Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Manufacture of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 20th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1897-Accepted, 7th Aug., 1897
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Manufacture of
Acetylene Gas.
I, CHARLES FRANCOIS JEAN BAPTISTE BECHEREL, of 6, Boulevard des Italiens,
Paris, France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas and
consists essentially:
1st. Of a generator proper or gazogene containing the carbide of calcium the
decomposition of which by water produces the gas, which it is desired to obtain;
2nd. Of a receiver or vessel designed to contain the water required for
decomposition;
3rd. Of an expanding gas reservoir such as a gas holder with. bell and water
seal or it may be in the form of bellows or collapsible vessel of caoutchouc or
other suitable material.
My invention consists in the combination of these parts for the purpose of
regulating the amount of water supplied to the carbide with the object of decom-
posing the same. This regulation is effected by the displacement of a float
of suitable volume which is immersed in the water in the reservoir and rises and
falls with the movements of the movable or expanding portion of the gasholder.
When the volume of gas or the pressure thereof in the said gasholder falls the
bell descends, or if it be a collapsible chamber it contracts, and this movement
is adapted to increase the depth of immersion of the float in the water in the
reservoir. Consequently the level of the water rises and reaches the orifice of a
suitably arranged pipe which serves to convey it into the gas generator, and
a fresh quantity of gas is produced causing the bell of the gasholder to rise again,
or the collapsible chamber to expand.
In one arrangement which I will describe, the gasholder consists of an ordinary
bell holder, and above it is situated the water reservoir in which a float is adapted
to move, this float is directly connected to the bell of the gasholder by means of
a rod or chain in such a manner that it ascends and descends with the movement
of the latter. A central tube is provided in and extends for a suitable distance
above the water level in the reservoir to allow of the passage of the rod or chain
to the float.
With the parts arranged in this manner, it will be seen that when the volume
of gas diminishes in the gasholder, the bell will descend carrying down with

page_text: it the float in the reservoir, which latter immediately displaces and causes the
level of the water to rise up to the orifice of a pipe arranged at a suitable level
through which a certain amount of water flows into a gas generator of suitable
construction until the gas generated by reason of said supply of water enters the
gasholder through an inlet pipe and causes the bell to rise, thereby raising the
float and causing the level of the water to fall below the orifice of the generator
supply pipe. It will be understood that instead of a single pipe from the reser-
voir to the generator a series of such pipes at different levels in the reservoir may
be arranged and connected with a series of generators in such a manner that first
one generator would become exhausted, and then another, and so on, the rise of
the water level up to the orifice of the pipe connected with the exhausted generator
will only result in the filling of the said pipe and its corresponding generator
with water without generating any gas. Consequently the pressure in the
gasholder will continue to fall, and the float will descend lower in the reservoir
until it has caused the water to rise up to the orifice of the next higher outlet
pipe, when the generator connected to the same would be put into operation and
a fresh quantity of gas generated. It is of course to be understood that the
storage capacity of the gasholder will be sufficient to allow of substituting one
generator for another as described without producing any interruption in the
service supply.
It will be obvious that I may vary the relative positions of the various parts,
that is to say, the water reservoir, instead of being situated above may be arranged
by the side of the gasholder, or even below the latter, provided that a suitable
connecting mechanism shall always ensure the rising of the level of the water in
the reservoir when the pressure within the gasholder falls, and that the arrange-
ments are such as to ensure in such a case the inflow of the liquid into the gas
generator proper.
It will also be seen that the bell and the float may be combined in one part, in
which case the walls of the bell would be made of such size or thickness as to
produce variations in the level of the liquid in the vessel in which it is
immersed.
In such a case the vessel forming the gasholder would itself fulfil the function
of the water reservoir, and from it would branch off the pipes to the gas gen-
erators adjacently disposed and adapted to receive the water at the proper times.
The apparatus is provided with suitable taps and other accessories such as
pressure gauges, valves, and the like, adapted to ensure the regular and safe
working of the apparatus.
The gas is conveyed from the gasholder by a pipe to the place where it is to be
consumed.
Apparatus of the kind described may be adapted to all lighting plant, street
lamps, and lamps for domestic use, the gasholder being adapted to the special
circumstances of each case.
Dated this 20th day of October 1896
J. C. CHAPMAN, C.P.A.,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for the Manufacture of
Acetylene Gas.
I, CHARLES FRANCOIS JEAN BAPTISTE BECHEREL, of 6, Boulevard des Italiens,
Paris, France, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas and
consists essentially:
1st. Of a generator (papper or gazogene containing the carbide of calcium the
decomposition of which by water produces the gas which it is desired to obtain;
2nd. Of a receiver or vessel designed to contain the water required for
decomposition;
3rd. Of an expanding gas reservoir such as a gas holder with, bell and water
seal or it may be in the form of bellows or a collapsible vessel of caoutchouc or
other suitable material..
My invention consists in the combination of these parts for the purpose of
regulating the amount of water supplied to the carbide with the object of decom-
posing the same. This regulation is effected by the displacement of a float
of suitable volume which is immersed in the water in the reservoir and rises and
falls with the movements of the movable or expanding portion of the gasholder.
When the volume of gas or the pressure thereof in the said gasholder falls the
bell descends, or if it be a collapsible chamber it contracts, and this movement
is adapted to increase the depth of immersion of the float in the water in the
reservoir. Consequently the level of the water rises and reaches the orifice of a
suitably arranged pipe which serves to convey it into the gas generator, and
a fresh quantity of gas is produced causing the bell of the gasholder to rise again,
or the collapsible chamber to expand.
none arrangement which I will, with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Tow describe, the gasholder consists of an ordinary bell holder' A, and above it
is situated the water reservoir B in which a float C is adapted to move, this float
is directly connected to the bell of the gasholder by means of a rod D) or a chain
in such a manner that it ascends and descends with the movement of the latter.
A central tube E is provided in, and extends for a suitable distance above the
water level in the reservoir 13 to allow of the passage of the rod or chain to the
float.
With the parts arranged in this manner, it will be seen that when the volume of
gas diminishes in the gasholder, the hell A will descend carrying down with it
the float C in the reservoir B, which float immediately displaces, and causes the
water level to rise to the orifice of a pipe F arranged at a suitable level through
which pipe a certain amount of water flows into a gas generator G of suitable
construction until the gas generated by reason of said supply of water enters
the gas holder through an inlet pipe H and causes the hell to rise, thereby raising
the float and causing the level of the water to fall below the orifice of the generator
supply pipe. It will be understood that instead of a single pipe from the reservoir
to the generator a series of such pipes F F F at different levels in the reservoir
may be arranged and connected with a series of generators in such a manner
that first one generator would become exhausted, and then another, and so on,
the rise of the water level to the orifice of the pipe connected with the exhausted
generator will only result in the filling of the said pipe and its corresponding
generator with water without generating any gas. Consequently the pressure
in the gasholder will continue to fall and the float will descend lower in the
reservoir until it has caused the water to rise to the orifice of the next higher
outlet pipe, when the generator connected to the same would be put into operation
and a fresh quantity of gas generated. It is of course to be understood that
the storage capacity of the gasholder will be sufficient to allow of substituting
one generator for another as described without producing any interruption in the
service supply.
The gas is conveyed from the gasholder by a pipe I to the place where it is to be
consumed.
It will be obvious that I may vary the relative positions of the various parts,
that is to say, the water reservoir, instead of being situated above may be arranged

page_text: by the side of the gasholder, or even below the latter, provided that a suitable
connecting mechanism shall always ensure the rising of the level of the water in
the reservoir when the pressure within the gasholder falls, and that the arrange
ments are such as to ensure in such a case the inflow of the liquid to the gas
generator proper.
It will also be seen that the bell and the float may be combined in one part, in
which case the walls of the bell would be made of such size or thickness as to
produce variations in the level of the liquid in the vessel in which it is
immersed.
In such a case the vessel forming the gasholder would itself fulfil the function
of the water reservoir, and from it would branch off the pipes to the gas gen-
erators adjacently disposed and adapted to receive the water at the proper times.
The apparatus is provided with suitable taps and other accessories such as
pressure gauges, valves, and the like, adapted to ensure the regular and safe
working of the apparatus.
Apparatus of the kind described may be adapted to all lighting plant, street
lamps, and lamps for domestic use, the gasholder being adapted to the special
circumstances of each case.
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. An apparatus for the production of acetylene gas by the decomposition of
a carbide by water, consisting essentially of a float immersed in water con
in a reservoir, and attached to the movable part of the gas receiver and
in such manner that when the volume or pressure diminishes in the said gas-
holder the float is drawn down in the water thereby causing same to rise in the
float-reservoir and flow through a tube or tubes to the gas generator actually
in use, and subsequently to other gas generators if required, substantially in the
manner and for the purpose above described and illustrated in the drawing.
2. In an apparatus of the kind above referred to, the modification which consists
in constructing the walls of the bell of the gasholder of sufficient thickness to
constitute the water displacer while the tank of the gasholder constitutes the
water reservoir from which water is supplied to the gas generator substantially
as herein set forth.
3. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts embodying
my improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene gas substantially
as herein set forth.
Boted the 9th J... at 1..1.. 100-
lated this 24h day of
day
100-
For the Applicant.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.