Improvements in Apparatus for the Generation of Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Generation of Acetylene Gas..
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, London, WC,
Consulting Engineer. (a communication from Adolphe Felix Bowers, of 15, Rue
De La Banque, Paris, in the Republic of France, Mechanic), do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to bë
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for regulating the generation
of acetylene from the pressure attained by varying or stopping the admission or
contact of water when required to act upon the calcium carbide.
My invention consists in apparatus hereinafter described, and the accompanying
drawings illustrate certain modifications of design in which the invention is
embodied. Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a complete acetylene gas generating
plant constructed according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a diagramatic elevation of a complete acetylene gas generating
plant constructed according to another modification.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation illustrating the application of the invention
to a domestic lighting lamp.
In carrying my invention into effect according to Figure 1 of the drawings,
which illustrates a complete acetylene gas generating plant having a regulator
of the type described in the specification to Letters Patent No. 13511 of 18th June,
1896, I provide a double compartment tank upon which two cylindrical carbide
holders are mounted with the water supply and gas production regulator:
i
The carbide holders A¹ and B₁ are similarly constructed. The carbide holder A¹
is composed of a cylindrical casing a which is fitted with a top cover 6 and a
bottom cover c, the said bottom cover having division plate a carrying
a cone e which projects into the cylindrical casing a; and is suit-
ably perforated at f f, as shown in the drawing. The bottom
cover e thus forms a separate compartment communicating on one side by way
of the cone e with the cylindrical casing, and on the other side by way of the cock g
with the double compartment tank. Pipe connections h and i are fixed on the top and
bottom covers respectively for the purpose hereinafter described. On carbide.
holder B¹ similar parts are lettered similarly to A¹ with the addition of a numeral.
The water and gas regulator is precisely similar in construction and action to
that described in the specification to Letters Patent No. 13511 of 18th June,
1896, previously referred to, and it has in addition an automatic ball float valve j
which, when the water reaches a predetermined level in the reservoir A shuts
off the initial supply.
The water supply to the carbide holders after reaching the pint G on the pipe F
takes place through the small distributing pipes k k¹ to their respective
holders A¹ B', these distributing pipes terminating in valve spaces 771 filled with
porous material all situated within the cones e e, and having small non-return
valves m m (preferably of the ball type) which allow the admission of the water"
into the cone and holder while preventing its return; and upon the pipes ki
I also fix the regulating cocks n n'. The tank upon which the carbide holders.

page_text: and regulator stand consists of two compartments o and p having the carbide
holders A B discharging by way of the cocks g g¹ into compartment o
which in turn communicates by the passages q with the next compartment p the
said compartment p having a ball float valve ir, discharge pipe s, and gas delivery
pipe t, all for a purpose hereinafter described. The operation of this plant is
as follows:-The carbide holders are worked alternately, so considering A¹ in
operation, and B1 shut out; then the cocks ng are open and n¹ g' shut. Thus water
is sent under pressure from the regulator H as described in the specification to
Letters Patent No. 13511 of 18th June, 1896, before referred to, to the point G
from where it passes along the pipe k, through the cock n, valve m, and finally
the upper ring of perforations f, where it meets the calcium carburet packet into
the casing a of the holder A¹. The calcium carburet immediately starts dis-
integrating and gas water and lime flow out through the bottom ring of
perforations f in the cone e, into the bottom cover e passing by way of the cock g
into the tank compartment o where the lime and water fall to the bottom and the gas
passed over into the next compartment p, making its final exit by the pipe t to the
place of consumption. The lime and detritus settle to the bottom of the compart-
ment o from where it is withdrawn at intervals by suitable means through the
sluge pipe u; while the water rising steadily flows over through the passage into
the compartment p, being there automatically discharged by the opening of the
ball valve r, allowing the gas pressure to force it up the pipe s.
When the gas
pressure exceeds a predetermined amount, as it is always in communication by
the pipe I with the regulator, the water is forced down below the point G and
supply to the carbide holder is stopped.
Sometimes I use the carbide holder not in operation as a dryer for the gas, in
which case I connect the pipet by another pipe v shown in dotted lines to the
connection h¹, where it passes down through the holder B and makes its exit by
the connection ¹ and pipe w. The pipes
in the carbide holders A¹ BI act
as collectors for condensation throughout the carbide returning the same on to the
exterior surfaces of the cones e e¹.
On Figure 2 of the drawings another important modification of my invention
is shown in diagramatic sectional elevation, and represents a complete acetylene
gas generating plant. The main portions of the apparatus consists of the upper
and lower water reservoirs A and E, regulating chamber H, carbide holder A¹
with its external regulating casings A3 A4 mineral oil tank C¹ and purifying
chamber D, all constructed and operated as follows:-Water is admitted into the
reservoir A by way of the non-return rubber flap valve and passes down through
the tube bend y and cock z into the bottom reservoir E, finally filling this up
and rising into the regulating chamber H where it overflows through the per-
forations down the tube m¹ into and filling up the external regulating
casings A3 A4 until it reaches a perforated grid O¹ fixed on the bottom of the
carbide holder A'. Here gas is immediately generated and rising to the top of the
holder A¹ passes up the pipe 1 down into the top of the regulator H; a branch
pipe Qalso taking the gas through the purifier D₁ previous to its exit for con-
sumption by the pipe ; while simultaneously with this the gas passes into the
exterior casing A and acts upon the water surface there presented. When the
gas pressure exceeds that due to the head of water in A, the gas drives the water
from the regulating chamber H and thus stops the supply and at the same time
acting on the water in the exterior casing A³ and next the grid 01 driving it
downwards and up into the outer casing A4 and away from the calcium carburet.
The whole process goes on until the carbide holder is exhausted when the water
will have filled to the top both the casing A3 and the holder A¹, and when the
occurs the water rises higher in the regulating chamber H and trickles down
another pipe m³ having similar perforations to m¹, and connected to another carbide
holder. Similarly when that is exhausted the water in H rises still further and
brings into operation a third carbide holder connected to m³ and I may so arrange
any number of pipes in the regulating chamber H that a similar number of carbide

page_text: holders may be brought into action in succession or altogether as may be required.
From the reservoir A a pipe s is carried up in lieu of a safety valve and a similar
pipe is carried to about the same height from the bottom of the exterior casing A¹.
The mineral oil chamber C¹ I use when it is desired to restrict the rapid production
of gas by having a layer of oil floating on the top of the water to prevent its contact
with the carbide, the pipe u¹ admitting the oil while the pipe v collects it as the
carbide holder becomes exhausted. However, any other suitable substance, such
as glucose, linseed oil or treacle may be used to retard the production of gas.
On Figure 3 of the drawings a complete acetylene gas production plant as applied
to an ordinary household lamp is shown in sectional elevation. The main features
are similar to the last modification, and consists of an upper water reservoir A
lower reservoir E, carbide holder A¹, external casings A3 A4 and the necessary
connecting pipes and valves all constructed and operated as follows:-Water
is admitted into the upper reservoir A through the valve ³, it then passes down the
pipe throught, the cock 2 and pipe into the bottom reservoir E, and finally
filling it up reaches the perforations in the regulating pipe m¹ and overflows into
the casing o¹, rising up and flowing through the openings o³ down between the
outer tube o5 and the tube o² on to and through the grids o¹, finally filling up the
exterior and bottom casing A3 and attacking the carbide in the holder A through
the grids o, and thus starting the generation of gas. The air displaced from the
reservoir E by water passing up the pipe y into the larger containing pipe K¹
unon which the reservoir A is fixed, and finally passing by the pipe y³ makes it
exit through the supply gas cock K2 of the lamp. The gas generated in the
carbide holder passes up the pipe y into the larger pipe K' and from there through
the pipe y and gas cock K2 to the burner, and it also fills up the pipe y² exerting
pressure on the surface of the water in the regulating chamber H while pressure
is also being exerted upon the surface of the water in A3 immediately underneath
the grids o¹, so that if the pressure of gas exceeds that due to the head of water
in the reservoir A the supply through the holes 1 is stopped, and that already in
contact at the. grids o is driven in the direction of the arrows up and around into
the exterior casing A thus regulating the pressure and supply of gas.
If
the cock should be shut and an excessive pressure of gas takes place accidently, the
water in the lower reservoir E would be blown up the pipe y' and through the
bye-pass nipe y' back into the upper reservoir A. A device to regulate the air
pressure in the upper part of the casing A such as the ball may be employed.
I also may construct the cover with a bayonet joint, so that upon rotation I
may pull the surface of the grids o¹ ouf of contact with' the water by raising it
vertically a short distance.
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 an acetylene gas generator the provision of a cone or projecting surface
to the upper portion of which the water is supplied while its lower periphery or
surface is perforated for the return passage of the water and precipated lime as
well as the gas to a separator arranged in connection therewith, substantially as
bereinbefore described.
2. In an acetylene gas generator the provision of a separator which is divided
into compartments into one of which the precipitated lime, water and gas are
passed, the lime settling in such compartment while the gas and water pass through
an outlet or outlets disposed in the upper part of the dividing partition to another
compartment where a ball float valve is operated by the rising water to allow
discharge by the pressure of gas, substantially as hereinbefore described.
The construction and arrangement of an acetylene gas generator plant sub-
stantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1
of he accompanying drawings.
4. The construction and arrangement of an acetylene gas generating plant,

page_text: substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described with reference to
Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The construction and arrangement of an acetylene gas generator substantially
as and for the purposes hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 3 of the
drawings.
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