Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for the Generation and Storage of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date
oprication, 26th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for the Generation
and Storage of Acetylene Gas.
I, ARCHIBALD KAY, of 22 Main Street, Doune, in the County of Perth, Plumber,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises Improvements in the construction,
or the arrangement and combination of the parts of apparatus for the generation and
storage of Acetylene gas, by which these operations are carried on with regularity and
ease and the generation automatically stopped when consumption ceases.
In carrying into practice the Improvements of this Invention one or more
Generating vessels are used but it is preferred to use at least two, one fitted over the
other, constructed and arranged in connection with the storage vessel and water
supply all as follows:-
The generating vessels are preferably formed of cast iron but they may be of
malleable iron, steel or of enamelled fire clay, or other suitable metal or material and
cylindrical in shape, fitted with a door at each end which may be secured by hook
catches carrying a cross bar and tightening screw, but other arrangements may be
used. A gas tight joint may be formed by the use of an asbestos ring steeped in oil
and blacklead or graphite, or other suitable jointing material may be employed. These
generators are fitted up in an inclined position so that one end is considerably higher
than the other and are each connected by a series of union couplings or right and
left handed screw nipples to a condensing vessel above them also fitted at a similar
angle. This condenser may however be formed or cast in one piece with the
generator. Openings are bored or cast through the side of the condenser opposite
each connecting nipple for the purpose of cleaning same and these openings are closed
by screwed plugs.
The gas generated flows up into the condensers and any water carried up along
with it gravitates to the lower end of condenser whence it flows down into the
generator below. From the condensers the gas is led by pipes fitted with stop cocks
first upwards and then downwards to be admitted to the storage vessel or holder,
which is preferably of ordinary gasometer form within a water tank, and any water
still conveyed over by the gas falls into a drip well formed at the lowest part of gas
conducting pipe. The gas holder may have a vertical rod fitted to its top part work-
ing in a guide and loosely carrying a ball or weight which is connected to the end of
a lever, fulcrumed on one side, by a chain or cord. The other end of this lever is
connected by a rod to the end of a weighted lever which opens or closes the valve
admitting the water to the generators. The water is led by a pipe from this valve
to the lower generator direct but the pipe leading to the higher generator is led up
to a point higher than it and then bent downwards to enter the generator at its lower
end; both pipes being fitted with stop cocks. By this arrangement the water
supplied from the tank or any other source flows first into the lower generator when
same has been charged with calcium or other suitable carbide, and when gas ceases

page_text: to be generated there, into the one above. The exhausted generator can then be
isolated by the stop cocks and cleaned out and re-charged without cutting off the gas
supply. When consumption ceases, the gas holder rises and lifts the ball or weight
which action releases the lever and shuts off the water supply by closing the water
valve.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for the Generation
and Storage of Acetylene Gas.
I, ARCHIBALD KAY, of 22, Main Street, Dounc, in the County of Perth, Plumber,
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being made to the accompanying sheet of
Drawings:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises Improvements in the construction,
or the arrangement and combination of the parts of apparatus for the generation and
storage of Acetylene Gas, by which these operations are carried on with regularity
and case and the generation automatically stopped when consumption ceases.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I have hereinto
appended one sheet of explanatory Drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation and
Figure 2 a back elevation of the generating and storing apparatus, while Figure 3 is
a partial sectional elevation of the gas holder.
In carrying into practice the Improvements of this Invention one or more
generating vessels are used but it is preferred to use at least two one fitted over the
other constructed and arranged in connection with the storage vessel and water supply
all as follows:-
As illustrated by the Drawings the two generating vessels A A' which are prefer-
ably cylindrical in shape and formed of cast iron, but which may be of malleable iron,
steel, or of enamelled fireclay or other suitable metal or material, are each fitted with
à door at each end which may be secured by hook catches carrying a cross bar
and tightening screw but other equivalent arrangements such as the swivelling
bridge piece and tightening screw fitted with cross handle a³ shown in the draw-
ings, may be used. A gas tight joint is formed when required by the use between
the vessels A A¹ and door aa of an asbestos ring steeped in oil and blacklead or
graphite, or other suitable jointing materials may be employed. These generators A 'A¹
are fitted up, supported by standards B, in an inclined position, so that one end
is considerably higher than the other and are each connected by a series of union
couplings or right and left handed screwed nipples c to a condensing vessel Çabove
them also fitted at a similar angle. This condenser C may however be formed
or cast in one piece with the generator, and the communication with the generator
formed by two or more openings or by a single opening extending nearly the whole
ength of the condenser.
Openings are preferably bored or cast through the sides of the condensers C opposite
each connecting nipple e for the purpose of enabling same to be cleaned and these
openings are closed by screwed plugs c¹.
The gas generated flows up into the condenser C and any water carried up along
with it gravitates to the lower end of condenser whence it flows down into the

page_text: generator below. From the condensers C the gas is led by pipes D D fitted with
stop cocks, or as indicated in the Drawings simple non return valves d, first upwards
and then downwards to be admitted to the storage vessel or holder E which is prefer-
ably of ordinary gasometer form within a water tank Ferected on feet I and any
water still conveyed over by the gas falls into a drip well d¹ formned at the lowest
part of gas conducting pipe D. The gas holder E has a vertical rod E¹ fitted to its
top part working through a guiding crossbar E, and preferably has also guide
pulleys e running on the standards e.
A small beam lever G is fulcrumed on one of the standards e¹ near its upper end
and a weight g is suspended by a chain g from its inner end.
The other end of this lever G is connected by a rod or wire g² to a weighted lever H
which opens or closes the valve H¹ which allows the water to flow from the tank F
to each generator by the pipes à fitted with stop cocks A. The water may be led by
the pipe à from this valve H' to the lower generator A direct, and the pipe leading to
the upper generator A¹ be led up to a point higher than it and then bent downwards
to enter the generator at its lower end, both pipes being fitted with stop cocks.
By this arrangement the water supplied from the tank or any other source flows
first into the lower generator when same has been charged with calcium or other
suitable carbide and when gas ceases to be generated there, into the one above.
It is preferred however as shown in the drawings to lead the water supply pipe A
along the upper side of each generator whence the water is conveyed to the interior
by small nozzles h². The water is thus very gradually admitted to the carbide and
the generation of gas is effected slowly and without producing great or sudden
pressure. When the carbide of one generator is exhausted the water supply can be
cut off from it by the stop cock h¹ and opened to the other one, when the first
generator can be cleaned out and recharged without cutting off the gas supply or
stopping the generation. When consumption ceases or is not equal to the generation
the gas holder rises and lifting the weight g which action releases the lever G and
allows the weighted lever H to cut off the water supply by closing the water valve H¹.
The gas generated is led away from the holder E by the pipes I for consumption.
where desired.
A tank fitted with ball valve or any equivalent arrangement may be used to
maintain the water at the desired level in the tank F.
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
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of an"
apparatus for the generation and storage of acetylene gas, all substantially as herein.
described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of an
apparatus for the generation of acetylene gas in a continuous manner during
consumption all substantially as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Third. In an apparatus for the generation and storage of acetylene gas the use
5 of one or more generators or generating vessels placed in an inclined position and
fitted with charging and discharging doors all substantially as herein described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. In an apparatus for the generation and storage of Acetylene Gas the
water supplying fittings all arranged so that the generation of gas takes place in
O proportion to consumption and at a low pressure all substantially as herein described
and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In an apparatus for the generation and storage of Acetylene Gas the
arrangements of the generators and fittings whereby they can be isolated from the
gus holder while being recharged, all substantially as herein described and illustrated
5 by the accompanying Drawings.
Sixth. In an apparatus for the generation and storage of Acetylene Gas the

page_text: arrangement of devices for supplying water to the generators whereby a complete
stoppage of generation takes place, when consumption of gas ceases, all substantially
as herein described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 25th day of June 1897
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96 Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.