to observe the level of the water in a water gauge z.
In order that it may be guided by the rod g the cylinder D is provided with a
socket or bush j around which are arranged cylindrical weights
supported on a frame v.
which are
When passing from the gasometer by the outlet tube the
gas flows to the
bottom of the purifier E which is of brass or lead and divided into two
superposed compartments; the lower compartiment contains pieces of pumice stone
or any other suitable spongy material impregnated with a saturated solution of
sulphate of copper, or of any other soluble salt, such as lead acetate, silver
nitrate, etc., which forms a phosphide of copper or of the metal contained in the
solution with the phosphoretted hydrogen which may be contained in the acetylene.
The spongy material may be washed with pure water and used any number of

page_text: times. The solution with which the spongy material is impregnated is removed
from time to time.
The purifying or washing process is completed by arranging in the second part
of the apparatus spongy material impregnated with substances, such as a saturated
solution of sulphate of copper, acetate of lead or silver nitrate, which absorb the
vapours which are disengaged by the reaction of the phosphorus on the copper in the
other compartment of the apparatus.
The upper half of the purifier E is filled with broken pieces of a substance such as
calcium carbide which absorbs water vapour so that the acetyléne gas issuing from
the apparatus is both pure and dry.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion and in what manner the saine is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In apparatus for the production of acetylene the combination of a vessel or
receiver divided into a number of compartments for containing calcium carbide; with
a gasometer capable of holding at least all the acetylene gas which the water and the
"carbide in one compartment are able to produce so that the one compartiment only,
receives water overflowing from the next compartment when the said compartment
will produce no more gas or will not produce sufficient to keep the sliding cylinder of
the gasometer raised.
2. The combination of the sliding cylinder or bell of the gasometer with a tank
supplying water to the acetylene gas generator by the opening of a cock effected by
the descent of the cylinder when the production of the gas ceases or becomes
insufficient for consumption.
3. The arrangement of the gas inlet tube beneath the sliding cylinder of the
gasometer the said tube having one end bent downwards and dipping for
a short distance into the water in the gasometer for the purpose of washing
the gas.
4. The apparatus for purifying and drying the gas, containing spongy material
impregnated with salts or substances which will destroy the vapours of phosphoretted
hydrogen, acid and water which the acetylene gas may contain.
5. The improved apparatus for the production of acetylene hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated the 3rd day of April 1897
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.