Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators and Holders;
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 6th July, 1900
2
1
Improvements in Acetylene Gas Generators and Holders;
I, JAMES BRICKELL HOLMES, of 119, West 15th Street, in the City of Minneapolis
and State of Minnesota, United States of America, Railroad Contractor; do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:―
The object of my invention is to produce a safe, inexpensive and simple
machine for generating and storing acetylene gas.
The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth
in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.
Referring to the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of my improved acetylene gas machine
and of the gasometer in which the gas generated in said machine is stored.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation taken through the centre of said machine
on line 2-2, Fig. 1.
Like numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the several views of
the drawings.
In the drawings, A is the machine in which the acetvlene gas is generated, and
B is the gasometer in which said gas is stored. The acetylene gas is manufac-
tured from calcium carbide and water in the usual well known manner. The
calcium carbide is put into the generator A by removing the top cover 1, and
pouring the carbide into the hollow, conical, rotary holder 2, said cone is cut
away at 3 to admit said carbide into the interior thereof, the ends 4, 5, of said
holder 2 are turned to fit in bearings 6, 7, in the frame 8 of the machine. A
stud 9 is screwed into the centre of the head 5 and has a crank handle 10 formed
thereon by which the holder 2 may be rotated. Said stud 9 has a bearing in the
head 11 fast to the frame 8.
A stud 12 screwed to the head 4 has a bearing in the head 13, said head 13
being fast to the frame 8. A spiral spring 14 keeps the holder 2 pressed close to
A seat in the bearings 6 and 7, said spring bearing at one end against a collar 15
which bears against a pin 16 in the stud 12, and at the other end against a washer 17
which bears against the head 4.
:
When the holder 2 is given a half turn from the position shown in the draw-
ings, by means of the crank handle 10 the carbide contained in said holder will
be emptied through the hole 3 upon the grate 18.
The grate 18 has conical ends 19, 20 formed thereon, said enda being turned
to fit in bearings 21, 22 in the frame 8. A shaft 23 fast to the grate 18 turns
in bearings in the heads 24, 25. The ends 19, 20, of said grate 18 are drawn to a
seat in the bearings 21, 22, by a spring 26, and a rotary motion is given to said
grate by a crank handle 27 fast to the shaft 23, all acting in a similar manner to
similar parts on the holder 2. The ashes are dumped from the grate 18 by giving
said grate a half turn, and fall into the ash-box 28, said ash-box being removed
from the machine through the door 29.
Water is intermittently sprayed upon the carbide on the grate 18 through the
perforated pipes 30 as hereinafter described, the acetylene gas resulting there-

page_text: from passes out of the generating chamber 31, through the pipe 32 into the cham-
ber 33 in the gasometer tank 34. Said tank is divided by the horizontal parti-
tion 35 into two chambers 36 and 37, the chamber 36 being subdivided into two
compartments 38 and 39 by the vertical partition 40, free communication between
said compartments being maintained by means of holes 41 in the partition 40.
Water is introduced into the lower chamber 36 to the height of the broken line a
through the spout 42 and holes 43, and into the chamber 37 to the height of the
broken line 6 through. the spout 44 and-holes 46:
The iron cylinder 46 has a pipe 47 fast to the top thereof and is guided by a
rod 48 fast to the bottom of the tank. The acetylene gas after entering. the
chamber 33 passes downwardly through the water and out into the compartment 38
and thence up through the water, thoroughly cleansing said gas of all impurities,
thence passing upward through the pipe 49 to the space above the water in the
cylinder 46.
J.-
From the cylinder 46 the gas passes down the pipe 50 and out of the gasometer
through the pipe 51 to the burners. As the gas is formed, the cylinder 46. rises
until the holes 52 in the pipe 53 (said' pipe being fast to the top of the cylinder)
rise above the water line-b; when the gas above said water passes through said
holes downward through the pipe 54. and out of the tank through the, pipe, 55,
thence back to the pipe 50 and through the pipe 57 to the outside air.
Any gas from the generator A which is in the chamber below the grate 18
passes out through the pipe 58 into 56 and 57 and thence to, the outside air."
Any gas in the generator above the holder 2 passes out through the pipes. 59
and 57 to the outside air.
The supply of water is kept in a tank 69, and is intermittently fed into the
machine through the pipe 60 and perforated pipes 30, 30. A valve 61 lets the
water on and shuts it off, said valve being automatically opened and closed by a
cam shaped lever, having two arms 62, 63. Said lever fast to the valve stem '64
of the valve 61, and is given a quarter turn from the position shown in full lines
to that shown in dotted lines by a shoe G5 fast to a rod 66, said rod being rigidly
connected to the cylinder 46 by a bracket 67.
As the cylinder 46 rises, the shoe 65, strikes the end of the arm 62, raising it
until the weight 68 thereon crosses the centre, and the cam shaped lever is then
turned by said weight to the position shown by dotted lines, shutting off the water
by turning, the valve stem and valve a quarter turn, and thius' stopping the farther
generation of gas.
As the gas is used and the cylinder descends, the shoe strikes the end of the
arm 63 (dotted) and throws the cam shaped lever into the position, shown in 'full
lines, letting on the water, and the gas is again generated and the cylinder 46
rises. Thus the carbide is intermittently and automatically sprayed with water,
according to the amount of gas in the gasometer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my-said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
I
1st. In an acetylene gas machine, a hollow, rotatory conical' holder, having an
opening in one side thereof, and means for rotating said holder.
2nd. In an acetylene gas machine, a hollow, rotary conical holder, having an
opening in one side thereof, a frame having cone-shaped bearings, upon which
bearings said holder is adapted to turn; and means for drawing said holder to a
seat upon said bearings.
3rd. In an acetylene gas machine, a rotary grate, having conical ends fast
thereto and means for rotating said grate..
4th. In an acetylene gas machine, a rotary, grate having, conical ends.fast
thereto, a frame having cone-shaped bearings, upon which bearings the conical
ends of said grate are adapted to turn, and means for drawing the conical ends
of said grate to a seat upon said bearings,

page_text: 5th. In an acetylene gas machine a gasometer, a generator, a water supply con-
nected to said generator by a pipe, a valve in said pipe and a cam-shaped lever
fast to the stem of said valve, and operated to open and close said valve by the
fall and rise respectively of the gasometer cylinder.
6th. A gasometer for acetylene gas machines, having a chamber 33 therein,
an opening in said chamber above the level of the water in the gasometer to admit
the gas, and an outlet from said chamber into said gasometer below the level of
the water therein, substantially as described for the purpose specified..
7th. A gasometer for acetylene gas machines, divided into an upper and lower
chamber by a horizontal partition, a chamber 33 in said lower chamber, an open-
ing into said chamber 33 above the level of the water therein to admit the gas,
an outlet from the chamber 33 into said lower chamber below the level of the
water therein, and a pipe connecting said upper and lower chambers.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1899.
JAMES BRICKELL HOLMES, of 119, West 15th Street, in the City of Minneapolis
and State of Minnesota, United States of America, Railroad Contractor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
per-
The object of my invention is to produce a safe, inexpensive and simple
machine for generating and storing acetylene gas.
The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts set forth
in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the claims thereof.
Referring to the drawings filed with the Provisional Specification.
Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional elevation of my improved acetylene gas machine
and of the gasometer in which the gas generated in said machine is stored.
Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation taken through the centre of said machine
on line 2-2, Fig. 1.
Like numerals and letters refer to like parts throughout the several views of
the drawings.
In the drawings, A is the machine in which the acetylene gas is generated, and
B is the gasometer in which said gas is stored. The acetylene gas is, manufac-
tured from calcium carbide and. water in the usual well known manner. The
calcium carbide is put into the generator A by removing the top cover 1, and
pouring the carbide into the conical, rotary holder 2, said cone is cut
away at 3 to admit said carbide into the interior thereof, the ends 4; 5, of said
holder 2 are turned to fit in bearings 6, 7, in the frame 8 of the machine. A
stud 9 is screwed into the centre of the head 5 and has a crank handle 10 formed
thereon by which the holder 2 may be rotated. Said stud 9 has a bearing in the
head 11 fast to the frame 8.
A stud 12 screwed to the head 4 has a bearing in the head 13, said head 13
being fast to the frame 8. A spiral spring 14 keeps the holder 2 pressed close to
a seat in the bearings 6 and 7, said spring bearing at one end against a collar 15
which bears against a pin 16 in the stud 12, and at the other end against a washer 17
which bears against the head 13.
When the holder 2 is given a turn from the position shown in the draw-
ings, by means of the crank handle 10 the carbide contained in said holder will
be emptied through the hole 3 upon the grate 18.

page_text: The grate 18 has conical ends 19, 20, formed thereon, said ends being turned
to fit in hearings 21, 22, in the frame 8. A shaft 23 fast to the grate 18 turns
in bearings in the heads 24, 25. The ends 19, 20 of said grate 18 are drawn to a
seat in the bearings 21, 22, by a spring 26, and a rotary motion is given to said
grate by a crank handle 27 fast to the shaft 23, all acting in a similar manner, to
similar parts on the holder 2. The ashes are dumped from the grate 18 by giving
said grate a half turn, and fall into the ash box 28, said ash box being removed
from the machine through the door 29.
Water is intermittently sprayed upon the carbide on the grate 18 through the
perforated pipes 30, as hereinafter described, the acetylene gas resulting there-
from passes out of the generating chamber 31, through the pipe 32 into the cham-
ber 33 in the gasometer tank 34. Said tank is divided by the horizontal parti-
tion 35 into two chambers 36 and 37, the chamber 36 being subdivided into two
compartments 38 & 39 by the vertical partition 40, free communication between
said compartments being maintained by means of holes 41 in the partition 40.
Water is introduced into the lower chamber 36 to the height of the broken line A
through the spout 42 and holes 43, and into the chamber 37 to the height of the
broken line B through the spout 44 and holes 45.
The iron cylinder 46 has a pipe 47 fast to the top thereof and is guided by a
rod 48 fast to the bottom of the tank. The acetylene gas after entering the
chamber 33 passes downwardly through the water and out into the compartment 38
and thence, up through the water, throughly cleansing said gas of all impurities,
thence passing upward through the pipe 49 to the space above the water in the
cylinder 46.
From the cylinder 46 the gas passes down the pipe 50 and out of the gasometer
through the pipe 51 to the burners. As the gas is formed, the cylinder 46 rises
until the holes 52 in the pipe 53 (said pipe being fast to the top of the cylinder)
rise above the water line B, when the gas above said water passes through said
holes downward through the pipe 54 and out of the tank through the pipe 55
thence back to the pipe 56 and through the pipe 57 to the outside air.
Any gas from the generator A which is in the chamber below the grate 18
passes out through the pipe 58 into 56 and 57 and thence to the outside air.
Any gas in the generator above the holder 2 passes out through the pipes 59
and 57 to the outside air.
The supply of water is kept in a tauk 69, and is intermittently fed into the
machine through the pipe 60 and perforated pipes 30, 30. A valve 61 lets the
water on and shuts it off, said valve being automatically opened and closed by a
cam shaped lever, having two arins 62, 63. Said lever is fast to the valve stem 64
of the valve 61 and is given a quarter turn from the position shown in full lines
to that shown in dotted lines, by a shoe 65 fast to a rod 66, said rod being rigidly
connected to the cylinder 46 by a bracket 67.
As the cylinder 46 rises, the shoe 65 strikes the end of the arm 62 raising it
until the weight 68 thereon crosses the centre, and the cam-shaped lever is then
turned by said weight to the position shown by dotted lines, shutting off the water
by turning the valve stem and valve a quarter turn, and thus stopping the further
generation of gas.
As the gas is used and the cylinder descends, the shoe strikes the end of the
arm 63 (dotted) and throws the cam shaped lever into the position shown in full
lines, letting on the water, and the gas is again generated and the cylinder 46
rises, Thus the carbide is intermittently sprayed with water, according to the
amount of gas in the gasometer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1st. In an acetylene gas machine, a hollow rotary conical holder, having an

page_text: 2nd. In an acetylene gas machine, a hollow, rotary conical holder, having an
opening in one side thereof, a frame having cone-shaped bearings, upon which
bearings said holder is adapted to turn, and means for drawing said holder to a
seat upon said bearings.
3rd. In an acetylene gas machine, a rotary grate having conical ends fast
thereto and means for rotating said grate.
4th. In an acetylene gas machine, a rotary grate having conical ends fast
thereto, a frame having cone-shaped bearings, upon which bearings the conical
ends of said grate are adapted to turn, and means for drawing the conical ends
of said grate to a seat upon said bearings:
5th. In an acetylene gas machine a gasometer, a generator, a water supply con-
nected to said generator by a pipe, a valve in said pipe and a cam-shaped lever
fast to the stem of said valve, and operated to open and close said valve by the
fall and rise respectively of the gasometer cylinder.
6th. A gasometer for acetylene gas machines, having a chamber. 33 therein,
an opening in said chamber above the level of the water in the gasometer to admit
the gas, and an outlet from said chamber into said gasometer below the level of
the water therein, substantially as described for the purpose specified.
7th. A gasometer for acetylene gas machines, divided into an upper and lower
chamber by a horizontal partition, a cliamber 33 in said lower chamber, an open-
ing into said chamber 33 above the level of the water therein to admit the gas,
an outlet from the chamber 33 into said lower chamber below the level of the
water therein, and a pipe connecting said upper and lower chambers.
For Applicant,
J. SPIERS,
30, Morpeth Road, Victoria Park, London, N.E.