Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene.
I, HANS BERGER, of No. 89, Alt Moabit, Berlin, Germany, Engineer, do hereby.
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:―
This invention relates to a continuously operating apparatus for generating
acetylene, and is essentially characterized by the fact that the calcium carbide
receptacles (which are grouped together in the form of a column) can be removed.
from the apparatus from below without risk of any escape of the gas.
The object in view is effected by guiding the column of calcium carbide vessels
in a special cylinder in the generating apparatus, the cylinder cover being arranged
to act as a non-return valve so that as soon as the column of carbide holders is
removed, the said cylinder cover forms a secure gas-tight closure and the acetylene
cannot escape.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which,―
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the apparatus, and
Figure 2 is a cross section of another mode of construction.
The bottom a² of the gas holder a carries a guide cylinder b in which there is
provided the cylinder c which encloses the column of carbide holders. The cyl-
inder c is fastened in an easily removable manner by its bottom c¹ to the gasometer
bottom a². The cover d (which acts as a non-return valve) of the guide cylinder b
may be constructed in any suitable manner. The carbide holders e (each of which
contains a quantity of carbide corresponding to one filling of the gas holder bell)
are arranged in stories inside the cylinder c; and they form with their unions f
a passage-way for the water and the gas generated. The height of the unions
or necks is smaller than that of the several holders, so that the entering water
passes over the wall of the necks into the holders.
At the upper end of the cylinder c there is preferably provided a filter g which
purifies the gas before it enters the gas holder. The bottom c¹ of the cylinder c
carries a pipe i which is connected by a suitable length of rubber tubing k to the
pipe 1. The latter is capable of being closed by means of the cocks m and q and
it communicates with the water reservoir o which indicates the level or height
of the water at all times by means of a gauge p. From this level the level of the
water in the cylinder c can be at once deduced, and steps can be taken to prevent
the water from rising beyond the highest level h.
In its alternate rising and falling movements the gasometer bell carries with it
by means of its arm, the lever of the cock m, so that the piping 7, k, i is also
opened and closed alternately. At each opening of the cock m water flows through
the said piping into the cylinder c. At the first opening the water flows over the
neck f into the lowermost carbide holder and generates acetylene which passes
upwards through the passage-way formed by the necks f and after passing
through the filter g opens the lid d automatically so as to pass into the gas holder
and be conveyed thence through the pipe a¹ into the service pipe for consumption.
The gas holder bell naturally rises as it becomes filled with gas, and in so

page_text: rising it shuts the cock m so that the inflow of water ceases. As the gas is con-
sumed the bell falls again and simultaneously opens the cock m so that now the
water rises up to the second holder and here generation of gas begins, whereupon
the operation is repeated anew until finally the last carbide holder has been used
up, and the water has risen up to the line h, which, as has already been stated,
can be noted from the gauge p. So soon as this is the case, the cylinder c to-
gether with the carbide holders arranged in stories above one another, is removed
from the apparatus from below, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1. Thereby
the lid d is automatically closed by the gas pressure, and the holders can be re-
placed leisurely without risk of escape of the gas. The delivery of gas is not
interrupted thereby, so that the apparatus operates continuously.
Instead of one cylinder c, several, for instance, three cylinders preferably ar-
ranged in a symmetrical manner, may be employed, as indicated in Figure 2,
these cylinders being capable of working independently of one another.
The gas holder may rest on feet which are constructed so as to serve as guides
for the gas holder bell. It is not absolutely necessary that the cylinder c shall
be arranged directly inside the gas holder, but the cylinder might also be employed
separately from the gas holder, as an independent generator.
It may also be stated that this apparatus for generating acetylene can be very
easily adapted to the shape of a lamp, in which case the gas holder would be ar-
ranged in the foot or base of the lamp. In this manner a perfectly original portable
acetylene lamp provided with a gas holder would be formed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A continuously operating apparatus for generating acetylene, characterised
by the grouping together of carbide holders to form a column, the said holders
being adapted to be removed from the apparatus from below, the arrangement
being such that the hollow body serving for the reception of the column is closed
automatically by the gas pressure in the gas holder bell, whereby the carbide
holders can be charged and discharged without interrupting the working of the
apparatus, substantially as herein before described.
2. A form of construction of the apparatus for generating acetylene specified
in Claim 1, characterised by the provision in the gas holder of a guide cylinder b,
whose lid d arranged at its upper end is automatically closed by the gas pressure,
so as to prevent escape of gas when removing the column of carbide holders c e.
3. The acetylene generating apparatus constructed and working substantially
as hereinbefore described and shown in the annexed drawings.
Dated this 18th day of February 1898
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.