Apparatus for Producing and Storing Acetylene and other Gases.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1899-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Producing and Storing Acetylene and other Gases.
I, CHRISTOPHER MARTIN BRIDGES, of 3428, Valencia Street, in the City and
County of San Francisco and the State of California, Tinsmith, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My present invention has to do generally with gas generators, but to be more
specific the apparatus is a generator designed for the production of the hydro-
carbon known as acetylene, or ethine (C, H₂).
The prime object of the device besides providing means for generating and
holding the gas, and making its production automatic with the consumption, is
to relieve the gas from constant contact with water by providing a novel dry
seal and thereby improve its quality and illuminating properties.
The usual method of generating acetylene, which has supplanted the old
formation by direct synthesis of its constituents at a high temperature, is by the
decomposition of a calcium or other carbide when brought in contact with water.
As soon as this carbide is reached by the water, the oxygen of the water combines
with the calcium to form lime, while the hydrogen unites with the carbon to
form acetylene.
Now, this admission of a small quantity of water to a bulk of carbide neces-
sarily causes the latter to immediately heat and generate an extremely hot gas
which must necessarily be cooled and purified previous to consumption, while the
carbide not immediately consumed is caused to rapidly deteriorate. In my device
I have completely reversed the operation causing the carbide to be automatically
fed to a cool body of water and thereby overcome the many objections to the
above method.
Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of the complete apparatus.
Figure 2 is an enlarged section of the carbide holder.
Referring now to the above by numeral, represents an open top cylindrical
vessel supported on the framework 2, while within this vessel and supported in
the same manner is the closed top cylinder 3. Interposed between these cylin-
ders 1 and 3 and held away from the walls thereof for free vertical reciprocation
by means of the central rod 4, is the cylindrical bell gas reservoir 5.
Within this interior cylinder 3 and formed therewith is the central small
cylinder 6, closed at both ends and having its vertical wall perforated at 7 to
communicate with the interior of cylinder 3, the latter being perforated at 8 to
communicate with bell 5.
In order to perfect the seal between bell 5 and cylinder 3, I have provided
the rubber hood 9, one end of which is secured to and encircles the lower edge of
bell 5 while the other end snugly encircies the upper edge of cylinder 3.
Securely held to the framework 2 in the position shown the carbide holder 10,
while directly below and held up securely against it by means of the clamp 11
is the reservoir 12. The gasket 13 is for the purpose of insuring a perfect seal
between the holder 10 and reservoir 12.
The arrangement of the feed and service pipes is readily seen, the former 14

page_text: leading from below the holder 10 to the cylinder 6, while the latter 15 is led off
from a point just above the top of cylinder 3.
Having gone into the general construction of the device, I will explain its
operation, reserving further details of construction until later.
'
Assuming that the reservoir 12 contains the desired amount of water, and the
carbide placed in the holder 10, it will be readily seen that as the carbide is allowed
to drop into the reservoir, gas will be immediately generated and flow into cylin-
der 6 where it is completely relieved of any moisture and subsequently enters
cylinder 3 and finally through the perforations 8 to bell 5. As this gas increases
in volume the bell will be forced upward and the rubber sleeve or hood 9 curl
from the cylinder 3 in the nature of a glove. As the gas is drawn from the reser-
voir 5, the latter naturally descends by gravity, the rubber sleeve curling back
onto cylinder 3 into its former position.
The manner of.feeding the carbide to the water reservoir is more clearly shown
in Figure 2. Adapted to swing past the mouth of the hopper (a) on pivot (b) is
the arc-shaped slide (c) which is formed with a rectangular opening (d). It is
evident that as the lever (e) is tilted down until the opening (d) is opposite the
mouth of the hopper, the carbide will drop to the water until checked. Now, to
make this feeding automatic, I have provided the U shaped vertical strip 17
which is secured to the bell 5, and engages with the lever (c) mounted on the
pivot (6). As the bell 5 falls sufficiently to bring the stop (g) against lever (e),
the latter will be forced down thereby operating the slide (c). After a sufficient
quantity of carbide is admitted to cause the bell to rise, the lever will be relieved
thereby allowing the slide to close. The cutout portion (m) is to prevent clogging.
In order to remove the reservoir 12, all that is necessary to do is to release the
clamp 11 when the pivoted arm 18 will fall carrying with it the reservoir.
The taps 1, 1 are for the purpose of refilling and drawing off reservoir 12,
while through stop cock 19 any moisture accumulating in cylinder 6 can be
drawn off.
Having thus gone into the general construction and operation of the generator
the many advantages of the same, will, it is thought be readily understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A device of the class described consisting of a suitable vessel, a bell reser-
voir connected to said vessel by means of a flexible hood or sleeve and a gas
generator connected with the interior of said bell and means whereby the move-
ment of said bell will automatically regulate the generation of said gas, for the
purpose set forth.
2. A gas generator consisting of a suitable vessel, a bell reservoir connected
to said vessel by means of a flexible hood or sleeve, a carbide holder connected
to said bell, a water reservoir connected to said holder, said bell being arranged
to automatically feed said carbide to said water reservoir, as set forth.
3. A gas generator provided with a movable bell reservoir, a carbide holder
in proximity to said bell, a water reservoir connected to said holder, said bell
being arranged to automatically feed said carbide to said water reservoir, as set
forth.