Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene and other similarly obtained Gases.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene and other
similarly obtained Gases.
HENRY RALPH BEAN, of 26, St. Mary's Road, Plaistow, in the County of Essex,
Glass Decorator, and HENRY ROBERT RINGWOOD, of 28, St. Mary's Road Plaistow,
in the County of Essex, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is 1st., to provide a holder or vessel to contain
carbide or other materials for the production of acetylene or other gases by bring-
ing its contents into contact with water or other liquids. 2nd. By providing
means whereby the contents of the holder are kept perfectly cool during the pro-
cess of generation of the gas. 3rd. By insuring a more regular and uniform rate
of gas generation.
The method by which we bring about these results is as follows:
A vessel, preferably of circular form is made up of one or more sections or
compartments in depth according to the charge required. Each section is isolated
from the others by a suitable joint at the outer edge or rim. These joints must
be made gas and water tight. Each section or compartment has a tube or channel
made on, or attached to, or communicating with it, to convey water from the
top of the vessel or holder to the carbide or material to be operated upon and also
to enable the gas produced to be conducted away to its intended uses or storage.
The top section or compartment of the vessel has a gas tight cover with a raised
piece or hood formed on it into which is gathered when they are all put together,
the upper ends of the communicating tubes or channels. This top cover is
attached to the vessel by bolts or clips in such a manner that all the joints
mentioned will be brought together tightly, forming one complete vessel or
holder.
In the top cover with hood, a number of perforations are made varying accord-
ing to size of the vessel through which water is conveyed to the upper ends of the
tubes mentioned.
These tubes are made of different lengths so that when the sections or compart-
ments are fixed in position the upper ends of the tubes are of different levels
the topmost compartment having its upper end or channel way, lower in the
hood than any of the others, the upper end of the tube to the next section being
a somewhat higher level and the upper ends of the tubes of each succeeding lower
section being higher than the tube of the section above it.
The vessel being charged with a suitable quantity of carbide or gas forming
material in each section and the whole fixed together, is immersed in the water
of a suitable gas generating system.
The uppermost compartment will be the first to be operated upon owing to
the tube or channel communicating with the same having its upper end of a
lower level than any of the others, but the same time it is high enough to ensure
the compartment then in operation being entirely surrounded with water.
Now the upper end of the lowest communicating tube or channel being some-

page_text: what higher than the top cover it is obvious that when the material in any of the
sections or compartments is being acted upon, the vessel will be entirely sur-
rounded with water.
Dated this 20th day of March 1899.
Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Acetylene and other
similarly obtained Gases.
HENRY RALPH BEAN, of 26, St. Mary's Road, Plaistow, in the County of Essex,
Glass Decorator, and HENRY ROBERT RINGWOOD, of 28. St. Mary's Road Plaistow,
in the County of Essex, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly de-
scribed and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Some of the difficulties attending the production of acetylene gas are, how to
keep the charge of materials under operation cool, and how to bring off the gas
steadily as the demand requires. Our invention has for its object the fulfilment
of these requirements, small or large quantities or charges of carbide or other
gas forming material may be dealt with, with equal efficiency, in this apparatus
which we describe as follows:-
The vessel or charge container preferably of a circular form, is made up of one
or more sections or compartments in depth, according to the charge required.
Each section is isolated from the others by a suitable joint at the outer edge or
rim every joint must be made gas and water tight, and to facilitate this a channel
is made in the one part of the section to contain a rubber ring. The next section
seating against this ring makes a very efficient joint.
Each section or compartment has a tube or channel made on, or attached to,
or communicating with it, to convey water to the carbide or material to be oper-
ated upon, and also to enable the gas produced to be conducted away to its in-
tended uses or storage.
When all the sections or compartments are fitted together the upper ends of
these tubes are at different levels or heights, the topmost compartment having
the top end of its tube or channel way lower in the hood than any of the
others, the upper end of the tube to the next lower section being somewhat higher
in the hoods and the upper ends of the tubes of each succeeding lower sections
being of a higher level than the tube of the section above it. The top section or
compartment has a cover, also a gas tight joint similar to the others. The upper
portion of the cover is formed with a raised piece or hood, into which is gathered
when the sections are put together in their proper order, the upper ends of the
communicating tubes or channels before mentioned.
The cover is attached to the other sections forming the apparatus, by suitable
bolts. clips, or screws, in such a manner that all the joints are brought tightly
together forming one complete vessel or container. In the hood portion of the
cover, the necessary perforations are made through which water is conveyed to
the various compartments.
A simple form of fastening for the sections is that shown in the illustration
Fig. 2 a centre bolt D being passed through, or attached to the lowest section.
and passing up through the tubes and top cover, a thumb nut E being screwed
on the top end.
Referring to the drawing, Fig. I is a section of the simplest form of our in-

page_text: vention, A being the compartment B is the cover with hood C.
bolt screwed at the top end. E thumb nut fitted to the same.
to admit water to the carbide. G rubber joints.
D is the rod or
F perforations
Fig. 2 shows an apparatus made up with 4 sections or compartments A, A, A, A,
B cover with its hood C. D) rod or bolt screwed at upper end. E thumb nut
fitted to rod D. F perfortions to admit water to carbide. G G G G rubber
joints. H H H tubes or channels leading from the hood to the several compart-
ments.
A modification of the apparatus is shown in Fig. 3. in which a hollow tube J
takes the place of the bolt D, and through which water is conveyed to the upper
ends of the tubes H. that are within the hood C, and thence to the several com-
partments under operation.
To charge the apparatus, a suitable quantity of carbide or gas forming material
is placed in each section, these are put together in their proper order when the
screwed end of the bolt D comes through the top of hood. A thumb nut now being
screwed on this bolt brings all the joints tightly together. The apparatus now
being immersed in the water of a suitable generating system, waters enters at I
and is conducted by means of the tubes H into sections A A A A respectively,
only one section or compartment being operated upon at a time. It will thus be
seen the apparatus is submerged when in operation, K, K, being the fluctuating
water levels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
--
1. The carbide container or charge holder for materials used in generation of
acetylene and similarly obtained gases, made in one, or more sections, with water
tight seatings, and communicating tubes or channels, having their uppermost
ends at different heights or levels, a cover, with the necessary perforations means
for holding the several parts together so that all the joints are gas and water-
tight substantially as shown and described.
2. The carbide container or charge holder for materials used in the generation
of acetylene and similarly obtained gases, made in one or more sections with
water tight seatings and communicating tubes or channels having their upper-
most ends at different heights or levels, a cover with the necessary perforations
A tube or tubes as J Fig. 3 for holding the several parts together so that the
joints are gas & water-tight substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 19th day of December 1899.
HENRY RALPH BEAN.
HENRY ROBERT RINGWOOD.