Improvements in or connected with Apparatuses for Producing Acetylene Gas.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Apparatuses for Producing
Acetylene Gas.
"
A communication by Louis LÉON HECTOR GERARD, of 16 Rue des Grandes.
Carriéres, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, & 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an arrangement for regulating the feed of apparatuses
producing acetylene gas. It has for its object to dispense with the movable bell
or gasometer generally employed, which is a cause of complication and derange-
ment in the working of the apparatuses, and has also for its object to prevent any
excessive feed being accidentally produced.
The invention consists in the use of a flexible or elastic diaphragm, one face of
which is in direct contact with the atmosphere whilst the other face is subjected
to the pressure of the gas produced in the apparatus, such diaphragm operating
a rod provided with two valves acting on two opposite seats, the lower valve
regulating the feed, and the upper safety valve closing automatically, when, in
consequence of any accident, the regulating valve remains open and ceases to
arrest the feed of the apparatus.
In this apparatus the force which acts on the spindle of the valves is proportionate
to the surface of the movable diaphragm. Any desired degree of control may
therefore be imparted to it by increasing its surface in such a way that it may
overcome the resistance opposed by the valve and move under differences as high
as may be desired between the pressures which are exerted on its two faces.
The invention will now be described as being applied to apparatus in which
the acetylene gas is produced by the fall of crushed carbide into water.
The apparatus is composed of a water reservoir which is provided with a filling
orifice, a level regulating orifice, a discharge orifice, a pipe for drawing off the
gas, and a safety pipe.
A regulator is arranged at the top of the upper vessel or container in which con-
tainer the crushed carbide is inserted by a lateral orifice. This regulator is
composed of a sort of bellows of flexible inaterial, the bottom of which is closed
by a metallic plate, to which is fixed a valve spindle carrying the distributing
valve and the safety valve.
In normal working the distributing valve drops slightly below its seating or
point of meeting with the under recessing or narrowing of the orifice for dis-
charging the carbide, while the safety valve remains somewhat raised above its
seating or point of meeting with the upper narrowed part of the said orifice in
order to allow the carbide to run away freely round its periphery. When the

page_text: production of acetylene gas exceeds the consumption, the pressure increases in th
upper part of the reservoir and is transmitted by a pipe towards the top of the carbid
container where it acts on the plate of the regulator, which will rise carrying
with it the rod or spindle of the valve, which reduces or stops the discharge o
carbide until on the pressure again diminishing in the apparatus the plate o
the valve drops again and causes a fresh fall of carbide.
It is evident, therefore, that the movements of the distributing valve for the
pulverised carbide are determined by the displacements of a movable diaphragm
the upper face of which is subjected to the constant action of the atmospheric
pressure increased according as may be necessary by an equally constant but
adjustable weight, whilst its lower face is subjected to the variations of pressure
which are produced in the apparatus.
The weight of the metallic plate of the bellows and of the spindle and valves
generally constitutes a sufficient load to cause the opening of the regulating valve,
in spite of the excess of pressure which must be normally produced in the apparatus
in order to ensure the discharge of the gas into the distributing mains, but it
is evident that, if desired, this load may be increased by the addition of weights
on the plate of the bellows or in any other suitable manner for this object.
It is also evident that if, in consequence of any cause, the regulating valve
should drop too far or cease to rise, the safety valve will then bear on the upper
or internal narrowed edge of the discharge orifice and will consequently arrest
all excessive fall or supply of the carbide contained in the container.
The apparatus to which the regulator is applied may comprise the use of a
fixed bell or gasometer open in its lower part to allow of the free movement of
water in the reservoir where it rises to a level variable with the pressure which
it is desired to maintain in the apparatus.
bellows may be replaced by a simple flexible or clastic diaphragm or membrane,
In the same way the regulating
in the centre of which the rod bearing the distributing and safety valves, is fixed.
It is evident that the effects produced will be exactly the same as in the preceding
form of construction, and that the said diaphragm may be employed alone or may
rest on a flexible support such as a metallic thread wound in a spiral or any other
suitable arrangement. Finally in place of a diaphragm a thin metallic strip,
rendered supple or flexible by means of concentric undulations obtained by
stamping, as is customary in certain regulating apparatuses, may be employed.
In certain cases a piston may be employed, working with very slight friction
in a cylinder and actuating the spindle of the regulating and safety valves. Any
suitable means may be employed for realising this application of the regulating
piston. The use of a piston should be particularly mentioned provided on its
periphery with a groove in which is mounted an indiarubber ring in the form of a
torus and capable of rolling freely on itself between this piston and the internal
surface of the cylinder.
In all these cases the regulator may also control the rotation of a revolving
distributing valve. In this case the diaphragm by means of levers and a pawl
acting on a ratchet actuates a drum or cylinder, provided with recesses or chambers
on its periphery and lodged in a casing arranged at the base of the carbide con-
tainer. It is easy to understand that at each displacement of the pawl one of
the chambers will come in front of the discharge orifice of the casing at the same
time that an empty chamber will come opposite the discharge orifice of the carbide
container.
It must also be understood that, according to circumstances, the movable
diaphragm may be arranged in horizontal, vertical or oblique positions, and be
employed for regulating taps or valves for admitting water on to the carbide in
apparatuses in which this means of producing acetylene gas is employed.
Dated this 18th day of Decal 2000

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Apparatuses for Producing
Acetylene Gas.
A communication by Louis LEON HECTOR GERARD, of 16 Rue des Grandes
Carriéres, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, & 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, 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 arrangement for regulating the feed of apparatuses
producing acetylene gas by the fall of. crushed carbide into water. It has for its
object to dispense with the movable bell or gasometer generally employed, which
is a cause of complication and derangement in the working of the apparatuses,
and has also for its object to prevent any excessive feed being accidentally
produced.
The invention consists in the use of a flexible or elastic diaphragm arranged
at the top of the upper vessel or hopper containing the crushed carbide, one
face of which iaphragm is in direct contact with the atmosphere, whilst the
jected to the pressure of the gas produced in the apparatus, such
ing a rod provided with two valves acting on two opposite seats,
regulating the feed, and the upper safety valve closing auto-
matically, when, in consequence of any accident, the regulating valve remains
open and ceases to arrest the feed of the apparatus.
In this apparatus the force which acts on the spindle of the valves is pro-
portionate to the surface of the movable diaphragm. Any desired degree of
control may therefore be imparted to it by increasing its surface in such a way
that it may overcome the resistance opposed by the valve and move under
differences as high as may be desired between the pressures which are exerted
on its two faces.
The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a vertical section showing the application of a feed regulator formed
of a flexible diaphragm;
Figure 2 is a vertical section showing the application of a feed regulator formed
of an elastic diaphragm;
Figure 3 a vertical section showing the application of the regulator to a rotary
distributor of crushed carbide;
Figure 4 is a detail view of this arrangement.
The apparatus shown in Figure 1 is composed of a water reservoir A which
is provided with a filling orifice a, a level regulating orifice b, a discharge
orifice c, a pipe d for drawing off the gas, and a safety pipe e.
A regulator R is arranged at the top of the upper vessel or container B, in which
container the crushed carbide is inserted by a lateral orifice f.
This regulator is composed of a sort of bellows of flexible material h, the bottom
of which is closed by a metallic plate r, to which is fixed a valve spindle T carrying
a distributing valve v and a safety valve v¹.

page_text: In normal working, the distributing valve v drops slightly below its seating
or point of meeting with the under recessing or narrowing of the orifice m for
discharging the carbide, while the safety valve v¹ remains somewhat raised above
its seating or point of meeting with the upper narrowed part of the said orifice m
in order to allow the carbide to run away freely round' its periphery. When the
production of acetylene gas exceeds the consumption, the pressure increases in
the upper part A' of the reservoir and is transmitted by a pipe g towards the top
of the carbide container where it acts on the plate r of the regulator, which will
rise carrying with it the rod or spindle T of the valve V, which reduces or stops
the discharge of carbide until, on the pressure again diminishing in the apparatus,
the plater drops again and causes a fresh fall of carbide.
It is evident, therefore, that the movements of the distributing valve for the
pulverised carbide are determined by the displacements of a movable diaphragm,
the upper face of which is subjected to the constant action of the atmospheric
pressure increased according as may be necessary by an equally constant but
adjustable weight, whilst its lower face is subjected to the variations of pressure
which are produced in the apparatus.
28
The weight of the metallic plate r of the bellows and of the spindle T and
valves and generally constitutes a sufficient load to cause the opening of the
regulating valve, in spite of the excess of pressure which must be normally pro-
duced in the apparatus, in order to ensure the discharge of the gas into the
distributing mains, but it is evident that, if desired, this lo guay be increased
by the addition of weights on the plate r of the bellows or in any other suitable
manner for this object.
It is also evident that if, in consequence of any cause, the regulating valve v
should drop too far or cease to rise, the safety valve will then bear on the internal
narrowed edge of the discharge orifice m and will consequently arrest all excessive
fall or supply of the carbide contained in the container B.
Wire 2, in which
the same reference letters are employed as in Figure 1, the
the regulator is applied comprises the use of a fixed bell o
its lower part to allow of the free movement of water in th
rises to a level variable with the pressure which it is desired to maintain in
the apparatus. In the same way the regulating bellows may be replaced by a
simple flexible or elastic diaphragm or membrane S, in the centre of which the
rod T bearing the distributing and safety valves and is placed. It is evident
that the effects produced will be exactly the same as in the preceding form of
construction, and that the said diaphragm may be employed alone or may rest on
a flexible support such as a metallic thread wound in a spiral or any other suitable
arrangement. Finally, in place of a diaphragm a thin metallic strip, rendered
supple or flexible by means of concentric undulations obtained by stamping, as is
customary in certain regulating apparatuses, may be employed.
In certain cases a piston may be employed, working with very slight friction in
a cylinder and actuating the spindle of the regulating and safety valves. Any
suitable means may be employed for realising this application of the regulating
piston. The use of a piston should be particularly mentioned provided on its
periphery with a groove in which is mounted an indiarubber ring in the form of a
torus and capable of rolling freely on itself between this piston and the internal
surface of the cylinder.
In all these cases the regulator may also control the rotation of a revolving
distributing valve. In this case shown in Figures 3 and 4, the diaphragms by
means of levers and a pawl i acting on a ratchet, actuates a drum or cylinder j
provided with recesses or chambers on its periphery and lodged in a casing
arranged at the base of the carbide container B. It is easy to understand that.
at each displacement of the pawl one of the chambers will come in front of the
discharge orifice k of the casing at the same time that an empty chamber will
come opposite the discharge orifice of the carbide container B.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In an apparatus for producing acetylene gas by the fall of crushed carbide
into water, the combination with a receptacle containing the crushed carbide of
a flexible or elastic diaphragm arranged at the top of the said receptacle in such a
way that its lower face is subjected to the variable pressure of the gas produced
and its upper face is exposed to the practically constant pressure of the atmosphere
the said diaphragm actuating a rod having two opposed cones or valves one placed
above and the other below the lower orifice of the receptacle containing the
crushed carbide, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
2. In an apparatus for producing acetylene gas by the fall of carbide into water,
the combination with a receptacle containing the crushed carbide, of a flexible or
elastic diaphragm arranged at the top of the said receptacle and subjected to the
contrary pressures of the gas produced and of the atmosphere, said diaphragm
actuating by means of hinged levers, a pawl serving to rotate a drum having
chambers or rece: es on its periphery and arranged in the discharge orifice of
the said receptacle containing the crushed carbide, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore indicated.
Dated this lat dor of Santambar 1807
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.