An Improved Apparatus for Generating and Purifying Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Generating and Purifying Acetylene
Gas.
I, RICHARD JOHN Moss of Conduit Road, Abingdon, in the County of Berkshire,
Ironmonger's Assistant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for generating and purifying
acetylene gas, and has for its object to provide an apparatus of such a construction
that the gas generated can be put under practically any pressure, thoroughly purified
and cooled before entering the service pipes, and the recharging of which apparatus
can be easily accomplished without interfering with the continuous successful working
of the same. My improved apparatus is worked on the gasometer principle, but its
construction is such that it can be worked by water pressure without in any way
altering the apparatus.
The apparatus consists essentially of a hollow cylindrical vessel or container
mounted upon two, three, or more legs, and having attached to its underside and sides
suitable purifying and cooling apparatus as hereinafter described. Running right
round the inside of this vessel is a water cistern separated from the generator by a
vertical cylindrical wall or partition; the outer walls of the vessel being heightened
all round the water cistern in order to prevent any overflow of water when the
generated gas is put under pressure. This water cistern also contains a set of cooling
and purifying pipes laid round the outside wall, through which the gas has to pass
before it reaches the service pipes. The said cooling and purifying pipes lead sharply
at one end into a vertical pipe fastened outside the side of the vessel, the said pipe
being provided. at its top and bottom ends with taps, so that the condensed water
can be let out at the lower end; and the purified gas at the top end into the service
pipes. The cylindrical wall or partition, as aforesaid, is open at its top end, and has
suitable holes or perforations at its lower end on either side, to allow for the free
ingress or egress of water as occasion may demand. This wall also serves as a guide
for a gasometer which works upon it, the said gasometer being of a cylindrical or
other suitable shape and of such a length as to not quite reach to the base of the
vessel or container.
Within this gasometer is placed an inverted cylinder closed at its top end (except
for a cock to allow air to be expelled from same when necessary) but open at its
bottom end for the ingress of water, the said cylinder being of the same length as the
gasometer and fitting loosely within the same. This cylinder which constitutes the
generator, has running vertically and centrally through it a pipe or tube
communicating at its lower end with a purifying chamber, and at its top end with
the generator through an outer tube. This outer tube encases the central one and
runs throughout the length of the generator being fastened at its top end thereto by
soldering, sweating, or other suitable means, and is in direct communication with the
generator through suitable inlets made near its junction with the top of the same,
the gas passing through the outer tube to the central one and thence to the purifier.
Upon this outer tube a removable calcuim carbide cage slides and can be fixed by

page_text: being hooked to a projection on the inner face of the generator, or the cage may rest
directly on ledges fixed to the inner face of the generator, or any suitable affixing
means may be employed.
On the underside of the base of the vessel or container are situated two purifying
chambers consisting of rectangular or other suitably shaped water cisterns, one being
in communication with the generator through the central tube, as aforesaid, and the
other one in communication with the gasometer by means of a vertical pipe leading
into it. This latter purifier is also in connection at its top part with the set of
cooling and purifying pipes, as previously mentioned, through which the gas travels
to the service pipes. Leading out of the purifier connected with the generator is a
pipe, which leading upwards, passes through the base of the vessel or container to
almost the top of the gasometer and there discharges its gas. This pipe before
entering the container is fitted with a tap or cock for the purpose of connecting and
disconnecting the generator with the gasometer.
The working of the apparatus is as follows: --Assuming that the water cistern has
been filled with water and also the two purifiers or water cisterns, the latter through
the two vertical pipes communicating with them, (their taps being turned on to allow
surplus water to escape,) the gasometer having been removed, then take out and
charge the generator, replacing gasometer and expelling all air contained therein by
turning on tap of pipe connecting gasometer to generator. Now turn this cock off,
drop charged generator into its place, (the cock at top of generator having previously
been turned on to allow air to escape) and turn on cock connecting generator with
gasometer. The gasometer will consequently rise, and having been connected to the
generator by a suitable catch the two will work up and down as one gasometer until
the calcium carbide in generator is exhausted. To recharge the generator it is only
necessary to turn off the cock of pipe connecting generator to gasometer, so as to
prevent the gas contained in gasometer from returning back through the pipe, when
the generator can be removed, recharged, and placed back in its position without
interfering with the successful and continuous working of the apparatus. Any
required extra pressure of gas may be obtained by placing weights upon the top of
the gasometer, which will not rise to such an extent, the water being forced out of
the gasometer by the generated gas through the holes in the vertical wall or partition,
as aforesaid, into the water cistern, the apparatus, if the gasometer is stationary,
being now worked by water pressure but should the pressure from any. cause be
increased, the gasometer can always rise and relieve that pressure.
120
.T
An Improved Apparatus for Generating and Purifying Acetylene
Gas.
I, RICHARD JOHN. Moss of Conduit Road, Abingdon, in the County of Berkshire,
Ironmonger's Assistant,. 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:—
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for generating and purifying
acetylene gas, and has for its object to provide an apparatus of such a construction
that the gas generated shall be delivered at an even pressure, purified and cooled
before entering the service pipes, and the recharging of which apparatus can be easily
accomplished without interfering with the continuous successful working of the

page_text: same. My apparatus is further characterised by its simplicity in construction in
working.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying sheet of
drawings, Fig. 1 of which illustrates a front view in section, Fig. 2 a section taken
on the dotted line A B, Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a separate view in elevation and plan of the
gasometer, Fig. 4 a similar view of the generating chamber, and Fig. 5 a modified
form of calcium carbide cage suitable. for the larger sizes of the apparatus.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the
sheet of drawings.
The apparatus consists of a square hollow container a having extended sides a², a³,
at its top end for the purpose of holding any water that may be forced above the
level of the gasometer in the working of the apparatus; these extended sides being
an essential feature in the successful working of the apparatus. The square sides of
the container act as guides to an inverted cylinder b placed therein which, when the
generated gas reaches a certain pressure, acts as a gasometer and, rising, relieves the
said pressure. The outer wall 2 of this gasometer rests, under normal conditions,
on the floor of the container as shown, and has perforation's b at its lower end for
the purpose of allowing water to freely circulate between the interiors of the
gasometer and the container or vice versa; the inside wall 63 of the gasometer being
inade of a shorter length than its outside wall for the same purpose. Centrally.
supported within the gasometer b by means of its flanged head c² is a cylindrical
generating chamber c, not quite reaching to the bottom of the gasometer, having its
wall curved inwardly at c³, c, or inward projections formed thereon at any convenient'
distance or distances from its bottom end, for the purpose of supporting calcium
carbide cages e, e², therein; the said calcium carbide cages being inwardly recessed.
at e, e', in order to pass the projections c³, c, formed on the inside wall of the,
generating chamber, the carbide cages being securely fixed in position by giving
them half-a-turn. These calcium carbide cages are-circular in form and are preferably
constructed of fine wires about a quarter to half-an-inch apart, and the number of
these calcium carbide cages is dependent upon the size of the apparatus used, as
many as six being used in large apparatuses. It is also preferable in large apparatuses:
to divide the cages up into three or four divisions, such an arrangement being shown:
in plan in Fig. 5, where a cage with four divisions is shown suitable for use with
apparatuses for domestic use. The object of the separate cages and division of cages:
is that only a small quantity of calcium carbide can be attacked at one time, and all,
chance of spontaneous combustion is avoided.
Situated at the bottom of the container and formed in one with it are two
rectangular water pockets or condensers w¹, w², provided with cocks t¹, t2, for the:
purpose. of regulating the supply of water contained therein. These water pockets or
condensers are respectively in communication with the gasometer by means of the
vertical pipes p¹ and p² leading out therefrom, and fixed in the floor of the container
by.brazing, sweating, &c.; water pocket w being also in communication with the
generating chamber by a vertical central pipe p³ also fixed in the floor of the:
container. A pipe pt leads out from water pocket w² to the service pipes and, in
the case of lantern-sized apparatuses, would be externally screwed.at its end to take:
the screwed mouth of supply pipe to jet.
It will be seen that the generating chamber c. is entirely independent of and:
separate from the gasometer b, so that it can be easily withdrawn for recharging
whilst the apparatus in full working without affecting the light or lights supplied
by the apparatus. It should be mentioned that this generating chamber is of such a
weight as to resist the ordinary pressure of the generated gas, and it is only lifted
up by the action of the gasometer rising, upon which it rests. When recharging the
gas is prevented from returning to the central pipe, and from thence to the room, by
means of a small conical valve v, preferably made of india-rubber, having a screwed
inetal shank v2, and a head, 3, for rotation, taking into the end of the pipe p¹, which
is flared to receive it. The screwed shank v2 of this valve works in a like screwed
hole in the top of the gasometer opposite the flared ends of the pipe p¹ and, un de

page_text: normal conditions, the upper face of this valve is screwed tight up against the
underface of the gasometer making a gas-tight joint therewith but, on recharging,
the conical face of the valve is forced onto the flared ends of the pipe and prevents
the gas getting back into the central tube as aforesaid. An ordinary cock may be
used instead of this arrangement, or a water trap may be formed in the condenser w¹,
which will effect the same purpose.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
The generating chamber c having been withdrawn for charging the container a is
filled with water up to the level indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the air having
previously been let out of the gasometer b by turning on the cocks and 12 of the
condensing or water pockets w¹, w². The generating chamber is then slowly lowered
into position within the gasometer and, upon the calcium carbide coming in contact
with the water, gas is generated, the generating chamber, by virtue of its weight,
forcing the water back into the container. The gas escapes down the central pipe p³
into condenser w¹, from whence it proceeds up pipe pl into the gasometer returning
down pipe p2 into the condenser 202, passing from thence in a cooled and purified
state into the supply pipe pt. It will be seen that the pressure of gas must always
be constant, the gasometer relieving and regulating the pressure if it exceeds a
certain point.
I wish it to be understool that I may attach the generating chamber to gasometer
by means of a catch and work them as one gasometer, as described in my provisional
specification, and the generating chamber may also be provided with a cock at its top
end, also described in my provisional specification.
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. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination of a square
container with extended sides, vertical pipes standing up therefrom and condensing
chambers, gasometer working therein, and central generating chamber with calcium
carbide cages supported within said gasometer, substantially as described and set
forth.
Second. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination of a square
container a, with extended sides a², a³, with vertical pipes p¹, p², p³, and condensing
chambers w¹, w², acting as purifiers, substantially as described and set forth.
Third. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, the combination with the
gasometer 6 of a central independent generating chamber c supported therein, contain-
ing calcium carbide cages c, c², substantially as described and set forth.
Fourth. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination with the
generating chamber c of a central tube or pipe p³ in communication therewith and
enclosed therein, substantially as described and set forth.
Fifth. In an apparatus for generating and purifying acetylene gas the means for
recharging such whilst working substantially as described and set forth.
Sixth. In an apparatus for generating and purifying acetylene gas the particular
arrangement and division of carbide cages substantially as described and set forth.
Seventh. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas the combination and
arrangement of the different parts substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 16th day of October 1897.