Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Generating
and Storing Acetylene Gas.
I, LOUIS THEOBALD FITZ GIBBON, of 28 Queen's Gate Terrace, South Kensing-
ton, in the County of London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for generating acetylene gas and has for its
object to provide such apparatus with means whereby the gas is generated in quan-.
tities proportionate to the consumption. To this end I cause the water to be sup-
plied to the calcium carbide intermittently, that is to say as it is required, or I
add the calcium carbide to the water in doses.
According to my invention I provide an ordinary gasholder or gaso-meter, the
sliding cylinder of which is counterbalanced, preferably by means of a weight at-
tached to a chain connected to the upper end of the said sliding cylinder, and in
connection with the gasholder, by means of a pipe or tube, I provide a vessel de-
signed to contain the calcium carbide from which the gas is to be generated, the
said carbide being stored preferably in a perforated sheet metal container or holder
in the vessel. A second pipe passes from this vessel to the lower end of a second
vessel the upper end of which is in communication with the first pipe passing to
the gasholder and which contains a float or valve for the purpose hereinafter
described.
The pipe connecting the two vessels is provided with a three-way cock whereby
the two vessels may be put into communication with one another or the upper or
second vessel can be put into communication with a reservoir of water placed
above it.
The plug of the three-way cock is operated by the counter-weight balancing the
sliding cylinder of the gasholder through the medium of a lever connected to the
said plug.
A pressure gauge is advantageously used in connection with the vessel contain-
ing the calcium carbide holder.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
Assuming water to have been conveyed to the calcium carbide container or
holder, gas is generated and flows (after passing through a drying apparatus) into
the gasholder the sliding cylinder of which is thereby raised. In rising, the slid-
ing cylinder, through the medium of the counterweight, turns the plug of the
three-way cock so as to bring the second vessel into communication with the reser-
voir of water. Water, therefore flows from the reservoir into the second vessel and
raises the float with it until, when the vessel is filled with water, the float shuts off
the communication of the vessel with the gasholder.
As the gas in the gasholder is being consumed the sliding cylinder gradually
descends and when it has reached a certain point the counterweight rotates the
plug of the three-way cock so as to put the second vessel in communication with
the vessel in which the carbide container is placed. The pressure of the gas in the
gasholder now forces the water, which fills the second vessel, into the carbide con-
tainer and when the said second vessel is emptied the float closes the outlet to the
carbide container. More gas is now generated and the above described process is
repeated

page_text: When the charge of calcium carbide is exhausted the cover of the vessel con-
taining it is removed and the said vessel replaced by another vessel charged with
calcium carbide or the carbide holder is replaced by another.
Instead of admitting the water intermittently to the calcium carbide I sometimes
operate, through the medium of the gasholder, a device which intermittently sup-
plies small portions of calcium carbide to the water. The calcium carbide may be
in the form of agglomerated balls or tablets of any suitable shape and weight and
made in any suitable manner such as by means of stearic acid, paraffin etc. The
said balls may be protected against the action of moisture by means of coats of
suitable substance such as silicates.
In some cases the supply of the water to the calcium carbide container is regu-
iated by means of the pressure of the gas generated. To this end the perforated
calcium carbide holder or container which is preferably weighted is placed in one
compartment of a divided vessel which compartment is in communication with the
gasholder. The other compartment of this vessel is in communication with the
carbide container by means of a tube passing up into it and is also perforated and
the vessel is placed in the reservoir containing the water.
By this construction it will be obvious that water poured into the reservoir will
pass through the perforations into the second compartment of the vessel and thence
through the tube into the carbide container. Acetylene gas is thereby generated
and passes to the gasholder. As soon as the pressure of the gas generated has
reached a certain point the flow of water into the carbide container is stopped by
the said pressure and does not recommence until the pressure of the gas has been
reduced by consumption.
In this form of my apparatus the water enters the carbide container at a con-
stant level and pressure.
In some cases I employ a carbide container by means of which either the whole
or only a part of the calcium carbide can be attacked at a time or whereby the
separate portions of calcium carbide are attacked successively.
The calcium carbide may, if desired, be mixed with inert substances and the
water can be mixed with alcohol, glycerine or with any other suitable liquid or
liquids.
In practice I find it advantageous to provide the water inlet tubes with roses so
that the water is spread over the whole surface of the calcium carbide.
Dated this 31st day of July 189
G. F. REDFERN & Co.
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Generating
and Storing Acetylene Gas.
I, LOUIS THEOBALD FITZ GIBBON, of 28, Queen's Gate Terrace, South Kensing
ton, in the county of London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention 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 generating acetylene gas and has for its
object to provide such apparatus with means whereby the gas is generated in quan-
tities proportionate to the consumption. To this end I cause the water to be sup-
plied to the calcium carbide intermittently, that is to say, as it is required, or I
add the calcium carbide to the water in doses.

page_text: According to my invention I provide an ordinary gasholder
or gasometer, the
sliding cylinder of which is counterbalanced, preferably by means of a weight at-
tached to a chain connected to the upper end of the said sliding cylinder, and in
connection with the gasholder, by means of a pipe or tube, I provide a vessel de-
signed to contain the calcium carbide from which the gas is to be generated, the
said carbide being stored preferably in a perforated sheet metal container or holder
in the vessel. A second pipe passes from this vessel to the lower end of a second
vessel the upper end of which is in communication with the first pipe passing to
the gasholder and which contains a float or valve for the purpose hereinafter
described.
The pipe connecting the two vessels is provided with a three-way cock whereby
the two vessels may be put into communication with one another or the upper or
second vessel can be put into communication with a reservoir of water placed
above it.
The plug of the three-way cock is operated by the counter-weight balancing the
sliding cylinder of the gasholder through the medium of a lever connected to the
said plug.
A pressure gauge is advantageously used in connection with the vessel contain-
ing the calcium carbide holder..
In some cases the supply of water to the calcium carbide container is regulated
by means of the pressure of the gas generated. To this end the perforated calcium
carbide holder or container which is preferably weighted is placed in one compart-
ment of a divided vessel which compartment is in communication with the gas-
holder. The other compartment of this vessel is in communication with the
carbide container by means of a tube passing up into it and is also perforated and
the vessel is placed in the reservoir containing the water.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of apparatus constructed according to my in-
vention:
Figure 2 is a view to a larger scale of the water distributing device:
Figure 3 is a view of the modified form of calcium carbide container and device
for distributing the water.
a is the gasholder or gasometer, 6 the sliding cylinder of the same, and c the
counterweight which counterbalances the sliding cylinder b to which it is con-
nected by means of the chain el passing over pulleys, mounted in the frame a¹
of the apparatus. d is the vessel designed to contain the calcium carbide, and e is
the perforated metal holder proper in which the carbide is stored and which is
placed inside the vessel d as shewn clearly in figure 1.
The vessel d is closed by a cover di which is provided with three cocks or
valves f, g, h. The cock f places the interior of the vessel d in communication with the
pressure gauge i. The cock g is in connection with the pipe g through which
water flows into the holder e and the cock is in connection with the pipe h¹
through which the gas generated passes to the gasholder a.
jis the vessel for intermittently distributing or feeding the water to the calcium
carbide, k is the reservoir of water and is the three-way cock by means of which
the vessel can be put into communication with the reservoir through the pipe t
or with the calcium carbide holder e as hereinafter more particularly described.
The vessel is in communication by the tube j¹ with the tube at its upper
end and is provided with a ball or float designed to close the openings at its
upper and lower ends, that is to say, the openings leading into the tube h' and
into the tube g', according to whether the said vessel is full of water or empty.
is a weighted lever attached to the plug of the three-way cock / so as to cause
the said plug to normally place the vessel in communication with the reservoir k.
3 is a tappet or projection on the counterweight c which strikes the lever when
the sliding cylinder 6 of the gasholder has descended to a predetermined level as
hereinafter more particularly described.

page_text: n is a chamber containing carbide of calcium through which the acetylene gas,
generated in the vessel, must pass when flowing from the said reservoir to the
gasholder through the pipe h¹.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
Assume water to have been conveyed to the calcium carbide container or holder e,
gas is generated and flows through the pipe and the drying chamber n into
the gasholder a, the sliding cylinder of which is thereby raised. As the sliding
cylinder brises, the counterweight e falls thereby releasing the lever 7 of the
three-way cock so that the said lever drops and rotates the plug of the cock into
the position shewn in the drawing, that is to say, so as to bring the vessel j into
communication with the reservoir . Water, therefore, flows from the said reser-
voir k into the vessel j and raises the float with it until, when the vessel is filled
with water, the said float 2 shuts off the communication of the vessel with the
gas-holder a.
As the gas in the gasholder a is being consumed the sliding cylinder & gradually
descends and at the same time raises the counterweight c. When the said counter-
weight has reached a certain height the tappet or projection strikes the lever f
and rotates the plug of the cock so as to put the vessel j into communication
with the pipe g. The pressure of the gas in the gasholder a now forces the water
contained in the vessel through the pipe g' and on to the carbide in the holder e.
As soon as the vessel is emptied of water the float closes the opening from the
said vessel into the pipe g. More gas is now generated in the carbide container
and the above described process is repeated.
J
When the charge of calcium carbide is exhausted the cover d' of the vessel d is
removed and the said vessel replaced by another vessel charged with calcium car-
bide or the carbide holder e is replaced by another.
Instead of admitting the water intermittently to the calcium carbide I some-
times operate, through the medium of the gasholder a, a device which intermit-
tently supplies small portions of calcium carbide to the water. The calcium
carbide may be in the form of agglomerated balls or tablets of any suitable shape
and weight and made in any suitable manner such as by means of stearic acid,
paraflin, etc. The said balls or tablets may be protected against the action of
moisture by means of coats of a suitable substance such as a silicate
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the gas generating vessel which I can employ
in lieu of that herein before described and in which the distributing vessel and
three-way cock 7 for the water are dispensed with. The vessel d for containing
the carbide is divided into an upper compartment and a lower compartment d
The upper compartment d is provided with a cover d' and is in communication
with the gasholder or gasometer a by means of the pipe h' as in the arrangement
above described. The calcium carbide holder e which is weighted with lead c',
is placed in the upper compartment and a tube o passes up from the lower compart
ment into the said calcium carbide holder as shewn clearly in the figure. The
lower compartment is perforated at its lower end as shewn at d, d. is the
vessel or reservoir containing water in which the vessel is immersed.
By this construction it will be obvious that water poured into the reservoir p
will pass through the perforations + into the lower compartment of the vessel d
and inence through the tube o into the carbide holder e. Acetylene gas is there-
by generated and passes into the gasholder a through the tube h¹ as in the above
described apparatus, and as soon as the pressure of the gas generated has reached
a certain point the flow of water into the carbide holder e through the tube o is
stopped by the said pressure and does not recommence until the pressure of the
gas has been reduced by the consumption of the latter.
It will be obvious that, in this form of my apparatus, the water enters the car-
bide contained at a constant level and pressure.
In some cases I employ a carbide container by means of which either the whole
or only a part of the calcium carbide can be attacked at a time or whereby the
separate portions can be attacked successively.

page_text: The calcium carbide may, if desired, be mixed with inert substance and the water
can be mixed with alcohol, glycerine, hydrochloric acid or with any other suitable
liquid or liquids.
In practice I find it advantageous to provide the water inlet tubes with roses, as
shewn in figure 1, so that the water is spread over the whole surface of the calcium
carbide.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In apparatus for generating and storing acetylene gas, the employment in
combination with a gasholder of a device for intermittently distributing the water
to the calcium carbide, such device consisting of a vessel in communication with
the gasholder, with the calcium carbide container and with a reservoir of water,
and of a three-way cock adapted to place the said vessel in communication with the
reservoir of water or with the calcium carbide container, the plug of the cock being
operated by the sliding cylinder of the gasholder, substantially as described.
2. In apparatus for generating and storing acetylene gas the employment, in
combination with a gasholder, of a carbide container immersed in a reservoir of
water and divided into an upper and a lower compartment the lower compartment
being perforated and the upper compartment containing the calcium carbide holder
into which a pipe passes from the lower compartment the principle of the appara-
tus being based upon the equilibrium of the pressures in the gasholder and the
carbide container, substantially as, and for the purpose, herein before described.
3. The employment in the production of acetylene gas of agglomerated balls or
tablets, such balls or tablets being obtained by the admixture of the carbide with
stearic acid, paraffin and the like, substantially as described.
4. In the manufacture of acetylene gas the employment of agglomerated balls or
tablets of the kind described in the preceding claiming clause, such balls or tablets
being coated with a layer of a substance, such as a silicate, in order to protect the
said tablets against the action of moisture.
5. In the manufacture of acetylene gas the employment of calcium carbido
mixed with a suitable inert substance for the purpose described.
6. Apparatus for generating and storing acetylene gas comprising the gasholder a,
carbide container d, in communication with the said gasholder, carbide holder e,
distributing vessel j and three-way cock for putting the said vessel j into com-
munication with the container d or reservoir k, as described and illustrated in
figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
7. The employment in combination with a gasholder of the carbide container
immersed in the reservoir p and divided into the compartments 2 and d³, the
compartment containing the weighted calcium carbide holder e into which the
tube o passes from the lower compartment which is perforated, as described and
illustrated in figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 20th 11 100%
G. F. REDFERN & Co.
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.